Haxtun's new restaurant is open and serving customers. Chandler's Backyard Bar and Grill opened at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Fletcher Street earlier this month and is aiming to serve the Haxtun community.

Owners Alsey Chandler and Kristi Emory soft opened the business on Sept. 1 but officially celebrated with a ribbon cutting last Friday, Sept. 17. The two operate the local bar and grill together with hopes to add a full-service winery to the operation later down the line.

Alsey said he has been making wine for nearly 20 years and those who have tasted his product have always encouraged him to process in bulk for sale. The wine making process, he said, takes nearly a year so with that goal in mind, he and Kristi decided in the meantime, they would put their efforts into a bar and grill in the Haxtun community.

Hopes are to later down the line open a winery in Haxtun. That space, Alsey said, would take place in a separate facility, large enough to house the equipment needed to facilitate the vinification process.

Chandler's Backyard Bar and Grill, located at 202 South Colorado Avenue in downtown Haxtun, has a full-service lunch and dinner menu with indoor and outdoor seating options. Take out options are also available by calling (970) 77G-RILL.

Lunch specials include sandwiches and hamburgers while the expanded dinner menu features items like smothered burritos and the popular grilled cheese chili sandwich. Kristi said the sandwich, featuring a typical grilled cheese with hotdogs and green chili, has been a huge hit since the restaurant opened.

Other favorites so far are the homemade onion rings and freshly made hamburgers, Kristi added.

The bar and grill also features daily and weekend specials. This past weekend, owners Kristi and Alsey featured a special for high school students attending homecoming; dinner and soft drinks for two.

In addition to a full-service food menu, the menu also includes wine, beer and liquor to include a full-service bar.

Chandler's Backyard Bar and Grill is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The restaurant is closed Sundays and Mondays but as the holidays approach, the couple plan to reserve those days for special parties and celebrations.

Kristi said as the restaurant continues to serve the community, she hopes to decorate the inside with photos of customers to make the area inviting with a home-like feeling. She snapped pictures of high school students who dined before the homecoming dance last weekend and she plans to print those to begin decorating.

Alsey said the two aim to serve the Haxtun community in all they do; offering quick homemade meals for harvesters and daily lunch specials for those needing lunch and dinner during a busy work week.

Chandler's Backyard Bar and Grill plans to be open this weekend as the Haxtun community celebrates the 100th annual Corn Festival. Kristi said specials will include pasta dishes along with meatball subs. In the evening, customers will see drink specials, such as Jello shots and other crowd pleasing favorites.

Looking ahead, Kristi said the duo also plans to host Halloween and New Year's Eve celebrations and will be available for company parties and other celebrations.