Conversations at The Filibuster

The U.S. government definition of filibuster is: “A loosely defined term for action designed to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question.”

Adam Reiss and Ray Berry hope to promote unlimited debate and conversation at their new members-only restaurant on Jefferson Street called The Filibuster.

“One definition of filibuster is passing time in spirited conversation,” says Reiss. “The restaurant name is a deliberate play on words, and ‘spirited’ refers to the drinks offered from a full bar. But I also want this to be a venue where there’s a spirited freedom of expression in a listening and conversation club atmosphere.”

The Filibuster restaurant is nestled between City Hall and Kleman Plaza just blocks from the Florida Capitol.  The venue is not only about talking and discussion but blending good food, lively music, art, and history. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but Reiss and Berry have the moxie, credentials, and hands-on experience to succeed.

The name “Reiss” will sound familiar to longtime Tallahassee residents; Adam Reiss is the nephew of Andy Reiss, who owned and operated restaurants for more than 40 years in the Capital City.

Adam Reiss grew up working in his uncle’s deli starting in the early 1980s. The restaurant later became the local institution known as Andrew’s Downtown for decades. The space was converted to the Hayward House restaurant in 2023.

As a 10-year-old attending elementary school in Miami, Reiss loved coming up to Tallahassee during spring breaks, summers, and other vacation time to work with his uncle. He started out pouring sodas and graduated to making sandwiches by the time he was a teenager. He admits he never wanted to work on the food side as a chef but always wanted to excel in customer service.

Currently, Reiss is the owner of two other restaurants in Florida, the Briny Irish Pub in Pompano Beach and the Brick House Restaurant & Bar in Tallahassee, which he co-operates with Berry. Reiss brings his early lessons in customer service and his passion for the restaurant business to this new endeavor with Berry.

Photo by Dave Barfield

Though called a members-only club, guests can dine with current members or sign up at the entrance door for a small annual fee. The members’ dues as well as a portion of the restaurant sales contribute to The Filibuster Impact Fund, which supports charitable and educational initiatives locally and across Florida, including the FSU Foundation.

“At The Filibuster, I want to create an excellent customer experience with quick, efficient service,” explains Reiss. “Even a pizza will be out of the oven in just three minutes. We will use only top-quality ingredients.”

Created by Fort Lauderdale chef Tom Maggadino, the menu is simple and specializes in Neapolitan pizza and Italian tapas. In a whimsical nod to the restaurant’s proximity to the Florida Capitol, menu offerings are printed to look like mock-ups of Senate and House bills. And keeping one of his uncle’s signature twists, items on Reiss’ menu are named after lawmakers. At Andrew’s Downtown, Andy Reiss featured such offerings as the Grahamburger, named for the late governor and U.S. senator Bob Graham. Salad and sandwich names changed with administrations, using current and former governors and elected officials for inspiration. Even well-known lobbyists were honored with burger, sandwich, and salad menu item status.

The single, bright-red door with black lettering set among foliage-covered bricks at first gives a New York speakeasy vibe. Reiss understands the similarity, especially as you descend into a basement setting, but immediately reminds us this is so much more than a watering hole.   

“Don’t let someone else define this location for you,” he says. “This is a listening and conversation venue with curated art and history to it. We want to encourage Florida State music students to bring live music—jazz, country, and rock and roll—to share with the community.”

The art begins in the entrance hall when you walk through the door. Working with a Tallahassee historian, Reiss has hung vintage black-and-white photos that take visitors on a trip down memory lane as they descend into the restaurant. The photos capture the Capital City’s legislative history and a surprising musical connection. In 1963, a pre-Doors fame Jim Morrison, then an 18-year-old student at FSU, got drunk and pulled a prank at Doak Campbell Stadium. He was arrested for petty larceny for stealing a policeman’s helmet and disturbing the peace. His arrest mug shot is now framed and on display among the legislative memorabilia.

Working with the local firm Barnett Fronczak Barlowe & Shuler Architects and interior designer firm Commercial Design Services of Tallahassee, Reiss and Berry have created an eclectic atmosphere with a display wall of books and legislative knick-knacks. Small tables and chairs with round stools are mixed with high-top tables and lounge settings.

The walkable downtown location and decor set the mood, offering a convenient place to meet, but Reiss wants this to feel like your favorite comfortable basement hangout. And of course, between the food and music, he hopes there will be unlimited conversation at The Filibuster.

The Filibuster

102 W. Jefferson Street (basement under Hayward House, the old Andrew’s 228 restaurant)