"You've changed," I said to Frankie Janisch, former owner of Frankie J's, an Uptown BYOB theater and restaurant. "We got booze!" he boomed.

Indeed. The exposed-brick bar in the intimate yet open dining area offers as many types of wine as there are beer, which is somehow less than the vodka selection. There are two more bars upstairs; one splits the "sports bar," which doubles as a performance space replete with stage and curtain; the other feeds the loft, a low-hanging lounge with "nookie" couches. Dishes range from re-imagined vegetable appetizers to bar burgers to sirloin and salmon entrees. Like the specials, the menu is original, playful and quirky, which is indicative of The Spot.

"This is an orgasm of entertainment," Frankie J said with his trademark enthusiasm. Early one Wednesday evening, a guitarist entertained some patrons as an improve comedy troupe started to set up. That's typical. The nightly food and drink specials are always coupled with artsy diversions: Monday dishes $20 Manicure and Martinis from 5-8 p.m.; Tuesday is Tastings and Tournaments, where you can sample different libations and test your bar game skill (including the bag game!) for $10; wine is half-price on Wednesday; and Sunday puts all food (even steaks) at half-price between 6 p.m. and midnight. Between the piano bar, tasting room, karaoke nights and darts leagues, there's more than enough entertainment to go around.

Centerstage Reviewer: Robert Duffer