Atlanta’s bar and grill scene spans a city with multiple major professional sports teams, a large college sports fanbase centered on Georgia Tech and multiple nearby SEC schools, and a dense intown neighborhood dining culture that supports bars and grills as everyday neighborhood anchors. The city’s most celebrated bar and grill operations typically combine a serious food program with a thoughtful beverage selection and a television setup capable of accommodating multiple simultaneous sporting events. The Vortex Bar and Grill in Midtown and Little Five Points has operated for decades as one of Atlanta’s most recognized bar and grill institutions, known as much for its distinctive skull-themed exterior as for its consistently well-executed burger and bar menu. Hudson Grille maintains a strong presence with downtown and Midtown locations that serve the surrounding office and entertainment populations. Taco Mac, an Atlanta-originated chain with about two dozen locations, has built a regional following around its extensive draft beer selection paired with a consistent food menu.
When evaluating a bar and grill in Atlanta, the quality of the food program is the most important differentiator in a category where many operations use the bar as the primary economic driver and treat food as secondary. A strong bar and grill should produce its burgers, wings, and grill items to a standard that would hold up as a standalone food experience even without the bar atmosphere. Wings should be crispy and sauced to order rather than from a holding batch. Burgers should use fresh rather than frozen patties. The tap beer program should be curated rather than just offering the most common domestic options, and the televisions should be positioned so that every seat in the establishment has a sightline to at least one screen during major sporting events. Operations that let the bar atmosphere compensate for mediocre food produce an experience that satisfies only during peak event viewing hours.
Top Bar & Grill Companies in Atlanta
1. The Vortex Bar and Grill
Address: 878 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 (Midtown); 438 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 (Little Five Points)
Phone: (404) 875-1667 (Midtown); (404) 688-1828 (Little Five Points)
Website: https://www.thevortexbarandgrill.com
Services:
- Award-winning burgers including specialty and classic builds
- Full bar with craft beer selection
- Patty melts and signature comfort food
- Midtown and Little Five Points locations
- Lunch, dinner, and late-night service
- 21-and-over establishment
About: The Vortex Bar and Grill has maintained two Atlanta locations for decades, establishing itself as one of the city’s most recognizable bar and grill institutions through a combination of its distinctive skull-arch exterior entrance, its commitment to burger quality, and its position as a genuine neighborhood bar that serves the Midtown and Little Five Points communities with consistent execution. The restaurant is consistently listed among Atlanta’s top bar and grill destinations on Yelp and food media platforms, with the patty melt and specialty burgers regularly recognized as standouts in Atlanta’s competitive burger market. The 21-and-over policy at both locations reinforces the establishment’s bar-forward identity. The two locations serve different Atlanta neighborhoods, with Midtown drawing office and entertainment crowds and Little Five Points drawing the eclectic neighborhood community that the area is known for.
2. Hudson Grille
Address: 942 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 (Midtown); 120 Marietta St, Atlanta, GA 30303 (Downtown)
Phone: (404) 892-0892 (Midtown); (404) 221-0102 (Downtown)
Website: https://www.hudsongrille.com
Services:
- Full American grill menu with burgers, wings, and sandwiches
- Sports viewing with multiple large-screen TVs
- Full bar with draft beer and cocktails
- Midtown and Downtown Atlanta locations
- Lunch, dinner, and late-night service
- Large-group and game-day accommodations
About: Hudson Grille has established itself as one of Atlanta’s leading sports bar and grill destinations with Midtown and Downtown locations that serve the surrounding entertainment and sports-event audience with a consistent food and bar program oriented around communal sports viewing. The multi-level seating, extensive television coverage ensuring sightlines from most seats, and a food menu built around wings, burgers, and bar staples have made Hudson Grille a reliable choice for Atlanta’s sports-watching community across football, UFC, basketball, and baseball seasons. The Downtown location benefits from proximity to State Farm Arena, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and multiple convention and event venues, making it a natural gathering point before and after Atlanta’s major sporting events. Local regulars describe Hudson Grille as the best overall sports bar and grill experience in Atlanta for group viewing.
3. Taco Mac
Address: Multiple locations across Atlanta metro; 5600 Roswell Rd NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30342 (representative location)
Website: https://www.tacomac.com
Services:
- Extensive draft beer selection with over 100 beers on tap at most locations
- Chicken wings and bar food menu
- Full American grill menu
- Sports viewing and game-day atmosphere
- Approximately two dozen metro Atlanta locations
- Lunch, dinner, and late-night service
About: Taco Mac is an Atlanta-originated bar and grill chain that has expanded to approximately two dozen metro Atlanta locations and beyond, with its claim to fame being one of the largest draft beer selections among Atlanta bar operations, offering over 100 beers on tap at most locations. The wings, which built the original Taco Mac following, remain the food anchor of a menu that spans standard bar grill fare. The multi-location presence across the Atlanta metro means that most Atlanta neighborhoods have a Taco Mac within a short drive, making it a consistent option for sports viewing and bar dining across the city rather than a destination operation. Taco Mac’s Atlanta origins and deep integration into the city’s sports bar culture across multiple decades give it a hometown presence that distinguishes it from national chain competitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the best bar and grill in Atlanta for watching major sporting events?
A: Hudson Grille’s Midtown and Downtown locations are specifically set up for sports viewing, with extensive television coverage across multi-level seating that can accommodate large groups during major events. The Vortex Bar and Grill focuses more on food quality and neighborhood atmosphere, making it stronger for regular bar dining than for large-scale sports event viewing. Taco Mac’s extensive draft beer selection and multiple locations make it a practical sports viewing choice across different Atlanta neighborhoods. For events at State Farm Arena or Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Downtown Hudson Grille location is optimally positioned.
Q: What food can I expect at Atlanta bar and grills?
A: Atlanta bar and grill menus are anchored by wings, burgers, and American grill items including sandwiches, nachos, and quesadillas. The Vortex Bar and Grill stands out for burger quality, with specialty builds that rise above standard bar burger execution. Hudson Grille offers a broader food menu that covers more of the American grill category. Taco Mac’s wings are the historical anchor of its food program. Most Atlanta bar and grills also offer some version of a cheese appetizer, fried appetizer selections, and a salad or lighter option for diners who prefer it.
Q: What does a bar and grill meal cost in Atlanta?
A: At The Vortex Bar and Grill, burgers and sandwiches run $12-$18 and appetizers are $8-$14. At Hudson Grille, the food menu spans $12-$22 for entrees with draft beers at $6-$9 per pint. At Taco Mac, the wings and food menu runs $10-$20 and the large draft beer selection keeps beverage costs moderate at $5-$9 per pint for most selections. A complete bar and grill meal with food and drinks typically runs $25-$45 per person at Atlanta bar and grills.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s bar and grill scene is anchored by The Vortex Bar and Grill’s decades-long presence in Midtown and Little Five Points with its celebrated burger and bar identity, Hudson Grille’s sports viewing-oriented operations in Midtown and Downtown, and Taco Mac’s Atlanta-originated multi-location chain with its extensive draft beer selection. Each represents a distinct dimension of Atlanta’s bar and grill culture. Contact these establishments directly for group reservations, game-day accommodations, and event space availability.