The Thinking Man Tavern
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Sun, Thu, Wed
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
24 Reviews for The Thinking Man Tavern
I've thoroughly enjoyed every experience I've had at Thinking Man Tavern. Whether it be drinking high gravity beer (when I have money) or the "Starving Artist" draft (when I don't), I've found the experience pleasant and relaxing.
The bar staff is incredibly friendly, there's a great selection of board games, or you can chuck some darts. It's not my favorite place in Decatur but definitely makes top 10. Worth a look-see if you're in the neighborhood.
Had Happy Hour Here with Some Awesome Yelpers Yesterday, and oh boy, this place is super pub . It's like coming home to a full bar, and some cute waitresses.. Our waitress Jessica was awesome with the large group and separate checks deal.. HUGE props to her! Alex who I have not gotten a chance to meet, was super nice on the phone and took down that 13 folks were coming in waves, and so the long table was set up for us in the middle of the nice spacey room. I like that there are couches, you can have some beers, and just chill.. and hangout- they have a descent beer selection, though not as vast as say Brick Store, but enough to quench your thirst.
Overall Great Dark and Clean bar, so that when you get your drink on, once you are drunk, everyone looks Good!
BIG PROPS for GREAT Customer Service.. what else do you expect from a local friendly bar!
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Went here last night for the Yelp Get-Together... Long time passer-by'r - first time diner/drinker.
Overall it seemed alright... The Cilantro Chicken sandwich that I had was pretty tasty, but the potato rounds that accompanied it lacked a little something. I am not sure if they're baked, but I was certainly expecting nice crispy golden brown wafers of goodness. Not quite there, and they were bland to boot.
The beer selection is not ordinary by any means. This was kind of a shocker, since I was hoping to find my new flavor of the month, Brooklyn Lager. No such luck. The waitress did however offer some suggestion as they were out of my second fav, Stella Artois. Her reco of some beer I had never heard of, was blah... She kept striking out with me throughout the night with her suggestions, so I took control soon there after and ended the evening with a decent Hefeweizen.
Overall the space is well, spacious. It seems a little warehouse-y for my tastes, but it was a fun experience... Smelled clean, since it was Decatur, so no stale smoke... Bastards!
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In honor of the upcoming Yelp Happy Hour, I thought I should get around to reviewing Thinking Man already!
This is my hangout place. This is where I come when it's Sunday and I can't buy beer at the grocery store because I live in Georgia. This is an excellent place to chill, beat my boyfriend at Trivial Pursuit, and drink some high-octane beer before swaying down the sidewalk towards my home. Yes, part of the reason I come here is because it's the closest bar to my house...but y'know what? It's really grown on me....and once we move this summer, I still plan on making the drive over to Thinking Man.
The servers and bartenders are great, the Mango Jerk Veggie Burger is delish, and from the looks of the parking lot on Tuesday nights, the trivia is hoppin'. Oh, and they have Pinball!! I love pinball.
We usually walk there, and we usually go during less-busy times, but if the parking lot is full when you arrive, try the lot behind Thinking Man.
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How many times have I had too many drinks at thinking man? More than I could count. It just happens to be one of those places that I am really comfortable. The food is great. Things are fresh here, no sysco trucks bringing in bags of frozen burgers and fries. I usually get the cilantro chicken sandwich---marinated chicken served on texas toast, with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and chipotle mayo. I always order an extra side of the chipotle mayo to dip my potato rounds in, partly because of my chipotle addiction, and partly because it is so damn good. The patty melt is the perfect hangover cure, and the specials, both entree and dessert, are usually right in line with their simple and fresh menu.
All right, on to the beer. I am a hefeweizen girl, so I usually stick with that, though I have had a starving artist or two closer to the end of the month. (Starving artist being their rotating cheap beer selection.) They have twelve to fifteen taps, so I doubt you wouldn't be able to find something to fit your tastes. (Though don't expect to find anything in the bud or miller family on draft.) Emory and Hunter are always great behind the bar, especially the night I got stood up. (long story.) As other reviews have mentioned, they do have games, books, cards, darts, and a trivia night (Tuesday). The jukebox has music that has been carefully selected to not have the latest hits, which is a welcome change.
A couple of things you should know--kids are allowed until nine, and then it is 21 and over. Smoking is allowed outside, either on the small patio or on the bench out front. They are closed Mondays for lunch, which of course is when I realize how much I need a potato round fix. (Kind of like how I always crave chick-fil-a on Sunday) Bottom line is, food--good. beer--good. service--good. What more do you need?
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I went to the The Thinking Man Tavern last weekend with my brothers. We order a nice pitcher of beer and played endless games of Connect Four. I wish Sacramento had a place like this. The Thinking Man Tavern is llaid back, friendly, with tons of games to keep you occupied.
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My only complaint about this place is that it's so far away from where I live. If it was within a short drive or within walking distance I could see myself coming here often.
There's a very good selection of beer, not nearly as extensive as The Brick Store, but then again this place usually isn't as crowded which is a good thing. The staff is very knowledgable about their selections and can actually take the time to explain the merits of each beer on tap. The staff is usually way too busy to do so at Brick Store(not knocking it). They also offer some really decent specials throughout the week here.
This place is kind of what I had in mind when I came up with an idea to combine a library and a bar a few years back. The atmosphere is really laid back and the service is very good.
I just wish there was something like it in Midtown.
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Any bar that has the periodic table of elements on the wall and board games is pretty fuckin' rad if you ask me. Not to mention the fabulous high octane beers.
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The pictures of Darwin and Belushi had me thinking.....man, this is an interesting place. I saw one couple enjoying a pensive board game with their pitcher of beer. They both were 'tatted' up with piercings and she had dreads (btw-never understood the whole white girl with dreads thing). At one point he seemed to be contemplating his next move, then I realized that he was actually laid back and slightly immobilized from the beer buzz. No worries, at the Thinking Man Tavern everyone looks like a philosopher.
My friend and I had the 60 minute Dogfish Head IPA and the hummus appetizer. The hummus was blah, but the Dogfish did not disappoint. Service was very attentive. I liked this place and would go back to ponder the finer points of how Darwinian and Belushian theories intersect. :D
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Visited The Thinking Man Tavern after they came up in search results for 'pinball in Atlanta'.
Friendly bartender, good selection of beers and lots of room. Hummus plate was fresh with cucumbers, tomatoes and lots of warm pita.
This is the kind of place you could spend a weekend afternoon over a chess game with someone you really want to beat.
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My perspective on this place may be skewed because I spend so much time here. This is one of my favorite places in Decatur, and my amount of patronage reflects that.
They have a good variety of non-boring beers on draft, good food at reasonable prices, and a cool waitstaff. I'm addicted to their potato rounds, their equivalent of fries made from little discs of new potatoes. Their burgers and sandwiches are pretty decent too.
Their plethora of boardgames has led me to start a group here that meets every Saturday afternoon to play Scrabble. It's a fun time, and having a beer with my game makes playing that much more relaxing.
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"The Thinking Man" is a great name for an eating and drinking establishment. It is especially appropriate for attending Tuesday night trivia at around 7:30.
I am possibly the only person who did not not know how this bar trivia thing worked until recently, but here it is: you and your table are a "team," with a team name. Each round consists of three questions, for which you must wager 1, 3, or 5 points for your answer. Like in Yahtzee, you can only wager each point value once per round; each round you must bet 1 point for one of the questions, 3 points for one of the questions, and 5 points for one of the questions. The categories for each round (e.g. music, sports, television) are announced at the beginning of each round. The questions are asked between songs, and your team has an entire song to figure out an answer and turn the answer in. The team with the highest number of points wins, a prize of $50, I believe.
Trivia was fun, and the food was pretty decent - I had the eggplant parmesan sandwich and a side salad. The service was pretty awful, though; it was obvious our waitress was completely slammed, and could not handle all of her tables though she was very nice about it. I got everything I ordered eventually, so I can't complain. But she would come to the table only when we had hailed her down, would listen to whatever the person who had summoned her wanted, and would pointedly run away afterward, not soliciting any other orders. I was scorned multiple times by this tactic, and it sucked - I needed another Hoegarden, dammit! Put more staff on for trivia night!
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I have been hanging at TM since it first opened. Our scooter club made it our Weds. night hang out and meetup for what we call Scootlanta. We made it our brunch haunt on Sunday, as well.
The food is great, prices great. I miss Strongbow on tap. Not kid friendly at all (I have one). I don't need my child to hang out there for hours but we'd like to have a meal and a cider but that's difficult because there isn't a single high chair in the place :(
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It's sad in a way because I don't want Thinking Man's to get so popular that I can't get a seat at the bar on a Friday night. Great bar food (huge and diverse menu), affordable drinks, and friendly staff. Since its Decatur, its non-smoking and they keep their music at a reasonable level that you can enjoy the music and you can partake in conversation. This is the quintessential neighborhood bar.
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This is a very low-key, regular hangout for the Decatur (and where-ever else) crowd. Caters to all ages (adult that is) and most preferences. Staff is friendly. Focus is on the large bar but they still serve food. I have been to the popular Trivia nights and you pretend to know about a variety of different subjects.
Generally, a good staple to have a drink in Decatur. It isn't the most exciting place (e.g. probably not the best for spending an entire Sat at), but great for a weekday outing. I would probably recommend going here over Twains (but that is just me).
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With better-than-decent bar food, a solid variety of beer and liquor, and a fun, open atmosphere, Thinking Man Tavern can be a reliable respite from a stressful work-day, or simply from the hecticness of daily life in Atlanta.
While you can find good beer and fun company almost anywhere, Thinking Man goes the extra mile, providing board games galore, pinball and darts, and bookshelves lined with all kinds of encyclopaedic and trivial knowledge. The result has the feel of a dorm or living room... a dorm or living room with a REALLY well-stocked bar.
Thinking Man has the usually Decatur combo of quaint and quirky with just a pinch of hip, and feels immediately welcoming upon entrance. With an open-minded, friendly staff and customer base, Thinking Man is also a great place for any kind of large group, though trivia tuesdays may be a bit of a squeeze.
Offering cheap beers for those of you who are actually coming from a dorm and plenty of vegetarian options for the non-carnivorous, Thinking Man Tavern is a wonderful little hangout for just about anyone.
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there are very good servers at this place and a solid beer selection. the menu is hit or miss. can't go wrong with fried zucchini. and i tend to order the CLT (cucumber, lettuce, tomato).
other features worth mentioning: dart board, galaga.
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Just what the Physicist ordered! Decent beer selection, good neighborhood atmosphere. Outside seating, close to Decatur. Darts and games available. Not too loud so that you can talk and chill. Foods pretty decent. A bar that actually gives a damn about its customers.
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The Thinking Man is not too: 1. loud 2. smoky 3. busy. It's just a very comfortable bar with a good selection of beers on tap, friendly service and decent food. A large selection of board games makes drinking and snacking even more fun.
This is a great little tavern nestled on West Howard (a.k.a. Dekalb Ave on the ATL side). Thinking Man Tavern has a good selection of beers and wines and bar food. My favorites are the apps; most notably the 'Mounds of Rounds" and the "Sausage Rolls".
It possesses a nice low key atmosphere with ambiance provided by the rows of books, the various and a sundry wall adornments, and other eccentric bric-a-brac, such as the mounted and stuffed and rather dusty, snarling old weasel? Or is it a large marmoset?
In any case, it's not pretentious or uptight, and I have always found it to be a comfortable and enjoyable place to talk with friends over a quality beverage.
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I like The Thinking Man Tavern...not because I fancy myself one necessarily, but because I happened to have a pleasant, erudite conversation with an intellectual friend on my first visit to this local Decatur hangout.
I have to say that the environment supported such an exchange. We talked about politics, international relations (lots of national flags hanging from the rafters), city and regional transportation planning (why not?...it's an issue), and, of course, chicks (my friend is still single). The beer list was good, the pub food more than serviceable, and the service was decent. Nothing to write home about, but decent.
Basically, Thinking Man Tavern is a great local and semi-local hangout. It isn't just a Decatur place--it extends to all intown types since it is on Dekalb Avenue: one of my favorite rapid-access streets.
I recommend Thinking Man. I'll definitely go back. Cheers!
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Any place where you find a lot of scooters parked out front can't be bad.
Parking lot: sucks. It's too small. Service: they keep it understaffed, & the servers just can't get to everyone's demands fast enough. People: a great mix of everyone... all will feel welcome.
The food: vegetarian & vegan options are there, but they aren't going to knock you down with their taste. The place is full of board games - now that's a fun way to drink the night away with friends.
Great local watering hole. The grub is above average for bar food and very reasonably priced.
I'm pretty sure I made fun of my old roommate for most scooter related activity that he took part in. He was part of a scooter club that met at Thinking Man Tavern. He also attends Scooter rally's in various cities and is just wild about scooters. I love and miss this guy despite the fun I poke at his scooter love affair. So my first associations with The Thinking Man were listening to stories of the scooter gang getting together at this bar on W. Howard (Dekalb Ave). I only recently visited the place for myself and found that its not all scooters all the time. Its a mellow bar that does tend to attract a more thinking man than other places, the crowd seems more well behaved and perhaps intellectual, I havent' listened to that many conversations. I like the veggie burgers, they make them from scratch and have a great pineapple jerk veggie burger. The decorations on the wall include Rodin's the Thinker, and the periodic table of elements. Its one decent sized room and a smaller outdoor patio with tables. They draw a crowd many nights of the week and the servers and bartenders are nice attentive folks. Its a low key Decatur bar and it brings in an easy going crowd. Some who wear helmuts and ride Vespas.
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