Pappy's Sports Bar & Grill is known as a great sports bar in the heart of Greektown to catch a game or unwind with a drink. But since Spiro Vamvakas took over a year ago in September, the bar has seen major renovations with more on the way. The most dramatic of the changes is the new garage door that has been installed, which opens up the front side of the restaurant to the street. The bar also features an outdoor patio. "We just wanted to make it a little bit nicer, par for the course for the bars around here," says bartender Kari Kari Kuuttila. "We have a really open feel. When you're walking on the street, it really pulls you in with the open garage door. It's a lot lighter in here. You get more of a city vibe now." Kuuttila estimates the current remodel phase is only about 30 percent or so. "There's a lot more on the inside that we're going to do with the aesthetic on the place," she says. "But the garage door and the patio have been the main thing. So now it's going to be the look and the vibe that we're going to change."
Other changes will include installing a vintage copper ceiling, lighting, and new tables and chairs. "It's going to be completely different," Kuuttila says. "It's going to have a more rustic vibe."
As far as things that aren't changing, Kuuttila says patrons should still look out for Pappy's drink specials. She also notes that games can be enjoyed in surround sound, and the bar features an excellent menu courtesy of a chef who has been in the game for 30 years. "Also, the owner, Spiro, is known to pour a mean shot of Jameson."
