41 Best Bars in Athens

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

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

“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!“

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

“Cool bar. Doesn’t smell like old beer like a lot of the others downtown.“

“I confess I haven't gotten to eat there, but I'm a writer and my characters made a trip to Athens. Between the fab looking sandwiches and the great decor on your website, I chose Cheba Hut for their lunch spot. Now I'm dying to try it myself! If this ever gets published, I'll bring you a copy. Working Title: The Dead Spouses Club. Thanks for the Inspo!“

“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“

“LOVE this place! If you ever come to Athens, you MUST visit this place and have a bomb!! They're so fun to take here! They put the shot on top of chop sticks over the drink and you have to pound on the table to knock the shot into the drink. They're all sooo delicious!! This place is tiny, so if you have claustrophobia or don't like overly crowded places, this might be a place to avoid. However, it's usually a good time here and the music is usually pretty good. Bartenders here are awesome!“

“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!“

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

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

“Best dive bar in Georgia.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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!“

“This place is lovely. I enjoyed my two drinks and the sandwich. This place is not my usual vibe, it was crowded and the music was pretty loud. The board game selection was fun to play with while we waited for out drinks. The bartender was amazing! I had a good time.“

“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. :)“

“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“

“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!!!“

“It gives vibes of a bar in Italy. Great setup and atmosphere. We were so excited to try hugo spritz here because we love the flavor. However, It tasted mainly like prosecco. They have great variety and curated wine list. I was disappointed with the flavors and portion size (i get that its tapas) based on the prices they charge. They gave our food to the wrong table but acknowledged their mistake and got us the order quickly! Great customer service!“

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

“a kinder, gentler dive bar“

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

“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.“

“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!“

“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!“

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

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

“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!“

“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...“

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

“Always a favorite! Go Dawgs!“

“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 🤙🏻“