Atmosphere and taste at an affordable price are the keys to a successful restaurant.
That's been the philosophy of Colton's Steak House & Grill for the past two decades. After celebrating its 20th anniversary as a company last June, what once started out as a simple idea has now turned into one of the state's favorite places to dine.
For general manager Marcus Stout at Colton's in Fayetteville, the goal remains simple.
"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 17 years, and it is a part of a chain of 34 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. Older television fans may remember the classic western series, "Gunsmoke," and Dillon as the main character, portrayed by actor James Arnes.
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."
There is a variety of nine steaks on the menu, ranging from the 10-ouce chopped sirloin dinner for $10.99, to the 18-ounce Porterhouse T-bone for $24.99.
The Hawaiian Ribeye is one of Stout's personal favorites. It is marinated in Colton's Hawaiian seasonings and garnished with grilled pineapple, for $19.79.
"It's marinated for 72 hours and grilled on a mesquite grill, adding a little sweet flavor to it," Stout said.
The current special focuses on the Lent holiday and includes the Shrimp Trio of five fried shrimp, five grilled shrimp and five Del Rio shrimp with spicy chipotle, all served with a side item for $14.99. Also on special is the Salmon Dip, with pita chips, for $7.99.
An acclaimed favorite of Colton's is the "Loaded" Chicken, which is a 7-ounce mesquite-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, and costs $11.99.
"The loaded chicken is the No. 1 entree on our menu," Stout said. "It has become very popular."
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. All of the burgers and sandwiches are priced below $10.
For the healthy eaters, Stout recommends the Strawberry Pecan Salad, which includes fresh mixed greens, mandarin oranges, strawberries, feta cheese and candied pecans. Served with house vinaigrette dressing for $7.99. Chicken can be added for $2 more.
Another favorite is 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 has a full bar, serving a selection of local draft beers. Current local selections include The Saddlebock Brewery's Dirty Blonde and Hefeweizen and the Core Brewing Company's Hill Top IPA and Arkansas Red.
"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."
Monday is Kid's Night, offering free kids meals to those under 12 with the purchase of an adult meal.
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 03/24/2017