Whitefish’s newest restaurant opened its door July 2, boasting the slogan “Eat. Drink. Growl.”  

Grouchy Grizzly -- open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily -- is in the space formerly occupied by Last Chair Kitchen & Bar on East Lakeshore Drive. The building was sold in the spring to Arizona-based restaurant group Square One Concepts. 

“It’s not comparable to our other places other than the food,” owner Barrett Rinzler said. “It’s smaller, it’s cozier. I think it plays well into where we are. Everywhere we go, we try to figure out how we can fit into the community. We like to think, what’s not here?  

“Our menu is pretty varied. I don’t think you’ll find this variety in other places,” Rinzler said.  

Menu selections include shareables, burgers and handhelds, sliders, “the mains,” “cub grub” and desserts. There’s a “big grizz burger challenge” with eight quarter-pound patties to be finished in 5 minutes for no charge.  

Sysco is their food purveyor, Rinzler said. He said he also hopes to source some meat and fish locally and to purchase local produce seasonally. 

The establishment saw a few renovations prior to opening. The warm-wood finishes remain a highlight in the building, but there’s a new bar, service stations, seating and decor, and they worked on the electrical system. They also shipped in granite countertops from Arizona. The only thing they kept from Last Chair were the tables, Rinzler said.  

Rinzler has plans for a second phase of renovations, including the installation of a large outdoor turf and some additions to the patio to make it comfortable in colder weather.  

The restaurant kept two of the kitchen staff from Last Chair, but most of the employees are new hires and several are seasonal. They’re still hiring additional cooks.

    The interiors of Grouchy Grizzly received new seating and countertops. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)