Everything I know about the Jazz Age I learned from the movies – flappers, speakeasies, Chicago gangsters, and bathtub gin. The music itself, both sad and joyful, seems to pull you in, even if you don’t understand why. It all seems so glamorous and foreign, yet Reed’s Jazz & Supper Club captures that movie magic and makes it an Austin reality.

The downstairs bar and lounge area offers an attractive and entertaining spot for after-work drinks or before-dinner cocktails. Nightly live music includes all types of jazz, plus occasional blues and R&B, and on Mondays it’s happy hour all night long. The energy from the crowd on a Saturday is almost tangible as people fill the bar to enjoy the drinks and the music. And, Lord, that music! It fills the space and urges dancing or, at the very least, a subtle finger snap and head bob. You can be hopelessly tone-deaf and rhythm impaired but still enjoy the jazz at Reed’s.

Follow the spiral staircase up to the dining room and rediscover the Hollywood glamour of the 1920s. Red velvet curtains, crisp white linens, and deco light fixtures invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy your dinner in luxury. And the best part – you can still hear the music from downstairs, yet easily hold a conversation with your dinner companions.

Chef Alex Ralston trained at Le Chef (now Texas Culinary Academy) and has 16 years’ experience cooking in locations as varied as Austin, Portland, and Italy. The menu at Reed’s is heavy on steak and seafood, with à la carte sides, salads and a variety of sinful desserts to finish out your meal. I can personally vouch for the rich and flavorful Brandy Lobster Bisque and the New York Strip with a Brandy Green Peppercorn Sauce, which was big enough to leave me with plenty of leftovers for a Sunday afternoon steak sandwich. Even if you don’t have room for dessert, do yourself a favor and order the Strawberry Shortcake. A vanilla strawberry shortcake with lemon panna cotta served over strawberry rhubarb soup, its gorgeous presentation alone is worth the price, and the flavor is amazing. Order it. You won’t be sorry.

The idea behind Reed’s was to capture a 1920s Chicago-style restaurant with a downstairs bar offering live entertainment in a friendly atmosphere, and an elegant dining room with a full wine bar and exquisite attention to detail upstairs. And just like in the movies, it’s a happy ending in full Technicolor.