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Dillon Cody, a resident of East Syracuse, used to come to Clinton Street Pub every so often after he moved to Syracuse a few years ago. Walking into Sassy-Cuse for the first time, he had no idea the former pub had rebranded, and was pleasantly surprised by the upbeat vibe, patriotic interior and menu items, like the fries with Sal’s seasoning.

“It looks so much different, but it’s not a bad different,” Cody said. “If you watch Netflix’s ‘The Ranch,’ think of it that way, just thrown into a bar in Syracuse, it’s got a nice vibe to it.”

Clinton Street Pub’s signature spot on the corner of S. Clinton Street and W. Fayette Street in downtown Syracuse rebranded as Sassy-Cuse Saloon in late January, debuting a new yellow sign, red painted walls, rustic country decor and music from Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves on its speakers.

The former sports bar had been a downtown hub since 2004. Now, it’s a Western-themed restaurant with bar features. The Sassy-Cuse relaunch pays homage to the Sassy Sauce of Sal’s Birdland Restaurants in Rochester, NY, which are owned by Robb Bidwell, who’s also an owner of Sassy-Cuse.

Bidwell previously co-owned downtown brunch spot Modern Malt. With its recent closure, Sassy-Cuse will now host Modern Malt’s brunch menu on weekends. Modern Malt’s staff will serve brunch and breakfast at Sassy-Cuse until 2 p.m.; after that, the restaurant will operate as a saloon.

After he purchased Sal’s Birdland in October, Bidwell decided this was the perfect time for him to rebrand Clinton Street Pub with Sassy Sauce as the main focus. Created in 1974, Sassy Sauce is now sold at grocery stores from upstate New York down to Virginia.

Clinton Street Pub historically served fan favorite foods that incorporated Sassy Sauce and seasoning, like chicken tenders and baked mac and cheese. Now, Bidwell wants to take Sassy products to the next level by infusing more foods for a unique flavor that Syracuse hasn’t seen before, like fried pineapple and cornbread.

After 21 years in Armory Square, Clinton Street Pub felt it was time to switch things up in the downtown area. General Manager Skyler Fellers, who’s been working at the restaurant for the past year, said the Western saloon is a new addition to existing spots that’s stylistically different.

Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor

Syracuse residents gather at newly rebranded Sassy-Cuse Saloon. The owners wanted to create a new space that would add to the variety of restaurants downtown, where locals could enjoy good food and listen to music.

Walking into Sassy-Cuse, the deep red paint on the walls is the most noticeable change from the previous gray and black, along with the new sign out front, Fellers said. They changed out the pub decor to include photos and paintings of animals like donkeys, cows and pigs.

“It’s a cool thing to see when you walk in and you’re like, ‘Oh, you guys didn’t miss with any of this,’” Cody said.

Sassy-Cuse will play mainly country and classic rock ‘n’ roll music to differentiate itself from bars that play pop hits. Especially with the recent uptick in the country genre’s popularity, this is a great time to introduce a country-themed saloon, Fellers said.

The saloon will also host live music shows — Fellers is shooting for country, rock ‘n’ roll and jam bands — but Sassy-Cuse is leaving its doors open to anyone who expresses interest in doing a show, Fellers said. He said they’re also thinking of hosting a line dancing night along with the live music as a way to incorporate more of the saloon feel and get people excited about coming downtown.

“We wanted to do something unique, different to the public and that would be inviting and more of a warm atmosphere,” Fellers said.

This past week, the restaurant served a special of country fried steak with a Sassy Sauce-infused gravy and Sal’s Birdland Wings — fried chicken wings breaded in Sal’s special seasoning. Cody said a good way to test out a new food spot is by trying the fries, and he enjoyed the fries with Sal’s seasoning.

“Sassy Sauce is the cornerstone of everything we’re doing here,” Fellers said. “Getting that brand out there and getting everyone knowing it and it being a household name is what we’re really looking to do.”

Beyond its existing menu, Sassy-Cuse is working on a creamy, sweet Sassy butter to go with its cornbread, which is coated in Sal’s special seasoning, Fellers said. Another Sassy specialty product is the blue cheese, made in house from scratch with a secret recipe. Sassy-Cuse is hoping to eventually bottle it.

While Clinton Street Pub had more of a rowdy reputation, the Americana atmosphere of Sassy-Cuse is more comfortable, inclusive and mellow, Fellers said.

“We really don’t want it to be anything specific,” Fellers said. “We want it to be somewhere that anyone can come in and feel invited and enjoy some good food, some good drinks and some good company.”

Published on February 10, 2025 at 10:05 pm

Contact Mia: mjones58@syr.edu