Ivar's Acres of Clams "O-fish-ially" Reopens July 1
Iconic Seattle waterfront restaurant makes a splash with most significant remodel in 77-year history
SEATTLE, June 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- After a 273-day closure due to the Seawall Project construction, Seattle's original waterfront restaurant Ivar's Acres of Clams and Fish Bar "o-fish-ially" reopens its doors Wednesday, July 1. With the $20 million whale of a transformation comes a completely overhauled interior, including an expanded state-of-the-art kitchen, additional seating and Elliott Bay's best outdoor patio offering breathtaking views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains.
"This has been a long and extensive process to completely transform and modernize not only Ivar's Acres of Clams and our Fish Bar, but Pier 54 as well," said Bob Donegan, President of Ivar's. "We started as a single fish bar in 1938 and now have multiple operations on the pier. Ivar Haglund would be proud as we enter a new chapter while still honoring his legacy. We're thrilled to unveil this unprecedented remodel to our guests."
In addition to the physical renovation, Ivar's Acres of Clams Executive Chef Chris Garr has spent the last several months developing new menu items in the renovated kitchen, which is double the size of the previous version to allow for more seamless and expanded operations. Sample menu items include:
- Honey-Cured Smoked Scallops with baby frisee, shaved fennel, orange segments and toasted pine nuts
- Cornmeal and Parmesan Encrusted Razor Clams with Picholine olives, preserved lemon butter, capers, grape tomatoes and roasted baby Yukon Gold potatoes
- Ivar's-Style Paella with saffron risotto, Uli's picante chorizo sausage, prawns, clams, mussels, salmon, cod and a roasted tomato and pepper sauce
- Ivar's purists can still enjoy classic items like Ivar's Famous Clam Chowder and World-Famous Fish 'n Chips
Enjoying the food in a transformed setting, the new Ivar's Acres of Clams pays homage to its historical roots with a wharf-themed atmosphere, including original exposed beams, walnut blasted fir-lined ceiling and industrial lighting fixtures that exposes, expresses and celebrates the bones of the pier. It also features more dining possibilities than ever before with seating for more than 600 guests throughout the entire restaurant including the dining room, a large centralized bar and private dining space, aptly named after the Kalakala ferry. As the prize catch, Ivar's has also added a stunning new outdoor dining deck with seating for more than 140 complete with fireside tables and retractable awnings for al fresco dining in the shade or sun.
Throughout the interior, guests will spot historical touches, including the much-talked-about underwater billboard, a refurbished Galbraith-Bacon & Co. sign painted by the pier's original tenants from 1900, photos and vintage film clips of Ivar's "flounder," Ivar Haglund, through the years and much more.
The adjoining Fish Bar also received a major refresh with expanded and improved dining area for more than 230 guests, along with a newly designed ordering window and quick-serve kitchen. Guests that visit the Fish Bar can still feed French fries to the seagulls, which has been a tradition since the Fish Bar opened more than 77-years ago.
In addition to the interior renovation, the 55,000 square-foot pier received a revamp, including reinforcement of more than 180,000 pounds of galvanized steel and 760 tons of concrete, the addition of retail space, 20,000-square-feet of office space, new LED lighting to provide better illumination while using 80 percent less power, and an upgraded exterior envelope to greatly reduce heating and cooling needs.
Many of the pier changes meant taking extra steps to ensure that the surrounding environment was sound, including sanding the exposed fir beams and ceilings with walnut shells and replacing wooden pilings with galvanized steel to avoid harming Ivar's fish friends in the Puget Sound, utilizing reclaimed railroad rails throughout the space, and keeping lookouts on site to guarantee the renovation did not negatively impact whale or sea lion migration to Elliott Bay.
While the Seawall Project construction continues into 2016, taking a hiatus near Ivar's this summer, fencing and footbridges to the waterfront will remain in place for better access to Ivar's. Prominent directional signage will also be in place to guide guests to the Ivar's.
Starting July 1, Ivar's Acres of Clams is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Happy hour is offered nightly in the Clamdigger Lounge from 3 p.m. to close.
For more information on the grand opening, visit Ivar's website at www.ivars.com or follow Ivar's on Facebook (www.facebook.com/IvarsRestaurants), Twitter (https://twitter.com/IvarsClam) and Instagram (https://instagram.com/ivarsclam/).
About Ivar's
Ivar's Restaurants opened on Seattle's waterfront in 1938. Today, there are 23 Ivar's fast casual Seafood Bars and three full-service restaurants: Ivar's Acres of Clams, Ivar's Salmon House and Ivar's Mukilteo Landing. Ivar's Seafood, Soup and Sauce Company markets and sells its award-winning soups, chowders and sauces nationally and internationally. The company also operates regional stadium concessions including Safeco Field, CenturyLink Field, Alaska Airlines Arena, Husky Stadium and Cheney Stadium. Learn more at www.Ivars.com or Follow Ivar's on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.
SOURCE Ivar’s Restaurants
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