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    Variety Playhouse

    3.8 (210 reviews)
    ModerateMusic Venues
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    Vanessa E.

    Awesome Venue! I lost my tickets and they were so nice and understanding.. reprinted my tickets using my recipt. Fast bar service, clean bathrooms. Acoustics were great! Plenty of space to wander and see the show, great for short people - like me!

    Stage view
    Lauren L.

    Variety Playhouse is a great spot for a smaller-sized concert or event. I attended the Countess Cabaret last night with a few of my friends. The staff were all helpful and kind, and the bar was quick and easy. The layout is nice: a decently sized pit with elevated seating behind it, making every seat a great spot. It's located in a pretty cool part of downtown with plenty of eating and drinking options around. The only major downside is the restrooms and rather tiny (only two stalls in the women's room) making every trip to the restroom a longer one. I would definitely recommend this spot for a concert!

    Variety playhouse is an Atlanta staple , no doubt. I've come for years. I'm currently in awe of the line down the block and wrapped around the building. It's been a 30-40 min line for the last hour. I've sat, watched, drank , returned, watched, cried, slept and wondered - will the madness ever end??? We're here to stand and watch music, why should we stand more!? There's no reason for this. I've never waited this long to get into a show. There's 4 people handing out wristbands and 3 people at the door. Surely there could be more people at the door, more entrances idk !!? I'm considering not even attending the show at this point. Maybe this is a sign of the times. Maybe this is the beginning of the end for Little Five Points, a crusty, character laden den for the adventurous and conspicuous. Maybe it's time we say goodnight to this era, and painfully welcome the arrival of the gentrified, sanitized likes of The Eastern, Superica, and god help me, Bartaco. UPDATE: the show started 10 mins ago and the line is still several blocks down.

    Del Yeah!
    Danny B.

    This is definitely a solid spot to go watch a concert! I have been here for some great concerts for sure. What I love most about the venue is that you are never too far from the artists. It's just big enough to attract popular artists without being so big that you can't see the performers haha. The drinks are reasonably priced, especially for a music venue. The last show I saw was an Infamous Stringdusters concert. The sound was pretty good, and the lights were well done. Parking is available behind the venue, and it should be no problem to get a space as long as you get there early. The strategy a lot of times is to arrive early, park, and then grab a bite to eat before heading to the concert. If you want to go see a good concert at a reasonable price, give Variety Playhouse a go!

    Nice merch area. Get yourself a nice t shirt.
    Andrew B.

    The Variety helped me answer a cosmically important question the other night. So, I'm kind of a blues fan, but I've noticed that, whenever I go to these kind of shows, the crowd seems like it's filled with middle aged men (and their dates of course). I always wondered why this crowd likes this style so much. With the pandemic behind us, I think I've got my answer: By the time a man gets to a certain age, he realizes that life really is a tragic affair, and expressing lament is healthy for the soul. I've been to a few shows here since moving to ATL in 2016. This time, I went to have my face melted by Larkin Poe's sweet, sweet southern rock (check em out). The venue is just-above-intimate size, say maybe a max capacity of 1200 or so. It was built in the mid-1900's and has served several different categories of performance arts. In the current iteration, it may be Atlanta's most beloved concert venue on the east side, nestled on Euclid in the down hill part of Little Five Points. If you get lost, just ask a local hipster to point the way. The venue really is lovely, with generous standing room in front of the stage. I think the bar is one of the best features of this place, their service is incredibly fast. It's definitely a more adult venue with drink service, there's no scowling, tattooed 20-something that won't serve you cuz you're like too old to be in this place anymore, old man. Acoustics are perfectly fine and dandy, but I'm no engineer. I just like to rock out once in a while.

    Rachel W.

    I like this venue! The recent Sango concert was my 1st time coming here. Love the seating/standing options. The floor plan has a great layout and there's easy access to the bar. The check-in and security line process was super quick and easy. The sound quality was also fantastic. Downside: the parking lot in the back doesnt have enough spaces to accommodate the full crowd. (I managed to create my own space & thankfully didnt a ticket) If you get to a concert late you may need to find street parking. Also, there was no coat check.

    Michelle M.

    My first time seeing a show here in November 2021 was great! Caroline Polachek was amazing as was the lighting and sound. My partner works in the industry and said it sounded great. I love the vintage theatre vibe. The open floor down front is awesome but if you want to sit there's also chairs in a slope so it's easier to see if you're in the back. Nice staff and expensive drinks as expected. Decent ticket prices and Bathroom lines weren't too bad either.

    Pre-event and sound check
    David F.

    Name drop a few adjectives and superlatives... Intimate, captivating, accessible, convenient, interactive, and fabulous among many. I always enjoy shows at Variety. If you have an artist or performer you really want to get to know or be able to enjoy in the most comfortable and non-disruptive fashion, you can't beat Variety with a baseball bat. The bar is strategically located so that you don't have miss any action (but still get saucy as necessary). Variety has a few food choices as well. Sometime Das BBQ caters, other times it's typical pizza, popcorn and the like. The layout of the venue is pretty good. Sometimes they have provisions for a standing section on both sides of the building, upstairs (balcony), and down in the pit. Center of the venue is the grandstand, sometimes general admission but not a bad seat in the house. When it's general admission, get there early so you can earmark your spot. The seating room can get a little tight, but that's only when someone needs to pass by. Two negatives: One negative is the box office ticket vendor whose name begins with event and ends with brite. They are no better (or worse) than any other ticket vendor, but these guys charge a 25% vig on ticket purchases. It baffles me that this is acceptable. I rather give that 25% to the artist or maybe even making the venue better. But the ticket vendor is juicing us and it ain't right. Second negative is the parking situation. It can be hit or miss. Valet is meh. Street parking is non-existent for the most park. But this is par for the course in L5P. Not necessarily a Variety Playhouse problem. Cheers!

    Dave J.

    This was my first time at Variety Playhouse and I was pleasantly surprised. From the outside, the place looks small and sketchy, but it's neither. The inside is much larger than it looks from the outside, and I really like that there's an upstairs seating area with a good view for those of us who aren't teenagers anymore, but still like concerts. All of the venue staff I encountered were also very nice and helpful. The show I attended was on a weeknight, so it's definitely possible the surrounding area gets much worse late night on weekends, but it was totally fine when I was there. I was warned about lots of car break-ins in the parking lot behind the venue, so I parked in a more visible public lot on a main road just a couple blocks away. I happened to be alone this time, and I'm a big guy so probably among the last people a trouble maker would pick to mess with, but I didn't see anything or anyone that might cause any concern while walking back to my car late night after the show.

    Delane W.

    Loved this venue...the location and the vibe is great. We stayed in Midtown and took an Uber there and back with ease-a 5-10 min ride.

    Front view

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

    The California Honeydrops concert was amazing. One of the most energetic performances I've seen in a while!!!!

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    4 years ago

    Intimate venue with ample seating. I saw JoJo perform here and it was great. Easy to get drinks and find the restrooms!

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    Ask the Community - Variety Playhouse

    The Variety's website covid policies are out of date - does anyone know what they are after ATL lifted of the mask ordinance?

    I am going to a concert on Sunday. I was wondering if it is better to pay for seating or general admission? Would I be able to see the stage if people were standing in front of me?

    I've never paid for anything but general admission at Variety and it has been fine for me, and I am short. The floor is inclined to provide a better view of the stage the farther back you are.

    Is this theatre all seats or is there a main floor for dancing? I am attending a concert there next weekend. Hope we can dance!!

    When I went to a comedy show there, it was all seats. It's not very big inside (comparable to Buckhead Theatre) so I wouldn't go planning to dance.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Variety Playhouse

    . It is definitely a landmark in L5P, and I could never imagine the neighborhood without it.

    Mentioned in 13 reviews

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    The Masquerade

    The Masquerade

    3.1(75 reviews)
    2.4 miDowntown
    $

    Enjoyed the concert here tonight in the Heaven location. Loved the music. Bartender was great…read more Drinks were fantastic. Free water was absolutely the best (more businesses should be so kind). Restrooms were clean. The only issue is there seemed to be no accommodations at all for people with disabilities. I was there with my kid who has had 11 surgeries on his legs in the last 14 years. There is no way for anyone to sit down and see the state which is a real and literal pain for my kid. I asked one man who was working there if there was an elevator available and informed him that my kid had disabilities (we've got the tag in the car and everything). He gave me an annoyed look and said no. Later I found out that the man was letting people with canes out a different set of doors. If only I had known that we had to flag our disabilities to gain access to ADA accommodation... Yes, my kid has a cane but he doesn't always use it because he doesn't always need it.

    I've been to quite a few concert venues throughout the SE and The Masquerade isn't high on the…read morelist. Some positives - love the affordable and safe parking garage right outside the complex. I like that you get screened with security as you enter the courtyard and then you can walk around. The food stand in the corner was priced well and had nice service. The negatives were really the venue itself. "dark and dirty" were how I would describe it. It just felt like no one really cared about keeping it up and the audio wasn't great either although you never know whose fault that is.

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    The Roof at Ponce City Market - Spinach dip

    The Roof at Ponce City Market

    4.0(64 reviews)
    1.1 miOld Fourth Ward

    I really love coming here! Not only is the view amazing, but it's the one place that comes to kind…read morewhen we want a chill spot for good food and drinks without the loud crowds. We had an 8 pm reservation but ended up getting there early. We were seated 30 minutes early with no problem. The rain was coming, so we were offered indoor seating, which worked out perfectly for our group of 6. Service was on point and timely this evening, and truly a genuine friendliness. I just wish I could remember her name. There are some delicious choices on the menu--meat, seafood, & vegetarian. The drinks were all well done and tasty--from the Old Fashions to the lemons drop to the shot of vodka. Our food came in good time, and every dish was prepared just right. Can't wait to check out the domed dining in the winter weather.

    My husband surprised me with a birthday dinner at the "Skate the Sky Igloo" experience at the ROOF…read moreat Ponce City Marker. The igloo decor was cute and "wintery" with cozy blankets, a basket of treats and goodies, and a heater. The package included free ice-skating and unlimited games in the rooftop. Our waiter was awesome and very attentive to our needs. However, the experience wasn't comfortable enough for the high price we paid. Even though we had one heater, the igloo was still a bit cold. Also, the heater's cord was short, so we couldn't move much and had to stay right next to it. Maybe adding a second heater and a hot chocolate station in the igloo, along with some music, would make the space feel much cozier and nicer.

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    The Local - Our food!

    The Local

    4.0(456 reviews)
    1.0 miVirginia Highland, Old Fourth Ward
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    Got there 15 minutes before they opened, there was a line but nothing crazy. Once I got in and…read moreordered, the wings took no longer than 10 minutes. Great wings, I recommend the sun dried tomato bbq wings and of course cannot go wrong with Buffalo lemon pepper. Also got the tots which I enjoyed, they were light with a nice crunch, not too greasy.

    I was recommended The Local for great chicken wings in Atlanta, but I never expected how popular…read moreand crowded it was. We arrived there exactly at 5 PM, when it opens, but there was already a pretty extensive line. A little outside the entrance, they check your ID, which I had no idea was a thing. So make sure you have your IDs with you and are 21+. There's a bar area for drinks and a separate counter where you will order and pay for your food. (They make it pretty explicit that you can't get wings to-go.) Find a seat, and once your food is ready, they'll announce your name, and you pick up your food from the window. FOOD: We got wings in the flavors of lemon pepper (dry rub), sun-dried tomato (dry rub), buffalo lemon pepper (wet), and jerk buffalo (wet). I will say that I definitely preferred the wet wings to the dry wings. I found the dry wings to be a little too salty. In my opinion, the wings and the cook on them were just okay. I wasn't blown away or anything. Maybe the relatively cheap beer and the vibes help draw in all the appeal. TLDR// I don't think I had the greatest wings of all time here, but the vibes were really casual and pleasant. I'm glad I was able to try a place so beloved by locals.

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    Dancing area

    The Local - Left is buffalo lemon pepper  Right is spicy korean

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    Variety Playhouse - musicvenues - Updated May 2026

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