The capital city of Georgia is a popular, diverse, bustling city with a lively nightlife and incredible bars and restaurants. It’s also a city tucked within a forest, with plenty of beautiful, lush green space unlike so many of the concrete jungles in the States.
Are you thinking about visiting Atlanta? Bourbon enthusiasts will want to take time to visit any or all of these bourbon bars sprinkled throughout the city. Check out our list of the eight best bourbon bars in Atlanta and let us know which ones you loved the most!
17 Andrew Young International Blvd
Touting itself as a “Prohibition Experience,” the Red Phone Booth takes speakeasies to the next level. Patrons enter the bar by finding out the secret phone number from a friend or local concierge. Then, they have to dial it into the antique red phone booth in the entryway. With craft cocktails, small plates, and on-point service, Red Phone Booth’s atmosphere and offerings are unmatched.
4100 Avalon Boulevard
Branch and Barrel is well worth the drive out to Alpharetta, just over half an hour from the heart of Atlanta. With both a lunch and dinner menu in addition to the extensive bourbon options, Branch and Barrel is great for groups of bourbon lovers. Try the Mashman’s Breakfast, a Bulleit-based cocktail with grapefruit, cinnamon, and Earl Grey bitters. It’ll give you a new understanding of what breakfast could be, in a perfect world.
2860 Lavista Rd
How about an impressive 425 bottles (and counting) of bourbon, rye, scotch, whiskey, and even a few bottles of moonshine? Sprig believes they have the largest collection of bourbon in Atlanta. Real bourbon aficionados won’t want to miss out on the Oak Grove Brown Water Society, a secret club for true adherents to the ways of whiskey. Try hard-to-find bourbons and enjoy members-only events.
2605 Circle 75 Parkway
This one is the brainchild of Garden & Gun magazine, the Southern-lifestyle brand. It’s a tasteful and classically-appointed restaurant and cocktail experience in The Battery Atlanta. With a blend of old and new, the Club offers classic Southern dishes alongside bourbon-centric cocktails. Pair a Kentucky Tea (Elijah Craig, peach liqueur, lemon, and tea) with the Shrimp Louie or fried green tomatoes.
3035 Peachtree Road
This gastropub is a modern American whiskey bar with over 120 bourbons, whiskeys, and ryes on hand. Join their Bourbon Club for first access to limited-edition bourbons and to stay in the know about new additions to the bar. Bright and airy, the ambiance here is a refreshing change compared to the usual aesthetic of Southern bourbon bars. A giant portrait of Mark Twain appropriately graces one wall – as a whiskey drinker himself, it’s only right to raise a glass to the man.
3161 Maple Drive NE
The Whisky Mistress is an upbeat, sexy, fun spot to spend a Saturday night. With food, bottle service, and a DJ or live music (depending on the night), many hours of partying can be had at the Whisky Mistress. This isn’t the venue for a deliberative, serious bourbon tasting. But it’s absolutely a perfect spot to unwind with a classic drink and gettin’ down on the dance floor.
245 North Highland Ave
This cigar lounge sports a large whiskey and bourbon menu with informative and polite staff. Sip one of their seasonal cocktails and smoke a stogie, or try a flight of American whiskeys while watching the big game on one of many televisions.
866 W Peachtree Street
And here’s another Prohibition-themed bar and restaurant. The Rowdy Tiger promises creative takes on Southern comfort food, as well as a broad selection of bourbon and whisky for your enjoyment. Order a cocktail up on the rooftop for panoramic views of Midtown Atlanta, outdoor games, and fireside seating. The Rowdy Tiger offers great service any time of day: start your morning with a delicious brunch and end the night with a dram or two at the bar or on the roof.
Which of these bars will you visit first the next time you visit Atlanta?