Westy’s Bar & Grill in Point Loma started out as a cross between an antique store and a restaurant-bar.
But 38-year-old owner James West knew that wouldn’t last for long, that one or the other would ultimately prevail. “For the last 1½ years, it’s been a bar,” said West, whose establishment, given his nickname, he freely admits is a dream come true. “I always wanted to do that, be in the neighborhood and have a nice little pub here,” he said. But a few antiques still remain in Westy’s, mostly in display cases. West bought the retail space at 1029 Rosecrans St., formerly an interior design business, and redid everything inside, including using a wooden deck from the nearby home he grew up in to help refurbish his space. Midway through the conversion, West had a stroke. Which didn’t stop him. “I was in the hospital while it was getting finished,” he said. “Some suggested I just forget about it. When I came back out, I decided to keep going with it. I wasn’t going to give up. I just keep chugging along the best I can.” West talked about his establishment’s appeal. “It’s homey; it’s pub light,” he said. “I tried to keep it old-fashioned style. Kind of like your uncle’s basement back in the day. Just somewhere where you can come and be yourself, hang out and unwind.” Westy’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving breakfast all day long. The menu is extremely diverse. Customers can have a hot dog or corn dog — or top sirloin. Also on the menu are beer-battered onion rings and grilled cheese sandwiches. Other menu items include chili, grilled asparagus, french toast, chocolate lava cake and, on holidays and special occasions, lamb chops. “A lot of our stuff is homemade,” confided West. “We cut up our chicken breasts ourselves.” “It’s quality food and service for a good price,” said West, noting he has three cooks, all of whom he said “do a great job.” West said Westy’s is especially known for its burgers. “I want to have a special every day of the week, like wing Wednesdays, taco Tuesdays and spaghetti Saturdays,” West said. Westy’s is a full bar also, serving beer and wine. “We don’t do blended drinks,” said West about his alcohol selection. He is also in the process of installing a half-dozen more beer taps. The crowd at Westy’s is as diverse as its menu. “It’s all ages – 18 to 80,” said the bar owner, who expects his place to be around for some time. “I could leave this to my daughter someday; that would be great,” West said, adding, “She’s only 4. I’d like to keep it in the family and have Westy’s be here long after I’m gone.” Westy’s has three prominently placed pool tables, a jukebox, a digital jukebox and an electric dart board and two restrooms. The establishment is family friendly. “Kids can be here till 9:30 p.m.,” said West. “We get families in here all the time at night having dinner.” West likes his place’s atmosphere. “It never gets too wild or crazy in here,” he said, adding he offers a 20 percent discount for the military. The troops appreciate the gesture, which helps build his lunch crowd. West, who grew up in Point Loma, described his neighborhood as “coming back up.” “Now, we’ve got businesses popping up around here, and we all support each other the best we can,” he said. For more information, call (619) 221-1942 or visit westyspointloma.com. Westy’s Bar & Grill
Where: 1029 Rosecrans St.
Hours: Mondays through Fridays 10 a.m. to midnight weekdays, 8 a.m. to midnight weekends
Info: (619) 221-1942, [email protected]