Warm weather, a great cocktail, and the perch from which to sip it. Add a nibble or two and an evening is born. Cozy up with someone special, or go it alone and people watch: Some places are just better when enjoyed from the bar.

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Leon’s Full Service
131 East Ponce de Leon, Decatur, 404-687-0500, www.leonsfullservice.com

The most important fixture is the presence of the owners, Dave Blanchard, Mike Gallagher and Tom Moore — who brought Decatur and the rest of the world beloved Brick Store Pub, practically next door. At least one of these guys is always around, pouring tastes of a beer you might have been eyeing, or telling you about the cool-beans drinks young Miles Macquarrie is crafting behind the bar (he trained for a spell with Greg Best of Holeman & Finch, and it shows). Belly up to the bar and check out Macquarrie’s take on an old-fashioned: bacon-infused bourbon, organic maple syrup and angostura bitters blend into a smooth, sweet friend. Sip and pair with the pub fries — some of the best in the city, accompanied by side sauces ranging from a brown peppercorn to pepper mayo.

Buckhead Diner
3073 Piedmont Road, Atlanta. 404-262-3336, www.buckheadrestaurants.com

I’ve never made secret my love for this Atlanta institution’s dirty martinis — heavy on the gin and olive juice, and lots of olives. It really is a meal, isn’t it? But if one has to nibble on something a little more substantial, break out the house-made chips with warm Maytag blue cheese sauce and, with pinky finger in air, dig in.

Trois
1180 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404-815-3337, www.trois3.com/home.html

Lauded by national mags Esquire and Food & Wine, Trois’s cocktail list mixes modern urban libations with old-fashioned funky fun. The bar’s take on the classic mix of Champagne and gin in a French 75 (a combination that can only be trumped by chocolate and … hmmm … chocolate) is naughty fun. Add an order of the kitchen’s steak frites to strike the perfect balance. Between what I’m not sure — but you won’t care anyway.