Most date night spots give you a table and a menu. At Norwoods, you can climb into a multi-level bar built into a historic oak tree, with string lights strung through the branches and a view nobody in New Smyrna Beach is going to confuse with anywhere else. That setting is what turns an evening out into a date night instead of just dinner.

A Setting You Cannot Get Anywhere Else

The Treehouse Bar did not start as a design concept. In 2014, owners Don and Pamela Simmons got in the habit of sitting out front in the evenings with a glass of wine, next to the oak tree in front of the restaurant. An idea for a simple viewing platform kept growing, and by 2015 it had become a full bar built into the tree itself. That origin still shows. Sitting up in the branches with a cocktail feels less like a dining room and more like an evening you happened into, which is exactly what you want from a night out together.

What Makes It Work for a Date

The setting does a lot of the work. Climbing into an oak tree gives you something to talk about before the drinks arrive, and the open air and warm light make an ordinary weeknight feel like an occasion without anyone having to dress it up. Sharing a few plates instead of ordering two separate entrees keeps the pace slow and gives you a reason to stay a little longer.

What to Order

Start with something easy to split. The Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, grilled and glazed with a pomegranate reduction, are a guest favorite, and the Coconut Shrimp is another popular starter on the menu. Pair them with something from the bar and take your time between rounds. If the evening calls for a full dinner, 1946 Restaurant is the classic setting for hand-cut aged steaks and local fish.

Good to Know Before You Go

The Treehouse Bar is 21 and up. If you would rather have a table waiting when you arrive, 1946 Restaurant takes reservations. Roots Bar, at street level beneath the Treehouse, is the relaxed, all-ages option. All three sit at the same address on 2nd Avenue, so it is easy to start the night in one and finish it in another.

Plan Your Night

Whether you climb up into the Treehouse or settle in at 1946 Restaurant, you end up under the same oak tree that started it all. Browse the menu or make a reservation at 1946 Restaurant to plan your evening.