Here’s an idea for this Halloween: The Godfather, not the Francis Ford Coppola film, but a unique, giant bloody mary drink concocted by Gryffs Pub owner Ashley Summers. Alongside this imagine a topping, unlike anything you’ve had with a cocktail. One that imitates a full platter of breakfast, lunch and dinner on top of your drink. Picture the ingredients and a place that can come up with such a thing and you’ll have the new spot for food and drinks in Eugene — Gryffs Pub.
A new restaurant and bar located west of Eugene on Bailey Hill Road that will have its opening on Oct. 31. Doors will open at 10:00 a.m and, for those looking for something festive to do, they’ll have several costume contests and raffles throughout the day — some of which include a dog costume contest, a Harry Potter-themed costume contest and an overall best costume, according to Summers. Even if you won’t be dressing up, they will have tastings from several patrons; Summers said places like Good Life, Hop Valley, Pendleton, Jim Beam, Three Olives, Pelican, Worthy and more will be there.
Even if you already have Halloween plans, I suggest stopping by and flipping through their menu. On Oct. 6, Gryffs had a soft opening and to my surprise, the place looked busy — people drinking and eating, tables filled and customers ordering take-out. It almost seemed like a place that had been there for years.
“It was really busy, but it was good. The team just jumped right in,” Summers said. You can see her in the restaurant moving from table to table and waiter to waiter, serving cocktails, taking orders, giving orders and making sure everyone is OK.
She’s also the owner of another Gryffs Pub in Springfield, where it opened in the spring of 2019, according to Summers. The new location follows the same themes in food and drinks except for one food item: pizza. Summers said the Springfield location doesn’t serve pizza, and she hopes this new item will benefit the Eugene location.
The menu itself has a combination and flow of different things to pick from, and each month there will be a specialty menu for cocktails. For this month, it’s themed around the famous characters from Harry Potter that will feature a creative spin of adding wizards and spirits to the cocktail menu. The house menu features cold and hot cocktails, shooters and shots and the big and the blended drinks, all of which are named after songs from one musician or another and other popular culture references.
“My favorites would have to be Butterflies In Her Eyes and Back That Ass Up,” Matt Clemmons, a waiter at Gryffs, said. The drinks range in price, from $6 to $12 and they also have beer on tap and wine. As for the menu, you’ll see some creative dishes alongside the names of well-known cartoon characters. For burgers, there’s the Ren & Stimpy with bacon, blue cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion and the Rick & Morty with bacon, pickles, sautéed onions and peanut butter.
For breakfast, it’s all dog-themed with names like Snoopy, a 6 ounce sirloin steak that comes with eggs, potatoes and toast; Santa’s Little Helper, a chicken fried steak with chipotle sausage gravy, eggs, toast and potatoes; and the Scooby-Doo dish which is eggs, cheese, home fries, pork belly, mushrooms and onions, topped with sour cream and Pico de gallo.
If you visit this Halloween, check out The Godfather. It is a big bloody mary cocktail with an even bigger set of toppings. For $30, you get a drink made of vodka and tomato juice with toppings including shrimp, lemon and lime, cheese curds, jalapeño poppers, pepper and Colby Jack cheese, asparagus, green beans, two mini sliders, pizza bites, salami, pepperoni and bacon: a drink that fits well for a Halloween Sunday shared with friends and maybe even brunch.
“There’s not a lot to this neighborhood. I want this spot to be a regular tank for people on this side of town,” Summers said. “Your options here are either fast food or bars that are just 21 and over. I want the place to be accessible to everyone.”
Every day, Gryffs is looking more suited for its grand opening, and no doubt what lies ahead is only the beginning. Follow them on Facebook to see what food and drink items are coming and any new events they will be hosting.
