Jeff Dudum wanted to know what the people of Walnut Creek were looking for.
The veteran restauranter, who also operates Bourbon Highway and The Cooperage WC, took over the building that used to be Crogan’s and then sought the advice of the locals.
Said Dudum: “We went on social media and said, ‘hey, listen, for 40 years Crogan’s had been here. We have ideas of what we’d like to do but we want to hear from you; what would you’ like to see?’ We had 7,000 responses on what people wanted.”
What people wanted, Dudum said, was a place to watch sports and listen to live music.
“I started researching music and sports, and went to different places in Europe, and I just felt an Irish pub feels right,” he said.
Gibson’s opened on New Year’s Eve with dueling pianos. More than 300 people showed up and Dudum said the feedback was fantastic.
“It feels like you’re walking into a 1950s-1960s pub in Ireland,” he said.
On the menu is Irish fare, pub-style. There are bangers and mash, Guinness-glazed ribs, an Irish whiskey steak and fisherman’s stew.
For entertainment, solo pianists will perform Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays while there will be dueling pianos on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s $10 to get in after 9 p.m.
Details: Open daily, 11:30 a.m. to close, at 1387 Locust Street in Walnut Creek; gibsonswc.com.
