One Star Bar is now open in Lakewood. Credit: Courtesy photo
The building at the corner of Detroit and Elbur avenues in Lakewood has seen more than its fair share of bars – some long-lasting, others fleeting. Last Saturday, One Star Bar (13601 Detroit Ave.) became the latest watering hole to join the register when the bar opened its doors to the public for the first time.

“It went awesome,” says owner Jimmy Bacha. “It was crazy packed.”

Bacha, along with partners Patrick McGinty, John Calo, Brian Taubman and Franco Caringi, plan to keep things simple at One Star, borrowing plays from the successful predecessors while steering clear of tactics used by doomed forerunners.

“We all went to O’Toole’s when it was O’Toole’s,” Bacha says, referring to one of the more long-lived inhabitants of the building. “They did it right, with that kind of neighborhood bar vibe.”

But then the building became a sort of revolving door of ephemeral ventures.

“We’re not a dive bar,” Bacha stresses. “We just want to be a corner bar with affordable drinks and affordable food. Comfortable.”

The name is a tongue-in-cheek stab at the unkind nature of online reviews, say the owners.

“Our aim isn’t to be a one-star venue—that would defeat the purpose. Instead, we strive to run an establishment that upholds the highest standards possible without being slaves to yesterday’s reviews,” they explain.

One Star Bar handed the kitchen over to chef Daniel Racco of Heart of Gold restaurant in Ohio City, who is preparing upscale bar food in-house. Guests can enjoy snacks and starters such as loaded fries, “confit” chicken wings, cauliflower wings, and a pub salad with or without a fried (or grilled) chicken thigh. Heartier items include smash burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, Italian subs and others. All sandwiches come with waffle fries.

The cocktail list still is a work in process, says Bacha, but visitors can expect a fine selection of beer, wine and classic cocktails.

One Star Bar is open 2 p.m. to close Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to close Saturday and Sunday. The kitchen hours are slightly different.

The familiar bar at the corner of Detroit and Elbur in Lakewood. Credit: Google Maps

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This article appears in Dec 4-17, 2024.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.