The Rusty Nail Pub

I love this place, but its not a place if you are a huge non smoker. I tried to sit down tonight, but when I walked in… Like a punch in the face… Cigar and cigarettes smoke. I couldn’t stay. Walked out to the car and the taste in my mouth from the smoke made me nauseous and my clothes stunk. It’s vile!
I love the barbecue and the people that work there are the best. I even pop in for trivia from time to time.
I just wish people knew what year this is. Non smokers take a back seat in that place. That’s a shame. Ha! One side is for smokers and other for non and it doesn’t matter, cuz its so small.

THE BEST BURGERS! The burgers and tator tots make the cigarette smoke (yes people smoke here) tolerable. However, when I wasn’t chewing the smell drove me crazy.

Absolutely love this place. From the giant six-​shooter smoker out front to the friendly staff you can’t go wrong. The food is awesome, the layout is awesome, and the location couldn’t be better.

I have to admit, I didn’t want to come here after reading some reviews, but sooo happy that my husband insisted we try it. Our server (Debbie I think?) was so funny and knew exactly what we needed and when. The barbecue was soooo good! Surprising for a dive bar, but this IS the South, right? Don’t forget the peanut butter pudding pie – TO GO. You won’t have room for it while you’re there.

If you’re in the area and the mood for some great BBQ brisket, check out the Rusty Nail. It was delicious. And the service was equally great.

There was a leak from the ceiling in the booth I was sitting in. If you’re looking for a hipstery or modern place to go, this is the opposite. Very country. BBQ and wings are the only thing I like to eat here. The area is very dangerous during night time though.

If you’re an adult and want bbq this is perect. Food was great, staff is really friendly. It is a bar so it does smell like smoke, but all in all great food.

Love this little place, it’s smoky, and not from BBQ, but the food is good, cheep and they pour a good drink with a smile

This place was a dive but quite good. The hamburgers were great and the chips and salsa were delicious as well. The manager came by to check on us and the waitress was very attentive and friendly.

Best BBQ, don’t be discouraged by the outside. Be aware people smoke inside but the prices are great.

This review is an update to my previous review; however, it is more of a report about security /​parking lot issues. I went here about a month ago with my dart team for a dart league match. I sensed there was a problem, when I saw a sign in the bathroom advising patrons to hide valuables in the trunk or (better yet) bring them inside the bar.
Shortly after reading the sign in the bathroom, I started hearing announcements from the bartenders about cars in the parking lot being burglarized /​vandalized. Half the patrons had to go outside to check and see if their car was the one that got hit by the thieves. The thieves kept breaking into cars (breaking windows) and leaving; and later returning throughout the course of the evening to hit more cars.
Out of six members of my dart team, four had their cars broken into. My car was parked near the front entrance, so perhaps that is why my car was spared.
This place needs to have a fence put up around the parking lot and should install security cameras — maybe even hire a security guard to monitor the parking lot.
Until the crime problem is resolved, you should park near the entrance or park in the nearby CVS lot and walk over. Bottom Line: Don’t park behind Rusty Nail.

If you’re into dive bars and food that complements the category’s atmosphere, you could live here! Friendly down to earth service, larger menu than you’d think, and an excellent place to tie one one. Go for the Chili Mac, nothing close to what the lunch lady was serving up.

Great little local bar/​restaurant… The smoking gun out front is a landmark, but if you are squeamish, don’t let it hinder you… The food is amazing and the service is on point. The regulars are welcoming, and if you are ok with a smoking friendly location (Not Mary Jane just regular tobacco) then check this place out! If you are a franchise regular/​snob, then pass up, you just won’t get it…

What a great place. Rustic charming with great food and beer with super prices. Watch out for Don. Loaded with Bad jokes. I ate the tacos, pies and stews but burgers are great too.

I love this place. Randomly came across one night after a super long day at school. Sweetest bartender I’ve ever met.
Their burgers are awesome, but that’s not why I love it.
It’s super spacious and friendly. Definitely a relaxed environment.

Here’s where bringing up your standards to the modern world would help. If this place was a non smoking establishment I would likely rate them closer to five stars.
Staying in a local hotel I was looking forward to walking to dinner. As soon as I walked in I got hit with cigarette smoke. Each and every seat at the bar had an ashtray and accompanying smoker. The adjacent dinning area was «smoke free» as in no lit cigarettes. With all this in mind I choose to get my order to go.
Now onto the positive attributes. The server was very understanding and helpful. He hooked me up with all necessary items to enjoy my meal in my room down to the vinegar sauce for my greens. The food itself is delightful. The pork is flavorful, the greens are tender & tasty, the Mac ‘n cheese is cheesy, sauce packs a vinegar punch and the Brunswick stew is out of this world.
Overall I would love to eat here again. However it is very unlikely until Georgia changes some smoking laws.

What a great dive bar!!! Love the atmosphere! Didn’t know walking in they have an amazing menu that has everything! There also a smoker outside, which lead me to believe that the BBQ looks pretty good! No smoking which I like, and it’s Saturday night and we are playing a game of trivia! Cheers :)

The Rusty Nail is everything I hoped for and then some! Atlanta has trendy bars and hipster bars, but this place is like a Southern Cheers. It’s just a good, honest, authentic «bar» bar that doesn’t try too hard and succeeds at being perfection. I want to come here so much that everyone to know my name.
I had been intrigued by this place for years and finally had the opportunity to experience it. We went on a Saturday at about 7:00 before it was really crowded. The bartender, whose name escapes me, could not have been any nicer and has been working here for over a decade. That was sign #1 that this place is awesome. They offer all your normal alcoholic beverages and surprisingly good bar food. Who knew that I would be obsessed with a hotdog from a dive bar? I had some sort of homemade peanut butter pie that was so simple and so good.
The Rusty Nail is dark and dive-​y in all the right ways. You can play Keno here. The bathroom stall is covered in chalk paint, so you drawing in the stall is encouraged. They have trivia on Saturdays, which I will absolutely be back for. Best of all though: they have dirty Photo Hunt. I cannot even tell you how long it’s been since I had last played the best bar game ever. Atlanta just got a little better in my book thanks to this discovery.

If you ever feel like you are running out the usual empty glitzy crap or super long beared, rolled up jeans establishments, then Rusty Nail is an extremely refreshing change of pace.
Food is the ever-​missed the classic bar food done right at the correct prices. No truffle oil parmesan parsley organic hand cut free labor save the world fries, just plain olé fried.
Don’t waste time and money trying to find a good dive, this is it.

The Rusty Nail is a very specific kind of place. It’s the place you go when you want to smoke a lot of cigarettes inside, get drunk, and also eat food.
The service at the Nail is always great. Seriously – everyone is friendly and acts like they know you even when it’s your first visit. While you wait for your food and drinks you can quiz your friends with the provided Trivial Pursuit cards or graffiti the light fixture (pen or pencil not included). They got rid of the fried olives, but that’s okay because now you can just get the BBQ nachos for an app instead of a meal. You know you want to.
Last time I went, they’d added chili mac as a side. It’s like the best version of homemade Hamburger Helper – ultimate trashy delicious food. The burgers and chicken sandwiches are all greasy and tasty. The desserts aren’t my fave, but maybe I’m just not usually drunk enough.