Tacoma Narrows-area seafood restaurant is officially under new ownership

Anthony’s Restaurants announced Tuesday that Tacoma’s Boathouse 19 has officially joined its family of more than 30 Pacific Northwest eateries.

The News Tribune first reported the sale in early January.

Entering retirement, founders Katie and Dennis Driscoll in December also sold their Lobster Shop restaurant to Seattle-based E3 Restaurant Group. Katie Driscoll did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“For nearly 50 years, we’ve been very selective when choosing opportunities for growth,” said Budd Gould, who opened his first restaurant at Bellevue Crossings in 1969, in a press release. His son Herb Gould and his daughter Amy Burns now act as co-presidents.

Though the Driscolls opened the marina-front restaurant in 2012, they entered the local industry 45 years ago with a Lobster Shop at Dash Point. It closed in 2015.

Gould recognized the history embedded in Boathouse 19, though, with a bar top salvaged from the old Day Island Bridge and tables constructed from Nalley Valley Pickle barrels. Notably, he added, the restaurant exists “alongside one of the only docks still selling gas and live herring,” which fits right into Anthony’s mission to serve local, sustainable seafood.

The Kirkland-based company now operates four locations in Pierce County, including Harbor Lights on Ruston Way, Anthony’s at Point Defiance and Anthony’s at Gig Harbor.

Boathouse 19 will retain its name, eschewing the addition of Anthony’s to honor “the legacy it has in the Narrows community,” said marketing director Kirsten Elliot in an email. State records filed with the Department of Revenue and the Secretary of State refer to it as Anthony’s Boathouse.

Longtime general manager John Little will remain along with head chef Edson Ibarra, and all existing staff “will be offered a role with us,” she confirmed.

Speaking to potential changes, she said guests should expect to see similar “dockside classics on the menu” sourced through Anthony’s own wholesale seafood enterprise.

“To come out of the Covid-19 pandemic and be able to grow is a testament to our loyal guests and our commitment to serving the freshest PNW seafood paired with some of the most stunning views this area offers,” said Elliot.

Reporter’s Note: Boathouse 19 shared on its website and social media channels that it would be closed for a week, Feb. 1-7, as it transitions to Anthony’s ownership.

This story was originally published February 1, 2022 at 12:29 PM.