Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal Business partners Nate Lance, left, and Damon George have opened Mulligan's restaurant and sports pub in the old Tequila Dan's building on Highway 50.
There's an angry red-haired Irishman gnashing his teeth on Highway 50 East, and he's part of the logo for the new Mulligan's restaurant and sports pub.
Owners Nate Lance and Damon George invested about $250,000 into the restaurant, including $150,000 for the remodel.
"We want a nice, relaxing atmosphere where people can watch sports and play pool in a friendly, fun atmosphere," Lance said Tuesday. "That's a big part about what we're trying to accomplish."
The week-old restaurant took the building once occupied by Tequila Dan's, a restaurant that fell into hard times when the Carson City bypass construction blocked off one of its entrances. It closed in late March.
The Irishman isn't discontented about construction congestion; Mulligan's has a clear front beside an overpass that is starting to look like an economic opportunity.
"We haven't had any major road closures to affect us like it did Tequila Dan's. The traffic counts are amazing and it's going to be great when the bypass opens."
He wants the restaurant to contain something for everyone, even those who aren't glassy eyed before the plasma screen or the seven other flatscreens.
The new bar will soon have 15 video poker machines, after they secure the gaming permit.
For families, the owners added five video games, a jukebox, two pool tables and a smoke ventilation system. For the beer drinkers, there are 10 varieties on tap.
"We have fish and chips and old world pub food, burgers, clams and mussels. We wanted to get away from the typical bar food."
Lance, 35, has worked in the restaurant business for 20 years. He previously worked at the Brewhouse in Reno.
He also owned the Beer Barrel in Reno until selling it in 2000. Lance said he's wanted to open a Mulligan's, which isn't a chain, just a popular golf-related name, since then but considers the Reno market too pricey.
"Reno priced itself out of our market. To do this there we'd have to spend $600,000. And the rent's so expensive. It would be $400,000 for rent there."
The owners rent the 2300 Highway 50 E. building from the state.
Mulligan's is open at 11 a.m. daily. The kitchen closes at 1 a.m. and the bar closes at 2 a.m. daily.
- Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.