Front Street pub scene gets new shooter
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, March 6, 2002
POULSBO — “I need two Robertos,” a weary Roberto Soltero explained last week while taking a much-deserved break at Little Norway’s newest pub sensation Tequilas Grill and Sports Bar.
Soltero, who manages the Front Street business, also runs Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant on State Route 305. While serving as manager at the latter, he hasn’t seen less than a 10-hour work day in years… now with two businesses?
He just shook his head and smiled.
“It’s going to be crazy,” he admitted. “I’m not getting any sleep.”
Taking a sip of coffee, Soltero said, despite being so busy, he was happy to see that both ventures were doing so well.
After four and a half months of rumors, discussions and liquor license delays, Tequilas opened last month with so many customers some folks were forced to stand all night. It’s been just as packed every Friday and Saturday evening since then but somehow maintains a small-town feel.
“Oh, it feels great to finally have it open,” Soltero said, noting that remodeling was one of the primary reasons it took so long to get the new grill and sports bar into full swing.
The former site of the Front Street Pub has a much more appealing look to it and in addition to the sporty atmosphere, accented by numerous televisions (including a whopping 63-inch screen behemoth), the hot spot also features fine mural art.
Soltero’s friend, who he simply referred to as “Carlos,” painted everything from a golfer, race car and a wind surfer to a Viking ship, bicyclist, karaoke singer and a pool player who looks mysteriously like that missing “second Roberto.”
When asked about the resemblance, he just shrugged and said with a laugh, “Yeah, maybe like 10 years ago.”
Tequilas pulled all the stops on its menu as well, offering much more than the typical pub grub fare. New York, rib-eye and T-bone steaks are the big hits but are surrounded by everything from sauteed prawns, grilled salmon, halibut and a full array of sandwiches and chicken dishes. The grill and sports bar also has just about any well drink that comes to mind and some beers that don’t.
“It really surprised me that it was so busy — I mean we just opened,” Soltero remarked.
The Front Street business is likely to get even busier as soon as the NBA playoffs get underway. Tequilas will showcase just about every game possible and while Soltero said he was going to stick with regular cable (as opposed to the often problematic satellite TV) he would also pay extra to get any Seattle Seahawks or other local game that has been “blacked out” due to low attendance.
Soltero said he is presently trying to get a permit that will allow families to eat together in the bar and grill’s front section. In doing so, Tequilas will allow the whole team to unwind after a soccer, basketball or baseball game — both adult and youth league. With smoking and non-smoking sections, the pub gives patrons even more options.
That’s pretty much what Tequilas is all about.
“Our plan is to do different things so people don’t see the same thing every night,” Soltero said. “This weekend is going to be crazy. A lot of people have heard about it.”
