Austin has never lacked for places to grab a drink, but every so often a bar opens that feels like it belongs to another time. Tomorrow, Thursday September 18, downtown welcomes Nica on 4th, a new jazz cocktail lounge from longtime friends and hospitality veterans Kris Kimura and Aaron Frescas. The duo behind Elephant Room and Parker Jazz Club are back with a venue that blends the charm of a Chicago speakeasy with the soul of Austin’s music scene.
Nica on 4th is tucked into 117 West Fourth Street in a space designed to transport you from the busy sidewalks outside into a world glowing with Edison lights, feline silhouettes hidden in custom wallpaper, and a subtle moth motif that runs through the branding. The lounge takes its name from Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter, remembered as the Baroness of Jazz, who supported the greats of the genre and lived as a patron of its culture. With seating for one hundred guests, the space is intentionally intimate, allowing the music and cocktails to do the talking.
The beverage program pulls directly from the classics of the 1920s and 1930s, with a few thoughtful twists. The Toronto offers a rye based take on the old fashioned, sharpened with amaro. The Coronation No. 2 combines cognac, crème de menthe, and peach bitters for something elegant and quietly decadent. The Hanky Panky gives a martini its own improvisation with sweet vermouth and amaro, while “Martini” Martin throws back to the 1950s with a bold blend of aged cognac and absinthe. Guests can also explore a curated list of wines, craft beer, and nonalcoholic choices, all served with full table service by a knowledgeable staff.
The real anchor of Nica on 4th is live jazz, which will fill the room every night the lounge is open. This is not background music. It is the pulse of the space, elevating a night out into something you feel as much as you hear. Combined with the design, service, and cocktails, the experience is meant to honor the revolutionary energy of jazz at its height while giving Austin something completely new.
Nica on 4th will be open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For now, seating is first come, first served, though online reservations will launch soon.
Find more information at nicajazzbar.com or follow along on Instagram at @nicajazzbar.