The chicken wings are made with bleu cheese, hot sauce and pickled vegetables. (Adam Schrader/ Community Impact Newspaper)[/caption]
Jack’s Lounge, at the south end of Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel & Conference Center, offers a gastropub experience without providing a full dinner. The bar offers small plates and pairings in a room characterized by rustic chic decor.
Joshua Goodine, director of restaurants and bars at the hotel, said the most striking qualities about the bar are its cleanliness and emphasis on providing a local experience.
Local artists created all art adorning the walls. A Texas crafter designed and created the bar’s central table specifically for Jack’s Lounge, and it is made from Thailand-sourced chamcha wood on a stainless steel base.
“Everyone asks about the table,” Goodine said. “It’s an expensive, beautiful wooden table.”
Goodine said the bar’s cocktail menu also draws inspiration from the locale, such as its Spicy Rita and Red Poppy Cosmo. The bar features Austin-area brews from Independence and Solid Rock breweries as well as Georgetown’s Rentsch Brewery.
“We like to have Rentsch in both the restaurant and the bar because the locals love it,” Goodine said.
Executive Chef Luiz Quezada created the bar’s menu, which is not standardized across Sheraton hotel bars. The bar, which offers 35 bottled wines and 25 bottled beers, also has no sommelier. But Goodine said he and Restaurant Manager Liesel Krawik frequently identify new wines to rotate through the available selection. Goodine said he hopes the bar will soon offer local wines in addition to local beers.
Jack’s Lounge signature cocktails include the Red Poppy Cosmo, (left) and the Spicy Rita (right). (Adam Schrader / Community Impact Newspaper)[/caption]
Jack’s Lounge offers a social hour from 5-7 p.m. with $5 14-oz. drafts, $5 select wines and $1 off paired food items. All bar guests get a bar snack, such as potato chips made in-house with an adobo spice rub. The lounge also offers a “More for Four” special on Fridays and Saturdays.
The bar, since the start of April, occasionally hosts local musicians. In April, the bar also began selling $3 brisket sliders smoked in-house.
Goodine said he expects a full house more frequently. The 2,100-square-foot lounge can hold 80 people.
“I don’t like overcrowded bars. I want to be able to walk in and have my drink in less than five minutes,” Goodine said. “That’s not to say we’re never busy. But my four bartenders are well-trained and accommodate everyone.”
Red Poppy Cosmo Recipe
- 1oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. strawberry puree
- 3oz. Tito's Vodka
- Combine all items into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, strain and pour. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Jack’s Lounge 1101 Woodlawn Ave., Georgetown 737-444-2700 www.sheratongeorgetowntexas.com Hours: Sun.-Fri. 5 p.m.-midnight, Sat. 5 p.m.-1 a.m
