Bogart's: New Location, Stage, and Vibe

In the past couple weeks, I have been a bit hard on the relocated venue about the lack of the mysterious vibe and personality that the old location’s back room had. After all, the new location has no back room, and when I first visited on a music-less night, a waitress informed me the bands would be tucked into a corner behind some booths. And that they were for the first few weeks that Bogart’s was back in business. Some great music happened, but it was hard to picture a thriving demand for music taking place there in the long term.

Well, those booths are gone now and in their place lies a raised, carpeted, trapezoidal stage. The dynamic of the place has changed dramatically. The music seems to serve a purpose, as you can now see the performers from just about any place in the room. Whereas during my first visit I could not tell what the restaurant was going for, it is now more evident than ever. There’s more of a modern classy feel to it than at the old location. Big thrown back curtains and bright neon saxophones in the windows add to the vibe, but the stage definitely makes a huge difference. The stage was constructed yesterday afternoon, owner Nick Hanson said, just in time for last night’s performance.

While next week’s music schedule is empty save for a private party with The Recliners, Hanson informed me they plan on scheduling regular jazz soon. That schedule will be available here next week.

The location on N. Lombardy St. that was formerly home to Bogart’s will soon open as Baliceaux under ownership of Steve and Lainie Gratz. According to Hanson, it is scheduled to open in late July (“which means September,” he notes) as an upscale French restaurant named after an uninhabited island in the Caribbean. They still plan on having live music. What they have done with the back room, says Hanson, is quite impressive.