Jan NorrisLewis Prime Grill brings family-style steak with a twist of fusions cuisines.
Ralph Lewis, the third generation of the Okeechobee Steakhouse restaurant family, has created a concept that marries the upscale-casual atmosphere of an American grill and the old-fashioned service of the formal steakhouse — Lewis Prime Grill Wellington.
He says it’s the first of a 10-unit chain that he’s taking statewide.
“They’ve been begging us to come out here for years,” he said.
It’s time, he says, since the growth of the county has spread west, and, “there’s nothing like this out here. It’s unique.”
The restaurant is scheduled to open the first week in May in the former Stonewood Grill & Tavern location, 10120 Forest Hill Blvd.
Lewis gutted the restaurant and rebuilt it to his own vision of a modern American grill. He’s excited to break out of the stiffer steakhouse motif, he said.
“None of the dark steakhouse feel — it’s whimsical, with bold colors. It’s all throughout the restaurant. You’re going to want to take pictures of the bathrooms,” he said. “They’re Instagram-worthy.”
Beyond the decor is the food — atypical of a steakhouse but with traditional steaks on the list — prime and some domestic wagyu in popular cuts: filets, strips and ribeyes.
“We’re doing them just like we do at Okeechobee,” he said. “We cut meats on-site, have an aging room and use the best quality prime meats from Nebraska and the Dakotas.”
Steaks with Asian, Italian
But the menu flares from straight steakhouse fare and also veers from the Lewis Prime Grill that opened in Loxahatchee in 2022.
That spinoff is more like a stepsister to Okeechobee Steakhouse, with many of the steakhouse favorites on their slightly less pricey menu. While it has other globally inspired options, it stays fairly traditional.
In Wellington, diners can find pastas, ribs and several dishes with a focus on shareable plates.
“It’s how people eat today,” Lewis said. They order a lot of small plates to share so they can taste several dishes at one meal.
Some examples of small plates are chicken and churros — a twist on the popular chicken and waffles. Asian sticky ribs, crab-stuffed mushrooms and pork belly bao buns are Asian-inspired.
All of the new dishes were created by the corporate chef, Ryan Mussell, who was brought in from Massachusetts.
There’s an extensive cocktail program to serve the large 32-seat bar and the lounge area, with seating for 52.
“We’ll have martini Mondays, a huge happy hour and a whiskey cart to serve craft cocktails made tableside,” Lewis said.
The dining room, and a private room that seats 24 or holds 40 people in a cocktail setting bring total seating to 200.
Getting back to great service
The most important element is the traditional hospitality that he says is “sorely lacking” in today’s restaurants.
“The bar is very low. It’s been that way a long time — way before COVID,” he said. “Everyone points to that, but it’s been decades in decline.”
As a member of the board of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Lewis says he hears about the lack of service and inattention to detail from hoteliers and restaurateurs throughout the state.
“It’s not just a South Florida thing,” he said. It’s one of the biggest challenges in the hospitality industry.
Training the staff to offer red-carpet service to all guests is his plan.
He said he wants to bring back the focused, detailed service that makes a dining experience memorable.
It’s critical, Lewis said, to meet expectations for guests who come for a special night out — a large part of the business.
A concierge area next to the host stand will create interaction between the service staff and guests before they’re seated.
“It’s to engage guests for any needs they might have while waiting for a table,” Lewis said. “And inform them of upcoming events such Bourbon dinners, the Founder’s Table dinners, and all services offered for the Parlor, our private dining room.”
Deal-making in the Wall Street South era
Lewis attributes the growth of steakhouses and American grills in South Florida to the surge of Wall Street businesses moving here.
“Steak is the food that big deals are made over. These are the people that run great companies, and they gather at steakhouses.”
He says he sees it every day at Okeechobee Steakhouse — at lunch, especially.
“The people running the county, the state and federal governments are here at the tables. They come for happy hour. We have one of the biggest in the county. There’s a line out the door. It’s the place to see and be seen here,” he said.
People gravitate to steak and grills, Lewis said.
But he acknowledges the 78-year-old steakhouse, the oldest in Florida, is pricey. A complete steak dinner, all a la carte, can easily surpass $200 and with wine and tip, $300.
“They might not be able to afford a steak at the Okeechobee Steakhouse level, but they’ll go for steak at whatever level they can afford, whether it’s Texas Roadhouse or another upscale-casual place.”
‘An everyday occasion place’
He’s adding Lewis Prime Grill Wellington to that list.
Wellington’s grill will be more casual, “an everyday occasion place,” and fill a gap for diners who don’t want to spend the $60 or $70 for steak a la carte.
He’s planning nine more Lewis Prime Grills around the state — in the Tampa area, Orlando and north toward Jacksonville. One more in Palm Beach County is also possible. “We’re exploring several locations,” he said.
“With the top-quality food, and a level of hospitality that is a throwback to the traditional restaurants everybody remembers,” Lewis said. “We think everybody’s going to love it.
“We’re giving them a $200 experience for a fraction of the cost.”
Holly Baltz is an editor and a reporter at Stet News. Her 40-year career of award-winning journalism included 34 at The Palm Beach Post. Holly lives with her husband in Lake Worth Beach.
