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17 Essential Atlanta Bars, Mapped

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Kimball House.
| Matthew Wong/Eater Atlanta

Need a drink? Atlanta has plenty of plenty of options to remedy that issue, and this west-to-east map highlights the best of the best. From dives, to upscale lounges, to haunts where you can catch some live music, these are the places where Atlantans go when they're thirsty.

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Little Trouble

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Though only open for a few weeks, Little Trouble has quickly become a Westside staple with its already-iconic neon lights, stiff drinks, and Japanese whisky selection.

Northside Tavern

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It's dirty. It's dive-y. But it also has some of the best music in town. This is the essence of the Westside’s gritty, industrial roots.

Holeman & Finch Public House

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While it’s undergone management and staff changes over the past few years, Holeman & Finch is still essential drinking territory, given its role as the birthplace of the city’s cocktail revival.

Cypress Street Pint & Plate

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Midtown’s answer to Cheers has 14 craft beers on tap, more than 40 bottled brews, Beer Geek Tuesdays, and a burger made with Sublime Doughnuts. What’s not to love?

Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium

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While it's only been open for a few years, Sister Louisa’s Church is already an Atlanta institution. Where else can you down cocktails or beer while singing karaoke in a choir robe with live organ accompaniment?

The Sound Table

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One of the first bars on the now-packed Edgewood Avenue corridor, The Sound Table has one of the best cocktail menus in town, plus a range of top-notch food pop-ups like Mihoko Obunai's Ramen Freak, cool DJs, and dance party that doesn’t even get started until nearly midnight on school nights.

Clermont Lounge

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This iconic bar celebrates its 50th anniversary this year — well below the average age of the strippers. You can't go wrong with cheap PBR and Blondie. A must-visit in Atlanta.

Atkins Park Tavern

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No list would be complete without Atkins Park, Atlanta’s oldest continuously licensed tavern. This place manages to simultaneously cater to brunching families during the day and 20-somethings on the prowl at night, all while serving up great beer and a decent variety of pub fare.

Manuel's Tavern

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Manuel's closed for renovations in December 2015, but it should be back in business soon. You won’t find trendy decor or fancy cocktails with clever names here. What you will find is a cross-section of neighborhood folk, political junkies, and local bigwigs swigging beer and talking about everything from sports to politics. There’s a reason it’s an Atlanta institution.

The Vortex Bar & Grill

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Smoky, old school, great burgers, addictive tots, no frills. All the makings of a great bar.

The Porter Beer Bar

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With more than 400 beers on the menu, you'll want to sit and stay awhile. Don't miss chef Nick Rutherford's daily specials, perfect for washing down a pint or five, and don't overlook the impressive selection of whiskeys.

Wrecking Bar Brewpub

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Chef Terry Koval’s fare is some of the best, most creative food in the city, plus the brewpub brews most of its selections on site.

The Earl

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Go for the music. Stay for the hedonistic burgers, the addictive shoestring fries, and the distinctive East Atlanta vibe.

The Pinewood

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Another Decatur staple in a crowded bar neighborhood, The Pinewood keeps packing them in with some of the most inventive cocktails in town plus the popular Whiskey Wednesdays, when the bar offers $5 whiskey cocktails.

Brick Store Pub

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Before there was Leon's or Kimball House in Decatur, there was Brick Store Pub. The ultimate of neighborhood bars, don't miss the Belgian Beer Bar, featuring eight rotating draughts and more than 120 Belgian/Belgian-style bottled beers.

Leon's Full Service

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The first of many craft cocktail-focused watering holes to pop up in Decatur, which paved the way for Kimball House and the other neighborhood’s essential bars. The patio is packed year-round, and Leon’s still boasts an impressive cocktail and local beer list. Plus, pub frites.

Kimball House

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Housed in an old Train Depot in a neighborhood cluttered with bars, Kimball House stands out for its exceptional cocktails, absinthe service, and half-price oyster happy hour. You had us at absinthe.

Matthew Wong/Eater Atlanta

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Little Trouble

Though only open for a few weeks, Little Trouble has quickly become a Westside staple with its already-iconic neon lights, stiff drinks, and Japanese whisky selection.

Northside Tavern

It's dirty. It's dive-y. But it also has some of the best music in town. This is the essence of the Westside’s gritty, industrial roots.

Holeman & Finch Public House

While it’s undergone management and staff changes over the past few years, Holeman & Finch is still essential drinking territory, given its role as the birthplace of the city’s cocktail revival.

Cypress Street Pint & Plate

Midtown’s answer to Cheers has 14 craft beers on tap, more than 40 bottled brews, Beer Geek Tuesdays, and a burger made with Sublime Doughnuts. What’s not to love?

Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium

While it's only been open for a few years, Sister Louisa’s Church is already an Atlanta institution. Where else can you down cocktails or beer while singing karaoke in a choir robe with live organ accompaniment?

The Sound Table

One of the first bars on the now-packed Edgewood Avenue corridor, The Sound Table has one of the best cocktail menus in town, plus a range of top-notch food pop-ups like Mihoko Obunai's Ramen Freak, cool DJs, and dance party that doesn’t even get started until nearly midnight on school nights.

Clermont Lounge

This iconic bar celebrates its 50th anniversary this year — well below the average age of the strippers. You can't go wrong with cheap PBR and Blondie. A must-visit in Atlanta.

Atkins Park Tavern

No list would be complete without Atkins Park, Atlanta’s oldest continuously licensed tavern. This place manages to simultaneously cater to brunching families during the day and 20-somethings on the prowl at night, all while serving up great beer and a decent variety of pub fare.

Manuel's Tavern

Manuel's closed for renovations in December 2015, but it should be back in business soon. You won’t find trendy decor or fancy cocktails with clever names here. What you will find is a cross-section of neighborhood folk, political junkies, and local bigwigs swigging beer and talking about everything from sports to politics. There’s a reason it’s an Atlanta institution.

The Vortex Bar & Grill

Smoky, old school, great burgers, addictive tots, no frills. All the makings of a great bar.

The Porter Beer Bar

With more than 400 beers on the menu, you'll want to sit and stay awhile. Don't miss chef Nick Rutherford's daily specials, perfect for washing down a pint or five, and don't overlook the impressive selection of whiskeys.

Wrecking Bar Brewpub

Chef Terry Koval’s fare is some of the best, most creative food in the city, plus the brewpub brews most of its selections on site.

The Earl

Go for the music. Stay for the hedonistic burgers, the addictive shoestring fries, and the distinctive East Atlanta vibe.

The Pinewood

Another Decatur staple in a crowded bar neighborhood, The Pinewood keeps packing them in with some of the most inventive cocktails in town plus the popular Whiskey Wednesdays, when the bar offers $5 whiskey cocktails.

Brick Store Pub

Before there was Leon's or Kimball House in Decatur, there was Brick Store Pub. The ultimate of neighborhood bars, don't miss the Belgian Beer Bar, featuring eight rotating draughts and more than 120 Belgian/Belgian-style bottled beers.

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Leon's Full Service

The first of many craft cocktail-focused watering holes to pop up in Decatur, which paved the way for Kimball House and the other neighborhood’s essential bars. The patio is packed year-round, and Leon’s still boasts an impressive cocktail and local beer list. Plus, pub frites.

Kimball House

Housed in an old Train Depot in a neighborhood cluttered with bars, Kimball House stands out for its exceptional cocktails, absinthe service, and half-price oyster happy hour. You had us at absinthe.

Matthew Wong/Eater Atlanta

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