Charlie McManus is a bad ass, plain and simple. Sure, he uses locally grown produce to make food the Dalai Llama would put down with ease. And some macho moron might quip at his general avoidance of alcoholic beverages. But trust me. He’s a bad ass.

Take his work at the soon-to-debut (early October is the plan)  Crown Bar, for example. Most people fashion décor and color schemes with the help of a color wheel. Charlie McManus fashioned his after a painting of Steve McQueen by Tacoma’s own James Hume.

Most restaurateurs buy their way into somebody else’s concept after deciding they don’t want to be executives any more. Charlie McManus worked his way up from washing dishes to become one of Tacoma’s premier restaurateurs, earning praise far and wide from food critics and patrons for menus created at the now legendary Primo Grill.
His next project will tap into a tradition that began in 1875 when his grandfather purchased a bar in Toome Bridge, Ireland.

“Hospitality is in my blood,” says McManus, who immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1979.

The Crown Bar — occupying the site formerly run as Gary’s Steakout — takes its name from an establishment in Belfast that claims to be the most beautiful bar in the world. The Tacoma version won’t boast intricate Italian glass and woodwork, but it does have a painting of Steve McQueen hanging over a silver-painted rock fireplace. The space is small enough to be intimate, with dark woods, slender mirrors, and sparse décor. The bar isn’t peppered with neon or art glass. There are no plans for live music, but McManus promises a mix of comfortable classics for those who like music with their beer. This is a place to relax with friends, says the owner, and maybe watch some soccer.

“It just has this great bar feel to it,” he says. “It’s got great bones, and with the culinary slant we can bring to bare, this is going to be real fun. We want this to be a neighborhood bar.”

The menu will offer what McManus describes on the Primo Grill blog as “World Street Food.” Appetizers include currywurst — bratwurst with curry ketchup; quesadillas; Chicken Tikka, Cajun shrimp, spicy beef and veggie kebabs. Entrees will include locally grown, organic chicken, buttermilk fried; Thundering Hooves range-fed beef burgers; crispy trout with goat cheese-olive campfire potatoes; spice-rubbed hanger steak; grilled flat iron steaks; and fresh sea scallops. Meats and produce will be procured from local farmers Terry Carkner and Cheryl Ouelette. Salmon will be delivered from Nisqually fishermen.

“We have a great farm-to-table program through the Primo. The whole idea of supporting local farms is a big part of what we’re doing here,” says McManus. “We get our beef from Walla Walla. All our greens and fruit come from local farmers.”

Desserts will be made in house and will be anchored by apple pie, chocolate cake and crème brulee.

“Desserts will be classics, and they’ll be good,” says McManus.

Crown Bar also will offer a full bar with hand-mixed specialty cocktails and a short but eclectic affordable wine list by the glass and bottle. In-house specials will include favorites like hand-muddled mojitos and the signature Royal Citrus made with Crown Royal and citrus liqueur. The bar also will offer a selection of Belgian beers and a slate of classics.

McManus says the opening of the Crown marks a new direction for him and seeks to fill a niche in the neighborhood. This won’t likely be a raucous place to sup, he says, but it will be a great place to sit with friends, have a good, stiff drink and enjoy some amazing food with friends.

“We opened the Primo in 1999, when Sixth Ave was a ghost town,” he says. “Since then, so much has happened around here. But we still need a place like this. We see this as a great niche to fill.”

[Crown Bar, scheduled to open ealy October, 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, the Crown will close at midnight Tuesday through Thursday, 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 p.m. Sunday, 2605 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.4177]

Original Crown Bar

The original Crown Bar began as the Crown Liquor Saloon in Great Victoria Street, Belfast, and proclaims itself one of the greatest Victorian gin palaces in history. Today the Crown is renowned and “still well used by the people of Belfast,” according to the establishment’s Web site. A one-of-a-kind visual extravaganza, a veritable masterpiece in bar architecture, the place has served millions of patrons from all over the world since its opening in 1826.

The bar is known for its bank of 10 uniquely shaped, carved wooden booths, known as snugs. The so-called snugs were used to “slip a quick one,” and housed folk who wanted to have a quick drink in private, away from the eyes and judgment of Victorian prudes, who were relentlessly judgmental of folk who frequented public houses.
The original Crown’s snugs still sport gunmetal plates for striking matches and an antique bell system, which alerts bar staff to patron’s beverage needs.

It is commonly held that these snugs sheltered the creation of years of revolutionary conspiracy and clandestine activity.