ATLANTA, Georgia — There are bars, and then there are places that become part of a city’s soul.
Manuel’s Tavern on North Highland Avenue is the second kind.
This week, the Poncey-Highland institution turned 70 — and Atlanta is celebrating like it means something. Because it does.
A Three-Day Party Seven Decades in the Making
The anniversary kicked off Thursday with a parade by The Seed and Feed Marching Abominables and a proclamation read by Atlanta City Council member Kelsea Bond.
The celebration runs through the weekend with something for everyone.
Hungry guests can grab a $8.56 double cheeseburger with fries — a nod to the tavern’s opening year. Commemorative T-shirts designed by local pop artist Our Land are going for $35. And a one-of-a-kind beer brewed specifically for the occasion at Three Taverns is now on tap.
Thursday night entertainment included a one-man circus and two sets by The 4:00.
The Bar Where Atlanta’s History Was Made
Brothers Manuel and Robert Maloof opened the doors in 1956 — the same year Elvis made his television debut and the median home price was $18,000.
What started as a neighborhood bar became something far bigger.
Manuel Maloof went on to become DeKalb County CEO. His tavern grew into one of Atlanta’s most influential political hubs. Jimmy Carter announced his gubernatorial candidacy here. Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Barack Obama all walked through that door.
Everyday voters sat at the same bar as the people shaping the country. That was always the point.
Still Family. Still Standing.
Manuel famously banned jukeboxes and background music. He wanted people to actually talk to each other.
Today, his son Brian Maloof runs the tavern alongside assistant general manager Megan Maloof. The family atmosphere regulars describe as “Atlanta’s living room” is very much intact.
A photo from the 30th anniversary still hangs on the wall. So do the faces of history.
Seventy years in, Manuel’s Tavern is not just surviving — it is exactly what Atlanta needs it to be.
Have you ever been to Manuel’s Tavern? Share your memory or a story you heard about this place in the comments below.