Pour One Out for Harold Seltzer's

When I first moved to Sarasota in 2001, it didn't take me long to discover Sam Seltzer's Steakhouse. Sunday editions of the Herald Tribune would regularly feature an ad for the weekly special, which was always some hard-to-believe value—a loss leader, I supposed, something to hook new customers.

My first visit taught me that while the special was indeed a good value, the entire menu was choc full of quality steaks and seafood at extremely reasonable prices. While not quite fine dining, the restaurant had a charming ambiance that harkened back to the family steakhouses of yesteryear.

It’s hard to imagine now, but Sarasota did not have a premium steakhouse in the early aughts. Long before places like Hyde Park, Ruth’s Chris, Fleming’s, and Capitol Grille moved in, the well-heeled could either opt for the more limited steak menus at high-end haunts like Michael’s on East, Ophelia’s, Munroe’s, or Bijou, or drive an hour to Tampa to enjoy places like Bern’s and Shula’s. For those of more modest means, Sam Seltzer’s towered above Sarasota offerings like Outback Steakhouse and Steak & Ale for about the same cost.

Sam Seltzer was a renowned butcher in Montreal, and his two sons eventually took over the family business. His grandson Harold started working in the family butcher shop at age eight before earning a law degree and practicing for 15 years. In 1995, Harold Seltzer moved to Tampa, where he launched a chain of steakhouses named in honor of his late grandfather, including the Sarasota location, which was located at 7113 South Tamiami Trail.

At the peak of its success, Sam Seltzer’s Steakhouse had 13 locations. In 2005, Seltzer sold the business so that he could pursue other ventures. Upon the chain’s much-lamented closing, however, Seltzer decided to make another go of it. In 2010, The Original Harold Seltzer’s Steakhouse opened in St. Petersburg and New Port Richey with a nearly identical concept.

Harold Seltzer at his St. Pete location. Photo via Facebook.

Once again, families flocked to the locations for monthly specials or to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and other occasions. Personally, I was thrilled to learn that there was still a Seltzer’s around when I passed it on my first trip to the Bay Pines VA hospital about a decade back. A few years ago, when my son inquired where he and some buddies might find a decent steak at an affordable price to celebrate his birthday during his senior year of high school, I had an immediate answer. They set out across the Sunshine Skyway and returned more than a little impressed by my recommendation.

I don’t eat much steak at this stage of my life, but when I recently learned that the last remaining location would close this month, I immediately made plans for a final visit—on a Wednesday, of course, when bottles of wine are still half-off. It was a beautiful evening, and when we noticed that two and a half letters were dim in the famous neon signage, it was as if it were the universe’s way of signaling that it was indeed the end of an era.

The curtain-call special is a 12oz New York strip with five jumbo shrimp for only $28.99. As tempting as it was, I just had to spend the extra two bucks to enjoy a final 16oz filet mignon, rare with a delicious Ceasar and creamed spinach, along with the traditional dinner rolls and the bowl of from-scratch garlic croutons that come with every meal. In fact, I've often described Harold Seltzer's as the best among those sort of steakhouses where the sides aren't a la carte. Because we ordered two entrees, they even sent us home with a giant complimentary slice of Napolean cake that made for a good midnight snack later in the evening.

My final meal at a Seltzer's Steakhouse

There aren’t many places like Harold Seltzer’s left, and I don’t suspect it’s a concept likely to be revived. If you’re like me and are quick to turn your nose up at lousy chains where poor cuts are drowned in salty seasoning, I’d recommend B&B Chophouse and Market in Lakewood Ranch (review), which, while not quite as nostalgic as either of the Seltzer brands, is about as close as your likely to find these days.

More importantly, the experience reminded me that nothing lasts forever, even something as certain and quintessential as an old-time steakhouse. I don’t need to tell you that the area is changing or remind you how many local staples have taken the deep six in recent years. If you’ve got a favorite local haunt, especially one that uniquely stands out against our increasingly homogenous landscape of corporate chain restaurants, stop by and pay them a visit before it's too late.

Saturday, Sept. 29, will be the final day of operations for Harold Seltzer's Steakhouse, located at 3500 Tyrone Blvd N, St Petersburg. Hours are 3-9:00 p.m. Reservations can be made on the OpenTable app or by calling 727.954.7777 .