When we think upscale sports bar, the phrase "man cave" comes to mind.

But Ello Sports Lounge, in the former Fox Sports Grill spot in Galleria III, was designed with women in mind. "We knew if we had good drinks and plenty of flat screens in this part of town, men would come. So it became, 'How can we attract women? How can we make it more of a date place?'" Director of Marketing and Operations Shein Armaan says.

His solution? Classy fixtures — and sushi.

The massive 14,000-square-foot layout hasn't changed much since the former owner, but with comfy banquettes, a water feature, a baby grand piano, Tuscan-inspired tiles on the floor and a chandelier holding court over the main bar, it's definitely more femme friendly than the average pub, even if it doesn't quite have the design pedigree of other upscale sports bars like The Boardroom in Dallas.

Plus, in addition to the flavorful bar noshes (try the crab or kobe beef sliders and the bacon-wrapped shrimp jalapeño stingers) sent out by chef Darren Glynn, formerly of Lucky's Pub, Ello has a separate menu of inventive sushi specialties prepared by an Azuma alum.

Ello is in soft opening as of Thursday night, with a grand opening set for late April or May. There are definitely some unfinished projects — the cool but messy bar top is being replaced with granite, there were no tables when we visited, and the private rooms in the back are still construction zones.

But hey, it takes a little work to move beyond man cave.

Update: We should note that Ello's owner is former Rocket Robert Horry.