Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Atlanta

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Atlanta? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Rreal Tacos - Buckhead

4.9

4.9 (49)

$30 and under

Mexican

Buckhead

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

SueVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Absolutely great! Don’t miss the spicy pineapple margaritas and the Birria Barbacoa taco! We had a birthday too and they went above and beyond for that!

Sweet Auburn BBQ - Highland Ave

4.8

4.8 (139)

$31 to $50

Barbecue

Poncey-Highland

About the restaurant

Sweet Auburn BBQ is located in the historic Poncey-Highland neighborhood, near the Fox Theatre, Ponce City Market, and Fernbank Museum. The well designed dining space features reclaimed antiques and custom lighting, making it the ideal place for a dinner date or business lunch. Their sidewalk patio is a dog friendly too.

Sweet Auburn Barbecue offers traditional style barbecue with an Asian twist. Our menu items, such as Pimento cheese wontons, Gulf Coast Shrimp & Grits and Smoked Brisket Eggrolls, demonstrate the perfect marriage of traditional and innovative styles that Sweet Auburn Barbecue has become known for. Accolades include Best BBQ from AJC.com and Atlanta Magazine, and features in Thrillist, Eater, the Washington Post and Huffington Post. Most of the menu is sourced from local, Georgia farms and features many vegetarian options too. The full-service bar serves unique craft cocktails and beers, specializing in whiskey & beer.

Top review

Kristen

Dined on May 30, 2025

we had a great experience! the food was delicious and arrived in a timely manner. the service was great and the value for what we received was great! having parking validation as an additional perk made the overall experience a 5/5. I’d go back and definitely recommend to friends! food recommendations: cornbread appetizer, bbq pork plate with mac and cheese! so so yum!

Lazy Betty

4.8

4.8 (16)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Midtown

About the restaurant

Lazy Betty is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Atlanta's Midtown, offering a unique culinary experience led by Chef Ron Hsu and Chef Aaron Phillips. The modern and elegant ambiance is perfect for special occasions or refined indulgence. The menu features a blend of modern American and New American cuisine, influenced by Chef Hsu's Chinese heritage and Chef Phillips' French background. Guests can choose from two tasting menus that highlight seasonal ingredients and innovative techniques. Designed by Blue Lantern Studios, the interior creates a warm and inviting atmosphere with earth tones, organic materials, and natural light. The dining room includes teal velvet banquettes and terracotta plaster walls, while the bar and lounge provide a relaxed setting with greenery and brass accents. Lazy Betty is also committed to inclusivity, offering a sensory-friendly dining experience for guests with autism, PTSD, and other sensitivities, ensuring everyone can enjoy their meal comfortably.

Top review

Margaret

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

This was the best restaurant evening experience we’ve ever had. The service and the food were extraordinary. We had the Chef’s Tasting Menu - 10 courses. We also had caviar prior to the Tasting Menu and it was excellent. The timing of the courses was excellent. There was enough time between the courses to eat it, talk about it and marvel at it. Then, the next course would come just at the perfect time…not too soon nor too late. One of the other things we loved about Lazy Betty’s was the ambience. While the menu was so very upscale and the presentations of the courses just perfect, it was not a stuffy restaurant so we felt comfortable to talk and enjoy. Even the music was perfect. It was our 3rd anniversary celebration and it was wonderfully memorable. Kudos to everyone there that made our evening there absolutely perfect. Thank you Lazy Betty’s.

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Experience

10-Course Tasting Menu

Experience

6-Course Tasting Menu

Experience

Wine Dinner with Henna Bakshi

Rreal Tacos - West Midtown

4.8

4.8 (129)

$30 and under

Mexican

West Midtown

About the restaurant

Rreal Authentic Mexican Tacos and craft Margaritas! Over 200 Tequilas and Mezcals to chose from!

Top review

Jordan

Dined on May 17, 2025

My only complaint is they were a little busy so our table wasn’t quite ready. Overall experience was still nice. They were more than accommodating

Superica- Krog

4.7

4.7 (49)

$30 and under

Tex-Mex

Old Fourth Ward

About the restaurant

Superica
– “where sunshine spends the winter” – also known as Tex-Mex cuisine served in an Old-West-inspired atmosphere alongside music inspired by Austin.

The cuisine is a combination of 1950s Tex-Mex and the wood grill that has taken the food to another level by way of fajitas and more. An “evolved Tex-Mex menu,” includes the classics: tacos, nachos, tamales and enchiladas plus more intricate dishes such as wood-grilled fajitas and shrimp tacos always served with just-made flour tortillas, all while paying homage to the traditions and recipes that have been a part of the Texas culture for decades.

Top review

Tamera

Dined 6 days ago

The pancakes, we're a huge win. Being from a Tex-Mex restaurant, they were delicious. Service was good as well.

Bar Margot

4.7

4.7 (749)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Midtown

About the restaurant

Step into Bar Margot, a lively cocktail bar in Midtown Atlanta known for its handcrafted drinks, bold flavors and vibrant atmosphere. Located inside Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, this upscale bar is the go-to destination for expertly mixed martinis, creative cocktails and a thoughtfully curated menu. Whether you're unwinding after work, meeting friends for a night out or craving late-night food in Atlanta, Bar Margot offers a stylish yet welcoming setting. Enjoy a laid-back lounge vibe with no pretension-just great cocktails, delicious late-night bites and an energy that keeps the night going.

Top review

MonicaVIP

Dined on May 24, 2025

We celebrated my birthday and our wedding anniversary at Bar Margot… it was a joyous experience. The food was top notch and Nikki, hostess/server extraordinaire, went above and beyond and was very attentive. This was our first time dining at Bar Margot but we will be returning on a regular basis.

Bold Monk Brewing Co

4.7

4.7 (751)

$30 and under

Gastro Pub

Underwood Hills

About the restaurant

The Bold Monk Brewing Co. is a place where people are encouraged to engage, celebrate, and reflect. Our artful dining and gathering spaces, both indoor and outdoor, as well as our thoughtful food and beverage menus, are all purposely designed to promote harmony and a shared spirit of joy. We are grateful for the addition of the Bold Monk to our intimate group of restaurants, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to reality.
— In hope and faith, Cindy and Alan LeBlanc, Brewed to Serve Restaurant Group

Top review

KristenVIP

Dined 1 day ago

We enjoy our experience at Bold Monk every time! We were happy to see they were open for 4th of July, and the place was very busy when we arrived. We ordered the ahi tuna salad, wings, and the Philly cheesesteak… all delicious, nothing left on our plates. The beers were great as always, too. This time, I discovered Red Delirium- a really great choice if you are not a huge beer drinker!

May Peel

4.7

4.7 (39)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Midtown

About the restaurant

Nestled beneath the historic Hotel Granada lies May Peel, a cocktail bar that transcends the ordinary, inviting you to embark on an evening of cocktails and frivolous affairs. This hidden bar is everything you want and nothing you need; a moody interior and romantic vibe, a menu of offerings including a broad range of twists on classic cocktails, inspired seasonal creations, and shareable bar bites that inspire you to keep the party going for just one more drink.

Top review

asha

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

Very nice speakeasy vibe with great drinks. Perfect aesthetic for the girls

The James Room

4.6

4.6 (65)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Inman Park

About the restaurant

Positioned on the East Side Beltline trail, The James Room is a dark and moody cocktail lounge that is meant to be a place where you can leave your stresses at the door and immerse in the energetic vibrations of our cozy and intimate space. Upon entry, an upscale coffee shop takes your gaze. During the day, the cafe intriguingly offers unique flavors such as sea salt lavender and rosemary sage, or you can opt for a classic vanilla or caramel addition to your joe if you fancy. A few paces away is an inconspicuous door disguised as a bookcase, leading to the speakeasy area equipped with a peculiar mood. The atmosphere feels intimate yet communal and invokes a sense of leisure. The fine leathers and premium seating upgrade your typical lounge visit to an elevated, exclusive treat. Once you get settled, indulge in our savory light bites and carefully hand-crafted cocktail menu...and if you're lucky, maybe even the sounds of a DJ spinning some of your favorite hits.

Top review

Aubrey

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

The host and our server, Jordan, truly made this an amazing experience. We were sat almost immediately, the server was very busy but still gave us a lot of attention, and food was surprisingly fast, fresh, and delicious. Will recommend to anyone

El Malo

4.6

4.6 (114)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Reynoldstown

About the restaurant

At El Malo, we take your pleasure seriously. Invited are those for whom forbidding is forbidden; sanctum for the jewels of nightlife to fluoresce – The nowhere you’d rather be

Top review

William

Dined on Jun 8, 2025

Amazing experience here per usual, I love the drinks and atmosphere.

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Experience

Late Night Table Reservations

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