Nick’s Martini & Wine Bar, 1235 East State Boulevard, is reopening on Thursday, May 1, 2025 as Nick’s.
News release:
Nick’s Martini & Wine Bar to Reopen as ‘Nick’s’ on May 1
Fort Wayne, Indiana (April 17, 2025) – After closing as Nick’s Martini & Wine Bar nearly 10 years ago, the locally revered State Street establishment will reopen simply as “Nick’s” on Thursday, May 1. The owners, brothers Chris and Matt Henry, decided to reopen the venue after their restaurant and bar next door, The Village Tap, was consistently reaching capacity and additional space was needed to accommodate the overflow.
While Nick’s will be serving essentially the same menu as the Village Tap – including the original “Nick’s Rib Room” ribs, voted as the city’s best ribs in the local “Fort Wayne Readers’ Choice” competition – the ambiance will be a bit softer and more subdued than its sister restaurant next door. And though the former Nicks’ Martini & Wine bar was well known for its local jazz and blues acts, this new version will feature a finer dining atmosphere with fewer live performances. The Henry brothers do intend to bring in live acts periodically, including an evening with well-known local crooner Chris Worth on May 9. Perhaps as a nod to nostalgia, Worth opened the original Nick’s Martini & Wine Bar in 2014.
“We intend to let Nick’s evolve into what the neighbors want,” says Chris Henry. “While we want to provide a quieter and finer dining experience for those who love our ribs and steaks, hardly a day goes by when I’m not asked to bring back the live jazz and blues acts. So, we’ll just quietly re-open Nick’s and see how the neighborhood responds.
The Henrys named the bar “Nick’s” because, as older local diners will remember, the restaurant was once known as Nick’s Rib Bar, and later as Nick & Von’s Rib Room, named after Nick Stamanis and Von Filippou, two Greek cousins who emigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s. Many Fort Wayne locals still refer to the restaurant simply as “Nick’s.” And so it shall be.
Hours will be Thursday through Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m. A full bar is available. Families are welcome.
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