5 Steakhouses John Wayne Visited For A Proper Meal

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You probably won't be shocked to learn that John Wayne, an actor famous for portraying Old Hollywood's most iconic cowboys, was a huge fan of a steak dinner — but you might be surprised to learn why. In the intro to the cookbook, "The Official John Wayne Way to Grill," Wayne's son Ethan wrote that when his father was growing up, "He usually had to make do with peanut butter on saltine crackers for his lunch. So by the time he could afford to eat steak, he never looked back." While the Duke enjoyed grilling his own steaks, he also loved a night out. 

Even though Wayne died in 1979, a surprising number of the restaurants he frequented are still around — perhaps because he favored classic steakhouses that never really go out of style. One restaurant remembers the Duke ordering steak and bourbon, and while we can't know exactly what he ordered at the other steakhouses on our list, it definitely wasn't peanut butter and saltines. 

Interested in getting in touch with your inner John Wayne? You can make a trip to one of his favorite steakhouses. If you're extra lucky, you might even be able to reserve one of the tables named after him, so don't forget to bring your appetite!

As you might have guessed by the name, Gulliver's was designed to evoke Johnathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels." It's also the steakhouse John Wayne loved for prime rib and big steaks. These generous cuts (Gulliver's offers an enormous, bone-in prime rib named after Brobdingnag, Swift's fictional land of giants), along with the restaurant's signature creamed corn, are still big draws today. One Google review calls this classic steakhouse a "time capsule in the best way," citing its decor, menu, and old-school service. A Yelp review says, "Gulliver's hasn't changed since my first meal here over 40 years ago." In fact, if you're able to be seated at what the restaurant reports was Wayne's favorite table, you just might experience a dinner very similar to one the Duke had.

That timelessness is part of the appeal. Gulliver's isn't particularly interested in being modern; you won't be handed a buzzer to wait for your table, and there's no 25-page menu. The choices here are curated, and while the menu may not be large, the portions certainly are. So, sip a cocktail (might we suggest The Duke's Manhattan?), tip back your cowboy hat, and don't be embarrassed to ask for a doggie bag. 

For John Wayne, visiting a historic restaurant known for its aged steaks, which originally catered to cowboys and ranchers, was practically life imitating art. Cattlemen's Steakhouse is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Oklahoma City and one of the oldest steakhouses in America. The landmark eatery opened its doors in the Historic Stockyards City in 1910, and if anyone knew a good steak, it was the original clientele! In a story worthy of a Wayne movie, the restaurant's website recounts how one of Cattlemen's owners, a down-on-his-luck gambler, lost the restaurant in 1945, with a bad roll of the dice.

Steak makes up about two-thirds of the dinner menu, and was likely the main appeal for Wayne. All entrées come with a salad featuring Cattlemen's famous dressing (the recipe was handwritten on a piece of paper by the previous owner), and your choice of french fries, baked potato, or steamed vegetables. If you visit, you might want to start with the lamb fries, which are the restaurant's best-selling item. Whatever you order, don't miss the drawings that make up the dining room's Hall of Fame. You'll see one of the Duke, alongside other celebrities ranging from Roy Rogers to Reba McEntire.

In the early 1920s, a Hollywood art director designed a fanciful restaurant in the Storybook architectural style. By 1925, the establishment was operating under a new name, the Tam O'Shanter. The picturesque building attracted famous regulars and is still known as a timeless steakhouse that John Wayne and other Hollywood icons loved. The cottage-like exterior has since been remodeled, but the interior — with its coats of arms, crests, and tartans — continues to evoke that old-world atmosphere Wayne seemed to favor in a steakhouse.

When Wayne stopped in for a meal, his favorite place to enjoy it was Table 15, which remains his table to this day. Wayne likely feasted on steaks and prime rib that "The Tam" is known for, but if you're in the mood for something lighter, the menu boasts a variety of salads (it is Los Angeles, after all). Or, you can also order from the "odds and sods" menu section, which offers time-honored dishes like Scotch rarebit, poutine, and brisket burnt ends.

Another real draw for Wayne, a noted whiskey aficionado, may have been the Tam O'Shanter's extensive cocktail and wine list. Today, The Tam serves whiskey flights alongside creative cocktails and a solid lineup of wine and beer. We think the Duke would approve.

You know you're an icon when restaurants have tables dedicated to you decades after your visit — and that's precisely what the Golden Steer Steakhouse did for John Wayne. According to the Golden Steer's website, Wayne ordered a "good steak and a glass of bourbon" at the restaurant while making a movie in the 1960s. Today, Booth 25 is dedicated to him.

You can follow in Wayne's footsteps, although the menu might be a bit more polished now than it was then. According to the restaurant's own timeline, the original establishment catered to hunters, and in the late '50s and early '60s, the menu featured wild-caught rattlesnake, game, and turtle soup. Now, the menu showcases filet mignon, Australian Wagyu steaks, and lobster tails, alongside an extensive wine list and handcrafted cocktails. Perhaps fittingly for a vintage Vegas steakhouse that has been serving celebrities for years, the Golden Steer is known for its theatrical tableside presentations of salad and desserts. One of the untold truths of the Golden Steer Steakhouse is that some of the servers have been performing these presentations for decades.

You might not expect one of John Wayne's favorite restaurants to be nestled in a strip mall, but that's not the only surprising part about Costa Mesa's La Cave. In keeping with its name (pronounced "la kah-ve," which means "the cellar" in French), La Cave has been located in the basement of the space since 1962. While the entrance upstairs isn't much to look at, once the elevator descends and the doors open, you're in a dimly lit, traditional steakhouse — an atmosphere totally in line with Wayne's restaurant preferences.

The menu here is small and curated: there are under a dozen entrées (heavy on the beef), even fewer appetizers, and three types of cake for dessert. You can also choose from three styles of potato as a side (Wayne's favorite accompaniment to steak) or rice pilaf. The drink menu, in keeping with Wayne's style, is far lengthier and predominantly features classic cocktails and wine. It's safe to assume that La Cave's menu has been tweaked over the years, but there's still plenty of mid-century steakhouse fare that we're guessing Wayne would happily order. According to a TripAdvisor review, you can reserve Wayne's table here, so saddle up, partner!