Music always has been a way for bars and restaurants to set a vibe, but tunes are the main course at several listening rooms around Atlanta.
A common characteristic of these spots is high-fidelity stereo systems. When music is played on hi-fi equipment, it produces a sound “with integrity, honest to the production,” said Zopi Kristjanson, owner of Commune, a wine bar and listening room.
Many such venues take inspiration from the jazz kissa (cafes) popularized in Japan in the 1960s and ’70s, which offered people a space to enjoy a drink and listen to records on high-quality sound systems.
Kristjanson said she thinks vinyl records, which are popular in listening rooms, are seeing a renaissance because it’s a more “authentic, visceral experience of music.”
Here’s a look at some local listening rooms.
Credit: Apt 4B
Credit: Apt 4B
Apt 4B
Restaurateur Sim Walker wanted music to play a prominent role in his upscale Caribbean restaurant without it feeling like a club environment.
Apt 4B brings in DJs, and it also houses a collection of around 10,000 vinyl records that customers can request to play on the turntable. “It’s really like an interactive jukebox,” Walker said.
The restaurant serves an African-Caribbean menu, with dishes that Walker and his partners often have eaten at home. Expect such items as oxtail hummus, island seafood curry and jerk chicken. The music pairings frequently feature Afrobeats, R&B, soul, reggae and hip-hop, Walker said.
2293 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-709-2906, apt4batl.com
Credit: Courtesy of Drew Perlmutter
Credit: Courtesy of Drew Perlmutter
Stereo
This daytime cafe transitions into a bar-listening room in the evening.
Owners Ian Jones and Caleb Wheelus decked out the airy venue with vintage JBL speakers, sound absorbers, curtains and carpets to ensure the room is ideal for listening to music. Stereo brings in DJs and collectors of vinyl records to play a range of genres.
“I don’t want it to be the same thing twice,” Wheelus said.
During the day, Stereo offers coffee and biscuits and after 7 p.m. a bartender whips up highballs. Also available are stirred cocktails, wine, charcuterie boards and sandwiches.
900 DeKalb Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-228-7226, stereoatl.com
Credit: Courtesy of Bird Interiors / Ilya Zobanov
Credit: Courtesy of Bird Interiors / Ilya Zobanov
Commune
This wine bar-listening room from Kristjanson and Chris Devoe was designed with acoustics in mind — from walls built at an angle to filling the space with soft, absorbent surfaces that minimize echo.
Each night sees the playing of vinyl records from different genres of music, ranging from Afrobeat to electronica.
Commune seats about 40 people and offers a wine program, cocktails, beer and tea. The menu includes such dishes as caviar and potato chips with creme fraiche, chicken liver mousse, chicken piccata and olive oil cake with saffron ice cream.
6 Olive St., Avondale Estates. communeatl.com
Credit: Courtesy of Mr. Wattson
Credit: Courtesy of Mr. Wattson
Propaganda
This cocktail bar-listening room has ’70s-inspired decor and LP covers on the ceiling. The musical programming features a mix of live performances and DJs spinning records.
“We just found that people really love that old experience,” co-owner Heather Tazza said.
Some nights, you’ll find dancing, she said, while at other times the environment is set for sipping on cocktails and chatting with friends. The menu features classic cocktails with a ’70s-theme, such as the Earth Day (an espresso martini) and the Uncle Sam (an aperol spritz).
2860 Atlanta Road SE, Smyrna. propagandaatlanta.com
Credit: Courtesy of Adam Tirado
Credit: Courtesy of Adam Tirado
The Frisky Whisker
This spot in Underground Atlanta is a combination cat cafe, art gallery and listening room. Owners Jennifer Bronzel and Ernesto Cardenas opened about a month ago and quickly made a permanent home for 25 cats in the Whisker Lounge, a separate room where guests can sip on canned beverages and cuddle with felines.
The cafe in the larger main room has tall ceilings, eclectic furniture, 1980s Klipschorn speakers and a DJ booth. Cardenas spins playlists throughout the day, and after 10 p.m. the room transforms into a 21-and-older venue featuring both local and international DJs.
The cafe serves flavored water, tea, kombucha and canned cold brews. Once they finish building out the kitchen, Bronzel said, it will serve vegan sandwiches and smoothies.
94 Pryor St. SW, Atlanta. thefriskywhiskeratl.com
Coming soon
Credit: Courtesy of Block & Drum
Credit: Courtesy of Block & Drum
Block & Drum
A listening room is set to open in early September inside Block & Drum in Chamblee, which offers entertainment as well as being a craft distillery.
Owner Justin Staples was inspired by a jazz kissa he saw in Tokyo.
Open Tuesdays through Thursdays, the room will allow guests to bring their own vinyl records to share with others, and it will feature DJs and vinyl collectors Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
With a capacity of 120 people, the listening room will feature “eco-sustainable audio panels,” Staples said, which are panels that grow live vines and improve the room’s acoustics.
The tasting room will offer a variety of cocktails, including highballs, and there will be charcuterie boards and food trucks on weekends.
5105 Peachtree Blvd., Chamblee. blockanddrum.com
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