Photograph by Victoria Moorwood
From the Mid-Century Modern decor to the fairly priced steaks, dining at the Lonely Pine Steakhouse is like taking a step back in time. Local bar owner—and now restaurateur—Jacob Trevino was inspired by the steakhouses of his Texas youth for the unique interior of his new restaurant, a cross that he calls “Texas meets Mad Men.” Lonely Pine is located in Pleasant Ridge next to Overlook Lodge, one of the three bars that Trevino’s company Gorilla Cinema owns around Cincinnati.
While it’s the hospitality group’s first restaurant, Trevino says operating Overlook, Video Archive (in Walnut Hills), and Tokyo Kitty (downtown) have prepared his business to expand into restaurants.
Photograph by Kate Fraser
“People want an experience,” Trevino says. “That’s what we’ve learned from the other bars—creating an experience.”
The Lonely Pine experience is unlike a typical steakhouse, which can skew stuffy. With retro wallpaper, oldies tunes, approachable prices, and a casual dress code, Trevino says his comfortable-yet-chic version of a steakhouse is a better fit for Pleasant Ridge.
“I don’t think we would have opened this concept anywhere else,” he says. “We were looking for a way to reinvest in the neighborhood.”
The menu reflects Cincinnati, as well, with seasonal, locally grown veggies, traditional steakhouse fare, and Southern comfort foods. The top-cut meats are dry-aged in house to tenderize the steak.
In May the restaurant will partner with its neighboring bar, Overlook Lodge, allowing customers to order food from Lonely Pine off of an exclusive bar menu that will offer casual dishes, including a steak sandwich.
Looking ahead, Trevino says Gorilla Cinema is already working on their next endeavor, which will be announced soon. “Once you do food it opens up so many other options,” he says. “We’re just getting started.”
Lonely Pine Steakhouse, 6085 Montgomery Rd., Pleasant Ridge, (513) 351-1012, lonelypinesteakhouse.com
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