General manager Marcus Stout has a simple goal at Colton's Steak House & Grill in Fayetteville.
"We're trying to sell high-quality food at a really affordable price for the regular family," Stout said. "We've got a variety of everything and we're an Arkansas company based out of Little Rock."
Colton's has resided in its location at 642 E. Millsap Road in Fayetteville for almost 15 years, and it is a part of a chain of 31 restaurants across five states -- Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
The chain originally began in 1996 with a group of entrepreneurs and restaurateurs that put their concepts together and came up with the idea of Colton's.
Their vision was to open a steakhouse anyone could walk into and feel at home, have fun, relax, eat delicious food, and enjoy excellent service in an atmosphere with the feel of the "American West."
The first restaurant opened in Conway, with a second that opened in Searcy shortly thereafter.
For those wondering how the name Colton's came about, it came from the legend of J.T. Colton, who was a Texas Ranger in the late 1800s with a passion for steaks and playing poker. Colton was a friend, fellow lawman and gambling buddy of sheriff Matthew Dillon, who owned a steakhouse and gambling hall in Dodge City, Kan., called Dillon's Tin Star Saloon. Colton spent most of his time in Dodge City, playing cards at Dillon's.
It wouldn't be a meal at Colton's without endless peanuts, as it is one of the restaurant's staples. A complimentary bucket is placed at every table in the restaurant.
Stout said he wants his customers to be able to enjoy a casual, fun atmosphere while enjoying any of Colton's entrees.
Colton's menu items are made from the finest quality ingredients, serving USDA Choice hand-cut steaks, and its ribs are slow smoked over hickory daily. It also offers seafood, chicken, burgers, sandwiches, entree salads and soups.
"We hand-cut our steaks each and every day," Stout said. "I can't talk enough about our steaks. We want to become a place that goes to the top of people's minds when they want a good steak or they want a good burger."
The Hawaiian Ribeye is one of Stout's personal favorites. It is marinated in Colton's Hawaiian seasonings and garnished with grilled pineapple.
"It's marinated for 72 hours and grilled on a mesquite grill, adding a little sweet flavor to it," Stout said.
An acclaimed favorite of Colton's is the "Loaded" Chicken, which is grilled chicken breast covered in sauteed mushrooms, Applewood-smoked bacon, green onions and a blend of cheeses. It is served with a side of honey Dijon.
The Montana Burger is another Colton's favorite. It is a single patty topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce, and Onion Tanglers and served with lettuce and tomato.
For the healthy eaters, Stout recommends the Southwest Chicken Salad, which is blackened chicken strips served on a bed of fresh mixed greens, diced tomatoes and black bean corn salsa, topped with thinly sliced tortilla chips and is served with ranch dressing.
The restaurant also comes equipped with a full bar.
"We offer mixed drinks, draft beer and we also have a pretty good wine selection and beer selection," Stout said. "We can make pretty much anything you have in mind."
All Colton's locations offer take-out. Customers can call ahead and place an order, and it will be ready upon arrival. There are reserved take-out spaces for customers to come inside to grab the order. All menu items can be prepared to go.
Colton's in Fayetteville and Rogers also offer curbside service, so customers can pull up in the designated spaces and someone will bring the order out to the vehicle.
The Colton's location in Rogers is at 4700 W. Locust. It can be reached by telephone at (479) 636-3336.
Colton's is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. More information is available by calling (479) 973-0876, or online at coltonssteakhouse.com.
NAN Dining Guide Cover on 10/02/2015