Steakhouse serves up filling food and poker
After a long day of work (or play) hardly anything feels better than a good meal and a refreshing beverage. It’s important to treat yourself occasionally; let someone else do the work while you relax and have some fun. If you’re looking for some fun, and more importantly some good food and drink, then grab a friend and head on down to Overland Stage Western Steakhouse.
“I still remember the first meal he cooked me,” giggled Dora Brown, owner of Overland Stage, talking about when she first met her husband Al. “And I said to myself: ‘He might be a keeper,’ because I don’t like to cook!”
Al Brown had an early career as a hardware sales representative, a position that required travel and lots of eating out. Inspired by the restaurants he frequented, Al taught himself how to cook, and together with Dora and another friend opened the original Outlaws Restaurant in Playa Del Rey, California in 1984. The Browns did a lot of traveling between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but had never made a stop on the Central Coast. When they finally did, they fell in love with the area and decided to open another restaurant. The location they chose had hosted two previous restaurants and an antique mall; after some renovations they opened the doors on July 20, 1991.
Originally called Outlaws Bar and Grill, Al and Dora decided to change the name of the restaurant to Overland Stage Western Steak House, as a tribute to the original Overland Stage in the same location.
“We have a real simple philosophy,” said Dora, “We want people to come in, relax, have some good food, and leave satisfied.”
And leave satisfied you will! Overland dishes up generous servings of just about everything: Mexican food; seafood, including the customer-favorite: clam chowder; pastas; salads; and of course, steaks.
“This is meat country,” said Dora, smiling.
The folks at Overland strive to bring real quality to their customers. They serve only hand-picked USDA Choice meats and work hard to make sure what’s brought to the table is fresh. And if you don’t see something you want on the menu, ask kindly and the staff will do their best to accommodate you. Al Brown’s son, Sam, has been working in the restaurant industry for 20 years, and says his kitchen at Overland is staffed with knowledgeable and skilled cooks who will whip something up for you.
Also part of the Overland family is Outlaw’s Card Parlour. A licensed facility since 1996, Outlaw’s hosts No Limit Texas Hold’Em Saturday through Tuesday, and Thursday nights, and Omaha on Wednesday and Friday nights. Overland also has pool tables, an extensive juke box, and is a great venue to gather with friends to watch your favorite sports.
The Overland Stage and Western Steak House is, truly, unlike any place you’ve ever been. The quirky western-themed interior will have you immediately developing a sense of nostalgia for the place. Above everything, Overland is really a place to have a good time. They’re not fancy – the menu doesn’t boast exotic dishes you don’t know how to pronounce; the atmosphere is low-key – but the food is good and filling, and the staff (some of whom have been with the establishment since the beginning) is friendly. In the restaurant industry for 20-something years, the Browns say that running a successful business requires understanding every aspect, plus a love of people and a lot of hard work. The folks at Overland Stage Western Steakhouse are like a family, and they work hard to make sure you and your family enjoy the time you spend with them.
Overland Western Steak House and Outlaws Card Parlour is located at 9850 E. Front Road in Atascadero. For more information or to make a reservation (appreciated for large parties), please call (805) 466–2000. Serving lunch and dinner 7 days a week, plus breakfast on the weekends.
— Ana Korgan
Access Publishing created an online virtual tour of Outlaws Card Parlour. Take a look inside. For more information on the tours see Google Business Tours in San Luis Obispo County.
