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The 2023-2024 Flagpole Guide To Athens, GA

Restaurants Full Bar

  • 1785 Bar & Grill

    1785athens.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 420 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 443-579-5566 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs. • Big college bar that gets its name from the year UGA was chartered. Also serves food (burgers, wings, tacos, nachos, loaded fries, salads), which means it's open Sundays. Margarita towers, pitchers of domestics. Poker Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, Wing Wednesdays.

  • 9d's Bar Plus

    facebook.com/9dsbar

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 400 Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-461-0268 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs/live music. • College kids sweat it out on the dance floor to (mostly) ’90s jams. Buy a tallboy, shot or mixed drink for dancing fuel. Also: Zima to go with the theme.

  • Agua Linda Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

    agualindarestaurant.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2080 Timothy Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-543-0154 View Map

    • 1376 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-5711 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • A mix of Americanized Mexican and more authentic stuff in a family atmosphere. Normaltown location has a gorgeous rooftop bar with a mural and nice views. The restaurant's food truck (La Carreta) pops up around town, including at breweries, and has great birria tacos that are occasionally available at the brick-and-mortar locations.

  • Akademia Brewing Co.

    akademiabc.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 150 Crane Dr. Bogart, GA 30622. 678-726-2288

    File Under: American, Breweries. Features: Full bar, live music, trivia. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. Brunch. • Unlike most breweries, this one has a full restaurant of its own as well as a really wide variety of brews that is always changing (more than two dozen on tap at any given time). Beer features in many dishes, like ale-battered fried fish. Also: flatbreads, burgers, salads, biscuits + beer at brunch. Cocktails, wine, shots and cider, too.

  • Allgood Lounge

    allgoodlounge.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 256 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-0166 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. Hours: Opens earlier than most bars. • Two floors plus a rooftop tiki bar and TVs. Hundreds of drink options, including a build-your-own bloody mary bar. Twenty rotating beers, 55 whiskeys, 18 tequilas and over 200 bottled beers (including some nonalcoholic choices).

  • Amici

    amici-cafe.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 233 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-0000 View Map

    • 8851 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-1027 View Map

    File Under: Pizza, Bars. Features: Trivia, catering, outside seating, take-out, delivery, full bar, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Two options are nearby for this small chain: downtown Athens and on Macon Highway in the Falls of Oconee shopping center. Pizza with a wide variety of toppings, renowned wings, sandwiches, pasta, salads and soup. Good craft brews. 

  • B&B Theatres

    bbtheatres.com/athens-12/theatre-info

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1570 Lexington Road Athens, GA 30605. 762-216-5051

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, trivia. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Burgers, chicken, flatbreads, hot dogs, funnel cake fries and the like, available for munching while you watch a movie or play trivia or bingo in the lobby on Wednesdays.

  • Bad Moon

    instagram.com/badmoonbar

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 246 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601 . No # specified

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Instagrammable, with lots of neon, disco balls and a light-up dance floor, ’90s music, karaoke. Choose from domestic and local standbys, or order a house specialty like the disco lemonade, jello shots or 1.5-gallon Moscow mule.

  • Bar Bruno

    instagram.com/barbrunoathens

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 1664 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 770-215-9100

    File Under: Bars and Clubs, Something Different. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • ZZ & Simone's sister business is a bar first and foremost, with some eats on the side. Wine and aperitifs over beer and shots, plus bowls of olives, pretty desserts, fancy toasts and stuff like that to keep you going. 

  • Bar South

    instagram.com/barsouthathensga

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 104 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. No # specified. View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating, live music. • Roomy bar beloved by Barstool Sports with TVs, pool tables, darts and foosball. Beer and mixed drinks across a wide range of taste and budget. Pool tournaments.

  • Beef 'O' Brady's

    beefobradys.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1860 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-1916 View Map

    File Under: American, Bars. Features: Catering, outside seating, trivia, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. 

  • Blind Pig Tavern

    blindpigtavern.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 312 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-548-3442

    • 2440 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-208-7979 View Map

    • 2301 College Station Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-4919

    • 22 N. Main St. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-310-4450

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Catering, outside seating, trivia, delivery, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night, seven days. • Longtime Athens sports bar has several locations and a big menu including many vegetarian choices. Beer on tap and in bottles, including local brews. Standard cocktails plus a bloody mary bar on Saturday and Sunday.

  • Blue Sky

    blueskyathens.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 247 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-3153 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Cozy bar on the second story of a historic building, for students and townies with a nice view and a rooftop patio. Big drink selection: 300+ craft beers, 100+ scotches, a wide selection of whiskeys and wine from all over. Occasional vinyl nights where you can bring your own tunes.

  • Boar's Head Lounge

    instagram.com/boarsheadlounge

    Price: $

    Locations

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music, outside seating. • Big, divey, multi-level student bar. Pool, beer pong, popcorn machines and more inside. Live music outside every Thursday and on game days. Regular specials on already inexpensive drafts and wells.

  • Bourbon Street

    instagram.com/bourbonstreetathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 333 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-369-1313 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • College bar encourages you to chug through Power Hour and party New Orleans-style all night. Pool upstairs. Cheap beer and champagne, nightly specials and liquor drinks, including hurricanes and fishbowls.

  • Buddha Bar

    instagram.com/buddha_athens

    Price: $

    Locations

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar. • Less zen, more sake bombs that involve pounding on the table to make the shot fall into the drink. Skee-Ball in the back, lychee martinis, shots and beer. Lots of sports.

  • Bulldog Bistro

    hotel.uga.edu/dining-in-athens/bulldog-bistro

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1197 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30602. 706-338-8781 View Map

    File Under: American, Coffee Houses and Bakeries. Features: Take-out, outside seating, full bar. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. • This restaurant inside UGA’s Georgia Center does a wide variety of dishes throughout most of the day, including some grab-and-go stuff and made-to-order breakfast. Bar snacks, Savannah Room favorites like celestial chicken, Thai chicken salad, burgers and more.

  • Butt Hutt BBQ

    butthuttathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 480 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8511 View Map

    File Under: BBQ. Features: Full bar, live music, catering, outside seating, delivery, trivia, karaoke. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • The rare barbecue place that has both good smoked meats (especially pork and ribs) and a full bar. Sides like chicken mull, corn nuggets, fried okra, meat skins and a meaty potato salad are legit. Desserts are well thought of. Kids menu.

  • Buvez

    instagram.com/buvez_athens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 585 Barber St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-0172

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Bars, Sandwiches. Features: Full bar, counter service, outside seating, Wi-Fi, comedy, live music. • Boo-vay, not booves, as in the French for "you drink." European-style cafe with a light menu (pre-made sandwiches, pastries, Swedish fish by the scoop, snoballs, including boozy ones) and a lot of different beverages: coffee, tea, cool sodas, craft cocktails, wine, beer and aperitifs. Popular with kids and grown folks alike.

  • Carrabba's Italian Grill

    carrabbas.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 3194 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-546-9938 View Map

    File Under: Italian and Pizza. Features: Full bar, curbside pick-up. Hours: Lunch and dinner.

  • Catch 22 Gastropub

    catch22gp.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1021 Parkway Blvd. Athens, GA 30606. 706-549-6333 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • This hashtag-happy gastropub welcomes "thirst seekers, hopgazers, palate pushers" and plays fast and loose with flavors like sriracha and blue cheese. Good beer selection, regular specials, street tacos, lots of fusion and a food truck that pops up at bars and breweries.

  • Centro Bar

    instagram.com/centrobarathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 400 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 404-271-8440

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Watch football on a big screen, dance under the disco ball and sign up for the weekly beer pong tournament. A balcony with its own bar wraps around the main floor. Full bar with specialty drinks like the East Clayton lemonade and key lime pie shots. DJs and karaoke.

  • Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

    cheddars.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2040 Oconee Connector Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-0217

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Chili's Grill & Bar

    chilis.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 183 Alps Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-613-5405 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, curbside pick-up, catering. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • The Chop House

    thechophouse.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2055 Oconee Connector Athens, GA 30606. 706-395-7855

    File Under: American. Features: Delivery, full bar, take-out, Wi-Fi, reservations, curbside pick-up. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Mainstream chain steakhouse in Oconee does an array of steaks and chops (beef, pork, lamb) as well as big, ice-cold salads with a ton of toppings, seafood, and way more sides than the average place of its type. Beyond Meat for veggie folks. Kids menu and cocktails. Lunch has specials that can be a good deal.

  • Chops and Hops

    chopsandhops.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 2 S. Main St. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-310-1101 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating, reservations, Wi-Fi, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Steak and beer, but also seafood, chicken, ratatouille and burgers at this somewhat upscale Watkinsville restaurant. Tap takeovers, mocktails, southern veggies for sides and gluten-free items. App-y hour from 2–5 p.m. brings food and drink specials.

  • Chuck’s Fish

    chucksfish.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 220 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-395-6611

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Something Different. Features: Catering, full bar, outside seating, reservations, take-out. Hours: Dinner. • Upscale place with an emphasis on Gulf seafood, including a large, well-executed sushi menu. Land animals, too. Signature cocktails with sake or Japanese whiskey as well as standards. Big for date night.

  • Ciné

    athenscine.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 234 W. Hancock Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-3343 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, movies, art. • Yes, it's a movie theater, with a wide variety of indie flicks and classics on its two screens, but you can also go hang out in the bar and drink movie-themed cocktails or good beer, wine and liquor. Coffee, tea, sodas, local baked goods and fresh-popped popcorn, plus an art gallery run by ATHICA.

  • City Bar

    instagram.com/citybarath_

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 220 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-546-7612 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating, trivia. • Watch sports on big-screen TVs in a historic space with marble accents and chandeliers. Daily drink deals, plus the usual selection of beer, seltzers and trendy shots. Spiked hot chocolate in the winter.

  • Clarke's Collective

    clarkescollective.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 225 N. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-5152

    File Under: Bars/Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating, live music. • An event space and college bar, with a frozen drink machine, Mario Kart tournaments, more cocktails than usual, a disco ball and a covered back patio.

  • Classic City Eats

    classiccityeats.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1290 Greensboro Hwy. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6434

    File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Full bar, take-out, catering, karaoke. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Big menu with an emphasis on fried snacks and chicken (a good half-bird fried to order, chicken livers, wings), plus pizza. Lots of video games for grown-ups (Golden Tee) and kids (an arcade side room). Pool. Bar has draft, canned and bottled beer plus makes beachy drinks.

  • The Clayton Social

    instagram.com/claytonsocial

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 335 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-395-6575

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, trivia. • Nicer college bar with a big "How Bout Them Dawgs" light-up sign for photo ops. Espresso martinis, aperol spritzes, champagne specials.

  • Cloud

    cloudathens.com

    Price: $☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 164 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-7771 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music. • Rainbow-lit bubble wall bar and a light-up dance floor has a club vibe, with a VIP section. Spacious layout, pool, TV and laser lights. Full bar with all the shots and bombs you could ask for, plus boozy slushies. Beer pong tournaments and DJs.

  • Cozy Bar

    instagram.com/cozybar179

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 179 N. Jackson St. Athens, GA 30601. No # specified.

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Beer and wine, live music. • Itty-bitty space on a side street downtown, with paper lanterns and flowers on tables, gets rowdy and crowded. Food is sometimes available. Domestics, Asian beers, wine and liquor (especially sake bombs).

  • Cutters Pub

    cutterspub.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 120 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-247-1187 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • One of the largest bars in town, with a more grown-up, less college-heavy crowd than many bars around it. Pool, Skee-Ball, Golden Tee, foosball, darts, a photo booth and football on TV. Huge whiskey selection, befitting its Irish branding, Guinness on tap.

  • D92 Korean BBQ

    d92athens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1080 Baxter St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-7990

    File Under: Asian. Hours: Lunch and dinner. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Grilled meats cooked on your table, either in pre-set portion sizes or all-you-can-eat, plus banchan (free snacks that vary frequently). It's not inexpensive, but it is good. Also: vegetarian options, Korean ramen, kimchi stew. Japanese whiskey, shōchū and other unusual selections at the bar.

  • DePalma's Italian Cafe

    depalmasitaliancafe.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 2080 Timothy Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-552-1237 View Map

    • 1965 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-369-0085 View Map

    • 401 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-354-6966 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Catering, curbside pick-up, delivery, full bar, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • This Athens favorite has been in business for decades doing classic Italian, from pizza and standard red-sauced pasta to eggplant florentine and grilled salmon. Each location has a slightly different menu, but all have vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options; kids menu. Long wine list with many Italian reds and plenty of beers.

  • Dooley's Bar and Grill

    instagram.com/athdooleys

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 259 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-1587

    File Under: American, Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music, trivia. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night. • Restaurant/bar combo serves fancy grilled cheese, fried stuff, soups, salads, smash burgers and dessert (deep-fried Uncrustables), with an upstairs bar that also has darts and a pool table. Kids menu. Kitchen closes at 9 p.m., but the bar stays open late.

  • Dos Palmas Mexican Grill

    athens-dospalmas.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 3523 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-7771 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, catering, curbside pick-up, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Americanized Mexican staples done well: tacos, burritos, nachos, fajitas, quesadillas, big burritos, enchiladas, queso, fish tacos, fried ice cream. Margaritas, lots of tequilas.

  • Double Barrel

    instagram.com/doublebarrelathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 429 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601 . No # specified

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs, outside seating. • A college bar named for Athens’ famous non-working piece of Confederate memorabilia. TVs to watch sports and low prices (a wheel of deals). What you’d expect for drinks plus a cocktail named for UGA grad golfer Bubba Watson.

  • Doughby's Pizza and More

    facebook.com/doughbyspizza

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 50 N. Main St. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6500

    File Under: Italian and Pizza. Features: Full bar, outside seating, take-out, trivia, live music. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Watkinsville pizza place with lots of events has a big menu with fried apps, wings, salads, subs, wraps, a wide selection of pastas, Italian desserts and big, good garlic rolls as well as pizza. Large covered patio, karaoke. 

  • El Barrio

    elbarrioathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1331 S. Milledge Ave. Athens GA 30605. 706-850-0708

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Full bar, curbside pick-up, delivery, outside seating, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Most of the restaurant is outside, and the lawn is often busy with a Five Points crowd. Tacos (including veggie and vegan choices) that change out regularly, plus other Mexican-ish standards, kids menu and a serious bar with lots of tequilas, a selection of mezcals, beer buckets and build-your-own margs.

  • The Expat

    theexpatathens.com

    Price: $$$$

    Locations

    • 1680 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-521-5041

    File Under: Something Different, Bars, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Reservations, outside seating, take-out, full bar. Hours: Dinner. • Refined and intelligent restaurant with a beauteous bar has an Italian focus to its food, with anitpasti, burrata, housemade pasta (can be gluten-free), risotto and more. Offerings change regularly. Virgin cocktails made with as much love as the boozy ones, plus nice wines.

  • Five & Ten

    fiveandten.com

    Price: $$$$

    Locations

    • 1073 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-546-7300 View Map

    File Under: Something Different. Features: Full bar, reservations, catering, outside seating, take-out, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Dinner. • Celebrity chef Hugh Acheson's flagship restaurant, in a historic house on Milledge Avenue with a big covered porch. The menu is southern-ish but chef-driven and up to date, changing weekly depending on what’s in season. Wine list by James Beard nominee; unpretentious but smart cocktails; excellent after-dinner drinks. Look out for specials, including picnic stuff during football season.

  • Five Bar

    five-bar.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 269 N. Hull St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-5515 View Map

    File Under: American, Bars. Features: Full bar, curbside pick-up, delivery. Hours: Dinner, weekend brunch. • Five entrees, five desserts, five apps and so on. Seafood from Destin is a point of emphasis, but you can also get a ribeye or fried chicken. Jazz brunch on weekends. Five specialty cocktails from the bar.

  • Flanagan's & Half Moon Pub

    instagram.com/flanagans_athens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 301 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-208-9711 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music, outside seating. • Longtime Irish pub Flanagan’s and its downstairs sister bar get packed with students on late nights and weekends. Pool, daily specials on everything from cocktails to shots. Lots of whiskey, both on special and just regularly.

  • Flicker Theatre & Bar

    flickertheatreandbar.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 263 W. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-546-0039 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music, outside seating, movies, art, trivia. • Cult film nights, cool movie posters and fun drinks at this chill townie bar. Also: boozy slushies, retro cocktails, mocktails, local tea, snacks (Pouch Pies' savory pies and more). Rent the side room for your private event.

  • Fully Loaded Pizza

    fullyloaded.pizza

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1260 Mars Hill Road Ste. 101 Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6150

    • 1255 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30605. 706-215-9348

    File UnderItalian And Pizza. Features: Full bar, outside seating, take-out, trivia. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally owned pizza place that focuses on big slices with a wide variety of toppings. Also: wings, salads, subs, pasta, chicken fingers, cannoli, fried pickles and the Redneck Stromboli (a hot dog and cheddar baked in pizza dough). Kids menu.

  • Garfias Mexican Restaurant

    garfiasmex.odoo.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 225 Cherokee Road, Suite 1 Winterville, GA 30683. 706-899-0250

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar, outside seating, take-out, beer and wine. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • New Mexican place in Winterville has a big menu (with a section for kids) that includes your standard dips and quesadillas, fried and grilled fish, seafood soup, "tacos gringos" (hardshell with ground beef or chicken, lettuce and cheese), churros and lunch combos. Margs, aguas and horchata to drink.

  • General Beauregard's

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 164 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-521-5500 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Controversy-courting downtown spot decked out in Civil War memorabilia. Southern-themed cocktails.

  • George's Lowcountry Table

    georgeslowcountrytable.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 420 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-3359 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, catering, reservations, outside seating, take-out, delivery. Hours: Dinner and Sunday brunch. • Gulf and low country classics: étouffée, shrimp and grits, sherry crab bisque, oysters (raw, fried, grilled), jambalaya, redfish and much more. Good wine list from all over, beer and Southern-accented cocktails.

  • The Globe

    globetavern.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 199 N. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-4721 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs, Something Different. Hours: Lunch and dinner. Features: Outside seating, Wi-Fi, live music. • This Athens classic thoroughly renovated its inside without losing any of the charm and added a new menu focusing on UK pub fare with plenty of specials, nice salads and some spicy stuff. Huge beer selection, general literary atmosphere (poetry nights!) and lots of cool things to look at.

  • Grindhouse Killer Burgers

    grindhouseburgers.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1553 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30605. 706-612-9327 View Map

    File Under: Burgers, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Full bar, counter service, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Small chain out of Atlanta does smashburgers with one patty or two (beef, turkey, beans and quinoa, or Impossible Burger), plus bar snacks, fried sides and boozy or virgin milkshakes. Nice upstairs outside seating.

  • Hendershot's Coffee Bar

    hendershotscoffee.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 237 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-3050 View Map

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Bars. Features: Breakfast, full bar, catering, counter service, live music, art, Wi-Fi, outside seating. Hours: Open Mon–Sat. • Coffee drinks, nitro coffee, teas and juices all day, plus baked goods from Independent. Lots of draft and bottled/canned craft beers, plus wine, craft cocktails and mocktails (some made with coffee). Breakfast includes beignets, egg plates, a spam-based brekkie and more. Grab-and-go sandwiches and cheese plates. Loads of events.

  • Hi-Lo Lounge

    hiloathens.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1354 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8561

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: American, Bars, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Family-friendly tavern is all things to all people, with lots of food (including a kajillion vegetarian and vegan options) as well as a major bar selection. Noodles, soups, chili, hot dogs, grain bowls, falafel. Great beers; also whiskeys, classic cocktails and juice for kids.

  • Hidden Gem

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 615 Barber St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar. • An offshoot of Normal Bar, to open on Barber Street later this year, with beer and wine but a focus on cocktails, with sodas made from scratch. Also: low-alcohol and no-alcohol cocktails, no TV and snacks that riff on classic bar offerings.

  • Hilltop Grille

    hilltopgrille.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 2310 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-7667 View Map

    File Under: American, Bars. Features: Reservations, live music, full bar, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, Tue–Sun. Monday dinner. • Country club-ish place does classic American food with a bit of a Southern accent, like meatloaf, steak sandwich, crab cakes and gumbo. A fair amount of fried stuff but salads, too. Big desserts. Nice patio. Earlybird specials.

  • The Hive Pub

    soswhiskey.com/the-hive-pub-at-soldier-of-the-sea-distillery

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 22 E. South Ave. Comer, GA 30629. 706-783-2523

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music, outside seating. • Comer's first boozery distills its own whiskeys through Soldier of the Sea, often incorporating local honey (hence the name), then mixes them into cocktails. Food pop-ups, camaraderie galore.

  • Hook and Reel

    hookreel.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 3640 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-2010

    File Under: Something Different. Features: Catering, curbside pick-up, delivery, full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner.

  • Hybar

    facebook.com/hybarathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 412 N. Thomas St. Athens, GA, 30601. 706-425-1800

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, dinner, outside seating. • Fancy rooftop bar with great views of downtown Athens and beyond, atop the Hyatt Place hotel. Also: some snacks (charcuterie, dips, wings) and some heartier eats (burgers, fried chicken strips, salad). Specialty cocktails, including some made with champagne and billed as Hybar Pops.

  • La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant

    lacabanamexican.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2061 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-769-4490

    • 2971 Monroe Hwy. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 678-661-0571

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Americanized Mexican in a stone-walled interior (both locations). Queso, burritos, combo plates, fajitas, quesadillas and lots of lunch specials. Yes, you can get a margarita or a Mexican beer, as well as a pineapple topped with chicken, chorizo and cheese. Kids menu.

  • La Fiesta

    facebook.com/lafiestaofathens

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1395 College Station Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-549-5933 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Popular Americanized Mexican fare: burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, taquitos, nachos, tacos and quesadillas. Special entrees and combo plates. Margaritas, Mexican beers, domestics and house wines.

  • La Montaña Mexican Restaurant

    Find us on Facebook

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 4115 Lexington Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-6765

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Take-out, full bar, live music. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Big Americanized Mexican restaurant has a multi-page menu with all kinds of fajitas, quesadillas, burritos, lots of seafood. Grilled stuff is a highlight. Kids menu. Mariachi music sometimes.

  • Lalo's Tacos & Cantina

    lalostacoscantina.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1725 Electric Ave. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-1414

    File UnderMexican and South American. Features: Catering, full bar, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. Weekend brunch. • Atlanta vibe at this cheffy Wire Park restaurant that brings you three salsas instead of one and offers lamb and octopus in its tacos as well as chicken and steak. Good vegetarian and pescatarian options. Mezcal in addition to tequila. Swanky cocktails. Kids menu.

  • Last Resort Grill

    lastresortgrill.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 184 W. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-0810 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Outside seating, art, full bar, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Dinner and weekend brunch. • Crowd-pleasing restaurant mixes Southern and Southwestern cuisine; veggie and vegan choices, plus fish and seafood are highlights. Large dessert case. Plan ahead for lines at brunch. Well-stocked bar, with American vodkas, gins and vermouths, as well as Armagnac, ice wine, Madeira, sherry and a long list of wines. Large outdoor dining area.

  • Little Kings Shuffle Club

    instagram.com/littlekingsshuffleclub

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 223 W. Hancock Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-369-3144 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, trivia, live music, outside seating, Wi-Fi. • Grown folks' bar hosts music, comedy, trivia and frequent private events. Big patio with cornhole. A variety of bottled beers and rotating drafts that include seasonal brews. Wine and cocktails, too. Pop-up food offerings occasionally.

  • Live Wire Athens

    livewireathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 227 W. Dougherty St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-8283 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music/DJs, outside seating. • This all-purpose performance/events venue has three stages—two inside and one in a large beer garden—and does a variety of events. A good assortment of craft and local beer, as well as budget-friendly options. Wine and cocktails, too. Food trucks sometimes.

  • The Local 706

    thelocal706.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1676 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30605. 706-207-8700

    File Under: American, Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating, trivia. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Sports bar and grill in the middle of Five Points. Lunch is meat and three. Dinner brings tacos, sandwiches, burgers, salads, fried cheese, wings and kids menu. Also, Southern-themed cocktails. Heated outside dining.

  • Locos Grill & Pub

    locosgrill.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2020 Timothy Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-549-7700 View Map

    • 1985 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-208-0911 View Map

    File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Curbside pick-up (Timothy), delivery, live music (Timothy), trivia, catering, Wi-Fi, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally based sports bar chain has a big menu with lots of vegetarian choices, deli sandwiches, burgers, salads, grilled cheese and chili combo, wings and fish tacos.

  • Longhorn Steakhouse

    longhornsteakhouse.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 2170 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-548-0054 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Los Reyes Mexican Restaurant

    Find Us on Facebook

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1880 Hwy. 29 N. Athens, GA 30601. 706-227-8308 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Delivery, outside seating, full bar, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • One of the best Mexican restaurants around, with excellent tacos (filled with cilantro, onions and fish, al pastor, barbacoa or lengua), big tortas, menudo, tostadas de ceviche, 7 mares, gorditas, sopes and more, plus a mangonada margarita.

  • Madison Bar & Bistro

    indigoathens.com/dining

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 500 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-546-0430 View Map

    File Under: American, Bars. Features: Reservations, outside seating, live music, room service, take-out, Wi-Fi. Hours: Breakfast and dinner, seven days. • Hotel Indigo’s restaurant serves croissant sandwiches and omelets for breakfast, plus a full dinner, with steak, salmon, sandwiches, salads and even a kids menu. Nice cocktails.

  • Magnolias

    magnoliasath.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 312 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-0797 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Two-story bar in a historic building keeps long hours, has free pool upstairs, a great view of downtown and campus and TVs for sports. The usual array of brews behind the bar; house drinks tend to be sweet and beachy, plus low-priced bottles of wine. Dog friendly.

  • Manhattan Café

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 337 N. Hull St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-369-9767 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating, DJs. • Eclectic decor in a dimly lit, divey interior popular with townies. Zapp's potato chips pair well with specialty drinks, including a whole selection of hot ones in cold weather, listed on handwritten signs. Cocktails, beer, wine, sangria and sake.

  • Marker 7 Coastal Grill

    marker7coastalgrill.com

    Price: $$$☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 1195 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-3451 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, outside seating. Hours: Lunch, dinner and brunch. • Coastal fish shack does Georgia and Gulf seafood with mostly open-air seating: lightly fried baskets, peel-and-eat shrimp, oysters (raw or cooked), grilled or blackened entrees and sides like coleslaw and hush puppies. Burgers and chicken tacos, too. Beachy cocktails.

  • Mell's Place

    Find Us on Facebook

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 4648 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30622. 706-548-0830 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, cash only. • Escape the downtown scene for the oldest bar in the area, built in 1952. The atmosphere is warm and unfussy with pool, video games and karaoke. Cold domestic beer and liquor drinks.

  • Mellow Mushroom

    mellowmushroom.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 320 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-0892 View Map

    File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Catering, delivery, outside seating, trivia, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Lots of toppings and specialty pies, plus pretzels made with the same dough, salads, subs, calzones and munchies; good beer selection.

  • The National

    thenationalrestaurant.com

    Price: $$$$

    Locations

    • 232 W. Hancock Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-3450 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Something Different, Bars, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Reservations, catering, curbside pick-up, outside seating, Wi-Fi, full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • This place always pleases, whether for date night or an upscale lunch. The menu is Spanish/Mediterranean-inspired, with lots of vegetables (try the "power lunch") and high-quality ingredients. Roasted chicken with za'atar, Portuguese custard tarts, pizzettes and a lot more. Great wine list and cocktails. Hosts occasional pop-ups from small operations.

  • New Red Bowl Asian Bistro

    newredbowl.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1935 Barnett Shoals Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-227-7888

    File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Take-out, curbside pick-up, full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Athens' source for authentic Chinese food. You don't have to drive to Duluth; just remember to ask for the Szechuan menu (or locate it on the website if you're ordering take-out). If that’s not your thing, there’s sesame chicken, too, plus Thai curries, sushi, steamed seafood and much more.

  • Nighthawks Lounge

    instagram.com/nighthawkslounge

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 175 Tracy St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Newly opened, this bar from Jerry and Krista Slater of The Expat features fancy cocktails, great wine and cold beer alongside a few snacks and weekly appearances by Flat Circle, a Chicago tavern-style pizza pop-up.

  • Normal Bar

    facebook.com/normal.bar.7

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1365 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-548-6186 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating, live music. • Chill neighborhood bar in Normaltown with a great patio with firepits in the winter and a dimly lit interior with plenty of space. Craft and local beers and handcrafted cocktails, plus boiled peanuts for snackin'.

  • Nowhere Bar

    nowherebarlive.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 240 N. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-546-4742 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music. • Old-school dive bar with a big painting of its late founder, Sky Hertwig, is like traveling back in time. Darts, pool and lots of live music. Plenty of beers on draft, with the usual suspects behind the bar.

  • Oak House Distillery

    oakhousedistillery.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1015 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-5474

    File Under: Distillery. Features: Full bar, outside seating, live music.  This new distillery inside the historic Henry Bishop house focuses on gin, rum and vodka. Offering cocktails and tours of the space, which is available for events. Tons of outdoor space under huge oak trees. Food pop-ups.

  • Oglethorpe Garage

    facebook.com/oglethorpegarage

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1560 Oglethorpe Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8810

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Outside seating, full bar. Hours: Mon–Sat• A motorcycle bar, but not like in the movies. This is just a chill neighborhood spot for people who like to ride and/or fix bikes and enjoy an aperol spritz. Non-riders welcome, too. Snacks, regular pop-ups/food trucks, ping pong and a nice patio. Sports on TV, fire pits outside in cold weather.

  • The Old Pal

    theoldpal.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1320 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-4340 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating, take-out. • New owners. Same commitment to real good cocktails. Cocktail menu changes seasonally and includes both classics and new things. Deep list of good spirits, plus some judiciously chosen wines and beers. Occasional snacks or pop-ups.

  • The Olive Garden

    olivegarden.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 3666 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-227-2225 View Map

    File Under: Italian and Pizza. Features: Full bar, catering. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Osteria Athena

    osteriaathena.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 323 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-3911

    File Under: Italian. Features: Catering, dinner, full bar, take-out. Hours: Dinner. • Grown-up restaurant serving Italian standards with a nice view of UGA's North Campus out the second-story windows. Housemade pasta for primi; proper entrees for secondi; carpaccio among the antipasti. Gluten-free options. Italian beer and wine.

  • Outback Steakhouse

    outback.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 3585 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-613-6015 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, curbside pick-up. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Outtakes

    gtcmovies.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1793 Oconee Connector Athens, GA 30606. 706-355-9152 View Map

    • 196 Alps Road Athens GA 30606. 706-546-1012

    File Under: American. Features: Beer and wine (Oconee), full bar (Alps). Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Full-service movie theater restaurant. University 16 location does burgers, chicken sandwiches, flatbreads and tacos with movie-themed names. Beechwood location has full bar only (no kitchen). Mostly domestics on draft, imports and domestics in the bottle, wine and cocktails.

  • Paloma Park

    palomapark.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 235 W. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-7356

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar, outside seating, trivia. Hours: Dinner and Sunday brunch. • Huge bar with live DJs, loud music, gigantic TV for football games also serves a full menu, which recently changed from small plates to Tex Mex: elote street corn "ribs," jalapeno poppers, tacos, taco salad. Brunch involves fried egg tacos and "brunchos." Kids menu.

  • Pauley's Original Crepe Bar

    pauleyscrepebar.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 134 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-549-0034 View Map

    File Under: Something Different, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Outside seating, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Crepe-based restaurant by day (with savory and sweet options, plus non-pancake-based foods) turns into a busy bar by night with beer, wine and vodka-heavy cocktails.

  • The Pine

    thepineathens.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 1235 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30605. 706-395-6278

    File Under: American, Bars. Features: Full bar, outside seating. Hours: Dinner and weekend brunch. First Friday lunch. • Mostly a bar, with a nice wine list, regular wine tastings and discounts for members of its wine club, but also a restaurant. Champagne brunch on weekends has quiche, burgers, sandwiches, waffles. Oysters, tapas and cheese plates. First Friday lunch pop-ups.

  • The Place

    theplaceathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 229 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-2988

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Downhome, Bars. Features: Outside seating, full bar, take-out. Hours: Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. • More refined takes on Southern standards, like shrimp and grits with gouda. Big salads, chicken and waffles (not just at brunch), shrimp burger, collard spring rolls. Cocktails that play on things like peanuts and Coke.

  • Porterhouse Grill

    porterhousegrillathens.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 459 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-369-0990 View Map

    File Under: American, Bars. Features: Outside seating, live music, reservations, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Downtown steakhouse also does crab cakes, chicken, shrimp scampi and other things that aren’t red meat as well as a la carte sides. Lunch includes a fried green tomato sandwich, grilled salmon BLT and she-crab soup. Desserts divided into edible and drinkable. Port and cognac for after dinner.

  • Pretty Boy

    instagram.com/prettyboyathens

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 615 Barber St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Asian. Features: Full bar. Hours: Dinner. • Chef Kenny Nguyen of The Expat should be opening his own place late 2023 in a new building on Barber Street. Judging by its pop-ups, the menu will focus on Vietnamese food, with items like stir-fried turmeric baby clams, chilled peanut noodles and pho. Cocktails of course.

  • Puma Yu's

    pumayus.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 355 Oneta St., Ste. D-400 Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-0709

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Asian, Bars/Clubs. Hours: Dinner. Features: Full bar, outside seating, vegetarian friendly, reservations. • Little-bitty bar/restaurant with tons of personality and charm has a big covered patio with heaters in the winter and is tucked away in the Southern Mill development. Menu is "Thai drinking food" but so much more than that, with big, complex flavors, a real love of veggies and a strong sense of fun. Graze lightly or keep ordering until you're full. Cocktails change regularly but feature beautiful rums and unusual ingredients. Mocktails, too.

  • Punta Cana Latin Grill

    facebook.com/puntacanakitchen

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 367 Prince Ave., Ste. 1 Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-8960

    File Under: Mexican and South American. Features: Delivery, full bar, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Darling Dominican resto serves typical rib-sticking fare featuring a lot of rice and meat, including mofongo (plantains mashed with tons of garlic and broth), tostones, seafood, empanadas and churros. Full bar serving all your favorite island drinks.

  • Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar

    raffertys.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 15 Huntington Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-613-0045 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, catering, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • The Rail Athens

    facebook.com/therailathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1120 Mitchell Bridge Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-354-7289 View Map

    File Under: Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken, Bars. Features: Outside seating, live music, trivia. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Bar with food, pool tables, dart boards, slot machines and big-screen TVs. Food includes burgers, wings, sandwiches, nachos and fries.

  • Red Lobster

    redlobster.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 1956 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-549-5376 View Map

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • The Roadhouse

    instagram.com/roadhouseathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 137 N. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-2324 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music, outside seating. • This dive bar “serving hangovers since 1991” features neon beer signs and friendly bartenders.

  • Rodeo Night Club

    facebook.com/rodeoathensnightclub

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1700 Commerce Road Athens, GA 30607. 678-780-0676

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs/live music. • Nightclub/music venue off the beaten path, focusing on Latin music. Ladies get in free regularly. Big dance floor, flashing lights, heavy bass, sometimes a mechanical bull.

  • The Rooftop

    georgiatheatre.com/rooftop

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 215 N. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-7670 View Map

    File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Counter service, outside seating, live music, catering. Hours: Dinner. • Bar/restaurant on top of the historic Georgia Theatre is open during and just before shows, with food from pop-up restaurants.

  • The Rook and Pawn

    therookandpawn.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 294 W. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-5040

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Bars and Clubs, Something Different. Features: Full bar, counter service, outside seating, take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Board-game café with plenty of food: hot and cold sandwiches, pizza made with pita, salads, cheese plates, bowls of salty and sweet snacks, kids menu, coffees. Games for rent or purchase, and drinks soft and hard.

  • The Root

    therootathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1235 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-395-6278

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music. • This bar in the basement of The Pine has a particularly great selection of whiskey, including Scotch, and access to its big sibling's food menu. Plenty of craft beer (not just local stuff) and specialty shots. 

  • The Royal Peasant

    royalpeasant.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1675 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-549-7920 View Map

    File Under: Something Different, Bars. Features: Full bar, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • English pub with a bitty kitchen does legit British food: housemade crisps, bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, curries. Also, good burgers (lamb and beef). Soccer on the telly. U.K. beers, dry ciders, craft brews, wine, whiskey and cocktails.

  • Sabor Latino

    facebook.com/saborlatinogrill.oficial

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 2131 Hog Mountain Road Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-705-6333

    • 1550 Oglethorpe Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-8299

    File Under: Mexican and South American, Bakeries. Features: Delivery, full bar, take-out, outside seating (Oglethorpe). Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Looks like your standard Americanized Mexican from afar but is actually Uruguyan, with choripan, chivito, churrosco del sur and more hiding on the menu at both locations. Great baked goods, especially Latin American sweet breads (Watkinsville location), and tasty empanadas, both sweet and savory. Kids menu.

  • Sake Mama

    instagram.com/sakemamauga

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 166 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. No # specified.

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar. • Club-type scene, complete with DJ. Knock some shots off chopsticks and hit the dance floor. A neon menu offers over 20 types of sake bombs. Beer, too. Big TVs for sports.

  • Sakura Steak House

    sakurahibachiathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 3557 Atlanta Hwy. Athens, GA 30606. 706-227-0001 View Map

    • 1225 S. Milledge Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-2027

    File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Both locations serve a similar menu, from hibachi as entertainment to some of the better sushi in town to elaborately presented sashimi platters. Also: lunch specials, hot pots, yaki udon, dumplings, mochi ice cream, kids menu. Japanese beer, sake, cocktails and wine.

  • San Angel Cocina and Cantina

    instagram.com/sanangelcocina

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2226 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • This large Mexican restaurant with a rooftop bar should open this year in the former Applebee's that has been underrenovation for a while.

  • Sandbar

    instagram.com/sandbarathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 220 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-548-1988 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs, outside seating. • Beach-themed college bar lets you take a shot off a surfboard or choose from “blackout buckets,” frozen drinks and a full bar to cover all the refreshments you need. Darts.

  • Saturday's

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 321 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Bar. Features: Full bar. Hours: Tues–Sat. • New student-oriented bar has a lot of Georgia-themed decor, pool and a downstairs called The Grotto. Plenty of room to spread out.

  • Saucehouse Barbeque

    saucehouse.com

    Price: $$☆ Expanded Listing!

     

    Locations

    • 830 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. 888-978-7948 View Map

    File Under: BBQ, Bars. Features: Full bar, catering, delivery, outside seating, take-out, counter service. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Barbecue in a cavernous space in a variety of iterations: pork, brisket, ribs, tofu, hash or stew, served over a starch, plus sides: slaw, beans, potato salad and more. Available in bulk orders, too. Bar menu is smaller and focused on snacks. Large outdoor space has games and a little playground.

  • The Savannah Room

    hotel.uga.edu/dining-in-athens/savannah-room

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1197 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30602. 706-338-8781 View Map

    File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, Wi-Fi, take-out, delivery. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • UGA Hotel restaurant has been around for ages, serving strawberry ice-cream pie and celestial chicken, but also does shrimp and grits, salads, meatloaf, southern vegetables and more.

  • Seabear Oyster Bar

    seabearoysterbar.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 297 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-4367 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Something Different, Bars. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Dinner. • Longtime hip oyster bar, with a great selection that changes frequently. Also fun takes on seafood and more: scallop fried rice, scallion pancake, lobster roll, grilled cheese. Beer, wine, absinthe, sake, serious cocktails and frozen Negronis. Hire its mobile unit to shuck at your party.

  • Sr. Sol

    srsolathens.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 2455 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-850-7112 View Map

    • 175 Tallassee Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-546-1570 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, delivery, catering, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • One location (the original) next to a gas station and the other in a much bigger space on Broad Street. Both serve reliably very tasty Americanized Mexican standards but also lengua, buche and tripe tacos. Chilaquiles and surprisingly good hamburguesas.

  • Shokitini

    shokitini.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 251 W. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-7933 View Map

    File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Karaoke, full bar, outside seating, delivery. Hours: Dinner, seven days. • Party sushi bar with private karaoke rooms. Lots of rolls and sashimi as well as surf and turf, noodles, fried tofu and apps. Hot and cold sake, saketinis, wine, mostly domestic beer but a few Japanese brews.

  • Silver Dollar

    facebook.com/silverdollarathens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 262 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-389-0531 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs, outside seating, live music. • Not really western-themed, despite the name, just a classic college bar with a covered outdoor patio that's often dog friendly. Ten beers on tap, well drinks and daily specials. Beer pong and cornhole tournaments and the Dawgs on TV.

  • Sister Louisa's Church

    sisterlouisaschurch.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 254 W. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-3668

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, outside seating. • Eclectic bar with velvet paintings, Pee-Wee Herman dolls and satirical religious art. Large patio hidden from street view. Dance or play ping-pong. Try the house sangria. 

  • Slater's Steakhouse

    slatersathens.com

    Price: $$$$

    Locations

    • 1680 S Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30606. 706-395-6082

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: American Features: Full bar, reservations. Hours: Dinner • High-end steakhouse with attentive staff and beautiful drinks (martini service comes with a little extra in a glass carafe on a bed of ice and is thoroughly customizable). Expect that sides aren't included but are family style. Not just steaks, but definitely meat-centric.

  • Soldier of the Sea Distillery

    soswhiskey.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 22 E. South Ave. Comer, GA 30629. 706-783-2523

    File Under: Distillery. Features: Full bar. Hours: Thur–Sat. • Newly-opened and veteran-owned whiskey distillery, with its product made from locally sourced honey. Open for tastings and bottle sales, with an accompanying pub, The Hive, for cocktails, etc. next door.

  • South Kitchen and Bar

    southkitchenbar.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 247 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-395-6125

    File Under: American, Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, catering, outside seating. Hours: Weekend brunch, lunch and dinner. • Historic former hotel with a menu of small and large plates, all with big flavors: sweet potatoes, chicken-fried tofu, duck fat tater tots, candied bacon, that kind of thing. Gluten-free stuff. Rotating draft beers in full or half pours, good wines by the glass (and bottle) and regularly changing craft cocktails with housemade ingredients.

  • Southern Brewing Company

    sobrewco.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 231 Collins Industrial Blvd. Athens, GA 30601. 706-548-7183

    File Under: Breweries. Features: Beer, live music, outside seating, trivia. • Lots of outdoor space and a wide variety of beers, organized into easy-drinking, hoppy, sour and dark. Handcrafted vodka-based slushees (flavors change) and small-batch specialty brews, but also standards that are always available. Food trucks (different ones listed on the website on the calendar) and lots of events, from trivia to wrestling. Dog-friendly.

  • Square One Fish Co.

    squareonefishco.com

    Price: $$$

    Locations

    • 1298 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-8862

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, outside seating. Hours: Dinner and Sunday brunch. • Seafood, both on the raw bar (oysters, seafood tower, tuna tartare) and cooked (blackened salmon, étoufée, snow crab clusters). Also land-based choices, wedge salad. Brunch includes omelets, fish tacos and oyster shooters. Good, refreshing cocktails. And a new food truck that pops up around town.

  • Starland Lounge & Lanes

    starlandlanes.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 145 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-8773 View Map

    File Under: Bars. Features: Outside seating, full bar. • A large, two-level bar with duckpin bowling lanes upstairs as well as other games. Domestic and import bottles and cans, tons of craft beer, wine and a good selection of bourbon, including some rare options. Grill and snack bar with burgers and dogs operates from 10 p.m. to close.

  • Sundown Saloon

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 50 Gaines School Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-850-1177 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs, outside seating, Wi-Fi. • A rare Eastside bar, this no-frills watering hole has DJs sometimes, pool always. 25 and up. A couple beers on draft and the usual domestics in bottle, wells behind the bar.

  • Sushi One

    sushiones.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1430 Capital Ave. Ste. 101, 103 Watkinsville GA, 30677. 706-552-0488

    File Under: Asian. Features: Delivery, take-out, full bar, vegetarian friendly. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Miss Ru San's? This new sushi place in Watkinsville is owned and operated by the same folks, with a large array of rolls, entrees, bento boxes, kids meals, poke, noodles, desserts. Sake and Japanese whisky at the bar as well as Japanese beers and other stuff. Friday and Saturday feature an omakase experience that requires reservations. Gluten-free choices and a wide variety of boba drinks.

  • Taco Mama

    tacomamaonline.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 265 N. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30601. TBA

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Taco bar franchise based in Alabama is taking over the former Fuzzy’s Tacos downtown later in 2023, with tacos, burritos, a kids menu, margaritas, bowls (of course), nachos, salads and queso.

  • Taqueria del Sol

    taqueriadelsol.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 334 Prince Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-353-3890 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: Mexican. Features: Full bar, catering, counter service, outside seating, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Chef-crafted taqueria with a focused menu. Pork, brisket, fried chicken, carnitas, fish and veggie tacos, plus weekly specials and a blue-plate special. Great selection of premium tequilas, build-your-own margaritas and bottled beers.

  • Taqueria la Parrilla

    lapa.us

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1431 Capital Ave. Watkinsville, GA 30677. 706-310-9991 View Map

    • 2439 Jefferson Road Athens, GA 30607. 706-549-4977 View Map

    • 855 Gaines School Road Athens, GA 30605. 706-548-5040 View Map

    File Under: Mexican, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar (Jefferson and Gaines School), beer and wine (Watkinsville), delivery, catering, outside seating. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days. • Locally owned small chain Mexican restaurant has chips-and-salsa-type standards and will give you fried ice cream on your birthday, but also serves Mexican-style tacos and good tortas. Kids menu. Margaritas, Mexican beers, regular bottled stuff and pitchers.

  • Taqueria Tsunami

    taqueriatsunami.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1791 Oconee Connector Athens, GA 30606. 706-353-0040

    • 320 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-621-7999 View Map

    File Under: Asian, Mexican and South American, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Outside seating, take-out, delivery, full bar. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Small Atlanta-based chain does Asian/Latin fusion tacos: bulgogi and shiitake, teriyaki chicken with pineapple pico de gallo, tofu with sesame-soy vinaigrette and more. Apps, bowls and salads. Margaritas, cocktails, sangria and craft beers.

  • Texas Roadhouse

    texasroadhouse.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1021 Dowdy Road Athens, GA 30606. 706-613-1300

    File Under: American. Features: Full bar, take-out, reservations. Hours: Lunch and dinner, seven days.

  • Tlaloc El Mexicano Restaurant

    facebook.com/tlalocmexicano

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 1225 N. Chase St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-9301 View Map

    File Under: Mexican and Latin American. Features: Full bar, outside seating, drive-thru. Hours: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days. • Central American and Mexican food at this cult favorite. Pupusas, massive tortas, regular specials and fantastic mole; lots of seafood options. Breakfast, which includes chilaquiles, starts at 10 a.m. and is served all day. Margaritas, beer and aguas frescas.

  • Toppers International Showbar

    toppers-international-showbar.business.site

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 100 N. Jackson St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-613-0504 View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, exotic dancing. • Athens’ only strip club sometimes does a male revue. Full bar with prices for high rollers and budget drinkers alike. 

  • Trappeze Pub

    trappezepub.com

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 269 N. Hull St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-8997 View Map

    Athens Favorites Logo

    File Under: American, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Full bar, outside seating, Wi-Fi. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night, seven days. Sunday brunch. • Big menu of food and beer with lots of vegetarian choices: loaded mac and cheese, southern fish and chips, tabbouleh salad, housemade pickles, a vegan Reuben, buffalo tofu taco, plus scores of unusual, well-described beers in the bottle and on tap. There's also wine and nice cocktails.

  • Tropical Bar

    instagram.com/tropicalbarathensga

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 251 W. Clayton St., Ste 116 Athens, GA 30601. 706-850-0406

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, live music. • Latin bar encouraging guests to dance, drink and have fun listening to merengue, bachata, salsa and more. Bottle service, neon lights.

  • Utage Athens Sushi Bar

    utagesushibar.restaurant

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 440 E. Clayton St. Athens, GA 30601. 706-227-9339 View Map

    File Under: Asian, Vegetarian Friendly, Bars. Features: Full bar, delivery, take-out. Hours: Lunch and dinner. • Lunch combos have more variety than at many other restaurants. Lots of specialty rolls (the sushi part of the menu is huge), but also good udon and ramen bowls, yakitori, tonkatsu, teriyaki, fried rice and more. Hot and cold sake, Japanese (and American) beers, wine, sake bombs and martinis.

  • VFW Post 2872

    facebook.com/vfwpost2872

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 835 Sunset Dr. Athens, GA 30606. 706-543-5940

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, karaoke, live music. • You don't have to be a member to come enjoy this cash-only bar, which is open to the public on Thursdays and Fridays (there's an ATM if you don't plan ahead). Dance floor, bottled and canned beer, wine and a full bar of liquor drinks.

  • Walker's Coffee & Pub

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 128 College Ave. Athens, GA 30601. 706-543-1433 View Map

    File Under: Coffee Houses and Bakeries, Bars, Sandwiches, Burgers and Chicken. Features: Full bar, outside seating, counter service, art, Wi-Fi. Hours: Open seven days. • Local coffee and light food until the early afternoon, bar by night. Six beers on draft and over 70 in bottles, including many microbrews.

  • The Warehouse

    thewarehouseathens.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 346 E. Broad St. Athens, GA 30601. No # specified.

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Live Music. • Large bar/club that encourages lots of dancing. Metal, country, rap and more, with flashing lights and plenty of drinks. Also: cornhole, beer pong, occasional wrestling.

  • Wonderbar

    instagram.com/wonderbarwonderbar

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 240 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. No # specified. View Map

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs, live music. • Video games, board games and rock, paper, scissors tournaments, plus snacks. Sweet specialty drinks like a Yoohoo Mudslide, and shots flavored like Sour Patch Kids.

  • Woodford

    instagram.com/woodford.athens

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 120 E. Washington St. Athens, GA 30601. No # specified.

    File Under: Bars and Clubs. Features: Full bar, DJs, outside seating, trivia. • Craft and draft beer, specialty cocktails including Stiegl grapefruit soda mixed with vodka, TVs for sports, trivia. Dog friendly.

  • The World Famous

    facebook.com/theworldfamousathens

    Price: $$

    Locations

    • 351 N. Hull St. Athens GA 30601. 706-543-4002 View Map

    File Under: American, Bars, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Counter service, delivery, art, full bar, live music. Hours: Lunch, dinner and late night. • Half bar, half restaurant, with hearty, fun food (poutine, meatball banh mi, General Tso's tofu), lots of veggie choices and regular specials. Creative cocktails, well-priced beer (including lots of canned craft brews), wine, housemade nonalcoholic sodas and a great chalkboard.

  • ZZ & Simone's

    zzandsimones.com

    Price: $

    Locations

    • 1540 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA 30605. 706-395-6556

    File Under: Italian and Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly. Features: Full bar, reservations, outside seating. Hours: Dinner. • Italian restaurant with a bit of beachiness and a great 1960s soundtrack. Primi including crudo and anchovies on toast, housemade pasta, meat-centric entrees, pizzas, from-scratch gelato, a serious cocktail program and more. Book a table ahead or walk in. Heated patio.