Step Inside the Medieval Times Restaurant in Atlanta: What to Know Before You Go

The moment you walk into Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament in Atlanta, you step out of modern life and into a world of castles, knights, and royal pageantry. It is part restaurant, part live theater, and part interactive experience—designed as a medieval-style feast combined with a choreographed jousting show.

If you are considering a visit, planning a special occasion, or just curious what actually happens inside, this guide walks through what to expect, how it works, and how to get the most out of the experience.

What Medieval Times Atlanta Actually Is

Medieval Times in the Atlanta area is a dinner theater attraction set in a castle-themed venue. Guests are seated in an arena-style dining hall facing a central sand-filled ring where the action takes place.

The core elements are:

Live show with knights, horses, and staged competitions
Set menu meal served during the performance
Themed environment with castle décor, banners, and costumed staff

Although many refer to it as the “Medieval Times restaurant”, the focus is as much on entertainment as on food. It functions more like a theatrical event that happens to include a full meal.

Location, Access, and General Logistics

Where Medieval Times Atlanta Is Located

Medieval Times in the Atlanta area is located in a suburban entertainment and shopping zone rather than in the downtown core. It is housed in a standalone “castle” structure connected to a larger commercial complex. This placement makes it accessible to both locals and out-of-town visitors staying near major highways or shopping destinations.

Getting There and Parking

Visitors commonly reach the Atlanta castle by:

Car: Many guests drive, as the site is arranged around a parking area.
Rideshare or taxi: Often used by tourists or groups staying at nearby hotels.

Parking is typically in a large surface lot near the building. Guests often note that arriving earlier can make parking and entry more relaxed, especially on busier nights like weekends or holidays.

What to Expect From the Medieval Times Atlanta Experience

Arriving at the Castle

When you arrive, staff in medieval-style costumes greet you in the outer hall or lobby, often called the Great Hall. Before you are seated, you can typically:

Check in and receive your crown color, which determines your seating section and which knight you will be cheering for.
Explore souvenir areas offering themed items such as toy swords, shields, crowns, and other gifts.
Visit the bar area for beverages, including non-alcoholic options and themed specialty drinks.
Look at displays or photo areas that reinforce the medieval theme.

This pre-show period is designed to set the atmosphere, with music, decorations, and announcements that gradually build anticipation before guests are escorted into the arena.

Seating and Arena Layout

Inside the main hall, the space is arranged like an indoor stadium:

Tiered seating sections, each associated with a knight’s color
Long banquet-style tables facing the performance ring
A central sandy arena where the horses and knights perform

Seating is generally assigned in advance or at check-in based on ticket category and arrival order. Guests are grouped by color so they can collectively cheer for their designated knight throughout the tournament.

The Dinner: What the Medieval Times “Restaurant” Serves

Style of Meal

Meals at Medieval Times are typically set-menu feasts. The experience is designed around:

Multiple courses served in stages during the show
Hearty, medieval-inspired dishes, often served without traditional modern utensils to reinforce the theme
Beverage options that usually include water and basic choices, with upgrades available for an additional charge

The exact menu can vary by location and time, but many castles follow a similar pattern that may include a starter, main course, and dessert.

Dietary Needs and Alternatives

Modern audiences include guests with many different dietary preferences and restrictions. In response, Medieval Times venues often:

Indicate that vegetarian or alternative meal options are available when requested in advance or at booking
Work to accommodate common food preferences or restrictions within practical limits

Because policies can change over time, many guests prefer to check available options directly with the venue or review current information when making reservations, especially if they have specific dietary needs.

The Show: Knights, Jousting, and Storytelling

How the Tournament Unfolds

The performance is the central attraction of the Medieval Times Atlanta experience. Throughout the show, guests watch a staged medieval tournament featuring:

Mounted knights riding trained horses
Jousting sequences using lances and shields
Choreographed sword fights and other weapon demonstrations

The storyline typically revolves around a royal court, with a king or queen presiding over the tournament while knights compete for honor. Dialogue, music, lighting effects, and narration help guide the audience through the narrative.

Audience Participation

Audience engagement is a major part of the atmosphere:

Guests cheer, clap, and react to the knights’ performances.
Each seating section supports its own color-coded knight, fostering a sense of friendly rivalry.
Some shows incorporate select audience members into small ceremonial moments, such as being recognized by the royal court.

This interactive style is designed to make the audience feel like part of the event rather than passive observers.

Horses and Live Animals

Well-trained horses are a key element of the show. They perform:

High-energy gallops and passes
Choreographed maneuvers within the ring

Guests seated closer to the arena may observe the horses’ movements and training more closely. Those sensitive to dust or animal dander sometimes prefer seats a bit farther back from the front rows, depending on personal comfort.

Atmosphere, Costumes, and Theming

Immersive Medieval Setting

The Atlanta castle leans heavily into its medieval theme, using:

Stone-like façades, torches, banners, and coats of arms
Costumes such as armor, gowns, tunics, and cloaks
Scripted speech and announcements that echo formal court language

These elements combine to create a sense of theatrical immersion. While the experience is not a historical reenactment in a strict academic sense, it draws from popular medieval imagery to create a consistent, story-driven environment.

Sound, Light, and Special Effects

The show incorporates:

Loud sound effects during battles and competitions
Theatrical lighting, sometimes with dimmed or colored lights
Period-style music and fanfares

Guests who are sensitive to noise, flashes, or intense staging often find it helpful to know in advance that the production can be high-energy and sensory-rich.

Tickets, Reservations, and Timing

Booking and Showtimes

Medieval Times Atlanta typically operates on a show schedule, with performances on select days and times. Rather than functioning like a walk-in restaurant, it works more like a theater:

Guests choose a specific date and showtime.
Tickets are purchased in advance when possible, especially for busier periods.

Show schedules can shift based on season, weekends, or holidays, so many guests prefer to plan ahead and confirm current times before visiting.

Arrival Timing

Visitors often aim to arrive before the scheduled showtime, for reasons such as:

Checking in, getting crowns, and finding their section
Allowing time to explore the Great Hall or browse souvenirs
Avoiding potential last-minute congestion at the entrance

This pre-show window also helps guests adjust to the lighting, sound, and environment before the performance begins.

Families, Groups, and Special Occasions

Visiting With Kids

Families often see Medieval Times Atlanta as a kid-friendly adventure, especially for children who enjoy knights, castles, and action scenes. Some common observations from families include:

Kids often get excited about wearing crowns and cheering for “their” knight.
The combination of food plus show can help keep children engaged throughout the event.
Parents sometimes plan around children’s usual mealtimes and bedtime routines, especially for later showtimes.

Because the show involves staged combat, loud noises, and dim lighting at times, parents usually consider their child’s comfort level with action-heavy performances when deciding whether it is a good fit.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Celebrations

Medieval Times is frequently used as a setting for special events like:

Birthdays
Anniversaries
Group outings or team events

Some guests coordinate add-ons such as:

Personalized announcements from the royal court
Souvenir packages or group photos

Policies and offerings can vary, so those planning celebrations often contact the castle or review current information to see what options are available at the time they book.

School Trips and Groups

The Atlanta castle is sometimes part of school field trips, youth group outings, or tour groups. In those contexts, the experience is often framed as:

A way to introduce basic elements of medieval culture in a theatrical format
A social outing with a shared meal and live performance

Group coordinators typically arrange tickets and logistics in advance to manage seating, supervision, and transportation.

Practical Tips for Visiting Medieval Times Atlanta

Here is a quick, skimmable overview of practical points many visitors consider when planning a trip:

🔍 Fast Facts & Planning Tips

🕒 Arrive early: Build in extra time for parking, check-in, and exploring the Great Hall.
🎟️ Reserve ahead: Treat it like a theater show, not a walk-in restaurant.
🎭 Expect loud, theatrical staging: Sound, lights, and action are central to the experience.
🍗 Set menu format: The meal is pre-planned, with limited customization during the show.
🥦 Ask about alternatives: Vegetarians and others with dietary needs often benefit from confirming options in advance.
👑 Embrace the theme: Crowns, cheering, and audience participation enhance the atmosphere.
👨‍👩‍👧 Consider kids’ preferences: Some children love the action; others may be sensitive to noise or staged combat.
📸 Photos in the lobby: Many guests use the pre-show period for pictures with costumes and castle décor.

What Makes the Atlanta Castle Distinct

While Medieval Times locations across the country follow a shared overall model, each castle develops its own local feel. Guests of the Atlanta castle often notice:

The regional crowd energy, which can influence how enthusiastically sections cheer.
The surrounding entertainment and shopping environment, which can make it convenient to combine the show with other activities in the area.
The layout and décor of the Great Hall and arena, which follow the franchise style but still give each venue its own personality.

Because the overall concept is standardized, the main differences tend to lie in the specific knights, castle staff, minor show variations, and local guest culture rather than in the core format.

Is Medieval Times Atlanta More “Restaurant” or “Show”?

Many first-time visitors wonder how to categorize the Medieval Times Atlanta experience. In practice, it sits between several familiar formats:

Like a restaurant, it serves a full meal with coordinated table service.
Like a live theater, it runs on a fixed schedule with scripted performances.
Like a theme attraction, it relies heavily on immersive design, costumes, and audience participation.

For planning purposes, it may help to think of it as a ticketed dinner event rather than a traditional restaurant outing. Your seating time, menu, and pacing are tied to the progress of the show, and the focus is on sharing a memorable, staged experience rather than choosing from an extensive à la carte menu.

Bringing It All Together

A visit to Medieval Times Restaurant Atlanta blends food, spectacle, and themed storytelling into a single night out. Guests share a communal meal, cheer for knights, and watch a stylized medieval tournament unfold in front of them.

Understanding that it is a pre-scheduled dinner-and-show—with set menus, live animals, loud effects, and an emphasis on immersion—helps set clear expectations. From there, visitors can decide how it fits into their plans, whether as a family outing, a birthday celebration, a group event, or simply a distinctive way to spend an evening in the Atlanta area.

Approached with that mindset, the castle becomes less a typical restaurant and more a self-contained medieval world you step into for a few hours—then step back out of, with plenty to talk about on the ride home.