JoJo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge: Atlanta Bar Is Hyped For Good Reason

Atlanta has had its fair share of secret hangouts, swanky bars, and lounges that are unbelievably hard to get into, but JoJo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge is in a league of its own. For a bar and lounge that only serves its guests drinks and doesn’t dare to share its menu online, the mysterious and exciting new hotspot has been booked for a full month out since it formally opened on Friday, July 23. While the reservation process may sound like too much of a hassle for a bar and lounge that you know nothing about, get ready to understand what all the hype is about.

JoJo’s Beloved is the latest addition to the already stunning Politan Row food hall at Colony Square, and it goes far beyond the extra mile to distinguish itself from the rest of the city’s bar scene. Tucked away behind a secret access point in Politan Row, JoJo’s immediately transports guests from the modern Midtown food hall several decades into the past. The nostalgic lounge boasts a cathedral height ceiling, a red carpet, a mirrored hallway, vintage burgundy booths, and bar seats studded with gold accents.

From strictly vinyl tunes that are curated every single night to the warm golden glow emitting from the retro light fixtures built into the lounge, JoJo’s Beloved pays homage to the 1970s and 1980s with a dynamic mix of disco and futurism that yields a breathtakingly brooding and romantic atmosphere. It looks like a scene from a movie, and what’s more fitting for a city filled with socialites, music industry heavyweights, and visiting movie stars?

Beyond its enthralling aesthetic and its shroud of mystery, JoJo’s Beloved has put even more energy into crafting great drinks for Atlantans looking for unique bar experience. To construct an exceptional drink menu, Sophie Burton was tapped to lead JoJo’s beverage program. Drawing from her past experience in the cocktailing scenes of Chicago and New Orleans, Burton has led the development of JoJo’s Beloved’s menu, which features a mix of intentionally nostalgic cocktails, wines, and shots inspired by the oft-forgotten era of disco and glam.

“Our beverage programs are at the heart of what we do, serving as a gathering place for the exploration of intentional beverages,” says Will Donaldson, CEO of Politan Group. “We’re thrilled to bring JoJo’s Beloved to Politan Row and couldn’t have tapped anyone better suited to lead such a unique bar program and cocktail experience than Ms. Burton.”

For an idea of what you can expect when visiting JoJo’s Beloved, the cocktail menu includes drinks like the funky “Bluetsy Collins” (with Weber Blue Agave Tequila, slightly-spicy blue cordial, cocktail foam, topped with sparkling water) and the “Sagittarius Sour” (a play on a Midori Sour with Singani, Midori, Bianco Bitter, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cocktail foam). Burton’s curated wine program is just as intriguing, with era-inspired time capsule wines like Chablis and merlot. 

“Brown drinks on the rocks next to subway tile have been thoroughly explored at this point, so I’ve chosen to focus on fun, garishly colored drinks that challenge the biases about what can and can’t be fancy or technical,” Sophie Burton explains. “We’re on the soul train to maximalism here—welcome aboard.”

As previously mentioned, JoJo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge has so far been one of the most challenging places in Atlanta to get a reservation at, but don’t let that get you discouraged. Here’s the cheat code you’ve been desperately looking for—additional reservations are made available every day on Resy at midnight for the next 30th day, so once the clock strikes 12 am, you just have to act fast to secure a table for a date 30 days out. If all else fails, you can test your luck with JoJo’s walk-ups. Currently, the cocktail lounge is only accepting walk-ups at the bar and communal seating table, but to save yourself some weekend disappointment, definitely try that on a weekday first. 

Regardless of how you manage to get into Midtown’s hidden new gem, know that your effort won’t be in vain. Nostalgia, glamour, and indulgence are all a part of the JoJo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge experience, so get ready to enjoy the expertly crafted drink menu and the dramatic and unparalleled ambiance.

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