The former side room of beloved restaurant Mojo’s has found new life as Brave Captain, an Oregon Hill dive bar from restaurateurs Herbie Abernethy and Josh Novicki.
Brave Captain marks the most recent venture from Abernethy and Novicki, whose collaboration began with Cobra Cabana, a Carver neighborhood bar known for its live rock performances and standout vegan fare; their vegan pastrami sandwich won silver in the 2019 Vegan72 dining competition.
The duo later opened Hot For Pizza, another Carver hotspot, and were in the midst of launching Space Mountain Hi-Fi—a Japanese audiophile-inspired listening bar—when they seized on the opportunity to revitalize the Mojo’s space.
“I think we have a fetish for pain,” Abernethy jokes. “It’s not easy, and it’s not smart, but it’s super fun to build places out—especially when it gets close to the end and you can actually see what it’s about to become.”
Brave Captain officially opened at the end of December. It already feels like a cozy neighborhood bar with a lived-in vibe—anyone familiar with real estate knows that “cozy” is often a euphemism for “small.”
Fortunately, though, the intimate quarters foster a sense of camaraderie among patrons, who mingle amid an eclectic collection of nautical tchotchkes including a giant marlin mounted on the wall, a small sailor statue perched on a shelf, and a portrait of Quint, the grizzled sea captain from “Jaws,” watching over the bar like a spectral founder. (When asked about the kind of supernatural entity they’d welcome in the bar, Abernethy said “a genie,” while Novicki opted for “a giant squid.”)
Remnants of Mojo’s linger throughout the space—an “Upcoming events at Mojo’s” blackboard, the unchanged bar, and the scuffed floors and walls left intentionally as they were.
“We understand how special this room is to people,” Novicki says. “We’re really excited to bring it back to life in its new guise while still maintaining its familiarity. People know we’re going to put the same effort into it that we put into Cobra and Hot For Pizza.”
Before settling on the Brave Captain concept, the pair explored several ideas for the space. Ultimately, they leaned into their resources—decor repurposed from The Sandspur, their North Carolina beachside eatery—and allowed the venue’s character to shape their vision.
“The space dictates what you can and cannot do, and it’ll speak to you the more you look at it and workshop it,” Abernethy explains. “To me, this space was a grizzled old sea captain.”
The menu is compact yet deliberate, offering wallet-friendly bites perfect for a post-midnight bar crawl.
Current options include Old Bay-seasoned steak fries; clam chowder; crab dip with house-made chips; cheese biscuits (a nod to Beyoncé’s preferred postcoital seafood restaurant chain); and Richmond’s signature sailor sandwich made with pastrami, grilled knackwurst, melted Swiss and hot mustard on rye.
The menu also boasts vegan options, and a banana blossom-based vegan fish sandwich is on the horizon. The drink menu features crowd-pleasing beers and classic cocktails like a Dark ‘n’ Stormy and Painkiller.
Each of Abernethy and Novicki’s establishments boast a distinct identity, but the throughline is a set of core traits—affordable drinks, flavorful food and a welcoming environment for patrons and staff alike.
“As long as you’re a good person, you’re going to feel safe in our places,” Abernethy says. “That’s why we have ‘no jerks’ written on all our doors—if you’re a jerk, you can kick rocks. What we promise is quality and consistency. If somebody comes into a place on Monday and it’s great but then they come back in on Thursday and it sucks because the food isn’t made the same or someone is rude to them, then they’re not going to come back.”
During a soft opening, Abernethy whizzed through the galley, greeting friends at the bar and tables; Novicki had been in earlier that day. The duo’s hands-on approach means they’re often found working alongside their staff in the kitchen or behind the bar.
“We’re insanely passionate about our places, our staff and the people who support us,” Novicki says. “People know what to expect from us: good food, good drinks, good music, good movies and a safe space to hang out. We just want to do killer shit and be a positive force.”
With their trademark blend of humor and hard work, Abernethy and Novicki have once again managed to create a place that isn’t just another bar: It’s a promise of good times and great company, delivered with no frills—and no bullshit.
Brave Captain is located at 729 W. Cary St. Check their Instagram for updated lunch and dinner hours.
