Live Music Rocks the House Sunday Nights at Johnny’s Hideaway

Even the busiest elves need a night off from the holiday hubbub to rock and roll along with the band. Live music jams at Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead on Sunday nights beginning at 8:30 p.m., and we’re not talking reindeer bands. On Dec. 10, Cold Draft Beer plays hits to fill the dance floor, and on Dec. 17, Band X churns out party music galore. Cover is only $5. Food and drink specials fuel merry souls, and DJ Spin follows the bands to keep the party rolling into the wee hours. Additionally, hospitality industry workers enjoy their in-the-biz specials on Sunday nights.

Elvis, Has it Been 40 Years? You’re Always on My Mind – and Available -- at the Elvis Room at Johnny’s Hideaway

Our “Burning Love” for all things Elvis leaves us “All Shook Up” this time each year when we remember Presley’s passing on Aug. 16, 1977. Do we “Viva Las Vegas” it or head for Graceland to honor the American icon? Heck, no need. The legacy of the “King of Rock and Roll” swivels on in the memorabilia-filled “Elvis Room” at Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead. Rock on over to the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling memorial that’s open and ready for your blue suede shoes to enter whenever Johnny’s Hideaway is open. Makes a nice pause, little darlin’, between bites of cheeseburgers, cocktail sippers and rushing like a dancing fool to the “Promised Land” – Johnny’s dance floor. 

The Stars Keep Shining at Atlanta Restaurants

Georgia’s booming film industry draws numerous celebrities to Atlanta so you never know who you might bump into at your favorite restaurant. Recent sightings include Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans, at Umi in Buckhead. Both are in town filming the latest “Avengers” movie and enjoyed chef Fuyuhiko Ito’s spicy tuna box, steak, otoro tartare and more. Uma Thurman also dined on Umi’s modern Japanese cuisine while in Atlanta ordering avocado salad, crispy rice and an assortment of sashimi. Repeat visitors, Johansson and Thurman have both been spotted at Umi on previous visits to the ATL. Across Peachtree Street, American Cut hosted an Atlanta Falcons team dinner on June 9 that included Matt Ryan and his wife, Levine Toilolo, D.J. Tialavea, Ricardo Allen, Ben Garland, Andre Roberts, De’Vondre Campbell along with general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn. Former Chicago Bulls player Scottie Pippen and actor Sebastian Stan, in Atlanta filming “Avengers: Infinity War,” were recently spotted at Johnny’s Hideaway

Count on Johnny’s Hideaway for Sunday through Thursday Nightly Specials

Every night’s a fabulous night to shimmy into Johnny’s Hideaway, “Atlanta’s ONLY Nightclub for Big Kids.” The Atlanta original has extra-good reasons to visit the Buckhead party zone Sunday through Thursday. Hospitality nights treat industry workers to food and drink specials Sunday through Tuesday. Live bands perform beginning at 8:30 p.m. Sundays -- check the music schedule to see who’s playing among Band-X, Cold Draft Beer, The Stephen Lee Band and more. Without question, Team Trivia rules Monday nights from 7:30 p.m. on, and Johnny’s reveals hints each week through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Wednesdays and Thursdays open with “Happy Hour” and DJ Spin. Later, Wednesdays woo the gals with Ladies Night and DJ Happy Jack. Thursdays, DJ Happy Jack is back to carry the party into Late Night mode. Open 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Monday-Friday, noon-3 a.m. Saturday, 12:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday.

Leap through a Week of St. Pat’s Fun and Frolics

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland hosts a free, shamrockin’ St. Pat’s family cookie decorating party from 5-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 15. Bedazzle shamrock-shaped sugar cookies with a variety of candies (and save for Thursday’s lunchbox if the young leprechaun’s tuck-in time is approaching).

Even luckier are Irish eyes smiling over Atkins Park‘s special St. Pat’s menu, offered all day Mar. 17, for they’ll gleam over dishes of corned beef and cabbage glazed with stout mustard, new potatoes, roasted carrots and Irish soda bread ($14); bangers and mash featuring Guinness-braised sausage, mashed potatoes, caramelized onions and stout mustard ($12); braised lamb shank with mashed potatoes and vegetables topped with brown gravy ($16); and decadent bread pudding with white and dark chocolate Baileys crème anglaise ($5).

Save some of that pot o’ gold by partaking in complimentary corned beef and cabbage along with Irish shooters at Johnny’s Hideaway on Thursday, Mar. 16. Tis a night for wearing o’ the dancing slippers -- downing a few shooters will loosen up those dance floor jigs. 

On Mar. 17, follow the rainbow to plenty o’ $5 green beer and $16 corned beef and cabbage specials for hungry leprechauns at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. Tap toes to live and lively music by James Patrick Morgan from 9 p.m. until midnight. The really big shindig, HOBNOB’s St. Patrick’s Day party, hops to at 10 p.m. offering all-you-can-drink beer and all-you-can-eat pizza. Fork over $39 per person in advance or dig up $59 at the door.

Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style at Ormsby’s. You don’t want to miss out on Chef Nick Anderson’s St. Paddy’s specials including Shepherd’s Pie and corned beef & cabbage with a Guinness mustard jus. Sip on their signature Irish car bomb or keep it classic with a Jameson, a Glendalaugh Whiskey or an Ormsby’s favorite, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey. Come for the food but stay for the games. Voted as Atlanta’s “Best Bar with Games,” what better place to celebrate with some friendly competition. 

Party with Dean, Sammy and Frank at Johnny’s Hideaway Rat Pack Tribute Show Dec. 1

Usher in the most festive time of the year with showmen Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Frank Sinatra. The trio floats into Johnny’s Hideaway for a Rat Pack Tribute Show on Thursday, Dec. 1. Wait. You mean those are impersonators? Say it isn’t so. Resurrect details on our blog.

Frank, Sammy and Dean Crash the Party at Johnny’s Hideaway Rat Pack Tribute Show Dec. 1

Could it be the ghosts of Christmases and holidays past are reuniting at Johnny’s Hideaway? The Rat Pack – Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin – is back at Atlanta’s only nightclub for big kids. Impersonators Dr. Patrick Sallarulo (Sinatra), David Williams (Davis, Jr.) and Mark Phillips (Martin) command the stage for the Johnny’s Hideaway Rat Pack Tribute Show at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1. Oh, what fun to laugh and sing along then shimmy to the dance floor after the show to burn some post-Thanksgiving pre-holiday party calories. No cover charge, just highly charged with fun. Be sure to visit the Sinatra room, dedicated to ‘Ol Blue Eyes himself.

Relax. It’s Labor Day. Let Atlanta Restaurants Do the Cooking for You

Labor Day arrives Monday, September 5, signaling the unofficial start of fall activities. Might as well squeeze in one last weekend of summer fun! Spend it in the grocery store and kitchen? We think not, because some of our favorite eateries are open over the holiday. Keep these Atlanta restaurants in mind if you’re returning from vacation, beat from a day of outdoor activities or just ready to let someone else labor over the stove.

For high-quality steaks and seafood, head to 101 Steak. Vinings’ newest chophouse is open regular hours all weekend and will be open for dinner on Monday from 4-9:30 p.m., offering mouthwatering dishes like the 32-oz. tomahawk chop, East and West Coast oysters and more than 100 wines by the glass.

Newcomer 5Church carries its weekend brunch service over to Monday for a special holiday treat. Cornmeal waffles, Southern fried steak, duck confit with cabbage pancake and more will be on the menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with dinner service in the evening.

Out late on Sunday? Celebrate into the wee hours at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland or Ormsby’s in West Midtown. Both are staying open until 3 a.m. Monday morning. Atkins Park will cure your hangover with its full brunch menu available on Monday starting at 11:30 a.m.

Ponce City Market favorite Bellina Alimentari continues its monthly Bluesin’ Bellina live music series on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. Enjoy food, libations and great music from the Cody Matlock Band. Regular Monday hours stand.

Bid summer a final farewell with a special edition of Basque in the Sun on Sunday at Gypsy Kitchen. Enjoy paella on the patio, $5 glasses of rosé, $4 tinto de verano and half off select bottles of wine, as well as a live flamenco guitarist from 4-7 p.m. and a DJ starting at 7 p.m. Closed on Monday.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern is open regular hours all weekend and Monday. Stop by and enjoy the brunch menu and $17 bottomless mimosas. Order half-price wings on Sunday from 5-11 p.m. and return for Monday’s date night special -- dinner for two for $24.95.

Johnny’s Hideaway, Atlanta’s favorite neighborhood nightspot, is open late on Sunday for a pre-Labor Day bash with live music from Cold Draft Beer. Monday regulars, Johnny’s is open for you as usual.

Whether you’re attending the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Saturday or going sci-fi at Dragon Con, be sure to make Ray’s in the City part of your itinerary – the downtown restaurant is open all weekend. Come Monday for the two-course 1.25-pound whole Maine lobster dinner available all day for $24.95. More? That dinner also is available on Labor Day atRay’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek. If you’re craving Mexican food, visit Ray's Rio Bravo on Monday for half-priced drinks all day.

Smokebelly BBQ turns the corner from summer to fall by honoring barbecue and the start of college football season. Friday through Monday specials include $3 Bud Light drafts, $10 Bud Light pitchers, $15 Bud and Bud Light buckets and $5 Tito’s drinks. The Whispering Gypsies start in with live music at 8 p.m. Friday. Saturday, enjoy gridiron action on 16 TVs, along with enough barbecue to feed every college team in the country. Smoked brisket and an Irish whiskey are just the ticket for catching Sunday’s Texas vs. Notre Dame game. Cap off the weekend on Monday with waffle fries, mac and cheese and pulled pork as FSU faces off against Ole Miss. Beginning September 5, Monday’s mean 25-cent wings starting at 4 p.m.

Additional restaurants open regular hours on Monday, September 5:

• Affairs in Alpharetta
• Marlow’s Tavern (all locations)
• Sublime Doughnuts (both locations)
• The Big Ketch Buckhead and Canton Street (Roswell)
• Tin Lizzy’s Cantina (all locations) 

Elvis has Entered the Building and is in the Elvis Room at Johnny's Hideaway

The “King of Rock and Roll,” 20^th century icon Elvis Presley, left this earth on August 16, 1977. Yes, we know. We’re all shook up, too, thinking back to the legacy of hit singles, albums and films this sideburn-studded dude cranked out during his hip-swiveling career. Relive the King’s glory days by visiting the “Elvis Room” at Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead. Visit the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling memorial whenever Johnny’s is open. It’s a heck of a lot more ATL Uber accessible than Graceland in Memphis. To really honor Elvis, order a cheeseburger (one of his favorite foods) and ask the DJ to spin “Jailhouse Rock” or “Hound Dog” – we’re pretty sure “Are You Lonesome Tonight” doesn’t cut it on Johnny’s rocking dancefloor.

Live Music Rocks Johnny’s Hideaway on Sunday Nights

Polish your toes and strap on those dancing sandals, Sunday nights are for dancing to live music at Johnny’s Hideaway. This month’s lineup features the Stephen Lee Band on July 7, Band X on July 17, Cold Draft Beer (yes, that’s a band as well as a type of beverage) on July 24 and Space Plow closes out July on the 31st. Party bands take to the stage at 8:30 p.m., and cover is only $5. Additionally, Sunday nights are “Hospitality Nights,” so those in the industry enjoy food and drink specials. Reservations accepted until 8:30 p.m.; call 404-233-8026.

Salute Independence Day over the July 4 Holiday Weekend at Atlanta-Area Restaurants

Have your picnic, but eat out, too – and sport that new star-spangled top and sunglasses! Atlanta restaurants are fired up for the holiday weekend and stoked with celebrations, barbecues, bands, spirited beverages and all-American food faves – from our shores and beyond.

Get red, white and bluesin’ at Bellina Alimentari. The Ponce City Market favorite hosts a live music series the first Sunday of each month from 4-7 p.m. and that means loads of food, libations and tunes on July 3.

Oh say, you must see the Fourth of July BBQ blowout occurring when Terminus City takes command of Communion, the beer garden-inspired backyard behind Revival, Kevin Gillespie’s family-style restaurant in Decatur. The all-ages event packs in barbecue, beer, family-friendly entertainment and games (darts, cornhole, horseshoes) plus live music by Dave Lockwood on Monday, July 4 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Purchase food, drinks and play games using tokens, $5 each, with prices ranging from one to four tokens (tax and gratuity included). Gillespie's Terminus City will offer a chopped whole hog barbecue sandwich plate with Brunswick stew, potato salad, coleslaw and fried pie, purchasable for four tokens (tax and gratuity included). Drinks and cold beer hit the spot. Mingle around communal picnic tables and on the front and side porches of Revival (the restaurant itself will be closed). All proceeds from the day benefit Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, which helps post-9/11 veterans.

Gypsy Kitchen, in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, puts a Spanish spin on the holiday weekend. “Basque in the Sun” begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 3 and features paella on the open-air patio along with drink specials such as $4 tinto de verano, $5 rosé and half-off select bottles of wine. A flamenco guitarist and a DJ set toes tapping.

Newly opened 5Church in Midtown hosts a Whole Hog Roast on July 4. The celebration takes place during the Peachtree Road Race from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guests will partake in a whole hog roast and beers from SweetWater Brewing Company while enjoying music outside along the sidewalk and on the rooftop patio. 5ChurchAtlanta.com

HOBNOB is open for regular business hours and serving its popular brunch menu Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4. Also on Monday, $17 bottomless mimosas and the neighborhood tavern’s Monday Date Night special -- a three-course dinner for two for $22.95. Post Peachtree takers?

A pre-Independence Day bash at Johnny’s Hideawayjumpstarts the revelry on Sunday, July 3. Food and drink specials fuel the celebration, and live music from Band X beginning at 8:30 p.m. and DJ Spin keep the party on pace into the late-night hours. Johnny’s will be open and ready to keep the party going on Monday, July 4.

Hooray for the Red, White and Brew Burger at Marlow’s Tavern, a patriotic palate pleaser offered Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4 at all Marlow’s locations. The $12.50 burger tops a perfectly seasoned beef patty with blue cheese, seared red peppers, caramelized onion and crisp romaine on a sesame bun for a flavor explosion.

From 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on July 4, three of Ray’s Restaurantsare offering a sea-to-shining-sea special surf and turf prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner. The two-course meal includes a choice of salad, six-ounce filet mignon, four-ounce lobster tail and Yukon Gold whipped potatoes for $24.95. Available at Ray’s on the River, Ray’s at Killer Creek andRay’s in the City.

The Southern Gentleman is serving its creative take on contemporary Southern cuisine for brunch on Sunday, July 3. For sparkle, add the $5 mimosa special or a $10 seasonal mimosa that includes seasonal fruit, orange juice and Champagne.

Appetizing Aperture: Johnny's Hideaway's Stress Shot

A little shot of “Stress” is sweet, according to Johnny’s Hideaway bar manager and longtime employee Nancy Tardo. “Stress” is Tardo’s signature shot, a little something she first tasted back in 1992 at a Buckhead bar called Grand Stands. Flash forward. Now, many Johnny’s regulars only drink “Stress” ($9). All of the bartenders at the Buckhead nightspot know how to blend this mix of vodka and coconut rum with cranberry and pineapple splashes, to pour in a shot glass or over ice, when guests want a little something sweet.

Johnny’s Hideaway Unfurls Pre-Memorial Day Bash May 29

How much fun can one squeeze into a holiday weekend?Johnny’s Hideaway packs a dance floor full -- and then some -- in a pre-Memorial Day bash on Sunday, May 29 beginning at 8:30 p.m. Band X, Atlanta’s favorite high-energy party band, provides adrenaline-pumping music, and cover is only $5. Hospitality workers enjoy Sunday night industry specials. Open into the wee hours of Memorial Day morning. Can we rank a salute for that?

Atlanta Restaurants Handle the Details with Dine-in, Takeaway and Catering Ideas for the Holidays

During the next two hectic weeks, even elves need elves (or Jedi) to assist with the open-ended questions and those pesky details like what to feed family and friends on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We have the answers wise, yet time-strapped, men and women seek: a well-honed list of Atlanta restaurants with holiday menus and catering and takeaway ideas to light the way through Christmas on toward 2016. We suggest moving dining reservations to the top of your list and using the phone numbers listed. Find more catering and takeaway solutions on our blog. 

Hams, pies and cakes from Revival sure come in handy when everyone’s eating at your place Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Hickory-smoked Heritage Farms Cheshire pork hams weigh in at around 10 pounds each and serve 20-25 people. Priced at $10 per pound, hams come sliced through to the bone for easy serving. Santa’s not the only one with a sweet tooth. Visions of Revival’s famous nine-inch lemon icebox pie ($45) and awesome chocolate cake ($55) will dance in Christmas memories (because there won’t be any leftovers). Order hams by December 20 for December 23 pickup. Desserts require 48-hour notice and may be picked up any time before December 23. Call 470-225-6770 to place orders, credit card required.

Christmas Eve

10th & Piedmont presents a special Christmas Eve menu from 5-10 p.m. including lobster bisque; cranberry and Camembert salad; an entrée of seared coffee-dusted duck breast with Chambord demi-glace or almond pesto-crusted Scottish salmon; and red velvet cake. $29.95 per person. Beverages, tax and gratuity not included; call 404-602-5510.

For a peaceful evening amid twinkling candlelight and crystal, reserve seats for a Christmas Eve dinner at Aria, Gerry Klaskala’s Buckhead destination for creative American cuisine. Dinner service begins at 5 p.m.; call 404-233-7673for reservations.

Open on Christmas Eve, Article 14 shines as the place to go for drinks or dinner before or after being dazzled by the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Garden Lights Holiday Nights, which also is open Christmas Eve. The Midtown restaurant pours festive Holiday Cheer cocktails including The Key to the Holidays old fashioned ($12; see Appetizing Aperture for details) and Portside at Six featuring Michter’s American whiskey, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, Fonseca port, Bitter End Memphis BBQ bitters and Boker’s bitters ($12). Call 404-443-8432.

"Twelve Days of Biddy" ends on December 24 at Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy with $3 sliders available until closing (2 p.m. at Bantam + Biddy Crescent; 3 p.m. at Bantam + Biddy Ansley; or 6 p.m. at Chick-a-Biddy and Bantam + Biddy Avalon and Lenox Square).

Honor Santa’s trusty team by enjoying the December burger of the month at both Atlanta FLIP burger boutique locations, open until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. “The Rudolph" is a deer burger (venison steak and game seasoning) with blackberry ketchup, baby kale, pickled grape tomatoes, red onion-juniper jam and tomme cheese snow. Comes with gingerbread-spiced potato twigs -- shoestring potatoes with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and clove. Chase it down with December’s featured shake, "Deer Tracks" -- chocolate ice cream, liquid nitrogen whoppers, salted caramel, balsamic reduction and vanilla whipped cream.

Kevin Gillespie’s Gunshow will be open and seating its last reservations for the evening at 8:30 p.m. Customary table-side rotation of chefs’ selections carries a holiday-themed menu with items such as roast beast, Peking duck and ham along with premium wines and cocktails to mark the occasion. Reservations: 404-380-1886.

Stop by Le Fat, Guy Wong's West Midtown Vietnamese brasserie, on Christmas Eve for the addictive garlic chili prawns or a bowl of comfort food like thit kho, brimming with caramelized pork belly, pickled mustard greens, braised egg and grilled scallions. Call 404-439-9850.

A nice adult beverage, like the Holiday Spice martini at Marlow’s Tavern, does wonders after a hectic day of last-minute shopping. The merry martini mixes vanilla vodka, rye whiskey, RumChata and St. Elizabeth allspice dram, served on the rocks or frozen, and is garnished with fresh grated nutmeg. Good tidings -- all Atlanta-area locations of Marlow's are open normal hours on Christmas Eve.

Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar unwraps a special Saltwood Christmas prix fixe menu for family style Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining. View the complete menu here. Served from 5:30-10 p.m. $65 per person. Complimentary valet parking. Call 404-745-5745.

Christmas Day

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland offers a classic Christmas dinner with a prix fixe menu featuring Big Green Egg-smoked turkey breast with caramelized apple and sage stuffing in a cider gravy; braised pork shoulder with roasted root vegetable in a bourbon glaze; green bean casserole with crispy onions and roasted mushrooms; roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sweet potato biscuits. Since Santa ate your cookies, you can enjoy Southern pecan pie or peppermint cheesecake for dessert. $28 for adults, $18 for young adults and $10 for children under 10. Doors open at 6 p.m. Highly recommend making reservations; call 404-876-7249.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern  in Midtown will be open for regular hours on Christmas Day offering up their unique selection of cocktails, including the Knock Knock Who Is There: rye, balsamic, basil and ginger ($10). 

Dance for joy, it’s Christmas! Johnny’s Hideaway, the legendary Buckhead nightspot, opens at 7 p.m. on Christmas Day and is serving up its popular menu of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, entrées and more.  

Dance Off Holiday Goodies to Live Music Sunday Nights at Johnny’s Hideaway

Holiday cookies and cocktails are a waistline’s nightmare before Christmas. Granted, a Santa belly looks cute when you’re St. Nick. On most of us, meh, not so much. Remedy? Get up and dance to live music Sunday nights starting at 8:30 p.m. at Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead. Band X takes the stage on December 20, and Legacy Music keeps the beat December 27. Food and drink specials; $5 cover charge. Dance now. A bevy of bowl game buffets await.

Chefs and Mixologists Map Out 2016 Hot Trends

We asked some of the South’s best chefs and mixologists to check their GPS readings (Gourmet Prediction Senses) and share directions on where they see food and cocktail trends heading in 2016. Microscopic portions? Kale kudos? Recalculating.

• Spice spikes -- Southern Gentleman and Gypsy Kitchen chef Matthew Ridgway plans to add depth with principal players from eastern lands: black garlic, black lime, black cardamom, white cardamom, Aleppo pepper and wolfberries (a.k.a. goji berries).
• New cuts, grain gains -- Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails chef Tom Gray in Jacksonville, Florida looks for novel meats such as chicken livers, pig ears and flank steak to land on plates. Another kernel of insight points to alternative grains, emphasizing whole and ancient varieties.
• Origins -- Atlanta’s Ray’s Restaurants consultant Chad Crete predicts a vegetable takeover as diners pursue healthier eating habits. Lineage is equally important. Customers want to know where their food originates and are seeking out local produce, sustainable fish and free-range and hormone- and antibiotic-free meats. Moxie’s Gray dittos Crete, noting diners want the backstory on ingredients, enthusiastically supporting smaller carbon footprints generated by locally made products and urban farming businesses. Ridgway unpacks further, suggesting the deepening affection for Southern cooking will lead to greater dependence on local farmers for heirloom varieties of produce, beans and grains. Bellina Alimentari creative director Alice Fabi sees land sustainability as a critical 2016 food path priority as menus seek the essence of food and prime ingredients.
• Oysters -- Doug Turbush of Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar and soon-to-open Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar offers pearls of wisdom, foreseeing a bright future for briny oysters as devotee interest increases in oyster slurping rituals and the nuances of oysters from various regions, terroir and growing methods. Flavor-masking cocktail sauces and horseradish will be tossed overboard.
• Prized portions -- Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy chef Lance Gummere cries “fowl” on high-priced, minuscule portions garnished with dabs of purée and micro greens. Enough already. Folks want to share their food when dining out, Gummere believes, which necessitates restaurants filling plates with identifiable food.
• Healthy and hop to it -- Chef, restaurant owner, speaker and cookbook author Kevin Gillespie of Red Beard Restaurants sees an uptick in consumer demand for faster, healthier options. Not salad bars but lighter cuisine served at fast-food speed. Crete of Ray’s Restaurants affirms, millennials, soon to be the nation’s largest demographic group, want local ingredients in chef-driven dishes served fast and affordably.
• Kitchen cocktails -- Johnny’s Hideaway bartender Shawn McCoy sees bartenders shaking up the kitchen for cocktail perks such as freshly squeezed juices, herbs, spices and ingredients like chipotle and balsamic vinegar. Ice age? McCoy picks away at standard issue cubes as mixologists seek quality ice for drinks.
• Be sensitive -- Food sensitivities are here to stay and gluten-free demands will keep rising, according to Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and The Big Ketch Roswellchef Derek Dollar.
• Tiki talk -- Amid the predictions, Kevin Gillespie would like to see one flashback to retro Tiki bars like Trader Vic’s!  

Taking a Shine to Sipping Rights on Prohibition Day, December 5

Shot glass-size synopsis on Prohibition Day: In 1919, Congress dryly passed the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, outlawing the manufacture, sale or transport of liquors. Ultimately, bottling up the clandestine flow proved fruitless. On December 5, 1933, congressional ratification of the 21st Amendment repealed #18, spirits soared and December 5 became affectionately known as “Prohibition Day,” which just happens to fall on a Saturday this year. Toast the occasion, because you can, at these spirited establishments.
 
Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar first opened its doors in 1912, making the Virginia-Highland restaurant and watering hole Atlanta’s oldest, continuously licensed tavern.

It’s no secret that The Blind Pig Parlour Bar, hidden away at Smokebelly BBQ, is Buckhead’s premier speakeasy.

Find out if the pirate's life is the life for you with the Jack Sparrow cocktail at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown.

Unlike those 1920s hideaways, there’s no password needed to enter Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead for a roaring good time sipping spirits and tripping the light fantastic on the dance floor.

Bootleggers beware, Ormsby’s on Atlanta’s Westside can shake up more mixers than you can imagine and pour some mighty fine beers, too.

The 4.B4.5 Happy Hour at Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails in Jacksonville, Florida, will have you celebrating the happiest of hours a little earlier than usual. Choose from craft beers, select wines by the glass and classic cocktails for $4 from 3-5 p.m., but the bar menu’s regular happy hour pricing resumes from 5-7 p.m. each night. On Friday and Saturday, regular happy hour pricing is in effect from 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. closing time. 

Johnny’s Hideaway New Year’s Eve Tickets Go On Sale November 23

Better hop on this tip faster than a cork popping out of a Champagne bottle. Six weeks until 2016 but only a few days until tickets go on sale for the New Year’s Eve bash at Johnny’s Hideaway. Set your phone alarm for 10 a.m. Monday, November 23, the time ticket sales open. Each $40 ticket includes a seat for the evening and a party favor at midnight. Set another reminder on your phone -- you must arrive at Johnny’s by 9:30 p.m. on December 31 or your seat will be forfeited, and your dancing shoes will be welcoming 2016 on the street instead of the dance floor. Purchase tickets at Johnny’s or via phone at 404-233-8026. 

Boogie Down to Live Music at Johnny’s Hideaway

Guilt-free way to indulge in all of fall’s comfort foods? Get out and dance to live music Sunday nights at Johnny’s Hideaway, Atlanta’s nightclub for big kids. This week, Cold Draft Beer rocks on October 25. Shimmying ahead, Legacy Music commands the floor on November 1, Rockaholics on November 8, Stephen Lee Band on November 15, Cold Draft Beer on November 22 and Band X closes out Thanksgiving weekend on November 29 so you can twist away the stuffing and pie. When you’re ready to sit out a dance, Johnny’s full bar is ready with classic cocktails, wine and frosty brews. $5 cover; bands begin at 8:30 p.m.

Labor Day Eats Never Looked so Sweet

Labor Day comes “late” this year - Monday, September 7 - squeezing in time for one last summer getaway or cookout before fall unofficially arrives. Some of our favorite Atlanta restaurants are remaining open on Labor Day for destination dining, serving sustenance for those returning from vacations and providing the fixings for labor-less holiday eating.

At Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland, regular hours of 11:30 a.m.-3 a.m. prevail on Labor Day, but the Sunday fun is extended until 3 a.m. Monday morning.
 
Bantam + Biddy locations (Ansley, Crescent, Lenox and Avalon) are open normal hours serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Ansley restaurant is home plate for Monday Slider Night beginning at 5 p.m. At Avalon, guests can tilt back $2 Jekyll Brewing Big Creek Kolsch in the restaurant or take their brews out to the streetscape for a stroll and window shopping.
 
Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and offering its usual lunch and dinner menus packed with all-natural chicken dishes, burgers, wraps and more.

If you’re heading downtown for Labor Day, swing by Der Biergarten, Glenn’s Kitchen, Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria, SkyLounge, STATS or Twin Smokers BBQ.  Each will be operating normal business hours. Pay no mind to the villains and creatures you’ll see walking down Peachtree for Dragon Con though. 

The new Tin Lizzy's Cantina downtown location will be open as usual, along with all other Tin Lizzy's locations! Tacos, anyone?

Loyal to the core, Johnny’s Hideaway is open normal hours on Labor Day so Johnny’s friends can uphold their Monday night traditions. Team trivia begins at 7:30 p.m., the DJ spins dance tunes at 9 p.m. and food and drink specials twist the night away until 3 a.m.

With 14 metro Atlanta locations, all open as usual on Labor Day, there's a Marlow's Tavern close at hand with hearty American food and beverage favorites.

In addition to being open for lunch and dinner, MAX’s Wine Dive spreads out its popular 11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekend brunch over all three days of the holiday weekend.
 
Ray's Restaurants cover lunch and dinner on Monday, September 7. Ray's in the City, Ray's on the River and Ray's at Killer Creek will be open from noon-8 p.m. and offering Ray’s Dining Club cardholders triple points on Labor Day purchases. Newly opened Ray’s Rio Bravo in Sandy Springs stays open for a holiday fiesta from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
 
Revival in Decatur will be open from 5-9 p.m. on Labor Day and serving its dinner menu of à la carte and family-style dishes inspired by the Southern culinary heritage of Kevin Gillespie’s family tree.

Nothing says end-of-summer celebration like a frozen cocktail on a stick. Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar has that - in pineapple margarita or cucumber melon mojito flavors - and more on Labor Day until 10:30 p.m.

Summer in the South is all about barbecue, sweet tea and cold brews. Sounds like Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead, which is open 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Even the landlocked can wiggle into their flip-flops for a coastal holiday weekend both inside and out on the covered deck at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead. Atlanta’s local beach house will be open on Labor Day from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. offering an ocean of seafood dishes and evening live music.

Firing up the grill this Labor Day? Pick up some White Oak Pastures pastured poultry or grass-fed beef for the backyard barbecue.