Atlanta’s own Lil Baby celebrated the grand opening of his latest venture, The Seafood Menu Restaurant & Lounge, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 14th. The restaurant promises to be a “delectable seafood haven.” However, the location on MLK Drive has sparked contrasting reactions from the community due to its history of crime and violence.
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Lil Baby, born Dominique Jones, has ventured into the culinary world with the grand opening of The Seafood Menu Restaurant and Lounge. The restaurant’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, held on July 14, was attended by friends, family, and prominent figures from the city, celebrating Lil Baby’s foray into the restaurant business.
The “Freestyle” rapper teamed up with Chris Dillion, the mastermind behind The Boiler Seafood in Atlanta, to create a delectable seafood haven in his hometown. Patrons can indulge in delectable dishes such as crab rangoon, shrimp tempura, lamb chops, grilled salmon, seafood boils, various fried foods, and more. The Seafood Menu boasts signature flavors, including hot lemon pepper, sweet chili, jerk, and other tantalizing tastes that are sure to leave seafood enthusiasts coming back for more.
Lil Baby’s new restaurant aims to provide the community unique flavors and affordable options.
The restaurant’s official website reveals the mission behind The Seafood Menu – “…to disrupt the ATL restaurant scene with its seafood offerings, providing a whole new taste experience for seafood enthusiasts at a fraction of the cost.”
The venue will also build off of Atlanta’s legacy in Hip-Hop. The restaurant “aims to create a unique atmosphere with savory, delectable, seafood dishes, while immersing themselves in an obvious [venture] that pays homage to the rich history of hip-hop music in Atlanta and beyond.”
Located at 800 Martin Luther King Jr Dr. SW in Atlanta, the restaurant is set to serve college students attending the Atlanta University Center, which includes esteemed institutions like Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College. During the back-to-school move-in dates of August 11th-13th, the restaurant is offering a generous 10% discount to these students.
However, the restaurant’s location on MLK Drive has elicited mixed reactions from the community. Many have praised Lil Baby’s decision to open the restaurant in an area that needs economic revitalization, job opportunities and support. Others have expressed concerns about the safety and viability of the location as MLK Drive is known for its high crime activity and violence.
The announcement of the location via the official Instagram page for the restaurant led to reactions such as, “I love that he kept it in the trenches…salute and much success black man.” Another person remarked, “that’s the worst place for a restaurant, too much be going on right there.”
Besides opening his new restaurant, Lil Baby will be heading out for his “It’s Only Us” tour. The set is scheduled to kick off on July 26 in Houston and feature The Kid LAROI, GLoRilla, GLOSS UP, Rylo Rodriguez, and Hunxcho.
Another prominent rapper, Money Bagg Yo, has also made his mark in the restaurant business, opening Cashe 42 Kitchen and Cocktails in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Described as “elevated fine dining,” the dishes expected to be menu favorites include oxtails and lamb chops, according to Cache 42 operations manager Jason Spicer.
Similar to Lil Baby’s restaurant, the location is on MLK Drive, an area with a history of high crime rates, which has prompted discussions about the impact of such ventures in challenging neighborhoods. The parallel experiences of Lil Baby and Money Bagg Yo underscore the significance of artists investing in their communities and contributing to their cities’ culinary landscape.
