Childhood buddies open Redmond’s Bar and Grill in historic downtown

Published 2:10 pm Thursday, October 27, 2011

Redmond’s Bar and Grill, a new upscale watering hole with first-class food, opened recently and the owners are hoping to turn it into the new downtown hotspot.

“We want to make it a place where people can come and have a good dinner, good quality food,” said Tim Short, who owns the bar with his childhood buddy and Redmond native Ander Larson. “It’s also a place where a late-night crowd wants to hang out … So far, it’s been working pretty well. We’re trying to be that go-to spot.”

Short and Larson opened Redmond’s Bar and Grill last month in the former location of Oddfellow’s Bar and Grill in historic downtown on Leary Way Northeast.

To celebrate the opening and the spirit of Halloween, Redmond’s Bar and Grill will host a Haunted Halloween Bash this Saturday, starting at 9 p.m. The event will feature a DJ, dancing, a costume contest and drink specials all night.

In addition, a grand opening event will be held next Wednesday with a ribbon cutting, along with wine and food samples. Neighboring businesses, Olive, a quaint boutique that moved from Redmond Ridge to downtown and will open on Saturday, along with Minutemen Press will join in the festivities, which kick off at 11 a.m. with the ribbon cutting at noon. Ten percent of the proceeds from that day will be donated to Redmond-based Hopelink, a human services organization.

Larson said the main attraction is the food and that people under 21 can eat there, but are not allowed to sit at the bar. The American fare menu features steaks, burgers, salmon, fish and chips and a variety of appetizers, including seared ahi tuna (below). The chef is Chris Nelson, a former chef and general manager at Hector’s Restaurant in Kirkland.

“He was exactly what we were looking for,” Larson said. “The food is fantastic.”

Redmond’s Bar and Grill features comfy booths for dining and a classy bar with a variety of beer and wine selections topped off with a handful of flat-screen televisions. There are two pool tables in the back that are converted into buffet tables for a weekend brunch, complete with made-to-order omeletes.

Short said the place has been packed during dinner hours, but added that it’s also a spot where people can play pool, jam out to the juke box or watch the big game.

“It’s a classy spot with a good atmosphere,” Short said. “We also have entertainment options. It’s not just a restaurant that closes at 10’o’clock. We have some nice bar touches.”

Larson said Redmond’s Bar and Grill is hoping to gradually incorporate some live music into the mix with an acoustical set planned for Sundays.

For Larson, who runs a dog training business on the side, this is his first bar venture. As for Short, a former pilot for United Airlines, this will be his third bar and grill operation after owning two watering holes in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The pair met in junior high while attending Bellevue Christian and reunited recently when Short moved back to the area from Arizona. Larson said they had been looking for the perfect spot for more than a year.

When they saw the property listing of this historic space, which was built in 1903, they jumped at the opportunity. The place was gutted and remodeled to give a more of a “bar feel,” Larson said.

“This is a great location. I love Redmond,” said Larson, who grew up riding his bike along Leary Way N.E. and now lives with Short in Bellevue, just a stone’s throw from the Redmond border.

The restaurant part of the place has been a big hit so far and the late-night crowd is picking up, both owners said.

They know it’s just a matter of time before Redmond’s Bar and Grill becomes that go-to downtown hangout.

“We kind of hit a little bit of everything for everyone,” Larson said.

Redmond’s Bar and Grill is open 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 9-2 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It is located at 7979 Lear Way N.E. For more information, call (425) 558-9800 or visit redmondsgrill.com.