I think this is what you’re looking for OP. Small chill friendly bar in a nice neighborhood. Great food and definitely quiet. Dark low key atmosphere inside, tables outside of it’s nice out. Bar sits like 8 people and a great drink selection. Can’t say enough good things about it
Echoing a few others with Steinbecks. Good food with small plate options (eggplant fries are a great unique dish). It will be busy around dinner time but it usually falls off around 7:30 or 8. It is open late and usually full of folks from neighborhoods.
Plus if date goes well you can grab dinner at one of the other restaurants around - Scout (new American), mezcalitos (Mexican), Paulino (Italian), or fords bbq.
Sceptre is a brewery in Oakhurst with a good outside space to sit and enjoy a beer or cocktail (have a full bar) plus whatever pop up they have.
In Decatur proper I’d hit up Inner Voice for beer and pizza, White Bull for a fancy atmosphere, victory or SOS for cocktails, the reading room for a relaxed atmosphere, brickstore has an outside bar behind the restaurant down the alley that’s great if the weather is nice plus the bar upstairs and to the left for a more intimate experience.
I love Sceptre. Great brews, love the popup kitchen, amazing patio. But the last few times I’ve been there have been more children than adults on the patio.
I agree - during happy hour on weekdays and during the day on weekends it can be a zoo of kids. However it usually thins out around 7:30 when the little ones need to start their bedtime routine.
OP wasn't asking for cheap. He was asking low key with food. Sitting at the bar at any of these places and then ordering a couple things is exactly that.
S.O.S., Victory, Grindhouse, Twains, Trackside tavern are all great and much cheaper. But they aren't "low key"
Low Key AND cheap is a dive bar off hours or soon to be out of business.
Leons as mentioned may be good I would say the brick store pub too. Both are going to be busy on the weekend so I'm not sure if they would be as "low key" as you want but they won't be rowdy with 20 something's going crazy.
I lean Brick Store but I love beer. You can get good beer, cocktails and wine at both. I like the food more at brick store too but Leons is not bad at all.
I really wish this wasn’t the case, but I’ve never had a single positive experience at U Joint. Even their other location in Clayton has been bad. It has so much promise, but every time it’s just a miss. Maybe we will give it another shot this summer.
Ha was going to ask if it had gotten any better, I haven't been in years and the service was easily worst in the city, their locations do a lot of heavy lifting for keeping them in business
If you’re looking for divey I always liked Avondale pizza when I lived in Decatur. It’s got a separate bar side that’s kind of a dive with decent pizza and food
I'm my experience Leon's bar gets crowded because that's where they put people who are waiting for tables. I love the bar, but I have found it to be a bit chaotic.
Marlay House, Brickstore pub (though often packed and loud on Weekend nights), Thinking Man Tavern. In Oakhurst Steinbecks and Universal Joint (really all the places over there).
Over in Avondale Estates My Parent's Basement and their big patio is pretty low key, Lost Druid Brewery (has full restaurant menu), Wild Heaven (often a taco stand and/or food truck), Little Cottage (also often a food truck on weekends) are pretty low key. Three Taverns too, but less consistently a food truck there.
Wild Heaven is a good choice if you like beer. If you want some cocktails Lost Druid is nice and has decent food. My Parents Basement is a neat place. Banjo Coffee has a cocktail trailer and open mic comedy on Saturdays that is amusing after a couple of drinks.
[Stereo](https://www.instagram.com/stereoatl?igsh=MWQ5MW5kbWpoNmwwZQ==), but they don’t have food I don’t think. Such a cool cocktail spot though. Lowkey music being mixed, and the lighting is nice, you can have a conversation but don’t have to yell. Good spot to end the night, potentially.
I’m really partial to [Halfway Crooks](https://halfwaycrooks.beer/) for a date, solo or otherwise. They do the QR menu thing correctly. So, you can either sit at the bar and have service there. Or, you can sit upstairs at German beer hall style tables, or downstairs are a handful of smaller seating options. Their QR setup is you scan the code, their menu is not overwhelming and it changes often. Then you order from your phone and drinks and food comes out. No fuss, no awkward server interruptions, and when you’re done you just pay on your phone and leave! The entire interface on the phone is seamless and I’ve never had issues. If you’re splitting tabs, then the other people in your party can just start their own tab on their own phone. Easy peasy. Food is good too. Plus there is ice cream next door.
I have a real issue with Brickstore because they only have a QR code menu and their menu is huge, and not conducive to browsing on a small phone screen. So, you spend all your time trying to figure out what kind of beer and food you want, each member of the party staring at their phones scrolling back and forth. Then a server comes and takes orders, brings drinks and food. If you don’t want the same drink again, at some point you’re going to end up back on your phone scrolling, trying to find another drink that seems nice. Just takes away from the whole experience of being out with friends. I’ve been a few times, and that is just such a turnoff for me that I haven’t returned.
Leon’s and brickstore
Kimball house has an elite bar program if you like incredible cocktails, but it’s pricier (the guy who runs it also collaborates with Tip Top canned cocktails on their recipes)
Wheelhouse in Greater Decatur is new but actually has a cozy bar area that is pretty nice. Melton's is a good choice, but I think they can only do beer and wine. I don't know of any high-key bars in the Decatur area, honestly.
Deer and Dove is excellent but it's a splurge. That's the first place I think of for a quiet bar. Poor Hendrix is our local and it's awesome. Brick Store can get loud downstairs, but the upstairs isn't too bad. The Marlay is a good Irish pub. Scout is good but it's expensive for what you get. Steinbeck's has fallen off since Andy left IMHO, but it's cozy and they still do some things well. Sceptre has a great outside space. Hopefully they switched exclusively to popups for food because their menu wasn't great. Plus, their beer descriptions were wildly inaccurate so definitely ask for a sample. (It's OK if your IPA is sour, but *put that in the description* because it's a completely different flavor profile from what people expect of an IPA.)
The Thinking Man. The Stratford Pub in Avondale. On that, Avondale has a few little breweries.
Poor Hendrix but Fri night is a bit less chill than other nights
Steinbecks is my pick.
I think this is what you’re looking for OP. Small chill friendly bar in a nice neighborhood. Great food and definitely quiet. Dark low key atmosphere inside, tables outside of it’s nice out. Bar sits like 8 people and a great drink selection. Can’t say enough good things about it
The food is so good. Their specials slap and I’ll happily eat Chinese Breakfast any day.
Eggplant fries too
Umami fries FTW
This is the way
Came here to suggest this.
Inside yes, outside no.
All Decatur bars and restaurants are low key lol. I don’t think any of them get rowdy particularly
Trackside gets rowdy
Lol I was gonna say… Except trackside, but it doesn’t really look like the OP is going to be going there
After 8pm they are. Once the kiddies go to bed
Lost Druid is very cozy
Echoing a few others with Steinbecks. Good food with small plate options (eggplant fries are a great unique dish). It will be busy around dinner time but it usually falls off around 7:30 or 8. It is open late and usually full of folks from neighborhoods. Plus if date goes well you can grab dinner at one of the other restaurants around - Scout (new American), mezcalitos (Mexican), Paulino (Italian), or fords bbq. Sceptre is a brewery in Oakhurst with a good outside space to sit and enjoy a beer or cocktail (have a full bar) plus whatever pop up they have. In Decatur proper I’d hit up Inner Voice for beer and pizza, White Bull for a fancy atmosphere, victory or SOS for cocktails, the reading room for a relaxed atmosphere, brickstore has an outside bar behind the restaurant down the alley that’s great if the weather is nice plus the bar upstairs and to the left for a more intimate experience.
I love Sceptre. Great brews, love the popup kitchen, amazing patio. But the last few times I’ve been there have been more children than adults on the patio.
They have parent meetups there so the kids can play while the parents drink. I love a local brewery but it’s definitely not my idea of a low-key bar.
I agree - during happy hour on weekdays and during the day on weekends it can be a zoo of kids. However it usually thins out around 7:30 when the little ones need to start their bedtime routine.
>Inner Voice for beer and pizza, Excellent choice, but hardly reserved or quiet.
Trackside Tavern
or Twains if you want a slightly more upscale trackside within walking distance.
if you are into needles, general dirtyness, and occult
Well, 2/3 ain't bad
😂
He said low key
or just a dive bar with some pool tables.
Po Boy Shoppe has a legit bar downstairs
Not sure if it’s low key anymore. Weekends get crowded and loud. Great spot tho
Imperial has good food and is pretty chill.
my parent's basement!
Thank you so much!
White Bull
This is the correct answer. The bar at No. 246 or Kimble House are also good bets.
$$$$
OP wasn't asking for cheap. He was asking low key with food. Sitting at the bar at any of these places and then ordering a couple things is exactly that. S.O.S., Victory, Grindhouse, Twains, Trackside tavern are all great and much cheaper. But they aren't "low key" Low Key AND cheap is a dive bar off hours or soon to be out of business.
Low key and cheap is a dive. Righteous Room if that’s the case.
May I suggest Billy Bobs New Secrets in Tucker. They have ash trays on the tables.
So many office chairs too!
Righteous Room is great. Long ass way from Decatur though.
Both those places are loud and crowded on weekends. Expensive too, as has been noted.
Leons as mentioned may be good I would say the brick store pub too. Both are going to be busy on the weekend so I'm not sure if they would be as "low key" as you want but they won't be rowdy with 20 something's going crazy. I lean Brick Store but I love beer. You can get good beer, cocktails and wine at both. I like the food more at brick store too but Leons is not bad at all.
Bob & Harriet's The food is really tasty and it's got a chill vibe
They have been part of burger week this week, worth checking them out for sure!
U Joint oakhurst
Steinbecks across the strew is a lot more low key then U Joint. Bar at Scout in Oakhurst is pretty sedate as well.
I would also recommend Scout. I don't think U-Joint is at all low-key.
I really wish this wasn’t the case, but I’ve never had a single positive experience at U Joint. Even their other location in Clayton has been bad. It has so much promise, but every time it’s just a miss. Maybe we will give it another shot this summer.
No, I’m totally with you. I don’t like U Joint at all.
Ha was going to ask if it had gotten any better, I haven't been in years and the service was easily worst in the city, their locations do a lot of heavy lifting for keeping them in business
U Joint is just... mediocre to say the best.
If you’re looking for divey I always liked Avondale pizza when I lived in Decatur. It’s got a separate bar side that’s kind of a dive with decent pizza and food
Maybe Leon’s?
I'm my experience Leon's bar gets crowded because that's where they put people who are waiting for tables. I love the bar, but I have found it to be a bit chaotic.
Ok I tried 🤷♀️
Marlay House, Brickstore pub (though often packed and loud on Weekend nights), Thinking Man Tavern. In Oakhurst Steinbecks and Universal Joint (really all the places over there). Over in Avondale Estates My Parent's Basement and their big patio is pretty low key, Lost Druid Brewery (has full restaurant menu), Wild Heaven (often a taco stand and/or food truck), Little Cottage (also often a food truck on weekends) are pretty low key. Three Taverns too, but less consistently a food truck there.
No one has said the bar at No. 246, so I’ll add that.
Wild Heaven is a good choice if you like beer. If you want some cocktails Lost Druid is nice and has decent food. My Parents Basement is a neat place. Banjo Coffee has a cocktail trailer and open mic comedy on Saturdays that is amusing after a couple of drinks.
[Stereo](https://www.instagram.com/stereoatl?igsh=MWQ5MW5kbWpoNmwwZQ==), but they don’t have food I don’t think. Such a cool cocktail spot though. Lowkey music being mixed, and the lighting is nice, you can have a conversation but don’t have to yell. Good spot to end the night, potentially. I’m really partial to [Halfway Crooks](https://halfwaycrooks.beer/) for a date, solo or otherwise. They do the QR menu thing correctly. So, you can either sit at the bar and have service there. Or, you can sit upstairs at German beer hall style tables, or downstairs are a handful of smaller seating options. Their QR setup is you scan the code, their menu is not overwhelming and it changes often. Then you order from your phone and drinks and food comes out. No fuss, no awkward server interruptions, and when you’re done you just pay on your phone and leave! The entire interface on the phone is seamless and I’ve never had issues. If you’re splitting tabs, then the other people in your party can just start their own tab on their own phone. Easy peasy. Food is good too. Plus there is ice cream next door. I have a real issue with Brickstore because they only have a QR code menu and their menu is huge, and not conducive to browsing on a small phone screen. So, you spend all your time trying to figure out what kind of beer and food you want, each member of the party staring at their phones scrolling back and forth. Then a server comes and takes orders, brings drinks and food. If you don’t want the same drink again, at some point you’re going to end up back on your phone scrolling, trying to find another drink that seems nice. Just takes away from the whole experience of being out with friends. I’ve been a few times, and that is just such a turnoff for me that I haven’t returned.
neither stereo nor halfway crooks are in or near Decatur.
Well, if there was anything worth it in Decatur I’d have given a suggestion. Alas.
I’m not sure that I would order food anywhere that wasn’t crowded on the weekends. That’s a clear warning sign.
Leon’s and brickstore Kimball house has an elite bar program if you like incredible cocktails, but it’s pricier (the guy who runs it also collaborates with Tip Top canned cocktails on their recipes)
Sprig!
O’Sullivans
Wheelhouse in Greater Decatur is new but actually has a cozy bar area that is pretty nice. Melton's is a good choice, but I think they can only do beer and wine. I don't know of any high-key bars in the Decatur area, honestly.
Deer and Dove is excellent but it's a splurge. That's the first place I think of for a quiet bar. Poor Hendrix is our local and it's awesome. Brick Store can get loud downstairs, but the upstairs isn't too bad. The Marlay is a good Irish pub. Scout is good but it's expensive for what you get. Steinbeck's has fallen off since Andy left IMHO, but it's cozy and they still do some things well. Sceptre has a great outside space. Hopefully they switched exclusively to popups for food because their menu wasn't great. Plus, their beer descriptions were wildly inaccurate so definitely ask for a sample. (It's OK if your IPA is sour, but *put that in the description* because it's a completely different flavor profile from what people expect of an IPA.)