A new nightclub blending dance floors with arcade-style games has opened inside Underground Atlanta, giving the historic district its third large-scale nightlife venue. Lunchbox sits beside MJQ Concourse and Masquerade at 50 Lower Alabama Street, combining what its operators describe as a nightclub and social gaming environment under one roof.
A Playground for Grown-Ups
Co-owner Kerian Neely described the concept as a “playground” for adults, according to Business Debut. The venue aims to give guests music, bars, dancing and interactive activities in a single location, per Neely, folding in games such as pingpong, Connect Four, giant Jenga, cornhole and basketball alongside the dance floors. Neely said the combined experience in local nightlife that he and his team bring informs how Lunchbox operates.
On its own site, the business bills itself simply as a nightclub in Underground Atlanta, inviting visitors to “step onto a 1995 cyberpunk movie set,” according to lunchboxatl.com. Neely described the design as cyberpunk meets Blade Runner meets man cave, and the venue touts a cinematic feel backed by what it calls a best-in-class Void sound system.
Two Rooms, Different Vibes
Lunchbox has two rooms with distinct atmospheres, each with its own full bar. The main room holds about 500 people while the second room accommodates roughly 300, per the seed reporting. The Underground Atlanta directory describes the layout as a multi-room setup that allows for event sizes ranging from intimate single-room dance parties to expanded two-room takeovers, according to Underground Atlanta.
The cocktail program is meant to be accessible, with drink prices ranging from affordable options to premium selections, Neely said. He added that the venue welcomes guests with a broad mix of styles. Separately, Underground Atlanta's own listing characterizes Lunchbox as an electronic dance music nightclub established as a hub for the local electronic music community and late-night nightlife.
From The Music Room to Lunchbox
Neely previously owned and operated The Music Room, a live music venue and nightclub on Edgewood Avenue that ran from 2014 until 2020. The venue closed during the pandemic after Mike LaSage told the outlet that he and his partners, including Keiran Neely, who also went by DJ Keiran, ran out of resources and funding to keep things afloat, according to Eater Atlanta. That outlet reported the venue and its neighboring businesses had remained closed to the public since the pandemic began in March 2020, with the Music Room streaming weekly live music and DJ sessions on Twitch in the meantime before shutting down over a weekend.
Neely's business partner at Lunchbox is Eyal Reisin, who owns Bar South, Beso, Ember and Establishment in Atlanta. Neely has said the pair's combined experience in local nightlife informs Lunchbox's approach to the new venue.
Part of a Bigger Underground Build-Out
Lunchbox currently operates Fridays and Saturdays, with plans to expand the schedule to Wednesday through Sunday in 2027, per Neely. The club occupies a 10,000-square-foot space near MJQ nightclub, as reported by Urbanize Atlanta.
The opening is part of a broader push to add live-music stages throughout Underground Atlanta. Seven stages are already open across the district: two at Lunchbox, one at MJQ Concourse, and four at The Masquerade, according to Rough Draft Atlanta. A press release cited by the outlet states that all 10 planned stages are expected to be up and running by the end of 2027, with a two-stage venue called Ravine planned for an old parking garage on Lower Wall Street.
