Legendary Czech Village Restaurant Bar Returns

These are tough times for small businesses, and opening new doors is always a risk. But you gotta love it when you see brave young faces staring down the pandemic and saying damn the derecho, we're going all in.

That's the prevailing spirit behind the re-opening of the Red Frog.

Located at 88 16th Ave SW in the Czech Village, the re-opening of the legendary Red Frog has been the buzz of this town, and the proof of that is right here...a Gazette review from features reporter Alison Gowans, and a Red Frog Facebook page that is reaching over 1,200 followers.

Jake Brummer and Amy Winker are the power couple behind the comeback.

"But don't call it a comeback" said Jake, "the (original) Al's Red Frog was the heart of Czech town for decades. The food was fantastic ALWAYS, THEY NEVER missed.

"There is a mural on the back wall that was drawn by a guy named Bill from Penford. Legend has it that he did the painting back in the early 80s, in exchange for a bar tab! So you see, the place oozes with history and we're hoping to put a fresh spin on this legendary staple of Cedar Rapids."

 

The Red Frog is planning to offer a full lunch and dinner menu along with a Saturday and Sunday breakfast menu. Sports fans can enjoy the NFL Red Zone with games on big screens. They're also advertising a Happy Hour special from 4pm-6pm Monday-Friday with $1 off every drink.

Patrons can expect a limited kitchen to start, eventually consisting of local favorites featuring a variety of things, from Czech original dishes to burgers. They will also have ribs and smoked wings.

The wings are a specialty of Amy Winker. She and Jake Brummer once again have teamed up together in this venture, marking a return to the local scene for this resilient duo. On August 10 the Derecho took the roof off Jake and Amy's newly opened Kingston Pub at 729 1st Ave SW. Jake promises this current venture for him and Amy will eventually lead to a return to the Kingston's re-opening, hopefully by summer of 2021.

In the meantime, stop in for Chad and Jeff Red Frog Friday Oct. 2 at 8:30 p.m. to see the gang and propose a toast...to resilience!