[Southsider2k12]

This is definitely my favorite place to see a band during the summer.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=54108.65

Matey's Mark 15 Years
MICHIGAN CITY - Matey's Restaurant, 110 Franklin St., will mark its 15th anniversary with a St. Patrick's Day weekend celebration, March 14 through 17.

All weekend, Matey's will have live entertainment, drink specials, giveaways and prizes. Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15, there will be a seafood and prime rib buffet, and on Monday, March 17, Matey's will have a corned beef and cabbage buffet from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., along with Irish beer and drink specials.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=35340.29

Fine Living - 15 years of Matey's
Owners thrilled with success of restaurant

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Marine charts, fishing nets and sculptures of fishermen all speak to the nautical theme of Matey's.

The owners, Bill and Carol Bailey, own a boat and they used to keep it at the 300 dock. Eventually, though, they moved it to Kentucky Lake.

"When it was (in Michigan City) we never had time to go out on it," Carol Bailey said. "We were always here," she said, gesturing to the restaurant and bar.

With the boat in Kentucky, she said, she and Bill actually take a few days at a time to relax.

Fifteen years ago, when the Baileys first leased the place, what has become Matey's was a small convenience store with a deli and a bar serving beer and wine.

Looking toward changing and expanding the operation, the Baileys bought the building and over the years made several changes. It included the addition of a sports bar and a couple of decks where customers gather on warm evenings to catch a Lake Michigan breeze.

According to online reviews, some customers feel transported to the Florida Keys.

That's music to Carol Bailey's ears.

"We try to give people a chance to relax and enjoy themselves," she said.

Andrew C. Tisch, vice president for business at Centier Bank, said when he found himself with a bit of unexpected free time in Michigan City last week, he headed for Matey's.

"If you want a good burger, get it here," he said.

Becky Stevenson, who works for Weil-McLain, was introducing her friend, John Goolsby, who is employed by Harbor Chrysler Jeep and Dodge, to Matey's recently.

"I had the shrimp po' boy and it was good," Goolsby said. Stevenson chuckled and added, "He had half my chicken sandwich, too."

Businessman Tauris Davis from Oklahoma, dined on Bill's Almost Famous Seafood Chowder. He also had a salad and Chris Schola of KTR Corp., had a chicken sandwich with his chowder.

"I often have a soup and sandwich here," he said, adding, "They always put a smiley face in mayo on my cheeseburgers."

The chowder really is her husband's recipe, Carol Bailey said.

Chef Paul Hartman, who nearly always wears his signature chili pepper chef pants, does the lion's share of the cooking at Matey's. Carol Bailey credits him with introducing the enormously popular Friday (and sometimes, in summer, Saturday) seafood and prime rib buffet. He often wanders into the dining room to ask whether customers are enjoying their meals.

In celebration of its upcoming 15th anniversary, Matey's will offer the buffet both Friday and Saturday next weekend, along with live music.

On St. Patrick's Day, Matey's will celebrate with corned beef and cabbage.

Shelly Sjoberg, a waitress and a part-time manager, has been with Matey's for nearly six years.

"I like it here," she said. "It's fun."

The Baileys think it's fun, too, but it's also a lot of work.

"You have to love this business or you couldn't do it," Carol Bailey said. "We have some wonderful customers and we've made some great friends."

A cancer survivor, Bill Bailey took a year off from the business, but he loves being back.

"Bill really loves to cook," his wife says.

The seafood chowder is a favorite with customers. Many also appreciate the lake perch sandwich and the all-you-can-eat Lake Victoria perch dinner.

Those who like a little heat will find it in several dishes at Matey's, including the Diablo Shrimp appetizer or Fire Down Below, a grilled smoked chicken breast covered in pepperjack cheese, bacon and jalepeno ranch dressing on a toasted bun.

From Matey's extensive menu, Carol says, "Burgers are still our biggest sellers."

In addition to beer and mixed drinks, Matey's offers wine, by the bottle or the glass from a varied list.

The former secretary to the Boilermaker's Union 374, Carol Bailey never imagined herself operating a bar and restaurant.

What's the secret to Matey's success?

"You've got to like hard work and you really have to like people and making people happy."



Contact Deborah Sederberg at dsederberg @thenewsdispatch.com.