Little Spirit — Restaurant in Atlanta

I won't be back.

I will echo a prior review, which is to say, not the friendliest experience.

I dropped by on a slow Thursday night. I walked in, wearing a mask, and the hostess immediately raced towards me, chastising me for not waiting outside.

She said there was a sign saying customers should wait outdoors.

I'm sure she was right, but it was dark and I might have missed it. Regardless, being chastised is not the ideal first impression for a customer.

I was then shown to a barstool in literally the far corner of a nearly empty room. I was told this area would be my "pod".

I was then instructed that, should I want a drink, I was to go stand on one of two circular spots in the next room, and await a server.

"We practice social distancing, here", she notified me, rather sternly. Certainly a business is welcome to enforce whatever rules they like.

It seemed, however, an oddly aggressive tone to address to a customer.

It seems I had inadvertently entered not a restaurant or a bar, but rather some sort of Customer Service Gulag run by Irritable Gestapo.

Certainly if your primary fear is a virus, this is the bar for you.

Though on that note, I cannot help but wonder, if that is the case, why you'd be out at a bar in the first place?

I'm sure these strictures are the result of the owners, and not the hostess.

The rules go far beyond the current State mandates for both occupancy and social-distancing, but so be it.

It was probably just a coincidence the hostess enjoyed setting people straight on the rules with such enthusiasm and gusto.

Should I need to staff a corrections facility for unruly criminals, this young lady would be amongst my first hires.

After she explained their various rules, I politely declined and decided my time would be better served with a glass of wine at home, or perhaps at the Dekalb County Detention Center.

I ended up walking down the street to another establishment and had a fine time, encountering none of the weirdly hostile interaction with the staff.

Sometimes, you have to vote...

I was able to stop by Little Spirit last Friday, the first week of it's opening. I had been to Amer (the bar in this spot before) and was eager to give this place a shot.

The cocktails menu is fantastic -- the drinks are on the chalkboard behind the bar and there is a good variety, several riffs on classic cocktails as well as new creations. I really enjoyed the That's Bananas, a frozen drink made with Aged Rum, Bananas, Lime, Orgeat, and Curacao. There were 8 of us in my party and each of us ordered something different and there wasn't a single complaint. Another one that stood out was the All Ryes on Me, a fantastic coffee-Boulevardier. This place knows their stuff and has a good selection of spirits to play with. The bartender told us the menu would change seasonally.

I really enjoyed the setup of this place: instead of table service, you order at the bar and then find a place to sit or stand. My biggest complaint with the previous bar here (Amer) was that it was easy to get overlooked in the back corner -- obviously not a problem any longer. There is a long bench in the back room and lots of standing bar areas to rest your drink. The place got busy while we were there (9:30PM) but it still felt like there were plenty of spots to stand and talk with groups or sit and have a conversation.

I had eaten a large meal before coming so I did not order any food. I did notice that they had hot dogs on the menu, reminding me of PDT in NYC.

I will definitely be back here -- it's the right balance of sophisticated drinks and a laid-back atmosphere. It's dimly lit, with candles throughout, and it feels like it would be a great spot to bring a date or to enjoy with...

Summary: if you’re thinking of going just go, don’t debate it. You won’t regret it.

Cool: for their ODB cocktail they stamp the ice with the WuTang symbol: WHO DOES THAT?!

Long version: Friends and I were visiting from The Bay (CA) and ended up at this amazing bar by chance: it was one of the places on our list that stayed open late. We made our way over to see what the ATL craft cocktail scene had to offer and were not disappointed.

Jordan(or Jordyn) is an amazing floor manager. Her attitude literally sets the mood and by the time she sat us we were super excited to see what the night would bring. I cannot say enough good things about her. As former FOH, I know how difficult her job is; she executes her duties with a smile on her face and creates a welcoming environment for everyone. (To Jordan: sorry about the flashing lights)

Caroline was our superstar bartender. Her mixing skills are impressive: everything she made was delicious! I feel we may have tried everything on the menu so we can confidently say her work is amazing. She’s attentive, it felt as if she was ready for our drink orders and they were ready quickly but didn’t compromise quality.

Plus side: it’s in a cute neighborhood with other bars. In case there is a line you’ll have more options but this place is...