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Friday, October 13, 1995 Page:
Lone Star Steak House
Where: 805 Kidder St., Wilkes-Barre TwpAtmosphere: Casual
Menu: Steakhouse
Prices: $4.95-$17.95
Phone: 826-7080
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m., weekdays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m., weekends
Smoking/non-smoking
Handicapped Accessible
TIMES LEADER/CHRISTINA MACIAS
Saddle up for The Lone Star Steak House
This spot rustles up both good food and good fun
Maybe you’ve spent the day washing your car, cleaning out closets or
playing a game of touch football. You’re wearing a cut-off sweatshirt and torn
jeans. You’re in the mood for a really good, juicy steak. But oh, man… the
thought of changing to go to a restaurant is too much to bare.
Well, pardner, just head yourself down to the Lone Star Steak House, where
the folks are friendly, the meat’s just off the steer and the grunge look fits
right in. The decor is down home, with peanut shells tossed on the floor, old
style wooden booths and the staff dressed in jeans and T-shirts. No matter
your age or gender, you’ll be referred to as “guys,” and the waiters will sit
with you when they take your order.
No pretensions here.
Now, someone once said that a chain (restaurant) is a chain is a chain. But
there is a good reason why the Lone Star Steak House is America’s fastest
growing food operation in America. The quality is top notch, the atmosphere is
comfortable and the staff is trained to make you feel like you stopped by the
chuck wagon to break bread with old friends.
Our first visit occurred just six days after the opening, and even on a
Thursday night there was a long wait for a table. A bucket of peanuts is free
for snacking and you’re welcome to toss the shells where you will. But don’t
eat too many because the best is yet to come.
For starters, don’t miss the Mesquite Grilled Shrimp ($5.95), succulent
shrimp served on the most delicious bed of rice, sauteed with onions and peas.
A half-rack of Baby Back Ribs ($4.95) was respectable, but not worth filling
up on.
The 11-ounce New York Strip Steak ($14.95) was about as juicy and tender a
piece of meat as I’ve ever seen and just melted in my mouth. Be careful how
you order your meat, however, since rare will get you a center that’s just
about raw, and medium will be pink throughout. If you like a nicely pink
center, choose medium well. There is a full selection of steaks, all mesquite
grilled, ranging from a sirloin ($10.95) to a 20-ounce T-bone ($17.95), but a
small eater might want to opt for the 7-ounce Beef Kabob ($11.95), consisting
of filet mignon and vegetables on a skewer. It had the same quality and flavor
of the larger cuts, and made me feel a little less guilty about overdosing on
red meat.
Non-meat-eaters will love the Sweet Bourbon Salmon ($13.95), a salmon filet
that is marinated, also mesquite grilled and absolutely excellent. On one
occasion, we tried the Caesar Chicken Salad ($5.95), which had potential but
missed its mark because it was overdressed. All entrees come with the most
marvelous French Fries and the accompanying salads are also good.
Now, if there is such a thing as being too cheerful, Lone Star is guilty.
The staff is excessively upbeat, and they have a chance to burn off their
energy once an hour at dinner time when the line up in the aisles and perform
a line dance to raucous music. It gets old on the second visit, but if you
haven’t experienced it, it’s a hoot.
But perhaps the zealousness of the staff was due to the fact that they had
just opened and trainers were everywhere, asking if the food and service were
OK.
In these days of somber headlines, however, it would be too cynical to
complain about chirpieness, but be forewarned: Do not come here in a bad mood;
do not expect to leave with a bad one.
The restaurant review appears each Friday in the Times Leader. The identity
of the reviewer is withheld to avoid the possibility of preferential
treatment.