Highwire

A real reprieve from the typical college crowd bar. Excellent selection of spirits. Was very impressed with the gin selections. Quality tonic (Fever tree) and ice. Fine mixologist but maybe a little green. Nice sophisticated ambiance but still down to earth. Highly recommended if one is looking for a nicer bar/lounge experience.

Good, solid stop for us grown folks who come back to Athens and reminisce about our glory years. The times I have been there, it is a great mix of people. You don't feel overrun by students, and it's not unbearably loud. It's a little off the beaten path of the main bar drags on Clayton and Washington Streets, so I think that helps. Drinks are creative and a notch above some of the more traditional Athens bars.

I had the Funambulist -  bulleit bourbon // lavender // lemon //seltzer. YUM. Okay, I had two, which was probably not the greatest idea. But still, Highwire, and the adjacent Trapezze, are great bets for a night out with the big kids (an some younger ones here and there).  Finally, as a fair warning, there is a spooky jester hanging from the ceiling, which gets scarier with every Funambulist consumed.

Highwire Lounge may be one of my favorite bars in Athens.  To sum it up in three Steven Seagal movies they would be Under Siege, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory , and Mercenary for Justice.  Similarly to Seagal, you may run into other individuals with refined styles and a propensity for good music.