Owners Dante Heck and Rob Iovino showcase two signature martinis available at The Standard — Blueberry Splash and the Boston Tea Party.

By Amber Williams

It’s no secret that the Historic Court Avenue District is notorious for being one of the best places in the metro for a pub crawl. It offers Irish taverns, gay bars, concert halls, dives and dance clubs. Each is good for a great time and a crazy story, but now there’s a new standard in the neighborhood — one that you won’t wish you’d forget the next day.

The Pelican closed only weeks ago and already the bar has re-opened with new owners, a fresh look and a new “standard” among Court Avenue carousers. The Standard opened on a quiet Monday last week, Feb. 27, giving owners Dante Heck, Brendan Kelley and Rob Iovino a chance to settle in and breathe before a bombardment of curious locals filled the floor space on their third day of business.

“Wednesday we were hit hard,” Heck said. “The restaurant was completely full from lunch and throughout the evening.”

Perhaps they were curious after the remodel (the owners feverishly gutted the place, switching the bar from one side of the room to another, adding a new ceiling, new furniture and a new back bar, plus the addition of some Medieval-esque stonework), or maybe it was the new menu (a host of soup, salad, sandwich and tapa options that include all-veggie offerings like the Chevre sandwich, a Cajun barbecue shrimp platter, marinated olives and cornmeal encrusted crab cakes), but most likely they are interested in The Standard’s uniquely classy atmosphere.

“This is definitely a niche that hadn’t been filled on Court Avenue,” Heck said. “It’s a little more upscale, but it’s a place you can come at night for a good time and cocktails or during the day for good food and a laid-back atmosphere.”

During the day, The Standard is filled with jazzy lounge music and quiet conversation. On any given lunch hour, the tables and bar fill with groups of friends or colleagues, couples quietly fawning or singles at the bar reading. But the night brings a different energy.

“Saturday nights offer a chance to let loose and really have a good time,” Heck said. “It’s more a club atmosphere with a DJ. We call it ‘Party Your Class Off.’ There’s a dress code, because we want it to be more of an upscale night out — we want people to look like they dressed up to go out.”

The live DJ plays hits from the ’80s, ’90s and today, and a live band keeps the dance floor warm every Friday night, featuring the folk rock of The High Crest and the blues/Mexicali mix of Tony Valdez. The upstairs opens up on the weekends for a nightclub feel with a dance floor, a full bar, a VIP section and a live DJ, too.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to open a martini bar like this,” Heck said. “The Standard definitely fills a niche that needed to be filled on Court Avenue, and it’s a long time coming.” CV

*******************************

The Standard

203 Third St.

243-4456

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sun. 5 p.m.-2 a.m.

Happy Hour: Mon.-Fri. 3-7 p.m. (live music from 4-7 p.m. every Wed. and Thurs. with a band every Fri. from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.)

Capacity: 330 upstairs and downstairs