April 21, 2026

This piece is sponsored by Vanguard Hospitality.

Paramount Studio Cocktails & Food will return to serving downtown guests this week.

The lounge adjacent to Minervas at 307 S. Phillips Ave. closed temporarily last year. It’s now redesigned, with a new menu and happy hour features. Opening day will be April 23 at 4 p.m.

“”Even though it’s attached to Minervas, it has its own identity, and we wanted to focus on enhancing that,” co-owner Tim Meagher said.

“We know the team that works at Paramount is super-important and known for building relationships with guests, so we’re at a point where we have those people ready to go, and we’re excited to introduce our guests to what else we’ve been working on here.”

The space has been reconfigured with more soft seating, darker lighting and small cocktail tables instead of high-top seating.

“I wanted to feel more like a lounge — a speakeasy-style place that has a whiskey bar, Prohibition-era feel to it,” Meagher said. “People often want to pop in before or after they eat dinner, and we have more flexible seating that accommodates that.”

In the private dining area, Meagher incorporated paintings of figures from the 1930s: Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and John Dillinger, who famously robbed a bank in downtown Sioux Falls.

“So there’s a little local history there, giving it the feel of a place where you’re there to make a deal or play some poker,” Meagher said. “It feels very private and like something you’ve just discovered.”

The hope is to bring something unique to the downtown hospitality scene, he added.

“Downtown has changed so much, and we wanted a place with a unique vibe where you can bring guests from out of town or entertain, understanding you might be stopping multiple places downtown in the same trip,” Meagher said. “Ultimately, we’re trying to enhance the overall downtown landscape and have our little niche.”

The full Minervas menu — including its signature Market Bar — is now available for guests at Paramount.

Additionally, during happy hour, you’ll find a new menu of small bites and sharable dishes.

Meagher suggests the Birria Egg Rolls, made with Oaxaca cheese, shredded cabbage, carrots, consommé and chili sauce, and the sharable Belgian XXXL fries, seasoned with Parmesan, truffle aioli, black pepper and chives.

“It’s a complete nod to french fries and the culture around Belgian fries as they’re sold in little shops in Belgium,” Meagher said. “They come in a big stainless steel cone, and we’re hoping guests make that a regular order.”

If you’re looking for something a little lighter, the tuna tartare is made with yellow fin tuna, crispy wontons, cucumbers, sesame, fried shallots, sriracha soy, creamed avocado, wasabi, teriyaki sauce and sushi rice.

“We’ve also created a homemade potato chip for Paramount and will have different sauces, including a smoked tomato jam,” Meagher said. “You can try them on their own or with a smashburger from Hadrick Ranch that we created for Paramount.”

The beverage menu includes new takes on classic cocktail favorites, including an espresso martini made with Mr Black cold brew coffee liqueur, Smirnoff vanilla and a Guatemalan blend from Coffea Roasterie. The Manhattan features WhistlePig PiggyBack rye, sweet vermouth, Luxardo cherry and bitters.

“The drinks are great. We had input across the Vanguard team, including at Morrie’s Steakhouse, so it’s been a company investment, and we think people will really enjoy these beverages,” Meagher said.

“The hope is Paramount becomes a place that can accommodate early diners or a late business meeting as well as be a place you want to finish up your night with more conversation because it’s quiet and intimate.”

For now, Paramount is open beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and will close at times to be determined, after Minervas. Happy hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to close.

“We’re open to extending to more days, but we want to hear from guests first,” Meagher said.

A team of five from Minervas has been trained to serve guests at Paramount.

“It’s a mix of newer staff who already are seeing repeat guests and some who have been with us awhile and are excited about being part of this,” Meagher said. “We’re just focusing on hospitality and making people feel welcome. I think you’ll find this is a team that goes above and beyond for guests and truly enjoys people.”