Light dining options, affordability offered at Mainstream Bar and Grill

By Emily Sorensen

A longtime Powegian is bringing quality, affordable food to Poway with the opening of Mainstream Bar and Grill, located at 13385 Poway Road, in the former Le Peep location.

Harry Rogers, a former restaurateur and businessman who has lived in Poway for over 40 years, opened Mainstream Bar and Grill a little over a month ago, and has been enjoying success ever since.

“We’ve gone heavy into light dining,” said Rogers of the restaurant’s menu offerings. “We have 30 appetizers, like flatbreads and sliders, which can serve as a light dinner.” Mainstream Bar and Grill also focuses on affordability, with items on the menu ranging from $3.50 to $20. “It’s all good quality food, with nearly everything freshly prepared,” said Rogers. Even the bread is baked fresh, by a private baker.

Mainstream Bar and Grill also has a large taco menu, as well as salads, sandwiches and more. “It’s a versatile menu,” said Rogers. The restaurant’s number one seller is the pickle wrap, a dill pickle spear wrapped in ham and herb cream cheese, then fried. The short ribs, the ribeye sandwich and the media noche sandwich are also big sellers. You can eat inside, or on the dog-friendly patio, which can seat 45.

Rogers is no stranger to running a business, or a restaurant. He owned the Whiskey Creek restaurant, a nightclub and steakhouse, in Poway from 1979 through 1988. He’s kept busy in Poway business since, as he has owned the Poway Valley Stock Farm for 31 years. He also formerly owned the Poway Equestrian Center, and owns a number of other businesses, as well as working in real estate. After so many years out of the restaurant business, why return? “It was on my bucket list,” said Rogers.

Mainstream Bar and Grill also has a full bar, where you can listen to the jukebox or play pinball while enjoying one of the restaurant’s 20 craft beers on tap during the Monday - Friday happy hour, from 2 - 6 p.m. During happy hour, all drinks in the bar are $1 off, everything from high-end cocktails to bottled beer. Rogers said Mainstream Bar and Grill’s bottled beer is 10 to 20 percent cheaper than anywhere else in town. “We’re trying to stay price effective for Poway,” said Rogers. While Mainstream Bar and Grill is mostly a lunch and dinner place, it is open Sundays for brunch, offering endless mimosas for $3, as well as a brunch menu, with prices ranging from $6 - $10.

Mainstream Bar and Grill also offers Taco Tuesday, where all tacos on the menu are $1 off, and Wine Wednesday, where a glass of wine is $1 off, and a bottle is half price, on top of what Rogers called their already reasonable wine prices.

Looking for a place to hold a sports banquet, wedding reception or a meeting? Mainstream Bar and Grill has a banquet room that will hold up to 120, with a portable service bar and two big screen televisions with hookups for laptops.

Open seven days a week, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday. Call 858-486-6246 with questions.