What team has the most fans represented at the bar?
We’re all over the board. The big rivalry that runs through Rudy’s is between Todd [Carson] and Rudy [Kaminski], the owners of the bar. Todd is a huge Cowboys fan and Rudy is a die-hard Packers fan, so they sabotage each other all the time. For instance, I just picked up a measuring tape with a Cowboys logo on it and Rudy put duct tape on it. It’s a real college mentality here.
Why do guys come to Rudy’s instead of just buying food and beer at the grocery store?
We’re a whole lot more than your typical sports bar. We have 32 screens. We have a very progressive menu. We have great food, great-looking girls, and the building looks great. The whole roof is retractable, so it’s a real open feel.
Do you have any superfans who come in?
We have a lot of alumni groups that come through. When the place is full and going off, it has to be one of the loudest places in Newport Beach. It gets so packed that nobody really stands out. We don’t really get guys in here with face paint and stuff. The biggest superfan I’ve seen is Rudy himself. If we could serve green cheese here, he would.
What’s the hardest thing about running a sports bar?
The volume of people when there’s a game on. The place fills up in a half hour, and everyone wants everything at the same time. It doesn’t follow a normal pattern of a restaurant or bar, it follows the games. If people are really savvy, they come a couple hours early when there’s a big game on and stake out a table.
ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.
