(404) 522-3950

488 Flat Shoals Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30316 33.7409 -84.3461

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Neighborhoods: East Atlanta, Eastside, Eastside

Last updated 6.17.10

Category:

Nightclubs, Sports Bars, Bars & Clubs, Neighborhood Bars, Restaurants, Bars & Pubs, Dive Bars

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Jukebox

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Brunch, People Watching

Cuisine:

Hamburgers

Bar & Club Special Features:

Live Music

Smoking Permitted:

Yes

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About The Earl

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – With lurid candelabra, yard-sale art and urban artifacts, the Earl is the perfect gathering place for post-punk locals. The hard-partying crowd, ranging in their late 20s to early 40s, knocks back paper-cup shots in between pints of Pabst Blue till the wee hours. Meanwhile, a serious small-time indie-music scene flourishes in the back. The Earl boasts a great booking agent, a reliable sound system and a terrific lineup almost every night of the week. – – The Food – Long on bar atmosphere, but with plenty of space devoted to dining, the Earl specializes in…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
"Dunch" is the Earl's answer to your Sunday morning blues with killer bloody marys and just-greasy-enough breakfast food.
Know Before You Go:
The bar is separated from the music club, so if you're just up for drinking or grub, there's no cover.
The Extras:
To avoid dry spells between rounds, order several drinks when you have your server's attention.
ambiance
86.66999816894531% positive
  1. “Great food, atmosphere and music”
  2. “Great atmosphere, food not so much”
  3. “The atmosphere is very chill and they have an awesome jukebox.”
  4. “wasn't sure what to expect, but the staff was friendly, the partrons all seemed friendly and fun.”
  5. “Boasting that quintessential dive bar feel, complete with beer art and Sharpie-scrawled toilets that is oh-so-crucial to enjoying a sweaty rock and roll experience, the EARL stays a few shades of class above the rest by including a classic bar menu with t”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “The bar itself probably seats at least 20 people and the bartenders are great.”
  2. “To be so individual and yet so inviting is what makes this bar so great.”
  3. “good place to see a show/hang out at the bar”
  4. “They had a decent wine menu (I'm probably the only one that ordered wine).”
  5. “I've never had their food so I cant comment on that but this is definitely a good place to grab a beer and watch a show in back or just hang out in front.”
  6. “Boasting that quintessential dive bar feel, complete with beer art and Sharpie-scrawled toilets that is oh-so-crucial to enjoying a sweaty rock and roll experience, the EARL stays a few shades of class above the rest by including a classic bar menu with t”
  7. “You can sit outside, inside at the front bar, or in the back room where you can find great new music and sip your drink.”
  8. “All around good neighborhood rock bar.”
  9. “This is a really cool bar.”
food quality
90.4800033569336% positive
  1. “While visiting Atlanta, we were taken to The Earl for "the best burger in the world!”
  2. “It is not often that you can see great live music and get great food too.”
  3. “Atlanta's best burger + awesome up-n-coming bands”
  4. “The food is unexpectedly good, and prices are reasonable.”
  5. “Great food and music”
  6. “I've never had their food so I cant comment on that but this is definitely a good place to grab a beer and watch a show in back or just hang out in front.”
  7. “I'm a big fan of the burger craze of the last few years.”
  8. “It's cool to have so many great (and creative) options around Atlanta for the sandwich that defines the US of A. But I keep going back to one that seems to be more American than any other, and that's the burger at the EARL.”
  9. “Great atmosphere, food not so much”
  10. “Great food, atmosphere and music”
  11. “Boasting that quintessential dive bar feel, complete with beer art and Sharpie-scrawled toilets that is oh-so-crucial to enjoying a sweaty rock and roll experience, the EARL stays a few shades of class above the rest by including a classic bar menu with t”
  12. “Decent food but absolutely terrible service for the most part.”
  13. “All the food here is amazing.”
  14. “The Earl has the best burger in town by far.”
  15. “The burger was slightly burned and dry and the string fries were cold.”
  16. “Awesome food, awesome selection.”
  17. “The Reuben is also very good as are the onion rings.”
  18. “Cheap Beer, Good food, and Good Music”
  19. “good food, good music”
  20. “The food was excellent.”
  21. “must say that they have what is probably the best burger in town.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “They had a decent wine menu (I'm probably the only one that ordered wine).”
  2. “Awesome food, awesome selection.”
  3. “Boasting that quintessential dive bar feel, complete with beer art and Sharpie-scrawled toilets that is oh-so-crucial to enjoying a sweaty rock and roll experience, the EARL stays a few shades of class above the rest by including a classic bar menu with t”
  4. “It's cool to have so many great (and creative) options around Atlanta for the sandwich that defines the US of A. But I keep going back to one that seems to be more American than any other, and that's the burger at the EARL.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “good place to see a show/hang out at the bar”
  2. “have heard its a great place to.”
  3. “I've never had their food so I cant comment on that but this is definitely a good place to grab a beer and watch a show in back or just hang out in front.”
  4. “been to a few shows and other then it getting pretty smokey in the back room where they have the shows (i'm a smoker), its a good place to see a live band.”
  5. “good place to see music”
service
43.33000183105469% positive
  1. “Love the staff, real working stiffs like the rest of us.”
  2. “wasn't sure what to expect, but the staff was friendly, the partrons all seemed friendly and fun.”
  3. “was a regular there that put up with their horrible service simply because the place with convenient.”
  4. “My night at the Earl represents the worst service I have ever had.”
  5. “While I might tolerate poor service alone, I will not tolerate poor service with an attitude which I recently received.”
  6. “Nestled in trendy East Atlanta, The Earl has great live music and great bartenders.”
  7. “Decent food but absolutely terrible service for the most part.”
  8. “Watch out for poor service”
  9. “The bar itself probably seats at least 20 people and the bartenders are great.”
  10. “saw the server tell the manager she didn't like the way I approached her about the poor service and then she brought the bill and asked my whole group to leave.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “The food is unexpectedly good, and prices are reasonable.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/16/11

A Nice Dive

by Unfiltered

The Earl brings in great acts, and the sound is usually very good. The feel is gritty without being grimy, and usually the crowd is good too.

If only they could get some smoke out of the room, it would be perfect.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/15/10

Grab a show, a burger, and a PBR

by ryansims

The East Atlanta Restaurant and Lounge, known simply the EARL can be seen and heard in the tiny pocket of cool shops, restaurants, and bars known as the East Atlanta Village. Boasting that quintessential dive bar feel, complete with beer art and Sharpie-scrawled toilets that is oh-so-crucial to enjoying a sweaty rock and roll experience, the EARL stays a few shades of class above the rest by including a classic bar menu with touches of brilliance (tots, a slammin' cheddar burger) and a relatively clean feeling atmosphere. Service can be a bit spotty during busy times, and the door men at the concerts are downright surly if a show is sold out. If you can, park in the lot next door or else cruise the area for a cheap pay lot. Check their website often so you don't miss out on seeing some killer shows.

  • Pros: Burger, Tots, Beers, and Bands under the same roof
  • Cons: It gets a bit smoky, folks
4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/22/10

Atlanta's best burger + awesome up-n-coming bands

by HunterPearson

I'm a big fan of the burger craze of the last few years. It's cool to have so many great (and creative) options around Atlanta for the sandwich that defines the US of A. But I keep going back to one that seems to be more American than any other, and that's the burger at the EARL.

For starters, it's not too big and not to small, and there's nothing fancy about it. It's just 8oz of red meat slapped on the grill, served with lettuce, tomato and your choice of cheese. It tastes like the 4th of July. Plus they'll actually cook your burger medium rare if you want it. While there are a multitude of sides (including tots) their shoestring fries are where it's at. They're always crispy and always salty. Which is the mark of a good fry to begin with.

So get a PBR tallboy, go catch some new band that all the hipsters are excited about, and enjoy a night at East Atlanta's best music venue.

  • Pros: Burger + shoe string fries
  • Cons: They allow smoking
1 Star Rating: Poor

11/30/09

Absolutely HORRIBLE service

by kc404

Decent food but absolutely terrible service for the most part. While some of the staff is attentive and friendly, the other half is shifty, complacent and seems extremely put out but the smallest request. I was a regular there that put up with their horrible service simply because the place with convenient. While I might tolerate poor service alone, I will not tolerate poor service with an attitude which I recently received. Pretty odd, considering my friends and I rack up pretty big tabs and tip ridiculously well. I certainly won't be back.

  • Pros: Decent food, decent price
  • Cons: TERRIBLE SERVICE
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/28/09

Nice...even for an old lady

by dilizharb

My 23 year old son took me there...I wasn't sure what to expect, but the staff was friendly, the partrons all seemed friendly and fun. They had a decent wine menu (I'm probably the only one that ordered wine)...but they actually had what I liked. The food was excellent...we noshed on the Irish Nachos..which were really good and then I had a cheese burger...EXCELLENT! The ONLY thing I didn't like about it was the smoking....UGH...but other than that it's a fun place.

  • Pros: Friendly, and professional service
  • Cons: Smoky

The Details on The Earl

Place Categories:

  • great food
  • poor service
  • great live music
  • good place
  • best burger
  • great feeling atmosphere
  • really cool bar
  • not sure staff
  • great bartenders
  • pretty big tip ridiculously
  • best music venue
  • good juke box
  • good fry
  • like real working stiffs
  • cool restaurants
  • big fan
  • decent wine menu
  • very good reuben
  • cool shops
  • cold string fries
  • not friendly partrons
  • great bands
  • great plac
  • awesome jukebox
  • great new music