Roping ‘Em In at the Rio Grand: Steakhouse Brings a Taste of Texas to Petoskey

Petoskey residents had gotten pretty used to the friendly dining establishment known as Schelde’s restaurant. A favorite local place for a good, hearty dinner, complete with salad bar, it had been a Petoskey staple for quite some time. But with so many other restaurants moving into the area as Petoskey continued to grow, it soon became time to offer Schelde’s loyal customers a little more. Enter the Rio Grand Steakhouse.
Still owned by Schelde’s Enterprises - which owns a total of 15 restaurants throughout Michigan - the decision to upgrade Schelde’s to the Rio Grand Steakhouse was made, and the “new” revamped restaurant opened in June of 2004, to join the other three Rio Grand Steakhouses located in the Grand Rapids area.
“The concept change came from discussions that general manager Hal Lewis and I had been having,” manager Cristen Smith explains, “since there wasn’t really a true steakhouse in the area, we thought that it was a good time to establish one through Schelde’s.”
The basic layout of Schelde’s that Petoskey residents came to know and love remains pretty much the same, but as far as interior decoration is concerned, the Rio Grand Steakhouse looks quite different, bringing a bit of Texas to Northern Michigan. The entire restaurant was repainted and recarpeted, the kitchen was remodeled, and the salad bar was replaced with a sit-down, full-service bar. Replacing the old Schelde’s collection of retro signs and containers are, of course, Texas-style decorations, including mounted horns, framed photos, and a bit of a Western motif. And the menu still offers steaks - much like the original Schelde’s did - but now the steaks are the main focus instead of being just another menu item.
Hand-cut, never frozen, and aged for 28 days, there are some incredible steaks at the Rio Grand, along with St. Louis-style ribs and prime rib. Where the dinners are a little more upscale but still reasonable, the lunches are definitely affordable, and either meal can be complimented by the Rio Grand’s range of delicious appetizers.
In January and February, The Rio Grand is playing host to their very own “Winterfest,” with three tempting menu specials each month; for February, they’re looking forward to serving their Steak Oscar (asparagus, crumbled King crab, and Hollandaise sauce on a 6 or 9 oz. filet), their rich and tasty Burgundy Mushroom Strip Steak, and their Shrimp Dijon Linguine. To whet - or wet - your appetite, they’re also offering a nice selection of wines, a complete range of mixed drinks, 16 different bottled beers, and several special hot chocolate and coffee drinks spiked with just enough liquor to warm things up throughout the winter.
But what about dessert? Well, as manager Smith enthuses, “We only have three desserts on the menu, but we only need three, because they’re all just so good!” The best of the three, she explains, is their Chocolate Cobbler - “So yummy, and big enough to share - but you just might want to keep it all to yourself!”

The Rio Grand Steakhouse is located at 1315 U.S. 31 North in Petoskey, telephone 231-347-7747.

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