Emily and Joe Akers love their rural Iowa city, aside from one factor. “We’re landlocked up right here,” Emily says. “Any household trip we’ve ever been on, we have now to drive a distance to see water.”
When Joe purchased the household a ship, it was too lengthy and had an excessive amount of horsepower to be docked at any lake close to them. (“I don’t know if he did that on objective,” Emily says with fun.) The couple had mates in Tennessee and had visited the world a number of occasions. Finally they purchased a house on the Gallatin Marina on Outdated Hickory Lake.
“Even the drive from the airport, as soon as we begin to see water, calms your whole soul,” she says of Nashville’s rivers and lakes.
It may need been much less calming, although, once they realized that the Gallatin Marina didn’t have a spot for his or her boat.
They discovered a slip at Cherokee Marina & Campground in Lebanon, only a five-minute boat journey away. It was a fortunate discover — and never simply because they lastly had someplace to dock the boat. Hanging out at Cherokee Marina and speaking to regulars, they heard people reminiscing about Cherokee Steakhouse, a waterfront restaurant that opened in 1958, even earlier than the marina existed. Cherokee Steakhouse was each an establishment and a little bit of an oddity. Whereas most steakhouses conjure pictures of velvet cubicles and well-heeled visitors, Cherokee was typically frequented by individuals carrying flip-flops who smelled like sunscreen and bait. For many years, Cherokee was BYOB, so individuals walked in with small coolers carrying one six-pack of beer. Not the usual steakhouse modus operandi, but it surely was beloved.
To Emily, Cherokee Steakhouse didn’t sound that uncommon. The truth is, it sounded lots like J. Bruner’s, the 43-year-old steakhouse she and Joe purchased and now run in Clarinda, Iowa. The extra she heard individuals wax nostalgic in regards to the outdated Cherokee Steakhouse, the extra she was.
Cherokee Steakhouse was bought just a few years in the past, when its homeowners have been able to retire. Cumberland Canteen, a extra conventional waterfront restaurant serving wings and pizza, opened as a substitute. “It bombed,” Cherokee Marina supervisor Ryan Williams says. “It was not good.”
With Cumberland Canteen closed and marina administration wanting a restaurant to serve boaters, campground residents and locals, Emily and Joe received a chance. With two companions, Levi Davidshofer and Kyle Margison, they leased the house and introduced that they have been reopening Cherokee Steakhouse at Cherokee Marina & Campground in early summer time 2026.
“The ideas are so related by serendipity,” says Emily, evaluating Cherokee Steakhouse with J. Bruner’s again in Iowa. “Their imaginative and prescient and our imaginative and prescient are very related. One of many preliminary conversations was us simply speaking to somebody out on the dock someday. They mentioned, ‘There was this nice sirloin for 2 or three or 4.’ I mentioned, ‘We now have that up in Iowa!’ That was on the unique J. Bruner’s menu. I’ve by no means seen that on some other menu. So to listen to it 10 hours away, , at a marina, made me suppose, ‘This might work.’”
Hand-breaded onion rings, catfish bites and prime rib are dishes that may seem on each the J. Bruner’s menu and the brand new Cherokee Steakhouse menu. Steaks (from Midwestern cattle) are hand-cut at J. Bruner’s — and they are going to be at Cherokee, as they’ve been prior to now. Emily says former Cherokee proprietor Keith Cunningham stopped by to share a few of his outdated sauce recipes. Some new dishes, like an Iowa breaded pork tenderloin (“That’s kinda like our state hen,” the Akerses joke), shall be added, plus rooster and waffles at brunch.
Clarinda has a inhabitants of a little bit greater than 5,000, so Emily says J. Bruner’s has needed to be one thing for everybody — from individuals searching for nice eating to these wanting a fast chunk. Due to that, she thinks they’re well-positioned to uphold Cherokee’s traditional dichotomy, serving as a spot for households recent from the campground pool in addition to for individuals searching for a particular night time out. Pizza, appetizers and burgers will feed the informal crowd. However whether or not visitors sit within the eating room (“the dry aspect,” she calls it) or the dockside lounge, they’ll be capable to order from both menu.
As quickly as Emily posted on-line in March in regards to the couple’s plans to reopen Cherokee, web denizens started weighing in on posts in Gallatin and Lebanon neighborhood teams, voicing their opinions about what Cherokee Steakhouse 2.0 wanted (i.e., steak for 2, salad bars, rolls, lazy susans in the course of the desk and cheap costs). In addition they advised tales about sixtieth and seventieth anniversary events and wedding ceremony receptions on the now-shuttered spot, and about Cherokee sponsoring a neighborhood bowling league. Williams too has a poignant reminiscence: The final {photograph} he has of himself together with his late father was taken at Cherokee Steakhouse.
The brand new Cherokee Steakhouse received’t be a carbon copy of the 1958 mannequin. It’ll have a liquor license, with crafted cocktails, beer and wine. About half of the beers on faucet shall be native brews. Throughout the pandemic, when enterprise was gradual and folks wished to be outside, Williams constructed a big, dog-friendly out of doors patio with seating for 200, an out of doors bar and house for stay music.
Decor has been up to date to be fashionable and acceptable for a marina — however not hokey, Emily says. Two items of unique artwork, sculptures of a Native American and a blue-kerchief-wearing chef, are again, and he or she’s hiring native artists together with a watercolorist to offer unique artwork. The constructing has a separate social gathering room, and Emily expects it to be out there for personal occasions sooner or later.
Among the Akerses’ youngsters are school-age, so Emily has been in Iowa with them as the college yr wrapped up. Joe has been in Lebanon hiring workers, testing recipes and getting the restaurant able to open within the subsequent few weeks. (They’re ready on permits and different last-minute logistics.) J. Bruner’s gradual season is spring and summer time — what Emily anticipates shall be Cherokee’s busy season — so some workers might come all the way down to oversee coaching and assist get processes in place.
The earlier homeowners advised Joe they as soon as had a day with 700 meals served, so mixed with the net enthusiasm, Emily, Joe and staff are gearing up for crowds. Between the within and out of doors, the restaurant can seat 277 individuals.
Cherokee Steakhouse shall be open year-round, with afternoon and dinner hours Monday to Thursday. Fridays will embody lunch, and Saturdays and Sundays will embody brunch. Reside musicians will play on weekends.
Within the outdated days, households used to sit down and feed the geese whereas they waited for a desk. Identical to the outdated days, the brand new Cherokee Steakhouse received’t take reservations — at the least not firstly — so when the restaurant opens, carry the sunscreen and be prepared to attend whereas taking in Outdated Hickory Lake views. Duck feeding optionally available.
