Isis Restaurant & Music Hall

Isis Restaurant & Music Hall Review

A classic movie house, the Isis Theater was brought back to life in late 2012 after a two-year total renovation. It's now the most upscale restaurant in West Asheville and a late-night music club. Underneath the movie marquee, the dining room has expansive windows overlooking the busy West Asheville street scene. High ceilings with exposed ducting, wood tables, and polished concrete floors give the space a modern urban feel. The menu of new Southern cuisine includes appetizers like hoppin' John with yellow-eyed peas, shrimp, smoked bacon and red quinoa, and mains like seared local rainbow trout with wilted chard and artichoke beurre blanc. The main music stage is at the back where the movie screen used to be, with a lively bar connecting the two areas. On the second level there's a more intimate bar and lounge, with a piano and small stage, ideal for a jazz trio or singer. Winding back is a standing area overlooking the main stage. More than 20 microbrews are on tap, plus a nice selection of wines and moderately priced cocktails. Dinner is served until 10, at which point the Isis starts serving bar snacks and the music—a mix of bluegrass, reggae, jazz, and rock—begins.