The Grille

Artie and Gina Kokkas, successful California restaurateurs and owners of Brunswick’s The Grille, have transformed the former Johnny’s location into a winning establishment. And now that the community has discovered their delicious food and friendly service, they have another goal—to help kids.

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 10/21/2008
Argyrios (Artie) Kokkas has returned home to Brunswick and he is on a mission—or two.

Artie and his wife, Gina, new owners of The Grille, not only want to make their new restaurant and bar the place to hang out, but they hope to parlay their profits to establish a group home for troubled youth and help the community with their Dine-Out To Help-Out program.

“Artie has a gift for healing kids,” Gina explains.

A graduate of Brunswick High School, Artie is looking to turn around lives and to turn around a bar and restaurant that has gone through a menu full of owners over the years.

“We’re here to stay,” Gina promises.

Artie and Gina opened The Grille last year—formerly known as Johnny’s—after running a successful chain of sub and pizza shops in Orange County, California. They’ve already received rave reviews.

In California Artie turned his four-store SubNation chain into a non-profit organization so proceeds could support his Parental Guidance Group Homes for teens. PG Homes provided homes for youth who were released from foster homes and into the world when they turned 18 years old. The program worked with local orphanages and provided a safe home with a training program where the kids could learn job and living skills. Visit www.pghomes.org for more information.

“It wasn’t our program,” Artie insists. “It was the community’s program. The whole town was behind us. We had fire fighters, police officers and local teachers volunteering their time to help. Local businesses helped too. Everybody was involved.”

SubNation was known for holding holiday meals for kids and disadvantaged families.
Unfortunately, he says, the state of California stopped funding group homes and Artie had to sell PG Homes. So he and Gina decided to return to Artie’s hometown where they plan to resume their work with kids.

Artie and Gina envision a group home in a country setting in Medina County, where kids can escape their troubled environment.

“We want to take the kids out of their bad situation and give them a positive, healthy atmosphere,” Artie says. “That’s what we looked to do in California.”

Currently Artie and Gina have designed a new program to help local schools, church groups who need funding through the Dine-Out To Help-Out program. The program donates 5% of your organization’s bill for a specific date and time. For instance: The Grille will donate 5% of all Saint Ambrose patrons’ purchases made on Mondays between 4-7 p.m. for the month of November. If interested in enrolling your organization, please call Gina Kokkas at 714-926-8508 or e-mail GinaKokkas@yahoo.com.

Like Southern California, The Grille is always hot. Even in the winter, when the heated outdoor patio will be open, with wide screen televisions.

“We had a great summer,” Gina says. “The community has been very supportive. We want to be a Cheers kind of place, where everybody knows each other and Artie and I can hang out with our customers.”

And although it is a bar, and it is a lot of fun, Artie insists that The Grille stay family-friendly.
Healthy appetites are always welcome.

“Everything we serve is homemade,” Artie says. “You will wait longer than you do at a chain restaurant because we’re not nuking pre-prepared food in the microwave or dropping it on the grill. But it will be worth the wait.”

The Grille’s menu includes a “Hot Off The Grille” section featuring huge pork ribs, hand cut rib-eye steak and chicken. They serve delectable pastas and seafood dishes and have a wide variety of California gourmet style subs and fresh pizzas. Artie says The Grille’s now famous spare ribs smothered in a sweet barbecue sauce, are the best in town.

Artie’s family is famous for their homemade pizza. They have 15 shops from Cape Cod to Boston and now, right here in Brunswick.

“Our dough is made fresh every day,” Artie promises. On Mondays, you can try one of The Grille’s one of a kind pizzas for only $5 (cheese only). There are also many other daily specials and events at the Grille (see sidebar).

Happy Hour is Monday through Friday, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The Grille is located at 1813 Pearl Road, in Brunswick, just south of Laurel Road. Call 330-225-3355 or visit www.delivermefood.com. Hours are Monday–Friday 4:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. and Saturday–Sunday noon to 2:30 a.m.

Daily Specials

Mon: $5 Cheese Pizza •
Kids Eat Free ALL NIGHT
Tues: $5 Spaghetti • Men’s Night
$2 D. Beer, $3 I. Beer
Wed: $5 Greek Gyro • Service Industry Night $2 D. Beer, $3 Jager
Thurs: $5 1⁄2 LB Burgers • Ladies Night $5 Fishbowl Margaritas and Karaoke at 9pm
Fri: $5 Appetizer (excludes wings), $5 Martini Specials • Flashbacks w/ DJ Big Boy
Sat: $5 Blue Devil Sub, $6 Ella Fitzini • Jazz & Blues on Sirius Radio
Sun: $5 Cincinnati Chili • Senior Sun. Salad & Soup $5
Cannot be combined with coupons or specials, some restrictions apply.

Upcoming Events:
Fri. Oct 24th Clam Bake $19.95
Fri. Oct 31st 2nd Annual Halloween Costume Party “Grille Cash” prizes – DJ Heated Cabana Bar/ Deck
Sat. Nov. 22nd Italian Wine Tasting $29.99/p, Italian Dinner–Limited Seats
Want to receive specials? ginakokkas@yahoo.com
Book All of Your Holiday and Birthday Parties Now! Rooms seat 22-30—NO ROOM CHARGE!

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