Bartholomew's on Newcastle's King Street has reopened with a new look and an "elevated" menu.
It closed three weeks ago for renovations.
"We've had lots of late nights but we're on track," co-owner John Elsley says.
"We're fully booked on Saturday and we have jazz band Half Nelson playing on the new stage on Sunday.
"We built a dedicated stage for live performances as part of the upgrade of the venue, and we introduced new branding."
Bartholomew's has "really stepped it up" when it comes to dining, Elsley says. It's still a bar and it caters for functions, but it's also a bistro.
"It's casual fine-dining. Super-relaxed still, but the food is more elevated than it used to be," he says.
"We're already busy on weekends, we're chasing more midweek diners, so we have introduced a restaurant section with table service and more low seating."
The new European Table menu draws inspiration from provincial Europe and is flexible. You can order everything from Oscietra sturgeon caviar and rabbit rillettes to grilled spatchcock and tagliatelle frutti di mare.
You can order from the bar snacks menu, you can order charcuterie and fromage, or you can settle in for a "grande" feast.
The new wine list is impressive, and there are plenty of specialty and classic cocktails to choose from.
The striking "spirits wall" behind the bar, and the venue's stunning chandeliers, remain.
"It was time for an update - we had eight years of the same," Elsley says.
"We'll still be hosting live shows with performers doing aerial acts from the high ceilings, that kind of thing. What we've done is add to what was already there - but you can still wander in for a drink.
"We are still hosting The Ball [a fundraiser for Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation] but it has been pushed back until September 4."
Bartholomew's occupies the old Methodist Mission building on King Street, which was originally built in 1903. Over the years it has housed a theatre, a beer hall, and a fine-dining restaurant. Elsley opened the 1920s-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant in 2018 as Babylon Newcastle, changing the name to Bartholomew's Bar & Restaurant in 2022 following a trademark dispute.
Bartholomew's is open Wednesday to Saturday, 12.30pm until late, and Sunday, 12.30pm to 10pm.
