The owners of Taco Mac and Mary Mac’s Tea Room have acquired longtime Atlanta restaurant and bar the Vortex, according to a report from Rough Draft Atlanta.
Michael Benoit, co-owner of the Vortex, told Rough Draft Atlanta he and his siblings Hank and Suzanne were ready to move on after running the business for more than 30 years. They didn’t want to close permanently since it’s become a staple in so many Atlantans’ lives, so they decided to explore ways to keep it open.
As a result, Harold Martin Jr., Michael Bodnar, John Michael Bodnar and Bryan Rand of Atlanta-based chain Taco Mac and Mary Mac’s Tea Room acquired the restaurant.
The group previously took over ownership of Mary Mac’s Tea Room in October 2020 after the restaurant closed in March of that year due to the pandemic.
According to a statement the new owners provided Rough Draft, “Patrons can expect the same commitment to quality, consistency, creativity, and community that has defined the Vortex for decades. the transition of ownership has been seamless, with operations continuing without interruption.”
The Vortex has been an Atlanta mainstay since Benoit and his siblings opened it in 1992 on the corner of West Peachtree and 11th streets in Midtown. It later moved to its current home at 878 Peachtree St., and the trio opened an additional location in Little Five Points in 1996.
The restaurant has become known for its eclectic decor and expansive burger menu, complete with choices like the Ultimate Patty Melt that comes with two patties on grilled rye, Swiss and cheddar cheese, grilled onions and sliced pickles, and the Zombie Apocalypse with barbecue pork, spicy honey barbecue sauce, pepper jack cheese and an egg on Texas toast.
Credit: Bob Townsend
Credit: Bob Townsend
The eatery’s lengthy list of rules include a 21-and-older policy, a disclaimer about the restaurant’s “idiot-free zone” and a “no whining” policy. It also allowed smoking on the premises until 2019 when almost 70% of its 11,000 polled customers said in a survey they wanted the smoking policy changed.
In addition to the Vortex, Benoit owns Mexican restaurant Bone Garden Cantina and the Laughing Skull Lounge comedy club in the Vortex’s Midtown location.
Benoit and Martin Jr. did not immediately respond to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s request for more information.
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