Recommendations from Atlanta Locals (or former Locals) on where to eat, what to see and what to do while you are visiting.
Neighborhood overview:
Someone who knows Atlanta will not think of downtown - where the conference hotel is located - when they think of good places to eat, or locations to visit. You're better off going elsewhere, and that probably means MARTA, the Atlanta subway system. Happily, the neighborhoods with some of the best, walkable options are within 15 minutes of downtown by MARTA. The two areas to focus on are Decatur and Midtown.
Stuart "Stu" Freeman, Georgia Tech
Atlanta Local Since: 1982
My Favorite Atlanta Neighborhood: NW Atlanta (Underwood Hills, Blandtown, Howell Station)
BBQ
Fox Brothers BBQ is the place to go, it's about .3 miles from the nearest Marta station though, and not the nicest part of town, so I'd recommend finding a ride if possible.
Bars
Very close to the hotel is Meehan's which is an Irish pub.
A bit farther away (~2.5 mi) reachable by bus or a slight hike from the Marta train is Manuel's Tavern, which is more traditional American, and something of an Atlanta institution.
My personal favorite though is Brick Store Pub, it's right next to the Decatur Marta train station and has a tremendous selection of Belgian beers. Their food is good too, but The Iberian Pig is also right across the Decatur Square for excellent Spanish tapas (they also have a nice bar).