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    Old School Eats: York Steak House is a Meat-and-Potato Fueled Time Machine

    (Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on January 11, 2023)

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    The Columbus of the 1970s was very different from the metropolis of today. Our misplaced navel gazing and inferiority complex was even stronger then, in a city striving to be like Chicago, New York and/or LA. Columbus started the era progressively adding key elements to our world of today: the first mall, the first ATM, a critical paradigm shift in interactive cable television known as Qube, but beyond those advancements, our city was pushing the envelope in an even more important arena – food.

    Columbus was on a rocket ride to becoming the fast-food capital of the world (New York Times, 1985) and Pizza Capital (Pizza Today, 1990s) of the U.S., but in the 1970s the capital city and test market for a nation was the champion of steakhouses and salad bars. There is compelling history that suggests locally-owned Jack Bowman’s Steakhouse was home to the first salad bar and the first lawsuit related to one. Steakhouses were all the rage in the 1970s, equal to bellbottoms, platform shoes and feathered hair. Ponderosas, Bonanzas and Sizzlers dominated the landscapes of suburban America. Those chains and fads may have died out, but a lone York Steak House remains as a monument, museum and time capsule to the era of meaty excess. 

    In preparation for my trip to the West Side of Columbus, to visit the last York Steak House standing, I did deep research. I started with the concept of time travel. Per Wikipedia, “Time travel to the past is theoretically possible in certain general relativity spacetime geometries that permit traveling faster than the speed of light, such as cosmic strings, traversable wormholes, and Alcubierre drives.” I would be using a Subaru Forester. I also pondered the words of deep thinker Iggy Azalea, “Once you go great, you never go good. You never go back, even if you could.” Was I setting myself up to fail by trying to relive the glory of the 1970s? I decided my best tactic would be to approach the experience with low expectations and no pressure to feel I had to write about the experience. I also decided I could not do this alone, so I reached out to one of the most famous Columbus Underground readers of all time. I invited the infamous RolandK3 as my wingman, reality checker and one Kopeckistani man support group. 

    Last York standing
    Last York standing

    The first York Steak House was opened in 1966 by Eddie Grayson and Bernie Gros in Columbus. They grew the company into an empire, primarily focusing on locations inside of malls. In 1977, the duo sold their business of 47 to 150 units (depending on the source) to General Mills. I had the opportunity to know Grayson and spoke with him several times about his restaurant career. Grayson may not have hacked time travel but he did have the gift of prophecy, because he sold York Steak House at the exact right moment just before the steakhouse concept peaked and he made enough money in the transaction to do some good in this world in the following decades.

    The mass market steakhouses of the past were not the Hyde Park, Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris expense account / “experience” destinations of today. York Steak House and its peers were designed to offer an efficient meal that was friendly to the family and pocketbook so that a diner could justify weekly visits instead of diving in for special occasions. The steakhouse for the common man concept faded to black in the mid-1980s and the York empire nosedived into oblivion. At the peak of the chain (1982), there were 200 locations and by 1989 the empire had crumbled to oblivion. The last bastion of the realm (opened in 1974 across the street from a then vibrant Westland Mall) is located at 4220 W. Broad St. just east of 270. 

    This York Steak House exterior violates all of the rules of modern restaurants. The building is windowless, uses bland colors with branding that was not vetted by a focus group or marketing expert. The parking is in the rear so there is no way to tell if the location is in a boom or bust mode.

    I made my lunch rendezvous with my research associate in the lobby. We reminisced about our steakhouse memories of our youth then we began to study the layout and options before us. Diners are not greeted by a host or ordering kiosk, but instead a long hallway with photos of the many types of steak that can be ordered. At the end of the entranceway, as guests transition to the service line, more signage with specials and desserts appears.

    York's photo-clad hallway
    York’s photo-clad hallway
    York's photo-clad hallway, part 2
    York’s photo-clad hallway, part 2

    The next step is to grab a tray, silverware and place your order for your meat and potato type of choice. Your selections are written on a carbon paper order slip in a cryptic code which allows your items to start cooking while you continue on your journey down the line. Next you move along the track of stations adding beverages, desserts, a maximum of one fill up at the salad station (bar) and potentially a soup. Then the cashier surveys your tray, studies your order slip and provides a total. When you pay, you are given the option to add in how much cash you want to take with you for your tip. Finally, at journey’s end, you make your way to the dining room and select a table. A server then checks in with you to make sure you have the sauces and sundries you need, as well as ready access to beverage refills when needed. 

    Step 1: York's tray station
    Step 1: York’s tray station

    Once Roland and I arrived at our table we began to debrief our journey so far. To this point, the entire experience including ambiance, decor and selections was exactly what we recalled from vague memories of our childhoods. There was Muzak or the equivalent playing. The staff have uniforms with patterns and color schemes not seen elsewhere in decades. Sitting at the table, I did have a sense of traveling back in time. I could have been my dad, having the same lunch as I was about to have and at close to the same price. The only thing missing (which no one should miss) was people smoking inside (like in the 1970s). 

    Roland and I were both impressed by the options at the salad station and their quality. I was very pleased with both the coleslaw and macaroni salad. Each was flavorful and did not taste like something that slid out of a generic carton to fill space in a sea of selections. Our table had not one, not two, but three steak sauces: Heinz 57, A1 and Worcestershire. We had not quite wrapped up our salads and our catching up when our steaks, potatoes and rolls arrived. 

    My York salad station plate, plus sauces
    My York salad station plate, plus sauces

    Roland opted for the loaded version for his steak: butter, onions and mushrooms layered on top. Our rolls were large, fresh and steamed. The same for our baked potatoes. We dove into our selections. We eventually came up to pause in our masticating to observe our surroundings. We spied dark wood panels, well maintained but vintage carpet, tables, chairs, muted colors and a knight’s suit of armor. Yes, we were in the 1970s. The only item that has not held up as well would be the ceiling tiles, they do not look like they were fresh off the presses. All was good.

    Everything exceeded our (low) expectations. We had good cuts of steak. I ordered mine medium-well and it was neither over or undercooked. I made sure that I tried multiple bites without any of the steak sauces, then I tried three bites splashed with dollops of each of the sauces in the trio. In all combinations I found the flavor was good, the meat tasted fresh and our steaks seemed like quality cuts of meat. Roland chose well by going with all of the toppings, especially the mushrooms. Our mains were as satisfying as our sides.

    Steak, potato & a roll
    Steak, potato & a roll
    Steak loaded with mushrooms, onions and butter, plus potato and a roll
    Steak loaded with mushrooms, onions and butter, plus potato and a roll

    I selected cheesecake and rice pudding for us to test out. We felt both met muster. Was my meal exceptionally superior? No. Was it very good and a great value for the price? Absolutely! Did everything meet my expectations? No, all of my hopes and wishes were exceeded. I would gladly visit again. The lunch time pricing and specials are hard to beat and service was sufficiently efficient. 

    The meal for both us, with the food you see depicted in my photos – steaks cooked to order, potatoes, rolls, well piled plates of salad fixings, desserts, beverages and tip was $36.37 (U.S. Dollars). Objectively that is a value price on any quality index.

    If you missed the 1970s or want to travel back in time without the expense of having to construct a time machine from scratch, York Steak House is your destination or more likely your destiny. 

    For the 411 on York Steakhouse visit york-steakhouse.com.

    All photos by Jim Ellison

    Cheesecake
    Cheesecake
    Rice Pudding
    Rice Pudding
    A knight in York Steak House armor
    A knight in York Steak House armor
    York's lunch specials
    York’s lunch specials
    York's wooden ambiance
    York’s wooden ambiance
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    Jim Ellison
    Jim Ellison
    Jim Ellison has been eating his whole life and has gotten pretty good at it. Along the way, he started writing about his adventures for his blog, CMH Gourmand (in 2006), magazines, websites and even content for the early days of CU. In the realm of pizza, most recently he wrote the book, 'Columbus Pizza: A Slice of History' however long-time Columbus Underground fans will recall him as the instigator of Pizza Grand Prix I - VI. Writer, eater, enabler and champion for mom & pop pizzerias, he covers pizza places, pizza culture and occasionally other culinary rabbit holes as our carb-craving correspondent. You will find him on Instagram at @CbusPizzaHistory. 
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