Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Keen in Southwest Center City reboots as Midnight Iris

Owners of the Lombard Street bar-restaurant describe it simply as a name change.

The downstairs bar at Keen, now Midnight Iris, at 1708 Lombard St.
The downstairs bar at Keen, now Midnight Iris, at 1708 Lombard St.Read more

Chris and Caitlin Rorer have rebranded Keen, the bar-restaurant they opened in November 2017 at 1708 Lombard St., the longtime former home of Astral Plane.

It’s now known as Midnight Iris.

They explained that the decor — which critic Craig LaBan described as “DIY whimsy” in an otherwise tepid review a year ago — would remain. The Keen name is coming off of everything, including the branded condoms offered in a free dispenser in the upstairs bathroom.

A new drink menu includes a CBD cocktail and a butterfly pea-infused vodka, and a new food menu, including a shrimp flatbread and salads, is due next week.

As for the name, they explain: “Midnight Iris came about because it embodies everything we wanted in a new transition. It comes from the Greek goddess Iris. She used a rainbow as a bridge between heaven and earth. It has a celestial connection to astral plane and the buildings amazing history, a family connection to the owner (it was her mom’s favorite flower) and the rainbow to connect us all. We added the midnight part because the place really comes alive at night! There’s a lot of different elements as you can see plus a very cerebral, personal connection.”