Food over Hiram, Georgia
Of course! Grab a napkin, food lovers, because we're about to take a mouthwatering tour of Hiram, Georgia—a town that punches well above its weight when it comes to culinary delights. Forget what you think you know about suburban dining; Hiram is a vibrant tapestry of flavors, from smoky BBQ pits and steamy seafood boils to authentic Mexican taquerias and delicate sushi bars. I'm your local guide, and I'm here to walk you through the very best dining experiences and must-order dishes that make this corner of Paulding County a true destination for the discerning palate.
Let's dive in.
### **1. San Lucas Mexican Restaurant: A Fiesta for the Senses**
**Location:** 5149 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
The moment you pull into the parking lot at San Lucas, the air itself seems to change. You’re greeted by the warm, inviting glow of its facade, a promise of the comfort within. Step inside, and the vibrant colors, the friendly chatter in Spanish from the open kitchen, and the immediate arrival of warm, freshly fried tortilla chips with a duo of salsas—one smooth and tangy, the other with a serious kick—tell you you've found something special. This isn't just a restaurant; it's a community hub where families celebrate and friends unwind after a long week.
**What to Order: The Can't-Miss Dishes**
* **Start with the Queso Fundido.** This isn't your standard neon-yellow cheese dip. This is a sizzling cast-iron skillet arrives at your table, bubbling with a glorious, stretchy blend of melted Chihuahua cheese and crumbled chorizo. The aroma alone is intoxicating. Dive in with a fresh, soft flour tortilla and create your own perfect, messy, heavenly bite.
* **For the Main Event: Carnitas San Lucas.** They don't just cook pork here; they transform it. The carnitas are slow-braised until the exterior is irresistibly crispy and caramelized, while the inside remains impossibly juicy and tender. Served with rice, beans, guacamole, and more of those fantastic tortillas, it’s a masterclass in traditional Mexican comfort food.
* **The Adventurous Choice: Molcajete.** For a truly theatrical experience, order the Molcajete. A steaming, lava-rock mortar bowl is brought to your table, filled to the brim with grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, and nopales (cactus paddles), all swimming in a rich, aromatic salsa. It’s a feast for the eyes and the stomach, bursting with complex, smoky flavors.
### **2. The Juicy Crab: Where You Eat with Your Hands and Your Heart**
**Location:** 5096 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
Prepare to get messy in the best way possible. The Juicy Crab is an experience, not just a meal. The vibe is casual, loud, and joyous, with rolls of brown paper covering the tables and bibs offered not as a suggestion, but as a necessity. The air is thick with the scent of Old Bay, garlic, and butter—the holy trinity of a proper seafood boil.
**What to Order: Craft Your Perfect Boil**
This is all about customization. You pick your seafood, your sauce, your spice level, and your add-ons.
* **The Seafood:** The **Snow Crab Clusters** are a classic for a reason—sweet, meaty, and perfect for cracking. For something truly decadent, the **King Crab Legs** are worth the splurge. Don't overlook the **Head-On Shrimp**; they absorb the sauce beautifully and are incredibly flavorful.
* **The Sauce & Spice:** Go for the **Juicy Special** sauce—a glorious butter-garlic-lemon-pepper concoction. For heat levels, Medium provides a pleasant warmth that doesn't overpower the seafood, but Hot is there for the brave.
* **The Add-Ons:** This is non-negotiable. Add **Andouille Sausage**, **Corn on the Cob**, and **Red Potatoes** to your bag. They soak up the iconic sauce and become stars in their own right.
### **3. Happy Hawg BBQ: The Soul of Southern Smoke**
**Location:** 4484 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
You can smell Happy Hawg from down the street—a hickory-scented siren's call that leads you to one of Hiram's most beloved institutions. This is no-frills, honest-to-goodness barbecue. The dining room is rustic and unpretentious, filled with the sounds of classic country music and the satisfied silence of people enjoying truly great food.
**What to Order: A Plate of Pure Georgia**
* **The Must-Try Meat: Pulled Pork.** This is the heart and soul of their operation. It’s smoked low and slow until it’s so tender it practically melts on your tongue. The bark is smoky perfection.
* **Build Your Plate:** Get the pulled pork plate with two sides. For the sides, you absolutely must get the **Brunswick Stew**, a thick, hearty, and smoky Southern classic that complements the pork beautifully. Your second side should be the **Collard Greens**, slow-cooked with a hint of vinegar and pork for a savory, comforting bite.
* **The Sauce Bar:** Don't forget to visit the sauce bar. Their signature sweet and tangy sauce is a crowd-pleaser, but the spicy vinegar-based one adds a fantastic punch.
### **4. Nueva San Salvador Bakery: A Sweet Slice of Central America**
**Location:** 4484 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy Ste 113
Tucked away in the same shopping center as Happy Hawg is a hidden gem that will transport you straight to Central America. Nueva San Salvador Bakery is part café, part bakery, and all charm. The display cases are a kaleidoscope of colors, filled with pastries, cakes, and savory treats you may not recognize but will instantly crave.
**What to Order: A Taste of Tradition**
* **The Savory Start: Pupusas.** These are thick, handmade corn tortillas stuffed with a variety of fillings. Order the **Pupusa Revuelta** (filled with cheese, pork, and beans). They come with a tangy, lightly fermented cabbage slaw called *curtido* and a thin tomato sauce. It’s a perfect, satisfying handheld meal.
* **The Sweet Finish: Pastelitos.** Flaky, puff-pastry turnovers filled with sweet goodness. The **Guava and Cheese** pastelito is a divine combination of sweet, fruity guava paste and creamy, slightly salty cheese. Pair it with a cup of their strong, authentic Salvadoran coffee.
* **The Drink: Horchata.** Theirs is homemade, creamy, cinnamony, and the perfect sweet counterbalance to the savory pupusas.
### **5. Hai Hai Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi: Dinner and a Show**
**Location:** 5157 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
When you're in the mood for elegance and entertainment, Hai Hai is your destination. You have two distinct experiences under one roof. You can sit at the serene sushi bar for an intimate, artful meal, or you can grab a seat at a teppanyaki grill table for a raucous, interactive show where skilled chefs turn cooking into a performance of flying shrimp and onion volcanoes.
**What to Order: East Meets Excellence**
* **From the Sushi Bar: The Crazy Tuna Roll.** A masterpiece of texture and flavor, typically featuring spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber on the inside, and topped with fresh slices of tuna, a special sauce, and crunchy tempura flakes. It’s a symphony in every bite.
* **From the Teppanyaki Grill: The Filet and Shrimp Combo.** The filet mignon is always tender and cooked to your exact specification, while the shrimp are plump and succulent. The real star here is the fried rice cooked right on the grill in front of you, infused with soy sauce, butter, and a million little caramelized bits from the show.
* **Starter: Spicy Edamame.** Steamed edamame tossed in a spicy, garlicky chili sauce. It’s the perfect way to wake up your taste buds for the feast to come.
### **6. 278 South: Elevated Southern Comfort**
**Location:** 3716 Atlanta Hwy
278 South is where Hiram puts on its Sunday best. This is upscale Southern dining without the pretension. The atmosphere is warm and sophisticated, with dark wood and soft lighting, making it perfect for a date night, a special celebration, or when you just want a properly crafted cocktail with your meal.
**What to Order: Modern Southern Classics**
* **The Showstopper Appetizer: Pimento Cheese Fritters.** These are not your grandma's pimento cheese (though hers is probably great). These are creamy, sharp pimento cheese rolled into balls, lightly breaded, deep-fried to a golden brown, and served with a pepper jelly sauce for a perfect sweet-and-savory combination.
* **The Signature Entree: Shrimp and Grits.** This is a benchmark dish for any Southern restaurant, and 278 South's version is exceptional. Plump, juicy shrimp are sautéed in a rich, savory gravy, often with bacon and mushrooms, and served over a bed of stone-ground cheese grits that are so creamy and decadent they could be a meal on their own.
### **7. Butterbeans: Homestyle Cooking, Just Like Mom Made**
**Location:** 1379 Hiram Douglasville Hwy Ste 123
Butterbeans is the culinary equivalent of a warm hug. This cozy spot specializes in homestyle Southern cooking, the kind that feeds your soul. It’s a no-fuss, cafeteria-style setup where you can see the day's offerings—a vibrant array of vegetables, meats, and casseroles—lined up behind the glass.
**What to Order: A Taste of Home**
* **The Plate:** You can't go wrong with a classic **Meat and Three**. Choose a protein like their incredibly tender and flavorful **Baked Chicken** or the crispy **Fried Pork Chop**.
* **The Veggies:** This is where Butterbeans shines. The **Macaroni and Cheese** is baked to a golden-brown crust on top and is wonderfully gooey underneath. The **Green Beans** are slow-cooked for hours with bacon, and the **Candied Yams** are sweet, buttery, and spiced to perfection.
* **Don't Skip:** A fluffy, made-from-scratch **Biscuit** to sop up every last bit of flavor on your plate.
### **8. Texas Roadhouse: The American Classic**
**Location:** 140 Depot Dr
Sometimes, you just need a great steak. And Texas Roadhouse delivers that iconic, reliably fantastic American experience every single time. The energy is high, the peanuts are plentiful (shells on the floor!), and the smell of freshly baked rolls is downright heavenly.
**What to Order: The Roadhouse Royalty**
* **The Starter: Those Famous Rolls.** Let's be honest, these are a main event. They arrive at your table warm, pillowy-soft, and served with their irresistible honey-cinnamon butter. Try not to fill up on them. It's a challenge.
* **The Steak: The Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribeye.** Perfectly seasoned and grilled over an open flame, this ribeye is consistently juicy, flavorful, and cooked to a perfect medium-rare if you so choose. The marbling ensures every bite is rich and satisfying.
* **The Side: The Loaded Sweet Potato.** A massive sweet potato loaded with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and marshmallows. It’s a dessert masquerading as a side dish, and it’s glorious.
### **9. Imperial Palace Thai Cuisine: A Royal Journey to Southeast Asia**
**Location:** 4374 Atlanta Hwy #133
Don't let the strip mall location fool you. Imperial Palace is a serene oasis of complex and aromatic Thai flavors. The service is gracious, and the dining room is a calm, welcoming space perfect for exploring a cuisine that masterfully balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy.
**What to Order: A Symphony of Flavors**
* **The Essential Starter: Fresh Spring Rolls.** These are translucent rice paper wraps bursting with fresh shrimp, vermicelli noodles, mint, and lettuce. They are light, refreshing, and the perfect vehicle for the accompanying peanut sauce.
* **The National Dish: Pad Thai.** This is the ultimate test of a Thai kitchen, and Imperial Palace's version is superb. The rice noodles are perfectly chewy, tangled with egg, tofu, bean sprouts, and your choice of protein in a tamarind-based sauce that is the ideal balance of tangy and sweet, with a subtle background heat.
* **For the Adventurous: Panang Curry.** Choose this if you love rich, creamy, and peanutty flavors. The Panang curry is thick, aromatic with kaffir lime leaves, and has a deep, comforting heat. Get it with chicken or beef and a side of jasmine rice to soak up every last drop.
### **10. Hiram Wings & More: The Ultimate Game-Day Spot**
**Location:** 5337 Wendy Bagwell Pkwy Ste 113
This is the spot for sports, friends, and frankly, some of the best wings in the county. The TVs are always tuned to the big game, the atmosphere is lively and unassuming, and the menu is dedicated to the art of the perfect wing.
**What to Order: Wing Perfection**
* **The Wing: Go for a Mix.** Order a batch of traditional wings and get them half-and-half in two different sauces to maximize your experience.
* **The Sauces:**
* **Lemon Pepper (Wet):** A Hiram favorite. The tangy, buttery, peppery coating is addictive and soaks into the crispy skin.
* **Hot Honey:** The perfect modern combo. It delivers a solid kick of heat that is immediately cooled by a sweet, floral honey finish.
* **The And More: The Philly Cheesesteak.** If you need something more than wings, their Philly is legit—packed with shaved steak, onions, peppers, and melty cheese whiz on a soft hoagie roll.
---
So there you have it, foodies—a culinary map to one of Georgia's most delicious and diverse towns. From the messy, joyful feast at The Juicy Crab to the refined Southern grace of 278 South, Hiram offers a world of flavor waiting to be explored. Come hungry, leave happy, and come back soon. There's always another plate waiting for you.
Let's dive in.
### **1. San Lucas Mexican Restaurant: A Fiesta for the Senses**
**Location:** 5149 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
The moment you pull into the parking lot at San Lucas, the air itself seems to change. You’re greeted by the warm, inviting glow of its facade, a promise of the comfort within. Step inside, and the vibrant colors, the friendly chatter in Spanish from the open kitchen, and the immediate arrival of warm, freshly fried tortilla chips with a duo of salsas—one smooth and tangy, the other with a serious kick—tell you you've found something special. This isn't just a restaurant; it's a community hub where families celebrate and friends unwind after a long week.
**What to Order: The Can't-Miss Dishes**
* **Start with the Queso Fundido.** This isn't your standard neon-yellow cheese dip. This is a sizzling cast-iron skillet arrives at your table, bubbling with a glorious, stretchy blend of melted Chihuahua cheese and crumbled chorizo. The aroma alone is intoxicating. Dive in with a fresh, soft flour tortilla and create your own perfect, messy, heavenly bite.
* **For the Main Event: Carnitas San Lucas.** They don't just cook pork here; they transform it. The carnitas are slow-braised until the exterior is irresistibly crispy and caramelized, while the inside remains impossibly juicy and tender. Served with rice, beans, guacamole, and more of those fantastic tortillas, it’s a masterclass in traditional Mexican comfort food.
* **The Adventurous Choice: Molcajete.** For a truly theatrical experience, order the Molcajete. A steaming, lava-rock mortar bowl is brought to your table, filled to the brim with grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, and nopales (cactus paddles), all swimming in a rich, aromatic salsa. It’s a feast for the eyes and the stomach, bursting with complex, smoky flavors.
### **2. The Juicy Crab: Where You Eat with Your Hands and Your Heart**
**Location:** 5096 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
Prepare to get messy in the best way possible. The Juicy Crab is an experience, not just a meal. The vibe is casual, loud, and joyous, with rolls of brown paper covering the tables and bibs offered not as a suggestion, but as a necessity. The air is thick with the scent of Old Bay, garlic, and butter—the holy trinity of a proper seafood boil.
**What to Order: Craft Your Perfect Boil**
This is all about customization. You pick your seafood, your sauce, your spice level, and your add-ons.
* **The Seafood:** The **Snow Crab Clusters** are a classic for a reason—sweet, meaty, and perfect for cracking. For something truly decadent, the **King Crab Legs** are worth the splurge. Don't overlook the **Head-On Shrimp**; they absorb the sauce beautifully and are incredibly flavorful.
* **The Sauce & Spice:** Go for the **Juicy Special** sauce—a glorious butter-garlic-lemon-pepper concoction. For heat levels, Medium provides a pleasant warmth that doesn't overpower the seafood, but Hot is there for the brave.
* **The Add-Ons:** This is non-negotiable. Add **Andouille Sausage**, **Corn on the Cob**, and **Red Potatoes** to your bag. They soak up the iconic sauce and become stars in their own right.
### **3. Happy Hawg BBQ: The Soul of Southern Smoke**
**Location:** 4484 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
You can smell Happy Hawg from down the street—a hickory-scented siren's call that leads you to one of Hiram's most beloved institutions. This is no-frills, honest-to-goodness barbecue. The dining room is rustic and unpretentious, filled with the sounds of classic country music and the satisfied silence of people enjoying truly great food.
**What to Order: A Plate of Pure Georgia**
* **The Must-Try Meat: Pulled Pork.** This is the heart and soul of their operation. It’s smoked low and slow until it’s so tender it practically melts on your tongue. The bark is smoky perfection.
* **Build Your Plate:** Get the pulled pork plate with two sides. For the sides, you absolutely must get the **Brunswick Stew**, a thick, hearty, and smoky Southern classic that complements the pork beautifully. Your second side should be the **Collard Greens**, slow-cooked with a hint of vinegar and pork for a savory, comforting bite.
* **The Sauce Bar:** Don't forget to visit the sauce bar. Their signature sweet and tangy sauce is a crowd-pleaser, but the spicy vinegar-based one adds a fantastic punch.
### **4. Nueva San Salvador Bakery: A Sweet Slice of Central America**
**Location:** 4484 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy Ste 113
Tucked away in the same shopping center as Happy Hawg is a hidden gem that will transport you straight to Central America. Nueva San Salvador Bakery is part café, part bakery, and all charm. The display cases are a kaleidoscope of colors, filled with pastries, cakes, and savory treats you may not recognize but will instantly crave.
**What to Order: A Taste of Tradition**
* **The Savory Start: Pupusas.** These are thick, handmade corn tortillas stuffed with a variety of fillings. Order the **Pupusa Revuelta** (filled with cheese, pork, and beans). They come with a tangy, lightly fermented cabbage slaw called *curtido* and a thin tomato sauce. It’s a perfect, satisfying handheld meal.
* **The Sweet Finish: Pastelitos.** Flaky, puff-pastry turnovers filled with sweet goodness. The **Guava and Cheese** pastelito is a divine combination of sweet, fruity guava paste and creamy, slightly salty cheese. Pair it with a cup of their strong, authentic Salvadoran coffee.
* **The Drink: Horchata.** Theirs is homemade, creamy, cinnamony, and the perfect sweet counterbalance to the savory pupusas.
### **5. Hai Hai Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi: Dinner and a Show**
**Location:** 5157 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy
When you're in the mood for elegance and entertainment, Hai Hai is your destination. You have two distinct experiences under one roof. You can sit at the serene sushi bar for an intimate, artful meal, or you can grab a seat at a teppanyaki grill table for a raucous, interactive show where skilled chefs turn cooking into a performance of flying shrimp and onion volcanoes.
**What to Order: East Meets Excellence**
* **From the Sushi Bar: The Crazy Tuna Roll.** A masterpiece of texture and flavor, typically featuring spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber on the inside, and topped with fresh slices of tuna, a special sauce, and crunchy tempura flakes. It’s a symphony in every bite.
* **From the Teppanyaki Grill: The Filet and Shrimp Combo.** The filet mignon is always tender and cooked to your exact specification, while the shrimp are plump and succulent. The real star here is the fried rice cooked right on the grill in front of you, infused with soy sauce, butter, and a million little caramelized bits from the show.
* **Starter: Spicy Edamame.** Steamed edamame tossed in a spicy, garlicky chili sauce. It’s the perfect way to wake up your taste buds for the feast to come.
### **6. 278 South: Elevated Southern Comfort**
**Location:** 3716 Atlanta Hwy
278 South is where Hiram puts on its Sunday best. This is upscale Southern dining without the pretension. The atmosphere is warm and sophisticated, with dark wood and soft lighting, making it perfect for a date night, a special celebration, or when you just want a properly crafted cocktail with your meal.
**What to Order: Modern Southern Classics**
* **The Showstopper Appetizer: Pimento Cheese Fritters.** These are not your grandma's pimento cheese (though hers is probably great). These are creamy, sharp pimento cheese rolled into balls, lightly breaded, deep-fried to a golden brown, and served with a pepper jelly sauce for a perfect sweet-and-savory combination.
* **The Signature Entree: Shrimp and Grits.** This is a benchmark dish for any Southern restaurant, and 278 South's version is exceptional. Plump, juicy shrimp are sautéed in a rich, savory gravy, often with bacon and mushrooms, and served over a bed of stone-ground cheese grits that are so creamy and decadent they could be a meal on their own.
### **7. Butterbeans: Homestyle Cooking, Just Like Mom Made**
**Location:** 1379 Hiram Douglasville Hwy Ste 123
Butterbeans is the culinary equivalent of a warm hug. This cozy spot specializes in homestyle Southern cooking, the kind that feeds your soul. It’s a no-fuss, cafeteria-style setup where you can see the day's offerings—a vibrant array of vegetables, meats, and casseroles—lined up behind the glass.
**What to Order: A Taste of Home**
* **The Plate:** You can't go wrong with a classic **Meat and Three**. Choose a protein like their incredibly tender and flavorful **Baked Chicken** or the crispy **Fried Pork Chop**.
* **The Veggies:** This is where Butterbeans shines. The **Macaroni and Cheese** is baked to a golden-brown crust on top and is wonderfully gooey underneath. The **Green Beans** are slow-cooked for hours with bacon, and the **Candied Yams** are sweet, buttery, and spiced to perfection.
* **Don't Skip:** A fluffy, made-from-scratch **Biscuit** to sop up every last bit of flavor on your plate.
### **8. Texas Roadhouse: The American Classic**
**Location:** 140 Depot Dr
Sometimes, you just need a great steak. And Texas Roadhouse delivers that iconic, reliably fantastic American experience every single time. The energy is high, the peanuts are plentiful (shells on the floor!), and the smell of freshly baked rolls is downright heavenly.
**What to Order: The Roadhouse Royalty**
* **The Starter: Those Famous Rolls.** Let's be honest, these are a main event. They arrive at your table warm, pillowy-soft, and served with their irresistible honey-cinnamon butter. Try not to fill up on them. It's a challenge.
* **The Steak: The Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribeye.** Perfectly seasoned and grilled over an open flame, this ribeye is consistently juicy, flavorful, and cooked to a perfect medium-rare if you so choose. The marbling ensures every bite is rich and satisfying.
* **The Side: The Loaded Sweet Potato.** A massive sweet potato loaded with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and marshmallows. It’s a dessert masquerading as a side dish, and it’s glorious.
### **9. Imperial Palace Thai Cuisine: A Royal Journey to Southeast Asia**
**Location:** 4374 Atlanta Hwy #133
Don't let the strip mall location fool you. Imperial Palace is a serene oasis of complex and aromatic Thai flavors. The service is gracious, and the dining room is a calm, welcoming space perfect for exploring a cuisine that masterfully balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy.
**What to Order: A Symphony of Flavors**
* **The Essential Starter: Fresh Spring Rolls.** These are translucent rice paper wraps bursting with fresh shrimp, vermicelli noodles, mint, and lettuce. They are light, refreshing, and the perfect vehicle for the accompanying peanut sauce.
* **The National Dish: Pad Thai.** This is the ultimate test of a Thai kitchen, and Imperial Palace's version is superb. The rice noodles are perfectly chewy, tangled with egg, tofu, bean sprouts, and your choice of protein in a tamarind-based sauce that is the ideal balance of tangy and sweet, with a subtle background heat.
* **For the Adventurous: Panang Curry.** Choose this if you love rich, creamy, and peanutty flavors. The Panang curry is thick, aromatic with kaffir lime leaves, and has a deep, comforting heat. Get it with chicken or beef and a side of jasmine rice to soak up every last drop.
### **10. Hiram Wings & More: The Ultimate Game-Day Spot**
**Location:** 5337 Wendy Bagwell Pkwy Ste 113
This is the spot for sports, friends, and frankly, some of the best wings in the county. The TVs are always tuned to the big game, the atmosphere is lively and unassuming, and the menu is dedicated to the art of the perfect wing.
**What to Order: Wing Perfection**
* **The Wing: Go for a Mix.** Order a batch of traditional wings and get them half-and-half in two different sauces to maximize your experience.
* **The Sauces:**
* **Lemon Pepper (Wet):** A Hiram favorite. The tangy, buttery, peppery coating is addictive and soaks into the crispy skin.
* **Hot Honey:** The perfect modern combo. It delivers a solid kick of heat that is immediately cooled by a sweet, floral honey finish.
* **The And More: The Philly Cheesesteak.** If you need something more than wings, their Philly is legit—packed with shaved steak, onions, peppers, and melty cheese whiz on a soft hoagie roll.
---
So there you have it, foodies—a culinary map to one of Georgia's most delicious and diverse towns. From the messy, joyful feast at The Juicy Crab to the refined Southern grace of 278 South, Hiram offers a world of flavor waiting to be explored. Come hungry, leave happy, and come back soon. There's always another plate waiting for you.
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