A cocktail bar full of good Southern food, The Pinewood is a comfy, yet swanky joint to enjoy some of the finest drinks around.

Admittance to a cocktail bar shouldn’t require twirling mustachios and the fanciest of suit coats (though, we’ll be honest, that is one pretty classy get-up). Goshdarnit, an honest Atlantan should be able to sup and enjoy some fancy libations without pulling out all of their wardrobe-ry stops. And for that The Pinewood Tippling Room hearkens to all of us reg’lar folk from a cheery Decatur corner. Co-owners, Brooks and Fable, met while Fable (one of the ’10 Mixologists to Watch’, BT dubs) was tending another bar, and sparkling conversation revealed their mutual love for (okay, obsession with) cocktails and Southern culture. Boom. The Pinewood TR was born. A cocktail bar full of good Southern food, this joint is comfy, yet swanky. It's like wearing some premium denim to the red carpet, and totally pulling it off. And with the debut of their nighttime offerings under the moniker Pinewood Nightcap, you can bound in with all your gastronaut friends to imbibe in some homemade-down-to-the-tinctures cocktails, and get in on secret family recipes (pst. there might be biscuits).

Don’t be surprised if you see a veritable park of themes popping up at The Pinewood, with liquid and culinary concoctions that are creative and ever-changing. Brooks promises: “We’re gonna make all types of weird things.” And Fable delivers—hinting at the possibility of new, wackier cocktails just for the ATL night scene. One of his most popular creations, “Day That I Die,” is crafted with a respect for nostalgia, honoring the past without trying to recreate it. Sip perfectly mixed rye whiskey, fresh lemon and ginger syrup, buckwheat honey syrup (commonly used from the 20s-60s) and housemade Roasted Georgia Pecan Tincture, and you’ll agree. He’s good.

And the food is something to write home about, too. The superbly balanced Crispy Pork Belly Biscuit was my favorite. It blends secret-family-recipe biscuits with orange marmalade, Duke’s mayo, arugula and just-crispy-enough meat into a lip-smackingly satisfying ‘wich. Plus! Dishes to share (or hoard, if you’re mean) abound, like little nuggets of crystal fried okra, delectable and precisely spicy enough to keep things interesting. Upon closer examination, you’ll find that The Pinewood Nightcap is less of a cap, and more of a boost.

---

Menu Highlights:
Day That I Died Cocktail, $11
Crispy Pork Belly Biscuit, $7
Fried Bologna Sandwich, $10
Decatur Discretionary Cocktail, $10

Hours:
REGULAR
Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Friday + Saturday, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Sunday Brunch, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Sunday Dinner, 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

PINEWOOD NIGHTCAP
Sunday through Thursday, 10 p.m. to close
Friday + Saturday, 11 p.m. to close