Local Restaurants: The Right Spot

Walking into The Right Spot around lunch time, it is clear that the customers inside are not only regulars – but they also appear to be friends with staff members and even each other. This is certainly not uncommon, according to owner Len Ekenman. And that is just how he wants to keep it. He and wife Elaine have created a family atmosphere that has attracted and retained a steady flow of customers throughout the years – and in good times and bad. “We’ve had generations of Fife families come in here, and we love that it has become a true gathering place,” he said.

Len’s parents bought the business in 1973, and he immediately jumped on board. He and Elaine bought the business, then called the White Spot Tavern, in 1980 and their two sons, Stig and Owen, have each worked more than 10 years as cook, bartender, janitor and managers in the family business.

This Fife staple has hosted wedding receptions, baby showers, family parties, funeral gatherings and more. Customers truly see the Right Spot as a part of their lives, as do employees. Several Right Spot workers have enjoyed 20 to 25-year careers working for the Ekenmans.

The restaurant’s menu features a wide variety of traditional bar food from fish and chips (hand dipped in a batter made in-house) to specialty pizzas. And with hand-pressed hamburgers, the Right Spot is the place to go if you are a fan of a good, juicy burger made with quality ingredients. “We keep everything as fresh as possible,” Len said. “Our fries are cut fresh every day, and everything is made to order.”

The Right Spot also sponsors a number of pool and dart teams – some have been playing there for as long as 30 years. “We have the greatest customers, and they have truly become friends over the years,” Len said.

Len and Elaine have worked hard to give back to the community that has supported their business for so many years, by participating in a number of charitable efforts including scholarships for local high school students and more. “We try to help the community that’s been so kind to us,” Elaine said.

The Right Spot, located at 5119 Pacific Highway East in Fife, also offers two happy hours a day, from 3-7 p.m. and 9-11:30 p.m. (and all day on Sundays), featuring discounts on beverages and appetizers.