Freret Beer Room, a restaurant that set out to change expectations for how beer can pair with food, will soon undergo a big change itself.

Proprietor Eli Gay said the last day for Freret Beer Room in its present incarnation will be Aug. 15. After that, he plans to close for a few weeks and reopen around the middle of September with a new approach.

Rather than shuttering the business, Gay describes the move as a “send off to the original concept” and its menu.

Many specifics of what will replace it are still taking shape, though Gay said the intent is to create a new version of Freret Beer Room that will be more casual and inviting for people to linger.

There will be TVs to show games and sofas for lounging, while the new format should open the way for for more special events, like tastings, Gay noted.

Food will remain a big part of new operation, so he’s not calling it a bar. He plans to reopen in the same address under the same Freret Beer Room name.

“We have been a restaurant first since our inception,” said Gay. “We just want it to be a more comfortable place for people to come and enjoy. Given our name and focus on craft beer, people were confused when they walked in and found a dining room.”

Freret Beer Room opened in 2016 in the middle of the newly invigorated restaurant row along its namesake street, and at a time when the local beer scene began expanding. Here, the beer list came with tasting notes and pairing suggestions.

Chef Charles Vincent created a menu that was the equal of many bistros around town, and it was designed to complement the bar’s draft list. Dishes like chili garlic shrimp, roasted beets with hummus and herbs and chicken confit with dumplings, next to burgers, charcuterie and a popular fried chicken sandwich, the OG.

Gay said the cost of fielding that menu became unsustainable, spurring the more casual approach to come.

“We’ve had an interesting opportunity to subvert expectations about what a beer place should be,” he said. “That’s still going to be the case. My hope is folks who aren’t necessary into craft beer are still discovering new things at my place and learning from a knowledgeable staff.”

Gay also operates the retail beer shop Freret Beer Annex next door. He said the shop will continue, and its selection will expand to add more specialty foods.

Freret Beer Room

5018 Freret St., 504-298-7468

Note: scheduled to close after service on Aug. 15, and reopen in mid-September

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