Photos courtesy of The Dakota
When The Dakota reopened in September 2021 after an 18-month pandemic pause, it picked up right where it left off: presenting the same top-notch dining and music experience the club has been known for since 1985. New stage, lights, sound system, menu: this downtown gem positively gleams!
Here are a few reasons to visit the Dakota this summer.
The Dakota has always been known for its regionally based menu, so the hiring of Southern cuisine master Remy Pettus as executive chef came as a bit of a surprise. The mind behind Bardo and Eastside has stepped into his new role effortlessly, creating a dramatic and dynamic menu replete with Southern spice. You can’t miss with the shrimp and grits with pork andouille, roasted duck breast, or the Lake Vermilion crawfish gumbo. Don’t forget an order of Cajun-spiced boiled peanuts! Finishing with the caramelized banana crêpes with tasso bacon and a dark rum sauce is a decadent and delightful way to end a meal.
Chicago-based sax man Steve Cole returns on July 15 and 16. Steve has been a steady presence on the smooth jazz charts for over 20 years, and his Super Band is full of Prince alumni. Ricky Peterson, with a rare weekend off from his gig as Fleetwood Mac’s keyboardist, joins Steve for these shows, as does rising saxophone star Lucia Sarmiento, recently off the road from her gig with Pitbull.
Perennial Favorites the Squirrel Nut Zippers perform on July 18 and 19. Started in the early 1990s as a fun foray into old-time jazz and swing music of the 1920s, the band quickly became an exploration of bandleader Jimbo Mathus’s staggeringly unique vision, as original songs like “Hell” became centerpieces of their shows. Every night is a Saturday night with this band, but they also indulge Jimbo’s darker, more theatrical side as well. Incredibly fun.
The feel-good show of the summer happens July 24. Five of the finest studio musicians in Atlanta convened for a 1970 session with Roy Orbison. It went so well that the Atlanta Rhythm Section was born. Lauded for their role in creating the southern rock genre, their string of hit singles in the ‘70s and millions of albums sold is impressive. Equally impressive is the fire with which they play those hit songs and others today.
Minneapolis-based jazz vocalist Connie Evingson performs with Patty and The Buttons on July 31. Connie’s incredible voice, lithe and full-bodied, sounds marvelous in many settings. But when she delves into the songs of the 1920s and ‘30s, she really sounds at home. Accordionist Patrick Harison and his Buttons provide the perfect accompaniment: shades of Django Reinhardt and Sidney Bechet, keeping the mood light and Parisian. Perfect date-night music.
With live music seven nights a week and ever-changing food and drink options, The Dakota remains a premier destination for music and food lovers alike.
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