Drunk Dining
By Jonathan Baker, Editor
It’s late, you’re buzzed and nothing sounds better to your stumbly-bumbly brain than scarfing down a plate of greasy bar treats. Finding the perfect late-night snack can be tough, but we’ve found five spots that stay open past midnight, serving up the perfect gooey grub for the late-night gourmand. Taxi not included.
Melton's App and Tap
Boasting some of the best chicken fingers in town, this unassuming retro Decatur pub unloads an app basket with lightly battered strips and crispy waffle fries that sucker-punch Southern fave Chic-fil-A. The selling point for drunkards is the accompanying zesty condiment they deemed “blue cheese sauce.” This tastes nothing like blue cheese, but it's so good who cares what the hell it's called.
Melton's App & Tap
2500 N Decatur Rd,
Decatur,
GA
North Highland Pub
This laid-back Inman Park spot has concocted maybe the greatest combination in the history of bar food, but it's NOT EVEN ON THE MENU! You might have to wink or ask politely for the buffalo chicken nachos, but your insider act will be well worth it. Tortilla chips are piled high with lettuce, tomato, jalapenos and sour cream while the drippy-white cheese and grilled chicken strips doused in a hot buffalo sauce make this a difficult dish not to finish.
North Highland Pub
469 N Highland Ave NE,
Atlanta,
GA
Cypress Street Pint and Plate
If you’ve been at Halo all night, you’re due for a snack or two. Luckily, help is on the way! Midtown dark-spot Cypress (virtually next door) brings a menu stacked with creamy dips and addictive meatball ball sliders. Yet nothing wraps up the night more perfectly than their junior-sized corndogs. These all-beef poppers are sliced, hand-battered and deliver a juicy, back-to-being-a-kid taste post-midnight.
Cypress Street Pint and Plate
817 West Peachtree St,
Atlanta,
GA
Pozole
For the Va-Hi bar-hopper, Pozole offers a major bonus—not only is the kitchen is open until 1:30am, but the prime location makes it a perfect last stop on the drinking train. Braised beef brisket tacos, a mere $2, come laced with a chipotle mayo that softens up these treats, letting large-mouthed patrons shovel them in one bite. Don’t miss out on the accompanying side dish and conversation starter--the uber-spicy habanero salsa trio. Words of advice: Order water.
The Highlander
The Highlander’s famous tater tots can’t be found on the appetizer menu but are sneakily lodged in as a side item. (We only tell you because they can be amazingly difficult to locate after too many pints.) The bar known for taking it deep rock-star style, dishes out a fully-loaded tot side piled with chili, jalapenos, multiple cheeses and onions. This grease bomb might not sit well the next day, but neither will that vat of vodka you downed … so you might as well go for broke.
The Highlander
931 Monroe Dr NE,
Atlanta,
GA
