43 Best Bars in Athens

“Delicious food- the pimento cheese/bacon jam starter is AMAZING. The service was great too- we had a large group and they were so welcoming and kind!“

“I attended their Crawfish Festival today. From the day I bought my ticket to spending the day with them today Chris and his staff did an excellent job. I felt like family amongst them. You could tell that all staff really enjoyed what they were doing today. I will be back sometime soon to try the BBQ.“

“Saw the Melvins twice at the 40 Watt! ❤️“

“Good vibe to the bar! Staff is always friendly and patrons are nice to!!!“

“Jake was a great server and the food was amazing!! It is no shock that their fries are winning awards!!“

“I went at a pretty slow time for a quick lunch and was very happy with my sandwich! The Magic Mushroom as a Pinner was packed full, a perfect portion, toasted well and made promptly. The service was friendly and the place was clean and inviting. I've had them before via food apps but they're definitely worth getting in person and supporting directly. I'll be back!“

“One of the oldest and coolest places in Athens. About 80 single malts.“

“Well it’s during peak ‘Rona times so don’t get too excited“

“Wonderbar has been my go-to spot since moving to Athens! The specialty cocktails are always a hit—you have to try the Starburst shot. The place is packed with entertainment: video games, arcade games, table games, and theme nights!

Also Wonderbar might just have the cleanest bathroom in all of downtown Athens.

Whether you’re local or just visiting, Wonderbar is definitely worth checking out!“

“Always have a good time when we come hang out here.“

“The Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia is a very good place to enjoy live music. The acoustics are very good, and they book both local and national acts. I've seen Tab Benoit, Samantha Fish, Bonnie Raitt, Randall Bramblett, Amos Lee, Robert Cray, JJ Cale, Lake Street Dive, and many other talented bands. Unfortunately, there are only 100 bar stools for seating.“

“Just normal, not showy, no Aires, just pleasant and simple. Great for a first date“

“Finished up 3 nights of DBT Heathens Homecoming at the 40 watt club, next door at Flicker. I got their drink called “Dr. Zhivago” (an espresso martini) with a bit of a twist with the help of my favorite bartender, Jeanie. She was so fun and accommodating so I now call that drink the “Jeanie-tini” Thank Jeanie! You’re the best!“

“The legacy continues from Athens to Monroe, I don’t care if you go for the food, the spirits or the vibe, it’s not to be missed!“

“Dear Facebook, This page is hacked. Please return to Seth Hendershot.“

“Absolutely magical spot! The cocktails are well crafted and balanced just right, including the traditional ones, such as Sazerac, Brumble, or Gin Martini . Bartenders are personable and friendly, and the atmosphere is top notch. Certainly gives out the vibes and feels of Edward Hopper’s “NightHawks” painting.
And best of all, drinks are not overpriced for their quality and taste.

Top notch spot for a date or a treat!“

“Been going to this bar for a while, only problem I've ever had is not being able to get an old fashion here because they don't have bitters. People say it's racist, redneck, or a bunch of "aggressive idiots" are clearly the kind of people to judge without spending some actual time there. Give it a chance, talk to the staff and people who go there, hangout and listen to country for a bit. I can promise you this, while there may be little things, you won't be entirely disappointed.“

“Best dive bar in Georgia.“

“Vibes galore. Things I love: aesthetic, service, NA cocktails, perfect aperol spritz ratio, nonnas bread, meatballs, arancini. What a sweet little place. Can’t wait to come back. The server at the bar was so delightful, let us be silly and chatted a bit. Just good vibes all around.“

“This distillery is very unique, and extremely well done in all aspects. There is plenty of parking. There are both indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy the company of your friends. The venue itself is an absolute marvel. Very well appointed rooms take you back in time as the architecture and design are classic and comfortable. I don’t normally drink spirits of any kind. I was traveling, visiting a friend I hadn’t seen in years and she suggested we go here. I decided to go way out of my comfort zone and ordered a flight of their spirits. I was stunned. They were all so good! I actually purchased a bottle of the “Barrel-rested Old Tom” gin to share with my daughter once I returned home. The manager, Andy, is an absolute wealth of knowledge! From the spirits themselves, to drinks in general, to history (of any kind….US history, European history, ancient history, you name it), he was an absolute treasure trove of knowledge. I had such a nice time that I went there again the following day and took another friend who does “Distillery trips” throughout the US and Europe. She was just as enthralled as I had been and purchased several bottles of spirits to take home to share with her husband. This place is a gem. Do not miss it!

Addendum 5/10/26 Just opened my first bottle with my daughter. It was just as good as I remembered!“

“Little Kings is a wonderful space to host community events! We hosted our Athens Science Cafe here on 7/23/26, and it was a total success. Terri was super helpful with reserving the venue, and email correspondence was seamless. Also, Jeremy is the best bartender around and made the atmosphere incredible! We will be back. :)“

“This is hands down the BEST Mexican food !! Not only is the food awesome, but the service is great as well !! The owner treats you like family .. We go weekly .. I always look forward to it.. highly recommended!!!“

“Cool Bar Vibe…. Between this and the Root… best…! 👏👏“

“safe bar ! nice drink! latin music sometime ! fun people! happy bartenders!“

“They actually have multiple mocktail options for those who don’t drink alcohol (such as myself). I really appreciate this, as The Old Pal is a cozy place I like to go to with my friends after rehearsal. Please keep making new mocktails! They are much appreciated.“

“I ♥️ Athens Georgia. I just went for weekend 4 YEAR went by 🥳 party one end town other hot spots am N.C I lost for while 🥳 I party state to state this particular town bull #1 dog game Gresham's is one of chill mellow whole town #1“

“a kinder, gentler dive bar“

“Placed a To Go order because my husband was working across the street and had smelled it for hours after I hyped it up. He was all for the order and we live almost 2 hours away. I haven’t been to this Rafferty’s in 10+ years. My husband has never had it. I got the regular burger and my husband had the bbq burger and we also ordered fried mushrooms. Flavor is unmatched, quality was top tier and the way everything was packaged looked as if it took time, not just thrown together quickly. Even after an almost 2 hour drive, it was all still perfect! It reminded me of when I was younger and my grandparents took me to this same location often and I always got the burger. The staff then knew my grandparents by name and if I remember correctly, always remembered their orders. The burgers are the best we’ve ever had, hopefully another chance arises for more Rafferty’s in our future. Thank you for always being delicious and consistent.“

“We love to visit Flanagan’s. The atmosphere is great and staff are super!“

“No food, no bottle service, no frills, nothing pretentious. Bourbon Street isn’t trying to be anything but what it is.... and what it is it does very well. Right on the edge of the UGA campus, it’s Divey, loud, crowded, with great music, dancing, beer specials, beer pong, always showing sports... I’ve been to Bourbon Street many times, since it opened nearly 20 years ago. The times have changed, and I’ve grown older and my tastes have changed as well. But this UGA bar has pretty much stayed the same. Guess when you have a good formula, you stick with it...“

“Last night was our first time eating there and it was a fabulous experience! Food was delicious, atmosphere was unique and pleasant, and service was phenomenal. Morgan, our server, was amazing!“

“Good place to hang out and it's a hit & miss with the bartenders & how the drinks are made. Last time drinks sucked but this time they were great!“

“Dirty chai was awesome. Never had one before. Peeps behind the counter were great!“

“Great music great people and great service. The bartender named David is especially great“

“I've been coming to bad moon for a while now Andrew the owner possibly the best guy I met downtown every time I coming there I'm treated like family immediately respected super safe environment great place to party or just sit back and chill they were featured in the top 10 bars downtown everyone there is treated like family when you come in the drinks are wonderful and get better through the night it's just an awesome vibe great environment everyone should come if you don't know you need to it's the best bar in Athens“

“We ate dessert at Pauley's and it was amazing. We had the apple pie crepe a la mode- we should have ordered two instead of one, sooo good! Also, VERY honest people! Great service and fantastic atmosphere. I highly recommend any time of the day!“

“One of my favorite bars (: love the staff everyone is awesome there.“

“I went here yesterday and I am so glad that u did, I had such a blast at the rail, it felt like I was just a family member walking in. I do loved the atmosphere and everyone was very friendly and well spoken. I loved the bartender Lilly is her name the same as my partners name. My partner is setting up a birthday surprise for me at home , so I will be coming back on my birthday which is January 28th to hang out and have some fun, they got music there, pool , darts and slot machines was such a plus, the food is the bomb that chef sure can cook some great wings , I so loved the drinks , I can’t wait till I go back for my 40th birthday, thank you so much for making me feel right at home. If y’all are in Athens , The Rail is certainly a great place to unwind and relax!!“

“Always a favorite! Go Dawgs!“

“i met a boy here in march 1994 and we immediately got married . 31yrs♥️“

“Chill vibes, staff was nice and quick on getting us our drinks. If I’m ever in town again I’d go again for sure 🤙🏻“