By Matt Juul Globe Staff,Updated July 24, 2025, 8:00 a.m.
Live music has a new home in Harvard Square.
Lou’s, a bar and restaurant meets music venue, opens its doors on Saturday afternoon, setting up shop in Cambridge at 13 Brattle St. The 5,600-square-foot space was previously occupied by the popular jazz lounge Beat Brasserie, which rebranded as Beat Brew Hall in 2018. COVID-19 forced Beat Brew Hall to temporarily close in 2020, with the venue briefly returning from its hiatus in May 2022, before closing for good later that year.
Bringing live entertainment back to the space means a lot to general manager Allison Finney, who has a long history with the local music scene. Prior to Lou’s, she worked as the general manager for Roadrunner and House of Blues Boston, and “was part of the opening team at the Sinclair in 2012,” she told the Globe in a recent phone interview. However, Finney said she “truly fell in love with music” and met “lifelong friends” while going to shows at Cambridge staples like the Middle East.
“I just remember going to Zuzu or Plough and Stars and just really loving the local Cambridge music scene,” said Finney. “So getting to do something like that again means the world to me.”
She added, “And it’s just really exciting to get to hopefully revive something that has been missing in the Square.”
Lou’s boasts 289 seats, a DJ booth, and “a pretty killer state-of-the-art sound system,” according to Finney. Believing music fans are yearning for venues like Allston’s soon-to-be revived Great Scott, Finney hopes Lou’s will be a place where fans can grab a bite after work and “always catch a good band.”
“That’s kind of the vibe that we’re going to try to set here,” said Finney.
Berklee College of Music student Su Yavuz, a jazz singer and pianist who performed at Boston Calling this spring, will serve as the first act to take the stage at Lou’s when it opens on Saturday. Additional upcoming acts include Boston-based jazz musician Andrew Sue Wing on July 31; South African-born drummer Lumanyano Mzi and his trio on Aug. 1; and Greg Piccolo and Heavy Juice on Aug. 2 for a Saturday “blues bash.”
In addition to jazz and blues performers, Lou’s will feature an eclectic mix of shows, ranging from reggae to Brazilian nights, with Finney striving to create a space where people can go “and discover something.”
“It might not be something you’re familiar with, but we really want to be a place of discovery for people as well,” said Finney.
Beyond the music, Lou’s features a diverse menu of bites from executive chef Jason Bond, chef and owner of Bondir. According to Finney, the venue offers a “speakeasy” vibe as well, with an interior design crafted by firm Elder & Ash.
“From the music side, we want to bring every different genre we can, but also on the food side,” said Finney. “We have a little bit of everything for everyone.”