Craft Cocktail Bar G & O Set To Open Mid-February

Aberdeen Tap co-owner Chris Mitchell is close to opening a new project, G & O (named after the street intersections it resides on – Grand and Ogden Avenues), a craft cocktail bar in the space that was formerly Clutch. G & O, which is mere blocks from Aberdeen Tap, is hoping to be open by February 13, but that date is not a lock.

Mitchell, who managed Lizzie McNeill's in the past, and his business partner have hired Steve Cox as G & O's general manager and beverage director. Ihsan Akbar, who ran the Aberdeen Tap kitchen when it opened, has been brought on to create a more upscale menu (game hen, hanger steak, octopus salad, and, because it's still a bar, a burger option). "The focus is the cocktails and surprise people with the food," Mitchell says.

The inside will seat about 58, with an additional 46 seats for the patio once warmer weather arrives. The bar itself will comfortably seat 14 and there will be tables designed for folks who wish to stand or for overflow. The space, which used to be a gas station, has two "big ass garage doors" for a lot of natural light to pour in as well.

The partners took reclaimed wood from a barn in Michigan for the interior, installed brand new booths and upholstery, basically putting "a heavy, heavy dose of lipstick on the place," according to Mitchell.

G & O will have two TV's for "important things" ("We're not going to have ESPN running all night") and they will run their own music, which is very important to the owners. "We put in a really nice sound system," Mitchell states. He adds, "It can be loud but (guests) can still hear each other."

Though some logistical problems got in the way of opening sooner than he would have liked, Mitchell is excited about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. "I'm happy to be expanding (and) trying something new. I'm excited about the food. We're going up the ladder one more rung," he says.
· G & O [Official Site]
· Aberdeen Tap [Official Site]