Thumbs Up Diner

Thumbs Up Diner initially caught my attention with the sign on the side of its building.

Street art and pancakes? Two of my favorite things!

Not to mention the bold claim of being Atlanta's #1 Breakfast Destination. We decided that this would require some elastic-pants'd investigation...

This cozy location in Old Fourth Ward is pretty unassuming, easy to drive right past if you're not paying attention.

But one thing you'll almost always notice is the line of people waiting out front. This is one brunch spot whose reputation precedes it... and it lives up to it.

Inside you'll find a classic diner scene.

Bar stools snake around a kitchen area where servers bustle around pouring coffee, taking orders, making change, and wiping tables down.

It's a home-y kind of scene, a place where you slide into a booth, head ducked and hangover sunglasses on, relax a bit, and let your nose decide what to order.

Plates of food whiz by to other tables and as you stare at the menu, you don't know which southern brunch classic (with a no-fuss vibe) to choose.

I opted for The Skillet Heap.

Potatoes topped with cheese, two eggs, and a biscuit (plus a side of bacon), served in a hot skillet.

The type of hearty, carb-laden breakfast that leaves you sa-tis-fied, and channeling Violet from Willy Wonka more than a little bit.

Two words: worth it.

If you go to Thumbs Up, try to miss the brunch-time rush, or your stomach may start to eat itself during the wait in line.

Oh, and don't forget to bring cash!