Behind the Scenes at Durkin’s Liquor Bar

On Friday nights, the upstairs restaurant fills up early and stays busy until long after the sun sets, the galley kitchen and bar serving as a crowded ballet delivering up drinks, oysters, french fries and more on vintage plates to guests all evening long.

From the tin ceiling just as Jimmie Durkin left it to the Edison bulbs lighting their basement and Spokane’s favorite burger in between, Durkin’s Liquor Bar has proved itself as an establishment both committed to supporting the local culinary scene as well as setting the standard for others.

We spent the day with Green, Poffenroth and Executive Chef Jarrott Moonitz as they worked their way through some Durkin’s staples and tested out items that might find their way onto the restaurant’s Spring menu or at a later date. They shared stories of the past, their family and what they see for the future of the restaurant and Spokane.