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Louisville Bar Galaxie Expanding to Covington This Fall

Galaxie is also a restaurant and live music venue, with an interstellar theme and emphasis on margaritas.

Aug 27, 2024 at 1:35 pm

Galaxie Bar in Louisville is expanding to Northern Kentucky. Photo: instagram.com/@galaxiebar

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A Louisville-based bar, restaurant and music venue is expanding to Covington.

On Tuesday, local real estate agency Comey & Shepherd Realtors announced it brokered a deal with Louisville bar Galaxie and financer Blue Bridge Holdings, LLC to redevelop the former ACME Lock building at 815 Madison Ave. Renovations are underway, with the space expected to open this fall.

Galaxie’s owner, Thor Morgan, describes the concept as a modern take on the classic neighborhood bar. The bar sports an interstellar theme and is known for its margaritas. It also hosts weekly DJ dance parties on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as live music performances.

“We are excited to expand our interstellar brand to the Cincinnati area and join the momentum of Covington’s redevelopment. This fall, guests will be introduced to our out-of-this-world margaritas, creative food menu and eclectic live music,” Morgan said in a press release.

“Galaxie in Louisville has been incredibly successful and is bringing their entertainment concept to Covington as part of their growth strategy in Kentucky,” Comey & Shepherd realtor Christopher Pfeiffer added in the release.

Pfeiffer says the project also represents continued growth and development in Covington’s urban core. The site is near other recent redevelopments, including North by Hotel Covington in the former YMCA building, new apartments where Landwehr Hardware once was and Blue North’s startup hub in the former Sims Furniture building.

Galaxie, opening soon at 815 Madison Ave., Covington. More info: galaxiebar.com.

Slideshow

The Hottest New Greater Cincinnati Restaurants and Bars of 2024

Alara5410 Medpace Way, MadisonvilleAlara is the newest concept from Looking Glass Hospitality and offers fine dining inspired by experiences its owners have enjoyed on their travels. Described as contemporary American and high-end, Alara offers an immersive dining experience and a menu of innovative dishes that encourage exploration and sharing. On the menu, you’ll find a seasonal selection of small plates, ranging from BBQ pork buns to a smoked edamame hummus and sourdough crostinis; a seafood platter; pastas; large plates, which include dishes like branzino tacos, chicken Milanese and Faroe Island salmon; and prime cuts of meat like the Wagyu Sampler, Tomahawk ribeye and lamb chops, all served with rosemary truffle butter, a bone marrow demi and chimichurri.

Safi Wine Bar1401 Republic St., Over-the-RhineChef Jose Salazar operated his self-named restaurant at 1401 Republic St. in Over-the-Rhine for 10 years before announcing at the end of 2023 that he and his wife would be moving the restaurant into the former Saks Fifth Avenue building in downtown Cincinnati. They said they would keep the original Salazar space and introduce a new concept there: Safi, the idea of which came to the couple after a trip to Morocco. Safi opened in June and sports a laid-back atmosphere, with a menu that’s approachable, but still offers some “fancier” dishes, as well as small plates. The menu features dishes like chicken pastilla cigars; slow-cooked lamb shank tagine with made-from-scratch Israeli couscous; an eggplant and tomato compote called Zalouk; Briwat, a Moroccan almond pastry; and the trendy "caviar bump."

Fifty West Burger Bar (Deerfield Township)5224 District Park Drive, MasonEternal summer camp Fifty West Burger Bar held a soft opening of its second Greater Cincinnati location in August. The new burger bar offers all the fun and deliciousness as the original, with tons of activities to enjoy, like sand volleyball and pickleball. The menu features bread-and-butter diner specialties like classic cheeseburgers, flat-top hot dogs and loaded crinkle-cut fries. Don’t miss the 12 specialty burgers named for the 12 states that U.S. Route 50 runs through, and make sure you grab a house-made root beer or orange soda to wash it all down, or choose from a wide range of Fifty West canned, bottled or draft beers and seltzers.

Pata Roja Taqueria52 E. Court St., DowntownPata Roja got its start in 2019 as a food truck that could typically be found behind Bar Saeso in Pendleton. From there it grew in popularity, becoming known for its authentic street tacos and Mexican dishes. Owner Derrick Braziel opened Pata Roja in a brick-and-mortar space in February. The restaurant is modeled after the iconic taquerias of Mexico City, with colorful tiles and a central focus of the trompo, a meat rotisserie that’s front and center in the kitchen and is used to roast pork for the authentic tacos al pastor. On the menu, guests will find a variety of street tacos, including the al pastor and the popular campechano, which combines several meats into one taco, as well as frozen margaritas and fresh salsas.

Wildweed1301 Walnut St., Over-the-RhineWildweed opened in its permanent location in Over-the-Rhine this summer, offering a variety of pasta dishes made from regional grains and served with non-traditional sauces. Guests can choose between two different dining experiences, including an à la carte menu and the chef’s counter, which offers a view into the kitchen and each menu offers a story of seven ingredients over about 12 dishes, painting a picture of time and place. The chefs interact with guests and talk more about the dishes. And while the menu is designed to feel extensive, the time commitment is not. And while the food is the star of the restaurant, don’t forget to take time to admire the space’s artwork by local artists, including a colorful mural by Blake Lipper at the entryway and another mural of mushrooms by Maxwell Redder.

Immortal Vibes230 Main St., HamiltonSporting an aura of class with a rockstar edge, Immortal Vibes offers a vintage guitar experience along with its drinks. The bar opened in December 2023 with a menu of coffee and cocktails, some named after famous musicians like the Freddie Mercury or Eddie Van Halen, along with more traditional drinks, including two house old fashioneds. The menu also includes coffee-infused cocktails. Customers are also welcome to come in and experience the collection of vintage guitars that line the wall.

The Davidson501 Vine St., DowntownAmerican-style brasserie The Davidson opened in The Foundry in February, taking over the spot formerly occupied by Royce. The menu is described as “a classic American brasserie meets French and Italian influence.” It features dishes like handmade pastas, steak frites, the Davidson Burger (gruyere, caramelized onions, dijonnaise, french fries and bearnaise aioli), bone-in pork chops and a selection of soups and salads.

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About The Author

Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...