Miller’s Field in Pacific Beach has a revamped menu and image celebrating its 10th anniversary in the beach community.
The decade-old sports bar, known as the home base for Kentucky, Penn State and West Virginia fans, Miller’s has a less-cluttered look and feel now.
“We’ve taken down some of the massive volume of paraphernalia we had before,” said Miller gm John Wantz.
A “sleeker” menu at Miller’s now emphasizes quality over quantity.
Renowned for its burgers and monster buffalo wings, Wantz said the establishment’s gone in a different direction in re-inventing its menu.
Buffalo wings, for instance, which used to be breaded and fried, are now served roasted.
Head chef Silvano Renteria is excited about the changes and the opportunity to showcase his ability to pair unique flavors and textures on otherwise traditional dishes. For example, he’s created a pizza with tequila-cured salmon baked atop a base of spinach and artichoke cheese spread, topped with capers, onions and cilantro. He and his staff have captured freshness and sophistication in the Miller’s Field menu while maintaining the sports bar’s identity.
“Before the changes, we had the same menu almost since we opened – heavy, early sports-bar food, fried, with tons of big plates,” Wantz said. “We added some healthier options, while creating more shareable plates of appetizers focusing more on the quality of the product. We lightened up our faire, cut out a lot of the fried stuff.”
Making things more current has contributed greatly to Miller’s rebranded, updated image.
“We decided to freshen things up, make us a 2017 sports bar, not an early 2000’s sports bar,” said Wantz, noting the idea was to polish the image, not change it entirely.
“We wanted to embrace our sports culture,” said Wantz acknowledging, “Sports orientation is our bread and butter.”
Of the rebranding, Wantz said, “We’re trying to be more activity-based. Instead of people just coming here to eat or watch sports, we’re having fun, interactive events, like ‘Family Feud’ night.”
A takeoff on the popular TV game show where contestants try to predict the audience’s most popular answers, Wantz said Miller’s version of the quiz show employs teams addressing sports-related questions to win prizes, like Miller’s gift cards.
Noting “variety is something more than the size of the dish – or the drink,” the general manager noted Miller’s has downsized, from 32 to 24 ounces, the size of its brews served in mason jars. He said they discovered that keeps drinks cooler and avoids waste.
The drink menu at Miller’s has also transformed under the direction of bar manager Jeff Shallcross. Sugary beach cocktails have given way to more mature, timeless craft cocktails like rum-based old fashions, modernized mules, and a mezcal-based, pina-colada infusion showcasing smoky flavors of coconut and strawberry.
Wantz added the culinary and cocktail “shift” is a work in progress.
“We’ll be constantly evaluating our changes listening to feedback from our customers,” he said.
Owner Glen Miller founded the establishment back in 1989 as Pizzeria Uno. In 2007, it transitioned into the more sports-related Miller’s Field with a massive renovation. State-of-the-art TVs and a sound system were put in, allowing patrons to watch different games in different areas.
Wantz said Miller’s will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer with a big party, the details of which will be forthcoming.
“We just want to give thanks to the community for allowing us to be here that long, and for continuing to support us,” he said. “If we weren’t so heavily visited by people here in PB – we probably wouldn’t have lasted.” Miller’s Field
Where: 4465 Mission Blvd.
What’s new: Revamped food and drink menus; 10th anniversary celebrated this year.
Info: 858-483-4143, www.millersfield.com