Top 15 Nerdy Spots in Atlanta for Geeks to Hang Out
Looking for a place to hang out and play board games, talk books, and connect with other nerds? Here are the top nerdy spots in Atlanta to hang out!
Nerds and geeks from all over flock to Atlanta for events like Dragon Con, Anime Weekend Atlanta, and the Georgia Renaissance Festival. It’s no wonder that many of those geeks have decided to call Atlanta home and open up some truly amazing places for nerd-kind to hang out.
Atlanta is one of the nerdiest cities in the United States, with tons of bookstores, game stores, conventions, and nerd trivia events all over the city. So whether you’re a book nerd, a gamer, into LARPing, or anything in between, there’s a geeky place for you to hang out in Atlanta.
These top nerdy things to do in Atlanta are nerd-approved; I should know, I married a nerd and have been to many of these places.
Nerdy Restaurants and Bars in Atlanta
1. Battle & Brew
Battle & Brew is the perfect restaurant and bar for gamers with options for PC, console, VR, and tabletop gaming. You can play by the hour solo or with a group on the best games for Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, PC, and tabletop, or grab unlimited board games for the night.
The restaurant also hosts weekly events like Geek Trivia, sometimes with special themes, viewing parties, tournaments, cosplay nights, and more.
On the menu, they have what has been voted one of the best burgers in Sandy Springs, sandwiches, and bar bites. They have plenty of local beers on tap and craft cocktails and shots with geeky names.
They allow all ages during the day, but anyone under 18 requires a parent or guardian at all times. The bar is restricted to 21+ after 11 p.m.
Battle & Brew has locations in Sandy Springs and at The Battery.
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2. Viking Alchemist Meadery
Viking Alchemist Meadery is an award-winning meadery, voted “Best Mead in Georgia” in the Georgia Trustees Wine & Spirits Challenge. Mead, an alcohol made from fermented honey, was the staple of European villagers and is now making a comeback.
Their tasting room in Smyrna has a 48-tap wall of mead, ciders, cysers, seltzers, and beer. They serve flights, pours, bottles, and growlers.
There is plenty of seating, classic board games you can play, and nerdy events from karaoke to trivia to crochet. Join the Horn Club and you can have your own Viking-inspired horn waiting for you at the bar every time you’re in the mood for a drink!
3. Joystick Gamebar
Joystick Gamebar is a nerdy dive bar in the Sweet Auburn District of Atlanta. This bar has classic arcade games, tabletop gaming, and plenty of drinks. They’ve got all your favorites like Mortal Kombat, Ms. Pacman, Frogger, Space Invaders, pinball machines, foosball, and various free board games.
A night out here will be pretty easy on your wallet. The arcade games only cost $0.25 each, pinball costs $0.50, and Foosball costs $0.75, and the draft beers and craft cocktails are on the cheaper side while still being delicious.
Minors must be accompanied by an adult during the day, and the bar is 21+ after 8 p.m.
4. My Parents’ Basement
A combination comic book store and neighborhood eatery, My Parent’s Basement in Avondale Estates is a great place for nerds. The concept is a delicious beer bar and an epic comic book store in one. They also have 20 pinball machines, making them the home for pinball fanatics in Atlanta.
On the menu, you’ll find nostalgic snacks reimagined into small plates and seasonal options, a full bar selection, and plenty of draft beers.
In the store, you’ll find new issues, trade paper backs, and rarities. You can hunt the shelves yourself or have a qualified staff member help point you in the right direction and talk nerdy to you.
5. Savage Pizza
Savage Pizza is one of the most popular restaurants in Little Five Points. This super-hero themed pizza joint is the perfect place for you and your nerd friends to hang out for lunch or dinner.
They serve specialty pizzas made with homemade sauce and dough alongside beer and wine. While pizza is the main event, they also serve salads, calzones, and Italian sub sandwiches.
Savage Pizza has three locations: the original in Little Five Points, one in Avondale Estates, and one in Kennesaw.
6. Giga-Bites Café
Giga-Bites Café in Marietta is a tabletop gaming store combined with a casual eatery that serves snacks, quesadillas, paninis, all-day breakfast, burgers, and sandwiches. They also serve coffee, tea, smoothies, and beer.
In the store, you’ll find a huge selection of tabletop games, TCG, and an active gaming community. Join them for weekly gaming, tournaments, and leagues. Their gaming tables are open and free to use for hosting your own games.
Nerdy Atlanta Attractions
7. Computer Museum of America
The Computer Museum of America is probably the best place in Atlanta for the technology nerd. This museum in Roswell is one of the world’s largest collections of computers, technology, and artifacts from the Digital Revolution.
You’ll get the chance to look at technology through the ages, from the abacus to supercomputers. They have tons of rare and exciting pieces, like a German Enigma machine in near-perfect condition and an original Apple 1.
There is also a retro game arcade where you can try out vintage games on their original consoles. And keep an eye out for their adult only Bytes & Brews event for nerds 21+.
Learn more about visiting the Computer Museum of America here.
8. Delta Flight Museum
The Delta Flight Museum, located near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is for the aviation nerds. This museum is dedicated to Delta’s history and the development of commercial aviation.
You can get an up-close look at aircraft dating back to the 1920s, explore inside the historic Boeing 767, tour the first Boeing 747-400 produced and walk on its wing, and fly the only Boeing 737 flight simulator open to the public in the U.S.
9. Margaret Mitchell House
The Margaret Mitchell House is a must-see Atlanta literary attraction for book nerds. This museum is comprised of the small apartment where Margaret Mitchell lived with her second husband and where she wrote Gone With the Wind.
Guided tours explore important artifacts from Mitchell’s writing career and examine the popularity as well as criticism of both the book and film.
10. Fernbank Museum of Natural History
If you’re the type of nerd who likes dinosaurs, culture, and hands-on science experiments, then Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Druid Hills is the place for you!
Fernbank’s permanent exhibits cover dinosaurs, fossils, and the natural history of Georgia. Meanwhile, their rotating exhibits cover everything from weather to kinetics to art exhibits displayed throughout WildWoods.
You can see a rotating list of 3D and 2D movies at their Giant Screen Theater. And don’t miss their monthly Fernbank After Dark adults-only experience for nerds 21+.
Learn more about visiting the Fernbank Museum of Natural History here.
11. Fernbank Science Center
The Fernbank Science Center (a separate museum from the Museum of Natural History) is for science and technology lovers. This Druid Hills museum features a live animal exhibit, a live honeybee hive, space exhibits including the real Apollo 6 space capsule and a meteorite collection, and an extensive taxidermy collection.
The museum also features a planetarium where you can zoom across the night sky as you learn about the galaxy, as well as an observatory with free public observations offered every clear Thursday and Friday evening.
Nerdy Events in Atlanta
12. Georgia Renaissance Festival
The Georgia Renaissance Festival covers a 32 acre village filled with over 150 artisan craft shops, shows of skill, taverns, and food stalls.
For eight weekends every spring through summer for 39 years, this festival has brought a 16th century English fair to metro-Atlanta. The Southeast Tourism Society has even named the Georgia Renaissance Festival as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southern United States to experience.
This is the perfect experience for nerds of all kinds. The festival hosts themed weekends including cosplay, pirate, Highland, and more. Wizards, time-traveling doctors, orcs, and super heroes can all mix and mingle and have 16th century fun.
13. Dragon Con
Dragon Con, held every Labor Day weekend, brings together nerds across science fiction, fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art music, and film.
It’s not only one of the best nerdy things to do in Atlanta, it’s also one of the most well attended pop-culture conventions in the country.
There are costume contests, live performances, reading sessions, workshops for voice acting and board game design, role playing, video gaming, an artist alley, vendors, and so much more.
14. MomoCon
MomoCon brings together fans of Japanese Anime, American animation, comics, video games, and tabletop games. This 4 day event has been held in Atlanta since 2005.
The event features cosplay, concerts, contests, digital tournaments, fan photoshoots, tabletop and card games, and more.
15. Anime Weekend Atlanta
Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) is an annual 4 day convention celebrating Japanese culture, anime, manga, and just a dash of general pop culture. AWA is the largest anime convention in the Southeast.
The event if full of cosplay, video games, tabletop games, video rooms, an artist and vendor exhibit hall, a manga library, the Kuma Kuma Maid Cafe, and more.
Related: For another great nerdy city, check out these geeky things to do in Huntsville, Alabama!
Nerdy Things to Do in Atlanta Map
Ready to visit all of these nerdy spots in Atlanta? Use the map below to plan a geek-day-out with your friends.
I hope you find the nerd community that’s right for you!
Save on Atlanta’s Top Attractions
Want to save big on Atlanta’s top attractions? with the Atlanta CityPASS, you can save up to 48% on the cost of entrance tickets to 5 top Atlanta museums and attractions!
Get admission to the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, and Zoo Atlanta, plus your choice of 2 more from the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
Top Atlanta Tours
A guided tour is always a good way to get to know a city! Check out these top Atlanta tours.
- 90-Minute Guided Sightseeing Tour by E-Car
- Atlanta’s Black History and Civil Rights Tour
- Midtown Atlanta Food & Cocktail Tour
Where to Stay in Atlanta
Find the perfect place to rest your head on your Atlanta vacation!
- My Favorite Stay: Westin Peachtree Plaza
- Top Hotel: The Candler Hotel
- Great Value: Hampton Inn & Suites Perimeter Dunwoody
- Unique Stay: Stonehurst Place
Craving More Atlanta Activities?
If you need more things to do while visiting Atlanta, check out these top posts:
- 8 Reasons to Love the Georgia Renaissance Festival
- Top 8 Atlanta Film Tours
- 2 Days in Atlanta, Georgia: The Perfect Weekend Itinerary
- Atlanta Brick Con: A LEGO Fan Event For All Ages
Ready to visit Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Get Familiar With the City: Check out my Ultimate Guide to Atlanta to help plan your trip!
- Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Atlanta using Booking.com.
- Save on Attractions: Save 48% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.
Cheers!
Paige
Have you visited any of these nerdy spots in Atlanta? Let me know in the comments!
The pizza place sounds so cool. I would love to visit. Also the conference sounds so cool.
Can’t go wrong with great food and a nerdy theme!
These places sound so fun!!! I had no idea there were so many unique places in Atlanta!
It’s a great time to be a nerd in Atlanta!