Review: Bar Boheme

Following its opening earlier this year, Bar Boheme quickly made a name for itself behind the strength of its Open Mic night. Time, however, has shown that that's only one of the reasons scenesters are flocking to the Montrose hangout.

Put simply, Bar Boheme is a very attractive, very enjoyable venue.

Owner Morgan Holleman has leaned on his 20+ years of traveling the world to design a wholly unique, and, perhaps more importantly, authentic feeling artsy aesthetic that has served as the trademark for Boheme.

Antique lighting and a rotating series of paintings from local artists give the room reason while a Venetian accent wall purposefully designed to look like the stucco is falling off and exposing brick fosters an Old World charm. (The wall is essentially an architectual equivalent to the glitzy guy at the club that wears tattered jeans to make himself look more cultured, with the notable difference being that the wall won't hit on your girlfriend when you go to the restroom.)

Moderately priced drink options make up for the modest offerings of the "kitchen" (which may or may not have been designed with the sole intention of disappointing customers) as Boheme has 50+ types of wine on hand. Beverages are are served up at a center-of-the-room bar that cultivates the communal Be Merry And Drink mantra that characterizes the bohemian lifestyle.

The beginning of the week is heavy with live music at Boheme. A folksy Houston Gypsy troup and the alternative Stevie MuRee's performances sandwich Boheme's thoroughly enjoyable Tuesday night Open Mic soiree. Given the locale's nature, the crowd typically sits somewhere between the younger, earthy, weekend hippies and the mid-level pre-club swank sect, but the venue manages to dodge any pretentious hobnobery for the most part.

All things considered, Boheme is solid venue with a certain future and you'll do well to hit it up on a Tuesday night. If you happen to not enjoy the place, you can just get totally hammered and boo the Open Mic performers. I'm certain they'll appreciate your sincere enthusiam.