Best Atlanta Bars: Where to Drink in the City, Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Atlanta’s bar scene is big, diverse, and always changing. Whether you want a craft cocktail with a skyline view, a low-key neighborhood hang, or a place to catch the game, there’s a spot for it somewhere between Buckhead, Midtown, Inman Park, and the Westside.

This guide focuses on where Atlanta locals actually go, what each bar style is known for, and how to pick the right place for your night out.

How to Choose the Best Bar in Atlanta for Your Night

Before you pick a spot, it helps to narrow down:

• Vibe: Quiet and cozy, loud and energetic, or something in between?
• Location: Staying near Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Hartsfield-Jackson, or the BeltLine?
• Price point: Weeknight happy hour or special-occasion splurge?
• Focus: Cocktails, beer, wine, sports, live music, or dancing?

Atlanta is spread out, so choosing by neighborhood and type of bar usually makes planning easier.

Quick Snapshot: Popular Atlanta Bar Areas

Best Cocktail Bars in Atlanta

If you care about creative drinks, good ice, and a strong bar program, these are the types of spots you’ll want to look for.

Midtown & Old Fourth Ward Cocktail Favorites

These areas are packed with date-night-friendly and pre-dinner cocktail bars, many walkable from the BeltLine or Peachtree Street.

Look for:

• Seasonal menus with rotating cocktails
• Bartenders who can make off-menu classics
• Smaller, intimate spaces that fill up on weekends

Tips:

• 🍸 Arrive early on Fridays and Saturdays; many cocktail bars have limited seating.
• Some have no reservations, so off-peak hours (late afternoon or early evening) are ideal.

Inman Park & BeltLine Cocktail Spots

Bars around Inman Park and the Eastside BeltLine typically offer:

• Strong food + cocktail combos
• Large patios and relaxed crowds
• Easy access if you’re already out at nearby restaurants

These are good choices if you want one place for both dinner and drinks rather than a full bar crawl.

Best Rooftop Bars in Atlanta

Rooftops are a big reason people search for “best Atlanta bars.” The city’s skyline views and long warm season make open-air drinking a staple.

Where Rooftops Shine

You’ll commonly find rooftop bars:

• On hotel roofs in Downtown and Midtown
• Attached to restaurants in Old Fourth Ward, West Midtown, and Buckhead
• Near attractions like State Farm Arena, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the BeltLine

What to expect:

• Dress codes are more likely at rooftop spots, especially in Buckhead and “see-and-be-seen” venues.
• Prices often run higher than neighborhood bars, especially for cocktails.
• Many rooftops are weather-dependent, so rainy nights can mean closures or limited seating.

Good use cases:

• Out-of-town visitors you want to impress with city views
• Pre-game or post-dinner drinks
• Special occasions and photos at sunset

Best Sports Bars in Atlanta

Between pro teams and college football, sports bars are easy to find across the city.

Near the Stadiums (Downtown & Vine City)

If you’re going to Mercedes-Benz Stadium or State Farm Arena, bars nearby tend to offer:

• Big TVs and game-day drink specials
• Crowds wearing team gear
• Easy walk or short ride to the venue

These are ideal for:

• Pregaming before Falcons, United, Hawks, or major concerts
• Grabbing a final drink while traffic thins after a game

Buckhead, Midtown & Neighborhood Sports Bars

Outside Downtown, many locals watch games:

• At Buckhead bars clustered around commercial centers
• In Midtown near major intersections and hotel corridors
• At neighborhood spots in places like Grant Park, Virginia-Highland, and West Midtown

What you’ll typically find:

• Multiple large screens, often with sound on during big games
• Pub-style food like wings, burgers, and fries
• A mix of local pro and SEC/ACC college crowds

If you care about a specific team, it’s worth checking which bars are known to be “home bars” for fans of that school or franchise.

Best Beer Bars & Breweries in Atlanta

Atlanta has become a strong beer city, especially on the Westside, West Midtown, and along the BeltLine.

Breweries with Taprooms

Expect:

• Large, open spaces often in converted warehouses
• Outdoor seating, lawn games, and family- and dog-friendly areas
• Rotating taps featuring IPAs, lagers, sours, and seasonal releases

Many breweries:

• Allow or host food trucks
• Offer take-home cans or growlers
• Stay busy on weekends, especially Saturday afternoons

These are especially popular for:

• Day drinking and casual group meetups
• Low-pressure dates
• Before heading to dinner nearby

Beer-Focused Bars

In addition to breweries, Atlanta has bars that specialize in:

• Extensive draft lists
• Hard-to-find regional or international beers
• Regular tap takeovers or themed beer nights

You’ll see these sprinkled around:

• Inman Park
• Virginia-Highland
• West Midtown
• Neighborhood pockets like Kirkwood or Decatur (just outside city limits but easy MARTA or rideshare distance)

Best Wine Bars in Atlanta

If your ideal night is a glass (or bottle) and a quiet conversation, wine bars are spread across most intown neighborhoods.

Common features:

• By-the-glass lists with rotating options
• Small plates like cheese, charcuterie, flatbreads, or light snacks
• Relaxed music levels and cozy seating

Where to look:

• Inman Park / Old Fourth Ward for walkable spots along or near the BeltLine
• Virginia-Highland and Morningside for neighborhood wine bars
• Buckhead for more upscale or special-occasion wine experiences

These work well for:

• First dates or catching up with friends
• A quieter alternative to the louder Midtown or Buckhead bar scenes
• Pre- or post-dinner stops near high-end restaurants

Best Dive Bars & Neighborhood Hangouts

Atlanta’s dive bars are where you’ll often find service industry workers, long-time regulars, and locals avoiding the crowds.

Typical dive bar characteristics:

• Low lighting, jukeboxes, and cheap beer or well drinks
• Pool tables, darts, sometimes karaoke
• Minimal dress code and a come-as-you-are feel

Where they cluster:

• East Atlanta Village (EAV) is known for divey, music-friendly bars
• Little Five Points has a few classic neighborhood staples
• Small pockets across Grant Park, West Midtown, and the West End

These spots are good if you:

• Prefer a no-frills environment over fancy cocktails
• Want a late-night drink without waiting in line
• Value strong pours and regulars over skyline views

LGBTQ+ Bars and Nightlife in Atlanta

Atlanta has one of the strongest LGBTQ+ nightlife scenes in the Southeast, especially in Midtown and certain pockets intown.

You’ll find:

• Dance clubs with late-night closing hours
• Neighborhood-style gay bars with patios and drag shows
• Mixed spaces popular with both LGBTQ+ and straight crowds

Key areas:

• Midtown, especially around Ponce de Leon Avenue and Piedmont Park
• Some BeltLine-adjacent venues with themed nights

These bars are often:

• Anchors of Atlanta’s Pride celebrations
• Hosts for drag brunches, charity nights, and special events
• Busy on weekends and big event weeks (like Pride and major concerts)

Best Bars for Live Music & Entertainment

If you want more than just drinks, Atlanta offers bars that double as entertainment venues.

Live Music Bars

Look for:

• Smaller venues that book local bands, singer-songwriters, or jazz
• Mixed seating and standing areas
• Often modest cover charges, especially on weekends

Popular music-bar neighborhoods:

• East Atlanta Village
• Little Five Points
• West Midtown

Bars with Games & Activities

Beyond music, you’ll find:

• Bars with arcades, board games, or trivia nights
• Spots with shuffleboard, bocce, or bowling lanes
• Karaoke bars scattered through Midtown, Buckhead, and some suburbs

These are ideal for:

• Group outings or work meetups
• People who don’t want to just sit and talk at a table
• Weeknights when full-on clubs feel like too much

Atlanta Hotel Bars Worth Knowing

If you’re staying near Downtown or Midtown, hotel bars can be some of the easiest and most reliable spots, especially if you don’t want to drive or rideshare.

Typical advantages:

• Professional bartending and predictable hours
• Often less rowdy than nearby sports or club bars
• Convenient for conferences or business trips

You can usually find:

• Lobby bars with full cocktail, beer, and wine menus
• Rooftop or terrace bars with city views
• Lounges that stay open relatively late for hotel guests

These are especially handy if:

• You’re in Atlanta for a conference at the Georgia World Congress Center
• You’re only in for one night and want something low-effort but nice
• Weather is bad and you want a bar in the same building

Navigating Atlanta’s Bar Scene: Practical Tips

To make the most of the best bars in Atlanta, keep these local realities in mind.

Getting Around

• Rideshare: Often the easiest choice, especially on weekends and after midnight.
• MARTA:
  • North-South line serves Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, and the airport.
  • Good for bar-going near stations like Midtown, North Avenue, Arts Center, Buckhead, and Lenox.
• Walking:
  • Very manageable in dense pockets like the Eastside BeltLine, Midtown core, Inman Park, EAV, and West Midtown clusters, but less so across the whole city.

Safety & Regulations

• Bars in Atlanta generally stop serving alcohol around 2:30 a.m., with closing times varying by neighborhood and day.
• Many venues:
  • Check IDs at the door; a physical government ID is usually required.
  • Use bag checks or metal detectors in higher-traffic or club-style venues.
• It’s common practice to:
  • Use rideshare instead of driving if you plan to drink.
  • Stay in well-lit, busy areas when walking between bars late at night.

Dress Codes & Cover Charges

• Buckhead and certain Midtown spots may enforce:
  • No athletic wear, hats, or overly casual clothing on weekend nights.
• Rooftops and clubs sometimes charge:
  • Cover fees on Friday and Saturday, especially after a certain hour or for special events.
• Neighborhood and dive bars are usually:
  • More relaxed about dress and rarely charge a cover unless there’s live music or a special show.

How to Build Your Own “Best Bars in Atlanta” Night

Here are a few sample approaches depending on what you’re after:

• For first-time visitors:

  • Start with a rooftop bar in Midtown or Downtown for views.
  • Move to a cocktail or hotel bar within walking or short rideshare distance.

• For a BeltLine crawl:

  • Spend the day walking the Eastside Trail between Inman Park and Old Fourth Ward.
  • Stop at a mix of breweries, patios, and cocktail bars along the way.

• For a local-feeling night:

  • Pick an area like EAV, Little Five Points, or Virginia-Highland.
  • Rotate between one cocktail spot, one dive, and one late-night bar all within the same few blocks.

• For game day:

  • Hit a sports bar near the stadium before the event, or
  • Watch from a Buckhead or Midtown bar known for big-game atmospheres.

By thinking in terms of neighborhood, vibe, and function, you can quickly narrow down Atlanta’s many options and find the bars that fit your night—whether you’re a long-time local or just in town for the weekend.