WR Kitchen debuts in California with fast-casual bar format

WR Kitchen & Bar, a hybrid restaurant by the operators of Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill, opens today in Southern California, offering a blend of upscale casual-dining barbecue food with fast-casual service.

But this is not your typical fast-casual outlet. The restaurant is set up like a modern gastropub, with a long 16-seat bar nestled in front of an open kitchen. The bar is also strategically located near the front entrance because this is where guests order their food.

The restaurant’s owners, who founded the first Wood Ranch 27 years ago, said they’ve created this hybrid variation of their casual-dining brand to stay relevant for the next three decades.  The 4,000-square-foot restaurant maintains many full-service amenities such as a bar with craft beer and cocktails.

Eric Anders, co-founder of the Westlake Village, Calif-based company, said a second WR Kitchen will open later this year in Carlsbad, Calif.

Take a closer look inside WR Kitchen & Bar.

All photos by Nancy Luna

Contact Nancy Luna at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @FastFoodMaven