Little Trouble

Pros:
Little Trouble is a very welcomed addition to the neighborhood. For a restaurant/​bar, the interior/​atmosphere is second to none; it’s a crazy mix of Asian, modern, and futuristic. Food and drinks are solid, and the wait staff is super cool. It’s a good option for a quick bite before partaking in the shenanigans at the neighboring Ormsby’s. I’ll be back especially if I’m hosting friends from out of town.
Cons:
I love the atmosphere, but the music overpowers all other noise even when it’s crowded (nightclub or nah?). I thought it was weird that I had to yell at my friends around a table in a sit-​down restaurant. While the food and drinks are good, they are definitely overpriced. Also, it would be cool to see this place stay open a little later than 12.

Ormsbys was unusually crowded this past Friday night so we came here to escape the frigid temps since it was next door. Also crowded, but reasonable. There are two sides in separate rooms — one is the bar, and the other is the seating area (which has both loungey seats for drinks and tables for eating).
Finally a source of ramen in the city! Albeit overpriced at $ 14 and only one choice of broth (tonkatsu, unless the menu changes). Wings were solid (don’t get them if you can’t handle a spicy kick) and some good cocktail and sake options.
Bathroom line was very long for some reason, and everyone was wondering why… two stalls total which are supposedly unisex, but people were self separating into M/​F.

Completely overrated and way overpriced, IMO. The food was decent. I had the wings, and the shrimp and beef on skewers. For what you get, I definitely think the price points are crazy.
I think what you’re really paying for is the atmosphere. Admittedly, the place is cool. If you’re looking for a place to hang out with friends, drink and, possibly get something to eat, this would be good for that. It’s located in West Midtown, tucked amid the many shops that have seemed to pop up out of nowhere. I’d go back, but not necessary a must-​go for me.

AWESOME atmosphere! Small drink and food menu. I tried the Desert Cat & the Drew Gillespe. I liked the Desert cat, a little sweet without being over-​powering. The Drew was not to my taste, when they say bitter lemon soda, they mean bitter! Great if you like super bitter things.
We tried a whole bunch of the food, chicken & steak on a stick, Pork Buns, Fried noodles & pork rinds. Everything except the pork rinds were super spicy! Beware tender tongued patrons like me, your mouth will BURN! Given, the pork bun & chicken say «spicy» on the menu. The pork rinds were pretty good! the sweet honey on them was nice, but about 50% of them were «chewy” — like, they still crunched on the outside, but you could barely bite them in half. Despite the mouth-​fire I would get the pork bun & pork rinds again.
90% of why I go to a place is atmosphere and this bar has it! Definitely worth checking out and taking someone you want to impress.

Honestly, I don’t know when Little Trouble opened, or how long it’s been in the Westside Provisions District; frankly, it’s not often that I’m actually still in the vicinity in the evening, so I can’t say that I’ve ever noticed the gigantic neon sign previously. It wasn’t until an acquaintance out of town visiting who did her own meeting place research did the opportunity to visit Little Trouble present itself. All I knew was that «it’s near Taqueria (del Sol).»
Anyway, park in the WPD garage instead of the Taqueria outdoor lot, if you’re the type that must park as close to the business as possible, otherwise, you’ll have to endure walking across the bridge and inevitably 12 people taking selfies for social media as the sun is setting. Little Trouble is discreetly tucked on the ground level of WPD next to the furniture store of furniture you probably can’t afford and underneath the stationery store with stationery you can’t afford (are they still even in business?). Once they’re open, the gigantic neon red sign is impossible to mistake with YEAH (!) Burger, or JCT.
Arriving at Little Trouble, it’s easy to see where the Blade Runner influence comes from. At first blush, it really does kind of feel like you’ve found the little urban ramen stand at the end of the alleyway. But instead of a dead end where the protagonist (you) gets assaulted by gang-​members throwing glass bottles at you like in Rumble in the Bronx, it’s instead a fork in the road where one side takes you to a surprisingly relaxed bar, and the other side takes you into a spacious dining area, both of which are appropriately lit for atmosphere and mood of a kind of underground hiding place.
Despite being a Saturday evening, Little Trouble had little trouble (NO PUN INTENDED) in accommodating a group of eight which grew to like 9 – 10 people due to the the people on Facebook who don’t respond to an invitation, or the Maybes that actually do show up. The staff was polite and cooperative, and made no mistakes, which is pretty much half the battle as far as my mental criteria goes.
The menu is not large, but it features a decent variety of Asian-​inspired items, as well as implores you to not impale your hands with chopsticks (seriously). I’m not much of a cocktail/​well drinker, preferring to stick to my swine water (beer), and I will say Little Trouble has a fairly eclectic variety in that regard, but most importantly not seeing Bud/​Miller/​Coors listed at all was pleasing to my inner-​hipster.
I think the food prices are a sliver of a hair on the high end of the spectrum, as a single meat-​filled bun runs $ 5 a pop. Drizzling a little bit of honey on pork rinds tasty, but not $ 6 tasty. The ramen is a little high as well, at like $ 14, and the portion size is not as favorable as you would find at any other popular Atlanta ramen eatery.
Honestly though, I don’t think anyone comes to WPD because they’re looking for economical eating options, they’re coming to WPD because it’s a trendy dining district with a combination of decent food, drink, atmosphere, drink, convenience and drink. Between Little Trouble, JCT, Yeah Burger and West Egg, dropping $ 30 – 40 for two is kind of the norm. Frankly, I think Little Trouble’s food menu is almost entirely, more economically available at Raku about a mile away.
But if you’re going to Little Trouble solely to eat, I think you’d kind of be missing the point. Overall, Little Trouble is a pretty unique atmosphere, that’s pretty centrally located that most Atlantans know how to get to WPD, parking is free, and a pretty good staff. Prices are a tad high, but it’s still a great place to get some food, soak in some spirits, and enjoy the scene.

First off, I am very impressed by the manner they handled the large crowd of guests. Wonderful, fast service with a bar tender taking drink orders as we waited outside [in a heated area] for our table.
My boyfriend was really excited to try this place as he is a die-​hard fan of Bladerunner — thus he appreciated the vibe. I do love the neon atmosphere.
The menu was quite short, but it was just enough to satisfy any craving. We had the pork on a stick (1 order = 2 skewers), thai beef dumplings (1 order = 5 dumplings), pork belly buns (1 order = 1 bun), and braised beef buns (1 order = 1 bun). I am not sure how I feel about the pricing, ($ 34 for all of the menu items we ordered, not including drinks which were $ 12/​glass for pinot), but the food was marvelous so may have been worth it. I advise you to order both of the buns — the pork is a little on the spicy side, and the braised beef is a nice finish after the pork (yes, I even recommend you to eat them in that order haha).

I like this place. It has a cool big city vibe to it and has a great sign. The food is good, not great (but hey, it’s pretty good for Atlanta. We’re not in LA or NY.) My gripe is that it’s a little too small so the wait for a table can be a little bit of a drag and they squeeze you in to a table that’s probably too small for your group. I did enjoy the TRL cocktail I had. It was refreshing without being too tart or sweet. I would hang out here again. This is definitely a cool hood I’d want to come back to.

Little Trouble is easily one of the coolest looking bar-​lounge-​restaurants in Atlanta. This place gets bonus points on atmosphere alone. On its Facebook page, Little Trouble is described as «if Blade Runner was a bar.» For those unfamiliar, Blade Runner is a 1982 Ridley Scott sci-​fi movie starring Harrison Ford. It takes place in a futuristic dystopian urban setting and is filmed in a neo-​noir style. Here’s the trailer if you’re curious:
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I guess Little Trouble might be more accurately described as «a restaurant/​bar inspired by 2019 Los Angeles as depicted in Blade Runner.» It’s really neat. Here are similarities I noticed between the movie and the business:
1. In the movie, the parts of LA shown look much like Chinatown with bright lights/​signs and Chinese text everywhere. Little Trouble is an Asian fusion restaurant with Japanese characters printed on the restroom sign and on its cocktail napkins.
2. In the movie, there’s a scene where Harrison Ford sits down at a bar to eat a bowl of noodles. He even snaps apart a pair of those disposable wooden chopsticks before beginning to chow down. Little Trouble has a bar, you can order noodles, and they even have the same wooden snap-​apart chopsticks.
3. Several shots in Blade Runner show businesses sporting lots of rows of neon lights. That’s the most striking thing about Little Trouble — all the rows of red and blue neon lights. They really give the space a trendy and unique ambiance, a vibe you’d expect to find only in the most cosmopolitan of cities (but nope, this is Atlanta). The large illuminated logo hits you immediately as you walk down the entry hallway. It’s almost as if you’re walking down a dark alleyway in the movie.
4. Most of the scenes in the movie take place at night. Little Trouble is only open in the evenings, from 5pm until «late» (~2:30am on weekends), Monday-​Saturday. This place wouldn’t look the same during the daytime. Nightfall is what really makes it shine. The dim neon-​lit environment casts lots of silhouettes and shadows, reminiscent of the modern film noir style shots in the movie. Just check out Little Trouble’s geotagged Instagram photos. People love posting pictures of their silhouettes posed against lighted backdrops.
When I first heard the name «Little Trouble,» I immediately thought of the 1986 John Carpenter action-​adventure movie Big Trouble in Little China (starring Kurt Russell and Kim Cattrall). It was released during the same era as Blade Runner and takes place in San Francisco Chinatown. It wouldn’t surprise me if this movie influenced the name.
Little Trouble opened August 6, 2015 inside Westside Provisions District. It’s located beneath Marcel. The bar was created by the same folks behind Victory Sandwich Bar and Paper Plane (Paper Plane closed August 29, 2015).
The bar serves cocktails, sake, wine, and beer. I don’t really drink, but I have tried one cocktail: the Improved Whiskey Cocktail ($ 10) made with rye, maraschino, absinthe, and angostura bitters. It’s their version of an Old Fashioned and it’s pretty good.
The food menu is short and sweet featuring items like pork rinds, wings, skewers («Meat on a Stick»), fried noodles, and tempura. These are more small plate, shareable portions (izakaya style) as opposed to full-​sized entrees. Here’s what I’ve tried:
* Blistered Shishitos — sea salt ($ 6)
* Ceviche — hamachi, cilantro, mango, ponzu ($ 9)
* Thai Beef dumplings — chili, cilantro, fish sauce (5 pieces, $ 8)
* Char Siu Pork Bun — pickled vegetables, cilantro, sesame mayo ($ 5)
* Braised Beef Bun — red cabbage slaw, red chili mustard ($ 5)
* Snapper Ramen — coconut snapper broth, tomato, carrots, Fresno chili, beech mushroom, egg ($ 14)
In general, I think the food is pretty tasty. I can’t say I’ve had a bad thing.
The Blistered Shishito peppers are delicious, served charred and glistening. A terrific bar snack. The Ceviche is fresh and flavorful. In addition to the menu ingredients listed above, the seafood dish comes with corn, purple onion, cilantro, and sprouts with a side of thick, crispy, fried wonton chips. The Thai Beef Dumplings are similar to potstickers. The vinegary fish sauce really makes them taste great.
Both the Asian bao (buns) are A-​OK. I think I like the Braised Beef Bun better than the Char Siu Pork Bun. The Char Siu Pork Bun seems to have a higher veggie-​to-​meat ratio. The Braised Beef Bun tastes richer and fattier.
Little Trouble serves two kinds of ramen: Tonkotsu (with lamb belly) and Snapper. This is the first Snapper Ramen (or any kind of fish ramen) I’ve tried. It’s good. The broth is noticeably fishy, but not in a bad way. All of the ingredients are fresh and the presentation is nice and colorful. I really like the small beech mushrooms, with their firm texture and nutlike flavor, and the other veggies as well. Portion size is small.
Attentive service. Hannah is fantastic.
Valet or park for free in the adjacent WSPD parking deck.

I came here on a Monday evening, and the crowd wasn’t bad, especially for a place in the West Side — we got our food about 15 minutes after placing the order.
The Tonkatsu Ramen (my dining buddy and I ordered the same meal) was über rich — so rich and fatty that I couldn’t take more than a couple of sips of the broth at a time. It felt like taking sips of meat-​flavored oil. The pork belly was delicious as were the fried onions garnishing the dish… but overall, the Ramen didn’t wow me. It erred heavily on the «fusion» side of «Asian fusion» and isn’t taste authentic at all — though I guess that wasn’t the point. I think the Ramen would’ve been better spicier and the broth thinner.
The service was decent; the ambiance was what you’d expect of a spot like this. Three stars because the food didn’t wow me.

3.5 stars. I came here recently for dinner and sat at the bar. I ordered the ceviche (hamachi, cilantro, mango, ponzu) and hot ramen, which comes in a coconut snapper broth with tomato, red pepper, fresno chili, beech mushroom, and egg. While definitely considered more fusion-​y, the broth was tasty and the noodles were cooked well. The vibe of this place is pretty hip. It’s probably more of a drinking spot rather than a sit-​down eating spot, but worth trying if you’re looking for a place to grab a late night bite.
–L.

Located under Marcel, near Ormby’s. There are 2 entrances/​areas. One of the areas is more of a bar with a few high top tables. The other had lounge sections and regular tables. The service was great. We arrived in time for happy hour (5 – 7), great cocktails for $ 5. Mostly small plates, so we shared several things.
Favorites:
Shishito peppers
Beef dumplings– we ordered a second serving
Broccoli
Good:
Chicken Wings
Beef & Pork buns, we did like one better than the other, but noe I’ve forgotten which.
Octopus on a stick, literally, they were baby octopus, head, tentacles and all.
Will be back!

Overrated and disappointed.
The good:
Nice ambiance. I paid to see how «sexy» this place was.
Ceviche is good. Adequately portioned. Diverse ingredients. Complimentary with wonton chips.
The bad:
Ramen was overpriced. The snapper ramen was «fishy» (go figure). The saving grace for the tonkatsu ramen was the lamb belly. Ooh, snap. Just not worth $ 14. Seating was confusing. There was no hostess. Apparently you seat yourself.

This is a sexy little bar hidden in WSPD. I love the neon vibe and the weird indoor/​outdoor thing it has going on.
I’ve tried almost every cocktail on the menu and all have been great. My favorite, though, is their take on the Old Fashioned. It is STRONG.
Favorite apps: beef dumplings, pork rinds and cold ramen. The ceviche is also pretty good.
Did you know they have $ 5 cocktails from 5 – 7:00 p.m. including FRIDAYS? Hello best happy hour ever.
The staff is kind of cold, but maybe they feel it fits the neon vibe better. It’s not like they’re straight up rude, though. Just don’t expect to get schmoozy.

I like it! I really, really like it!
For happy hour, that is, when drinks are $ 5 (M-​F, 5−7pm). In addition to a TRL cocktail (it was pink and had vodka and cucumber soda), I sampled the pork rinds, which, as my dining companion put it, were the perfect bar snack. They’re delivered to your seat still crackling from the fryer, like rice krispies for grownups, and come kissed with just a hint of honey. Yum! The overflowing bowl was just $ 6, and it was more than enough for two people to share. I also sampled the ceviche, which was made with hamachi and mango. I thought the fried wontons that came with the ceviche were a little greasy (but I had just polished off a bowl of pork rinds, so who am I to complain about grease?). Solid snacks and delicious libations for sure.
Park in the deck behind West Egg, and then follow the neon lights to the back of the tunnel underneath Marcel to find your destination. The atmosphere here is what really makes this place special. It is truly unlike any other bar in Atlanta. The neon lighting makes it otherworldy. Come quick, but come early! It had a line out the door when I stopped by on a Saturday night, making happy hour the perfect time to hit this latest hotspot.

A welcome addition to the Westside Provisions district! I love the vibe and the drink selections to match. I felt like I was back in NYC and everyone who works there is super friendly.
The décor reminds me of a spot in Soho or TriBeCa. Very cool and edgy feeling. The drink menu is expansive. Try the TRL or Found Art. The cold ramen was delicious and so were the pork buns and dumplings. Definitely a great place to bring people who think ATL isn’t «edgy/trendy»…I hope to see more spots like this opening soon. For now, I will consider this a great «go to» spot in town for a good drink and yummy app or light dinner.

I certainly give props to the owners of this restaurant for going so far outside of the box for a bar in Atlanta. This space is dark and neon and seems to be Blade Runner themed. They focus mainly on cocktails, but they do have an asian themed food menu. I wouldn’t recommend it for dinner, but cocktails and snacks.
The tempura vegetables, a gigantic portion, were pretty standard. Would I get them again, probably not. The crab dumplings were also pretty boring, but the pork bun was really delicious.
If you’re looking for draft beers, or even good bottled/​canned beers, head over to Ormsby’s next door, since they don’t have draft beers here, and their bottled/​canned beer selection is pretty limited.
The best thing they do here is make cocktails, but they do have some hits and misses. The biggest miss was the twist on a manhattan my wife had. There was just something bizarre tasting about it that missed the mark.
Though I really dig the décor, I don’t have too much of a desire to go back unless I was at Ormsby’s looking for a different scene.

There’s a reason one of their bartenders was named one of the top female bartenders in Atlanta; Jess is amazing!
We tried quite a few drinks, but Martin Hates Baseball is definitely my favorite with the Whiskey Cocktail coming in at second. There wasn’t a drink we tried that we didn’t like.
I would recommend going for drinks and maybe just an app as it is street food that doesn’t really count as a meal. The wings are great, but ask them to cook them a couple minutes longer. We had meat on a stick, the peppers and dumplings all which were just mediocre, but the drinks and the scene most definitely justify the 5 star rating.

Checked out Little Trouble for the first time this weekend and had a blast. I came Saturday night around midnight. It was pretty crowded but I was still able to get a drink relatively quickly.
I got a small table on the side opposite the bar. There weren’t a ton of people so we also didn’t have to wait for the table, but we were told they normally have a wait. I love the layout of the place, and the neon lights make you feel like you’re hanging out on the set of tron. It’s definitely a great place to hangout in this weather since it’s open air too.

Such an amazing bar! Nothing like it in ATL. We entered down this ultra cool hallway with a cool light fixture at the end. On the left side is the bar area; to the right is the dining area (and bathrooms). The décor really plays up the industrialized Westside… shipping container walls and thin neon lighting.
Our drinks and service were great, drinks reasonably priced. The food is more bar style Japanese food… so don’t come hungry. Def recommend the Thai beef dumplings. The tempura assortment was nice; veggies only and it was mostly batter. The baos were tasty as well, but next time I’ll stick with the dumplings and try the ramen.
Definitely recommend this place as a stop on a night out. Get the Bobo T Baggins cocktail!

Let me start with saying that I absolutely love the space at Little Trouble. Follow the red lights down the hallway to Little Trouble! One side is the dining room; the other side is the bar. Minimal décor that looks great with the unique space. We’ll definitely return for drinks; however, most of the food items we tried were just ok in my opinion with the exception of the Thai beef dumplings — these were really good. The hot ramen was alright… the celery overpowered other flavors in the bowl. The buns (pork belly & beef) were both a bit bland. The food menu is pretty simple: dumplings, ramen, steamed buns, & meat on stick.
Located in Westside Provisions District. Parking deck or valet parking. Open 5 pm — late hah