Ladybird will open its new Westside outpost this week — free parking included

Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall, the camp-themed bar and restaurant that has held court on the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail for more than a decade, will open its second location in West Midtown on Wednesday.

Where is Ladybird in West Midtown?

The new Ladybird has taken over a former industrial warehouse on 11th Street, directly across from the building that previously housed another popular bar in Six Feet Under, which relocated its Westside location in December 2022.

Building out the 8,000-square-foot space was something of a deconstruction project for Electric Hospitality, the restaurant group that owns Ladybird, Muchacho and the Electric Room events space; the warehouse roof was partially peeled back and large, open portals left in the exterior walls, leaving the entire space semienclosed. Trees were planted directly into the ground in the gravel patio area, and climbing vines were planted with future shade in mind.

Does Ladybird Westside have free parking?

In an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Michael Lennox, the CEO and founder of Electric Hospitality, said the company struck a deal with the parking lot next door to validate two hours of free parking for Ladybird customers. The entrance to the bar was also designed with ride-hailing services in mind; the sidewalk in front of the building along 11th Street has been widened into something like a roundabout driveway.

“We’re excited about having about 50 parking spaces next door,” Lennox said.

Ladybird West Midtown’s opening weekend plans

Ladybird declares itself “home of the three-day weekend,” and it will kick off its opening celebrations Friday with a full slate of events and promotions that will continue through Sunday.

Each day from Friday to Sunday, the first 50 guests through the doors will receive free “go west” Ladybird merchandise and be entered to win a $1,200 gift card to the restaurant, dubbed the Ultimate Ladybird Tab. Throughout the weekend and the restaurant’s first month open, a portion of proceeds will be donated to the Atlanta Humane Society.

The restaurant will open at 11 a.m. with brunch service. Later that day, the new restaurant will host a “Westside Trading Post” pop-up from 4-7 p.m. with area vendors such as Brick + Mortar, the Clothing Warehouse, Weld, Reduce and Full Bloom. Live music will play on the patio stage from 5-10 p.m.

On Saturday, Ladybird will host a Georgia Tech football watch party as the Yellow Jackets take on the Boston College Eagles at 3:30 p.m. The game will be shown on the patio’s 12-foot outdoor TV screen. The bar will introduce a Georgia Tech-themed cocktail in a pouch called Ramblin’ Wrecked patio punch, a tequila drink with peach, lemon and honey. The stage will feature a rotating lineup of DJs from noon to 5 p.m., followed by live bands from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Opening weekend will wrap up with live music from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Beginning at 3 p.m., the Humane Society will host a puppy pop-up with adoptable puppies “ready to play,” according to a news release. Guests can also bring their own dogs to try Ladybird’s bark ranger menu and snap a picture in a dog photo booth.

Food and drink at Ladybird West Midtown

Ladybird’s executive chef Dan Diersen will reprise much of the original location’s current menu at the new Westside outpost, though he will have more room to experiment in the new space. The new restaurant has an enormous kitchen compared with the original on the Beltline, and there is space outside for a rotisserie-style smoker. The extra space and equipment will allow for more regular specials, according to a news release.

New dishes will include the trail pack, an old-school lunchbox filled with snacks like house-made meat sticks, cheddar crisps, pickles, deviled eggs, trail mix and fruit roll-up; a campfire-roasted chicken with root vegetables; and a grilled beef skewer with potatoes and herbs.

The bar will also feature plenty of familiar options, including a lineup of patio punch pouches, frozen drinks, classic cocktails and craft beer.

The restaurant will be mostly counter-service, with a dedicated service counter to the right of the entrance, a patio bar in a restored Airstream trailer and a 50-seat wraparound bar in the center of the covered area.

Ladybird West Midtown address and open hours

The new Ladybird will be open seven days a week: 3 p.m. — midnight Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. — 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m. — midnight Sunday.