Step into Buddy Buddy in Midtown’s Promenade, and you’re immediately enveloped in the kind of warm, familiar embrace that only true friendship (and truly good food) can create. This isn’t just another bar; it’s a testament to the enduring bond between Atlanta bartenders. Proprietor Nick Chaivarlis’s decades of shaking and stirring across the city are now reflected in every corner of this new spot: a bar helmed by veteran bartending buddies. The lighting is dim, perpetual twilight, casting a soft glow over walls adorned with playful curiosities and tchotchkes— an evil eye here, a cheeky neon sign there—each hinting at stories only regulars will hear.
The menu is pure, unadulterated Greek, built on comforting recipes that feel passed down from a beloved yaya. Begin with a bowl of silken avgolemono soup, its lemony warmth a balm for the soul. Share a meze platter, laden with olives, briny feta, and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). Heartier appetites will find solace in Greek lasagna built upon bucatini-like noodles, bechamel, and spiced tomato sauce or a vegetarian option of stuffed peppers—smoky, filling, and complete with their darling tops. A selection of tinned fish, suggested as an addition, rounds out savory sides. And because no good time is complete without a sweet finish, the loukoumades, hot and crispy doughnut balls with an orange crème anglaise, are nonnegotiable.
Cocktails are spins on classics. Spaghetti Junction sips like a cold apple toddy and is as much an ode to the complex highway interchange as it is to the merging of local spirits, including an apple brandy from Atlanta Distillery. Nothing is so serious here. Hey Malaka, an espresso martini riff, is served in an iconic NYC blue-and-white Greek coffee cup. The slow cooker on the bar is filled with the best chaser in the city: broth (the base of that life-changing soup) ladled into demitasse cups.
With its cozy food, expert cocktails, and a genuinely inclusive vibe, stepping into Buddy Buddy feels like home, even if it’s your very first visit. These buddies built a place that’s all about good times, good food, and great company.
This article appears in our December 2025 issue.
