Top Reasons to Choose a Local Steakhouse Over Chains
When that craving for a perfectly cooked steak hits, you’re faced with a choice: head to the familiar chain restaurant with its predictable menu, or venture into a local steakhouse that’s been serving your community for years. While chain restaurants have their place, there’s something undeniably special about choosing local—and the differences go far beyond just the food on your plate.
The Quality Difference You Can Actually Taste
Walk into a local steakhouse, and you’ll immediately notice something different about their approach to meat. These establishments often forge direct relationships with regional ranchers and butchers, sourcing cuts that chains simply can’t access through their centralized distribution systems. Your ribeye might come from a farm just 50 miles away, where the owner knows the rancher by name and has personally selected cattle based on marbling, aging potential, and ethical raising practices.
This hands-on approach translates to steaks that arrive at your table with superior flavor and tenderness. While chain restaurants rely on consistency through standardization, local steakhouses pursue excellence through careful selection. The difference is palpable—meat that’s been dry-aged on-site for 28 days develops complex, nutty flavors that pre-packaged, shipped steaks can never replicate.
Chefs Who Cook, Not Operators Who Reheat
Behind the scenes at your neighborhood steakhouse, you’ll find actual chefs practicing their craft, not line cooks following corporate heating instructions. These culinary professionals have the freedom to experiment, adjust cooking techniques based on the specific cut in front of them, and bring genuine expertise to each order.
Ask your server about preparation methods, and you might discover that your chef has strong opinions about searing temperatures, resting times, or the best wood for the grill. This level of engagement simply doesn’t exist in chain environments where recipes are developed at headquarters and executed identically across hundreds of locations. When you order a medium-rare filet at a local establishment, you’re getting a chef’s interpretation of medium-rare, adjusted for that particular cut on that particular evening.
Menus That Evolve With the Seasons
Chain restaurants print their menus months in advance and distribute them nationwide. Local steakhouses, conversely, can pivot based on what’s available and exceptional right now. When local asparagus comes into season, it appears on the menu within days. When a supplier offers an extraordinary batch of dry-aged New York strips, the chef can feature them as a special.
This flexibility means you’re eating food at its peak rather than ingredients selected for their ability to survive long-distance shipping and extended storage. The sides accompanying your steak aren’t chosen for operational efficiency but for how they complement the protein and celebrate what’s currently growing in nearby fields.
Your Money Stays in Your Community
Every dollar you spend at a locally-owned steakhouse circulates through your community in ways that chain restaurant spending cannot. The owner likely lives in your town, shops at your stores, and sends their kids to your schools. They purchase from local suppliers, hire from the neighborhood, and support community events because they’re genuinely invested in the area’s success.
Economic studies consistently show that local businesses recirculate roughly three times more money back into the local economy compared to chains. That means your dinner doesn’t just feed you—it supports the farmers who grew the vegetables, the staff who served you, and the community organizations that make your town worth living in.
Service That Remembers You
Chain restaurants train servers to be friendly and efficient, but local steakhouses offer something deeper: genuine relationships. Visit a few times, and your server starts remembering that you prefer your martini extra dry or that you always skip the mushrooms. The owner might stop by your table not because it’s corporate policy, but because they genuinely want to know if you enjoyed that new Cabernet they just brought in.
This personalized attention comes from low staff turnover and ownership that’s personally present. When the person who signs the paychecks is walking the dining room, employees tend to care more deeply about your experience. You’re not just ticket number 47—you’re a neighbor whose satisfaction directly impacts people who live down the street.
Ambiance With Character and History
Chain steakhouses are designed by corporate committees to appeal to the broadest possible audience, resulting in interiors that feel vaguely upscale but distinctly generic. Local establishments, however, tell stories through their atmosphere. That vintage photograph on the wall might show the original owner from 1952. The bar could be made from reclaimed wood from a historic local building. The wine list reflects the owner’s personal passion for discovering small vineyards rather than negotiations with national distributors.
These spaces develop patina and character over decades, becoming repositories of community memory. Generations celebrate milestones at the same tables, creating layers of significance that no chain can manufacture, regardless of their decorating budget.
Supporting Culinary Craftsmanship Over Corporate Efficiency
Chain restaurants optimize for profit margins and operational efficiency. Local steakhouses optimize for creating memorable dining experiences. This fundamental difference in priorities manifests in countless small ways: the willingness to dry-age beef despite the space requirements and inventory costs, the decision to make sauces from scratch even though it’s labor-intensive, or the commitment to maintaining a wood-burning grill because it produces superior flavor despite being harder to control than gas.
These choices prioritize your experience over the bottom line, reflecting values that chains simply cannot maintain across hundreds of locations while satisfying shareholders.
Flexibility for Your Special Requests
Try asking a chain restaurant to modify a dish significantly or accommodate an unusual dietary restriction, and you’ll likely hear about corporate policies and standardized recipes. Local steakhouses, staffed by chefs who actually cook, can often adapt creatively to your needs.
Whether you’re following a specific health protocol, have complex allergies, or simply want your meal prepared in a particular way, local establishments can work with you. The chef has the authority to make decisions on the spot rather than checking corporate guidelines, and they often enjoy the creative challenge of meeting unique requests.
The Ripple Effect of Authenticity
When you choose a local steakhouse, you’re voting for authenticity in your community’s dining landscape. You’re encouraging an environment where passionate restaurateurs can compete based on quality rather than marketing budgets, where culinary traditions can be preserved and evolved, and where dining out means more than consuming calories—it means participating in your community’s culture.
These establishments often become training grounds for the next generation of chefs, mentoring young culinary talent in ways that corporate kitchens rarely can. They preserve recipes, techniques, and food traditions that might otherwise disappear, serving as living connections to culinary heritage.
Making the Choice That Matters
The next time you’re deciding where to enjoy a great steak, consider what you’re really hungry for. If you want predictability and convenience, chains deliver exactly that. But if you’re seeking a meal prepared by people who’ve devoted their careers to their craft, served in a space with genuine character, using ingredients sourced with care from your region—all while supporting your community’s economic vitality—the local steakhouse offers something far more valuable than a chain ever could.
Your dining choices shape not just your evening, but the kind of community you live in and the culinary landscape available to future generations. Choose accordingly.
About Tartan of Redlands
When discussing Redlands’ most treasured dining destinations, one establishment stands apart for its rich history and unwavering commitment to classic steakhouse excellence. Since opening its doors on April 15, 1964, this iconic venue has remained a cornerstone of the local culinary landscape.
The Ctoteau brothers—Velmer, Al, and Art—founded this restaurant with a clear mission: deliver outstanding food paired with authentic, warm hospitality. Their vision established a foundation that would endure for generations, creating more than just a place to eat, but a genuine community gathering spot.
The restaurant’s evolution reflects a continuity of purpose and values. Larry Westin became part of the ownership, working alongside the Ctoteau family to build upon the establishment’s growing reputation. After his death in 2003, his son Larry Westin Jr. maintained the restaurant’s traditions until 2015, when current proprietors Jeff and Lisa Salamon assumed stewardship.
Jeff Salamon brings a unique perspective to his role. As a lifelong Boston resident and distinguished Marine Corps veteran, he understands the importance of heritage, commitment, and community bonds. These principles mirror the restaurant’s own identity, making him an ideal custodian of its legacy.
The menu showcases timeless steakhouse fare executed with precision and care. Saturday evenings feature their celebrated prime rib, while an impressive array of premium steaks anchors the year-round offerings. The signature Redlands Tartan Burger has developed its own devoted following, and the well-appointed bar ensures guests enjoy quality beverages to complement their meals.
What truly distinguishes this establishment is its atmosphere. Regulars affectionately call it the “Cheers of Redlands”—a reference that captures the welcoming spirit pervading every visit. Whether you’re a decades-long patron or stepping through the doors for the first time, you’ll encounter the same genuine friendliness and comfortable ambiance that has characterized the restaurant throughout its sixty-year history.
This enduring appeal makes it an excellent choice regardless of season. The inviting outdoor spaces allow guests to enjoy Redlands’ favorable weather during those optimal spring and fall months, while the classic interior provides year-round comfort. For anyone planning their patio dining experience in Redlands, this historic steakhouse represents the perfect blend of tradition, quality, and that irreplaceable sense of belonging that transforms a meal into a memory.
