Sip a few cold ones at these Atlanta pubs

Limerick Junction, the only Irish-style haunt in the Va-Hi area, features a terrific repertoire of live Irish folk music every weekend. Indeed, you'll feel as though you've been transported to the Emerald Isle when you sip your Harp or Guinness surrounded by traditional pub decor: dark-stained woods, subdued lighting, and comfy furniture. The best seats are near the front, where you can watch as passersby go about their evening rituals. If it's cold out, an order of corned beef and cabbage or Irish stew goes a long way toward warming your bones. It is a surefire winner on St. Patrick's Day.

Boasting a legitimate claim as downtown's coziest watering hole, North Highland Pub offers patrons a welcome break from trendier, more crowded joints in Va-Hi and Little Five Points. From classic storefront windows and old baseball photos to exposed brick walls and antique beer signs, the pub stands as a nod to Atlanta's past. As far as pub grub goes, you'll find staples like Buffalo shrimp, nachos, and chicken fingers. Tasty surprises like a New York strip with coconut shrimp and blackened chicken fettuccini also dot the menu. Tuesday is trivia night, so make sure you show up early if you want a table.

This centrally located Midtown pub is quite popular with the after work crowd. Along with about 9 beers regularly on tap and a selection of beers by the bottle, Cypress Street also offers 5 beers on tap that change out weekly. The food is your average pub fare. Skip the small and pricey appetizers in favor of the main entrees. The Philly Cheesesteak, Maytag Burger, and Chicken Picatta Sandwich are menu highlights. Cypress Street hosts weekly "Beer Geek" events in which an expert introduced guests to new and different beers. They are open late each night until about 2 am.

Tucked away in the bottom of the Westside Provisions complex, you might miss this pub, it weren't for the "O" on the front of the wood door. Ormsby's is the ideal hang out spot for those who like a casual bar and a little competition. The downstairs area of the bar is devoted to games, including bocce, shuffleboard, and pool. If the competitive spirit leaves you hungry, Ormsby's serves classic pub fare with delicious southern twists. The Guinness-dipped pretzels served with stout mustard are particularly enticing. And to quench your thirst, Ormsby's has an expansive list of draft beers that changes on a regular basis to keep things exciting. There is plenty of complimentary parking available in the parking deck located adjacent to Ormsby's.

Billed as an "international bistro and pub," P'Cheen certainly plays the part, boasting a worldly yet urban feel that seems to suit its trendy Va-Hi clientele just fine. It all starts with what designers Keith Frutiger and Anke Schofield did with the old, brick building that houses the pub – old light fixtures, textured walls, deep, earthy shades of orange, exposed ducts. From there, the kitchen dispells the myth that pub fare is no more than fried cod and burgers ... it can also include dishes like roasted vegetable panini, Spanish paella, and BBQ jerk turkey with feta gyro and the curry trio.

Upon entering TAP, you'll notice the two-story restaurant has seating both upstairs and downstairs. The bar, downstairs is the most crowded and gets absolutely packed on weekend night. The upstairs, where the kitchen is located lends itself to groups or couples. This Midtown pub is part of the Concentrics restaurant group, and as such the food is very much high quality. As far as pub food goes they have it, In fact, the burger is quite good. But if you are craving something more upscale you can find the too like a stuffed whole fish or bone in Pork Chop.

If you have an interest in architecture and historical buildings you definitely need to visit Wrecking Bar. The Victorian home was built prior to 1900 was designed by Architect Willis F. Denny. Before being transformed into a pub it was once a Methodist Church and even a dance school. Wrecking bar has about eight beers that rotate out on a regular basis. These are IPAs, Belgians, Ales and others that are brewed on site. Most are available in both a regular and shorty size (for those who like to try a variety). Don't do beer? They've got a mighty fine looking cocktail list. As for the menu, it has mostly pub food -sandwiches, mussels, fries, house burger, etc. But there is a specials menu that is quite unique.

Over 430 beers make The Porter a must for brew-lovers in Atlanta. The Porter makes its home in the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta. The odd L-shaped bar stays pretty crowded on weekend nights. This gastropub serves up excellent food like duck prosciutto and lamb vindaloo ravioli. The menu features beer pairing suggestions for each dish. There is quite an eclectic crowd no matter when you visit. Yuppie foodies looking for a great gastronomic experience to the Little Five points residents with piercings and tattoos all enjoy spending time at this beer bar. Expect to wait for a table as The Porter does not take reservations.

Brick Store Pub is housed in a 19th-century in heart of Downtown Decatur. Not only offering a fabulous selection of beer, the exposed brick walls and dark wood paneling set the scene for a traditional pub atmosphere. Expect to find an extensive selection of ales, stouts, pilsners and more. They rotate a carefully chosen array of 17 draught and 75 bottled beers. Upstairs find the Belgian Beer Bar, featuring 8 rotating draughts and over 120 Belgian/Belgian-style bottled beers. Brick Store's kitchen also serves up some tasty fare such as fish and chips and a killer chicken salad sandwich. Seating can be difficult to score on weekends.

This Buckhead hotspot offers authentic Irish pub atmosphere with food, drink, and entertainment to match. Inside, you'll find quintessential dark-wood bar areas and plenty of "pub" ambiance, though the place does tend to get packed quickly after the sun goes down. A stone patio towards the rear is a favorite hangout, no matter the season, and a few bar areas make getting a long, dark quaff a little easier. Fadó features live music on Monday nights – dancing is always encouraged – as well as special events to celebrate soccer (football!) matches. To mark your visit to this Buckhead favorite, be sure to stop by the gift shop and pick up a few things Irish.