Upstairs at Manuel’s Tavern, in owner Brian Maloof’s office, is a chair with a sticker labeled “The President.”
When President Barack Obama was in Atlanta last May, he visited this famous watering hole, in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood, and sat in that chair for his interview with Vice magazine.
Why that bar? Because Manuel's is more than a drinking spot. It's a crockpot of political ferment, visited by the last three Democrats to sit in the Oval Office. It's also a cop bar, a literary oasis and a great place for trivia night.
A cross-section of Atlanta drinks at Manuel’s, but soon Maloof will hit the pause switch. While the bar undergoes a few months of renovation, the Manuel’s crowd will have to go elsewhere — or sober up — and take stock.
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