Rigby’s: A Neighborhood Place at the Beach
The real estate where Rigby’s Bar & Grill holds forth has some wonderful LGBT history. When I first got to town more than 15 years ago it was Harlow’s, an old-time gay bar, mostly welcoming guys, known for its happy hour and large drinking crowds. In the early 2000s it was Partners, still attracting a big gay bar crowd, but also offering inexpensive (but not always wonderful) food, and a welcome mat for women and gay-friendly straight folks, too.
Now, as Rigby’s Bar & Grill, the place seems finally to have gotten the recipe right. The bar is still hopping, often with the keyboard skills of Matt Kenworthy or John Flynn, the doors are wide open for an eclectic, diverse crowd, and finally, there is good news from the kitchen.
Owners John Glenstrup and John Black have engaged the services of Executive Chef Nick Carr, who has incorporated the popular farm to table concept with his American menus. Where former restaurants on this site seemed like an afterthought to the bar business, Rigby’s new menu and kitchen staff mean business.
The mid-priced menu (appetizers $7-10, small plates, pasta and burgers $9-13, and entrées $15-22) is ambitious and diverse, with wonderful choices for any taste, including vegetarian.
Our quartet of diners sampled quite a bit.
We enjoyed their crisp and tasty signature Caesar salad and two delicious soups—a nicely-spiced roasted red pepper and tomato soup and a carmelized Spanish onion soup, topped with a generous portion of manchego cheese. If you like beets like I do, the small plate of salt roasted beets with spiced walnuts, goat cheese, and chili oil is a winner.
Our entrees ranged from zuchinni pasta and a Bolognese papperdelle, to salmon in puff pastry, and seared scallops. The salmon dish arrived looking like a work of art and it tasted as good as it looked. Reports from the other side of the table included raves for the seared scallops with roasted mushrooms, rainbow chard, and pine nuts.
The best the four of us could manage after the delicious and plentiful dinner was a split of two desserts. The house-made cheese cake (actually made by owner John G.) was fabulous, and for chocolate lovers the dark chocolate soufflé with cream to pour atop it was marvelously decadent.
Specials abound at Rigby’s with Meatball Mondays ($12 all-you-can-eat spaghetti and home made meatballs), 25% Tuesdays for twenty-five percent off your meal in the dining room, and $12.75 for Prime Rib on Thursdays.
Having been a patron for Rigby’s Wednesday burger night, I can report that it’s a great deal for a terrific meal. Every Wednesday night you can enjoy a $7 burger, with fresh hand-cut fries—there are several kinds of burgers to choose from and it’s an enjoyable and inexpensive night out. Matt’s on the keyboard Wednesdays in the bar so the whole night is great fun.
And speaking of fun, are you a Gleek? Tuesdays are GLEEful at Rigby’s as the hit show is on in the bar and fans gather for the festivities. There are snacks and drink specials, a party atmosphere and a celebration of what some folks swear is the best show on television!
Rigby’s dining room is open Monday-Sunday from 5 p.m. with Sunday brunch served 10-2. So check out this famous Rehoboth real estate at 404 Rehoboth Avenue. Call 302-227-6080 for reservations. It’s got a past and I think, a great future.