Football fans in town for the Nov. 1 Georgia-Florida game may be some of the first customers at Keane’s Tavern.
The restaurant and bar at 315 E. Bay St. has set its opening for 4 p.m. Oct. 31.
The tavern is the latest nightspot established by business owners Evan Rajta, Eric Hoyt and Aleksander Lukaj on Bay Street, including the Decca Live music and dance venue at 323 E. Bay St. and its rooftop SIP Cocktail Bar. They are developing Besa Bakery & Tea Room Speakeasy on the same Bay Street block.
Rajta said the partners are “just trying to create Downtown as a destination,” similar to the district of bars and restaurants near the east end of Atlantic Boulevard in Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach.
The tavern has scheduled a soft opening Oct. 29. Mayor Donna Deegan has a planned ribbon cutting and reception at 3 p.m. Oct. 30.
The establishment’s 30 staff members have been training at Decca Live.
Rajta and Hoyt met in 2004 while attending the University of North Florida, where they graduated in 2009. They befriended Lukja, a longtime Jacksonville resident. All three partners are in their late 30s.
The pub concept aims to fill a vacant spot in the city’s nightlife scene. It is named after Rajta’s wife, Meghan Keane, and her family.
“We’re trying to make this area, this entertainment district, have options for everybody. You have an Irish pub everywhere you go in America, but you don’t have one in Downtown Jacksonville,” Rajta said.
“So we just figured it would fit in well with the fabric of Downtown.”
The tavern will serve food, imported beers and cocktails.
“Our group went into this project with a comprehensive vision, to create a diverse hub of social amenities for downtown Jacksonville,” Rajta said in a late September news release.
Keane’s Tavern includes an L-shaped bar, booths and table seating. The owners built a new kitchen. The menu will include Irish sausages and shepherd’s pie, as well as double-stacked burgers, fried pickles and salads.
Live music and pool tables are planned.
Weekday lunch service is not part of the business plan.
Hours will be 4-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. Closing times will vary based on such factors as business volume and late-ending televised games, Rajta said.
In May 2025, the Downtown Investment Authority board approved a $200,000 incentive for the establishment under a program designed to encourage development of food and beverage options Downtown. DIA estimated total build-out costs at $418,000.
The incentive came in the form of a no-interest loan payable over five years amortizing at 20% per year, providing that the tavern remains in business during the term.
During the DIA process, the establishment was identified as Keane’s Irish Pub.