Fayette.Talk

By jolie

September 8, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this

Mish Mish! Way too loud!!! If you go there, try to eat before 7 pm - but their service is terrible, so get there about an hour earlier than you want to eat - that’s what we should have done. Honestly, there were only about five other groups and we got served last, even though we were the second group there!

By PDB

September 8, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this

I agree. I like to be able to carry on a conversation and not have to strain to hear every word the other person is saying. Alot of establishments have bad accoustics to begin with, add loud music and you might as well just wear ear plugs.

By Troglodyke

September 8, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this

It’s not just live music. I avoid places that have loud recorded music. I don’t mind tunes that are suitable for dining, but what’s with blasting rock or pop at higher decibels?

I know, I know—it’s to get you to eat and get out…no camping! I understand that, but it really detracts from the eating experience. I’m not inclined to camp, anyway, as I know servers need to turn tables to make money.

I just want to have a nice meal and conversation. If I wanted music, well, I’d go to a concert.

By Nan

September 8, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this

Depends on the type of music and the individual restaurant — and why we’re dining out. There are times when the music is part of the reason for going to a particular establishment.

I agree about the loud, canned music, though, especially at lunch. I hate having to shout my order at the server.

By Paul

September 8, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

Equally annoying (if not more annoying) are the places that insist on doing live team trivia.

By Edward

September 8, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

I’ve had the same experience at Joe’s On Juniper. I enjoy the food and the patio, but the music is so loud you cannot have a conversation with the other people you’re dining with. I’m sorry, but when I go out to eat with friends, I’d like to be able to talk and laugh with them and not be forced to sit in silence because some overzealous host wants to hear Justin Timberlake cranked up to decibel levels higher than 747 engines at takeoff. The food isn’t THAT good.

By abc

September 8, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this

I avoid restaurants that feature live music other than a solo pianist, classical guitarist, or other instrumental venue. Pop tunes by untrained hacks go over fine if everyone is drunk, but in a restaurant it’s inappropriate.

By Diane

September 8, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this

Combine the loud music and in the days of diverse cultures, we get the loud Salsa music and the kids and the cell phoes…it makes dinning at home appear more and more plesant by the day.

By Hannah

September 8, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this

I inform the waiter immediately upon being seated when I find recorded music too loud. Always. If the volume is not promptly reduced to a reasonable level or if my polite request is met with excuses or a blank stare, I just get up and leave.

By Tom Georges

September 8, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

My wife and I specifically seek out venues that do have live music. More restaurants need to feature bands and talent. It’s like getting your dinner with free entertainment. And it doesn’t have to be loud, and can be varied in its type, depending on your mood. High-energy jazz, soft jazz trio, a lone guitarist doing soft rock, blues bands (like at One Star), etc. If you want a quiet dinner, go to one of the other 90 percent of restaurants that don’t have live music - goodness knows there are more than enough of them…

By CA

September 8, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this

Fina in College Park has live jazz music on Wednesdays and Fridays. While the musician is talented, I do not go to dinner to listen to music. I prefer to enjoy my dinner over conversation with my husband and friends. If I wanted to listen to music THAT loud, I’ll roll my windows down and blast my music on the way home, attend a concert, or relax on a cruise ship by the pool in the middle of the Caribbean. The last time we went there, I left my husband and friends to enjoy dinner by themselves since it was SO LOUD. I couldn’t even hear my husband sitting 8 inches from me, and I am not going to yell to talk with friennds.

By Tom Georges

September 8, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this

Another thing you can do is time your visit. Most live-music restaurants don’t have music starting until after 8pm. So grab dinner somewhere else, and then go to the live venue for dessert, or book your table an hour before the music is slated to begin. Also, select a table that is quiet enough to converse.

The premise of this article is that the music is too loud. Either save the “loud” places for after dinner where you can enjoy the music together, or choose places with softer live music. If we don’t support live music restaurants, they will reduce in number, giving even fewer choices.

By Randall

September 8, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this

I know one of the restaurants you’re talking about because my band played there twice.

I had serious issues with the management for booking my band, which is a classic rock/soul/pop cover band, in such a venue. It turns out, the owners of the establishment made it sound like this was a normal bar/club, not a restaurant.

I made it work for us though: Before we started, I went around to each table and got the names of the diners. There were several large tables celebrating graduations and soccer tourney wins, so at the beginning of the first set, I had the guys play some lounge-type music while I congratulated all the parties and made them feel special. Tips that night for us were large.

By Deanna

September 8, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

I agree. My boyfriend and I actively avoid restaurants with live music. We too enjoy conversation with our meal and drinks. That conversation is impossible when some guy’s in the corner with his portable PA regaling us with the umpteenth atonal Atlanta restaurant version of Jimmy Buffett’s greatest hits.

There are plenty of great music venues around Atlanta. We’ll go there when we want to hear music!

By Jen

September 8, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this

Most places usually don’t start their live music until 9pm; and you know their have live music so why not just slightly adjust your plans to eat earlier or visit another night?

Some places do have afternoon musical sets on Sundays but those are usually at bars rather than restaurants.

Most people enjoy the live music - if they didn’t and numbers were down, restaurant owners and/or managers wouldn’t book regular gigs.

I love live music - free entertainment with your meal is a complete bonus!

If you’re not sure of the live music schedule, call ahead to ask; it’s not an unusual request and then there are no surprises.

By Mark

September 9, 2008 7:58 AM | Link to this

I don’t mind places with live music however, I avoid ALL restaurants that have televisions blaring in every corner. If I wanted to watch TV I would eat my dinner sitting on the sofa at home. With football season coming up, I know that I won’t be able to eat out for a good long while.