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With steakhouse dining, there’s just something special about authentic, old-school ambiance pulling you into yesteryear. Fortunately, some of those venues still exist across America, including a real gem in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona. For about 75 years, Durant’s Steakhouse has been entertaining and feeding diners in a space now considered a microcosm of the country’s history, mystery, social culture, and glamour. Crossing the storied threshold of this establishment today is like literally tumbling into mid-century intrigue.
Durant’s story begins in 1950, when James E. “Jack” Durant opened his steakhouse on Central Avenue. A former minor-league baseball player and Las Vegas pit boss at the Flamingo Hotel, Durant brought a touch of unconventionality and theatrical flair to the Phoenix dining scene, along with his larger-than-life reputation and rumored ties to the mob and mobster Bugsy Siegel. Whether urban myth, reality, or somewhere in-between, the mystique and drama still permeate the dining and cocktail areas.
A signature pink exterior remains, as well as the clandestine backdoor entrance leading through a gleaming kitchen and into a different era. Even with a recent ownership change and the “sprucing up” of tired decor, Durant’s still drapes its space with tufted red-leather booths, dim lighting, vintage-patterned wallpaper, and a long wood-lined bar, like a scene lifted from 1950s film noir. In fact, the same dining room and cocktail lounge once hosted social movers-and-shakers including politicians, athletes, and a string of Hollywood stars such as John Wayne, Clark Gable, Lucille Ball, Joe DiMaggio, and endless others.
Old-school dining at its finest
Aside from nostalgic steakhouse culture, what’s on the plate and in the glass matters, even for decades-loved establishments like Durant’s. Dining here starts with an optional dive into the caviar/raw bar for classics such as fresh oysters, iced crab legs, or Maine lobster cocktail, plus options for a caviar cone or extravagant luxury caviar service. Separate appetizer offerings come down to earth a bit with fun favorites like fried deviled eggs, hanging bacon, and Chef Lupino’s meatballs with vodka sauce.
Steaks sit front-and-center on the Durant’s dinner menu, as expected, starting with the famous sharing-size porterhouse for two or four, then moving down a long line of steakhouse stars including filet mignon, bone-in KC strip, and a Wagyu NY strip. Enhancements take things next-level with the likes of truffle butter, bordelaise, sautéed blue cheese, crab cake Oscar, and lobster thermidor. Prime rib, double-bone pork chops, Iberico lamb chops, and veal parmesan round out the meat selections, while seafood veers off with Chilean sea bass, roasted Branzino filet, Shetland Island salmon, and more. The bar at Durant’s is another pillar of its longstanding appeal. Classic and signature cocktails carry retro appeal with in-house innovation, while Craft beer, zero-proof drinks, and extensive bourbon, scotch, tequila, and whiskey collections round out the comprehensive approach.
Not visiting Phoenix anytime soon? Check out our list of the absolute best steakhouse in every state. Wherever your old-school steakhouse journey leads, you’ll likely enjoy it more with these 13 tips for the best steakhouse dining experience.
Dining and Cooking