If you want to toast the nation’s 250th birthday in style, it’s hard to beat 1776, the steakhouse in Midway Shopping Center.
But the name is not the only reason to return, especially if you haven’t been in a while.
Longtime owner Tom Holmes sold 1776 to Regan Derrickson, owner of Nalu in Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach and Summer House in Rehoboth Beach.
After New Year’s Eve, Derrickson closed the restaurant for renovations and reopened it March 19.
Don’t worry. The baked potato still arrives split open beside a juicy, seared filet. The Caesar salad, French onion soup and Oysters Rockefeller still set the tone.
But the refurbished dining room makes the larger point: 1776 is looking ahead without cutting ties to its past.
Gone are the red shutters, red walls, patterned carpet and white fenced dais. The renovated room has exposed brick, a coffered ceiling, tufted banquettes and brass chandeliers reflected in the wall mirrors.
The ambiance blends a clubby steakhouse vibe with contemporary polish. Meanwhile, Revolution-themed artwork is strategically placed, and photos of the restaurant’s previous iterations hang near the bar. Together, they nod to the past while reinforcing the theme.
Speaking of the past, 1776 was founded in the 1980s, but it did not become a steakhouse until 1992, when Kenny Butler bought it. Tom Holmes and his partners purchased the restaurant in 2007 and maintained the steakhouse concept.
Derrickson has kept the legacy visible in the details. Plates boast the 1776 logo, and even the butter pats are stamped with the restaurant’s name.
Lion Gardner, a former Blue Moon owner, has put his stamp on the menu. However, the focus remains on steak, including filet mignon, New York strip, bone-in ribeye and tomahawk cuts. Entrees come with mashed or baked potatoes and the vegetable of the day.
Familiar starters include Caesar salad (ask for anchovies if you want them), a wedge salad and escargot. For a detour from the usual steakhouse script, try the panko-breaded scallop chips or baked oysters with fire-roasted garlic, herbs and grated Parmesan. Non-beef entrees include miso-soy glazed sea bass and chimichurri cauliflower steak.
Happy hour, available daily from 2 to 5 p.m., features a three-course prix fixe for $35, 25 percent off appetizers and $10 specialty and classic cocktails. Make reservations; the deals are available throughout the restaurant.
Some faces have changed. The room is different, and there are new dishes to try. But 1776 proves that tradition still has a seat at the table.
