Table Talk
All in the Family Naifeh’s Steakhouse
By Mitch Steichen
Honey lime salmon with grilled zucchini. Photos by Hayley Leatherwood
(L-R) Karen Bauer, Eric Bauer, Zeke Bauer, Dee Naifeh, Katrina Naifeh Akers and Bailey Akers
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aifeh’s is not your traditional Oklahoma steakhouse, and for this side-of-the-road restaurant in Guymon, Okla., that isn’t a
bad thing. The cook, wait staff and hostess all laugh as a 4-year-old greets customers. “That’s my grandson Zeke for you,” Ka- trina Akers, co-owner and cook at Naifeh’s, said. “He’s named after his great-grandpa and he’s been tagging along with my son, Eric, to work since he was 6 weeks old. We don’t have a baby sitter; everyone here at the restaurant is our babysitter.” Zeke and Dee Naifeh started Naifeh’s Steakhouse in 1979. They moved from Tulsa, Okla., to Guymon during Zeke’s stint as a salesman for Wilson Foods. When Zeke completed his sales in Guymon, he chose not to move his family again and they decided to put down their family roots. “My parents, Zeke and Dee, were fi rst generation Americans,” Akers, a Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC) member said. “Our family is Lebanese, and they were raised in the grocery business. We’re a big family and food has always been a part of our lives. You know “Big Fat Greek Wedding”? It was like that, only Lebanese.” Zeke and Dee began with a unique menu compared to most steakhouses across the state. The family embraced their Lebanese heritage through their cooking, with Dee spending hours making cabbage rolls and tabouli. It took their customers a while to appreciate these uncommon dishes. “This was the ‘70s, in the panhandle of
Ribeye steak with Texas toast and sweet potato fries
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Oklahoma,” Akers said. “There was no Food Network and people weren’t as knowledgeable about different types of food like they are today. About one in fi ve people appreciated those dishes, but as more people started trying them out, it started to make a difference.”
Today, Naifeh’s menu ranges from their
classic ribeye steak to a delicious hummus and pita bread appetizer. The Naifehs have also been developing a seafood menu, with their specialty salmon being a standout, along with shrimp and fried catfi sh. The restaurant has become known for
what is off the menu, just as much as what can be found on it. Akers started her own cooking tradition with her grilled chicken salad, which is one such special order not on the menu. The plate starts with a baked potato, salad, and is topped off with grilled lemon chicken. Another famous Naifeh staple is the beef vegetable soup. “If I were ever going to retire from the restaurant, I would go full-fl edged with that soup and bottle it,” Akers said. “In the cool- er months we sell a ton of it, by the pint and the quart. Our customers love it.” You’ll also hear customers talking about their love for Naifeh’s atmosphere, which can described as a home away from home. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted with a radiant smile and a hearty welcome. Customers can expect to be treated like you’ve been coming to the steakhouse for years, whether it’s your first time or if you’re their neighbor. “We’ve been coming to this restaurant since 1982,” Jeanne Miller, a Guymon na- tive and TCEC member, said. “It has a great, friendly atmosphere to it. We’re their neighbors and they’re such a wonderful family. ‘Our Naifeh Family’ is what we call them.”
If you’re looking to try out one of the steakhouse’s unique dishes, you’ll need to catch the Naifehs during one of their cre- ative spells. Katrina and her son, Eric, still cook a Lebanese sampler on Saturday nights during the fall, with other special dishes coming along every month or so. Whatever you end up ordering at Naifeh’s Steakhouse, prepare to be treated like one of the family.
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