Culinary Concepts has completed a transformational $1 million renovation of its legendary Chops City Grill steakhouse in Bonita Springs announces Skip Quillen, founder and owner of the award-winning Southwest Florida group of five restaurants and three brands including the original Chops City Grill, Pazzo! Cucina Italiana and Yabba Island Grill on 5th Avenue South in Naples and The Saloon American Bistro in Estero.
“It was time for a redo,” explains Quillen, noting the renovation coincides with the popular steakhouse’s 20th anniversary. “We renovated with spectacular results,” he says, explaining Chops’ framework, kitchen and bar remain in the same place, however, the dining booths, flooring, ceiling, tables, chairs, walls, and lighting have all been redesigned.
A pioneer Bonita Springs dining destination since opening Christmas Eve 2001, Chops is a traditional American steakhouse where every detail is top quality and fine craftsmanship, The new Chops décor is sophisticated and luxurious from floor-to-ceiling, mirroring the exquisite interior design of its sister restaurant, the cherished Chops City Grill on 5th Avenue South in Naples. It’s a classic timeless elegance that will be enjoyed for years using textures and contrasts.
Naples-based interior designer Theresa Gillan (who previously worked with Quillen on the redesigns of Chops City Grill and Pazzo! Italiana Cucina restaurants in Naples), used inviting lighting and occasional bursts of color to temper an intricate interior. Design standouts include exquisite Italian crystal chandeliers, chic crushed black velvet banquettes and private booth draperies, muted deep purple with silver-accented walls and embellished dark brown woodwork. Extra touches that add quality and glamour include custom made pillow backs and cushions and a new ceiling with acoustic tiles that reduce noise levels.
“We embellished the wood tones to give the interior an updated, stylish look to the vertical panels along the bar, the half-walls separating the dining room from open kitchen and bar areas, the entryway and the private dining room,” explains Gillan. “The woodwork now has dimension with undertones so that when you look at it, you’ll see there’s a lot of painting going on with darker rich deep browns,” she says, noting the design technique makes the overall impact of the interior welcoming and luxuriant.
Custom-made black chenille draperies, trimmed with a handmade 4.5-inch Venetian tassel fringe were added to enhance the restaurant’s overall serene ambiance. The sophisticated silver and black pom-pom fringe, decorated with silver glass beads and ornately wrapped bobbins, is also used as opulent curtain tiebacks. These tassel tiebacks create a soft curve on each side of the drapery panels framing the arched dining room windows and spaces between the secluded crushed velvet-covered dining banquettes. Velvet fabric was selected because it is very soft to the touch, stays cool in the warm weather and is also very durable with high UV resistance, high abrasion and pill resistance, adds Gillan.
Chop’s interior lighting was modernized thanks to seven large new crystal chandeliers dangling over the impressive 20-foot-long antique wooden bar and nearby 300+ bottle wine wall. The chandeliers’ delicate glass fruit adornments artfully relate to food in a subtle way. Mini crystal chandeliers above selected tables in the dining room are an additional impactful part of the interior lighting design.
“We are proud of Chops’ reputation as a top steakhouse,” says Quillen, adding Chops’ guests enjoy the lowest priced wagyu beef in the country. “No one is serving the very top wagyu for the lowest price like we do ….no one!” he promises. Chops is also the only Southwest Florida restaurant serving aged prime rib beef.
Raising the “steaks” on Chops’ sumptuous new menu, created by the talented culinary team of chefs Rafelo (Raf) Elisea and Francis Pischner, are 25 cuts of USDA prime beef plus domestic wagyu steaks from Idaho’s Snake River Ranch and Sakura Farms in Ohio, imported Carrara 640 wagyu from Australia and Miyazaki A5 from Japan, plus unique seafoods Thai snapper, Nordic rosefish, Scorpion fish and Faroe Island Salmon and 30+ rotating fresh vegetables.
Chops City Grill is located at 8200 Health Park Boulevard in Bonita Springs, offering both indoor and al fresco dining. Open Sunday – Thursday, 5 – 9 pm; Fridays and Saturdays, 5 – 9:30 pm. An early dining menu is available in the dining room only from 5 until 6 pm daily featuring two courses and a quartino of wine for $39 per person. A daily Happy Hour at the bar from 4:30 until 10 pm stars $6.50 house wines by the glass, $6 well highballs, and up to 50% off call brands. For reservations, call (239) 992-4677, ChopsBonita,@chopscitygrill_bonitasprings, www.facebook.com/chopscitygrillbonitasprings.
