Big Fish Restaurant Group’s newest venture is Torbert Street Social in Wilmington./Photo by Meg Ryan
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Do you know the password? Torbert Street Social, the newest venture by Big Fish Restaurant Group, brings a speakeasy-style bar and restaurant feel to Wilmington.
After a soft open earlier this month the social lounge located at 305 Torbert St., is seeing rave response from customers who are indulging in the creative craft cocktails and small plates. “It’s a new concept to the city,” said Victoria Reed, general manager.
Reed relocated from Miami to help Big Fish with the restaurant launch. She said the group saw a need and a want for a bar like Torbert Street Social.
The space was previously used as a garage and for storage when Big Fish took over the property with Mikimotos and Washington Street Ale House. Reed said the restaurant group saw potential and decided to turn the space into a new dining concept. One of the original buildings was knocked down, but the brick was utilized elsewhere in the space. The remaining building has been transformed into a bar, kitchen and dining room area with leathers, dark wood and plush seating.
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The new cocktail lounge had a soft open earlier this month./Photo by Meg Ryan |
An outside patio has also been created with seating, a stage and games like giant Connect Four. Reed said the outside definitely has a more casual feel than the inside, but the goal is to mesh the two aesthetics together. “I think it looks absolutely stunning,” Reed said.
Along with the decor, Torbert Street Social boasts an innovative craft cocktail menu. Bartenders smoke Old-Fashioned drinks and take classic beverages like a margarita or Moscow mule and give it a signature twist. The creativity shines through unique methods such as using butterfly pea flower syrup in specific cocktails that initially appears blue, but when lemon juice or citrus is added it becomes bright purple.
“I wanted something approachable and easy to accept,” Reed said of the cocktail menu.
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The outdoor seating area has a more casual feel than the inside dining spaces./Photo by Meg Ryan |
The food menu is meant to be shareable, ranging from sliders to pizzas to salads. Reed said the small plates helps further the social feel of the establishment. Other bar snacks and shareable plates include lobster deviled eggs and crispy parmesan brussels.
The first responses they’re hearing from customer’s is simply, “wow,” Reed said.
As for the password, Reed said right now customers don’t need one, but they may instate one in the future. “Everyone’s kind of curious of what’s going on behind the walls,” she said.
Want to see for yourself? Take a virtual tour of the bar, dining and outdoor spaces here.
More information:
Torbert Street Social
305 Torbert St., Wilmington • 407-6627
