9/04/2014 Update: A fond farewell to G’s.

In Port Byron, the Riverbottom Chop House formally changed hands from G’s Riverfront Cafe on August 1, and stayed open through Tugfest during some light remodeling.  They then closed for the remainder of August and began their two day invite-only soft opening Sep 3.  We are RSVP’d for the 4th, and are looking forward to see the changes, though we’ll certainly miss G’s.  Not only was it a top notch restaurant with fare every bit on a par with Duck City, Le Figaro, and Bass Street Chop House (though priced a little more reasonably), you could count on some of the finest musicians randomly taking the stage after Jeff Miller (the dinner time entertainment, and a great musician in his own right) finished up at 9.  While the remaining lineup varied with who was in town, you’d usually see owner and chef Dave Killinger, veteran of Tortilla Flats and the 70’s QC/Clinton music scene, taking the stage around ten with sous chef Paul Mikles on bass, son Graham Killinger on drums, and virtuoso Kevin Hamilton on lead guitar.  Dave is one of the finest and nicest people I’ve ever met, and I wish him a wonderful retirement.  New owner Bob Case, we’re looking forward to a new food and entertainment destination in Port Byron!    

Dave Killinger

and here's Dave doing what he was best known for (along with Kevin Hamilton): 

http://youtu.be/MrOQOfz5jlM

I heard the The Railhouse (formerly Jesse’s Saloon) in Silvis had remodeled, but I was surprised at the extent – big square bar replaced by a long bar on the west wall, knotty pine (I think) paneling throughout, corrugated steel Quonset hut ceiling polished up, and clean!  Maybe the changes will help them remodel their reputation, too.

It had been so long since I’d been in Lunardi’s in Davenport that I couldn’t remember if they had a bar – they do, I bellied up, and it’s added to my list.  My fourth addition for this post is America’s Pub, a place I’d been to probably 15 + years ago and forgot about until my friend Dave mentioned the name.  It occupied the west end of the Freight House in Davenport where the Farmer’s Market now resides.

That brings my total to 533, and my What’s Left list back at 10.  Tried to reduce that a little more by stopping at the VIP Bar & Grill on 17th St. in Rock Island, but I guess I have to find out what their hours are.  I don’t know what it is about Rock Island, but I’ve taken five or six stabs (pun intended) at hitting the Platinum Club during posted business hours with no luck, and it took a couple of tries at the Last Chance Lounge (which now is the VIP Bar) before I got in.

Longtime resident at the top of my “Worst Ten Dives”, Big Daddy’s in Davenport’s Hilltop area, has closed.  To review, here’s what I wrote when I came out with my first list: 

“…it felt more like a homeless shelter than a tavern.  The insane man who had been speaking unintelligibly to the bartender never missed a beat as I walked past him to a stool three down from his, and became the focus of his one way conversation.  More impressive was that as he turned toward me, the 8 inch string of drool hanging from his beard didn’t fall to ground.  Thankfully he left after 5 minutes, causing me to notice the volume level of the couple further down, who apparently had been there quite a while spending up what was left of their disability checks.  On the plus side, Big Daddy’s feels like the kind of place you can go when you’ve been kicked out of everywhere else.  I finished my tepid can of Lite, and went home to take a shower.”

This moves the balance of the worst ten up a notch (congratulations, Reggie’s Fox Den, new #1!), but I now have to pick a new number 10.  That would be… Sneaky Pete’s in LeClaire.  Would have never considered it before, but the last time we were in, it smelled like the State Fair.

Other bar news:

- I expressed curiosity and concern last post about what happened to Christopher D’s red and yellow awnings.  They have been replaced by a single black awning over the half that still is Christopher D’s; the other (north) half is now a hair salon.

- Work is coming along on the Holiday Inn on Elmore Ave, and I expect to be adding The J Bar to my list next post.

- Grumpy’s Saloon in the Village of East Davenport has apparently done some remodeling, and will soon be offering live music.  I usually bypassed this place when in the village, but I’ll be stopping in, especially since my normal Thursday night hangout is gone.

- Speaking of which, It’s On The River in Port Byron did close on August 17th, and as I find out more about the landlord situation and the owner’s plans, the more my hopes of a buyer stepping forward to rescue it fade.

- Besides Big Daddy’s and It’s, the only other casualty I’ve noticed is Murphy’s in Rock Island.  The number of bars in my directory drops from 308 to 305, with no actual openings since my last post.

More talent from G's stage - this is Olivia Dvorak: http://youtu.be/WMfakx7Vhks

Bars since my July 29th post (* - new to my list)

* The Railhouse

Rick & Kathy's

Fargo

Biaggi's

Bleyart's

Front Street Tap Room

Barrel House 211

The Oasis

Waves (Isle Of Capri)

Bier Stube Leclaire

129

Candlelight (Clinton)

Wide River Winery (Clinton)

River House

Red Ginger

Broken Saddle Saloon

* Lunardi's

* Lookout Bar & Grill (Delavan, WI)

* Waterfront Pub (Delavan, WI)

* Fireside Lounge (Delavan, WI)

11th St Precinct

The Edge

Crust

Valley Inn

Sneaky Pete's

Wide River Winery

Peacock"s

It's On The River

The Doc's Inn

Clint's

* Riverbottom Chop House

Duey's

Jimmie Lee's

Smoking Dog Pub

M D Green's

Icons

Daiquiri Factory

Bier Stube Moline

Brix

Waterbar

Governor's (Bettendorf)

Duck City Bistro

TGI Friday's

Mulligan's Valley Pub

Thunder Bay

Backwater Jack's

Pub 1848

Steel Head Tavern

Blue Iguana