INFO
Urban Explorer's Handbook 2005
- Welcome
- Castleberry Hill
- Pine Lake
- Northcrest
- East Atlanta
- Village Green
- Whittier Mill Village
- West End
- Benteen Park
- The Metropolis
- Huntley Hills
- How To Raise Hell at City Hall
- Make A Difference
- Do You Know Much About History?
- Poets, Artists & Madmen
- That's the Ticket
- For Urban (Music) Explorers
- Consumer Culture
- Achin' for Antiques in Chamblee
- Five Unique Groceries
- Oral Pleasures
- After Dark
A wise man once said, “I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.” Since the CL office is a depressing, fluorescent-lit cubicle farm, we prefer to start in a hung-over haze and know things will improve once the nausea subsides. But habitual drinking gets expensive, so we’ve memorized the following drink specials to help ease the burden on our wallets.
Monday: Inman Park Patio offers every wine bottle in stock for half-price. 1029 Edgewood Ave. 404-659-5757. www.inmanparkpatio.com.
Tuesday: College night at Moe’s & Joe’s in Virginia-Highland. Even if you graduated 20 years ago, you can partake in the Pabst Blue Ribbon pitchers for a mere $3.25. 1033 N. Highland Ave. 404-873-6090.
Wednesday: Twisted Taco in Midtown offers $4 rum and Cokes, $3 Buds and $4 John Courages to coincide with its weekly Texas Hold’em nights. 66 12th St. 404-607-8771. www.twistedtaco.com.
Thursday: East Atlanta’s Iris offers $5 Hangar One vodka drinks from 5:30-8:30 p.m. 1314 Glenwood Ave. 404-221-1300. www.irisatlanta.com.
Friday-Saturday: Specials get slim on Fridays and Saturdays, but Phipps Plaza’s Twist serves $5 martinis all day, every day. 3500 Peachtree Road. 404-869-1191.
Sunday: Eclipse di Luna hosts “Bottomless Sangria Sundays” starting at 5:30 p.m. A mere $10 buys all the refills you can handle. 764 Miami Circle. 404-846-0449. www.eclipsediluna.com.
BARS
THE ALLEY CAT Rock ´n´ roll club features regional and local acts in a memorabilia-filled room with waitresses dressed as kitties. 50 Upper Alabama St. 678-904-2514. www.alleycatclub.com.
AMERICAN PIE Venerable venue for mixing and mingling. The bar is big, the food is good and the drinks flow. It´s like spring break every weekend. Live music and radio remotes. 5840 Roswell Road. 404-255-7871. www.american-pie.com.
ANDREWS UPSTAIRS A mix of Decatur and Midtown in the heart of Buckhead. The music room offers a wide section of acoustic, rock and tribute bands. 56 E. Andrews Drive, Suite 13. 404-467-1600. www.andrewsupstairs.com.
APACHE CAFÉ Eclectic venue for hip-hop, spoken-word poetry and up-and-coming soul artists. 64 Third St. 404-876-5436. www.apachecafe.info.
THE ATRIUM An OTP mainstay that gained fame as a home for crunk and reggae events. 5479 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain. 404-298-6545.
Blake´s On The Park Ground zero for the Midtown gay set to mix up with different types. 227 10th St. 404-892-5786. www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com.
BLIND WILLIE´S A dark blues club featuring food from Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans. Live music nightly. 828 N. Highland Ave. 404-873-2583. www.blindwilliesblues.com.
BRANDYHOUSE Laid-back and friendly atmosphere and a nice selection of national and local jam bands make rugged roadhouse a comfortable oasis of music and libations. 4365 Roswell Road. 404-252-7784. www.brandyhouse.com.
CAFÉ 290 Generally packed with an older, ¨upwardly mobile¨ crowd, restaurant/bar specializes in spoken word and smooth jazz. 290 Hilderbrand Drive, Sandy Springs. 404-256-3942.
CHIP´S BAR & GRILL You want to rock the roadhouse? This is as authentic as it gets. Former gas station offers impressive slate of live blues, rock and roots music, bar food and drinks. 655 Patrick Mill Road, Winder. 770-307-2840.
CHURCHILL GROUNDS JAZZ CAFÉ Located next to the Fox Theatre, Churchill Grounds is considered by most aficionados as the best place in Atlanta to hear straight-ahead jazz – not that Kenny G.-ish crap. 660 Peachtree St. 404-876-3030. www.churchillgrounds.com.
CJ´S LANDING Rock and roll bar in the heart of Buckhead? Yep. There´s a music room and patio and a fully stocked bar, to boot. 270 Buckhead Ave. 404-237-7657. www.cjslanding.com.
CRYSTAL´S ON THE SQUARE The historic livery building is now home to a variety of live music presented in an intimate listening room – and there´s never a cover charge. 150 Roswell St., Marietta. 770-792-8840. www.crystalsonthesquare.com.
DAILEY´S DOWNSTAIRS Casual grill in the daytime and swanky martini joint after sunset. Have a cigar and relax to jazzy-snazzy live music, seven nights a week. 17 International Blvd. 770-578-6872. www.daileysrestaurant.com.
DARWIN´S A blues joint if ever there was one, small and welcoming with a gentle ¨let the good times roll¨ vibe. Home to international and local blues and roots acts. 1598 Roswell Road, Marietta. 770-578-6872. www.darwinsblues.com.
D´JANGO KITCHEN AND SALOON Adorned with off-beat artwork, neophyte restaurant/bar/nightclub is a rising star and features an eclectic blend of local DJs. 495 Peachtree St. 404-347-8648.
THE DRUNKEN UNICORN Despite a girlie name, this club features plenty of underground punk, electro and hip-hop acts. Although located in MJQ Concourse, it has a separate entrance. 736 Ponce de Leon Place. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net.
THE EARL East Atlanta staple for local and up-and-coming rock bands and grub for the hipster-PBR set. 488 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com.
EDDIE´S ATTIC This venue for aspiring singer/songwriters and the folkie set has shows almost nightly and is famous for its Open Mic Shootout. 515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com/showschedule.html.
FUZZY´S Smoky and down-to-earth blues and rock establishment with refreshing lack of pretense. Eat, drink, and be merry to covers and originals. 2015 N. Druid Hills Road. 404-321-6166. www.fuzzys.com.
HEMINGWAY´S A Jimmy Buffett song personified, complete with all the music, colorful characters and, oh yeah, the drinks. 29 W. Park Square, Marietta. 770-427-5445. www.hemingwaysmarietta.com.
JAKE´S TOADHOUSE Self-described ¨Atlanta´s Jam Headquarters,¨ a comfortable club that features a concert calendar jam-packed with rock, blues and roots acts, liquor aplenty and a decent selection of bar food. 2272 Lawrenceville Highway, Decatur. 404-633-4111. www.jakesroadhouse.com.
JAZZ LOFT Formerly 201 Courtland, renovated restaurant/live music room is home to jazz and soul music events. 201 Courtland St. 404-526-9130.
JOHNNY´S HIDEAWAY Swank, intimate and stocked with a cinematic selection of colorful regulars, Sinatra would hang out here and feel right at home. 3771 Roswell Road. 404-233-8026. www.johnnyshideaway.com.
LENNY´S Possibly the trendiest dive bar in the city, features anything from drum ´n´ bass to punk rock to hip-hop. 307 Memorial Drive. 404-577-7721. www.lennysbar.com.
LIBBY´S CABARET A cabaret featuring American standards, jazz and more. 3401 Northside Parkway. 404-869-4748. www.libbyscabaret.com.
LIMERICK JUNCTION Irish pub with impressive amount of scotch, whiskey, and live music. 822 N. Highland Ave. 404-874-7147. www.limerickjunctionpub.com.
THE MAMBO ROOM Upstairs at the Bridgetown Grill, across from the Fox. Cozy listening room hosts a variety of events including the monthly Mambo Alive acoustic series. 689 Peachtree St. 404-873-5361. www.bridgetowngrill.com.
MASQUERADE This one-time mill hosts a variety of dark, kitschy events from heavy metal concerts to weekly goth and retro nights. Scheduled to close sometime this year. 695 North Ave. 404-577-8178. www.masq.com.
MR. C´S PUB Small in space but big on atmosphere, this bar features a welcoming vibe and an ambitious live music calendar. 1983 Howell Mill Road. 404-605-0888.
NORTHSIDE TAVERN Legendary blues, local blues and more blues. No cover charge Sunday-Thursday. 1058 Howell Mill Road. 404-874-8745. www.northsidetavern.com.
PEACHTREE TAVERN The former home to the Chameleon Club is still a rock magnet. 3179 Peachtree Road. 404-842-1700. www.peachtreetavern.com.
Red Chair Restaurant and Video Lounge Video lounge for the stand-and-model set of gay men, with a growing following of womyn. 550-C Amsterdam Ave. 404-870-0532. www.redchairatlanta.com.
RED LIGHT CAFÉ Intimate venue for singer/songwriters with an open bluegrass jam on Thursdays. 553 Amsterdam Ave. 404-874-7828. www.redlightcafe.com.
RIVER ROOM Vinings restaurant is a pleasant alternative to rock clubs with a quaint European feel; quiet romantic atmosphere, fine wines, champagne and martinis. 4403 Northside Parkway, Suite 150. 404-233-5455. www.riverroom.com.
ROCK STAR SALOON Part of the Paradise City entertainment complex in north Fulton. Rock bar offers live music Wednesday-Sunday from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. featuring a house band and international touring acts. 11105 State Bridge Road, Alpharetta. 678-990-8022.
ROYAL PEACOCK Back in the day, the Royal Peacock played host to acts like Gladys Knight and the Pips. These days, the small, often smoke-filled space is home to Atlanta´s thriving reggae community. 186 Auburn Ave. 404-880-0745. www.theroyalpeacock.com.
SMITH´S OLDE BAR A neighborhood vibe, features multiple rooms for concerts as well as bar games like trivia and poker. The music schedule features anything from big band to zydeco. 1578 Piedmont Ave. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com.
STAR BAR The Star ¨Community¨ Bar features a regular lineup of rockabilly and hard-rockin´ acts, as well as karaoke on Mondays and disco funk on Tuesdays. 437 Moreland Ave. 404-681-9018. www.starbar.net.
THE SWALLOW AT THE HOLLOW Rustic Roswell cabin features fine barbecue and ribs, a good beer selection and, on the weekends, some of Nashville´s finest singer/songwriters. 1072 Green St., Roswell. 678-352-1975. www.theswallowatthehollow.com.
SWAYZE´S Punk-rock club with a refreshing sense of humor and an open mind. Best place in Atlanta to see noncommercial punk and pop. And yes, it´s named for the actor/singer Patrick Swayze. Got a problem with that? 2543 Bells Ferry Road, Marietta. 770-590-0111. www.swayzesvenue.com.
10 HIGH Club underneath the Dark Horse Tavern features aspiring rock artists, but its live-band ¨Metal-some Monday¨ karaoke is the big draw. 816 N. Highland Ave. 404-873-3607. www.tenhighclub.com/calendar.html.
Velvet Underground Downtown rock club and bar – adjacent to the bustling Hard Rock Café – features up-and-coming local bands and occasional touring acts. Expect liberal does of attitude and volume. 215 Peachtree St. 404-420-5842.
DANCE CLUBS
Charlie Brown´s Cabaret Underground Atlanta home of local legend Charlie Brown and other female impersonators. 50 Upper Alabama St. 678-904-4512. www.charliebrownscabaret.net.
Club 112 Otherwise known as ¨Club One-Tweezie,¨ legendary hip-hop club pulls in the bling-bling crowd for its large dancefloors and VIP seating. 1055 Peachtree St. 404-607-7277.
Club Europe Under the shadow of Spaghetti Junction, club offers intense dance music and international nights. 4001 Presidential Parkway. 770-452-1240.
Compound Upscale mega-club featuring a nonsmoking garden, large outdoor terrace and bamboo garden. Locals DJs as well as international acts spin. 1008 Brady Ave. 404-872-4621. www.compoundatl.com.
COWBOYS Massive country-Western bar pulls the big-time national acts as well as features a house band and dance lessons. 1750 N. Roberts Road, Kennesaw. 770-426-5006. www.cowboysatlanta.com.
Eagle The city´s gay leather bar to see, be seen and be tied up. 2821 Main St. 404-873-2453.
eleven50 Multilevel upscale dance club with multiple bars, balcony, glass-encased VIP level and South Beach-style patio. DJ talent ranges from locals to international acts. 1150-B Peachtree St. 404-874-3006. www.eleven50.com.
The Future High-energy dance music and cyber erotica. Offers customer changing areas. 50 Upper Alabama St. 678-904-4357. www.futureatlanta.com.
Jungle Dance club for late-night gay scenesters. 2115 Faulkner Road. 404-844-8800.
MJQ Concourse Literally underground, the tiny shack-like entrance reveals loyal late-night crowd and eclectic music. 736 Ponce de Leon Place. 404-870-0575. www.mjqatlanta.com.
The Mark Occupying Karma´s former space, this sleek club features a terrarium-adorned lounge area, dancefloor downstairs and booth-lined see-and-be-seen area. 79 Poplar St. 678-904-0050. www.themarkatlanta.com.
Halo Lounge Industrial space with ultra-modern furniture that pulls metrosexual set. Known for its do-it-yourself s´mores kit. 817 W. Peachtree St., Suite E-100. 404-962-7333. www.halolounge.com.
Heretic The sleaziest and most fun gay dancefloor with a mixed crowd. Check out Shirtless Wednesdays. 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road. 404-325-3061.
Latin Sol Upscale all-Latin club featuring salsa, samba, live bands, DJs and a large dancefloor in Underground Atlanta. 50 Upper Alabama St. 678-904-4357. www.latinsolatl.com.
Vegas Nights Although its interiors seem trapped in 1995, it´s one of the few metro Atlanta nightclubs still proudly spinning bass music. 1830 Cobb Parkway, Marietta. 770-612-9112.
Vision Miami-style hip-hop club with local celebrities hosting weekly events. Dress code is strict. Temporarily closed for renovations. 1068 Peachtree St. 404-874-4460. www.visionatlanta.com.
Wetbar Sleek, metallic gay bar full of young guys, trendy hair and go-go boys on Thursdays. 960 Spring St. 404-745-9494.
Whiskey Peach Nightclub/lounge in the former Nomenclature Museum. Glitter and velvet-lined interiors provide the perfect atmosphere for jiggy club-goers intent on flossing. 44 12th St. 404-745-9551. www.whiskeypeach.com.
Wild Bill´s Country club features large dancefloor, live performances by Bill Gentry and 35¢ Rodeo, and radio remotes. Plus, Wild Bill´s Wild Girls serve up cold brews, except for Sunday line dancing. 2075 Market St., Duluth. 678-473-1000.
COMEDY CLUBS
Funny Farm In the StarTime Entertainment complex. Features national comics. All shows are 21 and up and nonsmoking. 608 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell. 770-817-4242. www.funnyfarmcomedyclub.com.
The Punchline Nationally recognized club features local and national comics. Offers both smoking and nonsmoking shows. 280 Hilderbrand Drive. 404-252-5233. www.punchline.com.
