The Downtown Atlanta Location of Sports Bar and Restaurant Dantanna’s Closes for Good

Sports bar and restaurant Dantanna’s is now permanently closed after more than a decade inside the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta, a representative tells Eater Atlanta. The original Buckhead restaurant adjacent to Lenox Square Mall is open for dine-in service and continues to offer takeout and delivery.

“Due to the societal changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the very difficult decision to close our Downtown location in CNN Center. After more than a decade of success, serving old and new friends, we do not feel our business model of hosting large parties and groups is sustainable, at least in the foreseeable future,” a post on Facebook reads.

Dantanna’s has been closed at the CNN Center since late March. Most of Dantanna’s downtown business came from conventioneers at area hotels or the Georgia World Congress Center, tourists and sports fans, and people working in nearby office buildings. The Georgia World Congress Center temporarily served as a makeshift hospital.

A representative speaking on behalf of the restaurant says employees at the downtown location were offered positions at Dantanna’s in Buckhead.

A growing number of Atlanta-area restaurants and bars have already closed over the last month due to the ongoing health crisis, unable to recover from a devastating loss of revenue during the dining room closures or to secure rent relief from landlords.

The owners of Mother announced Tuesday they were closing the Edgewood Avenue bar after eight years, crippled by the financial effects caused by the health crisis. Earlier this week, Zinburger wine and burger chain announced the closures of multiple locations, including two Atlanta outposts at Lenox Square and Perimeter malls.

Adding to the financial pressures already being felt by Atlanta restaurant and bar owners, several establishments are choosing to temporarily close after learning employees have tested positive for the virus. Little Rey in Piedmont Heights, Firepit Pizza Tavern in Grant Park, Redbird on Howell Mill Road, Gusto at Chastain and in Chamblee, and the Brookhaven outpost of Pure Taqueria reported multiple staff members testing positive for COVID-19. All six restaurants closed for deep cleanings and to test employees.

Georgia restaurants and businesses are not bound by law to disclose to the public when a member of staff tests positive for COVID-19 and are not mandated by the state or Georgia Department of Health to close. Closing is voluntary.

Stay home if sick. Check the Georgia Department of Public Health website for guidance and updates on the latest number of reported COVID-19 cases.

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