If you’re still mourning the loss of Nomad at Tamm Avenue Bar (1227 Tamm), there’s good news: The Dogtown bar has announced a new tenant with a devoted fanbase that has been searching for a new location for the last four years.
The incoming tenant is Byrd & Barrel, a well-liked fried chicken and “nugs” establishment introduced by Tamm Avenue Bar co-owner Bob Brazell in 2015. While no specific date for the opening has been revealed, Byrd & Barrel is expected to begin serving in the upcoming weeks.
The bar shared the news on Instagram: “We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be launching a full-service brick-and-mortar restaurant in the former Nomad location,” Tamm Avenue Bar wrote in their post. “The response to our first Byrd & Barrel Sunday at Nick’s Pub was remarkable, so we decided to bring you more of what you love.”
The Backstory
Brazell first introduced Byrd & Barrel in 2015, taking over a former Popeye’s Chicken on Jefferson Avenue near Cherokee Street. With its delicious fried chicken, “nugs,” poutine, and playful branding, it quickly grew into one of the city’s most cherished restaurants and enjoyed a loyal customer base for five years. However, the pressures brought on by the pandemic led Brazell and his team to reassess their business model. By August 2020, they made the tough choice to temporarily close Byrd & Barrel and his other venture, The Tenderloin Room, in an effort to curtail losses.
They aimed to reopen eventually. While The Tenderloin Room reopened in July 2021, Byrd & Barrel has remained largely dormant since then. Although plans were in place for a location on Hampton Avenue, that never came to fruition, leaving fans eager for Brazell’s mouthwatering fried chicken, poutine, and classic comfort food offerings beyond its pop-up at the Enterprise Center.
Last month, the brand made a brief comeback on Sundays at Nick’s Pub after Brazell and his partners took over the longtime Irish bar in September, and those events were met with a warm reception. So, when the restaurant space at Tamm became available, it was a natural decision for Byrd & Barrel to fill it. (According to the Instagram announcement, the Byrd Sundays at Nick’s Pub will be discontinued.)
We have reached out to Brazell for more details and will update this story as new information comes in.
