NWI Bar
Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00 Monday, 04 January 2010 01:06
Duffy’s Place,
Valparaiso, IN
By Mona Dickinson
One of the area’s last true local hometown bars can be found perched atop the hill at Axe Avenue and U.S. 30 in Valparaiso – Duffy’s Place. Over the years, the building (originally built as a residence back in 1900) has housed the Blue Goose, the Brown Derby, and for nearly 30 years, Jackson’s, according to current owner Jeff “Duffy” St. Aubin.
St. Aubin is no stranger to the restaurant and bar business in Valparaiso – he was formerly with Northside Tap and Pass Times. His wife, Tina, is special events director with the city and her family owns Tony’s Pizza.
“After working in the bar and restaurant business, I just decided that if I was putting my time and efforts into it, I wanted to own my own business,” St. Aubin said. “I just woke up one morning and said, I think I’m gonna go buy a bar,” St. Aubin said. So back in 2002, he approached the former owner of Jackson’s to see if he wanted to sell the bar and Duffy’s Place became a reality. Beside the friendly atmosphere, you’ll find some of the best bar food in the area with homemade soups, salads and favorite family recipes, according to St. Aubin.
“A lot of the soups are my mother’s recipes,” he says, noting that a lot of the items in the kitchen are from local growers. For example, he gets the various peppers used in his wings from local farmers.
Topping the sandwich menu is the House Burger – a half-pound of ground beef, seasoned with Cajun spice and topped with mushrooms, bacon and bleu cheese crumbles.
Homemade tacos are featured each Thursday, with pan-fried blue gill on Fridays. Duffy’s wings are offered in seven different sauces, and their pierogies are also pretty popular. There’s a real mix of people that you’ll find in Duffy’s, from construction workers to retirees, V.U. students to city employees, that stop by for a lunch or a beer. Duffy’s offers a variety a daily food and drink specials to meet everyone’s budget. “We understand that people are hit by the recession, but we offer some of the best food in the area at an affordable price,” St. Aubin said.
Entertainment is featured throughout the week with acoustic music, jam nights with local group C-4, and live bands on Fridays. “We try to bring in some of the best bands from Chicago land and throughout Indiana,” St. Aubin added. In January, Duffy’s will feature the best of the VU Music Department with Jazz on the last Tuesday of each month, directed by Jeff Brown of the University’s music department.
If you’re looking to watch your favorite game, Duffy’s has 11 flat-screens throughout the bar to accommodate every sports fan. There’s an outdoor beer garden, complete with horseshoe courts and beanbag games. “We do a lot of outdoor events in our beer garden, hog roasts, steak fries, golf outings. It’s pretty popular out there,” noted St. Aubin.
St. Aubin feels it’s important to give back to the community and sponsors various teams and community events such as Shop with a Cop and Fireman Phil in the schools.
Duffy’s is also a supporter of VU programs and events, since St. Aubin and his wife both attended the University. Duffy’s is located at 1154 Axe Avenue, just off U.S. 30 in Valparaiso. You can check out the bar on My Space, Facebook or Twitter, or call (219) 462-1057 for more information. Stop by Duffy’s – for a Bite and a Beer.
