Impromptu date nights are always fun, especially on a snowy winter evening. That’s right…we had snow. It’s been a balmy 50 degrees all winter and then, BAM! Hail and snow. I didn’t get too excited since it wasn’t much, barely even a dusting. Like powdered sugar sprinkled on lemon bars. By a very stingy baker.
Anyways…..we decided to have one last dinner at the original Red Robin in Eastlake before it permanently closes later this month (due to the old building needing lots of work or something ridiculous like that). Sad sad news.
There’s just something special about dining where it all started. The cool retro signs and decor set it apart from every other Red Robin. Not to mention, it has great views of Portage Bay during the day and the fun atmosphere is supercharged with young families and college kids from nearby UW.
Nobody ever said date nights had to be intimate and quiet. Or fancy. We rode the bus. And didn’t even get to sit by each other on it.
(please excuse the bad photos…didn’t want to get milkshake on our good camera)
Where the burger goodness started, over 60 years ago
According to the website:
1940s: Red Robin started as a tavern near the University of Washington in the 1940’s. It was called Sam’s Tavern. Sam sang in a barber shop quartet and loved to sing the song “When the red robin goes bob bob bobbin along…” Sam eventually changed the name of his tavern to Sam’s Red Robin.
1969: Over the years Sam’s Red Robin simply became Red Robin. It was transformed from the tavern into the first Red Robin restaurant that opened in a 1,200 square-foot building perched on a Seattle hilltop.
There’s your history lesson for the day.
My first visit to a Red Robin was somewhere in Arizona when we went to cheer on K-State at the Fiesta Bowl back in college. Oddly, I think I’ve only had a hamburger once in all the many times I’ve eaten at a Red Robin. I like the wraps and chicken sandwiches. Accompanied by the tasty fries, of course. And even more odd, Todd always gets a crispy chicken tender salad. No tomatoes. He says it’s like the best salad ever. I’ve tried to duplicate it, but can’t get my crispy chicken tenders to be as crispity crunchity.
Don’t cry because it’s over…..smile because it happened.
Ok, at least there are 14 other locations in the Seattle area, but this one was special. Miss you already.
Hopefully we can dine there next week before they close up!
I’m sad that I never knew about the original. Red Robin definately ranks in my top 3 for hamburgers. My first experience was when I moved out here 2 years ago and ate at the Redmond/Bellevue location. The wife and I had “Red Robin Monday Night Date Night” for quite awhile.