Juke joints emerged in the Southeast during the era of segregation, providing African Americans with a place to escape societal pressures at a time when they were barred from white establishments. Much like Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint today, these black-owned nightclubs offered top-notch dining and entertainment. They drew large crowds for their showcase of musicians touring on the Chitlin Circuit, ultimately giving rise to the sounds of rhythm and blues, soul, and rock & roll as we know them. The clubs provided safe places for traveling black entertainers – including now well-known names such as B.B. King, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding – to play, earn a living, and in some cases, catch their big break. From humble beginnings at rural crossroads, juke joints shaped an important part of African American culture, leaving behind a tremendous musical legacy that we proudly continue to honor today.

In 2011, Global Concessions Inc. opened Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint in the iconic 200 Peachtree building in the heart of Downtown Atlanta. With the addition of live entertainment, the restaurant delivers an experience deeply rooted in a culture unique to the South. Our creative spin on the marriage between food and music is reminiscent of yesterday’s rural juke joints, where dining out was more than a just meal. It is the experience, the “eatertainment” as we like to call it, which pays tribute to the juke joints, honky-tonks and cantinas of the past. The restaurant has since become an Atlanta favorite, having been named as one of the “Best Bets for Fried Chicken” by Zagat, and our award-winning Shrimp & Grits were chosen by JEZEBEL Magazine as one of “Atlanta’s Top 111 Must-Try Tastes”.