photograph by michael donahue
Patrick’s owner Mike Miller
Mike Miller’s name, as you can probably deduce, is not Patrick. But after 19 years of owning the restaurant named Patrick’s, people often call him that anyway. The eponymous Patrick was Pat Scanlon, the original owner. Miller didn’t want to change the name, which would involve issues like buying a new sign. “They already had the brand and a solid business,” Miller says. “We’ve taken it and run with it.”
Scanlon opened Patrick’s in 1992 near the Target on Spottswood Avenue, then moved to the current location on Park in 2005. That same year, Miller bought the business from Scanlon and “spent four months rehabbing the whole building.”
photograph by michael donahue
Server Gina Carrero
Over the years, Miller made improvements. “We’ve done everything from floor to parking lot to roof to new air conditioning.” Constructed in 1965, the building has been home to Blaz’R Steaks, Molly’s La Casita, Buntyn Cafe, Giovanni’s, and Ernie’s, a club owned by the late Ernie Barrasso.
When Scanlon owned it, Patrick’s was “more known for entertainment and the bar aspect.” “We tried music and all the other gimmick stuff — trivia, karaoke.” Miller decided to concentrate on “good food and good service,” and says their business has grown every year since.
“I’m not just duplicating those things, but adding my own flair to them and making people happy. What more personal thing can you do than feed somebody?” — Mike Miller
Miller overhauled the menu, moving to “choice beef instead of select. We upgraded virtually everything in terms of the quality. Our pot roast is a choice roast with potatoes, carrots, and fresh stuff versus powdered gravies and frozen vegetables.”
Their menu now includes 108 items they “make from scratch virtually every day.” And, he says, “We actually use recipes, so it is consistent.” They serve fried chicken, burgers, steaks, sandwiches, and salads as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options. “Our most popular entrée is our fish and chips, and we sell a ton of pork chops.”
They also offer daily specials. Some of them, including the salmon burger, became permanent menu items. “Our staple is home cooking. But I tell people all the time that if you can’t find something on our menu, you’re too picky.”
During a recent dinner hour, diners’ colorful clothes competed with the colorful memorabilia covering the walls — license plates, bumper stickers, and advertisements. One section of the restaurant is devoted to Elvis. Other walls are dedicated to the Memphis Tigers as well as the Memphis Fire Department.
photograph by kathy mclellan
The author dives into a smothered pork chop, among other things.
Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Miller began working in restaurants as a teenager. “When I was 14 years old, my parents said, “Look. It’s time to get a job.’” So he washed dishes at a little Italian restaurant. When he revealed how much he hated that position, his boss told him, “Well, learn something else.”
That’s just what he did. Miller came to work in the mornings, made sauces and meatballs, then stayed the whole day. He eventually became kitchen manager. He learned that if he wanted something, he had to work toward it.
After moving to Memphis in 1987, Miller first went to work at Barretta’s Spike & Rail in Bartlett, Chili’s Grill & Bar, and Half Shell. “I’ve been in this business nearly 40 years,” he says, “and there’s still plenty to learn.”
In 2015, Miller opened Heritage Tavern and Kitchen on Poplar, which served “regional American cuisine.” That restaurant closed three years later, but Miller occasionally includes some of those menu items as specials at Patrick’s.
Miller doesn’t do much cooking himself these days, saying, “When we first got here, I was on the line regularly.” When he does get in the kitchen, it’s usually to prepare Brunswick stew, with beef, chicken, and vegetables from “a 100-year-old recipe from my wife’s family,” Miller says. “I’ve got that hand-written recipe from generations ago. That’s the kind of thing that excites me.”
And, he says, “I’m not just duplicating those things, but adding my own flair to them and making people happy. I say, ‘What more personal thing can you do than feed somebody?’”
Over the years, Miller has participated in barbecue competitions. “I’ve taken second-, sixth-, and eighth-place in the rib category at Memphis in May,” he says.
This is also Miller’s eighth year as president of the Memphis Restaurant Association. He will serve through 2024 and then “pass the baton to somebody else.”
Patrick’s Neighborhood Bar & Patio is located at 4972 Park Avenue.
