Places to eat and drink in Atlanta by balfor
Buckhead isn't too bad and there are certainly safe bars and restaurants there. If you would like to see a little bit of a different side of Atlanta, still safe but more casual and filled with everyday folks, check out either the Virginia Highlands or East Atlanta. (East Atlanta is much like the Highlands but with plenty of parking. )Atkins Park in the Highlands is a bar with top notch food. Noche is a Tapas place with (at least they used to have) a $10 all you can eat tapas night on mondays. There are a dozen or so bars and restaurants right around the corner of Virginia and Highland (hence the Virginia Highlands). Just a few blocks south on Highland is where you will find Atkins Park, the Dark Horse, Limerick Junction and a bevy of other eateries and bars. A number of them such as 10 High, Limerick, Blind Willies, etc have live music as well.
I am not as familiar with the up and coming East Atlanta area but it is on Boulevard just on the south side of I-20.Casual