Rice Vice is now open in Algiers Point
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Byron Stithem, left, and Bryson Aust, right, share a laugh behind the bar at Rice Vice in Algiers Point. Photo: Chelsea Brasted/Axios
Rice Vice, the Nashville-born sake bar, has officially opened a new outpost in Algiers Point.
Why it matters: It brings something new to New Orleans and tucks it into an unexpected space.
Catch up quick: Rice Vice got its start in Nashville as a tasting room for Byron Stithem's brewery, Proper Sake.
- Since opening in 2022, Rice Vice has gotten nods as one of the country's best bars.
The vibe: The Algiers Point location is just inside the door of Nighthawk Napoletana, nearly hidden behind a door marked with a simple R and V.
- The former barber shop has been covered over with wood paneling, leather-strapped barstools and a gorgeous waterfall-style stone bartop.
- The menu is all Proper Sake, of course, plus the Japanese spirit shochu and a tight list of cocktails.
The intrigue: Stithem and business partner Bryson Aust look to use the new New Orleans bar as a lab to experiment with ideas for the future of the original and future locations.
- In part that comes from having a team here that includes cocktail vets Shaun Williams (Jewel of the South) and Kirk Estopinal (Cure Co.), Aust says.
- "It's a great team to take this to the next level," he says. The New Orleans space "is going to be more of a leader going forward, and the first Rice Vice is going to evolve more towards this."
If you go: The bar has just 18 seats. While Rice Vice does allow walk-ins, they'll also be taking reservations.
- The goal, Aust and Stithem say, is to be a neighborhood-friendly option for Algiers Point while also maintaining appeal for folks who want to travel over from the East Bank.
