Inside Junebug: New Orleans’ Bold New Bar, Kitchen & Vinyl-Fueled Vibe
Welcome to Junebug—a vibrant new dining bar, restaurant, and private event space from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, now open in Downtown New Orleans.
Photos by Randy Schmidt
Officially debuting on March 20, Junebug blends bold flavors, late-night vibes, and immersive design in a historic setting that once housed the legendary Jazz City Studio—where icons like Cosimo Matassa, Allen Toussaint, and The Meters helped shape the sound of funk in the 1970s.
At Junebug, Executive Chef Shannon Bingham puts a fresh spin on Southern cooking, blending regional ingredients with classic French technique and a bold sense of balance. The menu is built for however you like to dine—whether you’re sharing snacks and small plates at the bar or settling in for a full meal in the dining room or lounge. Specials rotate regularly, from raw bar picks and steak for two to caviar service and a late-night menu that keeps the kitchen buzzing after hours.
Junebug’s beverage program, led by Bar Manager and Assistant GM Sophie Burton, is fruit-forward, playful, and expertly crafted. The cocktail menu is split into three creative categories:
House Cocktails: A-Side and B-Side riffs—two drinks with similar flavor profiles but different spins
Play the Samples: Single-shot cocktails
Classics: Timeless favorites from New Orleans and beyond
Brandy and eaux de vie take center stage, with featured flights from top producers like Etter and Clear Creek. The wine list is approachable, sustainable, and curated with food pairings in mind. Beer lovers will find a thoughtful mix of local and international craft brews, including a special focus on Lambics from Brussels and crisp lagers poured from side-pull taps. Rounding it out are robust non-alcoholic options and after-dinner drinks to suit every mood.
Signature cocktails include
Move the Crowd: a savory Whiskey Highball alternative made with Etter Pear Brandy, Iwai Mars Whiskey, and House Preserved Meyer Lemon Soda
Dry Spell: a Negroni featuring soft plum and wine made with Yebiga Bela Plum Brandy, Picon Vasco, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Lemon and Orange Oil
Kiss Me Now!: a Cosmo with a bit of body made with St George All Purpose Vodka, Pisco Oro Quebrantra, Etter Kirsch Brandy, Lemon, Cocchi Rosa and Honey
Music is at the heart of Junebug’s identity. Located in the former Jazz City Studio—once home to Allen Toussaint and The Meters—Junebug’s team curated nearly 500 vintage funk and soul records. A top-tier analog sound system, complete with vintage JBLs and tube amps, sets the tone each night.
Designed by the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the space blends lush garden elements, musical nods (including repurposed cymbal sconces and trumpet chandeliers), and vintage flair. The bar glows under hand-painted rosettes, while floral wallpapers and custom lighting enhance the space’s dreamy, layered feel.
The Secret Spot
New Orleans-based Florist Tey Stiteler’s flower studio and gift shop, The Secret Spot, sits at the front of Junebug’s adjacent event space and doubles as an event entrance with Tey’s work counter that can transform into a bar for private events. At The Secret Spot, guests can pick up fresh, sustainably sourced flowers, heirloom-quality gifts, art, and handcrafted goods from fellow New Orleans-based makers and independent artists.
Junebug Hours: Dinner served Sunday and Tuesday–Thursday from 4–11PM; Friday–Saturday until midnight. Closed Mondays. Reservations available on Resy.
We caught up with Greg Engert—Beverage Director, Partner, and longtime beer expert for Neighborhood Restaurant Group—to talk about how the concept came together, what makes it stand out in a city full of standout spots, and what’s next for the team.
What inspired the creation of Junebug, and how did the concept come together?
Our company, The Neighborhood Restaurant Group, which operates a collection of two dozen bars and restaurants in the Washington, DC area, branched out to New Orleans with the opening of Devil Moon Barbecue and Brewery Saint X back in 2023. Shortly after opening, we found a building–which had recently housed a bar and restaurant–with an adjacent parking lot for sale on Camp Street in the Warehouse District.
We were immediately drawn to the musical history of the building; Cosimo Matassa had operated Jazz City Studios on the second floor during the 60s and 70s, recording the likes of Allen Toussaint, The Meters and The Neville Brothers. We also loved the parking lot next door, immediately seeing an opportunity to enclose that space and create a premier New Orleans event venue.
We’d already been impressed with Chef Shannon Bingham, who we tapped to lead the kitchens at Devil Moon Barbecue and Brewery Saint X, and knew he’d be perfect to take the reins at the new bar and restaurant we’d begun to imagine. Shannon introduced us to Sophie Burton, a legend in the New Orleans cocktail scene (and beyond), and we quickly realized that we had a dynamic team to lead the food and beverage operations at Junebug.
With such impressive talent in the kitchen and behind the bar, we envisioned a dining bar and restaurant concept that celebrates and elevates food and beverage equally, from the bar and lounge in the front to the dining room and garden patio in the back. Shannon conceived a food program consisting of southern flavors rooted in classic French technique, each dish suitably paired with Sophie’s beverage offering, whether fruit-forward, spirit-driven cocktails, a focused list of sustainable wines from around the globe, inventive non-alcoholic options, or a beer list comprised of local favorites and lesser-known international rarities.
To bring the concept full circle, our music program reflects the rich musical history of the building it would occupy, The nightly soundtrack is a lineup of vinyl pulled from a collection of nearly 500 records, with a special focus on the funk and soul music of the early and mid-70s when the studio was active.
Last, we wanted to echo the greenery of the patio, situated behind the event space, with a little something special at the entrance to the event space: The Secret Spot, a New Orleans-based flower studio and gift shop run by florist Tey Stiteler.
With so many bars and restaurants in New Orleans, how does Junebug stand out?
I’d say our equal dedication to creating memorable food and beverage experiences in a singular collection of high design spaces helps Junebug stand out. The vinyl program is notable of course, as is our commitment to late night food; we have a compelling food offering available after 10pm nightly. Also, our ability to host parties in “The Greenhouse”, our 3500 square foot private event space, is special; we can book weddings, live music, dance parties, cocktail parties, large format dinners, and more – all with equal aplomb.
How do you see the food and drink programs complementing each other?
The food program consists of a wide array of shareable dishes, from housemade snacks, small plates and composed dishes, all designed with sharing in mind. And nothing goes better with grazing than a full complement of beverages all crafted and executed at the highest level. We’ve got rich, balanced, lively and craveable flavors on the plate that beg to be enjoyed with drinks that lean bright, crisp, dry and more-ish.
What advice would you give to someone looking to open their own bar?
The bar and restaurant business is tough; costs are high and on the rise, competition is fierce and something new is opening every day. If you decide to take the plunge, prepare for sustained stress and long hours, but remain laser-focused on elevating all aspects of your offering. From food and beverage, to decor, sound and service, the passionate commitment to your product will pay dividends. The knowledge that you’re making people happy, that you’re turning them on to new and exciting offerings and creating inspired experiences will sustain you.
Do you have any upcoming plans you’re particularly excited about?
We’re excited to activate our huge private event space as mentioned above, and create an unparalleled programming calendar–across all of our spaces–that gives our guests even more reasons to join us. And more opportunities to love what we’re doing as much as we do.
About Greg Engert
Greg Engert is the Beverage Director and Partner for Neighborhood Restaurant Group, known nationally for his visionary approach to craft beer. A Middlebury College grad with international study experience in Dublin and Munich, Greg first cut his teeth in the beer world at D.C.’s Brickskeller before transforming Rustico into a craft beer destination in 2006.
Since then, he’s built and overseen acclaimed beer programs at over 20 NRG properties, including ChurchKey, Bluejacket, and The Grand Delancey. Named a Food & Wine “Sommelier of the Year” and Imbibe’s “Beer Person of the Year,” Engert is also the founder of Snallygaster, the East Coast’s largest craft beer festival.
His work has been featured in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Imbibe, Esquire, and other leading publications. He currently writes a quarterly column for Craft Beer & Brewing magazine’s Brewing Industry Guide.
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