The Story of Tartan of Redlands: A Local Steakhouse Since 1964
Where Every Meal Feels Like Coming Home
There are restaurants, and then there are institutions. In the heart of Redlands, California, tucked along a stretch of road that has witnessed decades of change, sits a place that has quietly, stubbornly, and beautifully refused to be anything other than exactly what it has always been. Tartan of Redlands is not just a steakhouse. It is a living, breathing chapter of local history — one written in oak and leather, smoke and sizzle, and the kind of warm hospitality that simply cannot be manufactured.
Tartan has been feeding families, celebrating milestones, and reminding Inland Empire residents what it feels like to slow down, sit down, and genuinely enjoy a meal.
A Different Era, A Timeless Beginning
The year 1964 was a remarkable one. The Beatles were conquering America, the Civil Rights Act was signed into law, and somewhere in Redlands, someone had the vision to build a steakhouse that would outlast trends, recessions, and the relentless churn of the restaurant industry.
Opening a restaurant is never easy. Opening one that lasts sixty-plus years is something close to miraculous.
From its earliest days, Tartan of Redlands was designed around a philosophy that has since gone out of fashion in much of the dining world: that a great meal is about more than food. It’s about the room you eat it in, the people who serve it to you, and the feeling you carry with you when you walk out the door. That philosophy — warm, unhurried, and deeply personal — became the invisible backbone of everything Tartan would grow into.
What’s in a Name?
The word tartan conjures images of the Scottish Highlands — bold plaid patterns, rugged landscapes, and a fierce sense of pride in heritage and tradition. It’s a fitting name for a steakhouse that has always stood apart from the crowd through sheer character.
A tartan isn’t just a pattern. It’s an identifier. It says: this is who we are, this is where we come from, and we’re not changing for anyone. Walk through the doors of Tartan of Redlands, and that’s precisely the energy that greets you. There’s a quiet confidence here, a “we’ve been doing this a long time and we know how” that settles over the room like a familiar old coat.
The Atmosphere: Stepping Into Another Time
One of the most striking things about dining at Tartan of Redlands is the atmosphere. In a world of minimalist interiors, reclaimed wood accent walls, and Edison bulb lighting designed by committee, Tartan feels genuinely, refreshingly different.
The ambiance is classic steakhouse through and through — dim, intimate lighting that flatters every table, dark wood tones that absorb the hum of conversation, and a sense of occasion that makes even a Tuesday night feel like a special event. This isn’t a theme park recreation of a mid-century American steakhouse. This is a mid-century American steakhouse, preserved and polished by time and care.
For regulars, sliding into a familiar booth at Tartan can feel like putting on a favorite record — immediately comforting, immediately right.
The Menu: An Ode to the Classic American Steak
At the heart of every great steakhouse is, of course, the steak. And Tartan has never wavered in its commitment to getting this right.
The menu leans into tradition without apology. Prime cuts, prepared with care, served the way steak should be — with attention to temperature, seasoning, and rest time. Whether you’re a filet mignon devotee who wants silk and tenderness, or a ribeye loyalist chasing that perfect balance of fat and char, Tartan has long been a place where carnivores feel genuinely understood.
Accompaniments are classic and generous: creamy sides, crisp salads, and the kind of bread basket that arrives warm and stays warm because the kitchen actually pays attention. This is not a place for small plates or deconstructed concepts. This is a place for a proper, satisfying meal — the kind that leaves you full in both body and spirit.
The cocktail and wine program has evolved over the decades to keep pace with changing tastes, but the spirit remains the same: a well-made drink before dinner, a good glass of red alongside your steak, and perhaps something sweet to finish.
The People Behind the Legend
No restaurant survives six decades on food alone. The soul of a long-running local restaurant lives in its people — the servers who remember your name, the kitchen staff who’ve perfected the same dishes hundreds of times without losing the craft, the hosts who make you feel expected even when you arrive unannounced.
Tartan of Redlands has always understood this. Over the years, the steakhouse has been a source of livelihoods for countless Redlands residents. Some staff members have spent decades within its walls, carrying institutional knowledge that no training manual could ever capture.
In an industry notorious for high turnover, the loyalty that Tartan inspires — in both its employees and its guests — speaks to something genuine at the core of how the place is run. People stay because they feel valued. Guests return because they feel remembered.
Sixty Years of Milestones
Think about what it means to have been open since 1964. Think about the generations of Redlands families who have made Tartan a part of their lives.
The high schoolers who came here for prom dinners in the ’70s, who later brought their own kids for birthday celebrations in the ’90s, who now arrive with grandchildren to mark graduations and anniversaries in the 2000s — Tartan has been woven into the fabric of their lives in a way that chains and franchises simply cannot replicate.
There is likely no shortage of marriage proposals made across Tartan’s tables. No shortage of retirement toasts raised in its dining room. No shortage of families gathered to honor a loved one, or friends reunited after years apart, choosing this familiar, reliable place as the backdrop for a meaningful evening.
This is the quiet superpower of a long-running local restaurant. It becomes a keeper of memories.
Navigating Six Decades of Change
It would be naïve to suggest that Tartan of Redlands has coasted through six decades without challenge. The restaurant industry is brutally competitive. Consumer tastes shift. Economic downturns hit dining budgets hard. A global pandemic shuttered restaurants across the country. New concepts rise and fall every season in a culture obsessed with novelty.
And yet, Tartan endures.
Part of that resilience comes from knowing exactly what it is and refusing to chase trends for their own sake. Part of it comes from a loyal customer base that shows up year after year with friends in tow. And part of it — perhaps the most important part — comes from leadership that has understood when to adapt and when to hold firm.
The Redlands that exists today is not the Redlands of 1964. The city has grown, changed demographically, seen its economy shift, and watched University Avenue and its surrounding neighborhoods evolve through multiple cycles. Through all of it, Tartan has remained — a fixed point in a changing landscape.
A Landmark in the Inland Empire Dining Scene
Redlands occupies a unique place in the Inland Empire. It’s a city with genuine historical character — Victorian architecture, orange grove heritage, a university that anchors cultural life, and a downtown that has maintained its identity through decades of suburban sprawl all around it. Tartan of Redlands fits this character perfectly.
In a region sometimes unfairly dismissed as a culinary desert, long-standing establishments like Tartan are proof of a different reality. Real food culture isn’t always found in trendy urban neighborhoods or Michelin-starred temples of gastronomy. Sometimes it lives in a steakhouse that has been feeding a community through good times and hard times for more than half a century.
Food writers and restaurant enthusiasts often flock to new openings. But there is a different kind of wisdom in seeking out the old ones — the places that have earned their longevity through consistency, quality, and community connection.
Why Locals Keep Coming Back
Ask a Tartan regular why they keep returning, and you’ll likely get a variety of answers. Some will talk about the steak — the way it’s consistently cooked to exactly how they ordered it, every time. Some will mention a specific server who makes them feel genuinely welcome. Some will describe the atmosphere — the way dining there feels like a special occasion even on an ordinary weeknight.
But peel back the specifics and a common theme emerges: reliability. In a world of constant uncertainty, there is profound comfort in a place that you know will be good. That won’t surprise you with a completely revamped menu, or a new concept, or a different vibe. That will simply be what it has always been, waiting for you, ready to deliver a meal that meets expectations built up over years — or in some cases, lifetimes.
That reliability isn’t boring. It’s a form of respect — for the guest, for the craft, and for the legacy that has been built and passed down within Tartan’s walls.
The Future of a Redlands Institution
What does the future hold for a restaurant that has already survived sixty-plus years? If history is any guide, the answer is: more of the same, in the best possible sense.
The dining landscape will continue to change around Tartan. New restaurants will open in Redlands and throughout the Inland Empire, offering every conceivable cuisine and concept. Food delivery platforms will evolve. Consumer habits will shift. The city itself will keep growing.
And Tartan of Redlands will keep doing what it has always done: cooking a great steak, pouring a good drink, and making people feel at home.
The next generation of Redlands residents will have their first Tartan experience. They’ll be brought here by parents who were brought here by their own parents. The cycle of memory-making will continue, one dinner at a time.
Final Thoughts: Why Places Like Tartan Matter
In a culture that celebrates the new — the just-opened, the just-launched, the just-trending — it’s easy to overlook the extraordinary achievement of longevity. But longevity in the restaurant business is not an accident. It is earned, slowly and consistently, through thousands of meals cooked with care and thousands of guests welcomed with warmth.
It’s place in the community not through marketing campaigns or viral moments, but through the simple, repeated act of being good — good food, good service, good people — day after day, year after year, decade after decade.
That is a story worth telling. And it’s a story that, with any luck, still has many chapters left to be written.
Have you dined at Tartan of Redlands? We’d love to hear your favorite memory or dish in the comments below. And if it’s been too long since your last visit — maybe it’s time to go back.
About Tartan of Redlands
Tartan of Redlands has been a local favorite since April 15, 1964, offering classic steakhouse dishes in a friendly, community-focused setting. Founded by the Ctoteau brothers, the restaurant has remained committed to excellent food and service, even as ownership has changed hands.
After Larry Westin joined in running the restaurant, his son, Larry Westin Jr., continued the tradition until 2015, when Jeff and Lisa Salamon took over. Jeff, a Marine Corps veteran from Boston, maintains the values of loyalty, tradition, and community.
The menu features steakhouse staples like prime rib, top-quality steaks, and the signature Tartan Burger, complemented by a full bar. Known as the “Cheers of Redlands,” Tartan is loved for its relaxed vibe, great service, and loyal customers. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating, making it a popular spot for locals year-round.
