Jim German Bar:

WAITSBURG – Jim German says that he expected his bar to always be a small sidelight to the nightlife in Waitsburg. “I thought there’d always be other bars and taverns here, and that we’d be just a small part of that,” German said recently. “I never thought we’d be the only bar left standing.”

On a recent Friday night in June, jimgermanbar was standing tall. A waitress and bartender were taking drink orders and a wood-fired grill was blazing on the back patio. While a reporter sampled a new variety of IPA, German described the road to building a successful bar in Waitsburg.

After a successful career as a bartender at several of Seattle’s best eating establishments, German and his wife, Claire Johnston were exploring Walla Walla and Waitsburg, and discovered two storefront buildings here that were for sale. They were taken with the town and the buildings, and decided to make them their own.

That was in 2004. In 2007, jimgerman bar opened, along with Johnston’s art gallery, AMO Art, next door.

We envisioned a little ‘tapas’ bar,” German said. But it’s evolved into a variety of dinner choices.

On the night we were there, Emry Kleck, proprietor of Dayton’s “The Q,” was stoking the apple wood in his grill and preparing to serve up top sirloin steak to that evening’s guests. Kleck has been serving on Friday night’s at jimgermanbar since February.

On other nights, the kitchen turns out a variety of fine dining delicacies.

And German is often behind the bar, serving a variety of unknown beer and wine, along with classic cocktails.

“Tonight we’re booked and had to turn down several” reservation requests, German said. jimgermanbar always takes reservations, and is often booked up. “We don’t want people to drive twenty miles or more and then find out we can’t serve them,” he said. “So we always encourage reservations.”

Diners can eat in the bar, with its eclectic furnishings, or on the beautiful outdoor patio in back. Jimgermanbar is open Thursdays through Mondays, starting at 5 p.m. For information and reservations, call (509) 337-6001.