Mary's brings live music back to the Basement

Former Sydney jazz venue the Basement is set to reopen in May under the rock'n'rolling management of Mary's Group.

Following a competitive tender process, Mary's co-founders Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham were awarded the rights to take over the Circular Quay venue by building owners AMP Capital. The bearded blokes will operate a fast casual Mary's burger, fried chicken and booze bar at street level and a more intimate restaurant downstairs.

The venue, formerly known as the Basement (and now dubbed Mary's Underground), opened in 1973 and shuttered due to dwindling profits in March 2018.

Live music will continue be a major focus and rock, hip-hop, electro, blues and "whacked-jazz" will all have a home at the venue, says Smyth.

"We still want jazz here but we want young people playing it. We want them getting sweaty and tearing the roof off."

"We're going to try our best to keep the music free too," says Graham.

"It's going to be a place to party, says Smyth. "You can come down and have an amazing meal with killer wine and then the booze trolley might come round at 9.30 and you can get stuck into the whiskies as the band starts."

The restaurant will be full service, with waitstaff, sommeliers and "the whole bloody whack-a-doo", says Smyth. The menu will focus on Euro-American food with a "solid nod" to cooking styles of the 1920s through to the '50s, but with a few vegan options.

Smyth says lobster Australiano – lobster served with a native Australian butter and chips – will most definitely feature.