The Pine Club is one of Dayton, Ohio's most famous restaurants, a traditional American steakhouse that has operated since 1947.
Known for its aged steaks, dark wood-paneled dining room and unwavering commitment to tradition, it has received national recognition as one of the country's great steakhouses.
The restaurant began in 1947 when Jim Sullivan purchased Lonnie's Bar on Brown Street. After installing pine paneling throughout the interior, he renamed the establishment The Pine Club.
Lloyd Meinzer purchased the restaurant in 1954, expanding the dining room and bar. David Hulme took ownership in 1979 and helped preserve the restaurant's historic character. Although ownership changed again in 2018, its longstanding traditions have largely remained intact. The restaurant has a distinctly old-fashioned supper-club atmosphere, with dark pine-paneled walls, subdued lighting, closely arranged tables and a bar that has remained largely unchanged.
The Pine Club has earned several notable distinctions:- Food Network: Named America's No. 2 steakhouse in 2015.
- The New York Times' T Magazine: Included among 10 of the world's greatest old dining institutions in 2013.
- Gourmet magazine: Recognized its fried potatoes among the country's best in 2006.
- The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Featured in 2019 when chef Jonathon Sawyer selected it as a favorite dining experience
Salad with French Dressing: The meal began with a simple house salad featuring crisp lettuce and a few fresh vegetables, topped with French dressing. The dressing added a slightly sweet and tangy flavor to an otherwise straightforward salad.
Bread and Butter: A basket of bread and butter accompanied the meal, offering another simple element of the traditional steakhouse experience.
Signature 20 Oz. Bone-In Ribeye: The steak is dry-aged for 28 days, broiled and finished with butter, giving it a rich beef flavor and a nicely browned exterior. It was served with a generous portion of thin, crispy fried onion straws, which added a salty crunch to the tender, juicy steak.
The Pine Club also has its own signature steakhouse sauce, a longtime Dayton favorite that is popular enough to be bottled and sold separately. The sauce adds a tangy, savory complement to the restaurant’s steaks. Necessary? No. But a sauce makes everything better.
Stewed Tomatoes: One of the more distinctive accompaniments was the serving of stewed tomatoes, an old-fashioned side dish that has become part of The Pine Club’s identity. The soft, cooked tomatoes offered a slightly sweet and acidic contrast to the richness of the beef, making for a combination rarely encountered at modern steakhouses.
Baked Potato: The baked potato rounded out the meal with another familiar steakhouse staple. Fluffy interior, hearty texture, and I absolutely drowned it in butter.
The Pine Club has a longstanding tradition of offering guests a complimentary piece of chocolate at the end of their meal, a small sweet finish in place of a traditional dessert menu.
Grade: A
