Atlanta doesn't have one club scene. That's what makes going out here different. You can get dressed all the way up for a polished night in Buckhead, reserve a section at one of the city's big production-driven clubs, or head south and experience the Atlanta that doesn't always make it into the visitor guides.

And BlkTravel isn't pretending those experiences are interchangeable. Atlanta nightlife lives just as much in College Park, Camp Creek and the city's legendary Southwest corridor as it does in Midtown, Downtown and Buckhead. Some of the best nights happen in places where the sign outside might say restaurant, lounge or sports cafe, but once the DJ gets going and Atlanta shows up, you know exactly where you are.

Our nightclub rankings balance the complete experience: music, crowd, dancing, production, atmosphere, longevity, Black Traveler Comfort and whether we'd actually tell somebody visiting Atlanta to spend one of their nights there. Some are upscale. Some are hood. Some are grown. Some are straight turn-up. All of them earned their place because they offer a piece of Atlanta nightlife worth experiencing.