Kimball House in Decatur, Atlanta runs the city's most-awarded cocktail and oyster bar inside a converted 19th-century train station. James Beard nominated bar program.
Food program: Oysters, raw bar
Tip: Sunday Happy Hour 17:00 to 18:30 runs cheaper oysters and cocktails. The bar takes walk-ins late on weekends.
Address: 303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, Atlanta
S.O.S. Tiki Bar in Decatur, Atlanta runs classic tiki cocktails in a thatched Polynesian-themed room since 2013. The mai tai is the canonical first order.
Signature drink: Mai tai
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Cash and card. The patio is open in summer. Reservations not taken; queue forms by 21:00 weekends.
Ticonderoga Club at Krog Street Market in Atlanta opened 2015 from a team including Greg Best. Awarded James Beard Outstanding Bar in 2019 for the cocktail programme.
Signature drink: Cuban-style cocktails
Food: Bar snacks and small plates
Tip: No reservations; bar seats are first-come. The naval-officers-club aesthetic carries through to the punch service.
S.O.S. Tiki Bar in Decatur, Atlanta runs classic tiki cocktails in a thatched Polynesian-themed room since 2013. The mai tai is the canonical first order.
Signature drink: Mai tai
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Cash and card. The patio is open in summer. Reservations not taken; queue forms by 21:00 weekends.
The Wrecking Bar in Little Five Points, Atlanta runs a brewpub in a Victorian mansion basement. The house saison and IPAs anchor the rotating taps.
Signature drink: House saison
Food: Brewpub menu
Tip: The patio is the move in summer. Brewery tours run Saturday afternoons; the upstairs ballroom hosts private events.
Biltong Bar at Ponce City Market in Atlanta runs South African biltong, droewors and a serious South African wine list. Counter ordering with bar seating.
Signature drink: South African wine flight
Food: Biltong, droewors, charcuterie
Tip: Order a biltong sampler with three wines by the glass. The retail counter sells cured meats by the pound.
Clermont Lounge in Atlanta's Hotel Clermont basement runs the city's longest-running dive bar since 1965. Famous Anthony Bourdain and Atlanta hip-hop coverage.
Signature drink: Beer and shot
Food: Snacks only
Tip: Cash only at the bar. The Clermont Hotel above has a rooftop bar with a much different vibe; same building.
Manuel's Tavern in Poncey-Highland, Atlanta opened 1956 and has been the city's political-newsroom hangout ever since. Jimmy Carter campaigned here; the booths are unchanged.
Signature drink: Cold beer
Food: Burgers, wings, bar fare
Tip: The booths fill with political-press regulars on election nights. Burgers are the kitchen's strength; reservations not taken.
