The original Sir Loin’s Inn was in North Little Rock on West 29th Street, one block north of Pershing Boulevard. It was a favorite go-to of mine whenever I was in the Little Rock area on business, primarily because of its elegant atmosphere and relatively low prices. Particularly memorable was the whole loaf of freshly-baked bread sitting in a pan of melted butter which was brought out ahead of the meal. A similar kind of bread with melted butter was also a feature of the Colonial Steak House in Pine Bluff, so one wonders if this was something that was unique to Arkansas. At any rate, at least a decade or more ago, Sir Loin’s Inn closed, and I had imagined I had tasted it for the last time.
When news broke late last year that different owners were resurrecting the famous restaurant, I was both hopeful and skeptical. Would it be the same? Not only were different people making the effort, but it was also going to be in a different location, along busy John F. Kennedy Boulevard. The first thing I noticed upon reaching the new location was how much bigger it is. The style of the place is somewhat odd, a mix between an old English style that would fit the name, and then also a New Orleans theme, which is also reflected in some of the menu items. But altogether, I found the atmosphere comfortable, and to my joy, they do indeed offer the same bread I remembered, sitting in melted butter. The steaks seem lower priced than many steakhouses, but that is somewhat misleading, as everything is a la carte, and the sides are actually much more expensive than normal, so your final bill will end up being about the same as a high end steakhouse. That being said, I was quite pleased with my meal overall, and the service was attentive, despite a large party they were dealing with in a special room upstairs…