With a self-pour beverage wall, a hidden entrance to a private room, and a dumbwaiter that connects to the Gilded Unicorn’s kitchen below, Griffin Tavern will be anything but ordinary. 

The modern, British pub-style establishment is expected to open in April at 1001 W. First, in the space previously occupied by Brooklyn Deli, which closed in 2023.

“We want a really comfortable, fun atmosphere that plays into the downtown entertainment district,” says Jeff Cooney, general manager of the Steam Plant Restaurant Group. “You have the Bing. You have the Fox. You have the Knitting Factory. We want a place that people of all sorts of genres can come in and enjoy.”

In addition to the planned Griffin Tavern, the Steam Plant Restaurant Group includes Gilded Unicorn, Steam Plant Restaurant & Brew Pub, Sapphire Lounge, and the Montvale Event Center, all of which fall under the Ruby Hospitality umbrella.

Griffin Tavern and Gilded Unicorn, both located in the Montvale Hotel building, will be connected by a staircase, and a dumbwaiter will transport items between their kitchens. If business is slower at the tavern on certain weeknights, Griffin Tavern's kitchen will close and the Gilded Unicorn kitchen will prepare the food, which will then be sent up via the dumbwaiter.

The two entities will have separate menus but will share the staff and management team. Cooney says there will be about 30 employees between Griffin Tavern and Gilded Unicorn.

“Trying to save on labor, that’s the name of the game nowadays,” Cooney says.

Maybe the most notable feature planned at Griffin Tavern will be the self-pour beverage wall.

“It’s going to be something cool for Spokane,” says Cooney. “We wanted to bring something downtown that’s different.”

The self-pour wall will consist of 20 taps, most which will be for beer, although wine and cider options also will be available.

To use the wall, patrons of Griffin Tavern will be given an electronic fob that they can press against the accompanying screen of whichever tap they choose. To generate a total cost, the fob will keep track of how many ounces each guest pours.

Rendering above shows plans for the main dining area at Griffin Tavern, as well as the self-pour beverage wall near the bar.
-Mint Interiors

“Our goal is to not only have a beer wall, but have the best beer selection,” Cooney says.

Griffin Tavern will feature beers that are less commonly found at bars and restaurants in Spokane, he explains. It also will include some options from local breweries.

In addition to the beverage wall, the tavern will have a traditional full bar that includes liquor and a specialty cocktail menu.

The food menu will reflect the pub-style atmosphere of the tavern, with a variety of handhelds, some flatbread options, and a few entrees such as a fish and chips dish.

Because it's located in downtown's entertainment district, Griffin Tavern will aim to enhance the area by hosting live music and possibly trivia nights. The venue also will feature projectors with large screens, Cooney adds.

The main seating area at the tavern will have roughly 100 seats, and a private dining room will accommodate about two-dozen guests.

The private room will have a hidden entrance, like that of a speakeasy. What appears to be a normal bookshelf will actually be the door to the room.

Guests who rent out the private room likely will be able to order off of the Gilded Unicorn menu, Cooney adds.

An additional phase of the Griffin Tavern project is planned for this summer, when the lease runs out for the Simple Wildflower boutique, which is also located in the Montvale building, in the space just south of the tavern.

Cooney says that space likely will be turned into a takeout area with some pool tables.

“We don’t know if the to-go area will be like Griffin-To-Go, or if we’ll actually put another name on it and do a separate venue,” Cooney explains. 

To accommodate increased demand from the tavern, an office area in the Gilded Unicorn has been transformed into a food-prep kitchen. Most of the kitchen equipment also has been replaced, Cooney adds.

Once the tavern is open upstairs, the plan is to do more renovations at Gilded Unicorn, including building out a new bar, creating a new server area, and replacing the carpet in the restaurant, Cooney says.

“We want to really showcase two different experiences, but experiences that complement each other,” Cooney says.

Initially, Griffin Tavern will be open seven days a week: 4-11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 3 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.

Ruby Hospitality is owned by prominent Spokane developer Jerry Dicker.

Through Ruby Hospitality and his affiliated companies, including GVD Commercial Properties Inc., Dicker owns multiple Inland Northwest hotels, event venues, and restaurants, including Hotel Ruby, Montvale Hotel, Steam Plant Hotel, The Bing Crosby Theater, Caruso’s Sandwiches & Artisan Pizza, and Rosie’s Restaurant.