Portland’s oldest steakhouse to reopen four months after fire

Early in August, some four months after a kitchen fire severely damaged the iconic eatery, Portland’s oldest steakhouse will reopen.

According to a press statement from the restaurant, patrons will find the experience to be almost unchanged, as cozy, recognizable, and classic as ever.

Early on Saturday, April 5, a fire started behind a burner in the kitchen of RingSide Steakhouse, located at 2165 W. Burnside St. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire after arriving at the brick building, but the restaurant had to close due to the combined effects of the fire, smoke, and water.

Co-owner Craig Peterson told The Oregonian in April that the dining room, with its renowned dark wood and red leather booths, was in decent condition once mitigation specialists were able to enter and assess the damage.

RingSide is one of Portland’s oldest restaurants, serving steaks, wine, and the city’s famous onion rings in its darkly lit dining room since before World War II, even though it isn’t quite as old as establishments like Huber’s, Jake’s Famous Crawfish, or Dan & Louis Oyster Bar. Despite its age, the restaurant is well-liked in the community for the excellent service from its tuxedo-clad waiters and the cocktails from its well-known sunken bar.

Restaurants damaged by cooking fires had a relatively short timeframe for reopening. It took about three months for Ox, the Argentine steakhouse in Northeast Portland, to reopen. However, it was closer to nine at the Fuller’s Coffee shop downtown.

On Monday, August 4, the restaurant’s weekly prime rib night, it will reopen.

Russell, Michael; Russell@Oregonian.com

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