Your Favorite Steakhouse

[Des-Lab]

So tell us about your favorite steak house.

I am a redneck at heart. I *LOVE* a good steak and barbecue. Last night, for my birthday dinner, we all went to my favorite steak house: Pinnacle Peak, located in San Dimas CA.

I love this place for a number of reasons. First of all, it's "bottom end". Most of your so-called "finer" steak houses (such as Lawrys in Beverly Hills or any of the New York City ones) serve fine food for sure. But they are simply too formal, stuffy, hideously overpriced, and the food is so often covered up with meaningless frills such as mushroom or bernaise sauces. It takes away from the flavor of the intended main course-namely-the steak.

Not at Pinnacles. It's everything you could want in a good steak house. Here is my review of it from last night (even though I have eaten there countless times).

First, you almost have to know where it is. It is nestled right up against the foothills, along Route 66/Foothill Blvd on the San Dimas/Glendora border. That particular stretch of road is mostly residential and if you weren't looking for it, you could very easily drive right by it. There is very little "restaurant" look to it. The sign is a very discreet and charming "covered wagon". The wooden archway leading to the entrance is a charming touch as is the little fenced off "yard", adding to the "ranch" feel to the place.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Outside1.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Outside2.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_WagonSign.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Yard.JPG

The statue of the bull on the roof is also a nice touch. Let's you know exactly what the place is all about. I suspect that at one time in the past, it might have had a longhorn on it, as the area area around the bulls "ears" looks to be broken. But I don't ever remember seeing horns on it. So if there were, they broke off eons ago.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Cow.JPG

This place has the shortest operating hours of any restaurant I've ever seen. They open at 5PM and close at 9PM. But I guess that's all that matters. You HAVE to get here before they open. They start taking names around 4:30-4:45. And if you aren't in the first seating, it is ALWAYS a two hour wait. This is the outside waiting area. And it gets packed.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_WaitingHall.JPG

Once you get inside, the charm immediately hits you. It is filled with Old West paraphernelia, is very dimly lit, the tables are more like picnic tables. The tablecloths are classic checkerboard pattern. And when you walk in, you are greeted by a set of longhorns (perhaps they were originally on the cow outside?) as well as a big stop sign saying "No Ties Allowed" (more on this below). The hostess was nice enough to let me take these pictures prior to the opening. Because the place is so dim, and me wanting to get "True" light shots, I had to use a tripod.

The place is frozen in time. It has probably changed little (if at all) in appearance for at least 30 years. And it could've come straight out of "Hazzard County" or just about any other roadside barbecue in the rural Midwest or South (places I have long wanted to visit). Except for the first picture in the next set, where camera flash lighting was used, all are "true color" views and the same lighting as it appears to the eyes.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_LobbyEntrance.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Inside1.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Inside2.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Inside3.JPG

This is a redneck joint all around. And of course, I fit in. Here's my footwear for the evening.
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Boots.JPG


That warning in the lobby about "no tries" is real. If you wear a necktie, they WILL cut it off. There are many decades of severed ties hanging on the rafters. Most folks who come here know this and wear it anyway because the staff makes a big commotion about it: they walk around ringing a few cowbells and make the big announcement. Then she reaches down with a huge pair of scissors and chops it off. The whole restaurant then breaks out in applause. It IS kind of overdone, almost bordering on being a tourist trap act, for sure. But in light of the overall charm of the place, I think it is still cute. A couple of ties were cut last night, but it was way on the other side of the dining room and I couldn't really get over there with the camera.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_NoTies.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Ties.JPG

So anyway, once you geat seated, the menu is right there. It's printed on a plain brown paper bag (which doubles as your "doggie bag" if you need one).

And on one side only. The menu is really quite simple: Steak, chicken, ribs, or any combination thereof. For kids, they have hot dogs and hamburgers available. The waitress comes along (they aren't shy about hiring only 'perdy girls' either) who is always polite, friendly, and attentive and takes your order. They don't wear their real names on their apron tag like 'Vanessa' or 'Melissa'. Instead, they go by "Western Cliché" names like "Desert Wind" or "Cactus Hollow", or something like that.

That's it. You will not find things like teriyaki chicken salad or chipotle fajita garlic wraps. None of that bullshit. This is a down to the basics meat joint. This is also not the place to go if you are a vegetarian.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Menu.JPG

And remember what I said about getting there early? The place fills up REAL quick. The time between the dining room pictures above and the one below (enhanced with camera flash) is maybe 20 minutes.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Crowded.JPG

And all of the food is cooked on an open bed of mesquite coals. No burners, grills, gas line, or any of that. I'm sure this place is not AQMD approved. But who cares? THIS is the way to cook a steak.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Coals.JPG

So anyway, I orderd the usual: the steak and ribs combo. It's served with a small garden salad, beans, and bread. I also requested a side cup of barbecue sauce for the ribs and a little bit of dipping the steak in. This is the only steak I will eat with just a hint of BBQ sauce. It is a really good sweet and mild sauce and is one of the better I've had anywhere.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Salad.JPG
http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Dinner.JPG

It IS a basic, no-frills meal. And I think that is its strongest point. Too many of your so-called "upscale" steakhouses, as I said, try and fluff it up with caesar salads, exotic sauces, and pretty vegetables neatly arranged on the plate. I'm not eating a picture. I'm eating a steak. Here, emphasis on "appearance" is basically zero. You are served the food and that's it. And it is absolutely DELICIOUS. Just looking at these pictures is making me want to go back again!

And for desert, after all the waitresses came and sang me a Western birthday song (complete with hat waving Yee-Haw! finale), I had me a basic ice cream, hot fudge brownie sundae. The brownie was buried at the bottom. Again. Simple. But delicious.

http://x-2000r.angelcities.com/images/Pinnacles_Desert.JPG

Vegetarians should not come here. And neither should anyone who is counting their calories. Same for anyone who expects a "white glove" type of steak house treatment. With dinner, drinks, and dessert, you will most likely consume an entire days caloric allocation in one meal. But a place like this should be an only once in a blue moon treat. Although it's delicious and highly recommended on all counts, a steady diet of Pinnacles will send you into cardiac arrest in no time.

So that's it. My favorite steak house. Simple. Basic. Charming. Rustic. Delicious. And reasonably priced.

[Fast Forward]

Matt ,that looks like a fun place I love Saloons,,and I love Saloons that serve great down home cooking,, that being said,,I can,t speak for any thing in the Twins Cities ,,I understand Murrays is about the best ,, but in my home town of Chicago there are many great ones but I always thought Mortons on Rush and Ontario was the best

[BroonsBane]

Now that's a place my wife and I would love, right up our alley. Great food and laid back atmosphere and I wouldn't have to worry about them cutting off my tie as I don't own one :)
We have a place here similar to that one called The Prospector. They are renowned for their to-die-for Prime Rib Roasts and steaks, Caesar Salad and baked onsight buns. All of their beef is locally raised here in Thunder Bay. If you ever come here you HAVE to go to The Prospector.

[Acoustic]

I don't think that any place could hold a candle to the "Hungry Heifer".:D

Matt you do as good a review on steak houses as you do tape!

Here's my favorite. It used to be in a little town, Martin City Mo, that was on the KS/Mo border but my how that town has grown. Place called Jess and Jim's.
Here's the menu. (http://www.jessandjims.com/subpages/dinner/dinner_menu.pdf) I used to get the 30oz Porterhouse*drool*. I'd only order that now if it comes with a side of defibrillator *yikes*.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/2934905817_1552462515.jpg

[Scorpion8]

So tell us about your favorite steak house.

I am a redneck at heart. I *LOVE* a good steak and barbecue.

Matt -- I've seen your pic. redneck doesn't do it justice, unless Charles Manson was considered a redneck....:D

Anyway, we have none of the big city chains of restaurants here, everything is locally owned mom & pops. Can't really say any of them are a steakhouse per se, given the lack of cattle in the locality. But if I did have to pick one, it'd be the Red Dog Saloon. Photos shown here (http://www.reddogsaloon.com/Gallery.htm) from their website. It's the kind of place also where no ties are allowed, and the floor used to be covered in peanut shells as they had a barrel of dry-roasted peanuts by the columns and you grabbed a bowl. Made those cold draft libations all the more necessary. It's also filled with local history, life rings from passing ships, business cards and Fire Dept patches from all over the world stapled to the walls..... quite the nice ambience.

[itlldue]

I was raised on a ranch that also had cattle, and we butchered out own. Needless to say, beef was the rule rather than the exception, and I got tired of eating it for every meal. I know that hurts to hear, but I can't help it.

That being said, there used to be a restaurant on a hill just outside of Phoenix called "The T Bone". Dirt road up the hill, gravel parking lot. The tables were picnic tables and benches with sawdust on the floor. The menu was similar to the one you showed. Your meal came with salad, a bowl of beans, a baked potato, and bread. Period. The 70+year old lady who owned the place worked there, and always wore a complete "cowgirl" outfit, complete with skirt and a pair of REAL nickel plated pearl handled Colt 45's on her hips. She was known to use them on occasion if somebody got unruly in the bar. All of the meat was cooked on two outside pits, and they had a contract with one of the locals to provide the mesquite for the fire. We used to go there when I was on the crew of a drag boat in the late 70s. Although I'm not a steak fan, I always made an exception there.

All good things must come to an end, and I hear the place survived a few years after she passed, but it was never the same. Don't know if it's still there or not.