Do you have any old photos of Spokane's Red Lion Pub and Barbecue? Its new owner, Jonathan "Jon" Tampien, might want to speak with you.
Unlike the generations of Red Lion patrons who've frequented the Division Street establishment since it opened in 1959, Tampien wasn't very familiar with the place until a few years ago. He's been enjoying learning about its history since buying the pub in February 2020.
"I've always wanted to have more like a pub, where people come in and watch sports, and have good food," says Tampien, who grew up in Moses Lake, attended Whitworth University, ran a bar in Puerto Vallarta and then spent six years in the military.
In 2012, the retired Army veteran settled in Spokane, coached youth baseball and — when his friend and Red Lion's prior owner, Tony Talotti, said the family was looking to sell the pub — became a restaurant owner.
"This spot was hard to say no to," Tampien says. "The building was in pretty good shape, minus the inside."
In a story familiar to many from the 2020 pandemic shutdown, however, Tampien had to decide whether to keep operating the business under challenging conditions or to close it and use the time to address long-term projects. Tampien chose the latter.
Originally he planned on updating the bar area. But the more he looked at the pub's interior, the longer his project list grew, Tampien says.
"[The pub] probably had been cleaned and [kept up], but it was a hundred-year-old building," says Tampien, who also works with his father flipping houses.
Those construction skills came in handy during the Red Lion renovations. Tampien's younger brothers, Jordan and Joel, have also developed numerous local food venues, including Brick West Brewing Co.
To date, Tampien gutted the pub's interior, replaced the knob-and-tube wiring and upgraded the plumbing. He replaced floors and wood trim, refurbished stained glass windows, and rearranged several spaces, including the bathrooms.
Tampien also worked with Spokane's Historic Preservation Office to learn about the neighborhood, and bought period photographs from Spokane Public Library's Northwest Digital Collections to adorn the restaurant's walls. Most of them show nearby Main Avenue, but Tampien is still looking for images of Red Lion's early days.
The original, newly refinished bar is likely from a 1920s-era drinking establishment in Spokane, but the front section where patrons sit is newer. Combined, the bar area is a fitting showpiece for the pub synthesizing old and new traditions.
To revamp Red Lion's food menu, Tampien brought aboard chef Noah Leffel.
Leffel's resume includes roles with Eat Good Group, the Globe Bar & Kitchen, and Zola, as well some once-popular places that now exist in Spokane restaurant history: Herbal Essence Cafe, Isabella's Restaurant & Gin Joint, and Geno's Traditional Food and Ales.
In developing the menu, Leffel kept some Red Lion customer favorites like the fry bread, which is included with all salads. The fry bread — or fried bread, as it's also known — is also a side choice with any burger ($11-$13), sandwich ($13-$16) and combo plate ($19-$28). The latter offers a choice of ribs, brisket (including brisket burnt ends), steak, smoked chicken or locally made Sonnenberg sausage.
Another Red Lion fave is the wine-broiled chicken, featured on the menu as a special.
"We'll just have it till it's gone, one day a week, so people can look forward to that," says Leffel, who anticipates Wednesdays to be the day for the dish.
Barbecue is a big deal at Red Lion, says Leffel, who still uses the pub's original barbecue sauce recipe. One of his favorite meals is the tri-dip sandwich ($15): tri-tip steak with Swiss cheese, grilled onions and horseradish mayo on a bun.
Recipes for Red Lion's wine-broiled chicken and its barbecue sauce are closely guarded secrets. In fact, when TV producers for the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives arrived in Spokane more than 10 years ago, the Talottis declined to be featured because it would mean giving up their family's treasured recipes (which Tampien acquired when he bought the business).
Leffel has added new dishes, too. Try The Coug ($14), a sirloin burger with Cougar Gold cheese and jalapeño bacon jam; a southern BLT ($13) with fried, green tomatillos; or the charcuterie board ($17).
Also try Slop Bucket Nachos ($15/$18), with choice of chicken, steak, ground beef or barbecued jackfruit over house-made tortilla chips with Cougar Gold queso and the usual accompaniments like olives, tomatoes and guacamole.
Red Lion also offers a weekday lunch special ($12), from 11 am to 2 pm: ham and Swiss or turkey and cheddar sandwiches with one side (try the mac 'n' cheese) and a cookie.
"The nice part about here is we have a good luncheon and dinner crowd, so we don't have to stay open late," Tampien says.
What's next for the Red Lion? The exterior, says Tampien, who's seen social media posts asking if the restaurant is open yet because of its pared-down appearance. It's been open, however, since February.
After removing old awnings and signage, Tampien had a black wash applied to the outside walls. He's still working with local design firm HDG Architecture to finish exterior remodeling, including restoring those old signs and adding new awnings.
Redoing the patio area is also in the works, Tampien says.
"We'll probably do it after St. Patrick's Day when it gets trashed so we don't have to do it again," he says with a laugh. ♦
Red Lion Pub and Barbecue • 126 N. Division St. • Open daily 11 am-close • facebook.com/redlionpubandbbq • 509-315-9613
