It started with a million dollar hamburger. Now they sell some of the best steak in Portland.
Portlanders have never struggled to find great places to eat. New restaurants open every year, longtime neighborhood favorites continue to thrive, and food lovers will happily drive across town for good food. That competition makes it especially impressive when one restaurant earns recognition from the people who know the city’s dining scene the best.
A few years ago, Portland diners cast their votes to decide which steakhouse deserved to be called the best in the city. When the votes were counted, one familiar downtown destination came out well ahead of the competition. Morton’s The Steakhouse earned more than 43 percent of the vote, giving the classic restaurant the title of “Portland’s favorite steakhouse.” After decades in business, it’s a recognition that speaks to the lasting appeal of good food and quality service.
Every Great Restaurant Has A Story And This One Started With A Hamburger
Long before the first Morton’s restaurant opened in Chicago in 1978, Arnie Morton and Klaus Fritsch were both employed at Montreal’s Playboy Club. One day, Klaus prepared a hamburger that was sent out for Arnie to sample. Instead of quietly finishing lunch, Arnie marched into the kitchen demanding to know who had made it.
Klaus reportedly wasn’t sure if he was about to receive praise or criticism. Instead, Arnie declared it the best hamburger he’d ever eaten, and that single meal sparked a friendship that eventually led to the opening of Morton’s…