14 FEBRUARY 8-14, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Voices Carry! BY MOLLY MARTIN “I wanted to create a place where everybody wants to go, and a place where I would want to go — have some fries and wings, have a drink and sing some karaoke,” says Hillary Schefter, owner of Rhapsody, the latest ad- dition to the Baker neighborhood. She and her husband, Ben Todd, also own Full Afterburner Calzones at 32 Broadway. Just a block away, at 24 Broadway, was a space that was briefl y home to an outpost of Chicago deep-dish chain Giordano’s, then the now- closed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed bar and pizzeria Casey Jones. “We were looking at the spot a couple of years ago and fantasiz- ing,” Schefter recalls. “It’s an attractive space; we just didn’t know what we would put there.” After Casey Jones closed last summer, she and Todd had the opportunity to walk through the place. “My husband said, ‘What if we did a karaoke bar? Karaoke and wings?’” Schefter says. “I was like, that sounds like an absolute home run.” Like many others, the two often went out for karaoke nights at Armida’s on Lin- coln Street before it shuttered in July 2020. “When they closed, we were missing a com- munity karaoke space. We had so many good memories there. People want to go out to eat, drink and sing with their friends,” she explains. “What an opportunity this is — to put a big community karaoke space on Broadway, in the middle of the party block.” Because the space wasn’t empty for long and was already equipped with a kitchen, the transition was pretty smooth. A new mural by artist Scott Trafford (@skillus- tratedesign) covers a large wall in the main room depicting famous singers, including Freddie Mercury, who inspired the name. “’Bohemian Rhapsody’ is the number-one karaoke song of all time,” Schefter notes. “And I really liked the Queen movie.” The decor also includes such items as a framed photo of the “Bohemian Rhapsody” sing-along scene in Wayne’s World and a Madonna mannequin complete with a cone- shaped bra. “That was the fi rst thing we bought for the space. It sat in our apartment for like two weeks. It was a real jump-scare,” Schefter jokes. A karaoke stage has been built on the main fl oor — it’s big enough to hold three mic stands and was also designed to accommodate a small band — ideally for the Underground Music Showcase. “We hope to be able to be a venue,” Shefter says of the annual fest. The space will host other events as well, like open-mic nights for musical acts and comedy. You can access an app via a QR code to pick songs from a massive library and sign up for the karaoke queue; a KJ will be on hand Friday and Saturday nights to support the staff and manage the lineup. There is also a mezzanine area that offers plenty of comfy seating and is decked out with televisions that livestream the performances below. A smaller room down- stairs is being renovated into a more upscale space for private group karaoke sessions. Because the kitchen was already outfi tted with a pizza oven, Schefter consulted with a friend who is a chef to develop a baked wings recipe. “We do a proprietary thing with the brine to make them juicy and kind of crispy, but I won’t divulge my secrets,” she notes. The wings are available by the pound; there are seven sauces to choose from, such as Frank’s Buffalo, Nashville Hot and Jamai- can Jerk. Other items include a chicken salad sandwich, a barbecue chicken sandwich dubbed the Sweet Caroline, and the Satisfac- tion Salad, all of which are available through the major delivery apps. Schefter is particularly excited about the fries, available in regular, waffl e and curly versions, as well as Dippers. “They’re like if a potato skin and a Pringle had a baby,” she says. “They’re really good for dipping in sauce.” Any of the fries can be ordered in a single serving or in a heaping pile for the table. There are twelve beer taps at the bar and a lineup of signature cocktails, among them the Material Girl (a spin on a Cosmo), the Wasted Away Again margarita and Killer Queen, a French 75. After a soft opening while it awaited its li- quor license approval, Rhapsody is now fully operational and ready to welcome karaoke fans. “I hope it’s a fun time for everyone,” Schefter concludes. Rhapsody is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Mon- day through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Learn more at rhapsodyonbroadway.com. CAFE FIND MORE FOOD & DRINK COVERAGE AT WESTWORD.COM/RESTAURANTS Rhapsody is all about karaoke...and wings. HILL ARY SCHEFTER
