Martinis and IMAX

Had a very enjoyable night here. Definitely search for small plates as they are across from the drinks. Fried artichokes were so delicious! The Imax movie was primary school level science, so i was bored but the rest was fun!

Whoever came up with Martinis & IMAX is brilliant. It’s a smart concept, and, as I saw when my friends checked in on Facebook, the name is actually copyrighted. And I’m sure it’s a pretty big money maker!
To begin with, I love the Fernbank Museum! I almost feel a little bad saying this, considering I live a hop skip and jump from the Smithsonian museums. But the Fernbank has something really charming about it. It’s on a huge piece of property and is quiet and pristine. The interior of the museum is gorgeous and I imagine is probably one of the most pretty (and unique!) wedding venues in all of Atlanta. The exhibits have enough cool stuff and information that the tickets are always worth it and I always enjoy what I’ve learned, but they’re not so big and overwhelming that I feel like I need to spend an entire day there just to get through everything. AND they have a most amazing gift shop! They sell cool books, children’s toys, and really, really cool jewelry, among other things. I actually would recommend their gift shop as a good place to buy gifts particularly for women who would appreciate unique pieces of jewelry (and most of it has nothing to do with science or natural history).
So here is the lowdown: Martinis & IMAX happens on Friday nights. You pay a fee to get in and you head downstairs where there are tables set up, live music, cocktail bars and a small menu from which you can order food. The museum exhibits are all closed, and you do have to pay for the food and cocktails in addition to your entrance ticket. I went this Friday with a group of my girlfriends and we had a great time, as always! The cocktails are delicious and there are a good variety of them on the menu (they’re not all martinis). You can walk around outside, or stay inside and enjoy the music. And this is all done around a giant dinosaur fossil as the centerpiece, which is an extra cool element. We did this for around 45 minutes or an hour, and then went back up to the theater. Your ticket includes entrance to an IMAX movie, and you can bring your cocktails with you. We happened to watch a movie about ocean creatures, but the Fernbank has a pretty steady rotation. The theater for the 8pm movie on Friday night was pretty full, which I think a testament to how popular Martinis & IMAX is in Atlanta.
Ultimately, this is a really, really cool weekly event that I’m surprised hasn’t been mimicked in other big cities. It’s fun, it’s low key, and it’s smart. It’s a great «pregame» type of activity before a night out, great for a more casual night where you still want to get out of the house, and also a really great date spot. Hats off to you, Fernbank. You have something super awesome on your hands that nobody like you has been able to duplicate!

I’d heard a lot about this from one of the gentleman who helped start It up back in the day, and it proved to be the perfect, albeit unconventional date night!
For only about $ 12 a person, you get to see an IMAX movie (you can see what is playing online) and an evening of live music, dancing and wonderful atmosphere. Drinks will set you back about $ 9 for a cocktail/​martini and a bit less for beer/​wine and the food (mostly tapas style) is about $ 6-​$ 14 per dish, but for a Friday night out, it is not bad.
My date and I didn’t really know what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised to walk into the grand atrium to find a mass of couples dancing to the smooth jazz. I am not much of a dancer, but how fun to watch, and the band (a New Orleans based Jazz band, I think) were wonderful. You can look online ahead of time to see what band/​DJ will be performing the night you are interested in.
Their cocktails, albeit not big, were strong and well made. We ordered a «New Old Fashioned» (doc holliday rye whiskey, hum botanical liqueur, simple syrup, orange bitters, orange twist, cherry) and one of their seasonal cocktails (I can’t remember the name) that was made with lime and ginger beer. Both were delicious and gone before our movie even started.
We elected to see the «Galapagos» IMAX film and we both «oooh”-ed and «ahhhh”-ed the whole time through and gushed about «marine iguanas» and «blue-​footed boobies» (yes, child-​man date did laugh hysterically every time this one was discussed) to our uninterested friends the rest of the weekend. However, I think that any of the IMAX options would’ve been just as captivating.
I know it sounds pretty awful, but I LOVED feeling a little smarter after a night out. We’ll be going back in the future.
If you need a classy, unique but totally fun date idea– DO THIS!

We have visited Martinis and IMAX at the Fernbank twice (once for the Pandas movie and once for the Galapagos movie), and both times have been great! Tickets for two people will run about $ 30. The main social event takes place in the center atrium where the dinosaurs are located, but access to the event does not gain you access to tour the museum. There is live music, three bars (beer, wine, and liquor), and a café where you can order food and have it brought out to your table. There are a fair number of tables, but if you want to guarantee that you will get one then I suggest getting there early.
I deducted one star from my rating due to the extremely slow service at the bars and the higher than normal drink prices. You can bring your drinks into the movies, which typically run about 40 minutes. The movies are beautiful and very informative! The food selection is pretty good and the portions are not bad. We ordered a pepperoni flat bread that was quite tasty and was delivered much quicker than the aforementioned bar service. Definitely an event we will attend again!

Martinis and IMAX .really, do I even need to say more? If you have never seen a film in IMAX, do it.

I’m a huge fan. Martinis and IMAX is one of my favorite ways to spend a Friday night. Cool science documentaries to engage your nerd side and set the stage for intellectual conversation with your date. You can feel classy drinking a martini or walking down the majestic staircase into the atrium containing massive dinosaur fossils. It’s a pretty cool ambiance. The event always brings interesting characters so it’s also a great place to people watch. Also cool live music!
Unfortunately, it is not a cheap experience. so not something you can do every weekend but definitely a fun and unique once-​in-​a-​while date.
P. S. I recently saw the Galapagos IMAX and spent 40 minutes with filled with child-​like wonder and joy!

Great date night! My boyfriend and I have gone twice now in the last couple of months. It’s fun to dress up, have a drink, people watch and end the night with a fun IMAX movie.

My friend referred to this event as «grown and sexy» and I think that is an accurate assessment. The martinis make it sexy and the IMAX makes it sophisticated. A perfect match. Afterall, it’s hard not to look good while holding a martini. Simply keeping the drink in the glass requires a bit of finesse in itself. The martinis at Fernbank were actually quite good, too. There were an assortment of choices– not just your standard apple martini or dirty martini. I think I may have had a key lime pie martini… I can’t say for sure, but it was tasty and about $ 10 a pop.
I went to this event some time ago and the IMAX experience was pretty phenomenal. The movie was about 45 min. in length and was about wildlife at the bottom of the ocean– a place that is seldom explored. It was educational and beautiful to watch. The movie selection changes often so check their site for the most up to date information.
Martinis and IMAX occurs on Friday nights during the months of Jan-​Nov. Tickets are $ 13 for adults and $ 8 for members. According to the Fernbank website, they will have live entertainment from 7:30pm-11pm so you can chill before or after your movie.

I went to this event a couple of months ago on a date night. The drinks were good but a bit pricey. We went on a salsa music night so that was fun but not many people were dancing unfortunately.
We ended the night by watching an IMAX movie about Monarch Butterflies. It was entertaining and educational.
Overall, this Fernbank event is good for a classy date night. It isn’t something I would do every month but, I would definitely do it again sometime.

I went here on a date this past weekend. I’ve heard of it before, and my friend recommended it so I thought I’d give it a try. We arrived around 8pm and after circling both parking lots we accepted that there was already no parking (get there early). We ended up parking on the street in front of the museum. We were one of the first to park out there so I was nervous about getting a parking ticket but quickly after, everyone started parking out there.
We walked in and there were two lines. One was for the salsa event and the other was for IMAX and Martinis. I went to my respective line to get the tickets I bought online. I then had to go right back to the entrance for the salsa event. This became confusing really fast because I couldn’t tell where that event ended and mine began. It turned out that it was all one big event but at 9pm I could use my tickets to go into the IMAX theater. We went down the stairs and somehow found a seat. We watched the salsa lessons for a while. People really seemed to enjoy it. I went to the bar and ordered one of the drink specials. It was pretty good. $ 8 for a coconut margarita. Not much different from you’re average bar. After a few minutes of watching the salsa event we were ready to watch the movie and go…
9pm was finally approaching so we went upstairs to wait in line. We got into the theater and the screen was huge. The seats were a little shabby but its ok. The first 15 – 20 minutes of the movie were fascinating but after that, the last 20 minutes or so dragged on. Maybe if I brought another drink in it would’ve been better. I thought we would be able to see more of the actual museum but as far as I know, all of the exhibits were closed. We did get to be up close and personal with the dinosaur.
Overall, I’m glad to be able to say I finally checked it out for myself but I don’t think I would go out of my way to go back. It was kinda boring. Maybe you’ll like it better than we did.

I think Martinis & IMAX is a fantastic idea. But I’ve been twice, and especially after the second time, I just kept thinking how expensive the entire experience is! You pay a cover charge ($ 7), you pay for the film tickets ($ 15), you pay for drinks and/​or food (cocktails at $ 8 each), and if you want to actually see the exhibits, you pay for museum admission too. That’s $ 50 – 100 in total!
I admit that I tend to be on the frugal side, but it seems kind of overpriced. I recommend looking for deals or coupons or saving it for a special occasion.
I will say that it’s a fun atmosphere and definitely a nice change from the bar/​restaurant scene.

In 16 years of living here, I’d never been to Fernbank, so the boyfriend insisted we go last Friday for Martinis and IMAX. We got there a few minutes after they opened and that turned out to be a good choice. Even people getting there at 7 had trouble snagging a table. The two friends we were meeting were running late and were happy that we’d snagged a table. The food was okay. We split the spinach dip, I got the fish tacos, and he got the buffalo chicken bites. I thought the fish tacos were a little bland. The spinach dip and buffalo chicken were good, though. The music was band, but they were somewhere else in the museum which meant we could carry on a conversation. I got the Butterfly Kiss special martini and it was tasty, fruity, and fun. They pour on the light side, but you want to stay classy walking out as well. Good plan, Fernbank. We saw Flight of the Butterflies and it was entertaining. Definitely a great out of the ordinary date night that won’t break the bank.
We’ll definitely be back, especially as the weather warms up an we can make use of the patio as well.

A classic thing to do in ATL and always a blast. You will always feel weird when you first come here, driving up, thinking, «Why am I going to a museum tonight?» But then hop inside and see why. The night atmosphere in a museum is always more interesting. Especially when you add some music, some food, and those martinis. I mean, drinking amidst the dinosaurs? That’s freaking awesome! And it’s a great vibe since a good portion of the crowd is young. The IMAX part is always fun too. Especially with a few drinks, because it tends to feel that much more real. A little more screaming and laughing than your usual IMAX. And perhaps a little more vomiting too. But vomiting means you had a great night, right?

I’m going back almost three years on this review so I will be brief; but since I’m making a «Date Night» list and this was my first ever date with my amazing boyfriend, it has a special place in my heart and must be included.
While I think any first date with my fine gentleman would have been magical, this spot really had it all. 1.) Booze to loosen us up 2.) IMAX movie to allow us both to show off our intellectual sides 3.) Incredible people watching to allow us to show off our goofy, quick wit 4.) Dancing to allow us to get closer, while still goofing off and keeping it light. 5.) DINOSAURS!
Having said all that, definitely eat dinner somewhere else. The food sucks.

I recently attended the Night of the Kraken event at Fernbank. It was a fun time with live music, a fantastic mythical beasts exhibit, a great IMAX flick about ancient Greece and those very strong martinis that Friday is known for.
Highly recommended – Fernbank, the IMAX movie and the Martinis at IMAX event. Try it, you will like it!

If you’re looking for a fun and pretty inexpensive way to spend a Friday night… here you go. Note…“cover charge” admission is $ 7 and if you want to see the IMAX movie too… total charge is $ 12. Still pretty affordable.
Last night there was a mythical theme and Kraken was a sponsor. The live music was a NOLA jazz-​ish band. I liked them a lot. Drinks were good, but the bar lines were pretty long. Reason being… there weren’t enough bartenders. Our cover charge ticket also gave s access into the mythical exhibit, which was really nice. Keep in mind this doesn’t happen every Friday. They also offer food for purchase, but we didn’t eat this time. We did notice HUGE nacho trays for $ 15. Talk about great value.
Overall…cool atmosphere, fun music, god drinks and affordable food. Check them out one Friday night. We’ll be back.

I love Martinis and IMAX! It is one of my favorite things to do in Atlanta and I always take out of towners to this event. It is like watching Discovery Channel on a huge screen with a martini buzz… perfect! I much prefer this on a Friday than sitting in a some stale pub/​lounge for Happy Hour with flat screens showing football and people yelling. blech! The vibe at the Fernbank is fun… the crowd is smiling and the live jazz music under the dinosaur is very nice. I’d give it 5 stars, but they tend to replay the films every year and they don’t change them out for several months at a time. They need to change up the films a lot more and show new films to keep it interesting for those of us who like to go several times a year.

I’m torn on this experience. I think the first time I came here, I really liked it. I think I’m trying to hang on for nostalgia, but… meh. It’s just not the same anymore. Or at least it wasn’t this past Friday. Maybe it felt empty due to the holiday weekend. Maybe folks have felt the pressures of the economy. Alas, we had a pair of free passes, so we went.
The drinks — while there are definitely tasty options — are overpriced. $ 7 for a small glass of mediocre wine? Thanks, but I’ll pass. The music this past Friday couldn’t decide whether they were a swing band or whether they were long-​lost cast members from Little House on the Prairie, so the ambiance that I remember was somewhat lacking.
The film — we saw the Cirque du Soleil Journey of Man — was good (knowing what Cirque du Soleil is and enjoying watching random feats of human strength!).
If you have a deal or coupon, by all means, make plans to go. Otherwise, I’d pass this experience and just make plans to go to the museum another time and find a better place to grab drinks at.

some of these other 2 and 3 star reviews are really spot on! this event has been around for a while but has yet to achieve the reputation i think they wanted it to. the way i see it is that its suppose to be this classy event where you can go and mingle with classy drinks in classy glasses and hear some live tunes of instrumentals and maybe do some salsa gig or two and see a 45 minute spectacular IMAX but to that end, it doesnt really live up to the name. its not for a lack of management or advertising though. i think its just that people dont frequent it as much as they should to make it a good event. and honestly, i dont know why it hasnt really caught on. asking why hasnt it caught on is like asking who is john galt. hahaha.
anyway, back to the review. i would have been so afraid to show up single because it seemed like every table was either a couple on a date or groups of employees at an after hours work get-​together.
i had a gin and tonic and it was the best gin and tonic ive ever had. but really, i havent had that many.
all in all, if more classy people go, it could be fun. but until then it just kinda eats your money and falls a bit flat.
but i love Fernbank during the day when its just a cool museum!

When I first moved here and heard about this I couldn’t wait to try it out… I finally made it and was really disappointed.
The IMAX show that we saw was Cirque du Soleil and that in itself was good, def very visually stimulating and an interesting piece.
It seems to be marketed as a classier night out than your average stumble though Crescent St or the Buckhead bars… but it isn’t. I think people are willing to pay a bit more for an experience but when the experience isn’t there, the cost is glaring.
Some people get dolled up but many roll in wearing flipflops and that cheapens the experience. The Martinis we had (apple and lemon drop) were strong but weren’t very good and were pricey. I was hungry but the menu was unappealing. The entertainment was cheesy.
My beef is with the overall experience. Maybe my expectations were too high? But if that is the case then I blame the marketing team for selling me something they don’t have.