Sky Castle Gastro Lounge
Sky Castle Gastro Lounge is a restaurant and bar located in a 4,500 square-foot space on the ground floor of 29 Seven at 2802 7th Avenue South in Lakeview. It is owned by Jeff, Chris and Jason Bajalieh, partners in the nearby Slice pizzeria and downtown's Sol's Deli.
The restaurant opened on January 6, 2016 with Haller Magee as executive chef. Other key back-of-house staff include sous chef Richard Trent, pastry chef Ashley Bolton, and chefs James Habshey and Dave Smith. At the front of the house are co-managers Ellen Rogers and Reggie Monypenny.
The "Southern progressive" menu features regionally-influenced pub fare made fresh with local ingredients. The lounge extends onto an outdoor patio to seat about 135 diners. The full-service bar, furnished with couches and a row of large-screen televisions, dispenses about 25 draft beers alongside a seasonal cocktail menu.
The name of the restaurant is a reference to WSGN-AM's "Sky Castle" broadcast booth formerly located behind Eli's Drive-In (later Ed Salem's No. 2 Drive-In) nearby on Clairmont Avenue. The decor of the restaurant has a 1950s theme with a replica of the Sky Castle booth and classic car-inspired upholstery. Architect Lance Black and interior designer Haley Treadwaway of Black Design Architect designed the space. Kyle Tyree of Locke General Contractors performed the build-out. KC Projects markets the development.
References
- Carlton, Bob (May 29, 2015) "Slice Pizza owners reveal plans for new Lakeview restaurant." The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (January 5, 2016) "Sky Castle restaurant and bar opens Wednesday in Birmingham's Lakeview District." The Birmingham News