Farewell Black Star Pirate BBQ, hello Point Richmond’s Baltic Kiss

Where one eccentric restaurant falls, another rises in its place. So it is with Black Star Pirate BBQ, the cult hit on Point San Pablo Harbor surrounded by Burning Man sculptures, that’s shutting down Nov. 27 – with a planned musical funeral procession down the jetty, no less – to look for a new spot.

Rest assured its proprietors’ new endeavor is just as quirky: Baltic Kiss in Point Richmond, which opened in August, is a funky club/Southern restaurant in a historic speakeasy and brothel that, one patron recently swore, is 100 percent haunted. By whom is uncertain. Perhaps it’s Jack London, who reportedly puttered around the venue back when it was the Baltic Tavern. But it must be a fun-loving ghost, as that’s what the Kiss is all about.

Chef Tony Carracci and his partner, Miss Suzie, who some might remember handing out free beer to long lines at Black Star, have done the space up proper with reams of rainbow foil, Japanese lanterns and at least a dozen disco balls. It’s a party in the front, with bands playing rock, blues and zydeco, and business in the back “Voodoo Lounge,” where Carracci, whose family hails from New Orleans, serves comfort food like blackened redfish, chicken and waffles and pies… so many delicious pies.

The vibe: The pre-1906 earthquake building is paneled in dark wood reminiscent of a cigar shop or weathered schooner. An old wooden floor makes a great space for clopping and dancing during live shows. There’s a vintage-store vibe with tables paneled with racy postcards, and a bathroom best described as an explosion of flowers. The sound of hounds will lead you to a spacious outdoor deck with heat lamps to keep the deathly vapors at bay.

The food: Any concerns that this might be a simple dive joint are dispelled by the professional kitchen hidden beyond the bar. Some Southern stalwarts might grumble over certain nonstandard things on the menu, like a proliferation of Caribbean flavors in rice and pasta dishes and veggies that lean toward al dente. But at its heart, the food’s satisfying, stick-to-the-bones goodness; any tweaks Carracci makes generally improve rather than detract from the standards.

Fried chicken consists of a buttermilk-marinated thigh pounded into a crunchy Frisbee with tangy-sweet glaze. It rests on a fluffy waffle that tastes more breakfasty than it should, until you realize it’s studded with bacon. The smothered pork chop is oven-tender with melting layers of fat, served over cheese grits dripping with grilled-onion gravy; it’s saved from pure decadence only by some crunchy green beans.

The sides might be small but none, save for a chopped salad, are particularly light. Hush puppies are stuffed with more of those cheesy grits and dipped in spicy aioli, roasted red potatoes are topped with cheese sauce and pulled pork, and the red beans are loaded with hunks of grilled chicken and andouille sausage. Not that you’ll have much room, but don’t miss the housemade pies at the end. The pecan is memorable for its buttery, caramelized exterior and ultra-gooey interior.

The drinks: The ancient-feeling bar beckons one to order a grandfatherly drink from the South, ideally a Sazerac. There’s a range of local beers, “sexy cans” of wine and hard seltzer and, because it’s that kind of place, sparkling CBD-infused fruit drinks like “Mad Tasty Unicorn Tears.”

Details: Open from 4 p.m. to midnight (dinner service starts at 5 p.m.) Wednesday-Monday at 135 Park Place, Richmond; baltickiss.com.