cov e r story buckhead nightlife then & now
Left: A Buckhead fixture since 1994, Tongue & Groove reopened in Lindbergh City Center in 2008. Above: Rose Bar attracts a crowd with its outdoor cabanas and indoor dance floor.
Buckhead Nightlife: My View
Raise Your Glass:
Buckhead Nightlife Now Despite Buckhead Village’s transformation, Buckhead’s nightlife scene is still alive and well, albeit in a less concentrated area. Though East Andrews remains a popular socializing spot (its new moonshine bar, Stillhouse, is forthcoming), and several of Buckhead’s old mainstays continue to draw imbibers, a slew of new bars and clubs have sprouted up all over the area, bringing in a young, trendy clientele. Newcomer Del Frisco’s Grille (in the former Craft space) draws big crowds on the weekends with its double-decker patio, signature cocktails and expansive menu selection. Likewise, Zaza Pachulia’s foodie hangout Buckhead Bottle Bar & Bistro on East Paces Ferry is a mustvisit spot with its roomy booths, live DJs, hookah and delectable menu items (truffle mac ’n’ cheese, anyone?). The low-key vibe, solid Mexican eats, icy cold margaritas, and prime patio space at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina ensures it’s always a hit. Across the way, The IVY Buckhead on Roswell Road
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regularly packs out its patio and fills its lodge-like setup with Buckhead’s young and beautiful. Speaking of whom, our cover girl Lauren Taylor Baker (see profile, right) certainly fits that description. She’s often out on the Buckhead nightlife scene and says, “I feel like out of all the areas in Atlanta, Buckhead is more likely to be the one that’s avant-garde in a more fabulous way.” You’re likely to see her busting a move at Rose Bar, which she loves for the lounge element and for one of her favorite DJs in the city, DJ Johnny D. Other places to drop it like it’s hot? Tongue & Groove’s gleaming 8,600-square-foot party place is a go-to for singles to mix and mingle— nonstop music and themed party nights like Southern Hospitality Thursdays and Glam Slam Saturdays add to the appeal. Likewise, the 15,000-square-foot Havana Club on Piedmont Road packs a full house with its cigar selection, salsa lessons (free on Saturdays) and three themed rooms. The dance fest continues down Piedmont at the swanky twostory Gold Room nightclub, accentuated by banquet seating, a floating DJ booth and an upstairs, glass-enclosed bar area where onlookers can sip while viewing the scene below.
Lauren Taylor Baker Rocks Buckhead’s Bar Scene It’s a rare weekend out in Buckhead that selfmade branding guru and socialite Lauren Taylor Baker, 28, isn’t hitting the town. She shares her fun with her 70,000 Twitter followers (@bravenewlauren) and says her entire social life is wrapped up in Buckhead. She admits her love affair with the area “started with Phipps and Lenox.” She says, “Now, I feel like Buckhead is finding its voice and coming into its own … to me, Buckhead is essentially the center where fashion and fabulous things happen in Atlanta.” Lately, Baker’s favorite spots have included Yebo (where she recently threw her legendary birthday bash); The St. Regis Bar (“it has a timeless elegance mixed with a new-Atlanta feel”); Tin Lizzy’s (where she and her gal pals catch up over margaritas); Rose Bar (“it’s a lounge element, but also where you can go and dance”); and Del Frisco’s Grille (“I love walking in and feeling like this is the new Atlanta”). If you want to spot her, look for a tall blonde in a bright-hued dress and sky-high heels.