8/1/2007
On Sunday, July 29th, Julie and I took the girls down to Riordan’s Saloon and Restaurant for one last meal before it closed for good. You can read more of the details here, but this post is just my own personal tribute to a place that helped shape and define the character of Annapolis’ City Dock area.
Riordan’s was owned and managed by Mike Riordan who invested money he had earned during his 9 seasons in the NBA (1968-1977, with an NBA Championship win in 1970 as a member of the NY Knicks), and opened his first restaurant in the downtown city dock area of Annapolis in 1978. Riordan’s quickly became known for its great food and reasonable prices.
Over the three decades of it’s life, Riordan’s employed every member of my family — except for my Dad — at one point or another. Even my Mom worked for Mike briefly, baking cakes and pies for the restaurant. As for my brothers and I, we all worked there in various roles. My oldest brother, Jack tended bar and later managed for a while. My second-oldest brother, Chris, worked at the bar for several years and met his wife, Mary Beth, there. Mary Beth worked her way through nursing school while at Riordan’s and now has a very successful career with GE as a consultant helping to set up medical database systems for hospitals. My third brother — just a year older than I — whose name is also Mike, worked for several years behind the bar and was very popular both with his general customers as well as with nearly any attractive woman who walked into the place.
I began working for Mike Riordan around 1986 when my brother Mike let me know they were seeking help at the door. Very rarely did Riordan’s have issues with bad behavior, but Mike liked having a friendly face at the door on busy nights to make sure we were carding our younger customers and welcoming everyone as they came by for a drink or dinner.
Initially, I worked for Mike during the holidays while I was going to St. Mary’s College, then a bit during summer breaks. You might think that being a doorman would be boring, but I enjoyed the job. While dooring, I was the first person customers would see as they entered. I would smile, say hello, hold the door and, if necessary, ask for ID. If things got really busy, I would set up a line outside the restaurant and let people in as there was space available in the Saloon area. Simple but enjoyable work.
There were a few times when I had to turn some “characters” away, but it didn’t happen too often. Once, though, I was dooring with one other guy on a busy evening when suddenly we both spotted a bachelor party moving along the sidewalk towards us, having just exited another nearby pub. The bachelor was incredibly drunk, and his friends had somehow attached a chain to a bowling ball, then had secured the chain to the guy’s leg!
As the guy staggered down the sidewalk with all his friends walking behind, laughing at him of course, people coming the other way had to jump out of the way to avoid being tagged by the bowling ball, which was whooshing out to the side every time he took a step. We looked and saw that, yes, they were definitely coming our way.
As the party approached, we just kind of both moved in front of the door at the same time and stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the guy walked up to us. He looked up and asked if he could go in. We just looked at him and I said, “no, I’m very sorry, but you can’t come in tonight.” There was no need to be rude, but then again, no way were we going to let someone come in with a bowling ball attached to their leg. Think of the collateral damage he would cause!
“Aw, c’mon guys,” they said, “it’s his bachelor party.” “Sorry,” we replied politely, “wish we could, but you can’t come in with that thing on your leg.” We wished the guy luck in his marriage and watched as he swung off down the sidewalk to find another pub.
There are better stories, but many of them are not fit for publication. I will say, however, that I learned something very important during my time on the door at Riordan’s. Bachelorette parties are almost always more rowdy, raucous, and dangerous than bachelor parties. I still don’t know why, but I do know it’s true.
After college, while I was in grad school, I began to bus tables for Mike as well. I enjoyed this job as well. I found that I liked creating order out of chaos, which is a central part of the job as you assist the wait staff and keep the dining area looking spiffy.
By the way, Mike was almost always around. He worked at least 6 days a week at the restaurant, managing every part of the operation. It was Mike’s very firm hand at the helm which kept Riordan’s so consistently great over the three decades it was in operation. Without close management, restaurants often fail as profit margins tend to be pretty thin in this industry.
In all the years I worked for Mike, my only regret is that I was a lousy waiter. Mike gave me a chance to move up and begin waiting tables at one point, but truly, I stunk at the job. So I went back to busing and dooring and that was fine for me. That said, I’ve never forgotten how hard it is to be a good waiter at a restaurant. Mike had some really good people waiting tables for him; some of whom worked for him over decades, not just years.
After grad school, as I began my professional career, Riordan’s remained one of my very favorite places to go. I have so many great memories; such as going there for brunch when Julie first introduced me to her parents, meeting family there for meals on weekends (especially after Navy Football games) celebrating my 30th Birthday there, going there on St. Paddy’s Day, Christmas Eve, etc.
For Julie and I, Riordan’s remained our favorite place to go for brunch, and our two girls have been going there since they were tiny little babies. My oldest daughter Mikaela’s favorite thing was going for brunch and getting a basket of Blueberry Muffins for us all to share.
Overall, if we went to downtown Annapolis for a meal, 90% of the time it was to Riordan’s.
On this last Sunday of its existence, we had dinner there, all four of us, and the place was packed. It wasn’t even a dull roar that came from the bar area, it was a thunderous roar. We could barely hear each other at the table, and the menu was smaller due to the fact that they were preparing to close down for good that same evening.
But we had a great time. I said hello to Mike and wished him well. I also saw Mary Beth and Chris there, though I had just missed my Dad, who left a half-hour earlier. I even saw a few of the folks I had worked with in the late 80’s and early 90’s, one of whom still worked there. It was a lot of fun, but also very sad, especially as we walked out for what we knew would be the last time.
Something very good has come to an end in Annapolis. Riordan’s made Annapolis a better place to live and work, and I cannot see how there can ever be something as good to take its place.
I took Riordan’s for granted because it had been there for so long. I cannot remember a time without it.
I should have known better. As they say, all good things come to an end. I wish it were otherwise.
But I think people should understand this; Riordan’s was more than a restaurant; it was a gift to the community. For so many of us who worked and played there, it remains a landmark of our lives.
I know that I speak for the entire Flanagan family in wishing for Mike and his family all of God’s blessings. We’ll see you around town.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-13
What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.
11 Comments
What a lovely tribute. Now I’m wishing that you and your family would purchase the place and continue the Annapolis tradition. I’m from the old-school Annapolis, so I am not familiar with all the changes that took place after I left in the 1960s, after which Annapolis became “trendy.”
Comment by Neddy — 8/5/2007 @ 7:49 am
Neddy,
Thank you for your comment. My family moved to Annapolis in 1973, a bit before Annapolis began to become trendy and popular. We’ve lived here ever since.
My wife, who grew up in Rochester, NY, loves it here and never wants to leave.
Regards,
David
Comment by David — 8/5/2007 @ 3:36 pm
Ultram.
Ultram.
Trackback by Can you snort ultram. — 4/3/2008 @ 7:50 am
What is it going to become?
Comment by Jason — 5/8/2008 @ 2:40 pm
Jason:
I’m not sure yet. Perhaps I should post a current picture of Riordan’s here for those who are interested. Right now, the scaffolding is still all over the building and almost nothing has changed.
It’s sad.
David
Comment by David — 5/15/2008 @ 9:52 am
We lived around the corner from Riordans in Prince George Street in the early 1990’s for three years. We frequented Riordans many times and even had a weekly take-out - we are British and introduced Riordans to our many friends and relatives that visited us. We have many, many fond memories of our time in Annapolis and one of them is our love for a Riordans burger - they were unbeatable and still our to us to this day. We planned to revisit one day and were devestated to come across the news from Google that Riordans is no more. We can never revisit our favourite haunt - why did it close?
“Gutted’
Cliff and Fiona -
Comment by Fiona and Cliff Naylor — 6/13/2008 @ 2:29 pm
A couple of things happened which forced Mike Riordan to close his restaraunt. First, the front of the building, which is very old, was cited by local building inspectors for it’s crumbling facade and the owner was told to fix the issues. Secondly, it was rumored that the landlord decided to raise rent dramatically, perhaps to force Riordan’s out on purpose (just a rumor).
Ultimately, with a much higher rent coming his way and some very ugly scaffolding which the landlord put up across the front of the building (which hurt Riordan’s business), Mike was forced to close his restaraunt. It is sad because not only is Mike just a great guy, his restaraunt was part of the city’s culture. I don’t go downtown nearly as much as I used to because my favorite place is closed.
Regards,
David
Comment by David — 7/23/2008 @ 10:45 am
Thanks for the update, I am sad to hear that.
We will just have to live on our memories I guess, you are right that Riordan’s was part of Annapolis, and we will always remember fondly.
Fiona
Comment by Fiona — 7/24/2008 @ 1:09 am
A new colleague just moved to Maryland from Ohio and was headed to Annapolis this weekend. I suggested having a frozen white russian at Riordan’s and looked it up online to show her, when what to my MAJOR disappointment, I found your blog about it closing and am devastated not to have a frozen white russian there ever again! And I am saddened to hear of how she was closed as well. I wish the family well and thank them for years of great food, athmosphere, and those great drinks, which I and my old colleagues and friends will never forget!
Comment by Carla — 8/19/2008 @ 12:04 pm
Thanks for your note Carla. I walked past Riordan’s this weekend on my way to meet some friends for a drink at McGarvey’s.
The place is boarded up and I’m not sure what they are doing, but I think the external facade was finally fixed because the scaffolding is finally down. But all the Riordan’s signage is still there.
I should probably get a few pics and post them here for those who are interested.
Comment by David — 8/19/2008 @ 7:26 pm
Sad very Sad!!!
Comment by mike — 9/12/2008 @ 12:05 pm