Moondog Growlers in Atlanta: What to Know Before You Go

If you’re in the Atlanta area and you’ve heard about Moondog Growlers, you’re probably looking for a place where you can explore craft beer, rotating taps, and a relaxed, neighborhood atmosphere. While it’s best known for its locations just outside the city, Moondog Growlers has become part of the broader Atlanta craft beer and international-style pub scene, drawing in locals who are willing to drive a little for fresh pours and growler fills.

This guide walks through what Moondog Growlers offers, how it fits into Atlanta’s restaurant and bar landscape, what to expect if you’re driving in from the city, and how to make the most of a visit.

What Is Moondog Growlers?

Moondog Growlers is a craft beer growler shop and taproom that focuses on draft beer to-go and on-site pours. It operates like a hybrid between a beer bar, bottle shop, and casual hangout spot.

Key ideas:

• Rotating tap list with a strong emphasis on Georgia breweries and other regional craft options
• Growler fills (usually 32 oz and 64 oz containers) you can take home
• A casual, social setting where you can sample beers, meet friends, and often enjoy nearby food options

While many Atlanta restaurants under the “International Cuisine” umbrella focus on a single region (like Korean, Indian, or Mexican), Moondog Growlers leans into the international variety of beer styles instead of one specific country’s food. You’ll routinely see:

• German-style lagers and hefeweizens
• Belgian-inspired saisons and tripels
• British-style bitters, stouts, and porters
• American IPAs, pale ales, and sours influenced by multiple traditions

Where Moondog Growlers Fits in Greater Atlanta

Moondog Growlers is part of the metro Atlanta scene rather than being located directly in Downtown or Midtown Atlanta. It’s commonly associated with neighborhoods and suburbs north of the city, which are easy to reach by car from most in-town areas.

If you’re staying in Midtown, Downtown, Virginia-Highland, Old Fourth Ward, or Buckhead, you’ll typically reach Moondog Growlers by:

• Driving via I‑75, I‑85, or GA‑400, depending on your starting point
• Allowing extra time for rush hour traffic, especially on weekday afternoons and early evenings

For many Atlanta residents, Moondog Growlers is a destination stop: you go there to fill up growlers before a gathering, game day, or a night grilling at home, then head back into the city.

What to Expect When You Visit

Walking into Moondog Growlers is different from walking into a typical full-service restaurant. It’s closer to a neighborhood taproom with an emphasis on beer rather than a full food menu.

Atmosphere

• Casual and relaxed: jeans, T‑shirts, and jerseys are normal
• Often family- and dog-friendly, depending on the specific location’s policies
• TVs may show sports, especially local teams like the Braves, Falcons, Hawks, or United
• Designed as a spot where you can try new beers, chat with staff, and hang for a bit

Service Style

Moondog Growlers usually operates in a counter-service format:

1. You step up to the bar and check out the tap list, usually written on a chalkboard or digital board.
2. You can ask for small samples to help decide what you like.
3. You choose:
   • A pint or smaller pour to enjoy on-site, and/or
   • A growler fill to take home.

There’s typically no table-side service, and you’ll pay at the counter.

Beer Selection: Local and International Influences

Moondog Growlers tends to showcase a broad, rotating selection with strong local representation and global inspiration. This is where the “international” angle really shows up: not in the food, but in the beer styles.

Common categories you might see:

• Lagers & Pilsners
  • Light, crisp options
  • Often German- or Czech-inspired styles
• IPAs (India Pale Ales)
  • West Coast, New England (hazy), and other variations
  • Frequently featuring Georgia breweries and regional favorites
• Sours & Wild Ales
  • Fruited sours, gose, Berliner weisse
  • Tend to be popular in warm Atlanta weather
• Belgian-Style Beers
  • Saisons, dubbels, tripels, and wheat beers
• Dark Beers
  • Porters, stouts, and imperial stouts
  • More common in cooler months but can appear year-round

The lineup can change frequently, so no two visits are exactly the same. Staff often help you navigate the list by asking what you usually like (e.g., light, hoppy, malty, fruity) and offering suggestions.

Food Options: How It Works Around Atlanta

Moondog Growlers is primarily a beer-focused venue, not a full-service restaurant. Depending on the specific location and local rules, you may see:

• Light snacks at the bar (pretzels, chips, nuts)
• Nearby restaurants or food trucks you can pair with your visit
• In some areas, you may be allowed to bring in outside food from surrounding eateries

If you’re planning a visit from Atlanta and you want a full meal, a common approach is to:

• Eat at a nearby restaurant first, then stop by Moondog Growlers afterward, or
• Grab takeout from a restaurant close by and bring it with you if the location allows outside food

Because policies and nearby food options can change, calling ahead is often the simplest way to confirm what’s currently available.

Growlers 101: How the System Works

If you’re new to the growler concept, here’s how it typically works at Moondog Growlers and similar spots in the Atlanta area.

What Is a Growler?

A growler is a refillable container (often 32 or 64 ounces) used to transport draft beer. You can think of it as a way to bring fresh tap beer home from a bar or brewery.

Common growler types:

• Glass growlers (the classic jug-style container)
• Stainless steel insulated growlers
• Some locations offer growlers branded with their logo

Basic Growler Process

1. Get a growler

   • Purchase a new growler at Moondog Growlers, or
   • Bring a clean growler you already own (check that they accept outside containers and what size).

2. Choose your beer

   • Review the tap list.
   • Sample if needed.

3. Fill and seal

   • Staff will fill your growler directly from the tap, cap it, and label it.

4. Take it home

   • Store it upright and follow any guidance given on freshness.

Quick Reference: Growlers at a Glance

Atlanta-Specific Tips for Visiting Moondog Growlers

Because Atlanta traffic, weather, and local drinking rules shape how people actually use growler shops, it helps to plan with the city in mind.

Getting There from In-Town Atlanta

If you’re coming from neighborhoods like Midtown, Inman Park, Decatur, Westside, or Buckhead:

• Drive time can vary widely depending on rush hour.
• Using major corridors (I‑75/I‑85, I‑285, GA‑400) is usually the fastest, but be ready for congestion.
• Many people plan their visit as part of an errand loop (grocery run, retail stop, then growlers) to make the trip more worthwhile.

If you prefer not to drive after drinking, consider:

• Limiting yourself to small tasters and relying mainly on to-go fills, or
• Arranging a designated driver, rideshare, or taxi from Atlanta.

Alcohol Laws to Keep in Mind

Atlanta-area alcohol regulations can be specific, and they can differ slightly from one city or county to another. Generally:

• On-site consumption is limited to pours and sizes allowed under local law.
• Sales hours for alcohol may be restricted, especially on Sundays, and can vary by jurisdiction.
• Open-container rules usually do not allow drinking in public spaces outside defined entertainment districts.

If you’re visiting from out of state, it’s wise to ask staff if you’re unsure about where and how you can legally consume what you’ve purchased.

How Moondog Growlers Compares to Other Atlanta Beer Spots

Within the broader Atlanta restaurant and bar landscape, Moondog Growlers sits in a niche between:

• Full-service international restaurants (where beer complements the food), and
• Production breweries (where beer is made on-site).

At Moondog Growlers, the focus is on:

• Curated selection of beers from many breweries—local, regional, and occasionally international
• A relaxed taproom experience rather than a full kitchen
• Growler fills as a central service, which many standard restaurants in Atlanta do not offer

If you’re specifically looking for international cuisine plus beer, you might pair a Moondog Growlers stop with:

• A nearby Thai, Indian, Korean, Japanese, or Latin American restaurant for a full meal either before or after
• A plan to take growlers home to enjoy with takeout from your favorite Atlanta international spot

Practical Planning Tips for Atlanta Residents and Visitors

A few simple steps can make your trip smoother and more enjoyable:

• ✅ Check hours before you go

  • Many growler shops have different weekday/weekend hours and specific Sunday schedules.

• ✅ Ask about current tap lists

  • If you’re hunting for a specific style (like a German hefeweizen or a Belgian saison), call ahead to see what’s on draft.

• ✅ Bring a reusable growler if you have one

  • If it’s accepted and clean, this can save you the cost of a new container.

• ✅ Plan for storage

  • If you’re driving back into Atlanta on a hot day, keep growlers out of direct sunlight and avoid leaving them in a hot car for long.

• ✅ Think about food pairings

  • On your way back, you can stop at one of Atlanta’s many international restaurants—for example, in Buford Highway, Decatur, or Midtown—to match your beer with a complementary cuisine.

For Atlanta-area beer lovers and curious visitors, Moondog Growlers offers a low-key way to explore a wide range of beer styles—from German and Belgian classics to American and regional craft experiments—then bring those flavors home in growler form. If you’re looking to combine the international world of beer with Atlanta’s diverse dining scene, it can be a useful stop in your broader food-and-drink circuit around the city.