The Womack: Tucker Woodbury to Open 60s-Inspired Cocktail Lounge This Fall

Longtime Phoenix residents may remember Chez Nous, a famed Phoenix nightlife destination once located on Seventh Street and Indian School Road. For years, the nightclub and lounge was a destination for those in search of a good drink and soulful music.

You may never be able to truly recreate a place so legendary (and we're not speaking of the bar's short reprisal on Grand Avenue — nothing will ever be like the original),  but later this year, local restaurateur Tucker Woodbury will try. In August, Woodbury's Genuine Concepts plans to open a new bar and lounge that pays homage to that time and place in Phoenix history.

And he's adding food to a recipe that includes classic cocktails and live music. 

Called The Womack, the bar will be located on Seventh Street south of Bethany Home Road, in the former home of the well-loved gay bar Apollo's Lounge, which closed its doors in August 2015. The new bar takes its name from Chez Nous' original owners, Andy and Maureen Womack. 

Diners and drinkers can expect a smaller, more intimate experience than those found at some of Woodbury's other bars and restaurants, which include The Vig, Linger Longer Lounge, Little Woody, and Cobra Arcade Bar. The Womack will accommodate about 80 patrons and is designed to offer a more upscale experience — something along the lines of The Beverly, located in Old Town Scottsdale, which Genuine Concepts opened but has since sold. Expect 1960s-inspired touches including flocked wallpaper and black booths to give the space the feel of an intimate cocktail party. 

As far as the menu, The Womack won't aim to be a craft cocktail destination, opting to focus instead on classic cocktails that play into the '60s theme. You'll be able to find a sloe gin fizz and an amaretto sour on the drink list, along with a 10- to 12-item food menu. 

According to chefs Jorge Gomez and Justin Woodard, the menu will consist mostly of shareable boards like baked brie served with toasted bread, house-made French onion dip with chips, and even more refined dishes like lobster caprese. For the most part, price points should fall between $12 and $15 a plate. 

Unlike many of Genuine Concepts' more casual bars and restaurants, there won't be games at The Womack, though the bar will offer live music on the weekends and a small dance floor. 

And this isn't the only new concept coming down the line from Woodbury and Genuine Concepts. Later this year, look out for a casual Mexican restaurant to open in the Sunnyslope neighborhood, in addition to two other restaurant/bar concepts currently in the works. 

The Womack is expected to open at 5749 North Seventh Street in Phoenix in late August. For more information check the Genuine Concepts website.