New kings of the Castle

The venerable Castle Bar, at 6657 South Broadway, has new owners: Tapp (great name for a tavern owner!) and Kara Smith. After several years in the bar and restaurant business (Tapp most recently at an Old Chicago on South Wadsworth Boulevard and Kara at the Elephant Bar in Belmar), the Smiths were ready for their own spot.

They closed on the deal in late May, and the Castle kept pouring throughout.

The Castle is a neighborhood "dive" in the most classic sense of the word, with a sunken bar, a partially covered patio and plenty of indoor ambience (above) -- which the Smiths plan to keep, while adding to the kitchen's offerings.

The Castle rules!