Smiths Olde Bar

I've heard the upstairs music room is a great, intimate place to see a performance. Are you kidding me? I went to see Bob Schneider. By the time he came on after the opening act, around 10:00, half the people in the place were drunk. It was loud, the people were rude, talking and yelling while he was singing. You couldn't hear him half the time. I don't know why half the people were there....they didn't want to hear him they just wanted to get drunk and party. I will never go there again. It's Eddie's Attic for me. more

Well, I'm sure they pay the big names or those who threaten them, but if they think they can get away with it they will stiff you. As an extension to the customer scam WranglerGuy described in his review, they promise you one thing and then duck out. They promise 80 percent of the door after the first five people. When the show is over, however, the manager is long gone. This is not a matter of one or two unscrupulous employees. This is STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE at this venue. I've had several other musicians warn me about it, but until it actually happened to me I didn't believe it. What a rip off. If you like live music, please get out and see some. But go to Eddie's Attic or any other place where they don't have a formal policy to rip off musicians. Support venues that treat ALL musicians fairly, not just the big stars. A pox on SOB—the acronym says it all. Pros: nice sound & stage, one of few acoustic rooms in Atlanta Cons: They don't pay their musicians more

Awesome bar food..... killer pool tables and darts. Cover charge for music sucks, but overall I go back again and again.. So they do something right. Pros: Separate Music room UPSTAIRS Cons: Cost more

I can attest that the food at Smith's is still top-notch for bar food. They launched Fox Bros and have some of the best chicken fingers in Atlanta. But back in the day it was always a haven for the regionally known, on-the-rise rock bands. Their walls are covered in framed posters with the likes of Cake, Train and Better Than Ezra. As a decade has gone past, they seem to have lost their touch for booking rock 'n' roll outfits. Nowadays it's jam bands or quirky (goofy) national groups that have a following but get no press that guarantee to fill the room. As an Atlantan that grew up hitting Smith's to see what was new, be it Kings of Leon or Shawn Mullins or the week long brilliance of Open Mic Madness.... it's sad to see Smith's go down this road. My last three trips to Smith's have seen a cover band, a Incubus clone, and a funk/jam/hardrock fusion band. Perhaps I should stick with the other venue known for it's food... The EARL. Pros: Great combo music/pub-grub/trivia/pool tables Cons: Used to bring in great bands... now more of a jam band room. more

The upstairs music room is the perfect size -- small enough to be intimate and close to the stage, yet big enough for dancing and having a great time. The bartenders are super nice, and the no-smoking policy annoyed my friends but was just fine with me. It's nice to go somewhere to unwind to great music and not feel like I have tuberculosis when I get home. :) Also, downstairs is great, with the big bar and pool tables. Pros: wicked good tater tots more

So, I went to Smith's Olde Bar a while back to see my buddies in Doomsayer and Zoroaster with no small amount of trepidation, having always done a pretty good job of avoiding those crowds of Buckhead yuppie 5cum and the fat drunk frat boy mobs that are found throughout the Highlands and parts of Midtown, and here I was entering enemy territory. Thankfully, the music venue is located upstairs, so I didn't even have to see any of the above mentioned 2 groups of people. The overblown $11 or $12 cover charge discouraged them from hanging with the big boys upstairs. I have to admit the door guy was fairly cool as he took most of my money, although I took an immediate dislike to the pretentious bartender who took my last $5 for a PBR. The sound was killer, so I was assuming the fed the gear a giant bowl of Wheaties that morning so it could handle the bone crushing sounds of Zoroaster and Doomsayer. Pros: Good sound Cons: $4 PBR more

We went here to meet up with some friends and watch a guy play music Saturday night the 21st. Food was good, service was slow but that was expected because they seemed a little crowded. We ate, and the bill was $26. I paid with my Debit card and left a tip on the table. Went to watch the band and ordered a $4 beer and gave a $20 and got back $14 in change... My friend ordered a $4 beer, gave a $5, got no change back.. Both waitress claimed that was standard bar procedure for tips. Got home and checked my bank account and they are charging me for my $26 meal ticket plus another $46.15 and now I am in a dispute to get the $46 back charged. Bottom line, don't go unless you plan to pay cash and like to watch your money magically disappear. Pros: Food was good Cons: They take your money more

You can play pool, eat, and see a good show here. I have never had a bad time at Smith's Olde Bar. The staff is great. The music is awesome. Pros: music, single scene, location, dive bar Cons: bathrooms need refresher more

I love to see a show at Smith's. They somehow manage to make a badband sound like a good band. Drinks are a little more than other clubs, but a good show makes it worth your dollar Pros: hot spot Cons: trying to get a drink upstairs more

One of my favorite neighborhood bars in Atlanta! Always a friendly staff and great beers on tap - and one of the best live music venues in the city. I've never had a bad meal here either. Pros: Live Music, Food, Great place to end a night out! Cons: Smoking more

i've seen a few shows here over the years, and generally its a pretty good place to watch a band upstairs. if you get upstairs early enough, there is seating around the perimeter of the room, otherwise you get to stand. i've never seen this place overly packed (which is a good thing imo) maybe i've just gotten lucky. there is one main bar and a window bar to get beers, so waiting on a drink is kept to a minimum. sound quality is at least average. drink prices $6 for a 24 oz coors, $5 for a newcastle, $6.25 for a mixed drink.afterwards you can always hang out at the bar downstairs. more

This bar is great...You can enjoy great live music upstairs, play pool or darts in the game room or just chill with friends in the bar and dining room. The Atlanta room is cool for acoustic shows or to rent for a private party. more

after hiking equipment upstairs waitng 4 hours to get screwed on the dough and then the snails pace crawl back down the stairs of shame i think its safe to say smiths is not worth the trip to atlanta. thanks anyways. more

Smith's Olde Bar is a must for anyone looking for good music in Atlanta. The have a mix of national and local acts and usually bring in decent talent. The room itself is awesome. There are good views from any area and the sound is ususally much better than average. The drink selections are also much more varied than most venues and you can get a decent meal in the bar downstairs. However, the bathrooms for the venue upstairs are lame....too bad, but just a small blemish for an otherwise great establishment. more

The space upstairs at Smith's is probably my favorite place in Atlanta to see live music. The room has a very MTV "Unplugged" feel about it (maybe it's the red velvet curtain) and you can usually count on the sound folks to know what they're doing. Bar staff is generally friendly and there's almost always at least one waitperson making the rounds if you don't want to leave your seat/spot for a drink. My only complaint would be the restrooms, which can be dirty at times. Pros: Great sound, Warm space, Friendly staff Cons: Bathrooms more

Smith's absolutely sports one of the best low-key, sociable atmospheres in Atlanta's bar scene. In fact, that relaxed, chatty environment may work against it: the main bar area just doesn't seem right, somehow, when hordes of Midtowners converge to mingle and swap stories, or when a bigger-name act fills the seats in the performance area. The clientele isn't too obnoxious, however, and the gaming area is definitely worth a visit. more