7/29/2014 Update:

I was pleased with my progress last post when I added three bars in one month – I managed to add four in four days for this post, due in part to good timing on new openings.

On The Rock in Rock Island has a new owner and a very slight name change (formerly Martini's On The Rock), so stopping in allows me to chalk this location up again.  Fortunately, there is more than a name change: great new menu with a killer rueben, and they enclosed the patio area, allowing bands to play out there rain or shine.

Broken Saddle Saloon is now open on 5th Avenue in Moline, making the north side of the street wall to wall drinking and dining from the Barrel House down to Brix.  While a little tiny, the décor is very western and looks like it would be fun for some live country music, if you’re into that (I have to admit, I’m getting there).  Looks like there is a small but, as of yet, unused kitchen.

Waterbar is what The Boat House on River Drive in Davenport has become. At first appraisal, there are no huge changes in the look of the place, but they’ve taken out the blonde wood booths and painted a lot of the wood darker.  This really takes the focus from inside to the river views (I’d like to take credit for this observation, but it came from a group of three guys sitting behind me – yeah, I was eavesdropping).  The name makes one think that more of a drinking than dining atmosphere – a trip there after work instead of lunchtime will give me a better idea.

My final addition to the list is the bar at Byron Hills golf course – kink of thought it should have been on my list a long time ago, and as soon as I went in, I knew I had stopped in after a round before.  My new count is 529.

Other bar news:

-The VIP Bar and Grill opened in what had most recently been the Last Chance Lounge in Rock Island.

-One of our favorite places was the Pauper’s Den in Silvis, but no business since at that location has made it more than a year.  The latest casualty is Thai Basil.

-I was concerned when I saw that the red and yellow awnings came down at Christopher D’s in Moline, but it still seems like business as usual.

-The Holiday Inn being built on Elmore in Davenport will also house The J Bar.

-Changes in Port Byron:  Dave Killinger, owner of G’s Riverfront Café, is retiring.  The bar / restaurant will be taken over by Bob Case (long time resident of my Favorite Bartenders list), and renamed the Riverbottom Chop House.  The other change is not as happy:  It’s On The River will be closing August 17th.

-The Hat is going on their third month of the one-week remodel.

-Remodeling and a name change puts The Railhouse in Silvis (Jesse’s Saloon) on my What’s Left List, along with the J Bar, VIP Bar and Grill and the Riverbottom Chop House, take my What’s Left list up to 12.   

DOWNTOWN MOLINE

It has been interesting to watch the changes in downtown Moline over the last 5-6 years that I’ve been paying closer attention.  During that time, the constants along 5th avenue and 15th street have been The Bier Stube, Bent River Brewery, O’Keefe’s, and Christopher D’s, plus Bad Boy’z Pizza, River House, Tommy’s, and TGI Friday’s on the other side of the tracks.  Here are some of the changes over that time period:

·         La Flama moved to the spot that used to house The Brown Bottle, Café Fresh moved in to La Flama’s old spot, and Las Regias (after another interim Mexican restaurant) moved in to Café Fresh’s vacancy.

·         Twenty became The Venue, QC Zone became Re-Fresh, Wide Open became Brix, Portabella’s became Indian Rasoi became Funky Desi, The Speakeasy became Stack’s (now closed), and Tailgater’s became Rubikon became Big Shots and is now closed (but will become some auxiliary space for Brix).

·         New Additions:  The Barrel House, Barley & Rye, Broken Saddle Saloon, Steel Head Tavern, and Pub 1848 (initially The Landing).

Finally, and after many months, a new addition to my Favorite Bartenders List:  Good work, Nina at the Smoking Dog Pub!

Bars since the June 18 post ( * - new to my list):


Jimmie Lee's
Montana Jack's
Peacock"s
It's On The River
Corner Grill
* Mountain View Bar & Grill (Colorado Springs Airport)
TGI Friday's (Colorado Springs)
Jack Quinn's (Colorado Springs)
Paddlewheel
129
Wide River Winery
Bad Boy'z Pizza - Davenport
Brix
Bleyart's
Osaka (Dav.)
Duey's
G's Riverfront Café
Lindsay Park Yacht Club
Steventon's
The Edge
Purgatory's Pub
Rick and Kathy's
* Waterbar
* Byron Hills Golf Course
Governor's (Bettendorf)
Steel Head Tavern
* Broken Saddle Saloon
* On The Rock Grille
* Candlelight (Clinton)
Captain's Table
Riverside Grille
Buffalo Wild Wings (Dav.)
Crust
Red Lobster

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