What a year it's been for Bob Brazell. After acquiring neighborhood favorites Nick鈥檚 Pub and SOHA Bar and Grill in fall 2024, the restaurateur set his sights on something more personal: relaunching Byrd & Barrel inside Tamm Avenue Bar in Dogtown. The restaurant opened on a chilly December day, but it was all warmth inside 鈥 the result of old friends, family and a community that came out to welcome the concept to the neighborhood.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Brazell, who owns Tamm Ave and has deep roots in the community. Prior to Byrd鈥檚 relaunch, the space housed Nomad, chef-owner Tommy Andrew鈥檚 concept built around towering sandwiches, burgers, salads and sides. The restaurant closed in October 2024, leaving a gap that Brazell saw an opportunity in. 鈥淚t was awesome having food partners in here to help launch them,鈥 he says. 鈥淭ommy鈥檚 great, and he did a great job here [with Nomad].鈥 He and head chef Alex Kristof got to work determining the next phase of the space, but the answer was right in front of them.
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Chef-owner Bob Brazell.
Byrd & Barrel鈥檚 original location on Cherokee closed in 2020, a casualty of COVID, but it was an idea Brazell wasn鈥檛 giving up on. When the chance to kick it into action inside Tamm Ave came about, he saw it as a natural fit 鈥 and something that would be easier to start up in comparison to a brick and mortar.
The new home gives Brazell a springboard for his creativity as he brainstorms the future of Byrd. 鈥淓ven on Cherokee, while that was the dream and vision at the time, it's not the ultimate endgame in my mind [for the restaurant],鈥 he says. 鈥淲e used to change the menu seasonally, and it was a full menu change. And I love that 鈥 my favorite part of this is getting creative, yeah? I just need that for my brain.鈥
The ordering area, featuring a mural by Won Kim (@revisecmw).
At Tamm Ave, a smaller kitchen space means being selective about the shifts in the menu. But in that editing, some bangers have emerged in the form of the monthly specials Brazell rolls out that give customers a peek into his extensive background as a chef. A chicken modiga sandwich, Philly cheesesteak and Italian sub have all made appearances alongside mainstays like the Mother Clucker (a fried chicken thigh on a toasted brioche bun with caramelized onions, pepper jelly, Provel b茅chamel and Red Hot Riplets) and the crispy cauliflower topped with Parmesan cheese, Peppadew aioli, cashews, cilantro and fermented jalape帽o. Warmer weather has meant a run on rotisserie chickens, with regulars stopping in grab one to take home or to nearby Forest Park.
Nashville Hot with boneless fried chicken thigh, Nashville hot spice, coleslaw, pickle, sweet onion聽and聽garlic aioli on a brioche bun.
Tamm Ave鈥檚 footprint is roughly five times the size of the original Byrd, and although the food is a natural fit for the bustling bar, serving a full menu on busy nights has proved difficult. The solution? A tidy late-night menu of Nugz and tacos on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to midnight, which has streamlined service and given Tamm Ave guests something to snack on over drinks. This summer, Byrd opened up online ordering and delivery, which means getting your chicken fix that much easier. 鈥淲e always did delivery at the old Byrd,鈥 Brazell says, 鈥淎nd with this location, we can hit Clayton, Central West End and Richmond Heights.鈥
The restaurant feels settled into the space in a way that belies its seven-month run, and Brazell鈥檚 excitement at being back in the kitchen is palpable. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been really cool,鈥 he says. 鈥漌e see a lot of repeat customers from the neighborhood, and old customers from Cherokee are coming here too. When Tommy [Andrew] made his decision, I supported him 100 percent, but then reality set in that I had to do something in [the space]. The response has been awesome; it鈥檚 a great launching pad for Byrd and its future.鈥
For menu updates and more information, follow Byrd & Barrel .听
Byrd & Barrel (inside Tamm Avenue Bar), 1221 Tamm Ave., Dogtown, 果酱视频, Missouri,
