ATHENS Primer-Food, lodging, etc UPDATED FOR 2019

Talk about the songs, the shows, and anything else DBT related here.

Moderators: Jonicont, mark lynn, Maluca3, Tequila Cowboy, BigTom, CooleyGirl, olwiggum

Locked
User avatar
Jonicont
Site Admin
Posts: 3703
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:33 pm
Location: Marvin,NC

ATHENS Primer-Food, lodging, etc UPDATED FOR 2019

Post by Jonicont »

A few of us thought to put this together so folks could have a place to quickly find info. It is by no means complete. We would welcome any additions you may have. Please pm myself or Cooleygirl with any additions you'd like to see included


ATHENS GUIDES:

The Flagpole Guide to Athens is a very useful guide for ALL things Athens: http://guide.flagpole.com/

List of Downtown businesses: http://downtownathensga.org/#gallery


How to Get There
1. Nearest Airport: Atlanta, GA, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
http://www.atlanta-airport.com/
About 70-80 miles from Atlanta to Athens, depending which route you take
Most people fly into Atlanta, then rent a car and drive to Athens
For you first timers, you have to take a tram from the gates to the main terminal/baggage claim area.
Follow the signs and exit the terminal to take another tram to the car rental center.
You'll have to do the same upon return, so plan your time accordingly

2. Shuttle service from airport to Athens
$78 round trip plus tip. Check the website for pick up/drop off locations in Athens.
http://www.groometransportation.com/

3. Best driving route from airport: Google maps will tell you to take I-85 north through Atlanta. Better to take I-85 South out of the airport to I-285 East to exit 33, I-85 North (towards Greenville), Take exit 106 to merge onto GA-316 E toward Lawrenceville/Athens, Follow 316 the entire way (42 miles). 316 turns into Epps Bridge Parkway as it passes over the Loop. Follow Epps Bridge for about two miles and it will merge to the right onto 78 (Broad Street). 78 (Broad Street) will take you into the heart of downtown Athens

4. You can take a Megabus http://us.megabus.com/. And the Marta (public transportation train) to the airport.

Where to Stay
1. Days Inn (aka Dazed Inn) A very cheap option, but stumbling distance to the 40 Watt, smoking ok, kegs in the bathtub--you get the picture
http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/ ... tyId=12371

2. Courtyard Athens Downtown (Marriott)
A reasonably priced option, and a step up (comfort wise) from the Dazed, also stumbling
distance from the 40 Watt, and across the street from the Dazed. No smoking, key cards,
security, wi-fi, breakfast buffet (eggs made to order)
for a fee. They sometimes (not always) offer a pretty nice Homecoming discount (arranged by the band). If you book
before the discount is offered, you can call and have it applied to your reservation.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/a ... -downtown/
706-369-7000


3. Hotel Indigo
A bit more expensive hotel, some might call it fancy. STRICT no smoking policy (you will get
fined!). Also close to the area. Usually offers a Homecoming discount.
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/in/1/e ... rch&ias=y#

4. The Holiday Inn, another reasonably priced option is also pretty close to the 40 Watt, 197 East Broad Street
http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/ ... oteldetail

5. Georgia Gameday Center
The rooms are actually condos, If you've got more than 2 people and want a place to stash your beer, plus maybe save on eating breakfast out, it's a deal. You just have to be able to tolerate the Georgia Bulldog decor. Strict no smoking policy
http://www.gagamedaycenter.com/

6. Holiday Inn Express
Also stumbling distance from the 40 Watt. About half a block from the Courtyard on the other side of Broad St.
http://www.hiexpress.com/hotels/us/en/a ... directions

7. The Graduate (formerly called the Foundry Park Inn). More expensive and further away but still in walking distance. No DBT deals that we know of.
http://graduateathens.com/

8. Have a small group who want to share a place? Try https://www.airbnb.com/ or https://www.vacationrentals.com/ Both sites have options all over Athens. Some are walking distance, some are not.

Where to Park

Parking in downtown Athens can be a pain. The street parking is metered and monitored Monday-Saturday. Metered parking is limited to two hours at a time between 8am and 6pm, and four hours from 6-10pm - after that, it's free until morning, and free on Sundays. There are a few parking decks which will be a lot cheaper in the long run if you plan to spend time downtown during the day. More info here:
http://downtownathensga.org/?page_id=385

A note of caution: Cops in Athens are SERIOUS about DUIs. Do not drink and drive! We have pretty crappy cab companies but they're usually around late night and you can hail one on almost any street. United Taxi Cab is probably your best bet for taxi service (706-549-0808). We also have a thriving Lyft (https://www.lyft.com/) service if you care to try that route.


The Venues
The 40 Watt Club is located at 285 West Washington Street, Athens, GA 30601 so plug that into your GPS when you get to the airport and get your rental car. 

Georgia Theater 215 North Lumpkin St.

Where to Eat
DOWNTOWN (in no particular order):

Taqueria del Sol, 334 Prince Ave. A short walk from the Dazed Inn and the Courtyard Marriott. Cheap Mexican food, but high quality. http://www.taqueriadelsol.com/index.html

The National - 232 W Hancock Ave.
Top shelf sit down eatery with great lunch and excellent dinner + amazing bar. High quality, farm-to-table restaurant for a nice meal or great appetizer. Alton Brown tweeted a couple of months ago that it was one of the best meals he's ever had.
http://www.thenationalrestaurant.com/

The Grit
Within spitting distance of the Courtyard and the Dazed, The Grit is a vegetarian restaurant that offers a super delicious variety of dishes. Veggie people will be in heaven and carnivores will say (at least for this meal) "meat? who needs meat?" Highly recommended is the veggie plate, selected from an ever changing list of daily specials including veggie, casseroles and more. They also do brunch on weekends! Patterson says, "The mondo burrito at Grit is my favorite meal in town. They have good brunch too if you can tolerate the lack of bacon."
http://www.thegrit.com/

Viva! Argentine Cuisine - 247 Prince Ave (in The Bottleworks, close to the Grit)
Latin American style food that's pretty tasty, served by sweet people, and for dessert - amazing cupcakes.
https://www.vivaargentine.com/about-us-1/

Sea Bear Oyster Bar - 297 Prince Ave (in The Bottleworks, close to the Grit & Viva)
You can get several amazing types of fresh oysters and small plates plus great original drinks from the bar.
http://seabearoysterbar.com/

Clocked Diner, 259 W Washington St
Next to Flicker bar. Up the street from the 40 Watt. Burgers, wraps etc. Great if you're running late and need a bite to eat. The early liner-uppers can often be found eating tots in line.
http://www.clockeddiner.com/

The Roof Top bar - 215 N. Lumpkin St
Bar and restaurant at the top of the Georgia Theatre. Nice view of downtown with upscale bar food that's not expensive. You do not need to have tickets to a Georgia Theatre show to eat on the rooftop.
http://www.georgiatheatre.com/rooftop/

Big City Bread - 393 N. Finley St.
Bakery with really good breakfast and a GREAT burger.
http://www.bigcitybreadcafe.com

Little Italy - 125 N. Lumpkin St
No-frills, NY-style pizzeria. Cheap! Really good whole pies, and pizza by the slice ain't bad. Good sandwiches too. Open late.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-It ... 4182893185

Pouch - 151 E Broad St
All PIES, all day long! Savory and sweet pies. Open until 10 or 11pm.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/POUCH/32 ... 88?sk=info


Dawg Gone Good BBQ - 224 W Hancock Ave
Average BBQ and sides, but good for soaking up those whiskey shots! Open late.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dawg-gone-good-bbq-athens

Thai Spoon - 149 N Lumpkin St
Good Thai food that's not too expensive.
http://thaispoonathens.com/

Cozy Yum Yum, 179 N. Jackson St.
More Thai. Craig liked this one
http://cozyyumyum.com/index.html

Ted's Most Best 254 W. Washington (across from the 40 Watt)
Great pizza cooked in a wood fired oven in some unique variations. Salads and appetizers are really good too. Nice Beer selection.
http://www.tedsmostbest.com/index.html

The Grill - 171 College Ave
24-hour diner with good diner food. Try the fries with feta dressing, patty melt, chocolate malt, or choose one of the many vegetarian offerings. Open 24 Hours.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Gril ... 5503539859

Iron Factory - 255 W. Washington (former location of Farm 255)
Right next to Clocked. Korean BBQ where they cook it at your table. Really good!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iron-Fac ... 5978220112

Trappeze Pub - corner of Hull St. and Washington St., not far from the 40 Watt.
Fairly good place to eat and drink. There is an enormous beer menu.
http://trappezepub.com/

Starland Pizza
https://www.starlandpizza.com/
145 E Clayton St,

1000 Faces Coffee
http://www.1000facescoffee.com/
has a new place downtown at 510 N. Thomas St. For your SERIOUS coffee aficionado.

Blind Pig Tavern
http://www.blindpigtavern.com/ (Jenn designed and developed their website!)
312 E Washington St
Blind Pig opened their new downtown location and it has the same great bar food and beer selection as the other locations in town. Do It Yourself Bloody Mary and Mimosa bars on the weekend!



A SHORT DRIVE AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN:

Half Shepherd Market and Cheese Shop. 1238 Prince Ave, Suite B. (706) 850 2955
https://www.halfshepherd.com/. New for 2019

White Tiger Gourmet - 217 Hiawassee Ave.
You’ll need to drive here, but worth it. Excellent food - favorite pulled pork sandwich in town.
http://www.whitetigergourmet.com/

Tlaloc El Mexicano - 1225 N Chase St
A Patterson Hood favorite - amazing Mexican and Latin American dishes. The real deal. Fantastic "Let's Get Drunk!" painting on outside door.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tlaloc-el-mexicano-athens

Bread Basket - 723 Boulevard
You have heard of the random gas station restaurant that blows people away? Here's Athens' version. We call it The Jesus Biscuit for many reasons, but mainly because the biscuits will bring you back from the dead. This is where the band gets breakfast from when they're leaving town - a big bag of biscuits gets delivered to the bus. They don't serve on Sundays, and biscuits run out quick so if you're not an early riser (they're done by 10am), forget it. Lunch is pretty good though.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bread-Ba ... 4275344200

Cali N Tito's - 1427 South Lumpkin Street
(706) 227-9979
Owned by the Caliente Cab folks for those of you that remember, Cali N Tito’s offers affordable and delicious Peruvian/Cuban cuisine in a casual setting. Indoor seating is quite limited, but they usually have space heaters going in their outdoor seating area in the cold months. Favorite dishes include Tacu Tacu (which is not listed on the menu, but is incredibly tasty Afro-Peruvian peasant food) and the Lomo Saltado is out of this world (Rice & Beans with French Fries mixed up inside!). They have a brown-bag license and also serve Inca Cola. Cash only!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cali-n-titos-athens

La Puerta del Sol - 1254 Cedar Shoals Drive
Also owned by the Caliente Cab folks, this place has amazing food and is in a huge airy building with plenty of seating and amazing decorations. Not to be missed if you don't mind a 10 minute drive. Patterson says, "Highly recommend a group going together out to La Puerta... as they'll have an amazing time and meal and it will spark a new annual tradition. It's that good and that fun."
https://www.facebook.com/Cali-n-Titos-E ... 477765690/

Ike and Jane - 1307 Prince Ave
Cute and cool coffee house and bakery with sandwiches, biscuits, soups, salads, and doughnuts. The Elvis doughnut has peanut butter, banana and bacon!
http://www.ikeandjane.com/

Independent Baking Company - 1625 S Lumpkin St
Tiny shop with mind-meltingly good croissants, baguettes, cookies, scones... this is bread made RIGHT. Coffee and espresso also served.
http://www.independentbaking.com/

Just Pho -1063 Baxter Street
Family run Vietnamese eatery with amazing pho and cheap delicious banh mi sandwiches. Such good hangover food!
https://www.facebook.com/justphoandmore/

Hi Lo - 1354 Prince Ave
Bar and lounge with occasional live music and very good bar food, including a stellar (and cheap!) corndog. Part of the new Normaltown revitalization.
http://www.hiloathens.com/

Five and Ten - 1653 South Lumpkin Street Five and Ten combines big-city fine dining with small-town ambiance. Award-winning Chef Hugh Acheson creates innovative dishes using local ingredients. Five and Ten chefs work from a traditional southern foodways background to offer new, exciting Southern cuisine. Reservations are recommended. edit: The restaurant no longer has a chef on duty and reports are that the quality of the food is not what it used to be. Jenn suggest that there are a lot better options.

http://www.fiveandten.com/
(706) 546-7300 TEL

Pulaski Heights BBQ - 675 Pulaski St
It's pretty dang good. Less southern, more cuisine, nice atmosphere. I like the pulled pork sandwich a lot, and the smoked potato salad - it's expensive though, so be prepared. (JENN)
http://www.pulaskiheightsbbq.com/

Zeb Dean's BBQ - 5742 Hwy. 29 N. Danielsville, GA 30633
Fancy a drive through the Georgia countryside? Zeb's brunswick stew and home made desserts are worth the drive. A long time ago some out-of-town bands who played locally would crash on Patterson's floor, and he'd load them into the van on the morning after and take them there for the "pork buzz" hangover cure. Tables are set with sweet tea and white bread. Worthy of a short road trip, for sure.
https://www.facebook.com/Zebs-Bar-B-Q-203930278047/

Food for the Soul - 1965 W. Broad St. Athens, GA 30606
Excellent place for all you can eat soul food buffet. It's a short drive from downtown and is worth it. In terms of hours, you have to get lucky. They have set business hours, but it's hit or miss whether they are actually open or not. Good luck!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Food-for ... 7655353562

1000 Faces Coffee
510 N. Thomas St.
http://www.1000facescoffee.com/
has a new place downtown at For your SERIOUS coffee aficionado.

Blind Pig Tavern
http://www.blindpigtavern.com/ (I designed and developed their website!)
312 E Washington St
Blind Pig opened their new downtown location and it has the same great bar food and beer selection as the other locations in town. Do It Yourself Bloody Mary and Mimosa bars on the weekend!

NOT DOWNTOWN but not far from it:

Five and Ten no longer has a chef on duty. Their food quality has declined in my opinion. Do with that what you will, but I'd take the exuberance down a notch or two (and probably the comparison to The National, because at this time the National blows it out of the water)

Donna Chang's
https://www.donnachangs.com/
1664 S. Lumpkin St. · 706-215-9100
Donna Chang's is open right down from Five and Ten, and it's fantastic. Upscale noodles and foodie reworkings of Americanized Chinese cuisine made with locally and well-sourced ingredients.
https://www.donnachangs.com/
1664 S. Lumpkin St. · 706-215-9100

home.made
https://www.homemadeathens.com/
1072 Baxter Street
home.made is another high quality Athens eatery, with Southern-influenced but refined dishes and great cheese straws!
https://www.homemadeathens.com/
1072 Baxter Street

Big Family Cafe
thebigfamilycafe.com
2467 Jefferson Road Athens, GA. 706-355-3102
If everybody in your party wants something different for breakfast or lunch and you're nonplussd by Mama's Boy as so many of us Athenians are, Big Family Cafe has got your number. "Think California diner. Big Family will make you a scramble, burrito, sandwich, order of pancakes, crepes, huevos rancheros, burger, eggs Benedict and more any time it's open. Everything is made in house, and it shows. The food is genuinely fresh, reliably delicious and has a healthy accent (lots of whole grains). Hot berry cobbler is always available for dessert."

Starland Pizza
https://www.starlandpizza.com/
145 E Clayton St,




Where to Drink

Flicker, 263 W. Washington St.
You’ll definitely find Uncle Rickey there, very close to the 40 Watt, very cheap drink prices and friendly bar tenders
http://www.flickertheatreandbar.com/

Max, 243 W. Washington St.
Also very close to the 40 Watt with great drink prices and friendly folks. Big outdoor area with tables. Tell Dutch that Jenn sent ya and see if he gives you a smack.
https://www.facebook.com/themaxcanada

Cutters Pub, 120 E Clayton St.
Great bar - a drinking bar for you drinking fans, a sports bar for you sports fans, and only a couple of blocks from the 40 Watt.
https://www.facebook.com/CuttersPubAthens/

Manhattan Cafe, 337. N. Hull Street.
If you are at the 40 Watt - Head back up Washington Street towards town. Make left at the next street which is Hull Street - you'll see it on your left...
The Manhattan Cafe is a classic Athens full bar with great prices and selections of beer. Music from a juke box with plenty of bands to keep it loaded and going all afternoon and night. Had my own Three Dimes Down story with this jukebox as it wanted 25 cents....No tvs nice place to chill for a few...
Thanks - Howlinwolf
https://www.facebook.com/Manhattan-Cafe ... 0132107226

Roadhouse, 137 N Lumpkin St
Cool dive bar with an older crowd at happy hour (older being 30s up). They play great music with a lot of DBT (usually).
https://www.facebook.com/RoadhouseDive

The Globe, 199 North Lumpkin Street
14 Draught Beers | 70 Bottled Beers | Over 50 Single Malts
https://www.facebook.com/globe.athens

Hendershot's Coffee Bar, 237 Prince Ave (In The Bottleworks)
Coffee bar with beer, liquor and snacks, and live music sometimes. Great place to chill inside or out with your laptop.
http://hendershotscoffee.com/

World Famous
Pretty good food, bar, live music sometimes. Hip. Right next to the Manhattan Cafe, though not quite as awesome.
https://www.facebook.com/theworldfamousathens

Little Kings, 223 W. Hancock
Large happy bar with big outdoor space. Right next to World Famous, around the corner from the 40 Watt.
http://www.facebook.com/lkshuffleclub

The Old Pal, 1320 Prince Ave
Sophisticated, beautiful bar in Normaltown where they are serious about their cocktails, which are made with seasonal ingredients and housemade syrups, tonics and sodas.
http://www.theoldpal.com/

Breweries

Creature Comforts
A new brewery opened up downtown It's a block north of the 40 watt. The tour schedule and other info can be found here:
http://www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com

Terrapin
which is about a 10 minute drive from downtown but well worth the trip.
http://terrapinbeer.com

The Southern Brewing Company
about 8 miles out
https://www.sobrewco.com/#modern-organic-thai



Licker Store

J's Bottle Shop, 1452 Prince Ave
http://www.yelp.com/biz/js-bottle-shop-athens

Five Points Bottle Shop is a great place to stock up on alcoholic beverages. It has locations in Five Points and West Side.
http://www.fivepointsbottleshop.com

Coffee

Jittery Joe's Coffee (many locations)

Jittery Joe's is an Athens institution. Great coffee and atmosphere. Snacks too.
http://www.jitteryjoes.com/

Hendershot's Coffee Bar, 237 Prince Ave (In The Bottleworks)
If you need coffee but wanna support a local place, Hendershot's is a beautiful coffee shop and bar with live music at times. The have beer, liquor and snacks too.
http://hendershotscoffee.com/


Starbucks, for those of you that need your fix. On the corner of College Ave and East Broad across from the university


COOL ATHENS STUFF:

Nuci’s Space - 396 Oconee Street
You'll probably want to drive. Don't miss the auction on Saturday of Homecoming weekend!
http://www.nuci.org/

Condor Chocolates - 1658 S. Lumpkin St
Chef Peter Dale (of The National) and his brother opened up this chocolate shop recently, importing cocoa beans from their father's home country of Ecuador and making truffles, chocolate bars, etc in an open setting - the entire production process is open and visible to guests, who can sit at the little bar and watch while partaking of their purchases. Jenn says, "If you are a chocolate fan, you MUST visit. I swear to god if I could have the sipping chocolate mainlined into my mouth 24 hours a day I'd do it. That stuff is CRACK."
http://www.condorchocolates.com/

J & J Flea Market - 11661 Hwy 441 North
Georgia's biggest flea market - not likely to be so big if the weather is bad, but if you love junkin', go.
http://www.jandjfleamarket.com/

State Botanical Garden of Georgia - 2450 S. Milledge Ave
One-of-a-kind preserve with trails, a cafe, and a fantastic Tropical Conservatory, Herb & Physic Garden. Total of 313-acre preserve used by the University of Georgia as a horticulture laboratory and open to the public.
http://botgarden.uga.edu/

Community - 119 N. Jackson St
Community is a boutique centered around the concept of sustainability without the sacrifice of style. Lots of great clothing handmade by local designers, vintage clothing, and artisan gifts and such made by locals. Owned by Sanni Baumgartner (who's also the wife of our own Don Chambers), this place has a unique feel and might be of interest to those who like fresh, alternative styles.
http://www.shopcommunityathens.com/



Where to Buy Records

Wuxtry Records, 197 E. Clayton St., easy walk from the 40 Watt
http://wuxtry-records.com/

Low Yo Yo Stuff Records, 261 W. Washington Street

BOOKSTORES

Avid Bookshop - 2 locations: 493 Prince Avenue and 1662 S. Lumpkin St.
Our local bookshop is badass and we love it. Fantastic selection of unique new books, with an incredibly helpful and friendly staff.
http://www.avidbookshop.com/

LOOKIN' GOOD

Washington Square Studio - 251 West Washington Street
Right around the corner from the 40 Watt (behind Clocked) is the coolest little salon in Athens. They are friends and big rock and roll fans up there, and If you happen to need product or to patch up your hair after that late-night drunken escapade with the scissors, be sure to give Washington Square Studio some business.
http://www.washingtonsquarestudio.com/





Pharmacy
Walgreens 110 Hawthorne Ave. corner of West Broad and Hawthorne. A short drive. (706) 543 2951

Horton's Drug Store, 101 E. Clayton St
A little more expensive but it's downtown if you need that band-aid or aspirin RIGHT NOW.

Massage Therapy
Athens Center for Holistic Healthcare and Education - 1731 Meriweather Drive Suite 105, Watkinsville, GA
Ease those aching backs and feet from standing at the Rawk show. Treat yourself to an amazing massage. Located a short drive out of Athens, and well worth the trek. Best massage ever, says Cooleygirl.
http://athenschhe.com/

Hospital

Athens Regional Medical Center
1199 Prince Avenue
(706) 475-7000 ‎
https://www.piedmont.org/locations/piedmont-athens/home

St. Mary's Hospital
1230 Baxter Street
(706) 389-3000
http://www.stmarysathens.com/

Regional First Care (Urgent Care)
http://www.athenshealth.org/rfc

Reddy Care Urgent Care Centers
http://www.reddyurgentcarecenters.com/l ... -downtown/




Breakin' the Law (swiped from the Flagpole guide)

• Smoking: It’s illegal inside any public building (even bars), in public parks and on most parts of the UGA campus.

• Drinking: At a bar and want to sneak a cig outside? Make sure you stay inside the iron railing that delineates a sidewalk cafe from the sidewalk, because open containers are illegal in the public right-of-way, except for the UGA campus on football game days. Last call is 2 a.m. except for Sundays. Bars can’t open on Sundays, but restaurants that also sell food and stores can sell alcohol from 12:30 p.m.-midnight.

• Underage drinking: The cops are not messing around. If you’re under 21 years old and they catch you drinking or with a fake ID, it’s not just a ticket. They will throw you in the paddy wagon (seriously) and take you to jail. Oh, and don’t be that guy who can’t hold his liquor, either. Fighting, urinating in the street and other forms of jackassery are illegal, too.

• Bikes: Bicyclists have to follow the same rules as cars. Aside from that, be polite and be careful (and wear a helmet—it’s not the law, but it can be vital to your health). Also, you can’t ride on the sidewalk unless you’re 12 years old or under, and not even then if you’re downtown. Drivers: You are required to give cyclists a three-foot berth when passing.

• Littering: Don’t. Downtown has trash cans and has receptacles for cigarette butts. Use them. Even better, recycle—there are bins for bottles, cans and paper all over downtown, and your trash pickup provider will come to your house and get your recyclables for free.

• Smile: Cameras mounted downtown are monitored by the police and are recording your every move. Cameras at some main intersections are ready to catch you running a red light.


And Just in case

Image

Image


Last bumped by Jonicont on Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:42 pm.
Always go to the show

Locked