Gunshow: Atlanta’s Most Daring And Fearless Dining Experience

Gunshow has never followed the rules—and a decade in, it’s still Atlanta’s most exciting and unpredictable dining experience. From foie-topped oysters to maple-caviar biscuits, my most recent visit might’ve been my favorite menu yet. The result of this constantly shifting creativity is a menu that never feels static. In all the years I’ve dined at Gunshow, I’ve rarely—if ever—seen the same dish twice. And even when similar ingredients reappear, they arrive with a completely different story. This commitment to change is what keeps the restaurant alive and electric. While many restaurants stick to the same greatest hits until the dining room feels tired, Gunshow does the opposite. It reinvents itself constantly. That alone might be why it’s endured so long.

Every visit feels like a brand-new experience. You’re not just returning to a favorite spot—you’re being welcomed into an entirely different creative moment. And in a world where menus are often laminated and unchanging, that level of risk-taking feels radical. Here’s why it deserves more than just a Michelin mention.

What a Decade of Reinvention Looks Like

I’ve been coming to Gunshow since 2014, and I still can’t describe it in a single sentence. That’s sort of the point. The experience is a bold, kinetic, sometimes chaotic parade of culinary creativity—part supper club, part dim sum cart, part fine dining fever dream. One minute you’re saying yes to a foie gras dish with oysters, and the next, someone is offering you a Southern-fried quail with chow chow and zero irony.

The first time I dined here, I remember thinking: this is what happens when chefs are turned loose to play—but with serious knives and an even more serious pantry. A decade later, that spirit hasn’t dulled. If anything, the food has gotten sharper, the combinations riskier, the kitchen more confident.

Gunshow is a concept with no limits… it just needs a team with a wandering mind and a love for hospitality. Chef Cody

Over the years, certain themes have emerged that define the Gunshow experience, making it one of the most singular dining destinations in Atlanta. There are signature elements that return year after year—think the banana pudding, which has achieved cult status, or the decadent chicken liver dish served in a mini ice cream cone. There’s also an unmistakable global perspective woven throughout the menu. On any given night, you might taste Szechuan heat, Peruvian citrus, Thai herbs, Ethiopian spice blends, French technique, and Japanese precision—sometimes all on the same table.

Gunshow also maintains a strong sense of place with its seasonal, Southern-rooted ingredients: muscadine grapes, collards, benne seeds, green garlic, and heirloom grits often find their way into dishes that are far more sophisticated than their homespun ingredients might suggest. Add to that the restaurant’s playful, sometimes irreverent approach to naming and plating—balanced always with serious culinary skill—and you get a place that thrives on surprising its diners without ever feeling gimmicky.

The Night Unfolds… Chef by Chef

Gunshow’s layout doesn’t follow traditional rules—and neither does its service. There’s no formal waiter assigned to your table. Instead, chefs roll out their own dishes on carts, trays or in their own hands, personally pitching what they’ve cooked. It’s part table side charm, part chef hustle, and it turns every dinner into a choose-your-own-adventure feast.

We watch people eat our work every night, and their reactions fuel our cuisine. Chef Cody

Behind the scenes, a team of chefs works independently—each one responsible for one or two dishes per night. Ingredients are sourced by the restaurant, but what happens with them is up to the chef. Some go Southern, others global. Some go experimental, others classic-but-twisted. The Chef de Cuisine, Cody Chassar, serves as the menu’s guiding hand, ensuring it all hangs together. Somehow, it always does.

All tables are communal-style, but I always try to snag a seat at the Chef’s Counter—the best view in the house.

A Tasting Menu That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously

Gunshow doesn’t hand you a traditional tasting menu—but make no mistake, that’s what you’re building as the evening unfolds. Dish after dish rolls up to your table, each one presented by the chef who made it. Some you say yes to instinctively. Others you might hesitate on, only to regret not grabbing one when it’s gone.

Here’s the full lineup from my latest visit—one of the strongest menus I’ve had at Gunshow to date:

Chicken Liver, Benne, Decimal Place Cajeta was rich, salty, and served in a mini “ice cream cone”—pure playfulness with depth. The Louisiana Crawfish, Kimchi, Nduja was a bowl of fire and funk, and easily one of the most flavor-packed bites of the night. Then came the Duck, Pink Lady Apple, 5N Pastures Egg Yolk, shaped like a sausage on a stick and paired with a silky yolk dip—both inventive and comforting at once.

The Liberty Lamb, Hickory Hill Carrot, Yogurt was cooked to perfection and plated with finesse—a true showstopper. The Arrivato Ossetra Caviar, BLiS Maple, Benne pushed boundaries with its unusual pairing of caviar and maple syrup, yet somehow made it work—luxurious and a little weird in the best possible way. The Steelhead, Tucker Green Garlic, Everything recalled a Sunday bagel and was quietly brilliant.

Georgia Shrimp, Finch Creek Rutabaga, Jimmy Red brought earthy heat in a vivid red sauce, topped with delicate flower blossoms. The Isle Dauphine Oyster, Foie Gras combined briny and buttery flavors—a culinary dare that fully paid off. Meanwhile, the Bramlett Trout, Bobby Britt’s Sprouting Broccoli, Whey showed off restraint and elegance, proving a dish doesn’t have to shout to stand out. The Nantucket Bay Scallop, Green Strawberry, Wasabi was sweet, tart, and punchy in all the right ways. Rounding out the savory side, the Pearson Pecan L’Ambroisie, Crème Fraîche was nutty, creamy, and delicate—a refined interlude before dessert.

And then the desserts rolled in. The Warm Old Fashioned Banana Pudding remains one of my favorite finales—meringue-topped, nostalgic, and just a little over-the-top. Finally, the Mignardise included macarons that tasted like Oreos and mini cakes that called to mind fried donuts. It was a fun and unexpected close to a night full of surprises.

In the Kitchen with Chef Cody Chassar

After my most recent visit, I reached out to Gunshow’s Chef de Cuisine Cody Chassar to get a glimpse behind the scenes. We talked about where Gunshow is headed, how the menu comes together, and what it’s like running one of the most dynamic kitchens in Atlanta. Here’s what he had to say:

1. Where do you see Gunshow heading in the future? Restaurants don’t last forever, but this one still feels fresh after a decade. Is there a long-term vision?

I think we just continue! Gunshow is an ever-evolving restaurant and it’s what’s beautiful about it. It doesn’t require me or any chef before me for it to continue, after my time a new team will find their way in here and do something even better! It’s a concept with no limits that allows the chef to really showcase their vision to the general public. It just requires a team with an interest in food, technique, farms, a wandering mind, and hospitality!

2. Has a second location ever come up in conversation? The restaurant’s always packed, just curious if there’s ever been talk of expanding the concept, even outside of Atlanta.

Never! I think the magic only happens here with the people that work here within these walls.

3. I’ve noticed most menus hover around 14-15 dishes. Is that the magic number? Or just what naturally works best for the kitchen?

It seems to be the most amount of dishes we can execute with precision before quality and service gets a little wonky. I also think it’s the perfect amount for people to enjoy within our turn times without feeling rushed or dish fatigued within an already fast paced Gunshow service. Every cook in the kitchen preps 2 dishes besides pastry, they prep 4 (3 desserts + a savory, hardest station on the restaurant). I’ve tried lots of different variations over the years. I think magic number is the perfect description because these days I’d rather us do what we do well, rather than something lackluster that we might think is exciting. I think that’s just maturity, but that doesn’t say a product doesn’t walk in the door and we can’t hold ourselves back occasionally from serving it that evening. It’s what keeps the energy exciting.

4. How do you get the chefs to keep pushing boundaries while still making the menu feel cohesive? Feels like a complicated tightrope walk, but one that works.

The best way to work on what’s next is to find out what’s already happened. My library is a large part of our work at Gunshow. I keep a majority of it at Gunshow and make it very accessible to my staff because I want them to learn and push us forward.

I push the staff at Gunshow to read a lot probably much more than people would imagine. Part of being a cook here is receiving reading homework, where I typically ask people to borrow a cookbook and talk to me about what they found in there so we can all collectively have a conversation about a chef’s approach to an ingredient. I want us to be obsessive over the products that are available to us and find our own approach to them through the influence of the chefs that came before us.

5. Do guests ever influence the menu, either directly or indirectly?

All the time! Every night! What makes us better is the instant feedback whether it’s watching someone eat a new dish or something that’s been on the menu awhile. We learn a lot about what’s good or bad about our food. Why aren’t they finishing the sauce? Is it too much sauce? Is the dish just not good enough? Is the dish too large? Is it balanced?
We watch people eat our work every night and their reactions fuel our cuisine.

6. Has there ever been a dish that totally surprised you, either one that guests loved more than expected, or something you thought would kill, but didn’t quite land?

While I can’t pinpoint an exact dish most of them put us through their own rigmarole. I’d say for every 100 dishes we work on about 5 actually make the menu. I compare writing dishes to throwing darts at a dartboard. We just keep spitballing and the idea is to never truly be satisfied. Our work is never really done it just continues to evolve. It’ll never be exactly how we want it and that’s alright because cooking is a progress. You have to enjoy that progress or you’ll only get caught up being angry with the results. I cook things I hate all the time, but without hating 95 dishes, I’d never find 5 I really really got excited to serve our guests. That drive to keep digging and the excitement when we land on something good keeps me going.

7. Let’s talk Michelin. You got the mention, but honestly, I thought it deserved a star. What was your reaction to that? Does Michelin coming to Atlanta shift anything for you? And is chasing a star even on the radar?

It’s an honor to hear you and others say that we deserve a star. I have to admit it’s definitely on our radar as a restaurant that’s deeply farm driven, working tightly with our network of purveyors and not letting ourself stray from the challenge we’ve created for ourselves based upon our ethos. It can be a head trip sometimes of what matters to us.
I’d love for us to receive a star as a recognition for my staff’s hard work, they deserve it. Chef Cody

Gunshow is the Heart of Atlanta’s Food Evolution

There’s no other restaurant in Atlanta—or anywhere else, really—doing what Gunshow does. The format is unconventional, the food unapologetically bold, and the energy in the room unmistakable. It’s not trying to impress you with fine dining theatrics. It’s trying to feed you something wild, maybe even brilliant—and then do it again five minutes later.

When Michelin finally came to town, Gunshow earned a mention. A nod, sure—but in my opinion, it deserved a star. Few places take this many risks, and even fewer pull them off with this level of consistency and heart.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a regular like me, you’ll leave with a new favorite dish and probably a story to tell. And if you’re lucky, maybe a little banana pudding to remember it by.

Kitchen Team:

Chef de Cuisine – Cody Chassar
Sous Chef – Jeremy Brooks
Chef’s – Ryan Looney, Jobie Blackmon, Olivia Mccoy, George Lopez, Tristan Yerkes
General Manager – Devan Knobloch
Bar Manager – Jeramie Eubanks