Utopia Achieved! A Sports Bar For Women’s Sports—And Only Women’s Sports

Over the weekend, I attended the grand opening of Jolene Jolene, “Atlanta’s only sports bar dedicated to women’s sports,” and while a women’s sports bar like this is not the first of its kind—The Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon earned that title in 2022—it’s the first of its kind in Atlanta, and we needed it.  

Like Jolene Jolene, I’m also new to the city, so it’s my duty to hand over some allegiance to some local teams and local bars, and even better if their women’s teams and women-owned. As the popularity of women’s sports grows, sports bars like these have sprung up in corners all over the country–The 1972 Pub opened in Austin in 2022, A Bar of Their Own in Minneapolis in 2024, and Title 9 Sports Bar in Phoenix in 2025. Thankfully, the demand has reached the Southeast, because as of Saturday, Atlantans and Angel Reese fans alike now have a place to watch women’s sports. So I rounded up some friends who couldn’t care less about sports but were willing to convert and headed over to Jolene Jolene to show my support, catch the US Women’s National Team friendly against Brazil, and watch the Atlanta Dream face off against the Washington Mystics. And what I discovered was a thriving community.  

We could hear the buzz from around the block as we walked up to the Kirkwood spot. The place was packed. Yes, there were a lot of lesbians, as is tradition. There were also families, friend groups, young people, older people, a Dolly Parton drag queen, a flash tattoo artist, a clean bathroom—what more could you ask for? (And yes, Dolly Parton aka ATL queen Parton Waters did indeed perform an impromptu lip sync of “Jolene” so you can put your mind at ease.) The restaurant offered a variety of bar food and beverage options with punny names like the Mia Hamm Sandwich and the It’s Britney, Spritz. At one point I also spotted a woman wearing a shirt that read, “Listen to Ethel Cain, or you will burn in hell.” All this to say, the place felt special. You certainly wouldn’t see that at the boring UGA pub down the street. But spectacle aside, the people showed up for the sports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Gerome Stephens (@egerome)

As we got comfortable at a table on the patio, the USWNT fell short in their friendly against Brazil (2-1), and the Dream game against the Washington Mystics picked up speed. Reese, as the newest addition to the Dream, posted 18 points and 17 rebounds, leading Atlanta to a 109–77 win. Also, the Mystics’ head coach, Sydney Johnson, was ejected and escorted off the court by police after arguing with officials over a foul called on Washington’s Alicia Florez Getino, which always makes for good television. (And no, it’s not lost on me that the man was causing the drama.)

My friend, Bella, who attended with me, said that she never knew much about women’s sports (or any sports), but left inspired to become a fan, and felt welcome to in a place that celebrated both women’s sports and queerness. To quote Bella, “the food was bomb, and the vibes were lit.” Agreed!

After Jolene’s successful pop-up run starting in July last year, The Economist dubbed the phenomenon “The year of the women’s-sports bar.“ In March 2025, NBC reported that there were only six women’s sports bars across the United States. By the end of 2025, that number had risen to at least 23. The spark Jenny Nguyen started when she opened The Sports Bra four years ago ignited a wildfire, and it’s not burning out any time soon. 

So while the demand for women’s sports bars is here, establishments like this open the door for even more viewership, more recognition for the athletes, and less squeezing through a gaggle of manspreading frat bros to get a seat at the table. It’s a win, win, win.