Bartender

Winner: Bain Mattox at Normal Bar

1365 Prince Ave. · 706-548-6186

He's everything you want in a bartender: knowledgeable, friendly, an insider who knows his way around and can advise you. Plus, he makes great drinks.

Runner Up: John Mark Harris at Dirty Birds

312 E. Washington St. · 706-546-7050

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Specialty Drinks

Winner: Highwire Lounge

269 N. Hull St. · 706-543-8997

The Flagpole Guide to Athens says it all: “High-end cocktails carefully crafted with small batch liquors and fresh ingredients… “ And elegant surroundings.

Runner Up: World Famous

351 N. Hull St. · 706-543-4002

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Margarita

Winner: Agua Linda Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

1376 Prince Ave. · 706-543-1500
2080 Timothy Rd. · 706-543-0154

Any place that gets the margarita down right, you know they know what they're doing, and that has always been true of Agua Linda.

Runner Up: Taqueria Del Sol

334 Prince Ave. · 706-353-3890

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Bloody Mary

Winner: Allgood Lounge

256 E. Clayton St. · 706-549-0166

You can build your own Bloody Mary out of an abundance of fresh ingredients, so if it's not the best in town, it's your own fault.

Runner Up: The Globe

199 N. Lumpkin St. · 706-353-4721

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Beer Selection

Winner: Trappeze Pub

269 W. Washington St. · 706-543-8997

Yes, if you want to see what is out there in the beer world, just ask for the book at Trappeze, where you could spend the rest of your life sampling the treasure.

Runner Up: Dirty Birds

312 E. Washington St. · 706-546-7050

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Wine Selection

Winner: Aromas

1235 S. Milledge Ave. · 706-208-0059

A cool, comfortable spot in Five Points where you know you're in good hands when you want to be reminded of what wine is all about.

Runner Up: The National

232 W. Hancock Ave. · 706-549-3450

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Place to Dance

Winner: Little Kings Shuffle Club

223 W. Hancock Ave. · 706-369-3144

There's something about Little Kings that makes you want to dance and gives you the room and the reason to do it. The rest is up to you.

Runner Up: 8e's

120 E. Washington St. · 706-613-1764

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Place to Play Games

Winner: Max

243 W. Washington St. · 706-254-3392

It's just a great, comfortable place to hang out, so of course it's also a great place to play games.

Runner Up: Little Kings Shuffle Club

223 W. Hancock Ave. · 706-369-3144

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Place to be for Last Call

Winner: Max

243 W. Washington St. · 706-254-3392

Some places sort of go to sleep by last call; others are wide awake. There's something about Max that just makes you want to keep going.

Runner Up: Little Kings Shuffle Club

223 W. Hancock Ave. · 706-369-3144

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Happy Hour

Winner: Normal Bar

1365 Prince Ave. · 706-548-6186

Nobody has the formula; it just sort of happens when the ingredients come together: The people, the feel of the place, the drinks: You feel happy.

Runner Up: Dirty Birds

312 E. Washington St. · 706-546-7050

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Trivia

Winner: Blind Pig Tavern

485 Baldwin St. · 706-548-3442
2440 W. Broad St. · 706-208-7979

Good burgers and beer to fortify you, welcoming surroundings to make you relax, challenging questions, good friends to bounce answers off—Blind Pig.

Runner Up: Highwire Lounge

269 N. Hull St. · 706-543-8997

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Karaoke

Winner: Shokitini

251 W. Clayton St. · 706-353-7933

Shokitini takes karaoke seriously and sets it up in rooms specifically designed to enhance the experience so that you can't help but enjoy.

Runner Up: Go Bar

195 Prince Ave · 706-546-5609

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College Bar

Winner: Allgood Lounge

256 E. Clayton St. · 706-549-0166

It's a tribute to Allgood that it's a great college bar for all the obvious reasons, while it's still a fun place even if your diploma is beginning to curl at the edges.

Runner Up: Boar's Head Lounge

260 E. Washington St. · 706-369-3040

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Place to Meet Someone You Would Not Bring Home to Mom

Winner: Max

243 W. Washington St. · 706-254-3392

Well, what Mom doesn't know won't hurt her, and it's places like Max that give you those memories that sustain you during life's more routine stretches.

Runner Up: Georgia Bar

159 W. Clayton St. · 706-546-9884

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Place to Meet Your Future Spouse

Winner: Normal Bar

1365 Prince Ave. · 706-548-6186

If he/she's the kind of girl/guy you're likely to run into at Normal Bar, then he/she is pre-certified to be the kind of person you're going to want to spend a lot of time with.

Runner Up: The Globe

199 N. Lumpkin St. · 706-353-4721

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Place to Watch the Dawgs Play

Winner: Dirty Birds

312 E. Washington St. · 706-546-7050

With 20-plus TVs and over two dozen beers on draft, you're in good hands when the woofing starts.

Runner Up: Georgia Theatre

215 N. Lumpkin St. · 706-850-7670

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Uniquely Athens Bar

Winner: The Manhattan Café

337 N. Hull St. · 706-369-9767

Joey Tatum left the Manhattan just the way it had been when it was a café on Hot Corner, and it has remained quintessentially Athens ever since—and you can feel it.

Runner Up: The World Famous

351 N. Hull St. · 706-543-4002