Timbermine: A Steakhouse Steeped in History

 When the Timbermine opened back in 1985, it was part of an “Old West” steakhouse trend in Utah. Themed spots like Diamond Lil’s, the Old Salt City Jail, the Wagonmaster Steak Company, and the Prairie Schooner were “in” places to go.

  But although most of them pulled up stakes (…or you could say steaks) long ago, the Timbermine survived the ups and downs of the restaurant industry and became an Ogden classic. (So did the Prairie Schooner – that story is told here.)

  And at a time when restaurants are having a hard time finding and keeping staff, the Timbermine boasts many long-time employees.

  “We have very low turnover. A lot of customers keep coming back because we’ve had the same servers for years, and they like the staff and the service,” said Julie Roylance. “Some of them started when they were 16, and now are in their 40s and 50s.”

  Also, since it’s family-owned, there are lots of sons, daughters, in-laws and grandkids who work there.

  “All my children have worked here,” said Karen Hill, who founded the restaurant with her late husband, Dean Hill, and partners, Carl and Pat Jorgensen. “On Saturdays, I have my granddaughters and even my granddaughters’ husbands here waiting tables.” 

   Brenda Crossley (a co-owner, and daughter of Carl and Pat Jorgensen) says her daughters work in the office, and cook alongside their dad on the weekends.

   “In a family business, you become a hard worker, because when it’s your own place, you take pride in it,” said Julie Roylance, who is Karen Hill’s daughter.    

  The mining-themed steakhouse has hosted thousands of northern Utahns over the past 37 years in business. It’s been the site of hundreds of anniversary or birthday celebrations, company parties, wedding receptions and other events.  

  But many walk-in customers don’t need a special occasion; they just want good steak.

  The restaurant is especially busy during the holidays, when I interviewed the owners for a Standard-Examiner story.

  In the parking lot, you’re greeted with rusted mining equipment and old ore cars.

The rustic décor is part museum, part rummage sale, making you glad you’re not the person who has to do the dusting.

Wood burning stoves, old sewing machines and flat irons, vintage egg beaters, hot pads, lanterns, bottles, doll-like figurines, weathered horseshoes, mannequins, Victrola record players, antique bathtubs filled with Christmas lights, wringer-washing machine, old license plates, antique cloth flour and sugar bags, and a mounted elk head on the fireplace, all somehow co-exist.

While today’s newer restaurants go for a sleek, less-is-more ambiance, the Timbermine has kept its more-is-more approach.

  The dining booths have a rugged mine-car atmosphere, separated with rough-hewn wood partitions that give a feeling of privacy.  

   The menu goes along with the mining theme: the Gold Rush is a filet mignon wrapped in bacon. The Prospector is a ribeye. The Gold Pan is a plate of shrimp, either deep-fried or scampi. A Double Strike is a steak and seafood combo of shrimp, lobster, or crab.

  Prime rib is the top-selling entree. It requires a long, slow cooking time, and sometimes sells out. Tip: If you want prime rib, come early in the evening.

  “We cook so much of it daily, and we try to plan for busy nights, but sometimes we run out,” said Mike Hill, president/manager, and Karen Hill’s son.  “We can go back and cut more steaks, but we can’t get more prime rib.”

  Many people ask if the Timbermine has the same owners as The Prairie Schooner, another “Old West” themed steakhouse located a few blocks away, also on Park Boulevard.  

  The short answer is no.

  The long answer is that the two restaurants have a history dating back to the 1970s, when Dean Hill was a barber in downtown Ogden, where the Junction is located today.

  “Dean and his dad owned the barbershop, and Slim’s Café was next door,” said Karen Hill. “When Slim’s Café was moving, Dean took over the space and we started the Pioneer Café.”

 Around 1976, they and partner Neil Rasmussen started a small steakhouse next door. They called it the Prairie Schooner, and the tables had covered wagon tops to resemble the prairie schooners that pioneers used on their trek West.

  When downtown businesses were closed down to build the Ogden City Mall, the Prairie Schooner moved to its present site on Park Avenue in 1978. The owners created a “lone frontier” theme with mounted wild animals, and a starry “sky” overhead. It was so popular that more dining space was added. After Rasmussen passed away in 1982, the Prairie Schooner was eventually sold, changing hands several times. Current owners are Norm George and Julie Johnson.

Meanwhile, the Hills left and founded The Timbermine in 1985, with Carl and Pat Jorgensen. The Jorgensens live in Grace, Idaho, where they own a large farming operation.

 “Dean and my Dad were involved in another business venture together, and Dean said he had an idea for a restaurant, and asked Dad if he’d like to join him,” said Brenda Crossley.

  “My husband designed it and had the vision,” said Karen Hill. “We started out with just two dining rooms. But we realized we needed to have space for larger groups. So we added on banquet rooms.”

  The largest room, called the Copper Queen, can seat 330 guests. “And it’s so pretty you can see the mountains from the windows,” said Karen Hill.

  Especially during the holiday season, the banquet rooms are in high demand and usually booked well in advance. Although the restaurant is only open for dinner, it will accommodate catered lunch parties of 60 or more, according to Roylance.

  People also ask about prices, since the online menu doesn’t list any. Costs of ingredients are rising dramatically, and restaurants might have a hard time keeping up online when they have to increase prices. But, it’s super-helpful for would-be customers to have a chance to scan the online menu beforehand, to make sure you won’t get a bad case of sticker shock once you’re sitting down to order. From looking over the menu when I visited in December, I’d say the average entree price range is $25-28, but cuts like filet mignon, or crab legs, shrimp or lobster are more costly. All entrees come with a green salad, French bread, and a choice of baked potato, fries, or steamed broccoli. So you’re getting a meal for that price.

Also, most of the steaks offer a choice of portion sizes. For instance, the Prospector (a ribeye) comes in either 10-ounce or 16-ounce size. Prime rib comes in 10-ounce, 16-ounce, or 24-ounce portions. If you’re budget-minded, you can order the smaller size for less money. (Or you can just buy the bigger portion and take the leftovers home for tomorrow’s lunch.)