OLD SAN FRANCISCO STEAK HOUSE in ATX? (Houston, San Antonio: transfer, wedding)

[Mike78613]

I never got to eat there, but anyone here know if they went out of business?

[car957]

You can skip it. There is a reason they are closed.

[jwb123]

It looks like it's now going to be a chinese food, buffet type place.

[love roses]

Yep, it was here but closed down already.

[TexasHorseLady]

Actually, it was here for a long time - it was here when my daughter was born, and she's 24.

There may be a reason they are closed, but they had a long run.

[Mike78613]

May I ask why they shut down?

From what people I talked to, they said it was expensive.

Not sure if that was the main reason for being closed

[pilotskid27]

Originally Posted by Mike78613

May I ask why they shut down?

From what people I talked to, they said it was expensive.

Not sure if that was the main reason for being closed

I spent my formative years (late 60's early 70's) in San Antonio. My kid brother had a BFF named George Postolos. George was a frequent visitor to our home, and my sister was in classes with one of his sisters in school. So, while the connections are once removed, I grew up knowing of the Postolos family,

As our family has passed down the story, George's father, Luke, was an aspiring restauranteur who was strugglng to support his family, when he took an assistant manager position at Old SF Steakhouse, It didn't take him long to see the place was struggling. The owners of the San Antonio location were impressed with his potential, and offered him a piece of the business if he would work to turn the place around.

He far exceeded all expectations, turning the fading flower into one of San Antonio's "must see" spots for visitors and the quintesential spot for special celebrations. Was is pricey? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely -- San Antonians began voting with their dollars, and the owners began to expand accordingly. (Including establishing the place in Austin. )

The Postolos family moved into a very nice section of Castle Hiils, and the story was held up to me during my formative years as an example of what you can earn by hard work and determination.

The restaurant was doing well. My brother and George kept in touch through several years of separation (our military family was transferred) and reconnected upon my family's return to San Antonio their Senior year of HS. They stayed in touch through law school, which is when we got the devistating news that Luke died suddenly of a heart attack while on some kind of an international restaurant conference in Paris. (Some time in the late 80's I think)

Not long after that, the chain was purchased by a holding company,
Restaurant Teams International. In my mind, no corporate holding company can maintain the magic that happens when an entertprise is run by a passionate leader. (My google search revealed several small chains that this outfit has dismantled and sold off at a significant profit. )

The decline of the enterprise is sad, but perhaps inevitable.

George Postolos practiced law for a few years in Manhattan...duing which time he took a weekend break to be best man at my brother's wedding. He later accepted a postion a COO of the Houston Rockets. (Yes, It's that George Postolos!) He has recently gone out on his own to help people negotiate the complex process of purchasing professional sports franchises.

He has also created the Luke Postolos Scholarship Fund in honor of his late father's accomplishments.

That's probably more info than you were seeking, but as far as I know, it is the whole story of the demise of a once great restaurant.

[AGA]

Is that the restaurant where there was a girl in a swing? Up on North I-35 near Pflugerville?
I heard of it, but never went there.

[car957]

George, or his minions, screwed my steak up twice.

The lady in the swing was cool but for the prices, I continue to eat at Sullivans when I want to impress my friends and pay out the wazoo for a steak (sorry - I don't won't to hurt a family heritage).

Just come by my house. I can fire up the smoker in 45 minutes and the steak will be definately be better than anything the San Fransico Steak House produced. Plus my seating is better.

[atxcio]

Wow, that was a cool story pilotskid27.

I remember the Old San Francisco like 20 years ago. When I first was coming to check out UT with my parents, they took the family there. My Dad probably wanted a good steak, and lil 'ol Austin had not much to offer in that regard... I remember the girl on the swing, the aged decor (even back then), and I recall they used to serve you a HUGE hunk of cheese at each table. They gave you some utensil to shave off the cheese, and you could munch on bread and cheese before your order came up. I can't remember how the steak was, I couldn't really appreciate it back then.

After the visits with my parents, though, I never went back because 1) it was too expensive, and 2) it was too far out on I-35 (when I was at UT, anything past 51st street seemed too far out!)...

So, sad to hear it closed, but glad to hear about the history of the place.