Food Issue - Industry hangs
Our favorite spots to eat and drink after the shift
Benchwarmers Clairmont: Darts, pool, poker, and TVs everywhere. Huge inside and there’s always a place to park. Benchwarmers is a sports bar and all around watering hole for the non-Buckhead Buckhead crowd. Mon.-Fri.: Food till 2 a.m., Bar till 4 a.m.; Sat.: Food till 1 a.m., Bar till 3 a.m.; Sun.: Food till midnight, Bar till 2:30 a.m. 2775 Clairmont Road. 404-321-0303.
The Earl: Cheap beer, loud music, and possibly the best rib-eye you can get after midnight. Mon.-Sat.: Food till 1 a.m., Bar till 2:30 a.m.; Sun.: Food till 11 p.m., Bar till midnight. 488 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-522-3950.
El Bar: One of the few places you can get your groove on without all fussy, clubby nonsense. Wed.-Sat., 10 p.m.-3 a.m. 939 Ponce de Leon Ave. 678-613-3807.
Fellini’s: The tried and true, if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it go-to pizza place. Select locations open till 2 a.m. 909 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-873-3088. And other metro Atlanta locations.
Jack’s Pizza & Wings: Sometimes you just want cheap pitchers of Old Fourth Ward, aka Miller High Life and baked wings. Sun.-Wed.: Food till 11 p.m., Bar till midnight.; Thurs.-Sat.: Food till 2 a.m., Bar till 3 a.m. Closed Tuesdays. 676 Highland Ave. 404-525-4444.
The Midway Pub: With a decent beer list, board games, and plenty of high-backed wooden booths, Midway is a great place to unwind after quittin’ time. Mon.-Sat.: Food till 2 a.m., Bar till 2:30 a.m.; Sun.: Food till 11:30 p.m., Bar till midnight. 552 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-584-0335.
Octopus: Sometimes bar food just won’t cut it. Housed in East Atlanta’s SoBa, Octopus is the late-night restaurant within a restaurant that caters to adventurous service industry palates. Food from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Mon.-Sat. 561 Gresham Ave. 404-627-9911.
The Porter Beer Bar: With the most impressive beer selection this side of Decatur, and fast, friendly service, the Porter is a place where beer lovers can feel at ease. Servers are well-versed on all things beer related which makes navigating an otherwise unmanageable menu much easier to swallow. Mon.-Thurs.: Food till 11:45 p.m., Bar till midnight,; Fri.-Sat.: Food till 2:15 a.m., Bar till 2:30 a.m. 1156 Euclid Ave. 404-223-0393.
R. Thomas Deluxe Grill: The 24-hour health-food junkie’s paradise is still going strong and remains to be one of the few places available for ultra late-night grubbing. 1812 Peachtree St. 404-881-0246.
The Sound Table: The Sound Table proves that the best restaurants are the ones in which the owners create a place where they would want to hang out. Awesome, international-tinged food, and some of the best cocktails in town. A sweaty dance party on the side. Food till 11 p.m., Bar till 2:30 a.m. Closed Mondays. 483 Edgewood Ave.
Top Flr: Top Flr was basically built by and for the industry. Booze-friendly eats that are high-minded enough for the pickiest cooks and great beer, wine, and cocktails. Food till 1 a.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 2 a.m. Fri.-Sat.; and midnight on Sun. 674 Myrtle St. 404-685-3110.
Victory Sandwich Bar: With Jack Daniels slushies, $4 sandwiches, and ping-pong, Victory is an easy choice for anyone in need of a midnight snack. Food and bar till 2 a.m. 280 Elizabeth St. 770- 676-7287.