Cleveland Jewish News, Published July 15, 2005
By Ellen Schur Brown

New trend combines entertainment options with your dining

A "night out on the town" used to require reservations at a fine restaurant, driving elsewhere to hear a concert, and maybe relocating a third time for a nightcap. That was then. Increasingly, restaurants are offering various eating, drinking and entertainment choices — a sort of one-stop shopping for the evening.

Capturing consumers for the whole night is overtaking restaurants' traditional goal of turning tables quickly and shooing diners — and their entertainment dollars — out the door. It's a new menu — do you want music, comedy or dancing with your meal?

Pickwick & Frolic has structured its business around this concept. The East 4th Street restaurant also offers a comedy club, cabaret and martini bar.

"You come in here and feel like you went to four different places," says Pickwick's director of marketing John Lorince.

Downstairs, the Frolic Cabaret seats 120 for a buffet and shows that include magicians and a singing and dancing girl-group. After dinner, move to a preferred seat at Hilarities, a 400-seat night club ranked among the Top 10 comedy clubs in the country by USA Today. Comedy fans may attend the show only and skip dinner.

The building also houses Kevin's Martini Bar, a mod-'60s style martini bar serving top shelf liquor. Weekend nights there's a late night Sinatra-style show.

Pickwick & Frolic owner Nick Kostis spent $6 million and more than four years developing the massive 27,000-square-foot club. He wanted to be part of the revitalization of downtown Cleveland.

"We're competing more with the idea of people not wanting to come downtown," than with any other restaurant, says Lorince. Nighttime business weekdays is "tough" because of the lack of foot traffic, he adds. He welcomes newcomers like House of Blues, and Lolita. "It's bringing more fish to the pond."

House of Blues on East 4th Street attracts three different populations at night: people who come just to see national headliners in the 1200-capacity music hall; those who eat before the show and receive a priority place in line when the hall opens; and those who come just for the freshly-prepared food in the 150-seat restaurant.

House of Blues recently opened an outdoor dining patio with an additional 42 seats.

Friday and Saturday nights, there's live entertainment in the restaurant, usually featuring promising local musicians. The Cambridge Room becomes an after-show dance party for up to 300 people.

Another draw for House of Blues is the Foundation Room, a private club two levels above the restaurant. It compares to a luxurious country club without a golf course, explains House of Blue's marketing manager Brian Lowe. For an annual membership fee of $2750, the club offers a well-appointed and private place to relax, watch TV, or enjoy fine dining.

Nighttown in Cleveland Heights has always scored well for music as well as food, but in the past five or six years, it's taken off as a New York-style jazz cabaret. The popular local restaurant is now on the tour circuit for top jazz musicians and was recognized by jazz bible Downbeat Magazine as being one of the top jazz clubs between New York and Chicago.

The music adds significantly to the bottom line for this 382-seat restaurant serving 3000 customers a week. About 500 patrons come just for drinks and music.

On Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday evenings, when business is slower, Nighttown may host performers who can fill a 1000 or 2000 seat hall elsewhere. The club hopes ticket prices will offset the band fees, which sometimes run up to $10,000. On weekends and busy nights, local bands perform, and there is no cover charge.

Serving dinner until midnight is another competitive advantage for Nighttown. After a symphony or orchestra concert, the restaurant will serve 100 post-concertgoers.

"People said I was mad," says Nighttown owner Brendan Ring, in his lilting brogue. "They told me people in Cleveland will never pay ($30 a ticket for a jazz performance). Well, they do, and they're glad."

Along the same lines, Boulevard Blue, located on Larchmere Blvd. in Shaker Heights, features local and national blues acts live on a dining room stage.

"The food comes first," says owner Andy Himmel, describing the menu as contemporary American cuisine with entrees priced from $17 to $29. Chocolate French Toast has become the spot's signature dessert.

Between 11 p.m. and midnight, there's a late menu with light choices and sandwiches, and Himmel is considering adding lunch service in the fall.

Boulevard Blue's Shaker Heights location attracts locals who want an upscale, urban, energetic restaurant. In addition to a strong local following, Himmel has observed that patrons come from all over Cleveland.

"The music makes it worth the drive," he says. "They get a lot for their money" because they don't have to leave to hear a great band.

Ruth's Chris Steak House in Woodmere has also added live entertainment on Mondays to fill the restaurant.

Piano impresario Bill Bart, who played the last dance at Euclid Beach, tickles the keys from 7-9 p.m. with standards by Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others.

In a new spin on an old tradition, the piano bar is in the main dining room — the bar is too smoky for singing along.

"When people know about the piano bar, it's something they go out of their way to do on Monday nights," says sales manager Wendy Erlholm. "It doesn't matter if they're (age) 20 or 90; their feet are tapping along."