Sunny Jim's Tavern an inviting, satisfying spot for decades
Mike Stachel and Jim Oliver have owned Sunny Jim's Tavern for 40 years. They've guided the Camp Horne Road landmark through various incarnations, including a roadhouse where motorcyclists gathered in the '70s and a nightspot that featured local musicians such as Norman Nardini and Shari Richards in the '80s.
There are few signs of Sunny Jim's past. On a recent warm October afternoon, Stachel reminisced about the tavern's early days.
“It was a dump when we bought it,” he says, shaking his head.
Now it's a far cry from its less-than-stellar past. A wooden horseshoe bar greets visitors near the entry. A spacious and pristine dining room features booths and tables. The walls are adorned with sports memorabilia, and wide-screen TVs circle the dining room and bar. Around back, a patio is available for dining during warm weather.
“We keep improving the place,” Stachel says, adding that the patrons cross generations and have been loyal for years, especially since Sunny Jim's became more family oriented 15 years ago.
“We get grandparents and their grandkids,” Stachel says. “And we have a lot of regulars.”
Even though the decor is warm and inviting, that means little if the food and service are subpar. The wait staff is attentive and friendly, and service is prompt. And the food is a notch (or two or three) beyond standard bar fare.
Take the open-face turkey sandwich ($9.99). It's real turkey and comes with a heaping serving of mashed potatoes or french fries smothered in gravy.
“We try to keep everything fresh and homemade,” Stachel says. “Most of our food is made fresh daily.”
Some of the most popular items on the menu are the flatbreads. The Greek chicken flatbread sandwich ($10.99) features fresh grilled chicken breast, basil, Kalamata olives, green peppers, red onion, roasted garlic and provolone and Feta cheeses. Sunny Jim's also offers ranch chicken, margherita, spicy sausage and vegetarian flatbreads.
The fresh-baked hoagies include an Italian Pounder ($9.99) with capicola, ham, salami, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion piled high on a toasted artisan roll.
There are burgers, of course, notably the Sunny Side Experience ($10.99) which features a half-pound of ground Angus steak topped with a fried egg, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, American cheese and a fried onion ring. It comes with fries, chips or coleslaw, if you have room.
Sunny Jim's not only offers traditional chicken wings but also smoked wings that are rubbed with spices and slow-smoked over hardwood. A dozen is $11.99, half a dozen is $6.99, and they are served with sauces including ginger-mango habanero, General Tso's and chipotle ranch.
If you're looking for something beyond standard bar food, Sunny Jim's offers a range of entrees, including fresh Atlantic salmon ($14.99) and shrimp scampi linguini ($13.99). And, for a Southern dish with a Pittsburgh accent, there's the smoked pork and pierogies ($11.99), slow-smoked pulled pork served with a helping of potato and cheddar pierogies.
Work on Camp Horne Road has prevented access to Sunny Jim's from Route 65. But the tavern is maintaining regular hours and can be reached from the east via Interstate 279, Ben Avon Heights Road or Joseph's Lane.
Sunny Jim's Tavern, 255 Camp Horne Road, Avonworth, is open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Details: 412-761-6700 or sunnyjimstavern.com
Rege Behe is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
