My positive experience at 529 reinforced something in my mind - sometimes, reading a lot of reviews on Yelp is NOT the most accurate way to judge an establishment before actually going in person. I went to a show/Halloween in April party last Thursday and had a good time. Yeah, it has a weird layout with the bathrooms on the left (and a nuisance if you are standing in between the doors - you can get knocked from both sides if they open at the same time) and the stage on the right, but even though it looks small, you can probably pack 50 people inside for a good show. I thought the sound was good and the energy palpable. The drinks were cheap, there was lots of parking and the smoke was tolerable. Why the fuck are people complaining so much?
Review Source:Has some promise, but probably my least favorite place to see a show in Atlanta right now. Â The last two shows I saw had muddled sound. Â The layout is a cluster as you have to walk by the front of the stage to get in the main room. Â People at the front of the show don't like to give their hard-earned real estate up to passerbys...kind of a problem. Â Getting to the bathroom is near impossible if people are standing at the bar. Â Affordable drinks, but super smoky. Â
Finally, haven't been to a show where the headliner went on before midnight. Â Fine for a weekend, but staying until 2am on a Tuesday? Â Dude, I know we're in EAV and it's ironic to have a job, but most people still have one.
529 is fastly becoming one of the better venues to see small acts...it  has downfalls but good music,  beer and a great divey atmosphere can fix anything.
The bar is, um, slender. Â It's a little tight to get around the bar. Â The stage area is alright and when they open the space next door it really opens up.
Only 2 if those single person bathrooms so be prepared to wait in line. Â And, there's not much space between the bar and the spot in front of the bathrooms so prepared to be cramped.
The bartenders rock and are fast! Â They do a good job considering I can barely hear myself talk and but they can hear my order somehow...
They also have an outside area which is good during the warmer months. Â I couldn't tell exactly, but it looks like you can order drinks and sit in this little patio area. Â The bar has a 'drive-thru' window so I think that is what it's for. Â
This is a great place to see a band...AND, they have a lot of local shows and national touring acts that don't quite fit into The Earl of the Masquerade.
I have mixed feelings about this place. First the not good. When I went, back in 2010, the layout was really cramped both at the bar and on the side where the performance space is. I've seen some other reviews that say they've expanded, I'm not sure what the status of that is at this point. Anyway, really cramped, zigzaggy layout. At the time, it was really treacherous actually moving out of the performance area to the bar. It almost seemed like a potential fire hazard.
I believe I ordered a beer when I was there, and it was less than some other spots so that was nice. 529 had only been open a couple months at most by that time.
Now for the good. I have really strong, positive memories about the show I saw here. Kid Stuff and some others opened for Future Islands. The Kid Stuff performance was WILD. I was not expecting to experience a mini-rave before seeing Future Islands, in that way it was like 3 shows in one night, well worth whatever I'd paid for admission. This might have been the 1st time Future Islands played Atlanta, and they were phenomenal. The lighting wasn't the best but they put on a grand performance. Sam, their lead singer, was animated and every bit the front man. The shots I got from the show weren't exactly what I'd hoped but I did manage to capture the spirit of that night in some of them.
So, to me 529 definitely has potential as a live music spot, I hope they do continue to expand and make the place a little easier to navigate, if so they will soon be one of the best places to see live music in the city.
529 might have beat out The Local as the smokiest place in Atlanta. I still don't think I've recovered.
Apparently the expansion was temporary, as when I arrived they had placed a bunch of plywood along the side of the performance space. Not exactly high-end up in here. They also had an incredibly annoying bright green light shining through the space, interrupting our ability to get in to the live music mindset. Must have been even more annoying for the performers.
I like the little patio outside, I like the $5 strong cocktails, and I like the fact that I accidentally left my debit card there and they held on to it. However, they *never* pick up their phone so don't expect to get in touch with them that way.
529 has now opened up and expanded on the inside. The venue is a lot larger (about two times the size).
Still one of the best places to check out free or cheap shows in Atlanta with some great national and international acts coming through. There are now two sets of bathrooms as well.
Atmosphere: Â Not bad!
Service: Â Pretty good!
Selection: Â Okay!
Prices: Â Great!
Layout: Effffff you 529!
This place has the worst layout of any establishement I have ever visited. Â The bathroom is down the hall behind the bar, which forces everyone to push through the crowd of drinkers. Â Even worse, the stage is placed right next to a connecting door to the bar. Â This ridiculously stupid setup forces all in attendance (mainly subdued hipsters [I guess all hipsters are "subdude"]) to saunter through the crowd to get a drink and return. Â This is also the only way to get into the venue. Â As a result, the best place to watch a concert is also the entrance. Â What the hell?! Â There's plenty of room to rearrange, but the owners seem content with extending a firmly apothetic middle finger to their patrons. Â There's a nice outside area, but there's no way to get back into the venue without going through the front door, so you will see many beers meandering into the night, hoping to get back in without getting arrested. Â
Overall: Â I will never attend again unless a great musical act is performing. Â If so, I will be there, begrudgingly, with bruised elbos, too much urine in my bladder, and a $3 Yuengling.
hmm I'm teetering between a 3 and 4.
Layout: This is probably one of the weirdest laid out bars in atlanta I've been to. Very strange, counterintuitive, and who the hell planned it? Its like, you walk in, and there's a long skinny bar. and further down the bathroom door is RIGHT THERE. and to the right there is the music venue, with pews? on the sides. What's going on with the stage? And the patio is a triangle thats bursting at the seams onto Flat shoals. Literally I've seen people hanging off the rope onto the street. I think. These are the reasons I'd give it a 3.
Why I give it a 4.
Because at heart i'm a music lover. and cheap drinker.
529 showcases so many new and upcoming bands, its really nice to see local talent yet to be jaded by the industry.
Plus a walkup patio window for the bar. Our asian female bartender was really nice.
The 'cover'- I paid $10 once, but I think its worth it to support local music.
What a shithole. Â It's like a cesspool of PBR drinking scenesters and hipsters wading around in a cloud of smoke. Â I saw a show here last week and the sound sucks, there is NO lighting for the bands and if aren't right up against foot high stage, you won't be able to see a thing if it's a packed show. Â On top of that, they charge outrageous covers to see bands in a setting like this. Â I say skip this butthole of a joint and wait until your fave band plays at a place like Drunken Unicorn or The Masquerade. Â This place isn't worth the time or money.
Review Source:I'm so happy it's springtime so I can hang out on the patio at 529! This place is a great place to see shows, the sound is great, and it's nice to sit and drink and hang out with a group of friends. The drinks aren't expensive so you won't blow a ton of money in one night and be kicking yourself in the morning. East Atlanta in general is just a great, easy going place to spend an evening.
Review Source:529 is hands down my favorite bar to drink at in Atlanta. The patio is a great place to hang out with friends. The employees have always been friendly and drinks are relatively inexpensive. On any given night, you can catch a show. What else do ya need?? (On many nights, shows are free) Oh ya, Kyle is awesome also!! Cant recommend visiting enough!
Review Source:The shows are cheap (or even free), the place hauls in great bands consistently, he sound's good considering the space, the vibe's laid back, the people are always great (if you like talking rock 'n roll), the patio's a gem, and there's a walk-up window to the bar outside. All good things. A solid haunt.
Review Source:i'm not a complicated man. i appreciate the reliable things in life. when i find something i like, i stick with it. i'm not known to browse in the department store or experiment with the menu at my favorite eatery. i go to the store, i got a list. jack stands, deodorant, cat food, hot dogs. in and out. i go out to eat and drink, i don't ask for the special or peruse the beer catalog. i get my usual. i shine like the sun on the inside if i don't even have to open my mouth to ask for either.
i like simplicity and consistency.
reading the above, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that i grew up in a factory town in ohio.
so i know what a good bar is. there was one on every corner.
a good bar is not made of frosted plexiglass with pastel lighting underneath. a good bar's air is not crammed full of throbbing music that reminds you more of a troll's heartbeat than of the first girl you kissed. a good bar's staff isn't wearing matching euro-cut uniforms. a good bar isn't done up with some nitwit theme intended to commodify the younger generation's penchant for nostalgic flim flam.
a good bar is made of wood and brick. the stools and bar top are solid and heavy and can take the weight of you and your woes. when you walk in the front door of a good bar, you see someone you know and like, and they shake your hand and ask how you are. your beer is open and waiting before you even get a chance to see who's behind the pumps that night. not that it matters, because they're all solid people, on any night. a good bar has music playing that inspires conversation but isn't cranked so loud that it drowns that discourse out. if there happens to be a good band on stage, all the better. a good bar is a place you go to drink and see your friends. a good bar feels like home.
529 is a good bar.
While the shows and sound for this place seems pretty rad, the GIANT cloud of smoke sort of hurts the overall feel of the place.
Likes: the outdoor area, the bands featured, the crowd, the time shows start (roughly 10-11pm).
Dislikes: bar tenders' attitudes and the cloud of cancer in the air.
While the sound of the place is great, there are some things that keep me from giving a stellar 5-star review:
1. The management or sound guy bump shows to later times. I actually played a show here once and we were supposed to go on at 10. We weren't allowed to play until 11:30. Mind you, all the "customers" were outside sitting at the tables. On top of that, when you go to see bands the same thing happens. I went to see a band on a Saturday night, and I don't think it started until 1.
2. There's only one women's bathroom. And it breaks down. A lot.
by far my favorite patio in atlanta for all of the walk-up window goodness. the bartenders are quick and friendly, and the drinks are cheap. I've seen a few shows here and they've all been great sound-quality-wise. the covers are always cheap, and they have enough awesome bands come through that if I'm bored with nothing to do one night, I'm always willing to check out what's going on at 529. be warned though, the shows always start super late, and thus end super late. like 2am on a weekday.
Review Source:cheap beer. reasonable cover. great patio with a ice cream store style walk-up window for bar service. (tip: if you don't want to pay the cover charge, but you still want to sit on a patio in EAV n get cheap beers, this is the place for you.)
nice bartenders. it can get crowded, so go early if there's a band you wanna see. (it's not a bad wait either since there's a flat screen at the bar showing the action on stage. the bathroom line can get long during breaks, so just time it right, or go into the wo/men's restroom already. the crowd's not as bad either. it was a good night really. tip: if the music is too loud, just ask for a pair of ear buds at the bar for .50 cents n don't whine n complain that you have to leave cuz the band's too loud. its not a good look.
Great place to see live music.  It's tiny, but they really make the most of the space they've got.  The outdoor patio with walk-up service window really helps when it's warm outside  Most of the crow migrates out there between bands and the bartenders are attentive enough to make sure you're not standing at the window for 10 minutes trying to get someone's attention.  Drinks are reasonably priced, too.  The booking is a nice mix of locals and touring bands, and the cover is usually cheap enough to justify going out on a limb and showing up to catch a few bands you've never heard of.
One caveat: Â shows start late here. Â I've never seen anyone go on before 10:30, and it's usually more like 11. Â Headliners starting after 1AM is common. Â Don't show up at 9 because that's the time listed on the flyer. Â You will be lonely and 5+ hours of standing around in a music venue is enough to make anyone restless.
I went out on a Wednesday night which is unheard of in my old age. Â I'm 36 you know. Â anyway, 529 has the vibe that the Earl had in 2003. Â If i was a spry young thing it would be my "go to" bar. Â I can't handle smoke these days in my frail geriatric state but I held up fine in this one. Â sure it was smokey but i didn't hawk up a lung the next day so that's a good sign! Â The sound is good for live bands and the bartenders are kickass! Â It is indeed a small space but it packs a good punch!
Oh, and on my way home from buying Geritol I drive by and the place is packed on weekends! Â YAY 529!
Warning- you may want to wear a white belt.
I've never smelled as rancid as I did after a night at the 529. Despite my clothing's putrid stench, I had a great time at this teeny-tiny dive. First of all, the cover for a three-band line-up (including a Hall & Oates cover band!) was a mere 5 bucks. The sound was good, too, leaving my ears ringing for the next 12 hours.
My only two complaints are the single women's restroom (I had to wait about 20 minutes, even though only three people were ahead of me) and the late show start times. My group had to leave in the middle of the last act, since it was 1:30 a.m., and we were exhausted from a week of work.
In summary, 529 is a prime spot for cheap, hipster fun.
529 is a small, perpetually smoke-filled bar that I first visited a couple weeks ago. Â I'm generally deterred by carcinogenic clouds and crowds of strangers, but I ended up having a great time. Â Three bands played, and the cover was only $5. Â Plus, one of the groups brought glow sticks and a light saber. Â Be still, my heart.
Review Source:The East Atlanta night scene had left me feeling a little bit depressed about the quality of hipster night venues. Packed, smokey, and dull, most spots just couldn't handle the fun. Then along came 529, and suddenly I'm a believer again.
The moment I showed up, I knew this place was love - a walk up bar window? Pinch me and wake me from this dream! Not having to fight drunk girls and steroid guys was a big, big plus from the get-go. There's a few tables outside the window as well so you can give your ears a break from the sound inside and enjoy sitting down with a drink (or two or twenty...).
The inside is a very intimate space. Normally I hate cramped and crowded, but for whatever reason, this felt different. Everyone was dancing, enjoying the DJ, taking photos, having fun! Wait, did I just say EVERYONE was dancing? That's right, it's a sometimes night club where people actually dance. Imagine that!
Bartenders are very friendly and offer up free water with a smile and a straw. The floor looks clean, or at least clean compared to the likes of Masquerade or MJQ. It's a really great venue, and I imagine it's equally as nice for an intimate setting with a band. It's not too loud either, which is a big welcome bonus. Retaining my hearing after a night out truly is priceless!
Great little spot to see some music and have a few drinks. Â Cheap cover.
Brand new interior, so the bathroom is CLEAN and the place is pretty spotless (let's see for how long). Â Nice bar area, super friendly bartenders, and I love the tv screen showing what's going on stage when you go to grab a drink.
Bonus: Â the cute little patio on the side with a drink window straight to the bar!
Judi Chicago every month... does it get any better? Â Oh and not at Lenny's! Â 529 is small, dark, and has laser lights (a big selling point for me). Â Prices are the same as pretty much every other bar I've been to and the sound is pretty good. Â I'll be going back again and again.
*UPDATE* Â I forgot to mention that this place has ridiculous lights. Â Not like VP's ridiculous lights (bad). Â These are dancetastic and definitely add to the fun.
This is becoming one of my new favorite places. 529 is small and cozy--it reminds me of some of my favorite "hole-in-walls" back in Florida. The bartenders are very friendly and fast. You'll run into a lot of people either beginning or ending their pub crawls here. I haven't been to specific music events yet but would recommend this place to anyone that wants a fun, relaxed place. However, there's no food here so hit The Midway, Earl or Cantina La Casita beforehand.
Review Source:Great little bar. Â Found out about it from a friend who knows a bartender there. Â 529 brings in solid, interesting bands of different genres. Â The place draws in a great mixed crowd. Â (not ubiqutous scenesters or hipster that have been a bit overplayed lately) Â ...not that there's anything wrong with that.
bartenders attentive and very friendly. Â Cool intimate atmophere in the bar room and nice open stage space in the main room. Â
Cover charge is typically $5 from the last couple times i've been. Â I havent really gone for the music per se but should soon. Â I like to stop in for a late night drink after being out somewhere else.
I love how there's a flatscreen in the bar area showing a b&w camera view of the stage. Â You can people watch and spot some of the goofy dancers that are out in front of the stage when the place is dying down. Â
Great spot to stop by if you're out in east atlanta village.
529 is a pretty tops bar. It's just the right size to make indie-type rock shows feel at home - unlike, say, Lenny's and the Highland Inn Ballroom, which both look dead empty with 100+ people in 'em. The drinks are on the cheap side, too - my tab the other night was $31 + tip for four mixed drinks and two Yuenglings.
There's not much to the place, really - a small bar and an open theatre. The sound is a close second to the EARL for rock, and the best I've heard in town for electronic. Plenty of pantleg-shaking low-end. The decor is nondescript - neither too dive-y nor too coke-palace-y.
As mister "Harold A." pointed out in his review, it is 21+ only, so I suppose you would be better served elsewhere if you're hoping to troll for high school sophomores.
I was pretty pumped when I heard about this place. I'd seen some good bands listed, but hadn't had a chance to make it down.
Then, they got the Box Elders, which got me to drop everything I was doing and head down there. Unfortunately, like most other good venues in Atlanta, 529 is 21+, which means they won't be getting any of my business--and they shouldn't get yours.
What can I say that hasn't been said actually?? Hmmm?
Small bar with a great low key vibe.
Great PA system, friendly and quick staff, affordable drinks although someone said not so much (I don't know I occasionally am in the mood for a redbull vodka and at $10 a pop at most places the $5 they charged me for this large and usually pricey bevie was not bad at all I say), djs spinning, clean bathroom (there's only one, but the bar is small so that's really all you need), dance floor, and my fav part about the dance floor is that if you're standing at the bar and don't feel like turning around you can just watch the people dancing on the tv at the bar. lol Not so good for me considering you guys would get a kick out of watching me. Ugggg. Hopefully they don't save those tapes. lol
All in all great "little" hang out spot. I dig the vibe, quick friendly service, affordable, and I can't say that anyone in our group of 15 the last time I went would disagree.
One of my new favorite bars in East Atlanta! A girlfriend of mine took me there over the Holidays & I fell in love.
It is tiny. Well, the actual bar is tiny-- there are tables & a beautiful stage in a different room-- but that was closed sorta because it was basically just us & another dude bellied up to the bar. If the space wasn't so nice & new, it could be 'Barfly' up in theres, it had sorta a pro drinker feel (which is my kinda place).
This bar is great if:
1) You would like to hear what your companions are saying to you (and I would-- I am old & married so having to say "whaa? over & over again would just hurt my feelings)
2) You would not like to wait for 25 minutes to get another beer
3) The environment is relaxing-- the bartenders & owners are relaxed-- the place is *cozy* .
4) If you are not looking for a scenester bar on a Saturday night. Or if you are, this should be your first stop so you can actually have a buzz before slogging into cramped quarters at the Earl to wait for a beverage.
529 is a new bar on Flat Shoals directly across from the Flatiron in East Atlanta.  It's a small space, but they make the most of what they have to work with, shoehorning in a few little booths in the corners that many places might leave unused.  The highlight is the nice venue area just off the bar.  It's not big, but the stage, flooring, and  PA are good.  Expect DJs and local bands to make it a regular venue.
Beer isn't the cheapest ($3.50 for Miller High Life draft?) and the selection isn't great but it's not bad enough to be a turnoff.
Overall, it's a comfortable, tastefully-renovated spot that should become pretty popular pretty quickly.
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