Storyville

Back Bay, Boston –

Tucked beneath the historic Copley Square Hotel, Storyville may have the same name as the preeminent jazz joint that occupied the space in the 1950s, but this new incarnation adds a modern dance flair and a focus on New Orleans-style cocktails.

Gussied-up guests entering the venue file past a prominent print of Billie Holiday – a nod to the album she recorded here – before descending into the sultry Bordello Room, a lounge area with a distinct speakeasy vibe thanks to the overstuffed leather booths, vintage wooden bar, and walls covered in red damask.

Mellow background music and a jazz band on Wednesdays set the tone as trendy professionals sample upscale plates like Moon Shoal oysters kimchi sauce and smoked bacon, while hip, cultured couples chat over everything from classic Sazeracs to tiki-like Test Pilots.

Come 9pm, the adjacent club space usually opens and the traffic on the stairs swarms with patrons in little black dresses and collared shirts as they head straight to the ultramodern dance floor.

In total contrast to the lounge, this spacious room is swathed in neon red and features two bars along the walls and a handful of bottle service tables arranged down the middle. Craft cocktails in hand, dapper duos sway to DJ mash-ups, Motown, and Top 40, though anyone looking for a quieter vibe can simply pop back to Bordello – so long as there’s room.

One part living history lounge and one part futuristic dance club, Storyville is a perfect marriage of retro class and present-day sass.