McGilvra’s: Much-needed addition to the neighborhood or big-time disappointment?

When long-time neighborhood eatery Sorella’s closed its doors for good following the summer season last year, Madison Park regulars began anticipating what would come next in that prime space (foot of Madison across from the Lake). Sorella’s had become tired, dispirited, and in need of a first-class upgrade. The owners, reportedly, just didn’t have their hearts in it anymore. Therefore, the opportunity fell to someone else to renovate and renew the location that had once been home to the venerable Hank’s.

Opinion is divided over whether McGilvra’s Bar & Restaurant, which opened April 3, is what was needed in the ‘hood. My wife and I, who ate there at the end of Week One, both think that owner Peter Johnson (who also operates Finn MacCools’s on the Ave) has done an excellent job of upgrading the space to create a more interesting and exciting atmosphere-- somewhat reminiscent of Hank’s. Moreover, our food was good-to-excellent, and our waiter was one of the best we’ve ever had (we eat out a lot and know good service when we get it). A neighbor of ours here in the Park and her friend were at McGilvra’s that same night, and they each had a very positive reaction to both the food and the staff.

Not everyone, however, shares this opinion. Some of the reviews of McGilvra’s on Yelp and elsewhere have been surprisingly negative (here’s a somewhat representative comment from a naysayer: “An hour after eating, I feel like I will need to drink a gallon of water to handle the ‘salt lick’ I ate for dinner”). Additionally, I talked to two other neighbors of mine (each of them a life-time resident of Madison Park) who tried McGilvra’s on subsequent nights and concluded (along with their spouses) that the food was bad (“1 on a scale of 1 to 10”), the wait staff was disinterested, and the atmosphere was loud and uncomfortable. One couple actually got up and left after an unconsummated five-minute wait for their initial order of beers.

What gives? Peter tells me he is mystified by the bad reviews on the internet site and by the unhappy experiences of my neighbors. Any new restaurant, of course, needs time to get the bugs out, he said—and they are working hard to get it right. All of the bar staff, he noted, and most of the wait and kitchen staff are well experienced. He told me there have been very few complaints made directly to him, but that if anyone has a problem with the food or service they should say so and he will do what he can to fix it. He did admit that the place is pretty noisy, but that’s principally the result of its early success. Frankly, McGilvra’s appears packed at both lunchtime and dinner, based on my own observations. Peter tells me that they have had way more business in their first four weeks than he expected. This may have over-taxed the staff to some extent, both in the kitchen and upfront. He invites everyone who felt they had a bad experience to try McGilvra’s again. He says he’s intent on having his place be a great addition to the ‘hood because he plans to be here and doing his thing for the next 15 years or so.

If you decide to make the judgment on McGilvra’s for yourself, here’s what you’ll find in the way of food: appetizers, soups, and salads (all under $10) and, in a possible nod to Sorella’s, seven kinds of pizza (including Greek). Sandwiches include the Meatball Sub and Pulled Pork, and there are burgers as well, including garden and chicken. In homage to his Irish (Northern Ireland, that is) heritage, Peter includes Guinness Beef Stew and Shepherd’s Pie among the entrees (and there are also Irish Nachos among the appetizers). The menu rounds out with fish & chips, barbecue pork ribs, spaghetti, London broil and chicken marsala, all in the $10-$15 range. I had the stew and thought it was great. My wife had a pizza and said it was good (though a little too saucy and too much for one person).

McGilvra’s appears to be rocking most of the time, and there are obviously a lot of very-satisfied patrons. Unlike Bing’s, McGilvra’s is not particularly family friendly—and if noise is not your thing, look elsewhere (I suggest Impromptu across the street, which generally looks like it could use the business). Peter says he is resisting the well-meant suggestion of one customer that he install sound-deadening tiles on the ceiling. (Some of us like raucous!) Note also that this is a bar with a restaurant and not the other way around. Peter, who worked for several years at The Attic and therefore knows the neighborhood well, says he is trying to fill a gap by providing the area with a great bar.

It’s typical for new restaurants to enjoy a lot of early success, as everyone rushes in to see whether they like the food, the atmosphere, and the service. So the real test will come for McGilvra’s after the summer season ends and the place becomes more dependent on the locals for its ongoing success. Will McGilvra’s become a neighborhood fixture on a par with Bing’s? For the answer, tune in again next winter.

In the meantime, if you’ve tried McGivra’s and have an opinion, please comment on it (or on this posting) by clicking on the pencil icon below. I’ve promised to share your input with Peter.

[McGilvra's is located at 4234 East Madison Street]

Bing's is sold

Although the deal had been in the works for several months, it was not until Friday last week that the final documents were signed and Bing’s officially changed hands.  The transition from old to new went unnoticed by patrons, however, since there was not much change in evidence.  Stan Moshier and Lori Campbell, who first opened Bing’s Bodacious Burgers in 1999, were still on board this weekend, working side by side with the new owners—at least one of whom is a very familiar face on the premises.

Stan and Lori told us that the reason for selling is that they’re ready to move on to the next thing.  There will definitely be a different eating establishment in their future.  For Bing’s new owners, George and Kylie Marshall, on the other hand, getting this gig of owning and operating a neighborhood restaurant is a dream come true.  Both sides, therefore, see the ownership change as a win/win situation.

It’s a win also for fans of the current Bing’s, since this will not be another Sostanza or Sorella’s kind of transition (shut the old place down and replace it with something new).  When we asked if big changes should be expected, George responded, “Not at all.  If it’s working, why fix it?”  There could be some tweaks here and there over time, he admitted, but nothing that would change the basic atmosphere or cuisine of the place.

George’s wife, Kylie, is well aware of what makes Bing’s a successful local food joint, having been part of the crew at Bing’s for the last six years.  With this move, she goes from co-worker to co-owner.  It’s a change she says she’s still getting the hang of.

Bing’s has been a neighborhood institution for the last twelve years. The family-style restaurant replaced the pharmacy that had previously gone out of business at that location.  The restaurant had something of a serendipitous birth.  As described by Lori, she and Stan were in the neighborhood to have brunch at The Attic when they stumbled upon a “For Lease” sign in the window at 4200 E. Madison St.  At that time they owned and operated a neighborhood pub in Greenwood called Pig n’ Whistle, but they wanted to do something new. They decided that their discovery of that great space gave them the opportunity to make it happen. Stan came up with the concept and then designed and built the restaurant that occupies the space today. This was just another in a series of successful restaurant-building ventures by Stan’s construction company. He’s built 16 restaurants to date, of which four he’s owned and operated.

New owners George and Kylie have a romantic story of having met at the Cheesecake Factory, where they both worked at the time. George, who hails originally from New Jersey, has 22 years of restaurant experience--beginning at MacDonald’s when he was just 15.  Kylie, who grew up on Whidbey Island, is one of several mutual friends from the island who moved to Seattle and ended up working at Bing’s together.

According to George, soon after he and Kylie first started dating five years ago, he said to her, “Someday we are going to own a restaurant together.” But he had no idea when that might happen.  He had become familiar with Bing’s as a result of picking up Kylie after work, and Kylie liked the vibes at Bing’s and enjoyed her co-workers. So when the opportunity came along to consider buying the place, they were definitely interested. Though it’s taken some time to iron out the details, George says that he and Kylie have gone into the new venture well aware of both the challenges and the opportunities they’ll encounter.  All of those years in the business, he says, are presumably worth something.

The new management team will continue to have the help of the old team for the immediate future.  In the long run, however, Stan and Lori plan to develop a new restaurant, with both the location and concept still to be determined.  Stan’s construction company is currently building a restaurant in Columbia City that will be owned by two former Bing’s employees, Heather Anderson and Sam Allard.

Oh, and then there’s Stan’s other, absolutely unrelated business: Hamm Industries, a distributor of, among other things, “manure vacuums and arena rakes” for the equestrian circuit.   As we said, unrelated.

[Lower photo:  Kylie, on the left, with her former co-worker and now employee, Faith.]

Madison Park Cafe sold

It's been a more or less open secret for some time that Madison Park Cafe owner, Karen Binder, with more than 30 years of successful MPC operation behind her, was seeking a buyer for her iconic space across from the Madison Park tennis courts (1807 42nd Avenue E.).  She confirmed to us today that she has sold her restaurant, the details being announced to her longtime patrons by email.  This is the fifth turnover of major restaurant space in Madison Park in just the last two and a half years, beginning with Sorella's in 2009, Impromptu and Sostanza in 2010, and Bing's earlier this summer.

We will, of course, cover the full story of the plans for a new restaurant at the MPC site when they become available.