The Velvet Note

Amazing sound. Truly. Beautifully designed acoustics.
There wasn’t any dress code. However, I believe great music and drinks in a cozy atmosphere call for a bit more sophistication. I would appreciate a place in Johns Creek that would require a dress code and enforce it.
The particular artist that we saw was wonderful. The artist lineup seems to be diverse and sure to appeal to the taste of any music lover.
The drinks could be a little stronger. I will be ordering wine instead of a mixed drink the next time I go.

Wonderful evening in a cozy space with amazing acoustics. The performer was excellent, the martinis were so cold and tasty, and we had so much fun! I’m so thankful to have something like this close to home. If you truly enjoy live music it doesn’t get better than this. They treat jazz as the art that it is and you will not be dissappointed.

Husband and I have been to the Velvet Note many times since we moved to GA three years ago — great place to «listen» to Jazz — great performances, great food and great servers. Thought is given to every detail at the Velvet Note down to the lighting, food, utensils and glasses. We had reservations for a Friday show — made a mistake and came on day after (Saturday) and Tamara, without hesitation, showed us to seats with no questions. We made the mistake and came on the wrong evening — Tamara could have said we missed the show and could not be seated but instead gave us a table. That is CLASS — never misses a beat and makes the customer feel welcome and invited into her «listening room». A must if you are a JAZZ fan — we will be back for more wonderful shows!

Cozy spot, good acoustics. Cover was not bad and seating was decent. I’d eat somewhere else. Food was pricey and nothing special. I’d go back for music

Great small/​intimate live-​music jazz club. We’ve been several times now and the food and music are excellent. The crab cakes are one of our favorites!

Where I wanna be each weekend… I love the quaint, yet intensely alluring appeal of each performance that I’ve experienced, thus far.

Tonight was our first experience at the Velvet Note and it exceeded our expectations. Small intimate venue with great entertainment. If you haven’t been there yet, put it on your list. We can’t wait to go back. What a hidden gem!

Smooth jazz in Alpharetta? How cool is that. My buddy, Harry, bought me a ticket to see Robert Glasper, a Grammy winning jazz pianist and composer. Along with Damion Reid on drums and a monster stand up bass player, they proceeded to thrill an intimate crowd of 40 lucky people who got tickets. Harry and I were blown away. The acoustics are wonderful in this tiny venue and as a side note, the crab cakes looked really good (although I didn’t get a taste), but I was there for the music. Check this place out. Some of the old school jazz greats are booked here in the coming months. I hope the OTP crowd appreciates and supports this fine establishment.

Plastic plates. Plastic forks. Microwaved food. No personal space. Too many people in a tiny space. Very uncomfortable venue.

Always love going to The Velvet Note! The space is comfortable, the food is good, the music is always exciting and Tamara is a terrific host. It’s a small venue so you need to stay current on their lineup of artists and when someone is announced that you really want to see, order your tickets ASAP from the website. I’ve seen sad, sad faces being turned away from sold-​out shows! Thursday nights are jam and open-​mic with a wonderful house band. To my knowledge, that’s the only night you can drop in, grab dinner and/​or drinks and hang out for a small cover. Otherwise, it’s two shows a night and they both require tickets. It’s not about the bar or the food; it’s all about the music, with the happy addition of food and drinks.

At $ 20 to get in the door (I wouldn’t have gone had my friend not been playing, I went to support him). The room is small and oozes a sense that it’s for classy folk, but it oozes more of cheap. The food was pricey and served on PLASTIC plates, if you want water you must buy bottled and then I got a wonderful plastic cup to put it in. Side note– the food WAS decent but too high). I noticed the chairs were the hard plastic pop up ones that had nice covers over them so you couldn’t see, there is carpet on the whole floor and then lastly the sound was a bit fusterating, had difficulty hearing the artists and they were having issues hearing too. Overall, I wasn’t impressed or pleased.

This is a hidden gem in a strip mall in Alpharetta. Last Saturday was my 4^th or 5^th time at the Velvet Note and each time was incredible. This past Saturday Dee Lucas performed and along with his fellow musicians, they were amazing. I even bought a cd for the first time which was very reasonably priced. Tamara is an amazing hostess and she will remember you by name if you visit more than once…
Admitting many people are rarely motivated to take the time to write positive reviews online, and I am guilty but this place motivated me tto take the time because it is definitely a must visit venue.
The food is excellent though be prepared to eat on plastic plates — but this place is about the music — not about hiring a dishwasher — plus they make less sound then real dishes so the music remains undisturbed.
My only suggestions would be to offer more corked and less capped wines, and to make sure the white wine is chilled prior to serving (usually it is but recently it was warm). I also think it would be great if they let people lounge around for another hour or so after the later show to drink more, maybe have dessert and enjoy the venue.
One last thing, though I know it has been mentioned in other reviews — make sure you look up at the ceiling and truly appreciate how the acoustics are enhanced in this wonderful venue.

[TL;DR] Wonderful acoustics, intimate space — excellent jazz venue. Somewhere for date night or grown-​up stuff.
/​ATMOSPHERE
Just amazing. The place seats about 40 people total. Seating is first come, first serve so if you want a table closer to the stage, make sure you get there early. Honestly though, it’d be hard to find a spot that’s bad when the place is literally the size of small restaurant. When you see the strip mall it’s in, you’ll know what I mean.
Seats up front are even better and probably the best choice if you don’t mind being up front and don’t plan on eating. As far as dining tables, there aren’t a lot of them and not a lot of seats overall. If you want to sit at a table, it’s possible you’re going to have company.
The acoustics are pristine. The sound is crisp and warm — designed by a protégé of George Lucas specifically for live music. The small space lends to it, I think. All plating and utensils are some type of plastic to minimize all the noise from eating. The ceiling is blackened and treated with little stars that create a fantastic ambiance.
/​FOOD
No idea. I didn’t have any when I went since we had dinner elsewhere first. Looked good. Smelled good. Ordered some coffee. It came from a K-​cup or some derivative which is the only reason I almost gave this place four stars.
Prices are steep, but places like Velvet Note don’t make their money on your ticket cost. It’s in all this other stuff so it’s expected. Glass of whiskey — ~$ 10.
/​SERVICE
Decent service overall. No complaints. Nothing that stood out.
FYI, funny thing about all the attention they’ve paid to acoustics and sound quality — the service, while fine, was all over the place, clearing off tables, dropping off tabs, running cards, and making change before the show even ends.
HOW TO READ MY REVIEWS:
1 Star — Does not approach edible. Enter at your own risk.
2 Stars — If I’m in the area, I’d pick something else.
3 Stars — I would stop by if I happen to be in the area.
4 Stars — I would pick this place out of other places nearby.
5 Stars — I would go out of my way to dine here.

A must go experience. Truly remarkable. And in Alpharetta strip mall???
First, to respond to poor reviews. It’s just confusion. This is not a place that you just drop by and hang. The bad reviews are confused by how this works. There are two shows a night and you must get tickets for either. It’s not a bar. You can then order dinner and drinks but it’s not a walk in place. Get tickets.
2^nd its in a strip mall by an egg place and a Brazilian Wax shop… HAHAHA. You walk in and it’s as if you are transported to another world.
Saw Carmen Lundy with her brother, The Curtis Lundy Trio. Awesome experience. It is truly a living room experience with a knowledgable jazz crowd. It’s so intimate I felt awkward sitting feet away and feeling like I should do something… ha.
Acoustics perfect. Installed by a protégé of filmmaker George Lucas. The owner is a hostess and is truly a lover of the experience. I’d go back in a heart beat.
The shows are only about an hour so you need to get there. Not a lot of time for 2^nd/​3^rd drinks… it’s about the music.

Great Jazz! Awesome Service !!
The Owner is very much customer service oriented !!
Great experience !!

Went to my first show here and was very impressed! It’s not a place to go for a gourmet meal, but the jazz was superb, the atmosphere welcoming, the drinks very tasty and I even had a decent cup of coffee. There’s been plenty written about the Velvet Note I won’t repeat but certainly agree this is a gem of a spot, and please don’t be put off by it’s location.
Philip and I will be going here often, which is probably about as high of a recommendation as I could give.

I can’t honestly fully review this place because we didn’t stay. We planned to attend a jazz show as a double date. My friend and I purchased tickets online. Unfortunately, their website isn’t very user friendly and my friend accidentally purchased one ticket instead of two. When we arrived, we were told that we only had 3 tickets and not 4. We immediately tried I pay for our fourth ticket, but instead of being pleasant and focusing on customer service, we were told that it was a completely sold out show and given a lot of attitude, as if we had committed a crime for making a mistake. I was shocked and innocently asked, «If you can’t seat us all, can we get a refund?» Things deteriorated from there and she ended up giving us our money back in cash from the bar. I was shocked and felt like we got kicked out for making a simple mistake.
I’m disappointed because I was looking for a good music venue out in the burbs. I also feel for the musician who missed out on possibly gaining 4 new fans!
I hope that our experience was an anomaly and that customers aren’t routinely treated with malice and disrespect.

If you are a lover of music, of ANY genre of music, the Velvet Note is a must. Don’t let the small space or unexpected location deter you– once inside and seated an arm’s length from the musicians, you’ll forget all about that.
We have been twice now, both times to enjoy a performance by the very talented jazz fusion foursome Roman Street. Their energetic performance is a perfect testament to the acoustics of this place. four guys seriously jamming on two guitars, a bass, and full drum set seem as if they would be overwhelming in the small space, but instead, the sound is rich and full, making you feel as if you are inside the music itself. Also, the place is intimate enough to interact with the musicians in a way that is truly unique.
And although you’re not likely to visit the Velvet Note purely for the food… The FOOD! Their signature crab cakes are really wonderful (and I’m a crab cake snob) as is everything else I’ve had here. I believe last time I had a lamb chop special (it was about 6 months ago) and their shrimp and grits is also quite good. I’ve not had their dessert, but some people around us appeared to really enjoy theirs! As far as I can tell, you can’t go wrong here.
If you’re looking for a different date night from the norm, or somewhere close to impress out-​of-​town guests, Velvet Note is a perfect solution!

Since moving to Georgia, I have had, it’s sad to say, very few incredibly memorable and noteworthy nights. It’s been mostly good at the best and typically mediocre. That is, until recently. You see, I have just reunited with a good friend, a reliable website called Goldstar. Thankfully since this reconnection, I have been introduced to some fantastic low budget plays and musicals in and around Atlanta. Thanks to Goldstar, I also have discovered the great music scene that is so close by. I found out about The Velvet Note, which otherwise I would have never found on my own, thanks to a posting on Goldstar.
The Velvet Note is this little musical oasis in smack dab the middle of suburban Alpharetta. It’s off of Old Milton Parkway, and could easily be missed with the cookie cutter chain businesses that you will pass on the main road. However it’s anything but. The second you step foot inside you are transported to this intimate lounge space with tables placed close together and a stage that is low and just feet away from you. I read on the venue’s website that the space was designed by musicians. After getting a chance to watch a live show there a few days ago, I can totally see that. The acoustics are incredible.
So last Thursday for the insanely pocket friendly price of $ 6 (through Goldstar!) I had one of THE best nights in Georgia. A friend and I went to the Velvet Note to check out their Open Mic Jazz Session. I like jazz and had a feeling I was going to have a good time but I was not prepared for being blown away. The sheer talent we witnessed was overwhelming. Watching the musicians was like watching poetry transformed into a beautiful piece of dance. The range of jazz that we heard too was phenomenal. Some numbers were strictly instrumental while a few had the old school style of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Since it was open mic there were a few other types of music that also took the stage, from Blues to Opera. Everything, I mean EVERYTHING we heard, was outstanding.
The Velvet Note is not just an incredible place to listen to amazing talent, but you can enjoy the music over a nice dinner too! They have a full menu and a full bar! The place is so serious about the music (and I am telling you it’s a GOOD thing!) that they serve the food on plastic plates and bring out plastic utensils so to not overshadow the music you’re listening to. My friend and I had a delicious chocolate mousse cake and it was so much better while eating it to some of the best local music I’ve ever heard.
The Velvet Note is a true gem of a business and I can’t express enough what you’re missing if you like music and have not been to this place. Hop in your car and hit the gas! Seriously!

I finally arrive here! This is a venue I’ve had on my radar for awhile, its kind of a haul from where I live, but it was well worth the drive on a Fri evening. Myself and 3 friends joined to see the performance of Days Ahead, they are a great band and have performed locally in Atlanta for awhile.
I was delighted with the Velvet Note and its quaintness. A very small and intimate establishment with the best acoustics I’ve heard in any venue in Atlanta, and I’ve been to a few for live entertainment. Ms Tamara is the hostess/​owner and is very knowledgeable in the category of jazz. The Velvet Note is tucked away in a small strip mall off Old Milton Pkwy, parking in a private lot. Tickets for most performances are available on the website, not sure if its smart to simply show at the door as the Note can fill to capacity quickly depending on the artist performing.
I noted Ms Tamara mentioned Christian McBride and Diane Schuur were among up and coming guests. The door man was a delight with a warm and funny personality. The wait staff is small, usually one of two, truly all that’s needed. The Velvet Note is dimly lit and curiously quiet during intermission and prior to performances. You will spend approx. $ 50 and up per person but the food and drink variety is pretty good considering the size of the establishment. This is a nice date spot ;-)
I would love to return sometime in the near future as Velvet Note ‘s bookings are right in step with modern jazz and beyond, especially if you’re a jazz junkie such as myself… Make plans, check the website and come out for a visit… its worth your evening after a long work day…