Dark, divey and perfect for cheap drinks is right. When my friends and I aren't in the mood for a wilder night of standing in lines and being bumped into, we head to Atomic where we can sit by the jukebox and every once in a while stumble over to play a game. Laid back, no pent up sexual frustration, lots of cold beers. It's a dive bar fiend's heaven. read more

I came here for drinks because we moved to the neighbourhood recently and wanted to check it out. I'm usually ok with divey places, but this one was uninviting and kinda gross. The crowd was odd and I wasn't a fan of my cocktail. Maybe if I were wasted and played pool it would be ok. read more

Some people might count a dark, dank basement as a negative, but those people are wrong. And stupid. I like to think that their own lives are punishment enough; living on the surface, the brutal, oppressive sun beating down on their healthy, ruddy skin. They will never know the joys of the subterranean lifestyle. They will never brush shoulders with mole people or narrowly escape being devoured by CHUDs. And they will be worse people for that. Luckily, the chosen few at Atomic Billiards need not share our space with such droll patricians. And we will revel in the wide array of beers and the specials that change daily. We will never let them in on the secrets of free darts and board games, and they will certainly never get the opportunity to be served a Strongbow the way it was meant to be enjoyed: in a glass with ice. We will do all we can to keep the arcane mysteries of friendly bartenders for whom a conversation is not a labor to be endured safe from those for whom eyesight is not a vestigial remnant of life on the surface. But most of all, we will guard the secret of the best jukebox in DC from their well manicured topside hands, for they do not deserve to play selections from the only jukebox in the city - maybe the world - that has the Dead Milkmen on it. We will keep these secrets safe, we will stand strong against outsiders. We will keep the faith. read more

I love Atomic Billiards. I'm personally not a huge drinker and I never care about drink costs or what's on special. Everytime I'm here, I make new friends. I love shuffleboard. But most of all, I love Stuart, Rich and Justin. heh heh heh.... read more

Yay for Atomic Billiards for being so close to our apartment! Great place to hang out with the girls after dinner.

This place is the bomb. Conveniently located so I often stop on the way home from work. Cheap (get a membership, pays for itself quickly), great staff, good vibes. Average nights it's about a third regulars, but mostly folks I've never seen before. Five pool tables, and wait time is typically short if not zero, though more of a toss up Fridays and Saturdays. Pretty relaxed on the pool front, a lot of folks go to practice alone, but are usually happy to play a few games if you ask. There's also shuffleboard and darts if that's your shtick. read more

Atomic might be my favorite bar in DC. Its dark, casual, not full on douche bags, and has a wealth of board games available to patrons. They have table top shuffle board (super fun!) and pool tables by the hour, at a discount if you have a membership there for a small annual fee. The staff here has never been anything but quick, polite and really welcoming. Not alot of seating, no food, and no pretension translates into my favorite dive bar in DC. read more

Finally visited this place after passing by it for 4 years. No wait time for a table and there was maybe 10 people in total on a Weds night. No frills kinda bar, but I will say the atmosphere was a bit...stuffy? I think this place is okay if you're playing a game with some great company. Place is dated but clean. read more

cheap beer if you get the deal. cheap pool deal on wednesdays (i think it's wednesdays). spacious enough for ppl who are serious about pool. not loud, but lively enough. they allow you to bring food in. bartender talks to you. all-around good place to chill. qualification: "cheap" means cheap for DC standards. read more

Love this place. 5 Stars for being one of my favorite bars in DC. Great dive in Cleveland Park with excellent beer selection and pool tables galore! Plus, wonderful bartenders who take great care of both their (many) regulars and the occasional stop-in. Atomic has this great quality where you feel as though it's a serious pool scene, but you can totally come in and play a casual game. You pay based on the amount of time you use the table. There are also some fairly addictive arcade games! No kitchen here, but they let you bring in whatever food you want, which is actually really awesome! read more

My friend and I stopped by to see Cori who I had spoken to on the phone previously. Was a little nervous when we walked in but within about 5- 7 minutes some regulars moved over and invited is to join them at the bar. Chatted with most of the people there, everyone was friendly and made you feel welcome. Played some pool with one of the regulars- he even let me win one game!! Great service from Cori and perfectly made drinks. Parking was a little hectic but the atmosphere of the bar was worth it. Thanks again Cori for a great time!! read more

The same guys who own and operate the 16 football fields./expansive Buffalo Billiards run this place. I much prefer this spot. Firstly because it's smaller and not in the crush of the DuPont crowd and secondly because it's a fun place to shoot some pool after catching a flick at the Uptown or eating sushi at Spices or getting your wino on at Bardeo. I also always run into someone or someones that I know here and there's something to be said for going to a place where youll see familiar faces. It's also down a set stairs, so it's got that going for it, which is nice. read more

Fun little semi-hidden place not too far from my new pad that reminds me of dive bars back in Austin. Great jukebox with lots of '90s grunge/alternative stuff, though I could barely hear it. I was there around Halloween and played Shuffleboard right next to Michael Jackson! read more

While I haven't been to Atomic in some time, I feel I should pay homage to the place, seeing as I spent the better part of summer 2007 getting off of work and bounding down that dingy staircase like a kid let loose at recess. I make it in now for the occasional drink and remember the days when I didn't care about a full night of sleep...... Atomic has everything - 6 or so pool tables, couches, board games, music, TV, 2 recently added shuffle board tables, oh and booze. The bartenders are great - Rich is funny and fast (always remembers to read the quotes on the Magic Hat #9 caps) and there is a South African guy whose name escapes me at the moment who is ever so patient. I've lost terribly at pool here, played drunken boggle, danced, laughed, celebrated birthdays, and occasionally fallen asleep on the couch by the door.... Atomic is not gourmet (though they have pretty good potato chips); there are not specialty cocktails (unless you count the Yager keg); it is not a romantic hot spot (though the couple I walked in on in the bathroom once seemed to think so). It is however, a place that I have countless memories from and a spot that will always feel like home. All in all, Atomic is my favorite place in DC to make poor life decisions and it has never made me apologize for any of them. read more

I like this place - it reminds me of Michigan basements without all the chachkis and other crap on the walls. The vibe is laid back and usually not overcrowded. The bouncers and bartenders are always really friendly and they have a decent selection of beers. And, on occasion, you'll get some promo girls that come through....for example, when Miller Chill was coming out, the Miller Chill girls were there handing out prizes and samples. I could have done without the sample (Miller Chill=not good) but we came home with some beer condoms (a.k.a. coozies) which was a nice bonus. read more

This is a great little pool/shuffleboard/dart bar in Cleveland Park. It's small, but well run. They keep the sign up list for pool and shuffleboard tables moving. A really nice draft list, plus a full bar and even on non-special nights, the prices are fair. The dart area can get crowded, since it's right by the bathrooms. They have a jukebox with a decent selection and several TVs by the bar. It's a very casual, laid back crowd. read more

Nice beer selection, and reasonably priced. It's a chill place-never too packed, but never completely empty. Bartenders are pretty friendly, and they have darts, pool, and shuffleboard. Another huge plus is that they allow you to bring in food from outside. Since I neither live no work near Cleveland Park, the only way I can ever have pizza from Vace is to bring it to Atomic Billiards. So I recommend everyone go pick up a slice of above-average pizza, take it to Atomic Billiards where you can wash it down with a Guinness or your drink of choice, play some songs on the jukebox, then throw some darts, and you've got yourself a pretty great evening. read more

Probably my favorite neighborhood bar. So laid back...It's like hanging out in someone's rec room. The bartenders are always on top of things, and it never gets too crowded. The jukebox is stocked with a great mix of random tunes, and there is always something to do. In addition to the standard darts, pool, and now shuffleboard (very fun and easy to learn, by the way), they even have games like Battleship and Connect Four, which everyone knows are much more fun to play while knocking back a few Guinness. Who says kids get to have all the fun? read more

Great neighborhood bar in the Cleveland Park area!

This is a fun, casual place that's kind of hidden since it's below-ground. But well worth a visit, and the jukebox is fantastic--lots of classic 80s, 90s rock as well as other radio favorites. It's also open late, so you can come here to shoot some pool after a movie or after eating at Spices or Indique or even Four Provinces/Four Peaks. read more

Confession: I'm a snob. I like shee shee things and fabu places. And so I don't like Atomic. My friends dragged me down here after dinner at Ardeo and I was so annoyed. It's smoky. And in a basement. But not in a cool, hip basement way. Just like being in a dank, smoky basement kinda way. Went here once before to play pool with the ex..so it's okay. But Babe's in Tenleytown was about oh, 100 million times better. read more

Atomic? More like atomic wedgie! Because that's what it feels like walking into this bar. If you're not a "regular" (trust me, you don't want to be) don't come here. They're mean and rude. And kind of gross. I suggest Cleveland park bar and grill right next door if you are looking for somewhere to drink. read more

The jukebox is in need of some re-stocking, but that is offset by the fact that they have shuffleboard. I believe this bar may be a smokeasy. read more

This is a great neighborhood bar. I used to come here all the time when I lived in the neighborhood. Even now that I love across town it is still worth the trip. Atomic has some of the friendliest bartenders around. It is great at night, but it is even better right after work. Stop in when they open and have the run of any of the pool tables, shuffleboards, or dartboards. And if you play your cards right they might even laminate something for you...you can never have enough laminated things. read more

Atomic Billiards - Laminated coasters. Because when the bartender has the laminating machine out, anything is fair game. - Pool Halls Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is a staple for me - particularly during the week. Sundays are also a cool option, since Sunday is ladies pool night! Some of the drink prices can be steep, but that's pretty standard for a bar inside the city. I haven't tried food (don't even know if they offer food, but I doubt it), but the drinks are always good - and strong! There's a number of pool tables, so the wait to play is usually pretty short, unless you're going on a Saturday night. My favorite part of this bar is that the guys seem to be pretty respectful of the girls. If I'm out and about with a large group, chances are I'm not on the prowl, and I probably won't appreciate the line - whatever it is. And the guys here seem to respect that. Definitely a plus. read more

Great happy hour from 4-8 daily with awesome drink specials. They also have Shiner Bock bottles which is pretty cool to find some Texas love on the east coast. Love the shuffleboard setup. Pretty chill early in the evening and afternoon but can escalate in crowdedness late night. read more

Atomic used to be pretty gross and sketchy but recently, something's have changed and it's much more welcoming and clean. I suspect they have a new manager who's whipped everything into shape. It's a great dive with fantastic happy hours and fun games! read more

I'm pretty sure it's in the same family as Rocket Bar and Buffalo Billiards, but much smaller than any of them. This place seems to be much more focused on being the billiard hall of the 3 - there's a lot less room to stand around and socialize here. They have a wide variety of brews, which is nice, but they aren't necessarily cheap, which isn't nice. The size of the place is problematic for the lighting as well because the flourescents over the pool tables fill the room and make you feel like you're hanging out in some mortuary with psychadelic paint all over the walls. D/Won't go out of my way to go here, and will def go elsewhere in CP if given the choice, like, say, CP's? read more

I learned to play pool in graduate school and it was something I did at a place in my little college town where there were cheap drinks and a lot of pool tables so even on a Friday night you didn't have to wait too long for a table. Now I have found this place in DC that brings back those wonderful memories. Cheap drinks- we came on a Monday night where there were $4 beers and well drinks. Just because the drinks were cheap doesn't mean that they weren't strong. I had 3 7&7's and they were very strong. The bf loved $4 Fat Tire drafts. The bartender is really nice and this has become a regular spot for us. read more

Hands down my favorite bar in DC. Laid back - feels like your best friend's basement. Friendly, competent bartenders. Games. Good jukebox. Perfect. read more

I recommended this spot for my husband because he loves to play pool. The bartender (female Server #10, wish I knew her name) was rude and overcharged him. This was happy hour on Thurs 9/11/14. We won't return because bad customer service is unacceptable. read more

Atomic is chill. It's roomy for such a small place, and i've never had trouble getting a table. Great place to go after dinner. Really like the retro vibe, too. Only wish that they served food in addition to the bar! read more

Great place to unwind after work with some friends. Didn't try their food, but the beer and drinks were served well, the music was good, and they have enough toys to keep my ADD at bay. The bartender was fast and polite. read more

Went on a friday night around 5 with a friend I hadn't seen since college. Definitely a chill, laid back vibe. The bartender was nice and attentive. Parking was a nightmare but that's to be expected. They had music playing but it wasn't so noisy that we couldn't have a conversation. We played pool which is pay-by-the-hour. Overall it was a good experience. read more

Great place to chill at if you're looking for a low-key bar to just hang out in. I love places where you can play all kinds of games. A nice bar and options of pool, darts, shuffleboard and board games = awesome! They're also pretty cool about you bringing in food to eat while you're there. read more

I love Atomic much better now that no one can smoke in there!! When that law hadn't come into effect yet, I just hated being trapped in the basement with everyone's yucky smoke... Now that it's breathable, I love going to Atomic on a week night and hanging out with some friends and great games like uno, darts, and even shuffle boards. Rich, our bartender, was very friendly, and seemed to know all the neighborhood regulars. Good beer selection and inventive cocktail list, too. Wish I had a bar like this around the corner from my house. :) read more

This is a great local bar in the Cleveland Park area. We've never had to wait long for a pool table, even late on a Saturday night. Staff is friendly and they have a good number of beer options. It can get a bit crowded and loud like any bar and they don't serve food which tends to make us leave earlier than we would if they did have a kitchen. Overall, we'll definitely go again because it's convenient, but there are better options in DC if you're willing to go to other areas. read more

I've been in here a couple of times over the years and it seemed like a fun place to play pool and hang out but since I've been back in the area they've been placing a bouncer outside the door and in the sidewalk which is quite narrow. Their new guy seems to be a bit aggressive (this is not an area where these kinds of displays are necessary to control anything). As I walked up tonight he was attempting to square off with a patron who fortunately didn't take the bait. He then excitedly told me that my temporary license, despite being backed up by photo ID was not acceptable (I'm well into middle age and look it, so I'm not sure what scheme he thought I was up to.) There are many other nicer bars within a few yards so unless you're intent on pool, no need to bother. Most importantly, as a resident of this neighborhood, i am concerned that any local business would post an aggressive individual on a sidewalk in a quiet neighborhood. We don't need someone provoking situations that put anyone in danger. read more

Atomic Billiards is one of DC's better dive bars. It's generally not too crowded, the drinks are good and cheap, and the bartenders are extremely friendly. It's one of the few good bars north of Woodley Park on the West Side of Rock Creek Park. Additionally, for a dive bar, the beer selection is good, and usually includes a Bell's, a Great Lakes, and a selection of higher-end generic beers (such as Yuengling and Sam Adams). There's no food, but they keep several binders full of menus from nearby restaurants that deliver. They often don't have the ingredients for fancier drinks. Great place for host an after-work happy hour and just generally have a good time. read more

We had a good time here. There's not much for atmosphere, but they try. We went early enough on a Saturday and got to have some leisurely games of pool and darts. It really got busy around 9:30-10:00 and the crowd of people became kind of inhibiting if you were trying to play a game. Decent beer selection. Dominion Root Beer was really good, but would have been nice if they had more of a selection for people who don't/can't drink. They don't serve food, but it's my understanding that they allow outside food, plus there are lots of restaurant options very nearby. read more