Shh ... one of Atlanta's best kept secrets may be the four speakeasies operating in town. Here's where to find them:
Edgewood Speakeasy (327 Edgewood Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA) -- Making its home in the Old Fourth Ward along the Atlanta Streetcar route, the entrance to the Edgewood Speakeasy is behind the bookcase inside Bone Lick BBQ. The cozy 1920s themed drinking den features brick walls and part of the original nearly century-old structure, as a simple wooden bar plays host to a full bar program complete with moonshine and boutique distilled spirits, making you wish smoking jackets were still in style.
The Blind Pig Parlour Bar (128 East Andrews Drive, Atlanta, GA) – Access to the Pig comes via a rather unremarkable door with a small pig above it in the building just behind the former Smokebelly BBQ. Smokebelly now Chido + Padre's. The Blind Pig is still going strong, but you'll need a password and you can't get it from the bartenders in the larger building right now. No problem, just ask for it on the Blind Pig Facebook page.
Once you are admitted, relax in plush seating near the fireplace for an intimate moment or grab a table near the bar with friends. Either way, you'll be surrounded by dark wood and painted brick, classic cocktails from the Prohibition era and small plates designed for grazing or a full dinner experience. The only thing missing is Billy Joel belting out “Piano Man” in the corner.
Eleanor's (1675 Cumberland Parkway SE, Smyrna, GA) – Truly a hidden gem in the Atlanta/Smyrna/Vinings part of town, Eleanor's is the speakeasy inside the restaurant Food & Wine named as one of America's Best Delis, Muss & Turner's. To get access, open the door near the open prep area that looks like the entrance to a walk-in cooler and step inside the hallway that leads to a speakeasy space with a luxe industrial atmosphere.
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El Bar (939 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA) – Circle around back of El Ponce after 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday or Saturday to indulge your inner lust for local dive bars and dancing. Find the painted door then step inside where you'll be lucky to grab a seat but happy to stand and enjoy their cheap drinks. Some nights there is a cover charge so be sure to bring cash.
