Jessica Y.
Yelp
Girl... take off that hoochie mama outfit. Get rid of those stilettos. Here's to a "walking like you have stick up our booty, feet bleeding, dress riding up" free night! Feel like wearing sneakers? Go ahead. Want to wear a tank and jeans? They won't stop you. Wear whatever your heart desires!
Normally, I try to avoid going to places that charge cover (yes, I'm that cheap), but you know what? Shut up and take my money! I will gladly pay $10.00 to get down on this dance floor.
I moved to Atlanta a little less than a year ago from San Francisco. I've grown accustomed to hanging out at casual bars with a dance floor that plays hip hop, r&b. Here in Atlanta, I've had trouble finding places like that. Opera, Compound, Havana Club, etc... those places are fun, but not always. Sometimes, I want to dance to something other than edm and trance.
Finding this place was a little confusing. It's right across from Murder Kroger in the back by the small parking lot. Park at designated lots. DON'T PARK AT KROGER'S. They will boot your car.
I wasn't sure if I was walking up to the right spot because there's no big sign that says MJQ, but you can tell by the crowd. It almost looks like a shack at the entrance. Plus there's a food cart parked right there. (smart). This is a 21+, cash ONLY joint. They do have ATMS, so if you happen to run out of cash, you're covered. The do allow smoking, which is unfortunate.
The drinks are alright, not that strong, but a little better than watered down. It doesn't really get that crowded until midnight. I was there at 11:30, and the dance floor was basically empty. I appreciate how this place actually uses their AC. I was actually really cold before it got crowded. I felt the AC on blast, which is a good thing. So by the end of the night, around 3, it was hot, but not like a sauna. It also helps since they do allow smoking, which I hope they will change. They should ban smoking on the dance floor at least.
The music was won me over. Old school hip hop and r&b. Very nostalgic. It's awesome when you hear a song for the first time in yeeeears and everyone is just singing along. The DJ was sick. Mixed the songs very well. The MC was very entertaining as well.
Now the crowd is all over the place. Pretty diverse in ethnicity, age and style. There were also a few bboys who laid it down on the floor! Everyone is pretty friendly and just want to have fun, but you do see some people who are a little drunk or maybe just horny and want to get all nasty and grinding up on the dance floor. And no matter where you go, you'll meet the creepy men who are staring at you and trying to make a move on you. I don't hold it against the venue though. I just want to warn you ladies... if you can't handle crowds and guys trying to dance with you, then stay off the floor. There were quite a few guys being a little inappropriate, but just walk away or politely say something to them. Obviously, they should know better, but at the end of the day, they'll do what they want to do.
I ended up coming back here on a Wednesday. Ladies free and guys are $5.00. If you are bored on a Wednesday night and want somewhere to go, this is the place. It felt like a normal night out on a weekend. There were so many people and everyone just dancing and having fun. It's also not as crowded on Wednesdays than on the weekends. There's still a really good crowd though. I was mainly hanging out with my group of friends and they were definitely great company. That helped make this place even more fun!
Here's to you, MJQ, for giving me hope in Atlanta's nightlife scene. I'll see you soon.