New Red Door downtown taproom brightens up familiar old space

A familiar spot on Central is now home to the Red Door Downtown Taproom.

Red Door Brewing hosted a VIP night for friends and industry friends and even a beer writer on Wednesday night. For many of us, it was our first visit to the space since it was Blackbird Buvette, which was two businesses ago at 509 Central NW.

Compared to Blackbird, it is almost night and day. The space is much brighter and move inviting. The bar is still in the same spot, but everything behind it looks different. There is still a spot up front by the big glass windows for a DJ or other performers to set up.

The bar area was rightly packed during the VIP event.

The kitchen, which is run by the owners of Kamikaze Kitchen & Food Truck, is an open design, the smell of the food wafting out and daring anyone to turn down an appetizer or full-sized dish. Seriously, they have one called The Mother Klucker, which is as bonkers as it sounds. (Check their Facebook page for the full menu.)

Out back, the same patio is there, but it seems more open and, yes, inviting. There is one Red Door mural on the east wall, while Kamikaze will soon get a mural on the west wall, owner Matt Biggs told us. They will add some shade elements to keep the patio hopping during the daytime, too.

General manager Ali Cattin said that there are still a few more aesthetic improvements on deck for inside and outside, but what the brewery team has done so far is impressive. Particularly due to its proximity to Launchpad, Inside Out, and El Rey, this Red Door spot should be a prime pre-concert spot.

The full Red Door beer lineup, both house beers and seasonals, were all on tap. Of course, Red Door also inherited a full liquor license, so look for all sorts of spirits and cocktails, many of which will be from local distilleries. The mix of industry folks present seemed pretty evenly split between pints and cocktails.

The neon red light from the previous taproom has a new home.

There will be a grand opening party this Friday starting at 5 p.m., with live music from The Riddims from 9 to midnight. 10 Drink Minimum will be doing a live podcast before that

Downtown can be a weird, fickle place when it comes to new bars, but we have a feeling that Red Door should lock its spot down and become a Central Avenue mainstay.

Thanks to the staff for the invite.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister