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.
Food program: Burgers, wings, bar fare
Tip: The booths fill with political-press regulars on election nights. Burgers are the kitchen's strength; reservations not taken.
Address: 602 N Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Argosy in East Atlanta Village, Atlanta runs a beer-and-cocktail bar with wood-fired pizza and snacks in a converted bowling-alley space since 2012.
Signature drink: Beer-and-cocktail program
Food: Pizza, snacks, sandwiches
Tip: Patio is dog-friendly. The Beer Boards run rotating local taps. Weekend brunch service Saturday and Sunday.
Ladybird's Camper Bar on the Beltline in Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta runs summer-camp-themed cocktails in a vintage Airstream parked on the patio. Reservations on Resy.
Signature drink: Summer-camp themed cocktails
Food: Smores, snacks
Tip: The Airstream patio is the move in spring and fall. Smores and snacks the menu; full dinner at the Ladybird restaurant.
The Porter Beer Bar in Little Five Points, Atlanta runs 800 bottles and 38 taps of craft beer with a sharp gastropub kitchen since 2008. James Beard Outstanding Bar finalist.
Signature drink: Rare-beer flight
Food: Gastropub menu
Tip: Brunch on weekends is the under-the-radar service. The Belgian beer cellar runs rare bottles for the right pour.
Elmyr in Little Five Points, Atlanta has run since 1995 as a Tex-Mex-and-dive-bar combination. Margaritas and pitchers anchor the menu; cheap burritos cover the food.
Signature drink: Margarita
Food: Tacos and burritos
Tip: Cash and card. The patio sits on Euclid; the inside runs darker and louder. Open until 02:00 most nights.
Blind Pig Parlour Bar in Buckhead, Atlanta runs a speakeasy with cold-pour cocktails and a 1920s aesthetic. Hidden entrance behind a private-club door on Roswell Road.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Reservations on Tock; no walk-ins on weekends. Password posted on the website each week; ID required at the door.
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.
Signature drink: Absinthe drip service
Food: 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.
