PARK INN

Established in 1932, Park Inn is not only Spokane’s oldest restaurant, but the oldest restaurant in Eastern Washington. If that’s not impressive enough, Park Inn was the first place to serve pizza in the city (an action that I cannot thank them enough for).

It’s no coincidence that PI is still around after all this time. They have cracked the code of how to run a successful business for nearly 90 years: making PI feel like home. With their home-style food, welcoming servers, and old school Spokane decor, I felt like I was having dinner and hanging out at an old friend’s house.

Park Inn is split into a family-friendly restaurant and a bar, but both areas had the same welcoming feel. In the restaurant portion, there are a couple of old-school arcade games that provide some entertainment while waiting for your meal.

A fun fact that was sent to me by a follower: There is a group of men that sit in the middle of the bar, collectively known as the “Wax Museum”. They sit in the same exact spot nearly every day until it is time to head home for dinner. A seat in the museum cannot be bought, only passed down. It is a privilege bestowed upon the most loyal PI patrons. How cool is that?! And how do I get an invite…

We wanted to makes sure we tried a variety of menu items so we ordered quite a bit! The beef on the Reuben Burger was juicy and fresh, topped with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. The burger had an extra kick of flavor, texture and deliciousness and was one of my favorite things that we ordered. The hot wings were fried to perfection and the hot sauce had just the right amount of heat.

The stand-out of the day was (unsurprisingly) the pizza. We ordered the M.L. special, which is named after the former owner Marilu. The pizza was inspired by her favorite: sausage, beef mushrooms, olives, onion and fresh tomatoes. The ingredients were stuffed underneath a generous layer of cheese, cooked, then topped with tomato slices. The crust was thin and light, just how I like it with a really good crunch.

They also cook fresh chocolate chip cookies in their pizza oven every morning and sell them for 50 cents! They recently had to raise them from a quarter :). That describes Park Inn perfectly. It’s a very low-brow, old school joint with greasy food and a comfortable atmosphere.

There is a reason why the Park Inn has stood the test of time. It serves, and has served, as an institution for generation after generation of families and friends to eat, drink and, most importantly, enjoy themselves.

For Spokane Craft Beer week (May 14-20), PI’s bar did a tap take over with No-Li Brewhouse. They featured five of the brewhouse’s beers (for $3!!) along with some awesome giveaways of No-Li merch.

Park Inn (103 W 9th Ave 99204 // 509.624.8111)

*This post was sponsored by Park Inn. All opinions and photos are my own.