Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
EXCLUSIVE: New listening lounge opening in Lakeview [PHOTOS]
Reading time: 8 minutes
We’ve all been there: Yelling over the boisterous bustle of a crowded restaurant or bar to be heard by our dining companions. Or straining to hear the music playing faintly in the background. Truthfully, it’s sometimes easier to just stay home.
Not any more.
Music lovers in Birmingham will soon have a new place to congregate that’s built for sound. A comfortable place to hear music as it was intended by people who know what they’re doing.
Come with us for a tour of Birmingham’s newest, most exciting “third space,” High Dive Listening Lounge at Lakeview Marina. And did we mention James Beard Award-winning Chef Sean Brock designed the menu?
Dive right in: You’re invited to kick things off with High Dive’s New Year’s Eve Party: 9PM-12:30AM | Live music from The Undergrounders + bubbly toast at midnight for $25/person | Book reservations here.
Keep reading to learn all about this new high-end dive bar and how you can help welcome them to the neighborhood very soon.
What is a listening lounge?
Born out of post-WW2 Japan, these spaces (known as kissa) are traditionally centered around jazz music and are meant to serve as a communal spot where music listeners can celebrate a shared enjoyment of sound.
In a world where people stay locked into their headphones and algorithmically-curated playlists, discovering new artists or sharing in their enjoyment has been harder to come by.
That’s one thing that piqued the interest of Birmingham entrepreneur and music lover Bart Stephens when the idea was still percolating in his mind.
“I believe people are seeking something slower, quieter and more present. They’re seeking more human connection with the community.
There’s a very strong sense of regret that music has become cheap, commodified and hyper-personalized by algorithms; not to mention sound quality has steadily eroded over the last 30 years. The idea of a Listening Bar addresses all of these things.”
Bart Stephens, founder of High Dive
While you’ll notice a nod to the concept’s Japanese origins via its menu—more about that shortly—the strongest accent here is decidedly Southern and Birmingham by design. Iconic Birmingham dive bars and venues like Lou’s, the Garage, the Nick, Bottletree and more set the bar as inspiration for service that feels personal and space that feels communal.
When a DJ or designated music “selector” isn’t handling the tunes, patrons can select one of 100 curated CDs on High Dive’s jukebox to play for free (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
What to expect at High Dive—and how Chef Sean Brock got involved
High Dive is part of the Lakeview Marina development, a large complex where 5th Ave S and 32nd St S meet in the Lakeview district. Music fans are already likely familiar with it as the home of Seasick Records, and they’ll also find Classic Cuts Barbershop and Cook Family Dentistry—with room to expand for future ventures.
- Location: 524 32nd St S, Birmingham, AL 35233
- Hours: Wed-Sun 8AM-10PM starting in early 2026
- Follow them: @highdive.bham
- Cover charge: Typically no cover, but varies for live music + events
- Who’s welcome: Everyone! It’s all-ages, except for special events or late evenings
The main room at High Dive seats 75 guests at a combination of intimate tables, a sweeping banquette and a carefully-crafted wooden bar—all designed to optimize the sound mix in the space. An outdoor patio holds another 45 guests and will feature food trucks housed in vintage Airstream trailers and eventually lead out to an outdoor Music Park that can accommodate crowds of up to 500 for larger performances.
The bar’s robust coffee program is complemented by pastries from Last Call Baking and a menu touting all-day breakfast and sandwich options galore. Those looking for stronger sips can try a sake menu, an array of classic cocktails or enjoy that High Dive was designed to be a beer-lover’s paradise as homage to Birmingham’s influential beer scene: There are 85 canned options and 12 draft towers.
And then there’s the Sean Brock of it all. High Dive Founder Bart Stephens first connected with the famed chef (also the creator of Joyland, just down the street in Birmingham) over their shared love of Japan’s kissa bars, and a partnership naturally evolved from there, with Brock helping develop the menu alongside Birmingham restaurant veterans who will run the day-to-day operations. Sample dishes include:
- Japanese milk bread sandwiches: Breakfast options served all day + savory grab-and-go choices like pork katsu
- Snacks like popcorn chicken with green goddess dressing or deviled eggs
- Small bites, including tartines, grilled skewers + sushi-style handrolls
- Sweet treats like winter citrus panna cotta or a strawberry-kiwi milk bread sandwich
Why High Dive is a music lover’s dream
The music and the integrity of its sound were the driving forces from the beginning of this concept. Instead of retrofitting an existing space to be more musically-compatible, the team behind High Dive started with a cinder block shell and went from there, building out the facility with music and design in mind every step of the way.
Stephens is an avid music fan and enlisted experts who knew how to add sound design in a space that was also beautiful.
“We looked at everything…the roof, window glass and the shape of walls. Then we added tens of thousands of pounds of sound-absorbent material and consulted with an acoustic engineer to really shape the room so it would have best possible acoustic response—not just music from the speakers sounding great in the room, but footfall, knives and forks and plates clinking on table.
We started with the room itself, and that’s what an audiophile does.”
Bart Stephens, founder of High Dive
The room has been professionally “tuned” for an immersive sound experience, which Stephens likens to the experience of being wrapped in music, like in your car, and took careful considerations to even reduce the amount of noise infiltration from neighboring tables’ conversations. The sound mix will vary depending on the type of music playing, the format on which it was recorded and the vibe or time of day.
What’s next at High Dive + Lakeview Marina
As far as the genres of music you’ll experience at High Dive, that may just be up to you: The venue is seeking “selectors” who can come in and pick records to play for fellow patrons.
“We want to be a place that broadens people’s awareness, where they can hear new music—and all the new music I pay attention to is, like 40 years old, but it’s still new to me. And so that’s very important.
And, as far as live music goes, Birmingham has this very rich tradition with jazz, but there’s just not a lot of great platforms for it, and it needs to be supported. So we’d absolutely love to showcase a nationally-touring jazz artist for some performances.
We want to be a place where Birmingham audiences can come and find something unexpected. Music should be about being challenged and growing your perspective, which is the opposite of what happens when you put on Spotify.”
Bart Stephens, founder of High Dive
Thursdays will feature live music, and plans are in the works for regular jazz nights as an homage to the jazz that spills out of Japanese kissas.
How to welcome the new year at High Dive
Daytime hours at High Dive bring a different—but equally awesome—vibe. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)
If you’re eager to jump into the mix at High Dive, you don’t have to wait long: They’re kicking off the new year in style next week to serve as their official debut for Birmingham.
- When: Wednesday, December 31st
- Dinner: 4-9PM | Parties of up to 4 can enjoy a meal with music provided by DJ Zach Attack | Reservations available here
- Party: 9PM-12:30AM | Live music from The Undergrounders + bubbly toast at midnight for $25/person | Reservations + details here
The party continues the next day with a special New Year’s Day brunch from 10AM-2PM, featuring live music from jazz artist Marlowe Shepherd; get reservations here. Regular hours will picking up in the new year.
“There’s a song that kind of wrapped itself around me in during the process of building out this space, and it’s ‘Rocket Man’ from Elton John. They engineered that song into Dolby Atmos for spatial listening, so when you sit and you listen in this room, it starts at the front, and it’s all kind of coming through. And then all of the pickups start to swirl and kind of encompass you.
Everyone has heard “Rocket Man” a million times, but then you hear it this way, and it’s like you’ve heard it for the first time. The experience of hearing a song like that in this atmosphere is mind-blowing.”
Nick Halfacre, General Manager of High Dive
What song do you most want to hear at High Dive? (“The Chain” gets my vote!) Let us know @bhamnow, and we’ll see you out there, Birmingham!
