As temperatures drop, paradise remains within reach for those exploring Atlanta’s Westside.
Photos by Andrew Thomas Lee
Strangers in Paradise, the ‘80s resort-inspired cocktail bar from the team at Electric Hospitality, offers an escape where the seasons don’t matter—just good drinks, great company, and an atmosphere that feels like a permanent vacation.
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’re sipping on a tropical-inspired cocktail or soaking in the effortlessly cool vibes, it’s a place where stories are shared, and winter woes melt away.
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.
Talk to us about your background in the industry.
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 – Muchacho and Golden Eagle – 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.
Talk to us about Strangers in Paradise.
Strangers in Paradise is a really fun, late 80’s/early 90’s 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’ve been transported to the beach when you come to Strangers in Paradise, even though we’re located in Atlanta, GA and we’re inside of a food hall on the southwest part of the BeltLine trail.
What kind of experience can guests expect while visiting?
Strangers in Paradise is really intended to be a pure, fun experience in an “over the top” 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’re all bright and colorful and we have fun glassware, big garnishes, and fun surprises during service that guests can engage with.
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’ll get a large punch bowl that is shaped like a cheeseburger, and it’s meant for anywhere from 2-4 guests. It’s loaded to the hilt with a nice rotating tropical punch and then our staff will put Jimmy’s song on and come out from behind the bar with complimentary plastic retro sunglasses, Hawaiian leis, and they’ll sing the song and make a whole spectacle out of it!
They’ll 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’ve got a growing wall of polaroids of folks who have enjoyed the full Cheeseburger in Paradise experience. That’s just one example but there’s a lot of fun to be had when you come hang out at the bar at Strangers.
What is the cocktail program like?
The concept is a true cocktail bar. We don’t serve food; it’s primarily high-quality, fun cocktails inspired by that retro Florida-beach feeling that I mentioned earlier.
What inspired the menu?
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…so on and so forth.
Which cocktail is your favorite and why?
I’d 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’re trying to do with the concept.
The cocktail itself has Tequila, Curaçao, a Rhubarb Ginger Syrup that’s 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’s almost impossible to order that drink and not have a good time and again, it really is the embodiment of everything we’re trying to get across at Strangers in Paradise.
