Friends on Ponce

"This divey gay bar across from O4W's BeltLine Kroger is our choice for when we want that casual neighborhood bar vibe but also a packed house. Stuffed with disco balls, retro beer mugs, wooden parrots, and other items, you’ll wonder if everything was bought at a 1980s garage sale. Sprinkle in a pool table, arcade games, and some random slot machines (that actually work), and Friends on Ponce truly has something for everyone. Their enclosed patio out back overlooks the streets of Ponce and provides a respite when the bar is too packed with patrons vying for a frozen marg. On the few nights when there’s no DJ, we like to blast Bey from the jukebox to get the party started. " - juli horsford

"Located in the MJQ Concourse on Ponce, Friends is one of the most unpretentious spots on the Atlanta LGBTQ bar scene. A welcoming neighborhood bar, folks can grab drinks and relax together while playing pool or poker, singing along to the jukebox, and partake in theme nights like Let’s Make A Deal on Tuesdays and Wednesday evening trivia. Head in every second Sunday of the month for the New Faces amateur drag competition hosted by the incomparable Ms. Regina Simms (aka “Mama”) who also hosts the bar’s various charity events, Fourth of July barbecues, and Super Bowl watch parties." - Robbie Medwed

"This divey gay bar across from O4W's reformed Murder Kroger is our choice for when we want that casual neighborhood bar vibe but also a packed house. Stuffed with disco balls, retro beer mugs, wooden parrots, and other items, you’ll wonder if everything was bought at a 1980s garage sale. Sprinkle in a pool table, arcade games, and some random slot machines (that actually work), and Friends on Ponce truly has something for everyone. Their enclosed patio out back overlooks the streets of Ponce and provides a respite when the bar is too packed with patrons vying for a frozen marg. On the few nights when there’s no DJ, we like to blast Bey from the jukebox to get the party started." - Juli Horsford