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Finally, there’s something to do around Turner Field before a baseball game that doesn’t involve bringing your own beer cooler.

Allow me to introduce you to 656 Sports Bar and Grille (updated: and BBQ Suite, which is the name of the joint that has the patio), located just west of the stadium on the other side of I-75. A short 5-minute walk from the Turner Field gates, the bar features lots of TVs and an awesome drink selection.

One of those bars is on the rooftop and points directly at the stadium. It’s no surprise, if you’ve read past articles of mine, that this is thrilling news for me, and it should be for you as well.

Finally, they’re trying, but as we all know, it’s too late.

656 is split into two buildings, but the one you want to visit is the smaller one, closer to the stadium. That’s the one that smells of delicious barbecue and has the patio where you’ll want to pregame.

Admittedly, I didn’t taste the food, but the scents were fantastic. The beers were in the $3-4 range, and they also had multiple fruit-infused vodkas resting on the bar in huge tanks, if that’s your kind of thing.

If you were wondering why you haven’t noticed this incredible rooftop patio, it’s because they just opened a few months ago. Our bartender said 656 opened in late April, and they’re just beginning to get a following. They’re a vibrant bunch, full of hope that this experiment will pay off. The building is dripping with trendiness. Seriously, they did a great job.

It’s an idea that should’ve been tried long ago. The owners took a pair of run-down buildings and turned them into something special. Imagine what Turner Field’s atmosphere would be like if that had been done a couple dozen times over the last 17 years with the abandoned buildings around the stadium.

The Braves wouldn’t be moving to Cobb County, that’s for sure.

But even though our baseball team only has two and a half seasons left downtown, this bar is a hidden gem that will hopefully become more popular as the season progresses. God-willing, if the Braves make it to the postseason, it’ll be a very fun spot come October.

Did I mention 656 has done great things for the neighborhood’s look? Here’s how it used to look; You’ll just have to go check it out to see how it looks now.

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