TERRY RILEY (Owner)
Terry Riley has owned and operated Riley’s Restaurant successfully for over three decades. Since the truest indication of success in the hospitality industry is longevity, Terry Riley has proven his business to be a paradigm for this thought. Over the last 30 years Terry Riley has turned one of the oldest tavern/saloons in this city into a shining example of what a restaurant should be. With a winning combination of food, service, and atmosphere, this Syracuse gem is doing the best numbers in its history, and continues to thrive even in our current economic state.
DARYL (DARWIN) McGREW
For Daryl, Darwin is a long-time-coming dream come true. Daryl McGrew is a first time business owner. From bussing tables at the age of twelve, to "slinging food" in order to work his way to a BS in Business from Syracuse University, Daryl continues to pursue his passion for the restaurant business. Through a combination of extensive business experience, valuable academic coursework, and the guidance and support of Terry Riley over the last decade, Daryl is both confident and secure in this new business venture.
DAVID HOLTMAN
You know him. You love him. Over the last 30 years Dave Holtman has been the staple for many of Syracuse's most famous restaurants. Before his 14 years as the humor and soul behind the bar at Riley's & Riley's Upstairs, Dave was the face behind the bar at THE CROWN and O'TOOLE'S. Always cheerful, Dave spreads laughter and amusement to any and everyone around him. At Darwin, we believe that if we love and enjoy what we do, you'll be able to taste that in our food. Dave will be the driving force behind that. Don't know him yet? You will, and then you'll see what we mean.
TIM (Timber) MAHAR
Tim has been a long-time friend of the Riley's family, and when he expressed an interest in helping to get DARWIN off the ground, we snatched him up. Tim brings a welcome blend of humor and hard work to our table, which we believe serves as the perfect ingredient to our recipe for success. Our little family gets better with every new hire. We feel lucky to have Tim on our side.
Melanie Miro
When it comes to new hires we just keep on hitting the jackpot. Melanie's been in the wings waiting for a spot to open here at Darwin. With the new wave of business coming in we decided to give her a shot on one of our busier days. How glad are we that we did? From slinging pizza dough, to motherly hints on how to tweak the foods to taste like Mom-Made-It... we have another great one on our hands. With laughs, jokes, and dependability, Melanie is the perfect fit for our Darwin family. And, then there were five...
Holly Woodward
The Darwin family welcomes Holly. Her experience at Twin Trees and past gigs at the Brooklyn Pickle gives Holly just what it takes to run our ordering counter. This zany, crazy mother of two has the perfect sense of humor to blend in with the Darwin goofballs. She brings lots of laughter to the table which for us makes her the perfect Darwin fit. We're glad you're part of the team, Holly.
(And, no one can stamp a bag like she can... LOL!!!)
Robert (Bobby Love) Yormick
Talk about funny... Our entire institution is rooted in humor. When you are in good spirits, you can create something that reflects the way you feel. Bob, is such a welcome addition to our family. He'll be the friendly face you see when you get your delivery. He is a good guy, a good dad, and I am so happy to have him on board.
When we sat down to decide on the look of Darwin we enlisted the help of long-time Riley's friend Mike LeGrange. Mike's dedication, patience, and passion for the Darwin project is ingrained in the wood, literally. We love the look of our place, and we hope you do to. But, none of it would have been possible without the help and commitment of the Maintenace Doctor.
We love you, Pop.
Together, we combine over a century of restaurant experience, but without you that means nothing.
We invite you to be a part of our journey...
We want to be your premiere Syracuse lunchtime destination, so we welcome your thoughts, criticism and support. Call us at the shop, e-mail us your thoughts, write a letter (we love them). As long as you are there for us, we'll be there for you. Look forward to seeing you at the counter...
Darwin's
211 North Clinton Street
Syracuse, NY 13203
(315) 373-0484
darwinonclinton@yahoo.com
