With Atlanta being a convention city, there's two things we have plenty of- strip clubs and hotels. And the best place for us locals to get weird and party with tourist is Trader Vic's.\r
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Sure, it's a chain, but it's a chain in places like London and Tokyo, not Stockbridge and Lawrenceville. Located inside the downtown Hilton, Trader's is almost like a hip Pacific Island family version of The Clermont Lounge. Everything just seems so mid 1980's, it's perfect. You keep waiting for Magnum P.I. to come in and question someone.\r
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Thursday's is definitely the night to go. With the band Kingsized reformed as Tongi Hiti, giving their tropical versions of songs like Sade's ""Smooth Operator"", or on the spot request for Van Halen. And the $5 Mai Tai's and giant rum bowls will have you sugar buzzed like a 10th grader with out of town parents.\r
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The tourist, wacky motif, and the mostly foreign staff give us locals a sense of a mini vacation in far away, exotic downtown Atlanta. And if you see a werewolf or a ghost of Warren Zevon at the bar, make sure you buy him a pina colada.
Pros: Tongo Hiti, Strange Tourist
Cons: Strange Tourist
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