The throb of Jazz, an offbeat, new genre kind of jazz, beats its way out the door and down the street as I stroll West Broughton toward Locos on a recent Saturday night. Crowds congregate outside over a smoke, waiting for the show to start. The renovation of the building’s exterior has been extensive. The steel and brick structure adds a touch of drama to this once drab section of the street.

Inside, several TV sets and a giant projector screen snag my attention. Any night of the week that there’s a big game, Locos is the place to catch the action. Original wood floors and preserved old touches add comfort inside, while floor to ceiling glass walls and the televisions nail the place firmly to the 21st Century.

The view of Broughton Street through the windows keeps me firmly connected to the neighborhood as we settle into a booth and start off the night with the famous jumbo wings. Service is good and attentive. Shortly after we plunge into the wings, someone comes to inquire if we’re enjoying them.

The crowd is mixed tonight, as it often is. Locos draws a lot of students, young professionals, and on big sports nights, jocks. Older folk come, too, for the music, often offbeat, outside-the-genre-box. A table of older women next to me groove to the sound.

The band warms up. We kick back with a few drinks and lose ourselves in the tempo of the music. This is the point where I always think, I should come here more often. – David Warren

Locos Deli and Pub
301 W. Broughton St.
tel: 236-8711