A long time ago, children, Athens had hardly any bars downtown.  There was the Odyssey, and the Yacht Club and The Last Resort and the GA Bar, and a few more.  You could get beer at one of three clubs (40 Watt, Uptown, Rockfish Palace) in town and at restaurants and that was pretty much it.  I have a hard time even coming up with ten.  Things are different now.  I  think when I pulled up  'bars near me' on Yelp while walking downtown I got 63 hits.  So, these days choice is not the problem.   Too many choices, on the other hand...  Here's some info that might help you decide.
Flicker is a great little bar.  It's friendly and casual and just generally informal.  It is split into halves; one side has a small stage and a movie screen, the other side has the bar and some chairs and sofas and such for socializing.  The clientele tends to be the arty crowd.  It's not terribly loud so talking with people is possible.  The music and/or movies are on the other side so people blabbing away won't  interfere with your enjoyment of the entertainment.  The beer selection is small but good and they  have a full bar, along with a fun list of cocktails they will make for you. The bartenders are also willing to be flexible and make drinks not on "the board".  Prices are reasonable, the staff is friendly, the popcorn is hot and fresh (not nuked!) and free.  It is also right next door to the 40 Watt, which makes for easy bar hopping.
Plus, the bartenders made me Dark & Stormies all night long. Â How can you go wrong with a place like that?
This place will always be dear to my heart, because it is where I first tried sweet tea vodka. Like many, if not most bars in Athens, the drinks are inexpensive (I had a $5 Makers Mint Julep here during another visit), and the bartenders and patrons are super friendly. There is plenty of seating inside or nice storefront seating outside - where everyone seems to see someone they know.
Review Source:Alright dear Janet, you asked for it. Â
Flicker. Â What can I say about the best bar in the universe? Â (It was bumped up to that spot from #2 after my original first favorite bar in the universe was decimated by Hurricane Ivan a few years ago.)
Let me make a list, so as to not ramble incoherently for the next 20 minutes until either I fall asleep or I'm forced to stop writing by the internet police. Â
1. Best bartenders on the face of the planet! Â Particularly one named Jim, one named Richard, and one named Emily.
2. Free popcorn. Â And it's warm and SALLLLTY. Â Yessss.
3. The clientèle.  On occasion (i.e. AthFest) you miiight find the random sorostotute or fratty frat boy hanging out here, but they're few and far between, and typically leave post haste. Â
4. Location, location, location.
5. Memmmmories. Â All alone in the moonlight. Â I remember the old days, I was beautiful then (etc. etc.).
6. walkable from my old house.
7. Janet.
8. Â MB and her T's.
9. Carrie.
10. The rest of the lovely crowd at Flicker.
XOXO Flicker. Â I love thee.
I love going to Flicker. It just makes me happy.
Where else can you go and sit in a cute bar, watch TCM on the tube, drink a good beer, eat some freshly popped pop corn, and then check out a cool band in their theater around the corner from the bar.
It is such a haven in a sometimes overwhelming town.
Great bar with rotating displays of local art. Â Vibe was a little more chill, less talk-to-strangers-y than other bars we went to but nice nonetheless. Â Great that you can go and have a drink and either ignore or listen to the music in the theatre half of the bar. Â Also convenient to bounce back and forth between the 40 Watt.
Review Source:Situated almost next to the 40 Watt Club, Flicker is the perfect spot for catching a low key live-music performance, a flick, some cheap drinks and free popcorn.
You're more likely to catch the creative set in here, than the frat/sorority kids. The vibe is very laid back and cool. Check out the local art on the walls and get another bag of popcorn.
This is the first-ever bar that has felt like a home away from home. Â I don't even order anything alcoholic most of the time I'm there, I just go to hang out and munch on some free popcorn! Â Half of the place is a bar, decorated in warm yellows and oranges. Â Everyone that works at the place is friendly, genuine, and really caring--it's cool to have that kind of place downtown where everybody knows your name, to be cliche.
Each month the art on the wall changes--that's right, Flicker also serves as an art gallery of sorts.
Films are screened in the second half of the place, which is a small, cozy theatre. Â More often than film screenings are the music shows! Â From local gritty rock acts who unplug when they play at Flicker to big names who are on East Coast tours and want to sit at the delightfully painted in-house pianos for a couple hours, the musical menu each month is sure to delight.
Oh yes--and did I mention the FREE POPCORN?!