Elrama Tavern’s owner got her happily ever after
Susie Grimm, owner of Elrama Tavern, pictured between two staff members.
Cheryl Szakal of Belle Vernon, Deb Fawcett of McKeesport and Bruce Boggs of New Castle enjoy lunch at Elrama Tavern.
The Elrama Tavern, which originally was a private residence, has a deck for dining al fresco.
Owning Elrama Tavern is Susie Grimm’s fairy tale.
Grimm, of Jefferson, was working as a real estate agent in 2005 when she walked into the neighborhood bar and restaurant for brunch. The owner at the time, Judy Pavlack, told Grimm if she knew anyone interested in buying a bar, it was for sale.
“I came back and bought it the next day,” Grimm says. “I was a bartender for 18 years, but didn’t know anything about the restaurant business. But I was a lousy real estate agent, and this place was so small, it looked manageable.”
And so, Grimm’s story began.
Grimm expanded the menu, which had been small, but unique – among the offerings was ostrich burger.
Lunch and dinner menus feature anything from grilled cheese and fried bologna sandwiches to crab cakes and prime rib sandwiches.
Favorites include prime rib (offered on Saturdays), steak salad and the farmer’s market salad (spinach, bacon, black beans, egg, cucumber, tomato, purple onion and mushrooms), the original steak sandwich (steak, provolone, green peppers, fried onions and mayo), a hand-tossed roasted vegetable pizza with an olive oil and garlic base, tavern nachos loaded with barbecue chicken and caramelized onions, and a meatless southwestern quesadilla filled with beans and peppers.
“On Saturdays, you have to get here fast if you want prime rib,” Grimm says. “We only have room in the oven for three, and it’s first come, first serve. I had someone say on Facebook they got here at 6 p.m. and we were sold out. They were happy with their dinner, but they really wanted the prime rib.”
Wings, burgers, skin-on fries, wraps and soup round out the menu.
Grimm has no professional culinary training, and relies on what she learned from her grandmother. “We sell a lot of food, and it’s a miracle, because I don’t really know how to cook. I just know how to do what my grandmother did,” she says, laughing. “We don’t cut corners, and we use fresh foods. I think people are surprised because the food is much fresher than they expect at a bar/restaurant like this.”
Customers won’t go thirsty at Elrama Tavern, either. In the fall, Grimm installed a new draft system that features a dozen draft beers. The glycol system includes a chiller that delivers cold beer from keg to tap.
“It’s the same system they use in commercial restaurants, which I love,” Grimm says. “You go to a rinky-dink place and you get a draft that’s kind of flat and not real cold. I love having a draft system.”
Drink specialties include a secret recipe Long Island iced tea and homemade sangria.
Food and drink specials are offered daily, and outside seating is available. On weekends, bands provide entertainment.
Before it was converted to a bar and restaurant, the tavern building was a private home. Grimm doesn’t know much about the history of the building, other than that it had three owners before she purchased it. The two-story wood building features eclectic, rustic decor and an upstairs room that can be reserved for private parties. Many of the objects and photos that adorn the walls were given to Grimm by customers.
One patron even made Grimm an exterior wooden sign, “because people drive past and don’t know we’re here. He wanted people to be able to see the place,” she says. “The other day, a guy came in and gave me some old jugs. I’ll use them somewhere.”
Grimm has 18 employees; among them are her two children, Dalton, 20, and Maddy, 18, who help out often.
A Thomas Jefferson graduate, Grimm credits her loyal and hardworking staff with the tavern’s success, and notes proudly that many of the cooks, bartenders and dishwashers who started working at the tavern more than 11 years ago are still employed there.
While she used to spend 16-hour days – sometimes longer – at Elrama Tavern when she opened it, Grimm has reduced her hours.
“I come in every morning, but I don’t spend as much time here as I used to,” she says. “I used to be here all the time. It can be all-consuming, and you have to learn to be like, ‘Hey, I have really good people; we’re in good hands.’ I’m lucky that way. This works. I have no idea how sometimes, but it just works.”
If Grimm were granted one wish, it would be to expand her kitchen and dining room. “I feel like we’ve grown to the point where we need more space,” she says. “Other than space issues, I love it here. I think owning this place has been unbelievably rewarding. I’m around such great people, and I have great customers. I love it.”
Elrama Tavern is located at 1520 State Route 83 in Elrama. For more information, visit elramatavern.com.