THANK YOU!
BEST BAR! NEW OWNERS NEW LOGO SAME GREAT BEER!
1221 N. Stevens • 315-4547 • vikingbarandgrill.com
The team at Hugo’s
Thanks to you, young kwak photo
We’re still shakin’ things up!
Hugo’s
Best Cocktails Best Bar Menu Best Wine List Best Appetizers
on the hill
Best Bowling Center
A
s Tami Borja, a manager at Hugo’s, explains, “when you walk in, you’ll quickly find that the word ‘alley’ doesn’t apply.” She’s right. If you manage to pull your eyes away from the giant TVs which line the back wall, playing music videos by request from any decade, you’ll notice that the place is decked out in classy leather furniture and glitzy lighting, creating a top-shelf ambiance more in tune with a Las Vegas boutique bowling lounge than the dingy lanes of old. Once you’ve absorbed the décor, you’ll need to make some decisions. Should you hit the casino floor, the bar, grab some gourmet grub or play the lanes first? There may be no right answer. When asked what separates Hugo’s from the competition, Borja failed to mention the glamour or the great food — which includes their signature root-beer pulled pork, ahi sushi, halibut fish tacos — and the 20 different beers on tap. Her take on their success: “The people who work here. We want to make it so when people leave they say, ‘Wow, we had a good time and got a great bang for the buck.’ ”
They’re not lying, either: The staff is great. When I went in to bowl a few frames, I hardly had my bowling shoes laced before a server was taking orders for beer and appetizers. Borja explains that the service starts at the top. The management treats its staff well, which translates to the treatment of the customer. “It’s very much a family here. We have staff who’ve been with us for 10-15 years. Kitchen, servers and bartenders. That’s abnormal in this industry.” Not only does Hugo’s provide a unique bowling experience, it also gives back to the community. Every year it supports the Shawn Higgins Memorial Fund, founded after a member of the owner’s family died due to complications from diabetes. The group puts on fundraisers at Hugo’s to raise money for diabetes and sponsors a family retreat for more than 100 families living with diabetes. — ERIC GAVELIN 2nd PLACE: Lilac Lanes; 3rd PLACE: North Bowl; NORTH IDAHO’S BEST: Sunset Bowl, CdA
Best Happy Hour
Best Wine Bar
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BEST OF THE INLAND NW 2013 INLANDER 41