Things were not looking great for Bar Louie in early 2020 . The gastropub chain had in January closed 38 of its 134 locations , filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and put itself up for sale . Covid−19 would then envelope the U . S . two months later , which would eventually prompt more closures .
But Bar Louie quickly and quietly emerged from bankruptcy in June 2020 , after secured lender Antares Capital LP purchased the company and acquired $ 82.5 million of debt . Since then the brand has been reorganizing , retrenching and revamping . Key to the turnaround is a refocus on the bar .
Beverage has always been a major part of the brand , says Ian Welby , Bar Louie ’ s vice president of beverage and execution . After all , it has “ bar ” in the name and the logo includes a Martini glass .
“ I think in recent years we might have lost focus of that just a touch ,” he notes . “ I think we did what we had to do to try and get through the pandemic successfully .”
It ’ s now about getting back to Bar Louie ’ s core : delicious drinks , chef-inspired food and friendly service in a relaxed atmosphere . “ We want to make sure that we keep the bar at the forefront ,” Welby says .
“ Our sales mix is 51 % liquor , beer and wine versus food , which is pretty rare for a corporate concept — especially one our size . So the beverage business is our bread and butter ; it ’ s incredibly important to us .”
BACK TO THE ’ 90S
Bar Louie kicked off 2025 with a year-long celebration honoring its 35 anniversary . This includes offering several nostalgic ’ 90s cocktails , such as the Long Island Iced Tea , Sex On the Beach , Blue Hawaiian and Alabama Slammer for a limited time .
“ I ’ ve been trying for some time now to get some of those ’ 90s cocktails in , whether it ’ s an LTO or on the menu ,” says Welby . “ I think it ’ s a really fun decade .”
Martinis are a key component of the brand : It offers several signature Martinis as well as a Martini of the Month .
Best-sellers include the Grand Lemon Drop , made with Deep Eddy lemon vodka , Grand Marnier and lemon ; Diva ( with Skyy pineapple vodka , Pama pomegranate liqueur , pomegranate
From top : Best-selling cocktails at Bar Louie include the Diva Martini , Pink Flamingo Paloma , Wild Berry Margarita and the Grand Lemon Drop . www . cheersonline . com Spring 2025 • Cheers 13