Queen City Grill

We live in a world of reality TV and talk shows where people will expose anything and everything about themselves. In previous generations, quality people did not talk about themselves. Queen City Grill, now 20 years old, is from the previous generation of restaurants. And The Queen has been a quiet old gal, leaving it to others to sing her praises. Without making too much of a fuss, we'd like to do a little singing for her.

It was 1987 and though Belltown could be a scary place, four people thought buying the Queen City Saloon (dive) at First and Blanchard and turning it into a fine-dining restaurant was a good idea. While many at the time thought they were delusional, Robert Eickhof and Peter Lamb (who sold his interest in the restaurant in 2006), both had extensive restaurant backgrounds. Steve and Jennifer Good had business and graphic backgrounds. All had an interest in being part of a restaurant and they wanted that restaurant to be in Belltown. They no longer seem delusional, but prescient.

(l-r): Robert, Jennifer and Steve loving the new sidewalk dining area

"It was a gut feeling," says Robert. "There were two thriving condo buildings. Seattle was a small town restaurant-wise then. There weren't a lot of fine-dining restaurants." Other restaurant people questioned their sanity. Steve recalls the time Peter checked out the Queen City Saloon when it was on the market. "Someone pulled a knife on him because he was looking around." And yet, they continued.

With a location and concept—fine dining ambiance with a twist—casual, comfortable, not stiff, they were ready to start. Service would be of utmost importance but, again, not stiff. The owners all had an interest in wine—Steve had been a collector for some years—and knew that would be a key component of the restaurant. The menu would focus on Northwest seafood, grilled simply. Almost revolutionary at the time.

Inside the 1909 building, a good bit of work had to be done. Linoleum over concrete was pulled up to find lovely fir floors. Layers of wallpaper were pulled off brick walls. Windows were lowered so people seated in booths could see out. A complete kitchen was added. The original sign outside is still in place and if you look carefully, you can see the holes where the letters of "Saloon" were attached behind the current "Grill."

Their gut feeling paid off, but not immediately. "It took two-to-three years before we were consistently busy," recalls Steve. "We put together an all-star staff, many of whom are still with us 20 years later. The condo people were our core customers and we worked with concierges to build up out-of-town clientele." Jennifer created collateral that Robert would personally take to the concierges. Jennifer continues to create press kits, table tents, menus, etc., ensuring they all match and brand The Queen. She recently changed a folded menu to a single sheet, two-sided menu, making it easier to handle.

Robert, who started out working for Victor Rosellini, never forgets Victor's emphasis on service, ambiance, food and wine. "If you have those things right, it's going to work," he says. Certainly, that is part of the reason they are still here 20 years later. You do wonder what they offer that's different from so many other restaurants. Bottom line—they aren't trying to be different. They aren't worried about anyone else. They have a winning concept and they haven't changed it. They don't jump on new trends. "We don't serve foam," says Robert. "I don't get foam." Jennifer laughs. "Bob hates foam."

Their wine list is one of only nine Washington restaurant lists to win the "Best of" Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator. "People underestimate the importance of wine in the package we offer to our customers," says Robert. "We keep our prices lower than what they can find elsewhere. We have over 500 labels now." They also have a number of verticals and stay with classics as well as high-quality newer wines like Owen Roe.

Over the years, a few things have changed. "There weren't neighborhood restaurants when we opened," says Steve. "Now the neighborhoods are full of restaurants. On the whole, we've remained very consistent over the years. You can look at our first menu and see that it's very simple and close to what we do today."

"We always think long-term on our projects," explains Steve. "We don't open with a big bang and don't follow trends." (See "foam" above.) Jennifer adds "Queen City Grill is a classic—it never goes out of style." Enthusiasm of the owners continues to draw old and new customers. "You have to remain excited about what you do," says Robert. "Actually, in life you have to remain excited. It's part of our personalities."

Their twentieth anniversary coincided with the need for some updates. "We've always wanted to have the front open," says Robert. "Now we have that, with tables outdoors. It looks just the same as it always has, it just opens now. We added a banquette on the wall, making it easy to take the small tables out and make the area work for larger parties."

In celebration of their anniversary, they've added a three-course prix fixe meal for $20 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and started a "20 for $20" program offering 20 wines for $20 a bottle. The early meal pulls in both older and younger clientele and the great wine deals ensure that everyone can enjoy a bottle with their meal. The "20 for $20" and "New Arrivals" list help people feel less intimidated by the large wine list.

Their new chef, Shannon Marinos, is a Washington native who started his career at Chandler's Crab House. He worked for the upscale 350 Main at Deer Valley resort in Utah, then spent eight years at Il Naso Ristorante Italiano in Sun Valley, a celebrity and high-profile-guest magnet. "His lack of ego has been very important," says Steve. "He came in and wanted to learn what we do first before changing anything. He makes improvements as needed and then adds his own touches."

Queen City Grill has plenty of kick after 20 years and deserves to be talked up. Despite other projects (see sidebar), it has an emotional hold on Robert, Jennifer and Steve. "We've refused offers to buy it, because it's just us," says Steve. "It's our firstborn," adds Jennifer. "It holds a special place in our hearts." As it does with the rest of us.

Connie Adams/August 2007