I always sort of pitied the dismal wine bar Renaissance, formerly at NE 28th and Flanders—such a sad, empty little place. I also sort of hated it because it was a total waste of killer bar real estate. Well, unsurprisingly, Renaissance has closed, and in its place is the brand new Red Flag. And finally, finally this space is living up to its potential.

Red Flag owner Danny is also a co-owner of the Know, and Red Flag definitely has a sort of indie aesthetic. The interior has been totally remodeled: There’s a beautiful wood bar, murals on the side of the building and the wall, mirrors that make everything seem bigger and brighter, and adorable animal art work on the walls. There’s outside seating, it’s non-smoking, and there’s a small but cheap food menu—I got a spicy bowl of rice & beans for $3 that was so big I couldn’t finish it, and there are also sandwiches for $5.50, plus a bunch of items under $5: a “creamy weiner” (hot dog w/cream cheese &pickles), a chili dog, a pasta bowl. Right now there’s just PBR and Stella on draft, with Lagunitas IPA on the way, plus a bunch of bottled beers. Full bar, natch.

I really, really like this place. There aren’t enough good non-smoking bars in the area. Oh, and the jukebox is kickass. Danny promised that when he’s done it’ll be the “best jukebox in town.” And did I mention that happy hour is daily, 4-7, and wells are only $2.75 ($3.50 regularly)? Or that they’re getting the new Spiderman pinball game soon? So, stop by. If you see me sitting at the bar reading Harry Potter, feel free to say hello