October 21, 2009

Raytown Roadhouse fast becoming region's top country music venue


Who knew there were this many cowboy hats in Racine?

That's the first question likely to appear walking into the Raytown Roadhouse, Sixth Street's new country-western-themed bar. Jim Spodick and Pete Karas formally opened the ambitious bar, restaurant and music hall Saturday to a packed crowd.

Patrons were dressed the part, decked out in hats, boots and jeans, and acted it too. Line dancing broke out to the live music by Katie Beth (I assumed Karas and Spodick paid people to dance, but have been assured they didn't) and the drinks were flowing. The bar reportedly went through 50 cases of Miller Lite on Saturday night alone.

The restaurant upstairs.

My wife and I ate at Raytown Roadhouse, 511 Sixth St. in Downtown Racine, a week earlier during its very soft opening. We were actually the restaurant's first-ever paying customers.

The food was great. My wife had the pork chops with sweet potatoes and I had a bacon hamburger with the onion strings. Both were reasonably priced, though I don't have the exact breakdown. Our bill, with a soda and tip, came to about $25.

Both meals were substantial and tasty. We both loved the sweet potato side and I'll re-order the burger when we go back. My wife couldn't finish the pork chops and really enjoyed them.

The rest of the big menu features steaks and sandwiches with some speciality meals mixed in. There's a handful of vegetarian items, including a veggie burger made from scratch on site.

Other notable/tasty items on the menu: deviled eggs, crab cakes, ribs and, for dessert, s'mores.

The mechanical bull should be running Friday night, for all who dare ride.

But while the restaurant is rolling - all tables were full until 8:30 p.m. Saturday night - it's the music may be the major draw. Karas and Spodick are booking live bands on Friday and Saturday night, making it arguably the largest/best country music club in southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Word got out so quickly to regional bands that they've already signed a deal with a promoter to book shows, Karas said.

Opening night featured Katie Beth and Geoff Landon and the Wolfpack. They have two more bands scheduled for this weekend. Four Lane Highway is scheduled to play Friday night and Georgia Overdrive is booked for Saturday night.

The music hall

Along with good bands, they've created a sharp venue for the shows. Karas and Spodick converted the back of the building into a music hall with a decent-sized stage and plenty of room for line dancing. Karas and Spodick are making an early play for some decent country bands in southeastern Wisconsin and beyond.

As crazy as a country bar seemed on Sixth Street, Karas and Spodick may have nailed this one. Here's what Katie Beth wrote on the Raytown Roadhouse wall after playing Saturday:
We had a great time. Thanks so much for having us out! We would love to play again, you have a very unique and awesome opportunity to bring in some great acts toa great place. This is what Milwaukee has needed for a very long time. Hope to see you again and Keep ROCKING!!
Karas added they're already seeing signs that the Raytown Roadhouse is bringing new people into Downtown Racine. Saturday night he estimated 75 percent of the crowd was from out of town.

That's good news for the 500 block of Sixth Street, which is fast becoming the city's entertainment district. Raytown Roadhouse, Park 6, Tango Bar and Henry & Wanda's are all nearby, and plans are underway to create the new bar Peppermint at 515 6th St. and the new restaurant Caliente in the former Timothy York's Bistro at 600 6th St.

With the street done, it looks like Sixth Street is ready to roll.

The future home of Peppermint (if they get a liquor license)


The restaurant Caliente is getting ready to move into the former Timothy York's Bistro.

Thanks, Bill for the photos!

42 comments:

  1. Free advertising for Raytown roadhouse because Dustin is a buddy of Pete Karas? Shame....

    ReplyDelete
  2. All this time I thought Dustin was a vegitarian-find it hard to believe after only one night that raytown is fast becoming the top country venue in the region. Give it some time before doing a piece like this for your oold buddy Karas. Maybe it will but too earlly to tell.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good story about new entertainment venues on Sixth Street. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm being a little sneaky here. Since it's pretty much the only country music venue in the region, it's pretty much the best.

    As for "free advertising," I'll wholeheartedly support anyone willing to take the risk of starting a new business. Give it a shot ... it's a cool place.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I thought 515 6th Street was to be the new site for Blueberries. Any news on that front? Are they reopening anywhere?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great, i will check this place out ASAP. Any new info on Envy the Ultra Lounge on Main St?

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Raytown Roadhouse fast becoming region's top country music venue"


    i thought the only BULL was the mechanical one until i read this story.

    cant wait until this "roadhouse" place disappears eventually

    ReplyDelete
  8. What about Still Country on Douglas the play country too! So I would say this is th second country bar in racine.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't recall racinepost doing write ups like this for every new business in town.

    Btw, I realize it's a matter of taste, but I would find listening to country music watching people line dance to be pure hell!

    ReplyDelete
  10. No pics of the Mayor? Wow, I'm shocked.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm surprised that they were able to get an occupancy permit for this building. We were there when the Mexican restaurant opened and the roof was leaking a river down the staircase! It will be funny to see the jacked up diesel pickup trucks without mufflers and rebel flags on Sixth Street! No worse that Harleys, I guess!

    ReplyDelete
  12. jas - you are an idiot. Why would you wish ill will for any business in Racine.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I only wish Pete the very best in this. However I still think if it would have been Koreans it never would have happened.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I was there on Saturday night and had a GREAT time. This is going to be one rockin' place!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I can't wait to stop by. Band suggestion "Heartsfield" they played monument square last year. They had awesome turn out.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jeez, if you want completely a completely impartial blog in Racine then do it yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have no respect for Karas or Spodick as he has screwed about everone downtown - just ask the Out of the Pan owner, but I'll stop down to check out the food but not the music as I'm not a country boy.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I wonder if the Mayor rode in on his high horse or was he too busy making Racine a top 10 place to live. i was being sarcastic.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This place seems great. I heard KatieBeth is AMAZING!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. This place seems great. I heard KatieBeth is AMAZING!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for the update on all the new activities on 6th St.

    ReplyDelete
  23. "I only wish Pete the very best in this. However I still think if it would have been Koreans it never would have happened."

    You _are_ aware that there is a Korean restaurant on Sixth street that _has_ a liquor license, correct?

    ReplyDelete
  24. concrete katie10/23/2009 3:23 PM

    Two guys who do not give up. This is a winner.

    ReplyDelete
  25. concrete katie I guess you did not find your greener pastuers! Spodick is a shister what happened to sixth street business association!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Why are there so many people who hate anything good that happens to this town? Maybe these unhappy people need a hobby (as opposed to being grumpy all the time).
    Racine has many great things happening and to focus on all the bad things will make a person miserable (or more so).

    ReplyDelete
  27. Have any of you complainers ever heard of following a dream? Probably not! Have you ever step out onto a limb? NO. Give Pete & Jim credit for trying something cool. You complainers are usually the pathetic depressant basement dwellers that never accomplish anything.
    GO PETE!!! Show them that they are the crazy ones.

    ReplyDelete
  28. We are fans of Old Madrid on 6th Street and love 6th Street as a place to shop and browse. I don't know how the parking is going to be but thanks for the update on a new venue. I think it is fantastic to hear about all the new places. While Spodick screwed over a number of people in Racine, I still think this place is going to be a fun place and if they have great "country western" grub, so much the better.

    Husband loves porkchops so I am sure we will be there and once he finds out about the sweet potatoes and other sides, we will be eating on 6th street more than once a week now!

    ReplyDelete
  29. We're from East Troy and were at the Raytown Roadhouse last night. We had a great time! I know this place is new and there are still some things they need to do, but we thought the bull, the band, and the friendly atmosphere was fantastic. We'll be there a couple times a month for the bands and dinner. Racine should be proud of this new fun place.

    ReplyDelete
  30. You would be grumpy to if your hard earned money was taken from you.Try wcca on james spodick. Even if this works will he pay his bills!You should not screw people over to get ahead and expect people to be happy for you.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Spodick is a scam artist, Can't be trusted and screws all of his business partners, Karas will find this out the hard way!
    Great Idea for the Roadhouse, But I think it's 20 years to late.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I do not think we'll our mayor riding the bull.His back side is still hurting from his last doings with his buddy spodick!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Some years ago I bought a musk melon from Spodick's store and it wasn't ripe yet. I'll never forgive him for making me wait three days to eat it.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Oh yeah, I see they booked the band Saddlebrook for October 31st, Halloween night. That band is GREAT!! I will be there for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Just an observation. Does the Raytown logo pictured above look a little gayish to you?

    ReplyDelete
  36. The music was okay. The resturant portion was terrible, the waitress brought out the food one plate at a time. People in our group were done eating before I even recieved my food. When it finally came it was cold! Imagine cold pototoes, gross. It was a waste of over $100.00 for the six of us. You won't see us again. Sorry.........After I bite into my burger the waitress asked for it back because she gave me the wrong order. I couldn't wait to try it out, but it was a DISASTER! (I only signed anonymous because I do not have a google account)

    ReplyDelete
  37. How's the beef jerky?

    ReplyDelete
  38. I was there last friday and saw a band called 4 Lane Hwy and I also saw them when they opened for Sara Evans at Racine Fair--glad to see you are able to get that band-hope you can get them again
    I will be back to see that band for sure and have dinner and ride the bull--The Party Girls Group

    ReplyDelete
  39. I talked to someone over the weeken - they said they went there for dinner and the food was horrible.

    ReplyDelete
  40. 4:52 Double anonymous hearsay ...not worth the paper it's printed on.

    My wife and I ate there and had a terrific meal: amazing spare ribs, prime rib, crab cake... Excellent all around.

    I wish you anonymous trolls would man-up, or just go away.

    ReplyDelete
  41. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Not only is the food lousy - the atmosphere is a joke and the chairs are uncomfortable.

    ReplyDelete