River House Cafe under new ownership
Even though the River House Cafe is under new ownership, patrons will be pleased to know that the restaurant they love will be staying the same but with a few sprinkles of creativity by the chef.
The new owners, Rick Kalinowski, Jimmy Lemon and Nick Sebold, purchased the restaurant as an investment.
The menu could be described as traditional American food that includes pasta, seafood, burgers, wings, steak, pizza and everything in between.
Notable items on the menu include Diablo shrimp, chicken romano and their steaks.
“We didn’t change anything; we just added some things,” said Rick Kalinowski, one of the new owners. “We added daily specials, weekend specials and allowed the chef to freelance.”
The specials are usually something not on the menu and give the customers a new take or flavor on something they haven’t experienced before.
“Just giving everyone a reason to come in for something new while still having all the same things they come in for every day,” said Lemon.
Debbie and Rob Fix are devoted customers of the River House Cafe.
“The new ownership has brought an exciting, upbeat atmosphere where it’s a place with excellent food, service and fellowship with old and new friends,” said Debbie Fix. “Our favorite meals are the seafood medley and New Orleans chicken. Honestly, everything on the menu is delicious. We have been dining at the River House since it opened. It has been our home away from home.”
Jimmy Lemon said they wanted to give the chef, who has been there for 14 years, the freedom to get more creative with new-age concepts, styles of food and ideas. He said he wanted the chef to be willing to take risks and have the ability to create new foods that may not be traditional to the area.
“The majority of the menu is his recipes, but we are just letting him open up to full capacity now,” said Lemon.
Both Kalinowski and Lemon used to work at the River House Cafe years ago.
“Jimmy was a bartender and server while he was going through college, and I was here when they first opened. The owner called me and said they needed a bartender,” said Kalinowski. “We both fell in love with the place. I have been here on Saturday nights as a bartender ever since. Nick was a mutual friend who dined at the restaurant a lot that we both have gotten to know over the years. We all teamed up, and here we are today.”
Even though Kalinowski and Lemon worked at the restaurant, running a restaurant is a whole different ballgame.
“We are learning new things each and every day,” said Kalinowski.
Kalinowski said even though the restaurant is no longer family-owned and operated, they still have the family-first approach to everything they do, and their customers really appreciate it.
“River House Cafe is my all-time favorite restaurant,” said Karen Haluschak, a customer at River House Cafe. “It gives you the feeling of home when you enter the doors. The staff are extremely friendly. Any trepidation I had when it was sold was immediately squelched by Rick, Nick and Jimmy. They added staff and weekday specials during happy hour and showed a genuine interest in their clientele. Good friends, great food, friendly atmosphere. I just love the pistachio-encrusted salmon. It is definitely my absolute favorite.”
The River House Cafe originally opened in 2008 and is located in the Historic District of Charleroi. The new owners are working hard to provide their customers with a great all-around dining experience.
Each partner jumps in wherever necessary, whether it is bartending, cleaning up tables, serving, or back office-type stuff.
River House Cafe can seat about 150 patrons. They also do in-house, pick-up or delivery catering.
They changed a few minor things in the decor, but nothing major. Kalinowski said they are looking towards the future regarding things they can do with the building.
“We are trying to do new things to bring back the community, so to speak,” said Kalinowski. “We have a lot of things we are thinking about. “We have a big building here and are trying to figure out what we want to do with it.”
Lemon said they want to try to encourage development in the surrounding areas.
“Twenty-five years ago this area was the most popping place in the world,” said Lemon. “There were all kinds of stores and things like that. Over the last 30 years, all the small towns around the river have gone downhill. We just want to be a part of bringing the correct energy back into the small towns and give people a reason to come this way, and the other small shops will benefit because people are coming to this part of town.”
He said that maybe even more shops will open to give people more to do in the area after they finish dinner.
Hours of operation are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. They are closed on Sunday.
River House Cafe is located at 506 McKean Avenue in Charleroi. For more information, visit riverhousecafe-pa.com/menu.