I’d heard a couple of weeks ago that Arizona Highways magazine in its April issue had chosen Rod’s Steak House, a stalwart establishment in Williams, Ariz., since 1946, one of the 25 best restaurants in the state.
The magazine, which I recently received in the mail, did more than just give Rod’s a listing. Check out the two-page spread that you can see above, including the luscious vittles.
Here’s what the magazine said about Rod’s:
The iconic neon sign and steer-shaped menu have been integral parts of the Rod’s experience since Rodney and Helen Graves opened this Historic Route 66 fixture back in 1946. Nearly 40 years later, Graves sold the place to longtime employee Lawrence Sanchez, who’d been everything from busboy and dishwasher to head chef and manager in his 25-year tenure there. When Sanchez and his wife, Stella, took over they had the good sense to stick with a winning formula, offering the same dandy steaks, prime rib, beef liver and fried chicken that have kept locals and Grand Canyon tourists well-fed for more than 50 years.
The article also gained the notice of the Williams-Grand Canyon News, which talked to the magazine’s food critic, Nikki Buchanan:
“I did pick this restaurant and it is because, first of all, I remember going there years ago when my son was little when we were making a trip to Williams, so that was on my radar, and then we did a bunch of investigations on the internet to see if it was still good and if it was viable, that sort of thing,” she said. […]
“We had a meeting where we were going over the final list and make some decisions and when I said Rod’s, our photographer jumped out of his seat and said ‘Oh my god, I love that place, it was such a big deal to me as a kid, I loved the menu cut out and the big neon sign.’ It hit for everyone. It had that really old Arizona feel to it, and we love that,” she said.
Rod’s even survived a strange accident in January when a carriage horse, spooked by an attacking dog, crashed into the restaurant. Fortunately, Rod’s was closed for renovations at the time, and no one was hurt. The horse suffered lacerations.
Two more listed restaurants were in Flagstaff, although both aren’t on the Mother Road. One is Criollo Latin Kitchen, and the other, Fratelli Pizza.