March 14, 2017

Meet Nicholas Niespodziani of Venkman’s in Old Fourth Ward

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Niespodziani.

Nicholas, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In our travels with the Yacht Rock Revue, my business partner and bandmate Peter Olson and I have experienced amazing music venues and wonderful restaurants. But achieving both deliciousness and rock at a high level is a rare bird, so we decided: why not go for that?

We teamed up with pickle monster Chef Nick Melvin of Doux South a few years ago and the concept for Venkman’s was born. We opened in late 2015 and it’s been an exciting ride, with the Beltline a block away and all of the development between Ponce City Market and the Old Fourth Ward Park.

Chef Nick’s creative comfort food applies his culinary school chops to his family recipes to create a menu that’s unique and comfortable at the same time. The vibe can impress a first date or serve as a go-to when your truck driving uncle from Alabama is in town.

Venkman’s eclectic entertainment lineup features everything from jazz jams to bluegrass brunches, late-night rock shows to whole-album tributes, puppet shows for children to (not annoying) Trivia presented on an overhead projector.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Everyone tried to warn us: opening a restaurant is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. I was particularly cavalier, assuming our success in the maelstrom of the 21st century music business had prepared me for anything. Those first few months we figured out just how much we had left to learn. It was humbling.

Having been through that experience, I feel much more prepared for just about any curveball I might encounter in my career.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Venkman’s – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Everything we do at Venkman’s – food, music, service – is geared toward good vibes. People come to Venkman’s to celebrate, escape and focus on something besides their phones. I’m proud of the unique experiences we give our patrons.

Anyone who’s been to the V will tell you it’s different, you can tell from the moment you walk in. How many other places have a great stage and an open kitchen in the same room? But I think it’s our service and the positive energy flowing through our staff that really set us apart.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We’re considering adding some more outdoor seating to the V, and trying to decide how hi-if or low-fi to make that space if we do, since our model is so unique, we’re still learning about ourselves and our customers. We’re continuing to try new combinations of food and entertainment and figuring out where our creativity meets up with the tastes of our patrons. It’s a fun challenge, and I think every time we try something new we’re getting better and more unique at the same time.

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