Atlanta doesn’t need to prove it’s a sports town. When the home teams hit the field, the whole city comes out to play, which means tickets are scarce and parking is its own Olympic event.
Skip the chaos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, or Truist Park and pull up a stool at one of Atlanta’s best sports bars, where the beer is cold, the TVs are loud, and the fans are just as devoted as the ones who paid triple for nosebleeds.
Nest on Four
Perched on the fourth floor of Signia by Hilton Atlanta, Nest on Four trades moody dive interiors for natural light and outdoor seating. The menu alone earns its upscale billing: wings come in flavors like spicy peach barbecue or garlic parmesan, and the ATL Steak Melt adds shaved sirloin and pickled jalapeno to the pregame spread. A halo of more than 30 TVs and an address steps from both Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena seal the deal. 159 Northside Dr. NW, Atlanta, nestonfouratlanta.com
Woofs
Atlanta’s only LGBTQ+ sports bar has been a Virginia-Highland institution since 2002, and it remains one of the most welcoming places in the city to catch a game. The vibe is a relaxed neighborhood bar with multiple TVs, daily drink specials, and a side bar that opens Thursday through Saturday after 10 p.m. for late-night crowds. Woofs also sponsors local LGBTQ+ sports leagues and community nonprofits, so the goodwill is built right in. 494 Plasters Ave. NE, Ste. 200, Atlanta, woofsatlanta.com
Jolene, Jolene
Atlanta’s first bar built entirely around women’s sports, Jolene Jolene spent two years as a pop-up before landing a permanent Kirkwood home this summer, Every screen is tuned to women’s athletics—sound on, always. The menu is fun: Kirkwood Smash burger, Pao Pao Shrimp, hot honey whipped feta, and cheeky cocktails like “It’s Britney, Spritz” and “The Red Zone.” Everyone’s welcome; women’s sports just finally come first. 1963 Hosea L. Williams Dr. SE, Kirkwood, jolenejoleneatl.com
STATS Brewpub
Seventy screens, seven audio zones, five bars, and 16,000 square feet—STATS doesn’t do anything small. The Downtown anchor, near Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, backs up the spectacle with a 10-barrel brewery helmed by award-winning brewmaster Austin Edwards turning out IPAs, sours, lagers, and seasonals. The kitchen keeps pace with pimento cheese dip, Kung Fu wings, and a slaw-topped Dirty Bird sandwich. Bonus: select tables come with built-in draft taps. 300 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, statsatl.com
Brewhouse Cafe
This is the Little Five Points soccer bar that fans across the country know by name. Founded in 1997, Brewhouse is Atlanta United’s official pub partner, which means the pre-match energy here is on another level. Expect plenty of TVs, walls covered in scarves and football memorabilia, a sprawling patio, and a classic pub menu. A second location in South Downtown is in the works. 401 Moreland Ave. NE, Atlanta, brewhousecafe.com
Painted Park
Not all sports bars have to be dives. This design-forward spot on the BeltLine incorporates Chesterfield booths, velvet lounge seating, a stone fireplace, and a gilded bar mirror into the game day equation with a cocktail menu and spirits list to match. The lower-level gaming parlor adds skeeball, darts, shuffleboard, and ping pong, while the food reaches well beyond stadium fare: tuna tartare, warm crap dip, barbecue shrimp, and loaded frites. 240 N. Highland Ave., Ste. A, Atlanta, paintedparkatl.com
Midway Pub
East Atlanta Village’s go-to for catching the game, Midway Pub delivers where it counts: an extensive draft list anchored by Georgia locals like Creature Comforts and Halfway Crooks, more than 100 whiskeys on the shelf, and a string light-strung patio that fills up fast on game days. The food is reliable bar fare—solid smash burgers, wings, garlic pretzels—and the TVs and projector screens mean there isn’t a bad seat in the house. 552 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta, themidwaypub.com
Der Biergarten
Atlanta doesn’t have many places where you can order a proper schnitzel and wash it down with a stein of German lager. Der Biergarten fills that gap Downtown, bringing authentic beer garden culture—bratwurst, soft pretzels, apple strudel, warm wood accents, a dozen German brews on tap—to a city that increasingly appreciates it. With Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena both around the corner, it’s as well-positioned for a pre-game pint as for a post-match celebration. 300 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, derbiergarten.com
Manuel’s Tavern
Manuel’s has been hosting rowdy groups of fans since 1956, when Manuel Maloof transformed a sandwich joint into a neighborhood tavern modeled on the English pubs he’d visited during World War II, filling it with salvaged furnishings from demolished Atlanta buildings. Nearly 70 years later, this spot is still family-run, and the mismatched chairs, the regulars, and the sports on the TVs are all still there. Be sure to check out the vintage sports memorabilia dotting the well-worn walls. 602 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, manuelstavern.com
Irby’s Tavern
Neighborhood pride is what drives this local Buckhead hangout. Great moments in Atlanta sports are memorialized on the walls that once hung a buck’s head—yes, that’s how the city allegedly got its name—along with plenty of TVs, a patio, and a menu filled with nods to Atlanta legends. Named handhelds like Dr. Causey’s Patty Melt, Bo Sharkey’s Black and Blue, and Chef Suzanne’s Dank Grilled Cheese with fontina and pepper jelly give you something to talk about between plays. Dogs are welcome. 322 E. Paces Ferry Rd. NE, Atlanta, irbystavern.com
Sports & Social (The Battery)
Situated steps from Truist Park, Sports & Social is the Battery Atlanta’s two-level sports bar and gaming parlor anchored by a 36-foot HD LED screen. The venue broadcasts all major league games year-round and stocks a full menu of pub grub (wings, burgers, tacos) and plenty of beer. Table tennis and a pop-a-shot basketball round out the offering when you need a break from the action on screen. 825 Battery Ave. SE, Atlanta, liveatthebatteryatlanta.com
The Beverly
Grant Park’s sports bar of choice since 2019, the Beverly is the project of restaurateur Mario Johnson and award-winning chef Dudley Isidore, whose Caribbean-fusion kitchen sets it apart from just about every other bar in town. Order the jerk chicken egg rolls, Rasta pasta (penne in a jerk-infused alfredo with broccoli), or the pineapple barbecue wings alongside 20 beers on tap. The crowd skews Falcons and Hawks faithful and the eclectic soundtrack (spanning reggae to trap) keeps the energy high. 790 Glenwood Ave. SE, Ste. 260, Atlanta, thebeverlyatl.com
The Albert
Since 2007, this Inman Park neighborhood pub has earned its regulars the old-fashioned way: by making genuinely good food. Buffalo egg rolls, a solid burger selection, wings seven ways, and all-beef hot dog program that includes an ATL Dog piled with chili, slaw, and yellow mustard. The draft list runs deep on Georgia locals—Creature Comforts, Terrapin, Sweetwater, and Monday Night are all staples. Catch the game on the big screen from the dog-friendly covered patio out back. 918 Austin Ave. NE, Atlanta, thealbertatlanta.com
