I have mixed feelings about this place. I love the dark dirtiness of it. The horrible bathrooms, the wood bar, the cramped and old venue upstairs. But I wasn't as excited by the drink prices, the crowdedness, the EXTREME lack of parking and the size of the place. I think we were only here once for a dart tournament a couple years ago, and this might be my second time here in eight years of living in ATL. We experienced several things on our visit here...so I will elaborate: Bar experience: We like to sit at the actual bar. This was a good choice, though the booths looked cozy. The place filled up fast, but our bartender was still nice and no attitude from the place...all kinds of folks inside. Did get a little annoying having people order drinks over your head...especially for a weekday. Food experience: Good, but not the best bar grub I've ever had. Kinda pricey. Took quite a while to come out of the kitchen. Show experience: We were here to see "Back Door Slam," a blues band. I loved the creepy feeling of ascending the stairs to the unique venue upstairs. It was small and intimate, yet obviously jammed in a lot of people. We were lucky enough to be invited by some bikers to sit at a coveted table along the side. (thank goodness cause I forgot that there are a million opening bands nowadays, and I was practically asleep by the time Back Door came on.) In any case, the sound was perfect for blues, atmosphere too. Good Stuff. And again, no attitude from anyone...lots of well endowed staff members to the delight of my boy and others in the crowd. Overall, I can't say I will be racing back here before any of my other haunts. But it was a cool place to see a show. read more

I love a good show at Smith's. The sound is always great as is the service. I don't even mind getting my wrist stamped, the remnants being a pleasant reminder of why I have a headache. And I agree with Bobbin - a perch on that step guarantees a good view of the band. Decent bar food . I wouldn't drive across town for the food but it is a convenient one stop evening when you can just get some wings or a burger before the show. Ya gotta watch these guys on school nights. Monday night they started late (of course) and had two openers before the headline, the first of which was a garage band that needed a little more time in the garage. And they brought fans who appeared to be their parents and other family members (and stuck out likeChrist at a cock fight ). Not only should these kids be playing at the party that Muffy had the weekend her parents were out of town and her brother from college scored some acid, but they played for well over an hour. guaranteeing that the headliner would not take the stage until 11:30 or 12. I don't want to sound old but Christ 6:15 comes early in the morning. read more

I finally went to SOB Friday night. Everyone was always amazed that having lived in Atlanta for almost two years that I had never been. I really like this place and plan on going again. I was meeting friends and I was the first to arrive. I grab a spot at the bar and the service was great. As everyone else arrived over time, we hung out near the bar and the party was on. The place filled up nicely with a real eclectic crowd. It caters to all ages and styles - and no one seemed out of place. As others have commented, there are different areas of SOB - pool room, bar area and live music upstairs. A few of us headed upstairs to catch the headline band. While the band was not good, it was still a lot of fun for $10. Really the only downside is It is very smokey. I didn't eat here so I can't comment on the food. Next time you can't decide where to go for a fun evening - head to SOB - you won't be disappointed. read more

I'm probably gonna get creamed for this opinion, but I just think Smith's is okay. First, it has a decent music venue upstairs. It's very clean and has fairly decent sound quality. Second, the food in the bar is not good. I should've known this. I should've dug a little deeper in my research, but I took a chance. Yep, I rolled the dice and I lost. The wait staff is checked out and not very attentive. I ordered the blue and bacon burger. The patty itself was huge, a supposed half pound of meat. I just wish it had tasted good. On this night, someone in the kitchen got a little overzealous with the spices. It was literally intolerable. But I choked down half of it. The fries are the crinkled, frozen kind, but were still tasty with enough ketchup. And just on a side note, I decided not to drink alcohol as I was the driver on this concert outing. So, I decided to have a real cherry Coke. Until now, I thought every bar knew how to make a cherry Coke. Well, Smith's doesn't. I don't know where it went wrong, but it tasted like cherry fizzy water. No bueno. read more

Smoke and grease: two unfortunate olfactory consequences of my recent dining experience at Smith's Olde Bar: my boyfriend and I were craving protein and stopped in for an early evening dinner of burgers and fries. Although I was surprised by the price ($10 for a plain ol' burger?), it was tasty, as were the crinkle cut fries. Our server was also very friendly, and my boyfriend and I enjoyed pondering SOB's eclectic visual qualities, such as its prominently expressed love of Alabama and Pittsburgh football. Yet we non-smokers were very displeased that smoking is allowed, and upon returning home, I was even more unhappy that a greasy odor had apparently permeated my skin and I smelled as if I had been flipping the burgers in the kitchen myself! Unless my boyfriend has a craving for pool and foosball, I don't think we will be returning anytime soon. read more

In my opinion, Smith's is one of the best places to go in Atlanta for chill night .. when you just want to go out for a couple of drinks and maybe a game or two of pool. It doesn't matter if it's on a week night or a weekend, the atmosphere is most always pleasant. .. basically several different areas A Game Room A Room for Dinners The Bar The upstairs music venue (small, but amazingly holds a good number of folks) So, this allows you to choose the area based on your mood.. if you get tired of playing pool, go hang out at the bar! Its nice.. read more

Wow! 47 reviews before me. That's a lot of reviews for this itty bitty hole in the wall place. What else can I add that hasn't already been said before. Anyway, here's my review from an African-American's perspective. I am sure they don't get that many of us in that place, when I went, there were 3 of us in total in attendance (I counted). And the bartender kept remembering my order (do you want another Stella?) - and I thought of course she will, there are just so few of us in here. The venue was a bit on the dingy side, like that hole in the wall strictly for the singer/songwriter artist, but surprisingly the sound quality was really good. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The drinks were reasonably priced, too. So you can get your drink on while listening to live music. I just may go back there. The only caveat - if a place has no visible windows they really shouldn't let people smoke in there. What do you think? read more

The craziest bathrooms I've ever seen. Odd stairs throughout this huge space. Watch your step - I almost bit it twice. I continue to explore locally owned businesses in my neighborhood and this one feels old. I like that. A dizzying amount of posters promoting upcoming bands both upstairs and downstairs. Friendly servers who are really attentive. A wide array of adult games: Bags, Silver Strike, lots of pool tables. It seems to be a hangout for after work crowds. I'm sure I'll be going back to check out the live music. read more

Pros: - surprising 4-star burger. i ordered it to be safe, but it exceeded all my expectations. - poker night M-W. first time i played hold 'em for real (fb doesn't count) and i had a ton of fun. i'm pretty good at it... esp for a girl. - $2 miller high life special. i know it's suppose to be cheap, but it's still the champagne of beer! - $1 pool table. i'm not good at pool, so i can make that dollar go a long way. - cool concerts. they have a lot of good band posters on the walls displaying their impressive resume. i have yet to come for a live show. - good waitress service. mine looked a little like sandra oh, and she was quick and attentive. Cons: - smokey. eww. this new yorker is spoiled with still smelling like roses even after a night out. - very limited parking. risk your luck by parking across the street in the strip mall. that's what i did. read more

Smith's is a great neighborhood bar. They have a large bar area with tables, pool tables, darts, and a big space to hang out. There is typically a DJ there on weekend nights and there are always shows going on in the upstairs room. I saw a Fleetwood Mac cover band here and it was a blast. You should see a show at Smith's if you never have. As far as food goes, Smith's has typical bar food but it's not bad. I enjoy the wings and come here regularly. Definitely a fun place to hang out with any night of the week! read more

Never been! We went (again, thanks to ScoutMob for the prodding) and checked it out. The burgers were good, but it was great to find a place that plays live music that ISN'T in the same old same old places. These guys are within walking distance of the house and also offer team trivia; we had to leave early, but I'd like to return for a longer time and have a group with us so that we can descend en masse. Also, I just wanted to be able to use that term 'en masse'. read more

Me: I wish I could find a bar that didn't charge cover, wasn't pompous or trendy, had good taste in music, was kind of dark and smokey but not like an ashtray. Smith's Olde Bar: Hello? Midtown? Here! Me: You know, it's just that I want cold drinks, pool tables, free darts, and a really good music scene that brought in new artists and some that I've never heard of... along with some cool cover bands. SOB: Yes, Smith's Old Bar is in midtown. Me: No, No. Like, good music! And maybe a foosball table. Yes, definitely a foosball table. And Alabama football stuff. And TVs for sports. And... ya, standard bar fare for the drunken munchies would be nice. SOB: Smith's. Olde. Bar. Seriously. Me: Alright, alright already! Geeze. I'm just sayin'! What about dress? Do I have to fit some sterotype to fit in? Am I going to have to put on hipster garb and act like I know about indie rock to talk to people? Should I put on 3 polos over each other and rock out with my frat? SOB: Come as you are! Just come and enjoy! Everyone fits in... everyone rocks out! Me: I'm F'n THERE! ------------------------- IA great place! I'll admit it looks a little dark and threatening from the street, but park across at Ainsley Mall and walk right in! They'll greet you with a warm smile and a cold beverage! Walk upstairs for an awesomely small (300 people or so) music venue and check out some of the awesome bands they book! read more

Stopped in for the bluegrass brunch last Sunday. I absolutely loved the vibe of the place, my breakfast quesadillas were pretty awesome & the Bloody Mary was decent. Definitely somewhere I'll venture into again on a Sunday or on an evening to hear some live music. May not go right when brunch & the band supposed to start though. The band took a while to get going, then played one song & went on break for 30mins+ to eat breakfast. We got there about 15mins before they were supposed to start, stayed well over an hour & only heard one song. I assume they weren't too concerned bc it was our group of 3 & the bands friends, that they dined with. So perhaps waiting til noon would be a good idea, that way they've had a chance to eat & you can listen to some music while you eat & drink instead of looking hopefully at the stage! read more

Second time here this year a couple of weeks ago and the service from the waitress we had near the bar downstairs was awful! She did not smile , took our drink order, brought our drinks and took our order. NEVER came by our table again! Food runner brought our food and she didn't even come check on us again! I needed mayo and was even looking around for someone! I stood up when we were done and she saw me and finally came over and I said "can I get our check?" Our food was yummy though and the bartenders upstairs for the show were super! read more

In theory, Smith's should be an awesome place to hang: they have a whole room of pool tables, another huge room with tables for hanging out and drinking, another room with just the bar where you can stand around and congregate, plus an upstairs area that somehow reminds me of the Shining in its decor, complete with a semicircle curtained stage where bands play. There is also another nice room available for private parties, or where smaller acoustic acts play on certain nights. All in all, it's quite a nice set up, though for some reason I don't know much of anyone who goes here except on special occasions. The range of bands they get tend to be unknown touring acts and locals, though maybe once every other year someone random will pop up there. And while the rooms downstairs are set up perfect for hanging out, I've never really gotten comfortable here. It seems more like a place where you'd drop in and drop out. Perhaps though if you live closer to this area and have friends who are willing to come along, you could make a really good night of this facility. read more

Can we say, fantastic neighborhood pub and music bar? Celebrated New Years here, attended many a show, and many a drink... Great place. Simple, ATL homestyle fun. Now i'm getting nostalgic..never thought i'd say this... But i'm beginning to miss Atlanta! read more

This is a chill place to come to have a drink but the bartender tonight was a very rude . And that ruined the vibe so I couldn't even get a drink read more

This is the place for live music downtown. I've been here 5 nights a week and have heard a different type of music every night of the week. The weekends are always crowded with a good set of people. Poker on Mon/Tues/Wed and Team Trivia on Thurs so you can't go wrong with things to do! If I had one place to go every night it would be here for the music alone. read more

Once you've been inside for a minute you're probably already addicted to cigarettes. I'd go get a Nicorette prescription stat! It really is that smoky. I hope you're wearing a disposable coat. For a divey bar you'd think the beer prices would be lower, but they're not. You'd think that being in Atlanta they'd have a decent beer list, but they don't. So many better bars in Atlanta (whether you're looking for a dive bar or otherwise) so I'd recommend moving along. Hobnob is right across the street. Go over there to de-smoke yourself. read more

So happy this place is finally a smoke free environment. The last time I was here I saw a great band play with friends. Their grilled chicken salad looked awesome but I decided to split the nachos platter with my friend Melissa. Overall, the customer service is great and you'll find me coming here to see a band play. Been here to experience the bar section area as well. I agree with David K., the staff here is professional and always friendly. Everyone from the door guys to the servers. I'm sure I'll be visiting this bar again. It's a total dive bar but as Heather N. said, it's comfortable. The music is always pretty good here & for a drink or 3, it's a fun place to be on weekends. read more

Based on my handful of experiences at Smith's Olde Bar, I can say that frat boys and their sorority counterparts 10 years later comprise the main demographic. I recently saw Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers play there--you know, the guy from The Refreshments. Guzzling Jack and Cokes helped the too-long show breeze by. Just seeing "Banditos" and leaving would've made the $15 ticket worth every cent. The upstairs women's restroom is suffocatingly small. That night I listened to a lady profess her attraction for Roger Clyne through the shield of her stall, longing to bear his babies. She proceeded to divulge the details of her divorce and efforts since then for self-satisfaction--going on to ask me personal questions far too inappropriate to Yelp about. But I like shows at Smith's. I particularly appreciate the row of chairs that span the back wall as well as the vantage point available from the steps beside the bar. read more

I was at Smith's Olde Bar for my dance studio's event January 3rd. It was a busy night as the Steelers were playing, and the main floor was packed with football fans. The only space available that wasn't reserved was a stool at the bar between two parties. My husband was able to get the bartender's attention, and even though it was a hectic night, she was all smiles and cheery helpfulness. I was impressed with how she not only kept her cool, but she was so friendly, even when calling out to give us our food from the bar. Awesome service. I got a BLT, and it was just as a BLT should be. Crunchy on the outside, mayo on the inside, and not skimping on the B, the L, or the T. (Of course not skimping on the bacon is the most important, but I was glad to have a well balanced sandwich.) Curly fries came with, and they were your standard tasty curly fry. Our event was in the room on the second level. We were packed full with our own bartender and waitress for the whole room. These ladies, too, kept their heads and seemed to do a great job with the crowd. Up in our private room, the cozy atmosphere lent itself to a mounting energy within. Cozy and perfect. Down on the main floor, folks were standing where they couldn't sit to be a part of the Steelers crowd and enjoy the game. If I were a sports girl, I bet it would have been a good time. I got a White Russian (sans vodka) from the bar on the main floor, and yes it's a mild drink, but I loved it. That's all I tried alcohol-wise for the evening, though. Major plus: the women's bathroom I visited was very clean. My only complaint with Smith's is how small the parking lot is and how you usually have to park across the street and the shopping strip, but my husband date dropped me off at the door, and I didn't have to walk far. Great service, divey atmosphere, definitely a place for the locals, and fun for private events. Good BLT, too. :) read more

Been here probably 200 times, mostly for poker but also for trivia and concerts. Its a pretty fun place, but I do have to say Smith's bar food is ridiculously expensive. probably more expensive than any bar I've been to in the entire metro area, from dirty dive bars to high-end classy places. And on top of all of that its really not very good (unless you go on a Thursday when they bring in Fox Brothers BBQ). But really... $13 for a burger? $11 for a basket of dry sliders? $5 for a little basket of tots? Yikes! Drinks are on the high side too, but unlike their food prices, its somewhat comparable with other area bars, and they usually pour them strong. But if none of that matters to you, then don't let me dissuade you from going, you'll likely have a good time! read more

Great local bar!! Great Bar food and all the usual suspects in the beer list. Full liquor bar and very friendly staff. Very very unassuming bar. Come as you are and don't be judged. Numerous leisure sports to choose from. Fooseball, pool, darts, Golden Tee, Ms. Pac Man, etc. Not to mention the venue upstairs for great local and indie talent. read more

I get to music shows here from time to time and although I do sometimes ponder emergency egress other than jumping out the non existent windows, this may very well be one of the best small venues in the city for a wide variety of performers. Typical of many of these places, there's a certain dank... you'll either love or hate depending on your proclivities toward the underbelly of the world of rock music... Recently I was there early enough to eat dinner... HOLY MOTHER OF GOD... I was told in no uncertain terms to order the pimento cheese tots, double fried. OMG OMG OMG. Yeah. Good. And I am not even a tots guy. If your hand got near my tots, i would bite your finger off. No really I shared, but I was growling. The burger was perfectly cooked and loaded with great stuff... Then, off we all went for a night of rocking good times. read more

This place has one of the better line-ups for live music in the city. I've seen some of my favorite bands here. Dangerously hot bar wenches work upstairs so be careful not to leave a mortgage payment as a tip after too many rounds. I have had one negative experience there and it was pretty minor. One of the bartendresses downstairs questioned me as to whether I planned to walk out on my tab after I'd just placed an order. She did this with a straight face, and I do not fit the description of a street person. This is a good place to take a chance on bands you've never heard of. It's not the cheapest cover for upstairs(usually $8-$15) but the acts booked are consistantly entertaining. I'd recommend it as both a regular watering hole and for a special trip from out of town to see good music. _________ 06/14/08 Came back here recently and have come to the conclusion that this place is a bit too pricey for what it is. I mean, $10 for a burger is awfully steep when the Vortex is 5 minutes away. The drink prices are a bit high too. So, good for music...not that great if you're looking for a good deal. read more

One of the absolute best bars in all of Atlanta. A landmark, anchor, historic, culturally rich must-see attraction. Gigs such as Maroon 5, BoB, Cake & Kings of Leon all got their start here! The area around the bar is attractive with high tops & booths, along with a DJ on the weekends. The middle area has tables, booths & holds free buy-in poker a few times a week. The lower area has pool tables, skeeball, darts & a jukebox. You'll also find a photo booth nearby. There are 2 separate music venues inside, the Atlanta room & the concert hall upstairs. Basically, go to Smith's. & ask for James or Dawn! :) read more

I came with with my friend last week and I had the best time. The bartenders are so nice and they make good drinks! They have pool tables and a nice little patio. read more

I had the pulled pork burger here for Fox Bro's night. It was a great deal at $8 for a large pulled pork sandwich which was overflowing with meat. The meat was tender and juicy, probably better than the pulled pork I had at the actual Fox Bro's for some reason. The sides here however are very disappointing. I'm sure they all come from straight out of a box (probably bought at Krogers). but the portions are huge Next time I'm getting the potato salad. At least that might be made in house. But 8 dollars for a delicious pulled pork sandwich... It may be worth it.... read more

Smiths old bar has all of the qualities that make a good bar great, but there are several variables that tremendously hinder the establishments claim as a local hot spot in Atlanta. The interior is spacious, which allows guests to have enough room to stand around and consume some stout concoctions created by the phenomanal bartending staff. Live musical performances at this venue are decent; however, I will give an opinion similar to the one Lauren gave in her accurate observation of the musical talent that performs here on a regular basis: most of them are no talent boobs. More specifically, some of the bands that perform at Smiths Old Bar have the distinct quality of being extremely mediocre in the talent department, or in worst case scenarios having no talent what so ever. I know it may be hard for the management to tell a certain band that they are not good enough to play because of the potential for the bands family and friends in attendance to bring business to Smith's; but for Pete's sake, at least listen to the band before you allow them to go on stage. The other quality that diminishes the great bar potential that Smith's could embrace is the pool tables. Sure, there is a whole room dedicated to an abundance of pool tables; however, every time I have been here there is always a group of meat heads hogging every single one of them. Why can't they just be nice meat heads and share every once in a while? It's not my fault they are pissed about getting rejected by girls over and over again because their shirt is way too tight. read more

Sunday's during NFL season this place is a Steelers bar so my review is going to be about Smith's for watching the Steelers game haven't been there for any bands or anything. I've been to Smith's Olde Bar for two Steelers games and while the atmosphere is amazing (like being at the game) the seating sucks. When you get there almost every table is reserved. You try to call and reserve a table and they tell you only the fans who have been here the longest can reserve a table. Turns out you have to be apart of this club in order to reserve a table and you can't be in the club unless one of the members doesn't pay their dues. So, when/if you go there, you have to get there many hours before the game even to score one of the 3 not reserved tables. I guess the plus side to the reserved tables is there will always be a crowd there just no where to set your food or drinks. Btw, the wings were awesome. Probably won't go back for another Steelers game because of the amount of time you have to devote in order to find a seat. read more

I like Smith's because it's a "take it for what it is, no frills" kind of place. Most recently, we went here to see the Rebirth Brass Band ($20 cover) upstairs. It gets super hot during shows, which really makes me appreciate the fact that the upstairs is non-smoking. There's a full bar (that doesn't cost an arm and leg) to keep you refreshed. We stood in the front, near the speakers, and my ears were ringing until the next morning. Next time, I'll definitely stand closer to the back because I would love to go home with my hearing. Dignity first, hearing second. We always park across the street (in the shopping center), and have never had a problem. If you're looking for a fun night with a group of friends, then Smith's will give you just that! read more

Came here for bluegrass brunch and sat at the bar. Good tunes, spicy bloody marys, mediocre food. Divey place with no frills. Not much parking, so I utilized the open spaces in the Publix lot. read more

This traditional old bar has everything it should, from friendly bar tenders, to cheerful crowd, to cheaper drinks, to live music, to pool tables. There have been nights where I can't decide what I want to do and end up driving from midtown back to Buckhead or Buckhead to the highlands or something like that. Luckily!! Smiths Olde Bar is located right off Piedmont Road in between it all. So whenever I pass it, whether it is a Tuesday or a Saturday, I slam the breaks, u-turn it, and end up at Smith's drinking beers, playing pool, seeing some band that I've never heard of play, and giving Elvis hugs (I vaguely remember this, but apparently there was a man dressed up like Elvis for no reason at all and I decided to jump his back)!! I've seen live bands here too...one in particular were these two brothers on tour from Austin, Texas who played guitars like I've never seen before. They were absolutely incredible. My roommate had heard of them and took me to see them. We were the youngest by far and the most energetic during that concert. We danced in front of everyone and tour up the dance floor with our salsa skills. We got drinks bought for us by everyone, and at the end we got to meet the two guitar playing brothers. It was the best time. Smith's Olde Bar is a perfect place to throw back a few with the bands. Oh, and pool tables! Nothing is better than a night of pool when you can't agree on something to do, and there are always people willing to play here. That, and foosball, which is free! The reason why I take one star away is that you REEK of smoke after 5 minutes in here. read more

I love Smith's Olde Bar - the first time I went was just about a year ago on NYE to see a couple friend's bands play. I haven't hung out downstairs too much, although once before a show we all had some grubby grub while sitting in the booths down there. The food wasn't half bad - typical bar food really, but they had a couple vegetarian options which is definitely a-typical for bars. My only complain really has nothing to do with the Olde Bar itself - because it's upstairs and the room is fairly small in size, it gets EXTREMELY smokey. I mean, establishments should really be able to chose for themselves whether to allow smoking or not, but it'd be nice if they would chose not. I know, I'm living in a dream world. read more

I really rate it a 3.5 Good food. Good drinks/drink specials - especially beer. Reasonably priced. Good customer service. Poor parking! Theres a lot to do at this bar...poker, pool, darts & live music to name a few. I went in the day time so the upstairs (live music area) was not yet open but I overheard a girl taking about her performance there later. I liked Smiths. It's pretty dark inside & my table was off balance but it felt like an old college bar thats been in the neighborhood for years minus the college aged chaos. I will definitely return! My server recommended an Angus beef burger since it was my first time & that is their specialty & believe me you will not be disappointed. It was juicy & grilled to perfection & they have curly fries! Next time I visit, I'll have to try their wings... The only downside to this bar is the parking. It's small, easily missed & shared by some other businesses so it fills up quickly. There is also very little space to maneuver. Most people have to park in the mall lot across the street & walk over. All in all, cool hangout spot to add to your roster. The staff engages customers in conversion & the customers were friendly too. read more

This is a great spot to get casually drunk. There's $5 pitchers of Blue Moon on Mondays and the people here are always friendly. It looks like a tiny hole in the wall from the outside, but it actually huge on the inside. There's 4 pool tables, a main bar area, and 2 concert venues. Last time I was here, one of the pool tables was malfunctioning and letting us play for free all night. read more

Smith's Olde Bar - Bars Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

As other people have noted, drink prices are too high (4.50 for a Sweetwater? I mean, you'd think that with the brewery 2 miles down the street that it wouldn't cost that much for distribution), it's a little dark and you have to take your chances for parking at Ansley Mall. But the two shows I've seen here have been great. read more

With the addition of Robin, our favorite former Big Tex manager, to the staff, everything from the service to the food is so much better. Also, as many have pointed out, the live music space upstairs is awesome--on the smaller side yes, but that allows you to experience the performers on a more personal level. Last time I saw a show the singer did a meet & greet afterwards and we got a pic with him. read more

I absolutely love coming here for a live show. Being a native New Orleanian, I find that this is the best place to enjoy live music from home as they seem to host bands from New Orleans quite regularly. The upstairs space can get crowded but it's a lot of fun. I don't know much about the food but it looks good!! read more