{"id":138257,"date":"2025-03-16T21:53:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-16T21:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/alcohol\/michael-lennox-talks-cocktails-and-vibes-at-atlantas-strangers-in-paradise\/"},"modified":"2025-03-16T21:53:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T21:53:23","slug":"michael-lennox-talks-cocktails-and-vibes-at-atlantas-strangers-in-paradise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=138257","title":{"rendered":"Michael Lennox Talks Cocktails and Vibes at Atlanta\u2019s Strangers in Paradise"},"content":{"rendered":"


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As temperatures drop, paradise remains within reach for those exploring Atlanta\u2019s Westside.<\/h2>\n

Photos by Andrew Thomas Lee<\/em><\/p>\n

Strangers in Paradise<\/a>, the \u201880s resort-inspired cocktail bar from the team at Electric Hospitality<\/a>, offers an escape where the seasons don\u2019t matter\u2014just good drinks, great company, and an atmosphere that feels like a permanent vacation.<\/p>\n

Surrounded by lush greenery, vintage postcards from dreamy destinations, and nostalgic resort trinkets, Strangers in Paradise invites guests into a world of mystery and adventure. Whether you\u2019re sipping on a tropical-inspired cocktail or soaking in the effortlessly cool vibes, it\u2019s a place where stories are shared, and winter woes melt away.<\/p>\n

We chatted with owner Michael Lennox to dive into his journey in the hospitality industry, the inspiration behind Strangers in Paradise, and what makes this cocktail destination a must-visit.<\/p>\n

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Talk to us about your background in the industry.<\/h3>\n

I worked as a server and a busboy for a few months in college but aside from that, my primary background is starting and opening Ladybird on the BeltLine in Atlanta in 2014. I was essentially the General Manager there for the first couple of years and then we started to grow quite a bit and I opened a few more restaurants \u2013 Muchacho and Golden Eagle \u2013 in 2017. Following that, I then formed Electric Hospitality, which is our overall management group and hospitality company, and have opened several other concepts since then, including Strangers in Paradise in 2024.<\/p>\n

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Talk to us about Strangers in Paradise.<\/h3>\n

Strangers in Paradise is a really fun, late 80\u2019s\/early 90\u2019s Florida-beach-inspired cocktail bar. We really went in depth on being intentionally kitschy with the concept, the look, and the feel. We tried to make it so that you could suspend your disbelief, and feel like you\u2019ve been transported to the beach when you come to Strangers in Paradise, even though we\u2019re located in Atlanta, GA and we\u2019re inside of a food hall on the southwest part of the BeltLine trail.<\/p>\n

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What kind of experience can guests expect while visiting?<\/h3>\n

Strangers in Paradise is really intended to be a pure, fun experience in an \u201cover the top\u201d way. Everything inside of the bar is bright, loud, and tropical, and the staff is super friendly and warm. We try to have a good, high-positive energy at all times and the drinks sort of share that spirit in a way. They\u2019re all bright and colorful and we have fun glassware, big garnishes, and fun surprises during service that guests can engage with.<\/p>\n

One example is the Cheeseburger in Paradise that is based off of the ubiquitous Jimmy Buffett song. If someone orders it off the menu, you\u2019ll get a large punch bowl that is shaped like a cheeseburger, and it\u2019s meant for anywhere from 2-4 guests. It\u2019s loaded to the hilt with a nice rotating tropical punch and then our staff will put Jimmy\u2019s song on and come out from behind the bar with complimentary plastic retro sunglasses, Hawaiian leis, and they\u2019ll sing the song and make a whole spectacle out of it!<\/p>\n

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They\u2019ll then take polaroid pictures to commemorate the experience. We give polaroids to the guests that were there and we also hang them up around the space, so that we\u2019ve got a growing wall of polaroids of folks who have enjoyed the full Cheeseburger in Paradise experience. That\u2019s just one example but there\u2019s a lot of fun to be had when you come hang out at the bar at Strangers.<\/p>\n

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What is the cocktail program like?<\/h3>\n

The concept is a true cocktail bar. We don\u2019t serve food; it\u2019s primarily high-quality, fun cocktails inspired by that retro Florida-beach feeling that I mentioned earlier.<\/p>\n

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What inspired the menu?<\/h3>\n

We tried to base our menu on classic resort drinks and take it in a more crafted, contemporary direction by leaning into better sourced spirits, creative garnishes, and fresh juices\u2026so on and so forth.<\/p>\n

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Which cocktail is your favorite and why?<\/h3>\n

I\u2019d say my favorite cocktail at the moment at Strangers in Paradise is The Shark Bite. It kind of captures everything fun and playful that we\u2019re trying to do with the concept.<\/p>\n

The cocktail itself has Tequila, Cura\u00e7ao, a Rhubarb Ginger Syrup that\u2019s house-made, a dash of Lemon Juice to balance it all out, and it comes in this really fun open-mouth Great White Shark mug that we apply a little bit of grenadine to, to make it seem like the shark just took a bite out of something, and is in the middle of its feast. It\u2019s almost impossible to order that drink and not have a good time and again, it really is the embodiment of everything we\u2019re trying to get across at Strangers in Paradise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n