Last call for popular watering hole

June Casagrande

It was the kind of place where comfort was king. They served comfort

food like potpies and liver and onions, they served it in a

comfortable atmosphere and they offered the greatest comfort of all:

friendship.

And it’s the friendships that will be missed most when the Yankee

Tavern closes its doors for good on at the end of the day on Sunday.

“It’s a place where a lot of people come and feel really

comfortable. It’s home for a lot of people, including myself,” said

Chris Travis, a Yankee Tavern manager for about four years. “There’s

no place like Yankee Tavern. We’re unique in Newport Beach for sure,

especially on the water.”

Sunday will be the last day for the popular locals hangout, which

is closing due to financial constraints, Travis explained, adding

that the tavern never fully recovered after the economic downturn of

Sept. 11.

The restaurant and bar opened in 1989 and has been a magnet for

locals who enjoy the homey atmosphere and the friendships. About 70%

of the restaurant customers are local. Of the customers who come in

just to enjoy a drink at the bar, locals represent about 90%.

“It’s the kind of bar where you can come in by yourself and not

feel alone. You probably know five or six people who are already

sitting down at the bar,” Travis said.

Owner David Salisbury has been planning to open a new restaurant

on the peninsula at the former Tale of the Whale site. Many Yankee

Tavern employees will take jobs in Harborside, Salisbury’s new

eatery. No one knows yet what will come next to the Yankee Tavern’s

Bayside Drive location.

“We’ll really miss them,” said Mayor Steve Bromberg, who, with

wife Ronnie, is a longtime Yankee Tavern regular. “They were a really

good gathering place for locals.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

[email protected].