Atlanta Barbers Set to Open a Hidden Speakeasy at Ponce City Market
The duo behind one of Atlanta's popular barbershops, the Commodore, is getting into the cocktail game. They're opening a new speakeasy and listening room called La Cueva ('the cave' in Spanish) on the second floor of Ponce City Market late this year. A new location of the Commodore will be next door, but don't expect a haircut with your martini.
'This is our first venture into food and bev.,' says Robert Hopper, founder of the Commodore and co-founder of La Cueva. He says his business partner, Peter Terrones, one of the Commodore's barbers, came up with the idea a few years ago. 'Peter asked, 'What do you think about doing a speakeasy?' At first, I didn't want to do it. Then we found this space at Ponce City Market we were looking at for the barbershop — it had a kitchen, so it just clicked.'
Looking at the rendering, you can almost hear the uhn-tiss-uhn-tiss-uhn-tiss lo-fi beats reverberating through the space. It depicts curvaceous walls and ceiling design with dim, warm lighting, and plush seating at individual tables and the bar. Atlanta firm Maison Maluee designed the 2,700-square-foot space, which includes 75 seats and a small stage for DJs. Directly on the other side of the bar will be a new Commodore barbershop location. A window porthole at the entrance of the bar will allow diners to peek into the barbershop, but not vice versa.
Thrilla in Manilla cocktail at La Cueva. La Cueva
The bar will feature a large selection of mezcal, offering creative cocktails, wine, and beer, alongside shareable Mexican fare. Hopper says his passion for trappist beers will be evident on the menu, as well as nods to his favorite cocktail, a mojito. Luis Damian, of lauded restaurants Oaxaca in Chamblee, El Valle in Midtown, and Casa Balam, a 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, in Decatur, is the consulting chef here. The menu will include Mexican botanas (snacks) like octopus tostada, halibut ceviche, and wrapped chicken mole, alongside larger dinner dishes. Damian has his hands full — he is also set to open the second location of El Valle in Brookhaven this August.
Octopus tostada by consulting chef Luis Damian. La Cueva
Pollo envuelto mole (chicken wrapped in mole) is one of the small plates at La Cueva. La Cueva
Hopper, formerly a guitarist in a Christian alternative band and a youth pastor, speaks of a higher calling and building genuine relationships with his customers over the nearly ten years he has owned his barbershops. He says building these relationships led to some of his hair clients investing capital in the bar; he hopes to have reserved bar seats for Commodore clients at all times when the space opens.
The bar comes on the heels of Boom Boom Bao, Lime Tiger, and Uwu Asian Dessert Co. opening at Market East at PCM in June, and ice cream chain Van Leeuwen debuting in Georgia this month. La Cueva will be open six days a week in the evenings, with live performances like jazz, open mic nights, DJ sets, and comedy shows. On resurrecting his own guitar, Hopper laughs and says, 'Absolutely not. I do not want to drive the guests away.'
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