Richmond Bar & Grill, occupying one of El Segundo’s oldest buildings, stays true to the unpretentious, blue collar heart of the city itself
A few years ago I gave a pair of lectures on the history of dining in the South Bay, explaining the ways that the Beach Cities had become more sophisticated and varied. It was organized by decades, and I generally finished each section with the sentence, “Meanwhile, in El Segundo, nothing happened.”
Running gags help to keep an audience involved in a long program, but like any half-decent gag, there was truth in it. For most of its 104-year existence, El Segundo’s residents were perfectly happy with nothing happening. The majority of the early citizens were oilfield workers who had moved from Oklahoma or Texas and sought to recreate the kind of communities they left. Well into the 1980’s you saw old men in cowboy hats and boots strolling Main Street. While most had spent their lives at the refinery, one had become a real estate mogul but continued to dress in worn, scruffy jeans – only his expensive boots let anyone know he was doing well.
El Segundo’s Main Street has changed with the times a bit but is still not as cosmopolitan as neighboring cities, and there are side streets that look like they haven’t changed in a hundred years, barring little details like being paved sometime in the 1930’s. Richmond Street is probably the most endearing, with its silent movie palace, old fashioned barbershop, and a restaurant that embraces kitsch Americana and serves food that goes well with it.
The space at 145 Richmond Street has been a restaurant for most of the last century, and though the Richmond Bar & Grill has only been there since 1987, it looks much older. The floorboards by the front door have been worn down by generations of customers, and though the wooden chairs are obviously a lot newer some are scarred by long use. Ads for long-defunct brands of soft drinks and cigars line the wall behind the bar, making the adjacent flat screen TV look like a modern intrusion – if they could find a black & white set with tubes and rabbit ears it would look more in character. A stuffed wild boar head wearing a Strand Brewing cap holds a place of pride overt the door, its regal look slightly diminished by the bra hanging from its tusks.
The menu isn’t quite as retro as the surroundings – there are burgers, hot dogs, and other sandwiches, salads, a couple of Mexican items, and fish and chips. You might think of this as something just to soak up the alcohol, which it would be if so much of it wasn’t freshly made. This isn’t a freezer-to-fryer operation – the fries and onion rings are fresh cut, the chips served with almost every sandwich are fried daily, and the chili and soups are homemade. I’ve had the chili here and been impressed – it wasn’t overly hot but had plenty of flavor. They make a very good chili size that is served over a bed of chips, a delightful if somewhat heavy meal. It’s probably not particularly healthy either, but if you’re ordering chili size that’s not going to slow you down much.
The salads are a better option for those who want to at least pretend they are taking care of themselves, though you can live it up a bit by ordering the ones with steak or Southern fried chicken. The steak has a mild chipotle marinade, and when combined with the green onions, black olives, and corn in the salad greens it’s a varied and interesting set of flavors. The salads here are big, an appetizer for three or more people or a meal for one, and except for the quesadilla and the aforementioned fried items are the only vegetarian items offered here.
Most people seem to order burgers and sandwiches, and my favorite of these has an interesting history to its name. It was the Raider Special when it was invented in the 1980’s during that football team’s tenure in Los Angeles, but became the Traitor Special after the team moved back to Oakland. That was two decades ago, but sports grudges die hard and the Traitor Special it remains. It’s a breaded chicken patty and grilled ham with jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, and it’s a tasty mess; the chicken and tomato are juicy, and along with the sauce have a way of getting on your shirt if you’re not careful.
I have also tried a peanut butter, bacon, and cheddar burger out of curiosity and it’s good but not great – one could imagine Elvis eating it, which is not necessarily a good thing. Some grilled onion and a shot of hot sauce could bring it close to the flavor of Indonesian satay, which I’d like better. Like most other sandwiches it’s offered with chips, fries, or onion rings, and I’d unhesitatingly suggest the fresh, crisp rings. The chips are good too, but both times that I’ve had the fries here they weren’t crisp.
The food and décor may be behind the times, but the beer selection isn’t – while it might fit the mood to serve Shiner and Pabst Blue Ribbon, they have the products of nearby El Segundo Brewing, and a good selection of other microbrews. You’ll be paying cash for those beers, and for everything else, because credit cards aren’t accepted.
The area around the Richmond Bar & Grill looks like it has changed little over the years, but instead of oil and aerospace businesses the nearby storefronts are home to design businesses and art galleries. The thoroughly modern people who work there seem to respect and enjoy the experience to join their blue-collar brethren at this local landmark, and in doing so are keeping a long tradition intact. Eating simply, cheaply, and well is apparently still in style.
The Richmond Bar & Grill is at 145 Richmond Street in El Segundo. Open daily except Sunday, 11 a.m.. to 10 p.m., street parking, wine and beer served. Menu at richmondbarandgrill.com, phone 310-322-7397.
