Hot Tuna Featured in Virginian-Pilot's "Beach Buzz"

Visit the Virginia Pilot online for the full article, or continue below for an excerpt of columnist Lee Balote's piece. 

Hot Tuna Bar & Grill will be celebrating its 25th year this June.

Brett Kassir, owner, said his years working for the Marriott Corporation helped him hone his skills in running a business, while working at several local restaurants gave him experience in the food and beverage industry.

When he opened Hot Tuna with his business partners in 1992, he was inspired to make Hot Tuna a great dinner place along with a vibrant and energetic bar atmosphere.

Originally, the concept was going to be strictly a restaurant, but his girlfriend at the time, Liana Rameriz, had a popular band called the Kilroos. She convinced Kassir to have her band perform on Wednesday nights, and it was a huge success.

“I give her a lot of credit,” said Kassir. “She really helped the bar scene at Hot Tuna take off.”

The restaurant’s continued success can be contributed to changing with the times. Kassir said they embrace change, new music and keeping up with the food trends. The restaurant will be celebrating their birthday on June 10 and will feature Venus Taxi, a popular band from back in the day.