(Suzanne Hale: Communications Specialist/America's Best Restaurants)

SIDNEY: Local restaurant Dude’s Steakhouse & Brandin’ Iron Bar & Lounge will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) in early May 2024. 

America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to the restaurant on May 8. Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with Joey Gorman and other owner family members about the restaurant’s special place in the community. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.

Founded in 1952 by Deward “Dude” and Florence Jelinek, the western-style steakhouse and bar is a throwback to the old days of classic restaurant dining and is now in its third generation of ownership. Besides a classic steakhouse menu, Dude’s has shuffleboard, pool, darts, Keno, DJs and dancing in the bar area.

The restaurant’s decor features a mural of nearby Fort Sidney by renowned Nebraskan artist Aaron Pyle, one of only a few that are not in a museum or private collection. Legend has it that he painted the mural in exchange for a couple of bottles of bourbon. Rounded banquettes, a stone wall with a fireplace and other Western decor items add to the retro ambiance.

The menu offers a wide variety of steaks, served with mushroom au jus, and the prime rib is a standout and likely to be featured on the episode, as well as Parmesan Halibut. Burgers, chicken and seafood, salads with homemade dressing and hearty appetizers round out the menu. Breakfast is also served, featuring Belgian waffles, platters, country fried steak and Texas French toast.

Gorman wants customers to enjoy the look back through history and the overall atmosphere of the restaurant, adding that the small-town values they have are appealing to the community.

“We want people to enjoy the nostalgia of our five-generation restaurant,” he says. “We keep the decor to match the history of the region and we want people to feel comfortable and like family here.”

America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location 3 pm to 6 pm MST Wednesday May 8. The press is invited to attend. The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on their Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website at https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/nebraska/dudes-steakhouse-brandin-iron-bar-and-lounge. 

Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are found through customer nominations or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com. 

About Dude’s Steakhouse: Open Monday through Saturday, Dude’s Steakhouse is located at 2126-2130 Illinois St, Sidney, NE 69162. Telephone is (308) 254-9080. For more information visit ‘Dude’s Steakhouse, Brandin’ Iron, Bar & Lounge, Inc.’ on Facebook.

About ABR: With offices in Florence, KY and Las Vegas, America’s Best Restaurants is a national media and restaurant marketing company that travels the country telling the stories and highlighting the unique food of locally owned independent restaurants as part of their ABR Roadshow. Restaurants are featured not only on ABR’s Restaurant Network of social media channels and website, but also each individual establishment’s Facebook page. With over 1300 episodes filmed, America’s Best Restaurants is the premier marketing agency for restaurant owners and operators to have their story broadcast coast-to-coast. Visit AmericasBestRestaurants.com to learn more and to view the episodes and profiles of hundreds of America’s Best Restaurants!