Scrolling through DoorDash one night, my roommate and I swiped past all of the classic Emory student favorites. While we both love Bartaco and Dragon Bowl (who doesn't?), we decided it was time to be adventurous and try something new for a change. That was when we stumbled upon Man vs Fries, a trendy new pop-up that specializes in fried food with a twist. With locations opening in virtually every major U.S. city, including New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas, Miami, Washington D.C., and of course Atlanta, Man vs Fries offers a variety of customizable creations that range from loaded fries to giant burritos to fried Oreos.
As the name states, the fries are the true star of the show, and the front page of the pop-up's trademark pink and black website will tell you exactly how to dream up your own unique fry concoction. The premise is simple: pick your fries (straight or curly), meat (Carne Asada or Pollo Asado), and style (NorCal or SoCal), and you're good to go.
After browsing through Man vs Fries' Instagram and Facebook pages, we were in awe of the truly gigantic portions and quickly made a plan to split the three menu items we deemed essentials: the Asada Fries, NorCal Burrito, and OMG Cookies.
Asada Fries (SoCal Style)
Calling these fries "loaded" simply does not cut it. Piled high with cheese, sour cream, guac, cilantro, grilled onions, grilled jalapeños, and a secret signature sauce, this fried masterpiece was unbelievably flavorful. We opted for the curly fries, which provided a whimsical touch, and Carne Asada, which added a massive but delicious kick. (Seriously, you must be able to handle spice.) While the fries came with a side of queso, we decided it wasn't even necessary: the sheer amount of textures and flavors already present was more than enough.
NorCal Burrito
Yes, it was as insane as it looks. Even though this NorCal burrito was absolutely stuffed with chicken, straight-cut fries, cheese, sour cream, guac, and secret sauce, it was wrapped to perfection and had no leaks or holes, allowing for little added mess from an otherwise messy food. The burrito had the same flavor profile as the fries, but we especially loved the tender texture and peppery taste of the chicken. We also very much appreciated that this monstrosity stayed warm even after our long trek back from picking it up at Man vs Fries' location in Midtown.
OMG Cookies
I'm still not so sure how we had room for dessert after all that food, but we knew that we just had to try this take on fried Oreos. Man vs Fries uses Double Stuf Oreos (the BEST kind), Krusteaz Sweet Cream Mix for the batter, powdered sugar on top, and a side of gooey chocolate sauce. To spruce them up, we stuck the Oreos in the Air Fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, and they came out perfectly golden brown and crispy. The inside completely melted in our mouths and instantly transported me back to memories of going to my local carnival when I was little. This was the perfect way to end our meal of out-of-this-world fried food masterpieces.
While certainly not the healthiest by many means, Man vs Fries is the place for creative takes on fried food that are sure to satisfy your fast food cravings. Before you venture to Midtown for these insane items, I would just give you two words of advice.
1.) Share with friends. Even after splitting all three items between two people, we still had TONS of leftovers, so I would definitely recommend taking on Man vs Fries with your squad.
2.) Make sure you are HUNGRY. You will want to savor as much of this meal as you possibly can, and that requires bringing a stomach that is ready to eat up a storm.
With that being said, there is no place as mouth-watering, Instagrammable, and unique in the ATL right now, so make sure to add Man vs Fries to your bucket list and visit while it's still nearby for the ultimate fried food fix.