Dog Friendly Restaurants in Decatur, GA

Having a nice meal and a drink at the end of a long day is one of life’s simple pleasures. And if time spent with your dog helps you relax, bringing them along with you to a restaurant can only add to your enjoyment while giving them an opportunity to interact with the world. Decatur, Georgia, offers lots of great bars and restaurants for both humans and dogs to enjoy. Continue reading for more information about the best dog-friendly restaurants in Decatur, tips for dining out with your dog, and how our Decatur dog sitting company Critter Sitters can take care of your dog if you end up choosing to leave them at home.

Decatur’s Dog-Friendly Restaurants

The Atlanta area is experiencing a recent resurgence in dining culture, and this includes Decatur. Decatur offers lots of excellent restaurants with options for every kind of taste. However, not all of Decatur’s restaurants are welcome to dogs. The following is a list of Decatur’s top dog-friendly restaurants.

1. Leon’s Full Service – A dog- and vegetarian-friendly restaurant in an old gas station that is beginning to garner lots of national attention.
2. Universal Joint – An American pub-style restaurant that is known for its patio and which is perfect for patrons who want their dogs to enjoy their meals with them.
3. Victory Sandwich Bar – Aside from being a great place to bring a dog along for a simple but delicious meal, Victory Sandwich Bar is known for its Jack & Coke slushies.
4. Sweet Melissa’s – Sweet Melissa’s is a perfect option for people who want to bring their dog along to enjoy breakfast, lunch, or brunch on a sidewalk patio.
5. Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards – As a pub known for its extensive beer selection, Twain’s is perfect for beer lovers that enjoy bringing their dog along for a pint.
6. Avellino’s Pizza – Enjoy traditional pizzas and pastas on a well-kept patio with your dog by your side.
7. The White Bull – An elevated, farm-to-table restaurant with an outdoor patio perfect for a canine companion.
8. Steinbeck’s Restaurant – Bring your dog to this pub that is known for its burgers and cozy atmosphere.

Tips for Dining Out with Your Dog

Eating and drinking in a restaurant with your dog beside you can be a great experience, if all goes according to plan. However, if a hungry dog gets thrown into the mix with breakable plates and glasses, tight spaces, and other restaurants patrons around, things can get messy if proper precautions aren’t taken. The following are some tips you can follow to make sure that your time spent in a restaurant with your dog is as enjoyable as possible for you, your dog, and everyone else in the restaurant.

1. Choose the right table – While a dog is laying under or beside your table, they may present a tripping hazard. Choose a table that is out of the way of the staff’s well-trodden areas and far from any doors, waiting areas, or stairs. A semi-isolated spot in a corner is usually your best option. And while it’s great if you have more than one dog, it’s recommended that you only bring one at a time to a restaurant with you.
2. Feed your dog before you leave the house – A hungry dog in a restaurant will seek food. If they end up eating food they shouldn’t — such as food on another patron’s plate — it can be embarrassing and awkward for everyone involved and end up ruining your good time.
3. Expend their energy before you arrive at the restaurant – A dog with lots of energy is a major liability in a restaurant with breakable table settings and other delicate objects all over. To increase your dog’s chances of staying still while you eat, take them out for a long walk before you head to the restaurant.
4. Practice good dog hygiene – Makes sure your dog is well-groomed enough to be in close proximity to food without causing a disturbance. Brush them to make sure that stray hairs don’t end up in someone else’s meal. Make sure their paws are clean of mud and dirt so it doesn’t get tracked into the restaurant.
5. Train them well – Proper training should have been done far in advance of the time that you visit the restaurant, but it bears mentioning that your dog’s behavior in a restaurant will be largely determined by the way that it has been trained to deal with people, food, strange dogs, and other stimuli. A dog that can obey basic commands such as “sit” and “stay” will be much better prepared to spend time in a restaurant than a dog that refuses to obey commands.
6. Bring toys – Your dog might get bored while you eat and enjoy yourself. Bring toys or other things to occupy their attention and make them less likely to cause a disturbance.
7. Keep them on a leash – Dogs can react to things unexpectedly, so keep them on a leash, even if they are trained to keep from invading the personal space of other patrons or prohibited areas of the restaurant.

Atlanta Pet Sitting Company Available for Dog Walking Services

If you do choose to leave your dog at home while you go out to eat or drink, know that they don’t have to be totally alone if you hire our dog sitting company Critter Sitters to walk, feed, or spend time with your dog. They’re even available to watch your pet if you spend longer periods of time away from home. To learn more about how you can use our Georgia pet sitting services to help keep your dog happy and healthy, get in touch with Critter Sitters by calling (404) 793-6178.