Business

New leadership for Water Street Tavern

MUNCY -- The Miller family has put a new face on a familiar place at 113 W. Water St. The Water Street Tavern offers made-from-scratch American classics paired with refreshing beverages inside the former Haywood's Bar and Grill.

Mike and Sara Miller opened the restaurant at the end of 2025 after uprooting their family of four from Raleigh, North Carolina to Mike's hometown. The couple have over 30 years of restaurant experience that they used to create their own establishment from the ground up.

The couple curated the menu together to create a true tavern-style dining experience. There are slow-cooked ribs, burgers, salads, sandwiches and their made-to-order macaroni and cheese.

"Our signature mac and cheeses are one of our staples," Mike Miller said. The menu has options with house made chili, chicken tenders, baby back ribs and crab dip.

Each month they have a special macaroni and cheese, in May to celebrate Cinco de Mayo they offered a taco version. They had other specials like a Mexican corn chowder and specialty margaritas.

They plan to have special dishes that rotate throughout the year to utilize seasonal ingredients and dishes. He said they want to bring back seasonal dishes that customers look forward to every year.

Creating 80 percent of the menu from scratch is one of the aspects that makes the Water Street Tavern a go-to spot for people looking for a delicious meal.

"We have the opportunity of elevating the food scene here and be able to put out a great product that people enjoy eating," he said. He wants customers to come from outside the Muncy area to experience their great hospitality, cold beer and good food.

Using fresh ingredients, cooking from scratch and serving craft beers is the core of the menu. Miller said changing those aspects up is what keeps things exciting. Working in the restaurant scene in Raleigh taught him that complacency can hurt an establishment.

Coming from a bigger city taught the couple the importance of being innovative all the time. They have a set mindset that to keep up with the local restaurant scene, you have to make changes.

Many of the staff had only worked in restaurants that served frozen to cook, so the Millers taught everybody on the team the ins and outs of the menu. Fully understanding the menu allows better quality control.

"It's important that our staff know what the product looks and tastes like," he said. "To truly be successful, you give your staff all the tools you possibly can to make sure that guest's dining experience is as seamless as it can be."

They also drive home the importance of good hospitality. Miller believes along with having quality food, meeting the needs of each guest is essential.

"Tons of people can cook at home," he said. "They come out to be taken care of."

The owners don't sit on the sidelines while they watch their staff struggle. Whenever necessary, the two jump in wherever they are needed to ensure lunch and dinner service runs smoothly. If they can clean tables or help in the kitchen, it allows the servers to focus on taking care of guests.

Instead of focusing on the "rat race" in the Raleigh restaurant scene, here he is able to better connect with people in the area. He stressed the importance of giving back to the community and building relationships with those in it. They plan to support local organizations to make Lycoming County a better place.

Both Millers have decades of experience in the hospitality industry in a variety of roles. They have worked their way up from washing dishes to bar tending, cooking and managing. This is the fourth restaurant Mike Miller has opened. Down south, he opened three restaurants in a local, thriving franchise.

Once the Millers moved up to Pennsylvania last summer, the deal to purchase the former Haywood's building went through in the middle of November. That left the family with only a couple weeks to turn it into the Water Street Tavern.

The day they signed the papers, they got to work taking out the furniture to start remodeling. The goal was to give the space a modern pub style vibe. They brought in sleek tables and bar stools. They repainted the booths and walls then hung 12 big screen televisions ideal for watching sports plus shelves with fun trinkets on display.

"We gave it a full face lift," he said. They made massive changes in a short amount of time thanks to help from family and friends.

Almost all of the Haywoods staff stayed on plus they hired nine new employees.

This is just the beginning for the family in Muncy borough. They have dreams to expand the restaurant by adding an outdoor deck area and trying different concepts.

"I passionately enjoy what I do," he said. "It's nice to have a successful business and provide for my family with something that can be fun for me also."

To keep up with their monthly specials, you can find them at Water St. Tavern on Facebook.