RingSide Steakhouse, the 81-year-old establishment in Northwest Portland, is looking to reopen as early as July following a fire incident earlier this month.
Co-owner Craig Peterson stated that barring unexpected complications from the fire damage, they are optimistic about getting back to business.
“We’ve still got an area of the restaurant where the fire broke out under lockdown,” Peterson mentioned in a conversation with The Oregonian/OregonLive.
The restaurant’s management is scheduled to meet with insurance agents next Friday, and Peterson hopes to commence renovations by May 2.
This timeline may seem optimistic when compared to other local establishments recovering from similar setbacks.
For example, Ox, the Argentine steakhouse in Northeast Portland, took around three months to reopen, while Fuller’s Coffee Shop downtown required nearly nine months before welcoming customers back.
Fortunately, mitigation experts aiding RingSide have indicated that the smoke from the April 5 fire caused minimal damage to the restaurant’s porous surfaces, which include the iconic red leather booths and dark wood beams.
However, the kitchen’s damage assessment remains unclear.
“Our contractors are already hired, but because of the lockdown, we don’t know what kind of equipment we need to replace,” Peterson expressed, noting the uncertainty they face.
Once work can begin, he anticipates the renovations might take approximately two and a half months to complete.
Interestingly, in many restaurant fire cases, the damage is often more related to smoke and water from firefighting efforts than to the flames themselves.
In this instance, firefighters responded to a report of a fire at 2165 W. Burnside St. around 2:20 p.m. on April 5 and quickly discovered smoke in the dining room along with a fire situated behind the stove in the kitchen.
The flames were extinguished by 3 p.m., with no injuries reported during the incident.
Peterson recalled how restaurant staff noticed a piece of cast iron near the sauté station glowing bright red shortly after 2 p.m., indicative of intense heat reaching around 1,000 degrees, about an hour after it was turned on.
This extreme heat transferred through stainless steel walls and fireproof insulation, contributing to more substantial damage being avoided.
The precise cause of the fire remains undetermined, but Peterson is hopeful of clarifying these details once they gain access to the kitchen in early May.
Despite not being as old as some of Portland’s iconic establishments, RingSide is considered one of the city’s oldest restaurants, having served classic steaks, wine, and renowned onion rings in its characteristic dimly-lit atmosphere since before World War II.
The restaurant is locally treasured not only for its historic charm but also for its tuxedo-clad waitstaff and the cocktails from its well-known sunken bar.
During the pandemic, RingSide gained attention for its first-ever parking-lot sale, which offered the public dry-aged steaks and other meats.
Expectations are high for some version of this initiative to return this spring, combined with potential pop-ups around the city, as stated by Peterson.
In a move that reflects commitment to his staff, Peterson emphasized that employees will receive their full wages, including tips and health benefits, during the restaurant’s closure.
“We finalized that with our insurance last Friday, which was our largest concern throughout this ordeal,” he remarked.
Given the high payroll demands, Peterson emphasized the importance of ensuring his staff can support themselves during this disruption.
When the restaurant does reopen, he is confident that they will be able to hit the ground running with their staff fully intact.
“No one is getting displaced,” Peterson reassured.
As RingSide Steakhouse aims for a summer reopening, the Portland community eagerly anticipates the return of one of its beloved dining institutions, located at 2165 W. Burnside St. with the contact number 503-223-1513.
For further updates, patrons can visit ringsidesteakhouse.com.
image source from：https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2025/04/when-will-ringside-steakhouse-reopen-it-could-be-sooner-than-you-think.html
