The Westy’s opening date: New West Seattle sports bar to open the day before Thanksgiving

Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers

With multiple football games on screens in the background, co-proprietors of The Westy shared the news they wish they could have shared many months ago: Their official opening date.

It’ll be Wednesday, November 26th, JP Vidican and Paul Ritums (L-R above) told WSB today. That’s when The Westy will finally open its doors at 7908 35th SW, a new establishment that looks nothing like what you’d imagine – in either space or decor – from passing by on the street, where you’d mistake it for a relatively tiny storefront (recent former identities included an electronics-repair shop and medical-marijuana dispensary).

November was the hoped-for opening month when we first talked with them in summer 2013 – November **2013**. Permit and utility challenges stretched out the buildout, like the final minutes of a sports match with seemingly endless timeouts.

Now they’re ready for kickoff, and hoping you’ll decide The Westy was worth the wait. We took a look inside this afternoon, noting details from the handcrafted wooden tables to small-but-vital touches like purse hooks and power outlets under the bar with USB slots where you can charge your phone:

Of course we talked sports, food, and beverages too:

First, the beverages – for beer, they have 12 tap handles, including 1 focused on “nitro,” 1 on a rotating cider, 1 on a local domestic (they plan to poll customers to choose between Rainier, Olympia, and PBR), plus a 13th with a rotating sour. They’ll have some grand-opening specials in collaboration with Reuben’s.

As for the food, the menu is “90 percent there,” and their supplies start arriving Monday. Christopher Hartfield is their chef, with more than 20 years of experience, including stints at Serafina, Bandoleone, and Paragon. You’ll find “sports fare” and “upscale options,” burgers and beyond, with vegetarian and gluten-free offerings too, as well as food that Vidican says is aimed at being, overall, healthier than your average sports-bar menu.

And we’d better get back to sports. 16 screens with eight cable feeds, “full sports packages,” including Direct TV, Comcast, PAC 12, NFL/NHL/NBA/FOX Soccer packages, which they insist comprises just about “any sports option” you would want to watch. You can play games as well as watching them – skee ball and shuffleboard are in the upstairs area:

Here’s a wider look at “upstairs,” really half a level up from the front of the house:

In the background of the photo, you can see a bit of the private area, which gets privacy behind these repurposed doors (previously seen in our January update):

Also on the east side, along the alley, are two parking spaces set aside for disabled guests.

After the “grand opening” on November 26th, likely starting around 3 pm, they plan to be open all day Thanksgiving (when the Seahawks play the 49ers at 5:30 pm) with a “limited menu,” then starting regular hours, 11 am-2 am Mondays-Fridays, 9 am-2 am Saturdays and Sundays, with some brunch dishes added for those weekend mornings – not a full breakfast menu, they caution, since they’ll be offering their full menu from the moment they open on weekends, too.

But first, they’ll be training this week as well as stocking – most of the staff is hired. They’ll also be adding more information to the official website – thewestyseattle.com.

50 Replies to "The Westy's opening date: New West Seattle sports bar to open the day before Thanksgiving"

  • Denny/Sealth Dad November 16, 2014 (2:38 pm)

    Congratulations! Looking forward to a Happy Hour there, soon.

  • M November 16, 2014 (2:46 pm)

    Very excited about this. As someone who like Locol but wished they had a larger menu, it will be nice to have another option within walking distance. Not to mention a place to knock back a pint and watch hockey. A welcome addition to the neighborhood.

  • Maggie November 16, 2014 (2:47 pm)

    Awesome! I look forward to stopping in for a pint.

  • Sillygoose November 16, 2014 (3:21 pm)

    Looks awesome, looking forward to hopefully getting on that shuffle board table, also please please don’t allow dogs in here, so done with trying to play shuffle board and have a cold one with dogs under foot!!!

  • Sue November 16, 2014 (3:49 pm)

    I’m glad to see this article, because I’d heard of Westys, but thought that was a nickname for the new Westside Public House – I had no idea they were 2 different establishments.

  • Peel and Press November 16, 2014 (4:33 pm)

    I am so glad to hear you guys are finally opening the doors! I admire the commitment to your vision and the drive to follow through with all of the build out issues you had. I will be in soon after your open to put back some pints and feed the ski-ball machine!!!

    -Dan

  • coffee November 16, 2014 (4:50 pm)

    I wish this place success. I caution however, as I believe you are a 21 and over location in an area that is screaming for a family friendly place. I wish you were open for the younger crowd till say 9 and then change to 21 and up.

    • WSB November 16, 2014 (5:30 pm)

      Coffee, if this part of town is screaming for something, perhaps an entrepreneur will see that and fulfill it. Even if The Westy wanted to, I don’t believe they legally could allow minors, because of the place’s layout (it’s relatively narrow and deep, and does not meet some of the criteria laid out in state law for allowing minors, such as opening onto a dining area, or a neutral lobby – http://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=314-02-025 ) – TR

  • Marty2 November 16, 2014 (5:15 pm)

    Thanks for the update, been waiting for them to open, hope they allow dogs since I walk by so often. Would be nice to stop in for a pint while walking the dog, I promise to keep him on the leash.

  • Brooks November 16, 2014 (6:14 pm)

    Im stoked for Skeeball! Are the any plans for an Xbox or PlayStation to play sports games? Perhaps on an off night?

  • coffee November 16, 2014 (6:40 pm)

    Gur those darn rules!!!

  • Chris November 16, 2014 (6:49 pm)

    1. Please, no dogs
    2. Please, no kids
    3. The idea of a Playstation or Xbox is dumb and non revenue generating. Please think about adding pinball or an arcade game or two. An arcade NeoGeo was always my fav!

  • Mommy b November 16, 2014 (7:14 pm)

    Yay!! We can NOT wait for Westy’s to open!

  • KM November 16, 2014 (7:18 pm)

    Very excited for another bar in the neighborhood, especially one with Reuben’s on tap! Can’t wait to stop by.

  • West Seattle Hipster November 16, 2014 (7:29 pm)

    Way to go men, nice to see your hard work pay off.

    .

    Wish that there was more domestic beer offerings, but it’s better than nothing.

    .

    Can’t wait to stop by for many pints!

  • Theresa November 16, 2014 (7:31 pm)

    We look forward to trying this place out! Is there any bike parking close by?

  • Shawn November 16, 2014 (7:44 pm)

    I hope the vegetarian offerings can be made vegan. A sports bar with vegan offerings would be awesome!

  • The Westy November 16, 2014 (8:11 pm)

    Thank you everyone for the support. It has been a long, long road, and we can’t believe we are just around the corner from opening our doors.

    Coffee, the WSB is right, the requirements for us to be able to allow kids would have called for a completely different layout and design. We understand the need for a kid friendly place, and can relate to your frustrations. Believe it or not we may be crazy enough to attempt this whole thing again one day.

    Sadly we will not be dog friendly inside either. Perhaps when the plans for our patio take shape for next summer something can be arranged.

    WS Hipster, we are currently running a poll for everyone’s preferred ‘guilty pleasure’ beer, but fear not we have 12 other taps, plus about 14 bottles for you to choose from. We promise to have a little something for everyone.

    We have casually discussed bike parking options with our Locol neighbors. We will see what takes shape

    Until we see you all walk through the doors…Cheers!

  • Azimuth November 16, 2014 (8:58 pm)

    Westy, if it doesn’t work out on 35th I hear there’s this great space on the corner of California and Edmunds. I guarantee it will make your wildest dreams come true and your business will thrive there for decades.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident November 16, 2014 (9:01 pm)

    Hey The Westy,
    For the local, domestic beer “on tap” the ONLY choice is some “Vitamin R” afterall it was brewed just a few miles from your location for YEARS!!!
    Olympia was brewed in Tumwater, 40+ miles from here, and PBR is just plain AWFUL no matter where it’s brewed!!

  • Alki Girl November 16, 2014 (9:42 pm)

    So excited for Westy to open!!!! Looking forward to getting 86ed from this place now that the Rockport is gone. Love you Jen :)

  • Chris d November 16, 2014 (9:51 pm)

    Nice job JP and Paul. Planing for and building a business takes time and will only be successful with due diligence. Too many businesses try to open before it’s time, and it shows. Looking forward to checking the place out.

  • KM November 16, 2014 (10:52 pm)

    Sounds like Chris has some good ideas to open his own bar.

  • JACK V. November 17, 2014 (12:24 am)

    Hey, you won’t believe this but we have heard great things about the Westy in Paris, France!
    We have nothing like it here and certainly wish we did, looking at your web site really gives a good idea of what it will be like to enjoy sports and beer, day or night time.
    What a place!
    Please bring your concept to Paris for all those Americans and none Americans craving for a sports bar away from home.
    I can’t fly every weekend to the Westy !
    CHEERS to all!
    Jack

  • w.s maverick November 17, 2014 (5:52 am)

    can’t wait everyone in the area has been waiting for this place for a long time

  • flimflam November 17, 2014 (6:24 am)

    of course this article could go 10 posts without complaining “there is a need for kid friendly blah blah blah”…

    .
    hoping the best for this new business, even if they don’t have locally sourced vegan gluten free organic taco night for pre-teens!

  • PL221 November 17, 2014 (7:43 am)

    Hey Coffee!

    We take our 5 month old to the West Seattle Brewery – no food, but they show soccer games and have pretty good beer. I think dogs are allowed there too.

  • HelperMonkey November 17, 2014 (9:38 am)

    SO excited for Westy to open and very happy to hear it will be kid-free zone. I hope we can catch Ducks games there without too many things being thrown at us. ;)

  • Lagartija Nick November 17, 2014 (9:58 am)

    For those clamoring for a kid friendly place, I would like to point out that the Redline was a kid friendly sports bar that went out of business in less than a year. Did you support their business? Doesn’t look like it. In fact, it seems like a terrible idea for a bar as the number of families with children just don’t go out to drink with the frequency necessary to support such an establishment. On a side note, super glad they won’t allow dogs too.

  • Chris Rosa November 17, 2014 (10:37 am)

    Glad to see there’s Lucille on tap!!

  • cwit November 17, 2014 (10:45 am)

    There’s been one person that’s mentioned the desire for a kid-friendly place. There’s been at least 2-3 people taking some kind of offense to that in this thread. I love it!

  • cmt November 17, 2014 (11:14 am)

    Laughing at myself for how my tastes change given my own current circumstances. I would have NEVER wanted to go to a bar that allowed dogs . . . until I got one a few months ago. Now it sounds BRILLIANT! So I totally understand the people that are glad our 4-legged friends are not allowed. Ditto on my attitude towards kids in restaurants/bars before and after having one! Either way, looking forward to trying this place!

  • Brian November 17, 2014 (11:53 am)

    I sincerely hope the Westy employs local children as the wait staff. West Seattle is in dire need of a place that will use child labor.

  • Rick November 17, 2014 (12:28 pm)

    Solution: allow children to drink. Many societies/civilizations did. They also failed, but not for that reason. It’s the “adults”. I’ll soon open a PC bar that will be so wildly successful that it will have to close due to it’s own PCness.

  • j November 17, 2014 (4:14 pm)

    Nice. Reminds me a little of The Beveridge Place before it got moved and ruined….but way nicer looking. I’ll be there.

  • trickycoolj November 17, 2014 (4:49 pm)

    Downhill walk home to High Point seems much more appealing than an uphill walk home to High Point from the Morgan Junction. I also think 35th is less steep than Morgan? Maybe? I’m sold.

  • KM November 17, 2014 (5:11 pm)

    Brian,
    Child labor is pretty bad, but locally-sourced child labor is something I can definitely get on board with, assuming they use public transportation or bike to get to work. I don’t want anyone parked in my neighborhood–like it’s anyone’s right to just park on a public street in front of my house!

  • West Seattle Hipster November 17, 2014 (7:16 pm)

    I am digging the comments in regards to kids, dogs, video games, and my favorite “locally sourced vegan gluten free organic taco night for pre-teens”.

    .

    I wish Almost Live was still broadcasting, they would have a field day with politically correct West Seattle jokes.

    • WSB November 17, 2014 (7:27 pm)

      They would likely still confer that label on North End ‘hoods like Wallingford. (See “Cops in Wallingford” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhx2GKqOdHo – with West Seattle’s own Tracey Conway in an early scene) … We watched Almost Live in our early years here, before it was canceled, and seems to me that West Seattle went mostly unmentioned. Datapoint!

  • West Seattle Hipster November 17, 2014 (7:40 pm)

    Almost Live also did great parodies of Kent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JOQbwVJjxY and Ballard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGlDVmBLibg

    .

    I think West Seattle in 2014 would make for a hilarious segment! Paging Pat Cashman and Tracey Conway…………..

  • themightyrabbit November 17, 2014 (9:28 pm)

    Hey for the bicycle parking that would be fantastic. Talk to West Seattle Bicycle Connections, they are on facebook and have a website, and if you have a couple businesses signing up you could have them help you arrange for additional parking for a ton of bicycles in lieu of one parking spot. Which translates into additional revenue from the extra customers, and less idiots driving drunk home hopefully. Cheers and best of luck!

  • Wsrez November 17, 2014 (10:09 pm)

    Awesome! Can’t wait- nice toouch with USB- a restaurant up to date with the times needs. This entrepreneur recognizes the need for coffee and is constantly looking at spaces!

  • Michel Vidican November 18, 2014 (7:09 am)

    Congratulations!
    A mountain of work, and you did it.
    Wishing you all the best.
    Uncle Michel from Arizona

  • Mmmmm, beer. November 18, 2014 (2:51 pm)

    You had me at Reuben’s.

  • Jean v. November 18, 2014 (3:30 pm)

    Congratulation jean- pierre and paul.
    After so much hard work and dedication, the dream is about to become reality.
    The attention to the smallest details is obvious for the keen observer.
    There is no doubts ,you two will make the westy a total success.
    Go dawgs,go seahawks, most of all go westy j-p and paul

  • FairmountResident November 18, 2014 (5:41 pm)

    Can’t wait! Have some buffalo wings… I’m there! Save me the trip to BWW at south center for games!

  • Heather November 22, 2014 (12:30 am)

    It is the best! Waaaayyyyy bigger inside than you would think from the outside..thank you for the Gatewood neighborhood addition. We thank you!!!!!!! Chicken wings!!!!!!!

  • Gatewood Neighbor November 30, 2014 (12:52 pm)

    Excited to try Westy’s today. The kid thing doesn’t bother me either way – glad dogs aren’t allowed; some people are allergic to animals. Go to Beveridge place if you want to take your dog.

  • Shannon B December 2, 2014 (2:32 pm)

    Went in to check it out on Sunday… great service, love the décor, beer was cold and the food was good! Will definitely be back!

  • Panda December 3, 2014 (5:49 pm)

    Went in Saturday. It was a great experience. The food was excellent, the drinks very good, and the service was exceptional. The place was packed before the Apple Cup even started yet service was still great. Will be back. Often.

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