Alright, this is gonna be a mixed review...
Food: 2 stars - Came here for a Gilt City coupon with my girlfriend and while my personal company was great [in case you're reading this], I really was not very impressed with the food. The lamb dish (which was more of a lamb meatball) was exceedingly salty and gamy and the fish tacos were so small I could have eaten all 3 with one bite. The pulled pork sliders were delicious, but also very expensive for its size. On the other hand, the Ox-tail drink was amazing and our server was very friendly.
Clubbing: 3 stars - pretty chill place with two main areas for dancing. I preferred the smaller room with slightly more hip-hop music as opposed to the more techno side. The crowd was fairly more mature and responsible than the usual grind-happy crew that I'm accustomed in the Boston nightlife scene.
Overall, I understand this is a happening place nowadays and I would recommend stopping by for clubbing, but I've mixed feelings about the food.
I had a friend who loved going to this place almost every time we went out after we all got sick and tired of Gypsy. Honestly, I can't see myself going back not because I had a bad experience, but due to the fact that everything was just OK...the music, the drinks, the scene. I like that it is close to miniBar, one of my favorite spots, so go there first if you arrive early. The line can also get a little long. I think you should come here at least once just to test the waters.
Review Source:Four stars before the crowds hit - great cocktails and really good food. The lobster roll was the best ever (seriously) - if you eat lobster you must try it. Â It's actually a generous portion, two people could share it. Comes with really good chips (I don't usually like chips). Â
I also got the arugula salad (ended up with too much food!) Â It was also big but not diluted; the greens tasted fresh and it was chock full of good vegetables.
The crowd veered away from the atmosphere I liked as it got later and clubby, but that's to be expected, so I won't dock them on stars for it. Â For a bachelorette party, it was fun to be able to mosey over to the disco in the adjoining room.
Attire is somewhere between casual and dressy - I wouldn't wear mom jeans and a Disney t-shirt, but nice jeans and a nice looking blouse are fine. Â Possibly nice jeans and a button down shirt for men in the lounge.
Oh - and we had a very large group - since we came at 7pm, they were able to accommodate us very comfortably in the main part of the lounge.
It pains me to write this because I used to have a lot of fun going here. Unfortunately it seems the doormen have turned into power-tripping divas and the bartenders have turned into whiny tip-beggars.
Last weekend I brought my Mongolian friend here since she's going back to her country soon and I wanted to show her a good time. At first she had only brought her Mongolian ID and license so they didn't let her in, which is understandable as many places require passports for Internationals. Luckily she lives right around the corner so we went back to get her passport.
Once we get to the doorman he AGAIN refuses to let her in. Why? Because her passport expires IN A WEEK! He gets what I think is the diva Head doorman involved and he also gives her problem about the expiration date. Do they think they are doing themselves a favor by being stricter than a goddamn US airport? Eventually, I have to flirt and laugh at his stupid jokes in order for him to let us in at all.
Skip to us sitting at the bar ordering a drink. We pay exact amount and the bartender starts going on about how he only makes $2.00 an hour and gives us attitude. Granted I should have ordered something cheaper so I had enough cash to tip but how unprofessional is it for a bartender to complain to the patron about tip at all? Keep it to yourself man or find another job that doesn't require people to tip you for your shitty service and drinks.
Maybe I am getting old and slightly moving away from the club-only scene but I really like Storyville. I came here a lot when it was Saint and recently started frequenting Storyville. Â
I like the fact that you have the option of crushing the dancefloor which is reminiscent of a club or shooting over to the side room which is more loungesque. Â Last time I went there I took a group of kids who were split between club and lounge and Storyville was the perfect solution.
I have gotten to know some of the bartenders and managers here and they are all awesome. I also discovered this new app called Tablist that will get you bottleservice and entry for 8 people for $200 flat. Â Great solution for a birthday or a night out with friends and sure beats that dumbass long line.
I will leave you all with a story for the ville.  I like to go hard.  I have a ton of energy. On my last visit  I was dancing on a couch and this group of girls asked if I had molly.  I did not but I told them I did but didn't want to give it up. This group of girls just threw slutty their friend at me to "entertain me" thinking I was a drug dealer. Didn't have anything and made her very upset. Too bad. Hilariously awesome night.
Just don't even waste your time going. We went on a Friday night and there was only about 50 people there around midnight. Drinks are unbelievably expensive (even for Boston) and my friends kept getting hit on by very creepy looking guys (one of them dressed as a mime).
Like I said, avoid at all costs.
Storyville is about is good as the club scene gets in Boston, although it is not quite as exclusive feeling as my old standby, The District. I had a fabulous night, however.
We arrived just after 10:30 to a line, which disappeared within five minutes. Lacking a cover charge (hooray!), we sped downstairs, checked coats and staked out a corner seat on the leather couch in the smaller room. I instantly fell in love with the DJ, and I had no desire to visit the larger, louder, more crowded room next door -- except to loop around the perimeter just to check it out since it was my first visit.
Despite offering bottle service, and disclaiming that we may be booted from our table if there was a demand, there was never a demand. We held onto our spot all night, which my four-inch-heel-clad feet appreciated. The cocktail menu is intriguing, and prices are expected.
Our waitress was friendly and mostly attentive, even as the club became busier. I danced. I drank. I cut loose.
The crowd is pretty varied here, so whoever you are whatever you're wearing, you'll probably feel comfortable. There was the university population, the 20-somethings and the mixed older crowd. Girls pranced around in tight cocktail dresses and stilettos or jeans with boots and cute tops. The gentlemen's attire was a similar melting pot of suits to jeans and flannels. Whatever you wear, be confident and neat.
Verdict? I'll definitely be back!
Having been to quite a few clubs and lounges around town, this is consistently top of the list. First, it has plenty of space downstairs. Second, it's quite fun to go around in circles looking for people. Third, there's always great music. This is definitely a default given its convenient location as well. The no cover also definitely helps.
One downside is that the lines can get long (but don't they anywhere) and the bathrooms are small. The drinks are normal prices and they have a good variety at the bar that you can order more obscure drinks than vodka tonic.
It gets one star for not having a cover. But that doesn't do you any good if you can't get in the door. The doormen here are awful. They look at you and decide that for whatever reason they don't like you and don't want to let you in. It's so pretentious. Never going there to waste my money.
Review Source:A few weeks ago, my friends and I decided to get a table/bottle service at Storyville. In all honesty, this was BY FAR the worst experience any of us have ever had. At first, everything was going pretty well, but the moment we finished the bottles of Belvedere and champage we were told that we had to either purchase more bottles or vacate our table immediately. When asked to speak with the manager, we were told by him that "business is business" and there was nothing that he could do about it (apparently, that was their policy). This was at approximately 12:30AM. The ironic/pathetic part of this whole situation was that after we got kicked out of our reserved table, the area remained completely empty throughout the rest of the night. Pretty sad that places like this still exist.
P.S. The only reason I would give this place one star instead of zero is because it doesn't have a cover charge.
Anti-military doormen make fun of veterans. I'm a Iraq veteran and wanted to join my friends on a night out after leaving a holiday theme party that benefited Children's Hospital. Â Instead of being polite and welcoming, the doormen ridiculed me in front of other patrons at the door and refused entrance because my festive attire was not "cool". Â I knew the previous door guys were marines and mentioned that, but these guys frowned at the military. Â Welcome to one of the douchiest clubs in Boston!
I just couldn't fathom why people wanted to go in and left. Â If you are military, stay-away from this douchey place - much better to go somewhere that appreciates and does not discriminate at the door.
Pros:
-No cover
-Good location (easiest I've ever gotten a cab downtown at 2:15!)
-Lots of room (feels like a big place)
-Flexibility of atmosphere (dance floor, lounge rooms, etc.)
-Pretty good music
Cons:
-SUPER long line to get in when I arrived at 11:20ish
-Small bathrooms (so, long bathroom lines)
-Very dark (I get it, clubs are dark, but this place was unusually dark and most of the light was red, making it hard to see. Bouncers wander around the inside with flashlights, I presume helping people find coats or friends)
The other night, I attended a bachelorette party on party trolley. Â You know, the kind with the disco lights. Â We're having a jolly good time just driving around, but we decided to hit a few bars, the first of which was STORYVILLE.
However, I can't really write much of a review since my friends and I were not allowed in. Â Why, you ask? Â Were we belligerently drunk? Â Were we trying to get the bouncers to do unspeakable things so that we could earn points to win a silly bachelorette game? Â Were we falling over? Â Completely naked? Â Shoving phallic straws in their mouths? Trying to impale the first person in line with a stiletto heel?
No. Â None of those things we true. Â We were, however, riding in style in our swanky party trolley. Â And Storyville just doesn't do trolleys. Â We weren't even allowed to stand in line. Â We pulled up, got out of the trolley, and were immediately sent packing.
The bouncers said that it was management's policy. Â I'm sure they were just doing their job, but if you are a bar in the city of Boston, you probably shouldn't be afraid of a bachelorette party or party trolleys. Â
We took our bachelorette shenanigans elsewhere. Â There are plenty of other bars in Boston that do not discriminate against girls wearing beads and boas. Â Plenty meaning just about all of them.
Honestly, this place is not worth your time. We bought a table here and were pretty disgusted with the place, and disappointed with the overall experience. First issue is that you aren't allowed to pour your own drinks that "come with" the table. Every time you need a refill, you have to hail a waitress, which took way too long way to often. Second issue was the table we rented wasnt roped or sectioned off. It was right in the middle of the room and we constantly had to keep telling people to not sit on our couch, which we paid way too much for.
The whole experience was just annoying.
1 star cause it's free, no cover. Line does get a bit extensive though because of this so go around or before 10.
If I'm correct there are 2 different rooms? One playing hip hop music (-__-) .....and the other room mainstream top 40 mixes (T_T) Â [my face crying]
So.. yea, because of this I have no desire to return. But most of you will probably like it and enjoy, so check it out. Just not my scene. I need to be assaulted by amazing music at all times.
Say what you want about Storyville, but there is no cover, it is in a super convenient location near all the Boylston bars (Back Bay Social Club, Lir, Whiskeys, etc), and it is pretty much a guaranteed good time.
Drinks are normal-priced (which does not mean cheap) for a bar/club ($5 for a beer) and the place is always full on the weekends. Expect to wait in a line for about 15 minutes.
Since the place is downtown you will meet a mix of students, toursits and young professionals, as well as the omniscient club creepers that seem to be everywhere.
Overall- a quality time, espcecially a good pregame.
My friends and I came around 9:30pm and it was definitely way too early. There were probably 10 people total at Storyville, so we just sat at the bar, chilled and got some drinks. Our bartender was really nice. I requested a drink that she didn't know and she gladly made it for me. Drinks are cheaper than places like Estate. $9-11 for a cocktail, in contrast to $15 at the clubs. I was extremely down for that.
The place only started to get packed around 11. The music was great and perfect for dancing. Guy/Girl ratio is pretty even. My friends and I all enjoyed it and are planning to come back. It was a bit disappointing that people weren't dressed as nicely as I imagined for "dressy." But that might be an upside for other people.
The bouncers at this place are the worst. I went here with a large party, and went outside to have a cigarette after being inside for about 20 minutes. When I walked out the door I asked the bouncer if they stamped hands, so they would know to let me back in. He said they didn't and he'd remember me and let me back in.
Cut to 5 minutes later, I walk up to the front to get back in. Bouncer says "hey buddy, lines over there." At this point I'm pretty perplexed, because the line is down and around the street. I said, "don't you remember me? I just went over to have a cig." He answers, "Nope, get in line."
I refused to get back in line because it was absolutely huge and was told I would not be allowed back now because I was causing a disturbance.
I guess my friends inside had fun....I sure as hell didn't.
Weekend travel plans unraveling meant being stuck in Boston on Friday night with my friends. I been in a nightlife rut lately hating Boston clubs and crowds a bit. We kicked around where to go, and got to Faneuil hall and felt we a bit too dress to go into the bars over there, so we jumped in cab and headed to Storyville. The last time I was there it was Saint.
First good thing line was moving efficiently, no cover and it was about eleven thirty! Major bonus points to them for getting rid of that white room, and tearing down the stupid wall that used to block off room where the bar was. That meant plenty of space to actually dance, even if it's awkwardly shaped. It made for a much better then dancing in between couches. Â The drinks are a huge step up from Saint, Â the basics like rum and coke or red bull vodka are a bit stronger and not watered down. The bartenders were quick and we only had to wait a few minutes for drinks.
Loved the Dj, he wasn't playing just straight top forty, he played wide variety of music, threw in some old school stuff, had lots of interesting mash ups. The crowd was nice and there was a bit of diversity. There is no doubt that I will be back! I'm just hoping they keep it up.
Had a great time here on Saturday night. We made a table reservation and it was early enough that we practically had the whole place to ourselves. Our server was great and both the food and drinks were tasty and unique.
As the night progressed the place got pretty packed but never obnoxious. We were able to go back and forth from the lounge area to the dance floor easily.
My friend and I had to leave for a few minutes just as the place was starting to get busy and the front door guys were great about quickly letting us back in when we returned. Classy place with and equally classy staff.
My 2nd Boston night club outing -
When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard
Sippin sizzup in my ride (actually in Ko's ride), in my ride, like a 3-6 (Far East Movement)
I rather appreciate the 2 rooms split. Â One's a lounge and one's the dance floor. Â Kudos! Â That works in my book since sometimes I don't want to bump into a dancer while I chill with my gals. Don't hate - Ladies love my style, at my table gettin wild -
Music selection was top 40s, but also had some variety from house to hip hop, old school to new - I can't ask for anything more. Â I guess I can when I'll need another at the bar - make it 2 bartender! Â The people there were generally chill and I didn't have any issues that I know of (wink). - Enjoy!
I wasn't really phased when Saint closes, and I wasn't really phased when it reopened as Storyville either.
BUT, what I have come to realize is that Storyville is one of the classiest yet trashiest places in Boston at the same time, an expensive dive bar, a place where really, you don't have to plan on going, you always can reliable know you will end up there no matter where the night takes you, and the fact that there is no cover but girls still looking all hot and I can wear my sneakers make this place a win.
No douches, or at least not that many, and yes, there are the random dude with fedoras, shades, and fur coats even in warm weather, but I think it adds to the charm of the place, what with the darkness accentuated with some shades of red here and there. If you just want to sit down, go ahead, if you want to go HAM, there's plenty of dance space, if you want dinner, shit, you can even do that early on in the evening.
Overall, this place is on a whole other level beyond Saint, so don't even compare the two, yes it has a stupid name, but it's a great place, with great people, and great times.
I don't have any complaints about the establishment itself, only the bouncers/security at the front door with the attitude.
My friends and I bought table service for the night, but when one of my friends showed up late, they sent him to the back of the line, even though the head bouncer knew he was part of my party. I didn't pay hundreds of dollars for table service to have to wait in line. Sorry, that's not how it works. My friend got so pissed he didn't care to stay and left.
This put a everyone in the party in a bad mood.
Customer service matters, especially in a customer driven business like this one.
Unfortunately, the bouncer doesn't get it.
I doubt I'll return.
I just... no. I was in this place for literally 30 minutes on Friday, until my friends and I immediately decided we couldn't stand another minute there. We were there for unknown reasons (probably best left off of the internet, anyway!) and I just couldn't fathom why people wanted to go here. Reserved tables sat empty, and obviously unused, forcing people to mill about the bar for no reason. The music was a touch too loud (and this is coming from someone who likes Good Life). I can't comment on the price of the drinks, but I will say that they at least made my gin and tonic well, which seems to be a recurring theme in my reviews today and probably indicates I should stop drinking so much gin.
The decor is cool though. So there's that.
Came here for dinner with a Gilt City voucher with the boyfriend, and were a bit unsure what to expect, especially with the place nearly deserted during most of our meal. Still, we gave it a go, and to our surprise and delight, we were both blown away by the food and drinks. I ordered the Red Dress as my cocktail, which was a nice start. Can't recall his cocktail, but I know he enjoyed it as well. All of the tapas that we ordered were excellent - favorites include their version of crab rangoons and the goat cheese mousse. The voucher included dessert, so we shared the half-baked cookies - also delicious.
It's definitely a lounge/club atmosphere, but since we were there earlier, the music was a nice mix of contemporary and older jazz. The decor is pretty cool. Can imagine it getting quite slammed at nighttime, but for dinner, it was a surprisingly romantic and classy evening.
I must be getting old.
Storyville occupies the space that used to be Saint. Same layout, but with less of a dance floor. Same sort of douchey doormen. Much improved cocktails. Still with girls in tiny dresses and older dudes in fedoras. Totally sucked that all of the tables were reserved, but half of them were empty all night. After dancing the night away in a killer pair of heels, I would have loved to sit for a minute.
There seems to be two rooms..but i think there's another room in the back...i'm not sure..none of us ventured over there! When you enter there is also a room..with couches..so i guess you can chill there if you had a little too much to drink or am waiting for someone.
BTW, they don't check in bags!! WHATTTTT?!?! $1 coat check only.
Storyville is basically Saint with a new, stupid name. Â The bouncers and what seemed to be managers are complete idiots. Â We waited in line for over an hour and when we finally got to the front they weren't letting anyone else in unless you would take a table. Â EXCEPT if you were a "regular", slipped them a $20 or were a group of just girls who flirted with any of them. Â One bouncer seem to genuinely feel bad that our party kept getting pushed back for randoms they were just letting in, he finally let our entire party in at about 12:30....
Once you're inside it's just so small. Â We got served by 4 different bartenders, and only one deserved a tip so good looks to the guy on the back bar. Â He was friendly, took time to suggest drinks even though it was packed and served us quickly, Â It was expectedly crowded, and you can expect to be bumped into, pushed aside and have drinks spilled on you....it's guaranteed. Â The bouncers inside were assholes. Â I was pushed into one of them and he pushed me forward and gave me a dirty look. Â One good thing was that the dj was pretty great, everyone seemed to be dancing which definitely helped the atmosphere.
All in all, my advice is if you see a long line go on to the next bar, this place really isn't worth the wait. Â I give it 1 star for no cover charge (huge plus), 1 star for the dj.
So - this is a followup to my previous review, now that I have finally experienced Storyville as a night club!
I will say that there tends to be a line, so if you dislike standing in line then I recommend getting there early (10ish). No cover! Woo!
Storyville has become one of my favorite places to go dancing -- they play good dance music (top 40s, etc.). One of the things I like the most is that it isn't overly crowded so you aren't getting groped or bumped into every other minute. However, there are still enough people where it doesn't feel empty. The age group tends to be mid to late twenties - more young professionals than college crowd, which is nice. But - prepare to get hit on, as it seems like some of the men here tend to be on the prowl!
In terms of getting a drink, sometimes it is really fast and other times I have waited like 15 minutes, so hit or miss.
They have a coat check too and is only $1! Score.
This review is solely for the club part of Storyville, not the food. I was here when it was Saint (don't really remember the decor when I was in there, having spent many wasted college nights there), but from what I've been told the decor/space hasn't really changed too much.
I've been here a few times now.... the first doesn't really count since I was already 6 drinks in having started my night at MiniBar then Towne so I'm a litttttle (ok, a lot) hazy on that time. I do, however, remember dancing my butt off. I went back a couple weeks ago with a bunch of my friends and I had an awesome time. Didn't take long to get drinks, the music was great, and again, danced like it was my job (maybe it should be). I didn't really pay attention to anyone else there besides my group of friends...not really down with dancing with sketchies and randoms.
Went back again last weekend for a friend's birthday. She had a table and yeah, I can understand that it may be annoying that people are dancing so close to you but the cocktail waitress needed a kick in the pants (or, fishnets). A smile goes a long way. Other than that, music was great again and the DJ was really nice....I requested a song and he played an awesome remix of it about 5 minutes later. Loved that. Oh, and I forgot to mention another bonus...no cover.
I hope to come here for dinner soon as I've heard that the food is bomb diggity. But for now, I'll come here solely to show off my killer dance moves.
This was my first time going on the weekend.. I wasn't sure if I should expect Gypsy reloaded. Â I was pleasantly surprised to find there was absolutely NO cover. Â As I get older.. the less I can tolerate cover unless it is really good...
I enjoyed the crowd.. it was emptier then it got busy.. then it emptied out again. Â The deejay spinned some great tunes.. there was dancing.. lots of young professionals. Â
Again, a bit of a meat market. Â I was with a few friends and within 30 minutes.. my girl friend and I were getting hit on. Â Surprisingly, drinks aren't a complete rip off. Â They weren't as delicious as the last time I was there.. but the bartenders get to you in due time. Â
I would definitely come again... dancing with no cover.. yes please!
Went in last night for a friends bday - Have been hearing good  things about this place so I had high expectations -- They were met and surpassed. The line at 1130 on a Thursday was small but not moving and all dudes. A group of hot girls came up to the end of the line and immediately a bouncer walked back to usher them right in - I saw my opportunity gave the girls a wink and they said I was with them. The bouncer knew what was up, but he was cool about it and let me slide in.
Inside is so much better then Saint -- its more spacious and bright. Saint felt like a dark small room compared to this place which really opens up. The bartenders were really attentive and skilled. The crowd was ridiculous - it looked like a model convention, yeah there were a few d.b. Ed Hardy types but you get that everywhere  and it was significantly less then most places I have been lately. Just when I was getting bored of Boston club scene - something new comes along.
(Forget Saint. This isn't Saint. It's Storyville, so stop talking about a place called Saint)
Storyville is a great place for you to go and get your groove on in Boston. It's centrally located, plays awesome dance music, and the cocktails are by FAR the best cocktails you'll have at any dance club. Sure, you can get your Bud Light or G&T, but their cocktail menu rivals Eastern Standard, Drink, and other places with seriously legit cocktail programs. Ryan is THE MAN - just tell him what flavors you like (or don't like) and he'll whip up something insanely delicious.
I can't wait to come back on a week night and indulge in some of their food and relax at the bar and savor more of their cocktail creations!
I was always a fan of Saint for the music, dancing, and staff...but was always iffy about the crowd.
Now?? Problem solved.
Sorry to those who prefer the college ghetto, hooray for the rest of us!
Ambiance-not too drastic of a change. Bigger space for dancing now with one wall removed and fresh brighter look inside. Definitely less shoving and crowd issue.
Music-wonderful!! So they do add more pop and house, which I don't mind at all. Fun top 40's mixture involved. I am a hiphop fan but enjoy house as well. This was a happy medium minus the hardcore grinding music which means...classier crowd.
Crowd- BIG improvement. Older yes (I'd like to think of myself NOT old...so let's clarify: late 20's to early 30s) Classier, better looking, better hygiene, well put together, well dressed. People who respect themselves and others.
Drinks-Always strong and tasty
Staff-They laugh and smile??? Yes they do!! Super friendly and helpful.
Overall: Much improved, props to the management...and immediate favorite for all my friends who came by this weekend. We had a blast.
It's all about POTENTIAL people. Nothing good in life happens upon instant satisfaction by appearance only.  Ever have an assertive  crazy boyfriend? How quickly did they ask you out and then jump ship? Well. This place is the opposite of that. It's a place to fall in lurrrvvve. (everyone awe) But if you drink and taste your way through Storyville, you will really know what I mean.
I've never been in Saint, so I can't say I care or know what it looked like but basically, Storyville is a basement. It's re-done and it's drinks are fantastical. Louis, the man behind the kitchen offers up some delicious food on classic recipes, which is a welcoming spin on food at a lounge-y bar. Mix in some amazing drinks (homemade bitters/infused liquors) from beverage director Bill and you have yourself possibly the best speak-easy drink+lounge+restaurant in Back Bay! I got two cocktails, one was the house specialty, some Campari, Gin and Egg cocktail. Forget the name, but it was sooo good. All topped off with a hand-sprayed logo on the foam. Then I switched to the green chartreuse smash. Amazing as well! Everyone loved some drink with siracha in it too. Definitely a go next time.
Although it's early on in it's life to be the judge of what type of people come here, Â I'm willing to throw in a 5 stars based on my intuition. If they form a group of regulars (which they will) I hope that it includes foodies, speak-easy cocktail lovers and dancers. Three qualities of which I obtain, so hopefully this will make me a regular and hopefully I will bring the party.
The space is huge and kind of still empty. So my advice is, get a group of people, order lots of drinks and dance the night away. Do you hear me? Because I really want to dance here and I'm JUST SAYIN' to get your bums out to Storyville so we can all party and actually consume delicious libations. Who's in?
It's WAY too early to pass judgment on Storyville, positive or negative, based on a soft opening, but early signs can be telling.
The space still feels a bit 'manufactured,' but give it a few months to get lived in and maybe with a little dirt on the floor it'll start to feel a bit more authentic.  They definitely went for a NOLA 'speakeasy' vibe, with low ceilings, dark décor, dim lighting and French patterns everywhere.  The layout is very intimate, hopefully the acoustics won't prohibit meaningful conversation they way they did at Saint.
While there was no live music on opening night, I was assured that live music was to follow in the spirit of the venue's namesake: live jazz, blues, and maybe a little bit of R&B. Â I think there's huge potential here. Â Boston is severely lacking when it comes to authentic jazz and blues clubs, and if management were to put in the effort to find and promote quality performers, it could be the spark of a new renaissance in Boston. Â On the other hand, they could easily blow off the music challenge and resort to tacky elevator trios, or even worse, fall back to the same club music as the space's former residents. Â Only time will tell.
With a name like English Bill at the helm, the bar has me pretty excited. Â I'm still not sold on the "choose your poison" concept (the bar offer pre-structured drinks, and you choose which base alcohol you like), but everything I've tried on the menu has been unique, well balanced, and plenty strong.
Chef Louis DiBiccari (of Chef Louis Nights) is apparently running the kitchen, and while I haven't had the opportunity to sample his wares yet, if memory serves the menu features a prominent selection of... casseroles? Â And with feature dishes like Crab Louis and Beef Wellington, I'm still not sure where he's going and how they fit in the venue, but given the pedigree of the kitchen, it's definitely worth a try.
Opening night is coming up, and I look forward to returning to Storyville in the coming months and seeing how it progresses. Â For now, four stars, definitely worth a try.