Photo by Layla Ritchey
Chris Hall, Ryan Turner, and Todd Mussman are back in the spotlight, adding to their restaurant empire with the opening of Roshambo, a modern diner in Peachtree Battle. The team, known for popular restaurants like Local Three, Muss & Turner’s, and MTH Pizza, is playing up the nostalgia this time around, from the food to the drinks to the decor. Even the name “Roshambo” comes from the childhood game “Rock, Paper, Scissors.”
Three is a big number at Roshambo. It serves three meals a day (from the same menu) and features three booths with art depicting Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jimmy Two Times from Goodfellas, and Edward Scissorhands. Get it? The team also aims to bring back the three-martini lunch with a pitcher of martinis served any way you like for $35. “If you want to have them for breakfast, we’re good with that too,” Hall says.
Other throwbacks include an art installation inspired by former community staple Turtle’s Records & Tapes, a display of photos through the ages from the Jackson Street Bridge, and a menu item called Jim White’s Blackened Redfish “Pontchartrain,” which pays homage to the old oyster restaurant in the shopping center.
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee
Photo by Layla Ritchey
“People have been bringing in mix tapes to load on the juke box. Turtle himself brought some memorabilia. It’s cool nostalgia for those who remember buying records and tapes,” Hall says. “It’s been cool to see how much people connect with it.”
The menu features other diner classics like grilled cheese, a double-stacked burger, and eggs Benedict, as well as blue plate specials including spaghetti and meatballs, chicken pot pie, and prime rib. Shared plates include pigs in a blanket and buffalo chicken dip. Although the menu is divided into categories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all items can be ordered at any time. Hall is a big fan of the fried chicken and Champagne. “There’s no better pairing in the world,” he says.
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee
Roshambo is kid-friendly, but there is still an extensive beverage menu broken down by type of liquor. Halls says Paper Planes, Aviations, and French 75s have been best-sellers thus far. Wine is available by the glass and bottle, while select drafts and cans of beer are for sale. Roshambo accepts both reservations and walk-ins, but if there’s a wait, guests can ease their pain with a $5 While You Wait wine or cocktail.
“They’re full-size drinks. If you’re going to wait, we want to give you a reason to stick around,” Hall says.
And while you wait for food, you can play none other than Roshambo. “We have score pads on the tables so [people] can Rock, Paper, Scissors to their hearts delight,” Hall says. “If they want to argue about who is going to pay the check, we have an easy way for them to decide.”
Photo by Layla Ritchey
