Photo by Meg Ryan
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Tucked between Trolley Square Oyster House and Bar-Roja is the newest evening spot in the neighborhood. Crow Bar, the newest restaurant from La Fia and Merchant Bar owners Bryan and Andrea Sikora, opened last week in Wilmington’s Trolley Square. The restaurant invites customers in with its plush, rich decor and makes them stay with a sharing-style menu and craft cocktails list.
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Photo by Meg Ryan - Advertisement -
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The Sikoras have owned and operated their restaurants on Market Street for about seven years. Andrea said when they saw this location in Trolley Square was available, they were excited to expand to another area of Wilmington.
“We definitely appreciate the different neighborhoods and felt like this was a really good, different location for us,” she explained.
Andrea and Bryan aim to make each of their restaurants unique in style and menu.
Walking into Crow Bar, the establishment’s design is rich with rich colors, wood accents metal features. Intricate light fixtures hang from the ceiling and bright artworks line the walls. Plush stools are lined up at the bar.
And as customers take in the luxe interior, they might spot a bird figure or two.
“The name gave us a lot of opportunity for decor influences,” Andrea said.
When it comes to the menu, Andrea said they focused on casual, sharing plates as opposed to entree style dishes. The presentation is relaxed, and customers are encouraged to share around the table.
“The plates that we have that are larger are meant to be shared,” she said.
She said the menu meets in the middle between La Fia’s fine dining ambiance and Merchant Bar’s casual dishes.
Menu items include a cheese and meat board with a variety of condiments, pizzas, sandwiches and shareable entrees like grilled hanger steak and jerk spiced swordfish.
As for cocktails, Andrea said Crow Bar’s list is their largest and full of variety.
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Photo by Meg Ryan |
The list starts with an originals sections which is where the Sikoras can give customers something they won’t find anywhere else. Drinks include The Velvet Rope made with rye, amaro averna, amontillado sherry, Old Tom gin and blood orange or the NBD with mezcal, strawberry agave, yellow chartreuse, aperol and yuzu.
The next section includes O.G. Classics which are cocktails that are known, but rarely made at restaurants anymore, Andrea said.
“You’ll find them in bar books, but you just don’t see them anymore,” she explained.
Cocktails include the Jungle Bird with campari, Jamaican rum, lime juice and pineapple juice or the Paloma with reposado tequila, lime, Mexican grapefruit soda and salt.
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Photo by Meg Ryan |
Other drinks on the menu are the well-known cocktails, wine and beer.
Andrea said reception to Crow Bar so far has been positive, but she never calls a restaurant a success until years later.
Currently, the restaurant is open daily at 5 p.m. and on weekends closing at 1 a.m. Hours may change in the next week or so, depending on how business flows, she said.
Crow Bar may also begin doing lunch in the future on Fridays and Saturdays, and brunch on Sundays, Andrea said.
More information:
Crow Bar
1711 Delaware Ave., Wilmington
