Friday Night in ATL

Theres a blues club in Virginia highlands that is excellent usually

Pretty good rundown IMO

I'll note that Buckhead bars listed tend very young, so if you're over 30 you might feel a little out of place. Beyond those, the places to hang out in Buckhead tend to be restaurant bars (bar at Hals, for example). The St. Regis Bar in Buckhead is probably the best striver/people watching bar in the city. I hate shite like that usually but it's a pretty decent time and despite the try hards it's pretty comfortable. Arguably the most popular bar in Buckhead is Johnny's Hideaway. It's a throwback place that used to be prime cougar and old guy territory but now that schtick has made it overrun with younger people as well. It's slammed every weekend, so good luck.

I'd be a bit more wary of any other Buckhead bar beyond the post-frat ones already mentioned. Buckhead gets pretty diverse, and any place trying to be posh or luxury in Buckhead probably isn't the all-white rich kid affair that people sometimes imagine.

Other fun places to check out -

Lloyds - This is like a Chili's from 1985. It's pretty fun and cheesy in a very good way.

Golden Eagle - Pretty cool bar and visually impressive bar if you're with a date. It's in Reynoldstown.

Ticonderoga Club - A city favorite at Krog Street, it's got great cocktails and is a great place to kill an hour or two. If you want to feel like you've found the slightly seedy underbelly and hidden gem of the city (even though it's very popular and regularly makes best of lists) - this is the place.