Atlanta Dive Bar Guide
An Expanding Neighborhood Dive Bar Network
The Atlanta traffic struggle is real, the immense growth of the city expressed through an all-hours, all-encompassing rat nest of gridlock. But amid all of that expletive-laden transit is a patchwork of neighborhoods evolving in step with the city. And where there are historical neighborhoods, there are dive bars waiting to be discovered, hopefully not ruined, by those flocking to new areas of the city.
When it comes to dive bar credentials, serving as home to the bar that sells the most PBR by volume in the United States is a pretty good feather in Atlanta’s cap. Moe’s & Joe’s earns that distinction through its timeless devotion to PBR…as well as Tuesday $3.50 PBR pitcher night. The dive bar’s continued relevance is a perfect example for the Atlanta-style dive, usually hiding in plain sight, anchor to a neighborhood revived or in the process of revival.
A cursory glance at dive bar sources outside of this one (but why would you do that) will reveal Clermont Lounge to be the king of Atlanta dive bars. The sorta kinda strip club doubles as an Anthony Bourdain-endorsed dive bar that happens to have a pretty specific type of entertainment. But there is more to the Atlanta dive bar scene than just the worthy Clermont, the patchwork of potential drinking options overlaid on top of Atlanta’s ever-expanding reach.
When it comes to dive bar credentials, serving as home to the bar that sells the most PBR by volume in the United States is a pretty good feather in Atlanta’s cap. Moe’s & Joe’s earns that distinction through its timeless devotion to PBR…as well as Tuesday $3.50 PBR pitcher night. The dive bar’s continued relevance is a perfect example for the Atlanta-style dive, usually hiding in plain sight, anchor to a neighborhood revived or in the process of revival.
A cursory glance at dive bar sources outside of this one (but why would you do that) will reveal Clermont Lounge to be the king of Atlanta dive bars. The sorta kinda strip club doubles as an Anthony Bourdain-endorsed dive bar that happens to have a pretty specific type of entertainment. But there is more to the Atlanta dive bar scene than just the worthy Clermont, the patchwork of potential drinking options overlaid on top of Atlanta’s ever-expanding reach.
Dive Bar Map
Atlanta Dive Bar Reviews
Ranked Order
The Rusty Nail
Review Rating: 9 out of 10
Atlanta's Buford Highway doesn't have many giant smokers in the shape of a gun, but it does have one. And it serves as signal to the city's purest dive bar.
Moe's & Joe's
Review Rating: 8 out of 10
The headline is Moe's & Joe's stature as number one PBR seller in the US, but this is a delicatessen turned dive bar that dates back to 1947.
Jack's Pizza & Wings
Review Rating: 8 out of 10
The rehab pizza. The hangover pizza. The giant pizza mouth front door. The $2 High Life on draft. Reasons abound to visit.
Northside Tavern
Review Rating: 7 out of 10
There might not be a more dive bar exterior than Northside Tavern's dive bar exterior, an explosion of paint, neon and rebar.
Elliot Street Deli & Pub
Review Rating: 7 out of 10
The contrast between Mercedes Benz Stadium and this corner dive bar across the street could not be more compelling.
Five Paces Inn
Review Rating: 7 out of 10
There's something about a shotgun-style dive bar that really packs in the drunkenness in a very pleasing way.
Euclid Avenue Yacht Club
Review Rating: 7 out of 10
Little Five Points has enough cool factor to vouch for this dive bar, but a little faux nautical naming doesn't hurt.
Atlanta Dive Bars Not Yet Reviewed
Must Visit Recommendations
Unfortunately, we have not yet been to every single dive bar in the city, but there probably a few more punch cards on our livers, so we’ll make it there soon. In the meantime, the curated list of dives below comes highly recommended by a variety of friends, online sources and drunks.
