Dark Horse Tavern — Restaurant in Atlanta

ANTI-LGBTQ+ ESTABLISHMENT. During a visit to Dark Horse Tavern for a friend's birthday celebration, our experience started on a hopeful note. Eager to enhance the atmosphere, we invested in a selection of songs from the jukebox. However, despite our anticipation, the music was initially too quiet, diminishing our enjoyment. It wasn't until an hour into our visit, after we requested a volume increase, that the ambiance improved, leading to a lively atmosphere with patrons dancing and enjoying themselves.

The evening took a disappointing turn when the temperature inside the bar rose, prompting my husband to remove his jacket, revealing a standard tank top underneath. Unexpectedly, a staff member confronted him, insisting that tank tops were against the bar's dress code, a policy that was neither posted nor previously communicated to us. When we sought clarification and requested to see the written dress code, we were met with hostility and were told to leave without a satisfactory explanation. This encounter felt particularly discriminatory, as we noticed other patrons in similar attire who were not subjected to the same treatment. Our objections were dismissed rudely, and as we exited, we were wrongly accused of causing damage.

This incident leads us to believe that the bar's actions were not only unwelcoming but also discriminatory, notably hinting at homophobia, given the unequal enforcement of their dress code. Such behavior is unacceptable, especially in a city like Atlanta, known for its diversity and inclusiveness. We hope our experience serves as a cautionary tale, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community and allies, about this establishment's...

Well, I'd love to give this place 4 stars because the drinks were good, the bartenders were cool and the music was way better than in the rest of the highlands, but one staff member really ruined the experience for me and my friends. The disgusting troll-like door guy who seemed too drunk to even form sentences - and this was before midnight - smelled like he hadn't showered in weeks, which was all the more apparent since he wouldn't stop trying to talk to my friend and his ratty long hair literally smelled like vomit and kept brushing our faces. Not just talk, he insisted on touching her arm and leaning in real close to where she felt physically unsafe. He kept telling us how he played guitar and was going to make it big one day, and also how good looking and SMELLING all the women were in the bar that night (of course he didn't at women, he used much less respectful terms). While he was doing this, I noticed some really young looking guys just walk in the door where he had been checking IDs. I think one of the female staff members noticed to bc she glared at him and he skulked like punished child back to his place by the door. We tried to forget hour it be juat have a good time and we had a few drinks and stuff, but she and I didn't feel safe walking home - we live a few blocks away - because he seemed like a super drink sexual predator. I dont know of this is their normal door guy or if he was even affiliated with the bar, but any place that would hire a scumbag like that especially on a busy Friday night can't possibly have the safety of its patrons in mind. I might go back but if he's at the door I'm...

I have never felt more unwelcome at a restaurant or bar as when my girlfriend and I went to the Dark Horse Tavern. We went in as part of the Atlanta Burger Wars last April. The Dark Horse was featuring a "Messy Bessy" Burger which we were eager to try. We'd heard of the Dark Horse for years and never tried it so this was our first time. We walked in to a fairly empty house and sat down. We talked quietly for a bit. Finally, We looked around. We saw multiple barbacks, servers, and bartenders. None of them would make eye contact with us. We are an older couple but we were not the oldest couple there that night. We weren't dressed like we were either bursting with money or were straight out of the gutter. Maybe we should have because we had to wait until several other people came in and were served before we finally had to ambush a server and force them acknowledge us. Even then it was like we were the problem they couldn't ignore. I've never had this experience before in any restaurant or bar EVER! Other tables got their drinks before us, got their food before us. Sure. That happens. But to ignore the table completely? It was like we were either on fire or diseased. Regarding the food - The burger was ok - not the best but not the worst either. But it didn't matter. They made very clear they didn't want us there from the start and we will honer their wishes and...