If you can’t help but feel the beat, here are two upcoming groove opportunities you’ll want to take note of. One is a dance hall from Houston sommelier David Keck, the other a rewind to tiki and disco this weekend.
Texas Tiki Disco
Anvil Bar & Refuge has been closed for renovations the past couple of weeks, but it’s keeping up high spirits by bringing its popular Texas Tiki Disco to the Nightingale Room. It all began with Anvil’s takeover of famed tiki bar Lost Lake in Chicago last year, while the resident rum specialists took a brief break from the stick and deemed the takeover “Texas Tiki Disco.”
The Anvil team was inspired to bring Texas Tiki Disco to Lost Lake by the rise and fall of tiki bars in the 70’s due to the introduction of disco culture. Disco culture’s demand for speedy service, live music and dance floors left behind the laidback vibes and quality handcrafted drinks that are characteristic of tiki bars. However, owner Bobby Heugel and the rest of the Anvil team have proposed that these two opposing forces can coexist — hence the Texas Tiki Disco.
Texas Tiki Disco returns again, this time to Anvil’s downtown sister bar, Nightingale Room, March 5 through March 7 with a groovy fusion of classic cocktails, sharable punch bowls with a Houston edge and plenty of disco dancing. Hours are 4 pm to midnight.
Goodnight Charlie’s
God bless David Keck, the 149th Master Sommelier in the United States and friendly face known for his wine advocacy at Camerata at Paulie’s. He’s been long-recognized for patiently and gently leading drinkers into a territory previously unknown to them, and now he’s venturing into a side of hospitality that will lead guests onto the dance floor.
Keck has partnered with Peter McCarthy to open Goodnight Charlie’s this fall, at 2531 Kuester. According to a Swamplot post in January regarding a “honky tonk” permit approval, it was unclear until today who was behind the saloon. The location is nestled between what was a Buffalo Exchange store at 1618 Westheimer (it recently closed and relocated to 2901 Shepherd) and La Grange (2517 Ralph), which was previously iconic Houston gay bar EJ’s.
Below are the details from the press release received today:
David [Keck] has joined forces with businessman Peter McCarthy to found Goodnight Hospitality. Their first project, slated to open in Fall 2017, is Goodnight Charlie’s, a Houston honky-tonk, located at 2531 Kuester Street in Montrose, complete with live music, dancing, a juke box and plenty of beer and whiskey. Named after Texas cattle rancher Charles Goodnight, the bar aims to create a sense of community through music, food and drink.
“So much of my time is spent teaching wine and studying wine,” said Keck. “Goodnight Charlie’s gives me the opportunity to explore a style of service that’s very different than what I’ve done in the past, but equally intriguing. Future Goodnight Hospitality projects will absolutely involve wine, but this is our focus for now.”
He discovered dance halls when he moved to Texas. He learned to two-step at Crider’s Rodeo and Dance Hall in Hunt, Texas, which he names as an inspiration for Goodnight Charlie’s.
“Music and dancing were an important element of my community growing up,” said Keck. “You see that in places like Crider’s and Gruene Hall in the Texas Hill Country, but not as much in Houston. I envision Goodnight Charlie’s being a place — like the West Newbury Town Hall or Crider’s — where people dance, have a good time and see people they love.”
Expect live music on Fridays and Saturdays with a focus on local and regional country acts, as well as bluegrass, Zydeco and Americana. The jukebox will anchor the weekday music, featuring plenty of Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Townes Van Zandt. Dancing is always encouraged.
Goodnight Charlie’s will focus on beer, featuring everything from Texas craft brews to Lone Star, and whiskey. Cocktails will be simple — highballs and stirred drinks, mostly. There won’t be anything on the menu that needs shaking.
“The goal is to create a place where people can eat and drink well,” said Keck, “but it won’t be extremely cerebral or require a vast understanding of what we’re offering to have a good time.”
Houston chef and Master Chef contestant Alvin Schultz is consulting on the small Mexican-inspired food menu. Tacos will be served with properly-made tortillas and plenty of lighter options, dispelling the notion that all tasty bar food is fried.
The full menu will be available until 11pm every night, and a reduced menu will be served late, until 3am on weekends.
Goodnight Charlie’s will offer table service, but it will be more casual than the style of service Keck previously provided at Camerata and Uchi.
“Hospitality is hospitality,” said Keck, “and a huge focus of mine has always been staff knowledge, humility and the ability to make guests feel comfortable in any setting, whether it’s fine dining or a honky-tonk. The same principles apply.”
Keck and McCarthy partnered with Content Architecture and designer Gin Braverman (Public Services, Oxheart) to build and design the space from the ground up. It’s a new building designed to age well, in the spirit of historic Texas honky-tonks.
Nightingale Room 308 Main nightingaleroom.com
Goodnight Charlie’s 2531 Kuester (opening fall 2017) goodnightcharlies.com