The soft opening for The Reserve is tonight
If all goes as planned, The Reserve (1542 Light St., pictured) will have a soft opening around 3 p.m. today, according to co-owner Andrew Dunlap.
You'll only be able to get drinks for now, since the kitchen won't be up and running until next week. And there aren't any outdoor tables just yet (they're still building the furniture, Dunlap said).
But The Reserve will; have 16 beers on tap, as well as seven wines (four white and three reds).
Midnight Sun spy eCommerceConsultant snapped both these pictures of the place, and said people were carrying booze and other supplies into the place this morning.
From the looks of it, Dunlap and the other owners have put a lot of time, money and effort into rehabbing the building. I see a few more flat screen TVs are hanging above the bar now.
Dunlap said they're keeping Charlotte's one-story for the near future ...
The exterior looks so much better than it used to when it was Charlotte's.
"It's the last push," Dunlap said. "Everything's kind of hectic. We want to get the place open but don't want to rush it."
Dunlap said the grand opening is scheduled for next weekend, when the kitchen will be open.
"Everybody's anxious," he said. "Hopefully everything goes smoothly today."
If you're in the area this evening or later tonight, stop by and check the place out.
Thanks to Jason Zink for the tip.
(Photos by eCommerceConsultant)
I've been The Baltimore Sun's nightlife and local entertainment reporter for a couple years, and it's surprising how much the scene has grown in that time. Most of Baltimore's bars and clubs are unpretentious places with fairly cheap drinks and plenty of character. I like dancing and think this city needs more clubs, but nothing beats having a cold, locally brewed beer with friends in a comfortably full corner bar.
Comments
Welp, I know where I'll be in about 5 hours.
Posted by: Evan | July 24, 2009 1:07 PM
I'm going to swing by on my way to the match tonight. 3 1/2 hours.
Posted by: Sturmy | July 24, 2009 1:38 PM
Good luck guys. The place looks great!
Posted by: Jason Z | July 24, 2009 1:58 PM
That place will never be as great as when The Royal occupied it.
I will stop by and check it out though.
Posted by: Salaberry | July 24, 2009 2:01 PM
Me too Sturmy...
Posted by: eCommerce Consultant | July 24, 2009 3:40 PM
Aww, no chicken fingers and potato skins tonight? What am i gonna do? Just what we need--another barren interior, unimaginative, cookie-cutter bar with televisions in it. Call me and let me know how it goes. I got a fridge full of beer and a TV set right here. Oh also, I loved the comment about "they're still BUILDING THE FURNITURE". Why would you need to BUILD the furniture for outdoor seating? Seriously, I really can't take much more. It's more likely the owner hasn't gotten around to hitting Costco or Home Depot's patio aisle yet.
Posted by: Johnnycat | July 24, 2009 6:54 PM
Johnnycat
I went to The Reserve last night and they did a great job with the place, I am sure that their food will be just as good as the place looks. I saw the owners building the inside tables yesterday, maybe they are building foldable tables that attach to the walls outside. You should check the place out.
Posted by: jason z | July 25, 2009 12:06 PM
Place looks great. Has that "New Bar smell".
Posted by: Sturmy | July 27, 2009 8:47 AM
I was actually shocked as to how consistently packed it was over the course of the weekend, especially for a soft opening. I have some constructive criticism for the place but I'm gonna hold it until I get a look at the menu.
Posted by: Evan | July 27, 2009 11:16 AM