Hookah, Baklava, and Martinis - Divan

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Location: Buckhead
Hours: Sunday & Monday: 6:30 pm - 12 am
            Tuesday-Thursday: 6:30 pm - 1 am
            Friday & Saturday: 6:30 pm - 2 am
Price: $20 per person minimum if smoking hookah
Food Type: Middle Eastern

Pull up to a small two story house on Piedmont and prepare to be greeted by a valet who, on weekends, will ask if you have a reservation before he will park your car. As long as you answer yes, you will enter the two story house, give your name, and immediately be seated by a host or hostess. If you do not have reservation expect a minimum wait of 45 minutes on weekends.

When calling for a reservation there a couple of key things to keep in mind. First, you will need to decide if you want to have dinner or if you just plan to go for hookah and drinks. If you are eating dinner and have a party of 4 people or less I recommend asking for a table on the ground floor as you will have a little more room. If you have a larger party I would see if you can secure the private dining room upstairs. If your only desire is to smoke hookah, drink, and perhaps share an appetizer or desert ask to be seated in the blue room upstairs. This room seats four parties of 2-4 people and consists of padded benches riddled with comfortable cushions and small tables - the perfect lounging atmosphere.

Divan has an assortment of Middle Eastern food to choose from. One option is to start with an appetizer of hummus, add a main dish in the form of a lamb kabob and finish with pistachio-almond baklava. Another option is an appetizer of Crab Risotto Croquettes, a main dish of Basil-mint caramelized Scallops and an Italian Doughnut for dessert.

The restaurant/lounge also has a wide range of specialty cocktails to choose from - my favorite is the Pomegranate Martini. However, if you have fallen into the roll of designated driver for the evening, Divan offers Turkish Coffee and a variety of tea.

If you are looking for a chill night out on the town with friends or a great restaurant for a date give Divan a call and make a reservation.

Doughnuts and Hamburgers Combined - Cypress Street Pint and Plate

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Location: Midtown (6th & Cypress St.)
Hours: Monday-Friday - 11 am - 2:20 am
           Saturday: 10 am - 2:20 am
           Sunday: 10 am - Midnight
Price: $10-$15
Food Type: American

Tucked away behind the Biltmore at the intersection of 6th Street and Cypress Street, Cypress Street Pint and Plate offers the area a friendly neighborhood bar frequented by residents and office workers alike. The bar has a spacious patio which includes a fire pit to keep patrons warm during the winter. Inside there is a spacious bar surrounded by high top tables as well as a side room which is great for large parties.

During my visit I found myself in the side room that overlooks the bar with a party of 20+ which mostly included aerospace engineers. Despite the large number of people our server was extremely accommodating and friendly bringing in extra chairs when more people arrived and giving us a second table in the room for overflow.

Cypress has a large selection of local, domestic, and imported beer. The bar also serves wine and mixed drinks. When it comes to food, the burgers are a must try. The most recommended burger is the Sublime Burger - two Sublime Doughnuts sandwiching a burger patty served with a side of french fries.

If doughnuts and hamburgers mixed together are not your cup of tea, there are many regular burgers to choose from. You can even request ciabatta bread instead of a regular bun.

If you do not enjoy eating hamburgers there are other options on the menu that are just as tasty. I highly recommend the chicken tenders and fries (usually there are more fries on the plate but I could not resist eating some before I took a picture).

One thing to keep in mind is that the venue is best in the warmer months when the patio can be used. However, the bar area does have the capacity to fit a decent sized crowd. Overall, Cypress Street is a great bar for happy hour, dinner with a large group, or a chill night of drinking. Just don't forget to try the Sublime Burger!