Restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias and chef Dan Jackson’s Géos Tavern & Oyster Bar brings N.C. oysters, Southern staples and art-lined rooms to East 54
By Beckett Brantley | Photography By John Michael Simpson
Growing up in Chapel Hill, Dan Jackson’s interest in cooking was sparked by Southern chefs like Bill Neal and Bill Smith at Crook’s Corner and Ben Barker and Karen Barker of Magnolia Grill. During his years at Michelin-starred Gramercy Tavern in New York City, Dan couldn’t help but dream up the idea of opening one eatery where diners could choose from many experiences.
Years ago, Dan pitched the concept to restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias, whom he partnered with for Osteria Georgi back in 2021. In June, after finally finding the perfect space at East 54, they rolled those inspirations into Géos Tavern & Oyster Bar, where Dan is chef and partner.
Using North Carolina seafood and local vendors was nonnegotiable. Géos sources its oysters – served alongside crudo, crab and more – from Three Little Spats Oyster Co. and donates their shells to Brinson Oyster Co., which uses them to bolster reef health. Cheese from Boxcarr Farms graces the Peaches and Cream spread, and the flavor-packed roasted Ashley Farm chicken is accompanied by local greens. Drop biscuits with pepper jelly, shrimp and grits, hush puppies and more offer Southern flavor, while tavern staples – popular with kids – like the burger, pigs in a blanket, steak frites, soups and salads round out the offerings. “The menu, to be honest, is like a diary of my cooking experience over the last 25 [years],” Dan says.
For the drinks, Dan wanted a craveable cocktail selection in addition to draft beer and wine. His hometowninspired menu includes The Finley – gin with elderflower, lime juice, mint, simple, cucumber and ginger; Morgan Creek – Raleigh Rum Co. spiced rum, demerara, lime, Campari and pineapple; and a mocktail selection.
The sprawling space unfolds like a museum, every room offering a distinct atmosphere. The oyster bar greets guests to the right, while wood paneling and nautical fish-eye mirrors adorn the rest of the front room. To the left sits a salon with floor-to-ceiling windows flowing with plants, and to the right is a private dining room with a beach-house feel. Through a hallway is the greenhouse-like back room with glass garage doors, long tables with flowers arranged by Dan’s mother, Ronnie Jackson, and the thrum of cars passing on Raleigh Road. Art covers nearly every wall, including the work of former Glenwood Elementary art teacher Paul Hrusovsky and hand-painted murals by Arianne Hemlein.
Géos is only open for dinner, but Dan hopes to introduce lunch and brunch this fall with the thought that the back room could open onto the sidewalk and become a game-day destination.
