For Valentine ’ s Day , Bar Louie launched a pre-fixe , four-course pairing menu featuring a 3-oz . pour of Fleurs de Prairie rosé with the first course and the limited-time From Paris With Love Martini for the entrée .
juice and pineapple ); and the Midnight Berry ( Tito ’ s vodka , Peachtree peach schnapps , with a Twang nectarberry rim and blackberries ).
Other top cocktails at Bar Louie include the Wild Berry Margarita , with Don Julio blanco tequila , blackberry , strawberry , Truly Wild Berry seltzer , Twang nectarberry and blueberries , and the Pink Flamingo Paloma ( Casamigos blanco tequila , Deep Eddy ruby red vodka , agave , lime and Fever-Tree sparkling grapefruit ). “ Anything with tequila is incredibly popular ,” Welby says .
Bar Louie also has a few Spiked Sangrias house mixed to order , and Spiked Dessert Drinks such as the new Whole Lotta Latte , made with Smirn-
Bar Louie offers a few Spiked Sangrias mixed to order , right , and Spiked Dessert Drinks such as the new Whole Lotta Latte , above .
off caramel vodka , RumChata , cream , espresso and cinnamon . Cocktail prices range from $ 13 to $ 15 depending on the market .
PAIRING UP
Part of Bar Louie ’ s strategy to lean into adult beverages is to create alcohol pairings that enhance the dining experience .
For example , this past Valentine ’ s Day , Bar Louie launched a four-course , prix-fixe menu with curated wine and cocktail pairings . The meal included a 3−oz . pour of Fleurs de Prairie rosé with the first course , the From Paris With Love Martini for the entrée , and a 3−oz . pour of Josh Cellars cabernet sauvignon with dessert .
This follows the success of Bar Louie ’ s seasonal prix-fixe menu , which ran through December 2024 and featured wine pairings with each course while also highlighting new premium wines such as Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc and Joel Gott Palisades red blend .
“ We had really great food and really great drinks before , but I ’ m not sure if we ever approached it as , hey , this dish and this cocktail would make a really great pairing ,” Welby notes .
He also wants to cross-utilize some products to make it more efficient for the bars and lower costs , as well as eliminate waste and become a little more sustainable .
Bar Louie will be pairing burgers with specific beers . Examples include the Chef ’ s Burger paired with Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA ; the Blazin ’ Burger paired with New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juicy Hazy IPA ; and the Truffle Crunch Burger with Guinness .
The beer selection ranges from popular domestics to a variety of imports , with seasonally relevant brews that align with holidays and major events . For St . Patrick ’ s Day , the chain will highlight Irish beers such as Guinness , while introducing unique variations by mixing it with other selections . For example , the Snake Bite drink blends Guinness and Angry Orchard hard cider . Wine isn ’ t a huge part of the beverage mix , but Bar Louie has upgraded its offering , adding brands such as Rodney Strong , Unshackled and Meomi . “ We want to make sure that we give you a good Happy Hour wine at a good price point , but if you ’ re coming in and you want a higher quality product , we ’ re going to have that for you too ,” Welby says .
RECOGNIZING THE MVBS
Finding and keeping bar talent remains a struggle for on-premise operators , and it ’ s no different at Bar Louie .
The restaurant brand tries to focus on finding people with the right personality for service — those who are genuinely hospitable and like to have fun at work . You can teach most people how to follow a recipe and build a drink , Welby says . “ The reason I go to my favorite bar is for the bartenders and the servers and the person who owns that bar — you can find a draft beer or a cocktail almost anywhere .”
Retaining staff is a bigger challenge than hiring , he notes . One thing that ’ s helped is Bar Louie ’ s most valuable bartender contest launched two years ago . It ’ s evolved to a two-day long event during which the 10 best Bar Louie bartenders from different regions all over the country compete on job knowledge , skills , speed , technique and more . This past year the MVB
14 Cheers • Spring 2025 www . cheersonline . com