Four hassle-free places for dinner and a show
For accessAtlanta
Thursday, September 04, 2008
What could be a better night out than eating, drinking and listening to live music?
Too often, though, pulling it together can be a logistical nightmare. Finding a restaurant close to the venue, parking (maybe twice) and getting there on time sort of make you just want to stay home. But there are places in Atlanta where dinner and a show can be so effortlessly simultaneous that all you need do is sit back, chow down and applaud. Here are four current favorites.
Rich Addicks/raddicks@ajc.com
Eddie’s Attic in Decatur is one of several venues where you can have dinner and then listen to live music without having to move.
• Photos: John Mayer and One Republic
• Blog: Table Talk | Atlanta Music Scene
515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-377-4976, www.eddiesattic.com.
Eddie’s Attic at the back of Decatur Square could easily lay claim to the title of the most venerable music club in town. The intimate upstairs “listening room” is a favorite of performing artists everywhere. The likes of the Indigo Girls, Sheryl Crow, Ani DiFranco, India Arie, Peter Case and Alejandro Escovedo have graced the stage over the years. And an impressive number of successful Atlanta artists started out playing the Attic, including John Mayer, Sugarland, Shawn Mullins, Kristen Hall and Michelle Malone. But with all that going on, Eddie’s remains a cordial neighborhood bar to grab a beer and a bite.
• Eat: In addition to burgers and other pub grub, Eddie’s offers mix-and-match appetizers for sharing, including crab cakes, wings and stuffed mushrooms, as well as sliders, salads and a few entrees.
• Drink: Guinness pints and Eddie’s stash of single-batch bourbon are de rigueur, but there’s a full bar with cocktails and a few local brews.
• Music: Sept. 4: Athens Boys Choir, the Thieve, Wayne Fishell Experiment. Sept. 5: Ellis Paul. Sept. 6: Caroline Aiken, Brian Ashley Jones, Trina and Tomi (of Three5human)
464 Edgewood Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-477-0008, www.cafecircaatl.com.
Suddenly, Edgewood Avenue has become a happening destination for all sorts of eating and drinking destinations. And sexy, stylish Cafe Circa joins the party with a winning urban bar, restaurant and live music concept. Mondays might be dead at most places, but Circa’s Dinner Jazz and Jam brings out a convivial crowd to listen to the sounds of keyboardist Jez Graham, with guest vocalists and other musicians joining in after 10:30 p.m. On Thursday nights, indie soul artists, such as April Hill, Liv Warfield and Three5human perform. Best of all, there’s never a cover charge.
• Eat: Like the atmosphere, the menu is playfully sophisticated but friendly and familiar, with a mix of Caribbean-style dishes and American, Latin and Asian influences. Believe it or not, the chocolate chicken wings are really good.
• Drink: Fruity island cocktails, Caribbean beers and good selection of wines by the glass.
• Music: Sept. 8, Dinner, Jazz and Jam with Jez Graham.
1072 Green St., Roswell. 678-352-1975, www.theswallowatthehollow.com.
The Swallow at the Hollow in Roswell is a barbecue joint and a country music venue. And the setting for that pickin’-n-grinnin’ combo couldn’t be better. Hidden from the street in a grove of trees, the rough-hewn pine building with a tin roof and sprawling front porch, has the feel of a rural roadhouse. Inside, the smell of smoked meat fills the air. And the walls are covered with autographed photos of the multitude of Nashville singer-songwriters who perform here on Friday and Saturday nights. Local artists often appear (with no cover charge and sometimes outdoors) on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights.
• Eat: Slap-your-grandma-good hickory-smoked pork and beef, housemade sausage, bread and butter pickles, fresh-baked bread, tasty sides and decadent chocolate chip banana pudding are served in gut-busting portions.
• Drink: Buckets of beer on ice or local longnecks such as Terrapin Golden and Sweetwater IPA.
• Music: Sept. 4: Nathan Sexton. Sept. 5-6: Jon Michaels, Jon “Jimbeau” Hinson, Greg Crowe. Sept. 11: Tori Sparks. Sept. 12-13: Jamie Teachenor, Kevin Denny, Brandon Kinney.
707 E. Lake Drive, Oakhurst. 404-371-1113, www.instantkavarna.com.
Kavarna (cafe or coffee house in Czech) in Oakhurst is a cutting-edge cool neighborhood place that defies simple description. The atmosphere is something like a bohemian coffeehouse hangout, with an ultra laid-back attitude. But it’s also a bar, restaurant, wine shop and eclectic music venue, where there’s rarely a cover charge. Saturdays nights, Kavarna hosts the weekly Atlanta Songwriters Series. Local and sometimes national artists often fill the bill on Thursdays and Fridays. And there’s usually a jam session on Sundays. Look for Jeff Holmes of the Floating Men in October.
• Eat: Nifty sandwiches, such as Czech-y Cheese (provolone and white cheddar cheese, roma tomatoes and red pepper spread on grilled rye bread) are featured with suggested wine pairings. Snacks for sharing include artichoke dip, hummus, pretzel bread and a goat cheese trio.
• Drink: An interesting selection of wines, craft beers on draft and Schlitz in the can and, of course, plenty of barista coffee drinks.
• Music: Sept. 4: Amy Lashley with Stewart Lewis. Sept. 5: The Starlings, Imagination Head, and Travel by Train. Sept. 6: Jim Combs, Lindsay Appel, Billy Gewin, Christian Baggett.
