Vortex Bar and Grill

Vortex Bar and Grill at Little 5 Points is quite a conspicuous place to begin with.  From the massive skull display lingering at the entrance to the somewhat over-the-top colors used in the place’s exterior, it seems like the place is literally inviting you in – and it might be a bad idea not to.  Oh, and they are also claiming to have “Atlanta’s Best Burger” — now how can you miss that?

In contrast to the exterior, Vortex’s interior is a bit more laid back.  You can either see bricks or blacks inside the bar.  The interior may give you the impression that it speaks only to vintage, country and biker crowds.  But it really isn’t.

People who come into the place are from all walks of life, regardless of color or job, or whether a local or tourist, the place caters to everyone.  The place is spacious and there is a lot of room to move around even when the place is fully packed.  Some even take the time to sample new beverages like New Belgium Brewing’s Fat Tire Amber Ale which is both light and good.

The menu is simple and can satisfy anyone’s tastes.  They have burger and sides that are cooked the way you want it.  The zucchini chips are cooked to perfection – battered up yet crispy, thin sliced, and perfect with or without a ranch dressing.  They also serve a plateful of nachos which is very appetizing.  Their Ragin’ Cajun burger is indeed raging with spicy pepper sauce, plus the patty is half pound and the sandwich stacks about four inches high, which says a lot about a raging burger. Plus the burger’s price is very reasonable for a burger that juicy and thick.  Indeed, they do have a shot for the city’s “best burger” title.

The ambiance is relaxing especially with the live music being played. The guitar performance was decent, not like in some bars where it seemed like the amplifier was right onto your ears.  The crew were very accommodating and efficient, especially the bartender who had to tackle about 20 beers in the stack along with the other bottles of liquor in the bar.

Vortex is a place in Little 5 Points that you could not and should not miss especially if you’re looking for a good time with a few bottles of beer, a good burger, and good music and atmosphere.

Aurora Coffee

There is one spot in Little 5 Points (L5P) that has got everyone’s creative juices flowing. And it is not just the drinks that they serve or how they serve it, it is the place itself that brings all creative minds together in one spot.

Aurora Coffee may appear as a typical junkies spot — with all the vibrant colors and graphic wall displays – you may not even think of it is a coffee shop, until you smell the aroma of brewing coffee beans and see the people sipping it from their cups.

Don’t be overwhelmed with Aurora’s exterior design. Remember that you are in L5P – Atlanta’s most artistically diverse and funkiest neighborhood, so exteriors like Aurora’s should not appear foreign to you. It actually invites you in to sit and sip a cup of coffee or tea, take a breather and do your work in a much more inspiring but quieter environment.

Aurora’s interior isn’t as loud as what goes on the outside. They employ a minimalist interior design scheme with a few color splashes here and there on a gray based wall giving life to the place but not to the point of extravagance. The concrete floor is well polished giving an illusion of space and a chic design, so is the ceiling with its state-of-the-art lighting. The fixtures made of aluminum and wood renders the place warm and cozy.

Whether you like your coffee hot or cold, espresso or latte, or if you don’t like caffeine at all but would prefer a tea instead, Aurora’s got it and they have been serving the finest coffee and tea since 1992, so that’s perfection and coffee mastery guaranteed. They also have pastries and breakfast dishes to pack your day.

Come and visit Aurora Coffee in Little 5 Points and also in Virginia Highlands along North Highland Avenue.

Savage Pizza

Contrary to its name, Savage Pizza located in Atlanta’s Little 5 Points district is all about delicious hand-made dough topped with fresh ingredients and smothered up with homemade sauce to come up with the best tasting pizza in this side of Atlanta.

Savage Pizza is a landmark in L5P. It has been said that the pizzeria was spawned by the poet coined the Savage Messiah, thus the name of the place. The place looks very homely with all the comic book icons like Superman and Wonder Woman welcoming you to relax and take a bite.

The crew is very accommodating, always checks up on every customer to follow-up on their orders or to replenish their drinks. But the thing that sets Savage apart is their hand-tossed pizza dough that is always fresh, and so are the salads, sandwiches, calzones and deserts.

They also sell homemade sauces and meat and veggie toppings apart from the pizza so others can create their own Savage Pizza at the comfort of their home. They also offer delivery and catering services – perfect for parties or other small scale occasions.

Savage Pizza is really something that both locals and tourists should come to for a good time and a good slice of pizza. It really is a Little 5 Points treasure.

Front Page News

An upbeat vibe surrounded by warm and casual ambiance. Fun but cozy. Yes, these may seem opposites but there is a spot in Atlanta that combines both. It can even remind you of the relaxing or laid back atmosphere in New Orleans while spending time in sunny Atlanta.

Front Page News. Yes, this place is indeed a news maker among tourists and locals alike for its relaxing feel, located in two lively spots in Atlanta — Midtown and Atlanta’s indie capital, Little Five Points (L5P).

Come here for the view – the patio that is surrounded by the magnificent landscape that includes a fountain and abundant shrubbery to calm everyone’s senses while having a good talk or a drink. Enjoy the best of the patio during spring or summer but you can have just as much fun as during the cold months since the place is heated up.

While Front Page News is makes headlines for the beauty of its front patio, its food is not much of a breaking news though. But the variety of the menu still draws people during the early morning and after work hours. The drinks are well-prepared and reasonably priced, and entertainment mainly comes from the live band playing every night. If you drop by its Midtown location, it has a dance floor so you can strut your stuff to the hits of contemporary and modern dance hits. Indoor, outdoor and bar seating are provided in both Front Page News locations in Midtown and L5P.

Front Page News is a casual bar so there’s no need to suit up or be formally dressed. Come in your casual best self and you’re off to a good time. Parking should not be a problem in both locations if you come in a bit early. In case you’re caught in a “full parking” scenario, there’s a pay parking area in the Midtown branch usually worth $10 a night, just make sure you’re dealing with a uniformed parking attendant.

Come and drop by Front Page News in any of its two locations in Atlanta. In the Midtown nightlife district, it is along Crescent Avenue. In Little Five Points, it is located two blocks down Moreland and Euclid intersections.

Fox Bros. BBQ

We all know that Texas has the best barbecues in the US – perfectly seasoned and cooked at the right temperature. But not everyone is willing to go down south in pursuit of that perfect barbecue. If you live in the southeast, you can head to Atlanta instead and sample the offerings of Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q.

Texan-bred brothers Jonathan and Justin Fox opened this restaurant with the help of other friends out of frustration of not finding any good barbecue restaurants in Atlanta. At present, Fox Bros. boasts of offering a barbecue that “has Texan roots but has a southern influence”. It is the perfect mix of the classic Texan barbecue with a taste and style that southern folks from Atlanta will surely love.

Sample their meats that are smoked with hickory wood nonetheless and are dressed and served with their very own barbecue sauce which they also sell at Whole Foods for only $5. They’ve got baby back ribs which costs barely $20 for a whole serving, smoked chicken which could also be served in purely white meat for an additional $2, the deep brisket for only $14 a pound of serving and pulled pork, for only $12 a pound of serving. Their sides, salads and desserts, and even their kids’ meals are priced a tad lower, of course, than their solo meat offerings.

They also have a separate menu for take-out orders where they have sandwiches and baskets that are each served with a side, meat plate orders that are also each served with a side, a combo plate where you can choose two meats, the “Everything” plate where you can choose up to four meats, the baby back ribs which costs $23 for a whole rack plate of serving and they even have something for the vegans – the veggie plate, which consists of four sides that costs $11. They also have daily lunch and dinner specials.

Among their best sellers are the smoked spicy BBQ wings which customers rave about being meaty and juicy, the “Everything” plate which is a meat lover’s heaven with chicken, pork, ribs and beef brisket that is cooked at the right temperature and seasoned perfectly, while the sides are also garnering positive reviews for its big and full servings especially the mac and cheese, Brunswick stew and baked beans. Fox Bros. even earned the top honors in the 2010 Zagat Restaurant Guide as the top barbecue restaurant in Atlanta. City locals and tourists both enjoy the positive and joyful vibe that the restaurant gives, the wide range of food choices and its affordability, the very accommodating and friendly staff, and its accessibility in terms of location and parking.

Come to Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q and experience what every barbecue lover is raving about. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is located at the corner of Dekalb Avenue and Elmira at Candler Park. They’re open seven days a week from 11 AM to 10 PM, and until 11 PM on Saturdays.

Variety Playhouse

Little Five Points is known as Atlanta’s most eclectic district. The art galleries, shops, restaurants and theaters really keep this neighborhood both alive and colorful. For those who dig live music both by indie and mainstream acts in a tightly knit and cozy place, kind of like a sound check session, then come by the Variety Playhouse along Euclid Avenue.

Variety Playhouse is both a theater and a nightclub, but used to be a movie house which explains the narrow aisles and the balcony seating. But it also has tables, chairs and a standing area for those who’d like to experience the show up close. Most of those who have been here enjoyed the concert experience despite the size of the venue. It might be small but it creates the intimacy which allows the audiences to be moved by the performers’ raw and personal performance on stage, which is also inspired by the intimate and relaxing vibe of the venue.

Some agree that the venue’s name – Variety Playhouse – truly speaks for what the place represents, variety. Several and various live acts have already graced the stage of the Playhouse, mostly indie acts like The Afghan Wings, Men at Work, Junior Brown, while other indie acts that are scheduled to perform include The New Pornographers, acclaimed artist Dar Williams, Grammy award winning bassist Victor Wooten, the British group Steel Pulse, the eclectic group Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, and the super eccentric funky group Here Come the Mummies, and even mainstream act and Billboard chart topper The Script, to name a few. As you can see, there is also a variety in music genre – from rock, to reflective, reggae, to world music and, funk and dance, Variety Playhouse truly lives up to its name.

Variety Playhouse accepts band submissions and the venue is also open for rentals. For those interested to see a show, please keep in mind that smoking is not allowed inside the venue, sharps and glaring objects are also not allowed inside, disabled guests can be admitted early as long as they arrive 10 minutes before the door opens and dress code is casual. Tickets can be bought from Ticketmaster or from the Variety Playhouse Ticket Club.

The Variety Playhouse is close to downtown hotels and lodging areas, and is also closely situated to several L5P restaurants and shops.

Corner Tavern

Situated in Little Five Points’ most active and hippest lane, Euclid Avenue, Corner Tavern is a prime spot for a guys’ or girls’ night out coupled with beers, subs, pool, darts, or simply a night of chit chat with friends or co-workers after work or at late night.

Corner Tavern may seem like a simple bar from the outside but step inside to feel the warmth atmosphere that the British pub-inspired interiors give off. The wooden fixtures and floorings make the entire place homely and cozy balancing off with a lively vibe brought by the guests who have to come to eat either for lunch or dinner, relax after a day’s work with beers, or to simply have fun around the pool table or hit the dart board with friends for a fun night out.

One of the Tavern’s best sellers are their sandwiches which comes in a wide array of varieties from turkey, to fish and shrimp, to the classic BLT and grilled cheese, chicken and veggie subs. Many recommend having the sandwiches steamed instead of having it served toasted so you can have smoking juicy sandwiches that you can savor while eating, but the toasted subs are just as equally delicious as the steamed ones.

Other best sellers include the Black Bean Burger which is one for the vegans and those who have tasted it commend it for being far better than the real beef burger. The Tomato Basil Soup is also a knock out among patrons and first timers, and so is the Hawaiian Chicken Salad which is perfect with the House Vinegrette.

Aside from the common subs and sides, the Tavern also offers complete meals in small and large servings like the BBQ Chicken and Tilapia Sliders, the Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, and the Warm Spinach and Goat Cheese Wrap which are all served in small plates and are all priced below $9, while the Dijon Steak Medallions, Bourbon Salmon, Chicken Parmesan, Jamaican Jerk Tuna and Beef Stroganoff are all served in large plates and are all priced below $15.

Of course it won’t be a complete bar or pub without cocktails and most of all, beers. Most guests loved the fact that the Tavern is one of the few places, not only in L5P but in the city that offers the red beer Smithwick’s, which is very hard to find.

So if you and your buddies are looking for a relaxing yet lively place to hang out in but not really into dating for the night, then the Corner Tavern along Euclid Avenue is the place to be.

Little Five Points Pizza

Tourists and locals in Little Five Points have several of choices when it comes to pizza parlors, but people keep on coming back to Little Five Points Pizza for the great tasting pizza, pasta and sides, its affordability, the efficient service and, according to some previous guests, the friendly staff.

The interiors are relaxed, giving off a friendly and warm atmosphere that anyone would love to hang out in, although the conspicuous inflated crocodile back drop may not go in tune with the supposed relaxed mood, but despite this, this pizza parlor can still be a nice place to hang out in after work, or in between breaks, or when simply trying to combat boredom. Simply watching people pass by the store from the inside while eating a pizza slice or two is worth one’s time and money.

Speaking of money, for less than $5 you can get yourself a couple of pizza slices plus a draft beer. Their pizza is kind of New York style with an Atlanta twist and you can get a slice for even $2 and less– now that’s bang for the buck pizza! Many previous customers recommend the Pepperoni and Chicken Pizza, and the Spinach and Mushroom Pizza for vegans. Other best sellers include the lasagna and the spicy garlic bread served with marinara sauce.

While many previous customers think that the small floor area works towards the pizza joint’s advantage by providing a relaxed and cozy atmosphere while enjoying the best pizza slice in this side of Atlanta, some think that once the place gets crowded and cramped up, it suddenly loses its homely appeal, but it only clearly speaks about the number of people who love and would come back to this place at any given free time and day. There are also mixed reviews with regards to the attitude of the staff, some customer’s claim that this joint has got the most accommodating and friendliest staff that one can find in a pizza place while others seem to strongly think otherwise.

Regardless of what previous guests think of the interiors and the staff, Little Five Points Pizza still holds the distinction of not only having the cheapest and most freshly cooked pizza, but it also holds the distinction, among patrons and first time guests of having simply the best pizza, not only in L5P, but in entire Atlanta.

The Star Community Bar

Along the hippy and trendy Moreland Avenue is a bar which is home to inked men, bikers, true blue heavy metal rockers and suckers for an ice cold PBR – The Star Community Bar. It is hell right on the heart of Little Five Points and this place is not for the faint hearted not for those who are looking for a teeny bopper wholesome time.

Not to say that obscene things happen in this place, but this place is rowdy, literally smoking, noisily loud and full of people – colored, in jackets or metal gear – who got a real hankering not only for PBR but for a rocking good time.

It features live performances from metal bands and even from DJs which give the bar a sense of variety in terms of the music it feeds its people – from heavy metal rock to funky disco. But the Star is more known for its local rock performers such as the Ghostriders Car Club, The Psycho Devilles, Hillbilly Casino, The Atomic Rockets and Three Blue Teardrops, to name a few.

They have different things going on for each day of the week. Mondays is 15 Minute Karaoke night with amateur comedians gracing the stage, admission is free. Its Funk Disco Party every Tuesdays while DJ Boss Jonesy regularly hosts Wednesday’s Lloyd’s Rocksteady Revue special, admission is free before 9 PM. Thursdays to Saturdays feature non-regular specials with admissions to some of these events being free.

The Star also boasts of having an extensive Elvis collection for fanatics, kind of like a shrine for the king of rock and roll. Aside from the various memorabilia and vintage photos, it also features a kneeler, where fanatics can pay their respects to the music icon and a Presley jukebox, featuring nonetheless, all of his tracks from throughout his career.

Although many previous guests enjoyed their time at the Star, they all found the pricey cover charge – $5 to $15 – a bit off putting. And some of the staff members are also a bit rude and unwelcoming. But nevertheless, if you really are a rocker at heart, or as long as you can withstand the noise, the smoke and the ice cold PBRs coming your way, as long as you’re not Britney Spears, and as long as you have $15 in your pocket, you are very much welcome at The Star Community Bar.

Sweet Lime

Sushi is traditionally composed of rice and vinegar, topped with fresh fish all rolled into a seaweed. This famous Japanese dish has made its way to the US and other non-Asian countries with the addition of avocado, mango and sometimes, cream cheese. US cities like San Francisco, New York and Seattle have already been swept with the sushi phenomenon and have become top cities with the best Americanized and even authentic sushi. In Atlanta however, sushi is not as popular yet but a certain restaurant in the city’s lively Little Five Points neighborhood is slowly becoming famous not only for its take on the famous Japanese rice roll, but also on other Asian dishes like noodles and rice dishes that the Thais, Koreans and other countries from the Orient are known for, and did we mention that they also serve cocktails?

Welcome to Sweet Lime, an Asian fusion restaurant that serves all kinds of famous Asian recipes from sushi to sashimi to beef, pork, chicken, rice, vegetables, and whether you like it spicy or mild, it has everything you need to satisfy that Asian food hankering – plus a cocktail to go down with it.

Sweet Lime’s exteriors are very low key but the interiors are not over the top either but would still attract guests who are looking for a relaxing and wholesome venue for lunch or dinner with friends or family. The lights are dim but not too dark that you won’t see the menu or what you’re eating. The Chinese lanterns truly create a very zen-like atmosphere with the modern furniture keeping up with the times. The collision of the east and west, and the traditional and the modern resulted in a perfect balance of warmth, coziness and positive vibes in every corner of the place.

As mentioned, the menu consists of varied Asian food choices. For appetizers, the green salad or the very healthy Miso soup is a good choice to warm up those guts for the sumptuous meals ahead. Main entrees include shrimp or fish – cooked or raw as in sushi or sashimi, lean meat – your choice of chicken, pork or beef, Asian food essentials such as rice, noodles or tofu, and to complete your nutritional requirements, mixed vegetables.

Their sushi menu consists of Makimono which is a well-known for having different types of ingredients all rolled together and served in sixes, Nigiri which is composed of rice, pressed and not rolled, with your choice of topping and served in pairs, and Sashimi which is simply raw fish and is served in threes. They have more sushi variations in their menu and they also offer sushi specials like the one-dollar sushi which they offer during weekdays, Monday to Thursday before dinner at 6 PM. Their sushi servings would usually cost you around $15, more or less, but is worth every penny.

Arnie, is the restaurant’s bartender. Upon talking to Arnie, we’ve learned that he actually is a graduate from the University of Georgia with a degree in Statistics nonetheless but also has all the stuff that every good bartender is made of – excellent mixing and social skills. The bar “regulars” find him to be very friendly, and not only because it is what his job entails but because he simply is. As for his mixing skills, he is good in martinis, too bad though that Sweet Lime only serves gins, vodkas and beers. But hopefully the restaurant will expand its bar list to keep up with its well varied menu as well as with the other bars in Little Five Points. As for the restaurant’s kitchen team, we learned that the Souz chef is from Guatemala and is closely supervised by the Indonesian head chef. Sweet Lime also has a very hands-on owner, Joe Buddha, who comes by the place every weekend where the place is jam-packed and constantly checks if things in Sweet Lime are in the up and up.

So if you’re tired of the same old atmosphere of the restaurants and bars in Moreland Avenue – lively yet too crowded and a tad rowdy – then come to Euclid Avenue and sample the Asian offerings – yes a bit westernized but still a “must-taste” – that Sweet Lime has to offer. To-go and delivery options are also available.