You might say that the Progress Grill has embraced the retro development inadvertently—just by staying the identical as time handed by.
Upon getting into, prospects encounter carpeting, mirrored eating rooms, colonial lighting fixtures and a décor heavy on mauve. And I’d be remiss to not point out the signal. For folks like me who get pleasure from following organizations just like the Society for Business Archeology, the outside signage is correct out of the Atomic Age and a cool reminder of a bygone period.
But it surely’s actually not the décor that pulls a loyal following of standard patrons. Quite, it’s the constant high quality of meals, which prospects have relied on for many years.
Hit Their Stride
The Progress Grill dates again to 1946. The lads behind the restaurant at the moment, Nick and John Karagiannis, bought the place in 1981.
The brothers didn’t got down to change into restaurateurs. John mentioned that he got here to the US to pursue chemical engineering. Working in eating places induced him to rethink his plan and strike out on his personal.
“I purchased this place once I was 24½ years previous, and I advised my brother, Nick, who was finding out in Italy to change into a health care provider,” he mentioned. “So, he stop school to return over right here.”
When the brothers bought the Progress Grill, they saved the title, however modified the menu.
“It included gadgets like pizza, sandwiches and some dinners,” John mentioned.
The 2 had expertise working in eating places in Maryland and downtown Harrisburg. So, they had been accustomed to the trade, however maybe not the tempo.
“Downtown eating places didn’t get a lot enterprise at nighttime,” John mentioned of these bygone days.
It didn’t take lengthy, nonetheless, for the 2 to hit their stride, and shortly they started increasing the menu. The modifications had been nicely acquired. This buoyed their confidence, they usually started tackling the duty of increasing the bodily area.
“After two years, we purchased the property subsequent door and put in a brand new eating room and a brand new kitchen,” John mentioned.
By 1994, the brothers had been prepared so as to add one more eating room and double the kitchen dimension.
John credit his Maryland restaurant expertise for making crab desserts that fly out the door.
“We introduced that recipe right here and altered it a bit,” he mentioned, including that they use top-quality crabmeat and little or no filler. For his or her slow-roasted prime rib, their first precedence is to hunt the highest quality.
“Then I verify the value,” John mentioned.
Recipe for Success
The brothers credit score their loyal clientele and their give attention to consistency for the place they’re at the moment.
“Our prospects love seafood and steaks, and it’s laborious to discover a good seafood and steakhouse today,” John mentioned.
If there’s something that has modified over time, it’s the cocktails. John mentioned that the menu was once heavy on old-school drinks like vodka martinis and Manhattans, however now folks need extra artistic choices.
“Fancy martinis are taking on,” he mentioned, with a chuckle.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of many biggest challenges over the lengthy historical past of the Progress Grill. It pressured the brothers to shut for a number of months. After the restaurant reopened, the purchasers returned, however the staff didn’t, a standard chorus within the trade.
Subsequently, the brothers at the moment spend fairly a little bit of time within the kitchen. And, no shock—the provision chain has posed one other large problem.
“Our meals distributor can’t discover truck drivers or warehouse employees, in order that’s an issue too,” John mentioned.
The persistently shiny spot? The Progress Grill’s loyal prospects.
Ed and Malane Digon reside just a few miles from the institution and have been patronizing it for years.
“We like sharing the combined seafood platter, and we’re additionally keen on their filet and lobster tail, their shrimp cocktail, their cream soups and their desserts,” mentioned Malane, including that the couple celebrated their sixtieth anniversary there. “We’re all the time handled nicely.”
Dale Kaplan is one other common. He and his spouse Ellen patronize the Progress Grill each week, on the identical day.
“I name it Thursdays with Nick,” he mentioned.
The Susquehanna Township resident mentioned that the meals is all the time constant, the fish is all the time recent, and the lamb chops are superb. He additionally complimented the “wonderful” customer support.
John mentioned that the key to operating a beloved institution for thus lengthy is to old flame what you do, then deal with the shopper.
“We provide high quality meals at an affordable worth, with good customer support,” he mentioned. “When you have a recipe for fulfillment, you don’t change it.”
The Progress Grill is positioned at 3526 Walnut St., Harrisburg. For extra data, go to www.progressgrill.com.
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