The food, great pool tables. But the best thing was the service. It was my first time but, i felt like i was a regular.

One of the classic gaming spots in Midtown Atlanta, Runa and her staff have cornered the market for the best that the Atlanta darts/pool/gaming culture has to offer. They offer a fun an eclectic variety of drinks, a tasty sampling of bar food, and wall-to-wall gaming fun. The fried chicken sandwich is a MUST. You may think you are nerdy, but Greg will challenge even the most knowledgeable Sheldon at Monday night's Nerd Trivia. People come for the trivia, darts and pool and stay for the atmosphere and camaraderie. read more

See all

My favoritest place to hang-out and unwind after a long day of work. Decent food, good pool tables, friendly staff, music provided by touch tunes, mostly played and controlled by the public. They also have two dart boards and relatively nice darts to use. Great crowd and highly recommended. I recommend trying the chicken sandwich or the fried green beans. Definitely brings in a diverse crowd which makes the vibes immaculate. First 2 hours parking is free then you have to pay at the parking stations if you plan to stay later. Great bar with a ton of properly sized pool tables. It's 15 dollars an hour for a table and the bartender does a good job of checking up if you need drinks while you play. Also they sell fried green beers which was something I didn't know till I tried here. Also a nice place to watch the sports with listen good music. The only con is that you can only order food and drinks at the bar. The servers will deliver to your table but they wont take orders from the table. Kinda prevented me from ordering more because I didn't want to get up and stand in line each time. The Independent is a laid-back joint with drinks and pool, also offers unusual pub grub. This is a Midtown Atlanta's favorite pool hall and bar since 1988. They feature 8 full-size pool tables, a full menu, full bar, and over 100 beers. They also have 2 dart boards, a variety of board games, a Golden Tee machine, and a TouchTunes internet jukebox. They have Trivia on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 8 PM, Texas Hold em on Sataurdays at 1 PM, Pool tournaments on Thursdays at 8 PM, and D&D on Thursdays at 7 PM. read more

See all

The Independent has trivia on M, T & W and the mozz sticks were something to write home about They also have pool and darts! - visited from MI during my spring break and we ended up going back for a second night and had an even better time! read more

I have frequent The Independent on several occasions during different seasons. I have introduced this place to many people who are now regulars. Tonight I got there at 10:30pm and I walked out at 10:45pm after sitting at the bar where 2 females were working and never acknowledged us. Factor in one female came to fill a pitcher of beer directly in front of us and never said a word. Also, it wasn't busy at the bar or inside. read more

Will never return, my driver license had expired so the dmv had emailed me a form to sign and keep with it until the new one arrived. The woman behind the bar said I had altered the dmv form and she would not accept it. I said I understood and asked what I could show her or if I should uber back and get my passport. Then her manager came over and said why would we even accept your expired ID and I said I have the form from the DMV and she screamed WHY WOULDNT YOU SHOW ME THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE. I stated I had shown the bartender and she had said I altered it. Then the bartender said you need to leave NOW so I said I would uber home and she said no your whole group needs to go and she kicked out all 15 of us. I am appalled at the behavior and treatment. I was so respectful and understanding and was met with so much hostility and anger. read more

Closed early on a Saturday night and were denied service because the bartenders wanted to go home. Go to Righteous Room where they value their guests. read more

Came for a chill date. Had a few drinks and wings and played a round of pool. Lemon pepper wings were great. Thai chili were good. The blackberry margarita I had was just ok. There is paid parking but free for the first 2 hours . read more

Came here for a few drinks with friends on a random night out. They have good drinks, good food, pool and lots of table top games for ppl to play. The only con is that you can only order food and drinks at the bar. The servers will deliver to your table but they wont take orders from the table. Kinda prevented me from ordering more because I didn't want to get up and stand in line each time. I'd definitely come back but I'd order doubles so I dont have to keep getting up. read more

Basic dive bar with some appetizers. We were looking for more of a restaurant but didn't have time to go elsewhere. We ordered a round of drinks and some food. They have a cool area set up to play pool, but you do have to pay. The service was okay. Food took a while to come out, but they said they only had 1 fryer. - Chicken fingers (3.5/5): standard chicken fingers, large portion that comes with fries - Wings (3/5): This comes with 6 wings, so pretty small portion for the price. Wings were tasty read more

The Independent - Wings - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

See all

Huge beer selection, lots of pool tables, darts, and a cozy vibe. It's been there 40 years, so it definitely has a charm about it. If I'm back in ATL for another show I'll definitely make this my go-to for winding down @ the end of the night! read more

We live nearby this dive bar on the second floor of the plaza behind Trader Joe's (above Apres Diem), but had never been until friends invited us to Tuesday trivia. They have a lot of patio seating with speakers so you can do the trivia outside on a nice night. It was well hosted. They have draft beers and pitchers at a good price and we ordered the wings and fries for dinner. We were both very happy with our selection. They aren't competing for the best wings in Atlanta, but they were definitely dive bar sufficient. This is really a billiard bar. They have a lot of pool tables and the Atlanta billiard team practices here and they are intense! They also have a few dart boards that are definitely a ton cheaper to play on than at the new Flight dart bar!! We now love this little dive spot and highly recommend their trivia! read more

What The Independent has going for it is vibe. It's a cool place to chill, with pool tables to rent and a good booze selection. Unfortunately both the food and the service leave a lot to be desired. I think if you're a regular the bartenders will ask you what you're having and check up on you. Otherwise you're practically invisible, and on the evening I was her it was quiet so I really don't know what the deal is. The food was just OK. They did not have the chicken for the chicken sandwich so got the chicken tender basket and mozzarella sticks. The portions were large but there was nothing exciting about them, and they really seemed like they could have been taken straight from the freezer and into the fryer. I'd come back here for drinks after dark if someone really wanted to but there are better dive bars. read more

Visited for the first time on a Friday night. Gps took my to TJ's parking lot but you have to drive past it to the next parking lot. Plenty of parking. I didn't have to wait long to play pool. The drinks were strong. Nice crowd. I would come back. read more

See all

Amazing bar food, awesome regulation sized pool tables, and dart boards. Fun place to go.

Super chill pool spot in a happening area! Customer service: We were first greeted by Greg. He was very busy, but made sure that everyone was satisfied with their meals/drinks. Our waitress (can't remember her name) was really friendly as well. She checked on us periodically, but on a moderate level, which we liked. Trivia Night! It was tons of fun and the host, Courtney, was really fun and fair. Read a Jeopardy book or something before you come, because some of the questions were pretty challenging. Atmosphere: The location has 3 pool tables (not sure if more would be available if COVID wasn't present), and indoor and outdoor seating (only outdoor is available as of right now). COVID COMPLIANT! This place was probably thee most COVID-compliant establishment I've been to since COVID began. They have signs all over the walls stating that if you don't wear your mask properly and they have to ask you more than twice to fix it, you're out. No exceptions. Loved that! Tons of hand sanitizer everywhere as well. Even when they brought the food out they kept a pretty good distance. We won the raffle for the night that we went, which was so awesome! I rarely win anything. Don't skip out on it! The prize is 1 free hour of pool :) Would I recommend? Now that I know this place exists, yes. Will I be back? Yes. A group event in the Spring would be fun here, and that's what I plan to do once COVID dies down. read more

The Independent - a pool table in a bar - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Dinner special tonight was amazing! Looked so pretty and tasted even better! Best place in ATL for trivia!!! read more

The Independent - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Fun place to go and play pool. Good drink specials. Be ready to get attitude from the bartenders all night. Every one of them, especially the manager, seems miserable to be there, and they take it out on the patrons. Used to really enjoy this place, but the staff makes me not want to continue going anymore. read more

I came here with a friend for a couple of drinks the other day. This place has some real whole in the wall magic! The bartenders my friend and I had were great. The drinks were strong and came out steady. read more

The Independent - Thursdays - Open Pool Tourney Movie Trivia - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Place was nice. A lot of traffic but bartenders move fast. They knew most people by their names so I'm assuming a lot were regulars. Love the culture and they play sports on the tvs. I don't like to complain about bar food cuz what can you expect but the chicken strips were definitely more bread than meat. Chili cheese fries were good not great but good. This place is definitely highly recommended especially if you're going for drinks or a good time. Amazing prices . read more

I never in my life felt that uncomfortable going to shoot pool! People was just staring at me looking weird! I'll never go back to this place!!!!! read more

Foods good, Katie the bartender is nice. Place allows smoking outside, pool tables are great- it's always busy. Unassuming all types of people crowd read more

Nice folks at the bar and well maintained pool tables by the hour, just off the beltline. Really enjoyed it.

Came in on an early Sunday evening. So glad we found this place. I've been looking for someplace to shoot pool and hear good music without always having to go to those places where the ladies wear high-heeled glass shoes lol they have 8 tables which is a plus! it wasn't packed at all. maybe bc of the holiday not sure. You pay a decent hourly price for the tables. Drinks were decent and priced decent. Service was attentive and friendly. They continuously stepped from behind the bar to see if we were good. Plus!! The music varied between rock, pop, hip hop and r&b from different eras. Plus!!! Mixed crowd having a great time. Loved it! didn't get any food only drinks. read more

If you like dive bars, this is a spot for you! The Independent has it all - board games, pool tables, Wednesday night trivia (starting at 8pm), and killer drink specials. There's not much more to a good bar than that, in my opinion! Park in the shared lot and head up the stairs next to Apres Diem to get to this hidden gem, and then just settle in at either the large wooden bar, one of the inside tables, or out on the patio. Regardless, you order drinks at the bar, btw. The Independent usually has a small crowd but it can get pretty bustling on weekend nights (pre-COVID at least). Service is friendly and efficient so don't worry about some nightmare bar scene where you can't get a bartender's attention. Definitely a good spot for casual drinks! read more

Sat at the bar for 15 Minutes (found 2 open seats that's how moderately busy it was) and there were 2 female bartenders and not a single person Said hi to us noticed us. We tried to make eye contact I tired to call but they never came close to even greet. The couple On both sides had drinks And food. From Atlanta (home owner ) and the Austin, TX bar scene this is extremely sad and very disappointing customer service. Lure down the street we sat at the bar they were more busy and were amazing. Y'all need to work on this. The film industry won't be getting recs to come here from me. read more

Had so much fun playing pool and getting drinks here. Met some fun people and had a great time

Not my usual hangout, but cool for what it is: a laid back pool hall with a solid bar that serves food. They can serve ya up pretty much any drink you could ever want - lots of good, hoppy beers both on draft and in bottles. Service is quick and drinks aren't pricey even though they're located in midtown. They serve food until late, which is nice when you're needing a fourth meal. There are about 8 pool tables in the back of the bar and on the Friday night I was visiting, they were all occupied. Get there early to get in the rotation, I guess **shrug** They also have a variety of board games and darts to entertain yourselves while waiting for a pool table to open up! Folks can smoke in there, but in warmer months you can escape on their patio. There's a jukebox so you can put on your favorite jams but there's not much room to dance. This spot is laid back and great for you're just catching up with friends. read more

See all

I came here for a poker charity event for PAWS Atlanta. The event was to donate half of the money for a no kill shelter, and the animals are treated with care and love. The Independent is located by Ponce City Market near the Beltline in Atlanta. It is on the second floor above Apres Diem cafe. The parking lot was pretty big for the area, but it was pretty full when we got there. There's a movie theater nearby as well, so that could be the reason for all of the extra cars. The drinks were about average price if you are planning to order any. The bar had about 5 billiards table that you can play. I think my only problem with this bar is that smoking is allowed. I already have asthma, so to come to a charity event and dealing with the smoke was a bit of hassle. All in all, it was fun charity event. I'll probably come here next time when it's a warmer weather to sit outside. read more

The Independent - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

See all

Best Reuben I've had since I moved to Georgia. I don't normally post about anything but who ever put this together nailed it. So very hard to get the proportions right so I will definitely be going back. Big improvement in the food at the Independent read more

Fine enough. One of those places where the bartenders think it's cool to let you know it's a bother to them when you order a drink. Go there if that's your thing. Tip accordingly. read more

The Independent is a bar full of excellence; from their workers, their food, up to their swiftness. I particularly commend Kathy, the whole bar staff, and the kitchen and runners that dealt with both trivia night in-house, and the runoff of three movie events from Midtown Arts. Managers, take note, your staff deserves a raise. The Veg Out plus buffalo and horseradish is good enough even if you aren't a drinker, and the veggies pass the health department's test. I swabbed 'em! read more

It's a pretty laid back bar/restaurant. We came in on a Sunday night. Seated ourselves and a waitress came to give us a menu after 5-10 minutes of sitting down. I ordered a Deep South Sandwich with a side of tots. The sandwich was pretty good. The chicken was moist and flavorful. We also ordered some drinks. Drinks aren't that expensive and are reasonably price for a midtown location. Service was pretty fast and friendly. They have pool and darts there too. They also have board games to play. After eating we stayed back for a bit to play board games. They have games such as sorry and battleship. It is a smoking restaurant/bar, so expect smokers and to walk out smelling like cigarettes. I think that was the only downside for me. Parking is free, and it's a huge parking lot. However, it can get pretty full and you have to look for parking or park at the Trader Joe's and walk down. read more

See all

The greatest place ever for chicken wings. Free parking,, great people, good food, good beer. I might take up pool as a hobby

The food is good and staff was friendly, but they NEED to do something about the ventilation. Way Too Much Smoke In The Air. No where near the best place for a pool game. Good drinks and prices nonetheless. read more

Two words: FRIED TWINKIE. Actually, sorry. Let me make that four words: AND BEER. How anyone resists ordering this off the menu surprises me. There, at the bottom and very back of the menu, lies one final thought: fried twinkie. It alluringly says that you "must ask about availability." Sounding fatting AND playing hard to get? Did I mention it is only a dollar?! Thank goodness they had one 'in stock.' Twinkies are smaller than I recall, or maybe shriveled from all that fried goodness. Not sure why no one else at my table would take a bite of it, though. I, however, enjoyed chowing down on the fried and creamy. And yes, there is indeed a cherry on top. A pool hall and the ultimate in laid back bar-ness (this is indeed a bar. not a pub.). You'll have to get your own water. The service is friendly, not necessarily fast. I'm sure there are pool sharks in the waters. But it's a good call for a laid back night! read more

The Independent - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I heard a rumor, most likely apocryphal, a long time ago, an urban legend that talks about an old blue law that criminalizes owning a pool table in the Virginia Highlands. I learned of this from a friend who tried, in vain, to open a pool hall within the liberal yet curiously reactionary confines of the Va-Hi. Bad for my friend, but good for The Independent. That means this smokey, salty pool hall remains the only, um, game in town (or within 4 miles of the Highlands at least.) Before I talk about The Independent, I must first talk about its predecessor Dupree's. Dupree's was the first bar in Atlanta I ever drank in, years before I moved here. Back then it was a smoke-filled lesbian-heavy hipster haven. I played pool here with my perpetually underemployed Indian friend, rounding out a low rent Harold and Kumar before the two characters even existed. When he moved to Chicago and I found myself appearing in Atlanta, I naturally gravitated towards Dupree's. Yes, the cigarette smoke hung in the air, thick enough that you could scoop it into a bowl and serve it as a side dish. I was younger then and my lungs were filled with vigor if not carcinogens. Over time, I found a new, closer hang out. My negligible pool playing abilities waned. Dupree's (both the man and the bar) moved on and The Independent popped up in its place. Some things changed; the wall o' TVs disappeared for example. Emo boys in girl pants soon outnumbered the lesbians in boy pants. Still, the vibe didn't change THAT much. In the few times I've been back to Dup--sorry, The Independent, it's still got that low-key, pool hall cum hipster doofus hangout that a hipster doofus such as I appreciates. Even some of the old staff from The Dupree's days remain on hand. The tables are still fine. They've got some wear and tear, but they're not the crooked, tilted and battered tables of my college days. They've got 9 foot tables which makes you feel manly when you pull off a good break. They've got game nights (trivia and poker) and board games for those nights without a theme. Sure, the smoke gets heavy but compared to the olden days of Dupree's, the air is like standing on a Himalayan mountaintop. Granted, those olden days were like working in a coal mine, but que sera. I'm glad The Independent is there. I'm glad they have real pool tables you can rent by the hour. I'm glad there's a place where it's acceptable to play drunken Candyland. Four stars in the side pocket. read more

The Independent - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

It's about time for me to re-review the Independent, as it was my second review ever (my first being its original incarnation DuPree's). The first time I wrote of the Indy, it was all about the games you could play--pool, poker, trivia, the dual NES/SNES machine that I picked up for the bar at DragonCon. This time, however, I'm going to expound on the other aspects of the Indy, the people and the food. Now, I wouldn't try to pull one over on you and say that the service is speedy, but you shouldn't really be expecting white-cotton-glove service at a bar like this. You get your drinks from one of two servers, if the place is crowded, you'll need to pony up to the bar to make your requests. Dinner rushes can occur at primetime, when everyone arriving for poker or trivia gets their orders in to the single cook. Your patience with these matters will be rewarded, mind you, should you decide that the bar holds promise for your various recreational activities. This bar is, for many, where everybody knows their names, and their loyalty brings perks. My meal tonight, for example, consisted of a special, to-date off-menu Italian Sausage sandwich which the bartender Greg informed me of. Drowning in grilled onions and cheese, the sandwich of split sausage and toppings was sweet-and-savory meat heaven. I speak of it now in hopes that my shouting from the rooftops will make it a regular menu item. My original thought tonight was to follow up my dinner with another off-menu item--the bacon-wrapped fried twinkie (yes, I do have high cholesterol). Alas, the aforementioned sandwich robbed my stomach of any space for the sugar-dusted, delectable (but hardly delicate) dessert. There's always next trivia night. read more

You need to go for music trivia. I have walked by The Independent a million times over the years, intending to check out the music trivia, and I'm glad I finally did. Totally fun. Katrina brings the show to the Independent. It's clear she has some regulars, too. I wish I'd actually taken the time to eat something at The Independent. All I did was drink. (Don't judge me.) I started with something off the "Premium Combos" menu called "A Song of Fire and Fire" (New Holland Dragon's Milk and a New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon back). I really enjoyed that. I can't remember what my second drink was. Again, don't judge me. My only problem with The Independent: in my old age, I grow less fond of smoky environments. Otherwise, I have nothing negative to say about this place. Staff was fast and friendly. The drinks were, ahem, strong, and the entire establishment is geared to make sure you have a good time. And the place felt comfortable. In many ways, it felt like a return to my college days. But in spite of the smoke, I may still return to The Independent, especially for more of the music trivia. Holler if you're coming with. read more

If you enjoy the micro aggressive racism born and continuing here in the south, then this is the place for you! We just wanted to play a couple games of pool, yet the bartender felt an unnecessary need to warn us that the buzzer he had given us to alert us when our pool table was ready would be a $65,000 charge for us to replace, if we lost it. Mind you, we were told by this bartender that we MUST first leave our debit/credit card with the him while we held the apparatus. Then he said he was "kidding" and would only charge us about $6,500 if we lost it? He also warned us that this apparatus would not work or be heard if in a pocket, so it had to be held in our hand the entire time? We didn't hear him repeat this weak ass spill to any of the other patrons. After we ordered drinks, we stood near the pool tables but still near the bar. The SAME bartender comes and waves his hands in the air saying, hey, if you guys aren't going to order something, then you need to move!! You cannot stand right here! Well, smarty pants, didn't you just make drinks for us? Why not just politely tell us to move away? We had just ordered from this same guy at the bar! He didn't realize it was the same people that he was lecturing like two seconds prior? He should have just said, hey guys, sorry, but you can't stand right here! These type of micro aggressions do not slide by us! After these initial passive aggressive interactions, we saw that there were some open barstools near a pool table. Shortly after we sat down, the party showed up for the table; and they came into the area very smugly and circled like vultures. No one spoke a word. We stood up and told them that we were giving up the barstools. The woman looked at us as if to say "why are you Blacks addressing me?" And her guy also looked around with the same look on his face! Like, you guys are talking to my girl?! They obviously were "VIP" who had reserved the pool table? So freaking WHAT!!! We had never been to this establishment previously! Yet this is how new patrons are treated? We googled pool halls, this one had great reviews and we mapped our way from midtown. Here is a stark warning for others.... there were welcoming faces in the pool hall, but it only takes one or two bigots to ruin the entire atmosphere. It's no way you behave as if you have never interacted with a person of another color. I'm 47 years old. I know how to be responsible for a buzzer!!! I don't need your personal approval of me, but I know how I want to be treated and how I should feel when I go somewhere to spend my hard earned money. On another more positive note, the drinks were good and hella strong. We enjoyed one round of patron margaritas and got the hell up outta there!!! TO NEVER EVER RETURN!!! DO NOT WORRY, WE GOT THE MEMO!!! It was a couple of other minorities in the bar. I thought to myself, wow, we seem to be infiltrating a place that really isn't ready to be "infiltrated". They may as well place a "whites only" sign on the front door. Except... prior to entry... security is black and the doorman is black. Make it make sense!!! And I'm sure, as a bartender, you recognize new people in your bar! Have some sense of decency and make them feel welcomed, not like they will steal or lose the damn vibratory device worth a whole $65,000... or as jokingly but not funny... about $6,500 device. I don't need that type of pressure on me on a Saturday night just to play pool! Let you hold my debit card in hopes of you possibly having an opportunity to swipe it for 6,500 is sickening!!! read more