Near you in Atlanta
If you want a serious cocktail in Atlanta, the city splits along clear lines, so head to the district closest to you. Buckhead holds the hotel and steakhouse bars in the north. The Eastside, around Krog Street Market and Inman Park, runs the chef-driven rooms.
Decatur sits east of the city and rewards the trip with two of the best bars in the metro. Poncey-Highland and Midtown fill the middle for anyone staying central. Each pick below is the top-rated room in its pocket, so choose by where you already are.
Kimball House anchors Decatur and is worth the eastward drive for oysters and a precise menu. Order the Improved Whiskey Cocktail. Rated 4.7, $$$$.
Ticonderoga Club sits inside Krog Street Market on the Eastside, the closest pick if you are near the BeltLine. Order the Ticonderoga Cup. Rated 4.7, $$$$.
Atlas Bar lives in the St Regis in Buckhead and is the room to reach for north of the city. Order the Atlas Manhattan. Rated 4.7, $$$$$.
Holeman & Finch keeps a strong bar program in Buckhead and stays open late for the after-dinner crowd. Order the Holeman Burger and a highball. Rated 4.7, $$$$.
Watchman's pours coastal cocktails a short walk from Inman Park on the Eastside. Order the Watchman's Sour. Rated 4.6, $$$$.
Bon Ton brings New Orleans to Poncey-Highland, central and easy to reach. Order the Bon Ton Sazerac. Rated 4.6, $$$$.
The complete ranked guide to the best cocktail bars in Atlanta in Atlanta, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
The same query in every city, with the top room in each.
The six rooms above are the highest-rated cocktail bar in each Atlanta pocket, picked so you can choose by proximity rather than scroll a single ranked list. For the full ranked guide to every neighbourhood, follow the link to the city guide.
If a bar here has closed or changed hands, tell us. We keep the page honest by correcting it, not by inventing a replacement.