From a haunted house beneath Atlanta’s streets to Frankenstein-inspired cocktails in Savannah, these Georgia bars are going all out for Halloween.
Halloween pop-ups have come a long way from a few cobwebs and a pumpkin-flavored cocktail. This year, Georgia watering holes are raising the bar by building full-scale haunted attractions, hosting eerie events, and handing entire restaurants over to the undead.
National concepts like Black Lagoon and The Haunting are making their Georgia debuts alongside homegrown haunts, including a hidden speakeasy in Newnan serving local ghost stories and a candlelit barrel room in the North Georgia mountains pairing wine with Appalachian folklore.
Grab a costume (and a designated driver) and get ready to get spooked.
1. The Black Lagoon at Barrel Proof
Where: 1170 Howell Mill Rd., Ste P-10C, Atlanta
When: Oct. 13-31
Best for: Horror fans and cocktail aficionados
It started as a one-night party in Toronto. Now Black Lagoon, created by bartenders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage, is a Halloween tradition at dozens of bars across North America, and this month, Atlanta gets its first look.
Local favorite Barrel Proof is hosting this international pop-up, trading its everyday look for a dark, metal-inspired haunt. Horror classics play on screen while you sip event-exclusive potions like Abyssa’s Obsession, a pumpkin-rum piña colada riff with sherry and coconut; Bone Temple, a tequila-based fall margarita with tart cherry and spiced oat orgeat; and Moon Shadow, an espresso martini built on nutmeg-infused vodka, coffee liqueur, and banana liqueur. Collectible glassware is part of the draw, including a limited edition Abyssa the Octo-Witch mug.
As is always the case at Barrel Proof, Black Lagoon will charge no cover and accept no reservations. The pop-up opens at 5 p.m. daily through the residency, and since it’s walk-in only, you’ll want to arrive on the early side.
2. Haunted Underground at Underground Atlanta
Where: 76 Wall St. SW, Atlanta
When: Oct. 1-Nov. 1; open Thursday-Sunday, 8 p.m.-4 a.m.
Best for: A full Halloween night out
There’s something stirring beneath the streets of downtown Atlanta. Haunted Underground has transformed 10,000 square feet of Underground Atlanta into part haunted house, part Halloween party. The 21+ pop-up packs in spooky decor (keep your wits about you in the hall of flickering TVs), bloody scare actors, and multiple bars staffed by costumed bartenders.
Come early for the creepy cocktails and eerie atmosphere, then stick around after 11 p.m. when live DJs take over and the dance floor fills with costumed revelers. Whether here for the haunts or the vibes, come dressed to kill.
Tickets are required (starting at $23.46, inclusive of taxes and fees) and parking is paid, so plan accordingly.
3. Halloween cocktail omakase at Lucky Star
Where: 1055 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta
When: Oct. 1-31
Best for: Serious cocktail enthusiasts
Lucky Star’s cocktail omakase has a new Halloween menu, and the drinks are bringing all the drama the holiday deserves. The West Midtown Taiwanese restaurant treats each cocktail as a course, so the evening moves from one eerie oddity to the next.
While the bar is keeping most of the menu under wraps, expect grown-up sips with echoes of sugar-induced childhood nostalgia like the Banana Zombie, which combines rums, yuzu, clarified banana, and cotton candy. Candy Corn is a chai gin drink with corn, tamarind, black sesame, and black salt, and Black Matcha gets its haunting hue from squid ink combined with Caribbean rum, vanilla, Licor 43, matcha, coconut milk, and lemon. Come dressed to impress, sit back, and soak up the spirits.
4. The Wicked Pig at Tin Lizzy’s Midtown
Where: 77 12th St. NE, Atlanta
When: Sept. 18-Oct. 31; open daily at 11 a.m.
Best for: Halloween-themed food and drinks
This Halloween pop-up staple is officially back from the dead. The Wicked Pig left its previous home behind Chido & Padre’s last year and now haunts Tin Lizzy’s Midtown on 12th Street.
While the original’s secret speakeasy feel is gone, the vibes are still spooky thanks to over-the-top decor (you’ll be greeted at the door by a towering pumpkin-faced reaper), wall-to-wall cobwebs, and creepy Victorian-inspired knick-knacks.
The highlight, of course, is the Cocktails from the Crypt drink menu, ranging from a Red Blood Moon Margarita served in a blood bag to the slimy green, mezcal-based Ashes to Ashes. Wicked Jalapeño Poppers and Tres Leches Ghost Cake carry the theme into the food, though you can still get the regular Tin Lizzy’s tacos and queso if you’d rather skip the spooky snacks or need something more substantial between sips.
Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended.
5. Rreal Tacos’ Halloween Bar
Where: All Atlanta metro area locations
When: Oct. 1-Nov. 2; hours vary by location
Best for: Groups and over-the-top spectacle
Rreal Tacos has gone full ghoul again. The metro Atlanta taco chain is bringing back its Halloween Bar across all 12 metro locations, and just about everything is larger than life. Expect 13-foot-tall skeletons and vampires guarding the front door, green or purple fishbowl-sized cocktails for a crowd, and limited-edition coffin boxes stuffed with chips, dips, and birria, Halloweenified with dark blue corn tortillas that appear black.
The drinks follow suit with offerings like the Black Widow Margarita made with prickly pear and rhubarb, and the eyeball-garnished Zombie Punch with passion fruit liqueur and pineapple. Spiked soft serve in flavors such as allspice dram-infused Pumpkin Spiced and coffee liqueur-infused Vanilla Latte (swirl together for a Pumpkin Spiced Latte, obviously) provides a treat with a little kick.
Between sips, be sure to wander around the restaurant and admire all the horrifying details. A word to the wise: Beware the haunted hallway at the BeltLine location.
6. Hamp & Harry’s Haunted House
Where: 168 Roswell St., Marietta
When: Oct.1-31; Tuesday-Sunday
Best for: Theatrical cocktails and events
A fire-breathing dragon suspended from the ceiling is the first clue that Hamp & Harry’s isn’t playing it safe this October. The Marietta Square spot has morphed into a haunted house, committing to the theme with creepy portraits, oversized spiders, and spellbound bookshelves.
The drinks menu adds to the mystique, with color-changing potions like Let the Brewing Commence (reposado tequila, butterfly pea flower, and red cabbage syrup) and smoking concoctions such as Incendio, crafted with chipotle-and-cocoa-infused tequila and espresso.
Upstairs, the High Note bar keeps the calendar full with a potions-making class on Oct. 29, a Jazz Night, and a chef-led dumpling-making class. Reservations are strongly recommended, and paid parking is available behind the building and around the square.
7. Dose of Ghosts at The Pharmacy Speakeasy
Where: 2 E. Court Sq., Newnan
When: Wednesdays in October (Oct. 7, 14, 21, and 28), 7-9 p.m.
Best for: Local ghost stories and history
Newnan’s hidden speakeasy gives chilling vibes year-round, but this October, things are taking an eerie turn. Tucked behind the Mad Mexican on the courthouse square, The Pharmacy Speakeasy sits in a historic former pharmacy building, and every Wednesday this month it’s serving up haunted history alongside its classic Prohibition-style cocktails.
The series, Dose of Ghosts, features professional storyteller Sally Toole spinning tales of the square’s spooky past, while mixologists Sam and Carly stir up spirited libations to match. Teasers include a ghost searching for her lost hat and a courthouse testimony from nearly 80 years ago, so expect real local lore, not just generic jump scares.
The speakeasy is small, so call or text (678) 673-4915 to reserve a spot.
8. The Haunting at Nighthawks Lounge
Where: 175 Tracy St., Athens
When: Oct. 1-31; open Tuesday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m.
Best for: A polished Halloween cocktail experience
Looking for spooky without the jump scares? Athens cocktail bar Nighthawks Lounge is getting in on the Halloween action with The Haunting, part of a national pop-up series that also has outposts in nearby cities like Nashville, Raleigh, and Asheville. Expect cobwebs, candles, floating pumpkins, and a costumed crowd. This is where you’ll find Athens townies who crave a well-made cocktail with a theme rather than a college-town party atmosphere.
The Haunting menu replaces the regular cocktail list for the month, so order a Poison Apple or Widow’s Whisper while you settle in. Spirit-free options are available, and drinks come in collectible glassware you can buy to stock your own eerie home bar. Light bites are available, and the patio is open for those who prefer to haunt outdoors.
No reservations are taken, so walk-ins are the way to go. Show up early on weekends if you want a seat. Catch live music from local band Shansylvaian on Oct. 16, and a Halloween dessert pop-up from pastry chef Gayle Norton on Oct. 27.
9. Haunted Barrel Room at Roo Mountain Vineyards
Where: 1493 Old Flat Branch Road, Ellijay
When: Oct. 16-Nov. 1; Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays
Best for: A Halloween weekend excursion
North Georgia’s wine country doesn’t need much to set the scene for Halloween. At Roo Mountain Vineyards, guests head down to the candlelit barrel room beneath the winery for a guided tasting with a spooky twist: four wines or ciders, each paired with a themed bite and a ghost story drawn from local legends and Appalachian folklore.
It’s a ticketed experience ($100 per person) rather than a walk-in bar, adding a bit of sophistication to the pop-up scene. Costumes are encouraged, and the winery warns that easily frightened guests should proceed with caution. You’ll want to book early—The Haunted Barrel Room sells out every year.
10. Project Prometheus at The Vinyl Room
Where: 7 Drayton St., Savannah
When: Sunday-Wednesday, 5-11 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 6 p.m.-1 a.m.
Best for: Frankenstein fans
The Vinyl Room, the basement cocktail bar at The Drayton Hotel, reinvents itself every season, and this fall it has traded the roadside honky-tonk of The Pit Stop for something much more Gothic: a Frankenstein-inspired pop-up that came to life just in time for spooky season.
The bar’s eerie address below one of Savannah’s oldest hotels sets the tone, while wall-to-wall cobwebs and Victorian-style medical illustrations send chills down your spine. The menu is printed like pages from Dr. Frankenstein’s journal, with sinister names to match. The Last Thing He Saw mixes vodka with crème de violette, lychee, lemon, and orange, while An Unfinished Creature combines rosemary-infused tequila with Midori, curaçao, lime, and agave. Sips are served in beakers and bottles (some with syringes), adding to the macabre ambiance.
This Halloween pop-up doesn’t serve food, so be sure to fuel up before imbibing here.
11. The Lost Planet of Tiki at Water Witch Tiki
Where: 2220 Bull St., Savannah
When: Oct. 5-31; Monday-Thursday from 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.; closed Sunday
Best for: Tiki lovers
Now in its third year, Water Witch Tiki’s October takeover turns the Savannah bar into a campy, skeleton-filled sci-fi tiki lair. Skeletons dressed in palm fronds stand vigil, a crowned skeleton (perhaps the Water Witch herself?) lounges in a chained coffin in a green gown, and a hulking moai head looms over the room.
The special menu has plenty of mad-scientist energy. Screaming Robot Noises combines white and overproof Jamaican rums with falernum, mango, lime, and mint. Cranial Detonation is a creamy tequila tipple made with framboise, creme de cacao, and beet shrub. Feral Mutation, a rhum agricole and pistachio orgeat drink, warns you not to feed it after midnight. If you need to snack into the wee hours, bar snacks, soft pretzels, scones, and skillet cookies are on offer from the kitchen.
Half-sized shooters are set on fire, and three non-alcoholic cocktails are available for anyone sitting out the spirits. In true tiki fashion, glassware gets just as dramatic with plenty of skulls to go around. But beware: If one of these mugs mysteriously follows you home, it’ll cost you $100.
12. Spookeasy Apothecary at Switch Macon
Where: 470 First St., Macon
When: Sept. 4-Nov. 8
Best for: A Halloween night in Macon
Macon’s home for cocktail pop-ups and themed trivia is dressing up for Halloween. Switch Macon has transformed into Spookeasy Apothecary, headlined by an undead band of skeletons (Don’t Fear the Reapers) performing on the main stage and supported by ghoulish touches like bloody handprints, floating witch’s hats, and a murder scene in the bathroom. Spirits follow suit, served in spooky skulls and ghost-shaped mugs.
Special events ranging from a fall festival to bingo run throughout October, capping off the season with a Halloween party and spilling over into November with a Día de los Muertos brunch.
Reservations are available for parties of 1 to 16, and email is the way to go for larger groups.
