“Atlanta Nights”
By Aron Angel
Perched in the ever-expanding east side of Atlanta, Aiko is a hopeful sign of things to come. With as many trendy clubs closing here as there are opening these days, Aiko is unique enough to stick around.
I met my friend Mark there for what was supposed to be a couple of drinks and some sushi to prepare for the long night ahead. Three hours later we couldn’t find it in ourselves to pull away from Aiko’s relaxing, but upbeat atmosphere. Or maybe it was the half priced drinks. In any event, Aiko struck me from the very beginning as a place that was made to last. For starters who could resist the beautiful faces of the young, fashion conscious crowd. Mark and I quickly secured a table along Aiko’s long main wall and settled in for a long night of eating, drinking and sightseeing.
After sampling some tasty sashimi and a strong cocktail, I began to notice what the draw was here. There is the attractive décor, complete with hardwood floors and revolving tinted lights that cast an ever-changing glow on the large singles crowd. After late night diners have filled up on sushi they can meander into the backroom for a night of dancing and mingling that makes the Aiko experience complete.
Mark and I eventually made our way to the outdoor patio, where we found a quieter atmosphere as well as a large bar surrounded by comfortable chairs for dancers to rest their feet. After a quick conversation with the bartender I learned that depending on when you come, Aiko has something for everyone. The bar endures the work week mostly from patrons looking to get a quick bite to eat or to partake in nightly drink specials. The weekends however, as Mark and I had already discovered, are much livelier. While the kitchen closes by midnight, the bar and dance floor remain until 3 am. As did Mark and I.
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