Kristi Lee was born in Tennessee, while her husband Dana was raised in Florida. Now, the local couple is trying to bring Southern flavors they grew up with to College Park.

Backyard Sports Grill, which sits on the corner of Route 1 and Hartwick Road in the spot previously occupied by Big Play Sports Grill, offers various Southern-style dishes such as blackened catfish, chicken and waffles, and shrimp and grits. The restaurant opened March 4. 

”We are bringing a taste of Southern cooking and hospitality to College Park,” co-owner Kristi Lee said. “We are just offering something a little different than what is currently available here.”

The Lees are both physicians, but after Kristi started attending culinary school in 2008, she decided to get into the food business.

The two considered other locations in Washington and Laurel, but the College Park location seemed like the right fit, Lee said.

“Something just kept pulling us back to this particular location,” Lee said. “First off, just being right next to the university, we thought that would be a good opportunity for us. But also, the area in general is up and coming with a lot of renovations and construction going on.”

Some students said they are excited about the new style of food coming to Route 1.

“I basically eat the same thing everyday,” said Brandon Cohen, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences. “I am definitely looking to try it. I’m trying to diversify my food a little bit.”

Lee said she wants the restaurant and bar to be more than just a student hangout and envisions it as a place the working community of College Park will visit frequently.

“We also want to appeal to the people that live and work in this community to feel like they have a place to come and have a nice meal and drink as well,” Lee said.

Lee said that though she has watched past establishments in the location fail, Backyard Sports Grill’s unique taste and intended audience will help the business stay afloat.

“By offering something a little bit different and perhaps catering towards a little bit more of a mature crowd, we won’t have some of the same issues,” Lee said.

Backyard Sports Grill

Michael Stiefvater, the city’s economic development coordinator, said he has high hopes for the restaurant.

“Reasons for optimism would be that they are offering a type of food that you can’t find in College Park,” Stiefvater said. “It’s good to have restaurants that are trying new things and diversifying the offerings.”

The restaurant is open from 2 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to midnight Sunday.

Though the style of food is different, Lee said she wants it to become a place of familiarity for College Park residents.

“We want it to be a place where people will feel comfortable, and that is partly why we named it Backyard Sports Grill,” Lee said. “We are in your backyard, and we want people to feel comfortable like you are at a backyard barbecue.”