Timbers Bar & Grill

By FoodChannel Editor | February 1, 2010 3:47 am

‘You’re never too far from your neighborhood bar.’

That’s the theme of Timbers Bar & Grill, and with multiple locations in the Las Vegas area, it has to be true.

Kathleen Hovietz, Marketing Manager for the chain, tells us, ‘It means you walk in and see familiar faces. We recognize you, what you like to eat, games you like to play, the complete experience.’

The concept began in 1996, with the creation of lodge-themed, comfortable atmosphere complete with wood furniture, heavy timber accents and fireplaces.

‘You walk in and feel you are in Montana, or Oregon . . . with a little Las Vegas flair,’ says Tony Morrison, who manages all locations. ‘It’s not true rustic, but it’s got that feel, with all the modern conveniences.’

Conveniences like video poker games lining the bar, and multiple flat screens displaying your sports of choice. ‘People who are football fans,’ says Morrison, ‘well, they stop their lives to watch.’

Timbers feeds the fan frenzy in several ways, like promotions such as Timbers Touchdown, where they give away over $100,000.00 in weekly drawings.

They also work hard to make sure that they provide value to their customers. ‘People are looking for a good product,’ says Morrison. ‘We never jeopardize the quality of our product or the level of our service.’

That means that the food is another all-important way Timbers feeds the needs of its customers.

Whether you are craving fish and chips, ribs, chicken, or just about any comfort food, this neighborhood bar is the place to come.

‘The menu is reviewed regularly,’ says Morrison, ‘but we always retain the basic bar food. Any change is more about how we can make it better.’ That may be why they’ve won ‘best bar food’ in a local poll for four years in a row.

‘We take the chicken wing seriously,’ Morrison deadpans. The wings (which sell for 35 cents on Wing Wednesdays) have a nice kick and a lot of flavor.

Fact is, they take all of their food seriously, starting with breakfast, served from 7-11 a.m. daily and until noon on Sunday. Tip: ask for the Baby Bear.

Or, come in for the appetizers—just don’t expect typical bar food. The Open Range Combo Platter, for example, gets you started in the right way with Buffalo wings, onion rings, Mozzarella Logs and a helping of what they call their Mountain of Nachos.

Try the Mountain Wildfire Chili, made with pork, beef, beans and secret spice, topped with cheese, onions, sour cream and served with warm flatbread. Or one of the half-pound Angus Burgers with your choice of cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, or even one of the great onion rings.

Then there are the St. Louis-style Pork Ribs, which are steamed in liquid smoke until they are fall-off-the-bone sweet and tender.

The Grilled Tilapia with a chipotle lime accent that has turned the fish into a house specialty (and yes, The Food Channel crew kept going back for second and third bites—this was one dish that stopped us in our tracks).

Tilapia is also used in the Baja Fish Tacos that are served with a spicy sour cream sauce. ‘We went through a lot of testing,’ explains David Connors, who serves as the Kitchen Manager across all Timbers locations. ‘There is a lot of bland tilapia out there, but this is a slam dunk.’

The Beer Battered Fish and Chips have also been through extensive testing to get to the best flavor to complement the flaky fillets. ‘We played with all type of beer, and found that an Amber or darker gives us the best results,’ says Connors. They also hand cut their own fish, so you get full pieces hand-dipped in the beer batter.

The attention isn’t lost on the side dishes, too. The coleslaw has a vinegar-based sauce that is light enough for the flavor of the actual vegetables to come through. Like their other sauces, it’s made in-house specifically to help bring out the flavor of their food without being overpowering.

The Apple Cobbler for dessert has a crispy, caramelized crunch from the streusel crumb crust. It’s completely shareable, but you may not want to!

All in all, it makes you rethink bar food.

So go ahead, belly up.

Get a specialty margarita, or a Timber-tini served straight-up. The Big Bear Bloody Mary is served in a 22 oz glass, and the Montana Slammer is served with a float of Sloe Gin.

You’ll be greeted when you walk through the front door. Drinks are refilled before you ask.

It’s all part of being in the neighborhood. After all, with Timbers in town, ‘You’re never too far from your neighborhood bar.’

See our blog from the Las Vegas tour, here.
Hear more from Timbers Bar & Grill here.