Sports bars in Buckhead

Where would be a good place to watch NCAA tournament games in Buckhead?

A friend will be at a conference there, but will not have a car. Any advice?

 

If Ray Lewis posts on the this thread, don't take his recommendation.

 

Buckhead is a shell of its former self. Not quite the bar options that used to be there.

I might recommend the Cheetah. The local sports talker hosts an annual tournament party there, and there will be plenty of good viewing entertainment besides the basketball games. More in the downtown area, but could cab it from Buckhead.

 

Ditto on Buckhead no longer being a bar destination. They're remaking it into more a family-friendly shopping mecca. Or, at least, they were...housing fallout has slowed construction a little.

Dantanna's near Lenox is a solid enough option. It's a bit expensive, but classy. If you want a college-y bar, there's Loco's a little down Peachtree.

If you want to barhop, I'd recommend going to Midtown. Around the Midtown MARTA station, you've got Taco Mac, the Cheetah, the Vortex, TAP, and Gordon Biersch. Secondary option would be around Philips/Dome, which has another Taco Mac, Downtown Dantanna's, and Stats.

 

Oh, and get a MARTA pass. You might hear from people how crappy MARTA is. They are wrong. It's the easiest way to barhop in the city, and it gets real cheap after multiple uses. It's also clean, well-lit, and generally on time.

 

Ask the locals what MARTA really stands for.

 

King is a local, as am I. MARTA is just fine. ... Or, you know, listen to all-wise Mizzou. :

 

After you're done watching the game, I highly recommend Buckhead Diner.

 

MARTA is fine. It's what I use when I go there.

 

Buckhead Diner, also solid, yes.

 

Actually, they're right <i>and</i> wrong. MARTA is fine if you're a tourist who doesn't want to stray from the immediate midtown area. MARTA is awful if you want to go almost anywhere else in the metro area. It's notorious for having mechanical difficulties and doesn't have stops where people want to go.

Now, back to the topic at hand ... where to go in Buckhead. As has been mentioned, this is not the Buckhead it was famed to be 10 years ago. The places that have been mentioned are all fine. I'd also toss in a few others ...

- Charlie Mopps Public House: On Roswell Rd, just north of 285. This would be my choice. If you want great beer to go along with your basketball, this place probably has the second-best selection in the metro area. Also, plenty of TVs. Great spot.
- ESPN Zone: Can be crowded, expensive and a bit cliche. But you'll definitely get the games you want. It's on Peachtree, not too far south of Piedmont.
- American Pie: Next door to Charlie Mopps. Probably not the craziness of the ESPN Zone. Cheaper with enough big TVs to keep you happy.
- Five Seasons: This is if you're hungry and want some really good food, along with some microbrew. Not a lot of TVs, but you're fine if you get a seat at the bar. And for the NCAA Tournament, they typically set up a huge projection screen near the front of the restaurant for everybody else. It's on Marietta St, just south of 285, in a newly renovated, huge shopping center.

 

I'd also put in a good word for OK Cafe as a postgame, comfort-food destination. It's down Paces Ferry from Buckhead, but well worth the 10-minute drive. Don't wait too late, though. I believe they close at either 10 or 11, even on the weekends.