Located on Howell Mill Road across from the post office, this longtime dive bar serves cheap pitchers of beer and includes a working jukebox, words of “wisdom” on a sign out front, and an always colorful cast of characters.

Few Atlanta bars are as iconic (or regularly serve as a filming location for movies and TV shows) than this westside Atlanta haunt. Despite explosive growth along this portion of Howell Mill Road, Northside Tavern endures and continues to be the spot for shots of Wild Turkey, cans of PBR, and blues music into the wee hours of the morning. Keep an eye out here for celebrity sightings here.

Surrounded by an ever-growing population of shiny new high rises, Eleventh Street Pub keeps it casual and real in Midtown for those seeking good old-fashioned pub grub, including wings, burgers, and bowls of PEI mussels and fries, cold beer, and sports on the TV. The lengthy beer list here is a healthy mix of craft and dive bar classics.

Open since 1955, head to this dive bar institution in Buckhead to watch sports and sip on cold beers or a budget-friendly cocktail. Five Paces can become a standing-room-only affair the later it gets, especially on the weekends when the DJs are spinning. Weekday evenings are generally quieter and filled with local residents.

Red Door Tavern has been part of the Buckhead bar scene for nearly 20 years now. In 2019, the bar added a 1980s-inspired arcade adjacent to the main entrance. Arcadia features classic arcade games like Ms. Pac-Man, Tekken, and Galaga, murals of old school game characters like Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers, and a floor consisting of 180,000 pennies. Pull up for beer, cocktails, and sports on the televisions.

This low-key hangout in Virginia-Highland is relaxed and built around billiards. It’s rare to see an empty pool table most evenings, especially on the weekends when friends and strangers alike gather around tables to shoot a round or two. As for food, find everything from burgers and fried chicken sandwiches to brats made from local meat purveyor Fripper’s and hand pies by Atlanta pop-up Heaps ATL.

This chill dive bar in Cabbagetown offers plenty of seating both inside and outside on the tree-covered deck and patio beside the building. Beer, wine, cocktails, Fernet shots, and classic bar food have all made 97 Estoria a popular neighborhood hangout for years now.

Filled with gritty dive bar charm, the Local is often a gathering spot for local residents throughout the week and those cruising Ponce on the weekends. This bar features a dart board, trivia nights, karaoke, and serves some of Atlanta’s best wings in flavors like tikka masala and spicy Korean BBQ. Share baskets of wings with a pitcher of cold beer with good friends for a solid evening in Atlanta. With its future in question due to the purchase of the property for redevelopment, make plans to visit the Local sooner rather than later.

Tacos, loaded nachos, and burritos paired with cold beer in a dive bar? That’s what Little Five Points dive bar Elmyr is serving up nightly next to the Variety Playhouse on Euclid. And it all totally hits the spot.

A change of ownership hasn’t destroyed the vibe or the food at this Little Five Points dive bar institution. It’s still a favorite among locals gathering for drinks and bites after work as well as the curious checking out the Little Five Points scene on the weekends. Order a cold beer or the dive bar classic Jack and Coke while slurping Brunswick stew, chowing down on jumbo wings, and munching on tater tots. The people watching here can’t be beat.

Housed in a former bank on Moreland, and after undergoing a change of ownership and avoiding (for now) the possibility of closure due to development, the divey Star Bar is alive and well still slinging drinks and hosting live shows and music ranging from funk to punk in Little Five Points. There’s even a shrine to Elvis hidden away in one of the former bank vaults.

This dive bills itself as “the South’s version of Cheers.” While that statement may or may not be true, the Rusty Nail’s distinct ambiance and drinks specials on Buford Highway never seem to disappoint locals or visitors to Atlanta. Make sure to check the schedule for team trivia nights here.

This neighborhood bar is a Decatur mainstay. For those in need of a cold beer and dive bar ambiance, Trackside’s list of domestics on tap goes above and beyond, as does its chill atmosphere. As for food, expect smoked wings, pulled pork sandwiches, nachos, and sausages served with chili and a side of collards on the menu here.