John Sparr Tavern Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting

The wait is over. The John Sparr Tavern will be having an official ribbon cutting and grand opening event, complete with hors d’oeuvres, food bites and a champagne toast to celebrate, on Wednesday, Nov. 15 starting at 6 p.m. The grand opening festivities start the week of Nov. 13 and the Tavern will be having daily specials and offers for you to enjoy. The champagne toast will be at our special chamber mixer and ribbon cutting ceremony from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

If you haven’t stopped by the John Sparr Tavern yet, this is your chance. It is a showstopper – marble walls, tin ceilings, stained glass windows, custom tile work and much more. But the real star of the show is not the building; it’s the food and drinks.

“Good food, fine wine, craft beer and classic cocktails. That is what we want people to find when they come to the Tavern,” said the owner. On the menu, diners will find classic dishes such as jumbo shrimp cocktail, homemade starter soups and salads, steaks, short ribs, prime rib of pork, salmon, scallops and Julia’s Chicken made with a white vermouth crème sauce. The bar is fully stocked with the finest wines, a variety of hard-to-find craft beers and a complete list of classic cocktails. There is no end to the classic cocktails you can order. You can order a martini, an old fashioned, a Manhattan, a Moscow mule, a gin and tonic, a margarita, a Negroni, a Bloody Mary, a sidecar … and just about anything else. If you don’t see your drink on the menu, don’t worry; they still can make it for you.

No detail was overlooked in the making of this place. John Sparr Tavern owners Rick Powell and Dave Fink are ex-Disney Imagineers who have lived in Glendale for the past 30 years. With roots in upstate New York, they have fond memories of the cuisines and charm of the East Coast taverns of their youth and wanted to build one for everyone to enjoy right here in the Sparr Heights district of Glendale. The beautiful bar comes from upstate New York and was removed from a bar that was built in the 1940s. The ceiling is made of tin tiles to resemble the old style copper metal ceilings that were used in Victorian buildings in North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The pièce de résistance is the stained glass windows made by Sparr Heights own RD Gibbs. They are exquisite. Just in time for the holidays, the “backyard patio,” which seats 25, is a great open space that is perfect for parties. “Like” John Sparr Tavern on Facebook to get the most up-to-date information.

According to the owners, “The John Sparr Tavern has an east coast feel in terms of vibe, architecture and easy accessibility for the neighborhood. And that is what we wanted to create – a social gathering place in the neighborhood. We are so proud of the restoration work we have done on this old building and hope we have created an establishment that this wonderful neighborhood can be proud of!”

John Sparr Tavern, 3437 Ocean View Blvd., Glendale/Sparr Heights 91208. It’s open daily from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. (818) 957-7488.

Please join us for the 1st Annual Holiday Wine Walk on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. We at the chamber will be pouring Stella Platinum, a semi-sweet sparkling wine, and Bodega Sangria from the Riboli Family of Wines. Please stop by and say “hi.” We would love to see you. We are giving away free six-month residential memberships and have a raffle for two large baskets. Pictures will be posted soon on Facebook. See you there! For more information, log onto shopmontrose.com.

Upcoming events
John Sparr Tavern grand opening and ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at John Sparr Tavern, 3437 Ocean View Blvd., Sparr Heights 91208.

1ST Annual Holiday Wine Walk on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Montrose Shopping Park.

Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce: Your source for all things local! Our mission is to actively support and enrich the community, vitality and pride of Montrose, to help preserve the historic district and small town atmosphere, to promote economic stability and positive, productive relationships within Montrose and the surrounding communities.

  melinda clarke