Kokopelli's

When it opened last summer, Manny's Smokehouse quickly developed a reputation as a hot spot for barbecue and blues. But now you can scratch barbecue -- and the club's original name, too. "Manny is no longer with the company, and there's not barbecue anymore," explains bar and kitchen manager Jake Montoya. "It's the same owner, but basically the kitchen wasn't holding down its own weight financially, and it was dragging the rest of the business down." The restaurant/bar, which is located at 2233 Larimer Street, closed up for a few days after the first of the year and then reopened as Kokopelli's.

Montoya, who'd previously worked at the Samba Room in Larimer Square, has outfitted the new menu with his own specialties, including beer-braised brisket sliders (they're mini-hamburgers à la White Castle, but much fancier). But aside from the new eats, Montoya says it's pretty much business as usual for the Ballpark neighborhood hangout. Live music keeps it bumping seven nights a week; on occasion, the place hosts spoken-word artists and local comedians.

But by far the most popular attraction -- held over from the salad-and-barbecue days -- are Tuesday nights, when reggae is the hit pick. Singer Spellbinder performs weekly, and the crowd is anything but over it. "We have a huge turnout of Rastafarians, Muslims, people from the Caribbean and the white kids from Boulder with dreadlocks," Montoya says. "It's a great mix of cultures and people." Find your roots at www.kokopellis.net or call 303-292-6622.

Meanwhile, Jazz@Jack's will keep its name but move from its cozy home at 1553 Platte Street to the airy third level of the Denver Pavilions (500 16th Street), a location that's continually evolving. Founding Jack's partners and house band Dotsero will play out the last few weekends before the Platte spot closes its doors for good on March 26. The new venue is tentatively scheduled to open March 31. Check www.jazzatjacks.com for updates, or call the current line at 303-433-1000.