Mutt Lynch’s restaurant near the Newport Pier has been a fixture in the community for 45 years, so why have they not built on that success and taken Mutt to other areas?
Well, now they have.
Meghan Murray, daughter of restaurant founders Dan and Gail Lynch, and her husband, Alex, are getting ready to open a sister concept called Mutt’s in the Eastbluff Village Center space in Newport Beach formerly occupied by Provenance Restaurant, which closed last year.
The spot will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a family-friendly atmosphere with a menu that incorporates classic Mutt Lynch’s dishes such as the Pterodactyl Wings and made-to-order pizzas while introducing family dinner specials. The new restaurant also upgrades its beverage program with a full liquor license focusing a craft cocktail menu highlighting spirits from artisan distilleries across the United States.
Once opened, the restaurant and bar will offer plenty of indoor seating and a spacious patio. The character and charm of Mutt Lynch’s will be felt, but through a “refined, family-friendly environment,” the owners say.
Why Now?
Why open during a pandemic, and why Eastbluff, which has a vastly different atmosphere than the Newport Pier area?
“We had talked to the Irvine Company about another smaller location but then this one became available, and it made sense,” Alex said. “We had been to Provenance many times, we live in Eastbluff, and we knew how important a place like Mutt’s could be here.”
“We are making some changes, but we’re trying to be conservative and eco-friendly by recycling some things, doing cosmetic work but leaving a lot of the beautiful stuff we like,” Meghan said. “We’re just going to Mutt’s it up a bit and add TVs, brick and cement, make it feel like a grown-up Mutt Lynch’s.”
“We want to use this restaurant as a prototype to do other [restaurants] in other family friendly areas,” Alex said. “We are going to be specific in every aspect of what this place looks like so we can recreate it when we have the opportunity.”
According to Alex, the pandemic has brought families closer together, and closer to their communities, which is why he believes this is a good time for the Mutt’s concept to grow and multiply.
“I have traveled a lot and know the charm and character of smaller towns and communities that make America special,” he said. “We want to service those communities.”
Keeping Classics
“We’re going to keep the classics and build on originals,” added Meghan. “We’ve all been to Mutt Lynch’s, and a lot of us are older now with families, so we want to cater to them but still make it feel like you can have a good time.”
“We have three little boys, and on Saturday mornings we have no place to take them for breakfast that is convenient and close,” said Alex. “We want to make [it] a place we would want to go to.”
Mutt’s is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2021, but that still begs the question—why open a restaurant during a pandemic?
“We are either the smartest people on the planet, or the dumbest,” laughed Alex. “We had been talking about expanding Mutt Lynch’s for 10 years, and early last year started looking at locations. It was not until the COVID situation that it really helped us fine tune our vision and purpose and what we wanted—how is this different from Mutt Lynch’s, how do we recreate Mutt’s in other areas? That helped the idea evolve.”
Because Meghan’s parents created Mutt Lynch’s, Meghan was involved with the restaurant for many years, going back to her childhood when one of her chores was to refill the cigarette machine in the restaurant. She noted that the restaurant (in pre-pandemic times) is normally packed with people every day, with a base of regulars and locals plus tourists who rent nearby vacation homes.
“The restaurant hasn’t changed that much—except people use credit cards more than cash now,” said Meghan with a chuckle, adding that Mutt Lynch’s is overflowing with the spirit and sensibilities of her parents.
“Locals love it because it hasn’t changed that much,” she said. “People are excited about our Mutt’s version.”
“We don’t want to mess with what is not broken,” Alex said. “Gail is our partner in the new Mutt’s, so we have 45 years of experience and guidance to help in our journey.”
Mutt Lynch’s at Newport Pier: 2300 W. Oceanfront, Newport Beach, muttlynchs.com
Mutt’s in Eastbluff Village Center: 2531 Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach, muttseastbluff.com
