Introduction to Good Night John Boy
Hustle into the new Good Night John Boy in Delray Beach and find a discotheque fever dream in harvest gold and avocado green.
This throwback boogie wonderland, set to open May 15 inside the former Delray Beach Market near Atlantic Avenue, is awash in ’70s colors and pre-Reagan Era relics. Behold corded rotary telephones and wood-paneled walls, Miller High Life “dad beers” and roller skates, Farrah Fawcett’s red-swimsuit poster and disco balls gleaming in every color above the dance floor.
The Concept Behind Good Night John Boy
The nostalgia-steeped nightclub may resemble a time machine to anyone under 40, but co-owner Michael Schwartz says the clientele trends super-young and dance-happy, longing for “Funkytown” and “Disco Inferno” and chic cocktails served with plenty of tongue-in-cheek. And Schwartz would know. The entire space — OK, except for the dance floor — is a recreation of his childhood basement in Cleveland, Ohio, he says.
Childhood Inspiration
“My childhood basement didn’t look like a bar, but it was pretty grungy,” Schwartz tells the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “We had Farrah Fawcett up on the walls, the orange shag carpets. I had a beer-can collection, too, plus that muted earth-toned linoleum in the kitchen upstairs. The motifs are like 90% what my parents had at home.”
Menu and Drinks
Along with pieces of vintage decor, Good Night John Boy — named, of course, after the famous sign-off on the 1970s drama “The Waltons” — features old-school cocktails (Chevy to the Levee, Dirty Ashtray) and a pub grub-friendly menu of hamburgers and pizza. They’re attractive add-ons, but most clubbers come dressed in bell-bottoms and disco shoes, ready to hit the “Saturday Night Fever”-inspired, light-up dance floor, Schwartz says.
Food Options
For all of Good Night John Boy’s retro trappings, the menu leans modern, says Forward Hospitality’s Rutter. It features bar pies from Ohio’s Sexton’s Pizza ($17-$20), including the Kevin Bacon (candied bacon, pepperoni), the Smokey Robinson (pepperoni, jalapeño, parmesan and Mike’s Hot Honey) and a Pesto Pie (fresh mozzarella, red sauce and housemade pesto). Burgers ($17 for a single, $20 for a double) are topped with American cheese, caramelized onion, mayonnaise, mustard and a pickle on a Martin’s potato roll.
Cocktails
There are 10 cocktails ($5-$16), ranging from Disco Punch (a rum punch served in a souvenir disco cup) to Prima-Donna Summer, a creamy coconut margarita and the Dirty Ashtray, 12-ounce Miller High Life with tapatio hot sauce, salt, pepper and a lime wedge on the metal rim. Among the craft cocktails at Good Night John Boy is the Dirty Ashtray, a 12-ounce Miller High Life with TapatĂo Hot Sauce, salt, pepper and a lime wedge on the metal rim.
Expansion and Future Plans
Schwartz is one-third of the Cleveland-born Forward Hospitality Group team, alongside partners Dante Deiana and Bobby Rutter, who’ve built a post-pandemic reputation creating so-called “immersive” nightclubs, many spun from Schwartz’s childhood. And like Good Night John Boy, many started as “wild, big-swing-what-if” ideas, he says. Schwartz’s retro lounge is part of a big Forward Hospitality push into South Florida. On March 28, his hospitality group opened Shiso in Wynwood, an Asian smokehouse, with chef Raheem Sealey (J&C Oyster Bar in Hollywood). Next, he’s planning an outpost of Sealey’s Drinking Pig BBQ, expected to open in late 2025 at Delray Beach’s sprawling Sundy Village complex.
Conclusion
Good Night John Boy, a new disco nightclub in downtown Delray Beach, is filled with vintage decor such as roller skates, LP albums and orange shag carpeting. Good Night John Boy, at 33 SE Third Ave., Delray Beach, has scheduled a grand opening for Thursday, May 15. Visit GoodNightJB.com/delraybeach.
FAQs
- Q: When is the grand opening of Good Night John Boy in Delray Beach?
A: The grand opening is scheduled for Thursday, May 15. - Q: What is the inspiration behind the decor of Good Night John Boy?
A: The decor is inspired by co-owner Michael Schwartz’s childhood basement in Cleveland, Ohio, recreating a 1970s atmosphere. - Q: What kind of menu does Good Night John Boy offer?
A: The menu features old-school cocktails, pub grub-friendly options like hamburgers and pizza, and bar pies from Ohio’s Sexton’s Pizza. - Q: Are there any other locations of Good Night John Boy?
A: Yes, Good Night John Boy has locations in cities including St. Petersburg, Chicago, Cleveland, and San Diego. - Q: What is the concept behind the cocktails at Good Night John Boy?
A: The cocktails are designed to be chic and served with plenty of tongue-in-cheek, including options like the Dirty Ashtray and Prima-Donna Summer.