Blue Flame gets #1 because Atlanta nightlife didn't start when the rest of America started paying attention to Atlanta. More than four decades of history matter. So does geography. Magic City tells one essential Atlanta story. Blue Flame tells another, rooted in the Black Westside communities conventional travel coverage rarely explores.

For BlkTravel, that's enough to give the Flame the crown. We're putting Blue Flame over Magic City. Yes, we know exactly what we just did. Magic City is more famous nationally, but BlkTravel isn't ranking name recognition. Blue Flame represents something equally important: the Westside. It's been here since 1983, long before Atlanta became the entertainment capital visitors recognize today. The club still operates Monday through Saturday until 3 a.m., with food, drinks, hookah and VIP sections available.

This isn't where we'd send somebody looking for Atlanta's newest luxury nightlife room. It's where we'd send somebody who wants a club with history, personality and a connection to the part of Atlanta surrounding it. BlkTravel would choose Blue Flame for: Westside Atlanta, Black nightlife history, hip-hop, late nights, food, groups and travelers who want the classic rather than the newest thing.