If you like listing to music, especially jazz, rhythm, and blues, then Bogart’s Backroom located on 1903 West Cary Street in the Fan district may interest you. It features a fairly low key atmosphere and a wide range of people, typically in the 20 to 40 year age bracket.
There is a certain 1950’s nostalgic charm to Bogart’s in the Fan, and this restaurant features high backed booths for privacy and a dark decor with exposed brick.
Bogart’s backroom was one of the first club’s to open up in the Fan in the 1970s, and the cover charge is usually a very moderate $2.00 to listen to live performances.
Most of the local and national jazz artist performances start at 9:00 AM on most evenings, and the restaurant also a features ample parking behind the restaurant, in addition to a patio for whiling away the summer nights, catering, and extensive menu.
The restaurant itself is open seven days a week from 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM in the morning. Some other appetizers include quesadillas, potato skins, buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, ahi tuna, and olive pate. The seared ahi tuna is especially good and the fish is crusted in sesame and finished off with sour cream and sriacha sauces.
A number of sandwiches are also on offer at Bogart’s in the fan. These include the Dixon Steele, which is a slap of rib eye steak cooked to your perfection, topped off with mushrooms, provolone cheese, and sautéed onions.
Other common favorites include marinated chicken sandwiches, barbecue sandwiches, crab cakes, and sesame tuna and club sandwiches.
One of their best sandwiches is the Whip McCord. which is composed of real Virginia ham, smoked Turkey, provolone cheese, sauerkraut, and sour cream, folded in a hot potato pancake.
Bogart’s also features brunch from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, and karaoke night starts on Monday evenings at 9:30 PM. Open mike night begins at 9:30 PM on Tuesdays.
Bogart’s in the Fan is certainly a great place to lay back and relax during the weekends, so you may want to check it out next time you are in the van district.
