.png)
The O'Donnell's Story
There really is a guy named Shawn O’Donnell – the proud grandson of Irish immigrants.
​
I grew up in Mountlake Terrace and first dove into the restaurant business when I opened a 48-seat sandwich shop in Terrace called “The Lunch Box” in 1982. Just 22 years old with not much money, I wasn’t sure how we did it, but with help from family and friends, we somehow made it work.
​
In 1987, I had the chance to really get into the restaurant business by buying a struggling full-service restaurant with a cocktail lounge named Michael Deans. Now 27 years old, married and with no children, I wasn’t afraid of anything—certainly not business failure—so off we went on the latest adventure. After a renovation, the restaurant was renamed The 41st Street Bar and Grill, located in Everett. In 1996, it was renamed again, this time becoming Shawn O’Donnell’s. After 17 years at the 41st Street location, I worked to build from the ground up the restaurant currently located just east of I-5 on 128th Street in South Everett. We completed construction and opened to a welcoming crowd on September 29, 2006.
​
Those early days on 128th were so much fun—new building, new equipment, great staff, and enough customers. Now we are called “Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub.” A bit long, but I felt it captured who we are and what we strive to do. We were, and still are, having a blast exploring and celebrating our grand Irish heritage.
My wife Tina and I have been married since 1979. Tina owned a hair salon from 1980 to 2017, enjoying an amazing run at “Tina’s Hair and Tanning Salon.” We have two children, both of whom grew up bussing tables and hanging out at dad’s restaurant. After earning degrees at the University of Washington (Go Dawgs!), both Shawn Jr. and Sophie decided to give careers in this family business a try.
​
With my two grown children, my sister’s daughter Kristen, and our neighbor’s kid—and Shawn Jr’s UW buddy—Chase, it was time to grow the business. We found a great spot at the base of Seattle’s iconic Smith Tower; from 1914 until the Space Needle came along, it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi. We opened Shawn O’Donnell’s at the Smith Tower in September 2013. Buoyed by a busy Pioneer Square and four great years for the neighboring Seahawks and Sounders, this location has been a resounding success.
​
In 2015, we spotted our future Fremont location—a cool corner spot previously home to “Hunger” and before that, McMenamins’ “Dad Watson’s.” After months of negotiations and construction, we opened Shawn O’Donnell’s Fremont at 3601 Fremont Ave in January 2017. The space turned out great, and the neighborhood just felt right. My dad’s family had lived in Fremont when he was a boy, and I remember visiting my grandmother’s house just up the hill from the restaurant.
​
Our partner Chase moved to Spokane in 2018 to be near his wife’s family. It wasn’t long before he called with an idea: “Would you be interested in doing a restaurant in Spokane?” He soon found the recently closed Milford’s Fish House, a legendary Spokane watering hole for 40 years. We bought it, remodeled the kitchen, and kept much of the pub and dining room intact. Shawn O’Donnell’s Spokane opened in December 2019 with Chase at the helm, and it’s been a booming success.
​
We persevered through the pandemic, keeping all four operating pubs open with help from our communities. Drawing on our Irish ancestors’ adaptability, perseverance, and optimism, we not only kept the doors open but expanded to the Skagit Valley. On January 29, 2022, we purchased The Farmhouse Restaurant, a beloved community staple. We kept the entire staff employed through renovations, retained guest favorites on the menu, and introduced our Irish-American dishes. After just over a year of renovations, we celebrated our Grand Opening in March 2023 with a fully remodeled interior, updated bar and dining areas, banquet spaces, and restrooms. My niece Kristen runs the restaurant alongside me, and she and her family have settled into Mount Vernon beautifully.
​
Our story didn’t stop there. If you know us, you likely know Irish Johnny. Born and raised in Ireland, he’s helped us stay true to our roots. His love for Butte, Montana, inspired our newest location—our first outside Washington. This sixth location opened in March 2024 in a historic building dating back to 1884, the former Mac’s Tavern and adjacent space. After careful renovations to honor its history while adding our Irish pub charm, the Butte location quickly became a community favorite. In 2024, Irish Johnny was honored with Entrepreneur of the Year and Best New Business—testament to his vision and passion for preserving Irish heritage in the “Ireland of the Rockies.”
​
The journey continues, and with each new location, we carry forward the same spirit we started with: family, community, and a love for sharing a meal together.
Our Restaurant Team
Shawn O’Donnell Sr. Over sees operations, tries not to work too hard - Shawn@ShawnODonnells.com
Tina O’Donnell, Shawn’s wife who never sits down and never stops working - Tina@ShawnODonnells.com
Shawn O’Donnell Jr., Regional Manager. Never stops thinking about the restaurant business - ShawnJr@ShawnODonnells.com
Molly O’Donnell, Jr’s wife, Operations and Marketing Director, always thinking of ways to improve - Molly@ShawnODonnells.com
Sophie Taylor, Shawn’s daughter, full time mom and Everett Events Manager and the voice of reason - Sophie@ShawnODonnells.com
Joel Taylor, Sophie’s husband. Has a real job elsewhere, but can’t stay away - Joel@ShawnODonnells.com
Kristen Nannery, Sr’s niece, the ultimate planner and Managing Partner at Skagit- Kristen@ShawnODonnells.com
Jake Nannery, Kristen's husband. Can't wait to retire from his job in software to work in the restaurant - Jake@ShawnODonnells.com
Chase Van Cotthem, Spokane GM, super shopper, Jr’s Best Friend he sucked in to the restaurant business - Chase@ShawnODonnells.com
Irish Johnny, our resident Irishmen to keep us authentic, Butte Aficionado
Chad Davis, Fremont GM, Excel Master, Cocktail Connoisseur – proudly started as a busser at 16 and now General Manager – Chad@ShawnODonnells.com
Robbie Williamson, Smith Tower GM, becoming a seasoned restauranteur and keeping things fresh downtown with droves of tourists and locals returning – Robbie@ShawnODonnells.com
Peter Ryan – Executive Chef, Menu Development – simply the best we’ve ever had. ChefPeter@ShawnODonnells.com
Teresa Roberts – GM of Skagit, long time manager of Farmhouse, keeps us true to the roots of Skagit Valley and a huge dog lover! Teresa@ShawnODonnells.com
Jim Stephanson - In House Whiskey Enthusiast, Everett Manager - all about hospitality, excellent resource for Team Management solutions
Shawn O’Donnell Sr.
August 2025
