I found this place because it came up in a search for country bars. We were looking for a stop on the way home to Snohomish County from Spokane and we were craving a redneck bar. We certainly found it.
LOCATION: A few online references concur that this location has been the home of a saloon/tavern since the end of Prohibition in 1933. The county assessor has the construction date as 1920. The building looks old, with a wooden structure that gives a proper feel of an old saloon. The location is right in the heart of downtown Kittitas.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY: Jennifer Johnson is the daughter of the owners who bought the bar back in 1987. They sold the bar in 2010, but the ownership went back to them. Both of the parents have passed and the bar remains in the family. There is a piece of art that hangs in tribute to them. I mention this point because there is a lot of love in this place. It is well supported by the locals and for good reason.
INSIDE VIBE: The inside was remodeled in 2016. They stuck with a basic interior that has the feel of an old FoE aerie. The bar looks new with a lot of wood just like the rest of the place. The bric-a-brac is old school country. There are country music flyers that serve as a testament that significant acts came through town. We landed here during the Ellensburg rodeo weekend, and everyone wore their nice Western hats. Seriously though, the hats were so nice that I had a few conversations because of this. There is a room that has a DJ booth and some lighting. It is apparent that they're set up for karaoke, but this room could really be a nice space for dancing. Overall, this is a blue collar bar for sure. And you can tell that Kittitas residents are proud of their redneck heritage. The hospitality definitely reflects the old school country vibe. The regulars were very friendly to us, even after we made it clear that we were travelers. We were even greeted by one of the patrons before we even walked inside the bar.
PATIO: There is a patio just outside the door by the DJ booth. There are two halves of this patio. You first walk out the door to a covered patio what looks to be a garage. TVs are out in the back with sound that's matched up with the inside. This den has a view to the south where there is an outside space for the rest of the patio. It really is a nice comfy area.
BEER/BOOZE: They serve up the blue collar standards. They have a few craft beers on tap. They also have a full bar. Definitely take note of the bar. It really is a nice bar they built.
FOOD: The food is old school, stick to your ribs food. It doesn't get more meat-and-potatoes than this. If you're looking for country style food, this is the right spot.
SERVICE: The service was super friendly. I looked at the previous reviews and couldn't imagine getting crap service. The waitress was completely cool with me drilling her with questions I had about the Rodeo, the bar, the town...I had to write my review sticking up for this place even though I've only been here one time.
My girlfriend grew up in WSU and was raised in Spokane. We make regular trips back to Eastern WA and need a place like this as an option for a rest stop. The best part about this location is that we can easily stop here if we go to Pullman or go to Spokane. And with the Kittitas County hospitality we got, we'll be back to support this local establishment. read more