Clermont Lounge   

Warning: this gritty, roadhouse-style bar is not for the faint of heart (or stomach) -- or for the politically correct. This, plus a dash of good old-fashioned curiosity, is precisely why trendy Atlantans love this unpolished but unabashedly fun dive. Late on Saturday nights, the line at the door is long, the dance floor is packed, and the bar --where you can get cheap, if not good, drinks -- is bustling. The crowd is eclectic: well-dressed yuppie types mingle with rough-looking characters you wouldn't want to encounter in a dark alley. Oh yeah, and there are the strippers, who seem to be there largely for the kitsch factor -- after some initial gawking, many patrons ignore them and focus on their own dance moves. Of course some folks do make a special trip to the lounge to see the legendary Blondie, a middle-aged stripper with talents that can't be detailed on a family-oriented Web site. If you can get past the sordid setting, you'll discover the appeal of the Clermont Lounge. In an image-conscious city, it's a place where no one takes themselves too seriously. -- Katherine Whan