When I was a child we didn’t eat out that much and when we did it seemed to be Pizza Hut in Watauga but once a year on New Year’s my family would get dressed up and we would go and eat at Steak & Ale. I miss visiting there with my mom and dad because I knew we would have time to talk and reconnect with each other.
There are some restaurants you remember because the food was good and yes, Steak & Ale is one of those restaurants. And then there are restaurants you remember because they were part of your family. For me, Steak & Ale is one of those restaurants. The funny part as I think back I don’t remember my grandparents ever going out to dinner.
For me growing up, we lived in Watauga, and I was probably in middle school when Steak & Ale became one of those special places in my childhood. I hadn’t even reached high school yet, but I can still remember going there with my parents on New Year’s Eve. That was our tradition. I don’t think they ever considered anther resturant.
Every New Year’s Eve, my parents would take us to Steak & Ale and you never asked to go anywhere else or you would be left at home. I remember that the adults would receive a complimentary glass of champagne for the celebration. As a child, I wasn’t interested in the champagne, but I was very interested in what I was going to order.
I would order the steak. But what I really remember is the salad bar. And the bread. Oh, that bread. I don’t know what they did to make that honey wheat bread, but I have never forgotten it. Even now, when I hear that Steak & Ale has come back, one of the first things I think about is that bread and the Salad Bar I miss.
And here’s the amazing part. The bread really did come back. They revived Steak & Ale and they say they brought back many of the classic favorites people remember, including the salad bar and honey wheat bread, along with favorites such as the Kensington Club and Hawaiian Chicken. I cant wait to take Charlie here for dinner.
I also remember Steak & Ale from our trips to Six Flags because there was a Steak & Ale on Six Flags Drive in Arlington, and I remember seeing it when we would come out of Six Flags. That is one of those little childhood memories that sticks with you. You could spend the day at Six Flags, ride the rides, eat your way through the park, and then there was Steak & Ale right there as part of the experience.
There was also another Steak & Ale that I remember near the North East Mall area which was the one my family always went to. That location eventually became a barbecue restaurant. I’m sure there were more Steak & Ale restaurants around the Metroplex, but those are the ones that stand out in my memories.
And those memories aren’t just mine. David still talks about Steak & Ale. He remembers going there with his parents when he lived in Haltom City. I remember going there with my parents when we lived in Watauga. Different cities and different families. Same restaurant. That’s what makes Steak & Ale so interesting to me. It wasn’t just a restaurant for one family. It became part of the memories of families all over the area.
I was also blessed to be able to take Suzzane to Steak & Ale once or twice before the restaurants closed. I’m grateful I got that opportunity. Because when a restaurant disappears, you don’t always realize what you’re losing until years later. You aren’t just losing a menu. You’re losing a place where people sat together.
You’re losing birthday dinners. You’re losing family celebrations. You’re losing the restaurant where somebody’s parents took them when they were little. You’re losing the place where memories were made without anyone realizing they were making memories. And Charlie never had the opportunity to eat at Steak & Ale.
He never got to experience the restaurant that I remembered from my childhood. He never got to sit at the table with us and taste that bread. He never got to make his own Steak & Ale memories. And those are the things that hurt. Because Steak & Ale is the perfect place for dinner or celebrations and even first dates.
For years, people talked about bringing Steak & Ale back. Now, it’s not just talk. Steak & Ale was founded in Dallas in 1966 by Norman Brinker and became known for its affordable steaks, English-inn-inspired atmosphere and innovations such as the salad bar. The original chain eventually closed after its parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2008.
The brand was revived, and the first new Steak & Ale opened in Burnsville, Minnesota, in July 2024. And the company is still expanding. As of 2026, the official Steak & Ale locations page lists Texas as a coming-soon market, along with Colorado, New Mexico, South Carolina and Wisconsin. There isn’t currently a Texas address listed on the official locations page. So when I say Steak & Ale is coming back, I really mean it. It’s just not back here yet.
Can You Visit Steak & Ale Today?
Yes! If you’re willing to travel to Minnesota, there is currently an operating Steak & Ale. Anyone up for a Road Trip?
Steak & Ale – Burnsville
14201 Nicollet Ave.
Burnsville, Minnesota 55337
Phone: (952) 435-1855
Current Hours
Monday: 6:00 AM–9:00 AM for breakfast
Monday: Closed for lunch and dinner Tuesday–Thursday: 6:00 AM–9:00 PM Friday: 6:00 AM–10:00 PM Saturday: 7:00 AM–10:00 PM Sunday: 7:00 AM–8:00 PM
These are the hours currently listed by the Burnsville restaurant. If you’re planning a special trip, I would still call first because restaurant hours can change.
Steak & Ale Burnsville — official restaurant website
And Yes, They Have the Bread. This may be the part that makes me smile the most. The revived Steak & Ale specifically mentions bringing back the honey wheat bread that so many former customers remember. They also brought back the salad bar and several of the classic menu items. So maybe they really did listen to all of us who spent years saying: “Why can’t somebody bring Steak & Ale back?”
But Would It Really Be the Same? That’s the question I keep coming back to. If a Steak & Ale opened down the street from me tomorrow, would I go? Absolutely. Would I order the steak? Probably. Would I go straight to the salad bar? Definitely. And you better believe I’d try that honey wheat bread. But would it be the same? No.
Because my parents wouldn’t be sitting across the table from me. And that’s something a restaurant can’t bring back. I could walk through the doors of a brand-new Steak & Ale. I could hear the music, smell the food and see the familiar name on the sign. But I’d still be missing the people who made those memories special. And maybe that’s okay. And it would be the same way for David.
Maybe restaurants don’t have to bring the past back exactly as it was. Maybe sometimes they just give us a place to remember. That’s What Restaurants Really Give Us When I think about Steak & Ale now, I don’t just think about steak. I think about my parents. I think about being a little girl in Watauga.
I think about New Year’s Eve. I think about the champagne glasses on the table. I think about the salad bar. I think about that bread. I think about Six Flags. I think about taking Suzzane there. I think about David remembering Steak & Ale with his parents. And I think about Charlie never getting the chance to make those memories with us. That’s why restaurants matter.
Sometimes we’re not really missing the restaurant. We’re missing the people who were sitting at the table with us. And maybe that’s why we wish some restaurants could come back. Not just because we want another steak. But because for just a moment, we want to feel like we’re sitting at that table again.
What restaurant from your childhood would you love to see come back? And if you remember Steak & Ale, I want to hear your story. Where did you go? Who did you go with? What did you order? And most importantly… Do you remember the bread? Or do you remember the Salad bar and the full Bar I know David would like to check out?
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates