Blind Willie's

02/27/09

Not much for your cover

by Ithaca96 at Citysearch

Walked in around 10:30pm after paying $7 cover for featured singer. Listened to other acts for about 45mins until featured singer played 3 songs and then took another break. Left us with nothing to listen to after that and by that time I was ready to go. $7 cover was way too much for a Thursday night with a half empty bar.

• Cons: cover

01/27/08

Smokin' Blues!

by bayoux504 at Citysearch

OMG had sooo much fun we didn't want to leave! Yes, the place fills up quickly and is stuffed to capacity, but the music is amazing. Not to mention the staff at the bar was excellent and lightning fast!!! I am from New Orleans and it felt like home. The staff there treat you like family! I just hate I didn't get a chance to taste the food, but the drinks were on point. This is my new spot!!!

• Pros: overall atmosphere
• Cons: gotta get there early, i.e. by 9:30 or you WILL NOT get in

12/23/07

It don't get no better than this.

by smokemifyagotum at Citysearch

What a good place to hear the Blues and have some fun. Great house band with national acts. We have been there several times and have never been disappointed. It does get a little crowded, and the dance floor is an 8' area in front of the stage or wherever you happen to be standing at the time. Get there around 9 o'clock to get a good seat. I don't think you will be disappointed.

• Pros: Lead guitar player of the Shadows plays some "mean" blues
• Cons: A little smokey at times

09/25/07

A diverse group of fans flocks here for Atlanta's best live blues.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
A dark corner space in the typically yuppie Virginia-Highland area, Blind Willie's is Atlanta's best bet for live blues. Seven nights a week, the club is full of a diverse group of blues fans eager to hear the sounds of revered local acts like Francine Reed, Lotsa Poppa and House Rocker Johnson. Dark mood lighting and posters of old bluesmen on the walls set the tone. A friendly waitstaff serves Cajun-tinged bar food to complement weak beer and hard liquor.

The Draw
The attraction is the blues, pure and simple. Expect to see mainstream dabblers and hard-core blues devotees rubbing elbows and singing along to "Ain't Misbehavin'" at the tables in front of the stage. Named after legendary Georgia bluesman Blind Willie McTell, this club pays tribute to its namesake by featuring the best live blues acts in town.

08/04/07

Overrated

by thedon74 at Citysearch

I used to enjoy this place, but not anymore. Aside from the same tired house band, the main problem is their crappy service. When the place is packed to the gills on a Friday night, there will only be one bartender and it takes 20 minutes to get a beer. I don't know if the Lisa Loebish bartender that was working this past Friday night was PMSing or not, but she had a terrible attitude and openly complained about the lack of tipping that two guys from Ireland were doing. Maybe she doesn't realize that Europeans aren't used to handing over a dollar every time somebody with a pissie attitude strains themselves to stick their hand into a bucket of ice and twist a bottle cap off.

If you want to go to a good blues bar, go to Northside Tavern.

07/09/07

Wonderful Place for All Ages

by battlecity at Citysearch

I frequent Blind Willies as often as possible. The music is always great, the staff actually works for their tips. Friendly staff and crowd. People of all ages can feel comfortable in this place. The Food, is pretty good spicy bar food. It is always quite crowded, for good reason, its a great place to go. The place can get pretty smoky, so take precautions if you are sensitive to that.

• Pros: All around great place

01/24/04

Great Blues Club

by poolemartina at Citysearch

Blind Willie's is a great blues club for any age. I am 23 and my husband is 38 and we had a great time listening to Sandra Hall and the Shadows. Everything in the club says true blues. Sandra Hall can make you think about your past and make you laugh at the same time the entire time she is on the stage you will be jumping, rocking, and clapping. The Shadows has an sax player that is wonderful. Make sure you go check it out and get there early for a good seat.

• Pros: Great music, Great drinks, Good food
• Cons: Parking

08/20/02

Nothin' but the blues!

by bluesfan at Citysearch

I LOVE this place, and have for 16 years -- an eternity in the bar business, and they just keep putting it on. Taj Mahal, Rufus Thomas -- where else can you see this stuff?! Staff kicks it and there's no attitude, just GREAT music!

06/26/02

Life is tough, and so are they!

by JeffW at Citysearch

These guys know what the blues are all about....life is so tough, sometimes it takes a little something special to get you through. There's nothing like a guy playing the guitar with his teeth to inspire greatness. Check it out!

05/21/02

Cocktails, Blues and Francine

by mstampley_citysearch at Citysearch

Even though the music is pretty much always the same and there's always a cover, this is one of my favorite spots on N. Highland. The crowd is thankfully a little more mixed than most bars in the Highlands. The house band is great (guitar-picking with teeth always seems like the best thing in the world after that sixth cocktail,) but I wish Francine Reed still made weekly appearances. Her performance of "Wild Women" is simply not to be missed.

• Pros: music
• Cons: cover