Town Tavern goes for good taste, good experience

By Karen Carr Keefe

Senior Contributing Writer

Comfortable yet sophisticated. That’s the vibe projected by the new Town Tavern at 2241 Grand Island Blvd.

Co-owners Terrance (T.J.) Acker and Mike Wylke have combined forces to bring a unique experience to the venue. The place began under previous owners as TC’s Island Bar & Grille, then more recently as BlackBerry’s Bar & Grill.

Both Acker and Wylke grew up on Grand Island and have a feel for what Islanders are looking for.

“Grand Island’s the best,” Wylke said.

The owners began in the restaurant business in different decades, but both got their start when they were 20, and have stayed in the business since then in various posts.

The new restaurant boasts a varied menu of American tavern food and appetizers, comfort food with pizzazz, and specialty desserts and cocktails.

There are a lot of “sharables” on the menu – what some restaurants call tapas, or appetizers.

“Our drink menu is – more so – something a little bit different than Grand Island (typically) has,” Acker said. “It’s not really that big of a cocktail scene on Grand Island. So, we kind of created something to go along with the sharables.”

Acker said the restaurant has two different things going for it: “You’ve got a dinner crowd, and then you get a little bit of night life … which is like, best of both worlds.” There are also happy hours Monday through Thursday.

Acker said he concentrates on providing the experience.

“You come here to celebrate. You come here on a date. You come here to meet with friends,” he said. “A little bit of this; a little bit of that. … It’s how we designed that drink menu to be.”

The restaurant is open from 3 p.m. to late night weekdays; 11 a.m. to late night Saturdays; and closed Sundays, for now.

Acker explained the Town Tavern has strength in both food and drink preparation.

“They’re well-versed in ‘the back of the house,’ ” he said, referring to the kitchen. He adds that, “the front of the house,” the bar experience, is his specialty.

“So, when I came in with them, we were creating a vision of a night life for Grand Island – something that was a little bit different.”

Town Tavern co-owner Terrance Acker and bartender Alex Burich pour a pair of specialty cocktails at the restaurant. (Photo by Karen Carr Keefe)

Town Tavern server Bree Vullo brings beverages to a table in the dining room. (Photo by Karen Carr Keefe)

Customer Alex Ferrino enjoys a drink at the bar at Town Tavern, 2241 Grand Island Blvd. (Photo by Karen Carr Keefe)

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Though the customers primarily are adults, “We definitely allow children – we accommodate anyone who comes in,” Acker said.

Inside, the steel, hand-pieced bar wraps a rectangle that catches the eye and is a focal point for the experience of dining at Town Tavern.

There are gracious servers to bring patrons their meals, and outside, there are servers of a different kind – hitting the volleyball on three top-notch courts with Olympic sand.

The volleyball runs evenings, Monday through Thursday, and the lights come on when the sun goes down. The owners saw a calling for it and recalled that the sport was part of what TCs had offered.

“This is my new favorite spot,” said customer Alex Ferrino, a Grand Island resident. “I love coming here for a glass of wine and a nibble after work and I also love gathering here with my family. It’s a perfect spot to celebrate a birthday or hang out on a holiday; and also love the new courts in the back – the new volleyball courts. I am on a team on Monday nights with my co-workers, and we have an absolute blast."

The restaurant also does parties and can accommodate from 20 to 100 people.

“You’re able to book this spot,” Acker said. “You can have parties here – baby showers, birthdays. We’re having graduations – anything.”

He noted people can book just the patio or the restaurant as a whole, and the venue is available for catered parties even when the restaurant isn’t open.

There also are wine tastings, bourbon tastings and other events.

“We just want to create the environment for you, and let us do the rest,” Acker said.

And there’s more, he said, “There are exciting things to come.”

The Town Tavern opened earlier this summer. Visit in person at 2241 Grand Island Blvd., and online at https://towntaverngi.com/.

A view of the patio at Town Tavern bar and grill, 2241 Grand Island Blvd. (Photo by Karen Carr Keefe)

One of the Town Tavern's volleyball courts where teams compete, behind the restaurant at 2241 Grand Island Blvd. Town Tavern opened earlier this summer. (Photo by Karen Carr Keefe)