Now Open: Firefly Lounge/Modern Speakeasy
By Owen Morris in News
Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 11:00AM
It's telling that Firefly Lounge does not have a telephone number, is located in the back of a narrow 50-foot hallway, and the custom sign in front is so easy to miss that even if you know where to look, you'll probably drive past it.
Firefly is a modern "speakeasy," and while it's open to the public it's not going out of its way to draw just anybody.
That's because Firefly wants to distinguish itself from the dozens of other bars in Westport, explains manager Matt Jones. "It's a little bit of a tier above but it's not pretentious or as pricey as downtown," Jones said as he showed me around the space which still had areas that were unfinished.
"When people get tired of Downtown and they will, Westport will be where they come back and we'll be right here for them."
Firefly Lounge is managed by, amonst others, Jones and Todd Gambal. They also manage Westport bar Dark Horse Tavern and Westport restaurant Torre's Pizza. Jones and Gambal were proudly showing off the furniture in Firefly Lounge which has all been custom-built on site (by Rahmeen Hirsch Designing Finishing) and Jones is not shy in saying that it will be nicer and cleaner than anything else in Westport.
"In all senses of the word it's a Westport bar but it will be the nicest one. This is not a place to just throw away your money on some watered-down drinks while having to listen to a jukebox play Journey or REO Speedwagon. There's no jukebox here...There's a space for live music or a DJ and we'll have jazz and, and I can't exactly say what else. I know what we won't have is rap, hip-hop, techno, metal. This is a lounge."
Firefly will have food, albeit a limited menu devoted to small plates. I counted 10 items, including a bowl of edamame for $4, hummus served with chipotle salsa for $8, and the most expensive item, tenderloin sliders with pomme frittes for $11.
As for the drink selection, there are six wine flights on the menu (three reds, three whites) and 30 reserve bottles in the cellar. In the beer category, Firefly may be the first place to have Boulevard's new Singlewide I.P.A on tap. -- it was just released two days ago. They also have Framboise, Peroni and Kronenbourg 1664 on tap. In a nice reversal of the Westport usual, if you want just domestic beer like Miller or Budweiser you have to buy it in a bottle.
Firefly is legal so it's not technically a speakeasy, but it's only open limited hours: Thursday through Saturday from 4 p.m. until 3 a.m. Tonight marks its first regular night in business. (It's grand opening was last week, as Pitch Fork readers know.) Jones is quick to point out Firefly is happy to rent out the space Sundays through Wednesdays.
While Firefly doesn't have a phone number, if you really need to get ahold of someone there call Dark Horse Tavern at 816-931-3663. And the secret address -- well it's not really that secret. It's 4118 Pennsylvania Avenue.
-- Owen Morris
Firefly Lounge is managed by, amonst others, Jones and Todd Gambal. They also manage Westport bar Dark Horse Tavern and Westport restaurant Torre's Pizza. Jones and Gambal were proudly showing off the furniture in Firefly Lounge which has all been custom-built on site (by Rahmeen Hirsch Designing Finishing) and Jones is not shy in saying that it will be nicer and cleaner than anything else in Westport.
"In all senses of the word it's a Westport bar but it will be the nicest one. This is not a place to just throw away your money on some watered-down drinks while having to listen to a jukebox play Journey or REO Speedwagon. There's no jukebox here...There's a space for live music or a DJ and we'll have jazz and, and I can't exactly say what else. I know what we won't have is rap, hip-hop, techno, metal. This is a lounge."
Firefly will have food, albeit a limited menu devoted to small plates. I counted 10 items, including a bowl of edamame for $4, hummus served with chipotle salsa for $8, and the most expensive item, tenderloin sliders with pomme frittes for $11.
As for the drink selection, there are six wine flights on the menu (three reds, three whites) and 30 reserve bottles in the cellar. In the beer category, Firefly may be the first place to have Boulevard's new Singlewide I.P.A on tap. -- it was just released two days ago. They also have Framboise, Peroni and Kronenbourg 1664 on tap. In a nice reversal of the Westport usual, if you want just domestic beer like Miller or Budweiser you have to buy it in a bottle.
Firefly is legal so it's not technically a speakeasy, but it's only open limited hours: Thursday through Saturday from 4 p.m. until 3 a.m. Tonight marks its first regular night in business. (It's grand opening was last week, as Pitch Fork readers know.) Jones is quick to point out Firefly is happy to rent out the space Sundays through Wednesdays.
While Firefly doesn't have a phone number, if you really need to get ahold of someone there call Dark Horse Tavern at 816-931-3663. And the secret address -- well it's not really that secret. It's 4118 Pennsylvania Avenue.
-- Owen Morris
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