Reed's Steakhouse & Grill New restaurant pairs fine dining with a fine view
By Molly Moser
Guttenberg resident Angela Reed has spent nearly a lifetime working in the food industry, and she’s excited to open a new restaurant above the Dam Bar next month. Reed describes the atmosphere of Reed’s Steakhouse and Grill as upscale, yet family oriented. Her goals are excellence in food and service, consistency, and an emphasis on homemade foods.
In 1985, Reed’s grandmother Donna Pont opened Riverview Ice Cream and Arcade, and the Showroom Lounge Bar on south River Park Drive. “I watched my Grandma eat, live, and breathe this business,” said Reed, who recalls scooping ice cream, washing dishes and wiping tables at the restaurant. She spent her teenage years working at her mother’s restaurant, and at the Guttenberg Bakery under Bill and Mary Meyer. “I worked mornings and weekend days during the summer and kept weekends during the school year. Boy, did I love this job, and for such a young person, I was making really amazing money at it too,” Reed reflected.
She has worked as server, bartender, and cook, often in addition to a full time job, and even while raising two children with her husband, Aaron, and earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Dubuque.
“I now have a huge support system at home with my family and extended family and am insanely excited to become a part of the business community here in Guttenberg,” Reed told The Press. “Our immediate family is super excited about this new adventure. People will see myself, our daughter Kaleigh and our son Kaleb at the steakhouse frequently. Aaron will be behind the scenes, but will play a vital role making sure all equipment is operational and that safety on all levels is met.”
Reed’s Steakhouse and Grill will open in April with Julie White, Maggie Fensterman, Samantha Froehle and Harlan Friederich in the kitchen. The kitchen crew will be trained by A.J. Cummer in establishing processes for consistency and efficiency. “In the front of the house you will be greeted by Barb Connell, who has also helped us with small improvements here in the beginning such as painting, cleaning, and organizing. Our serving staff, dishwashers, and bartenders are still in the process of being hired, but we have been blessed so far with numerous applications and look forward to continuing to put together a fantastic team,” Reed said, noting that there are still positions available in all departments.
The new restaurant will start with hours from Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and will serve Sunday brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The breakfast menu offers traditional steak and eggs, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and French toast, as well as breakfast burritos. There will be daily lunch specials in addition to sandwiches, wraps, salads, homemade soups and a salad bar.
“Our supper menu is pretty extensive! We have six different kinds of steaks; seafood consisting of shrimp, scallops, orange roughy and more. We have traditional homemade Alfredo, spaghetti, and homemade mac and cheese. We will also offer fried chicken, grilled chicken, ham steak, barbecue ribs, and so much more,” Reed listed. Pies, cheesecake, and cookies are just a few of the dessert options.
“There is a lot of thought that has gone into our menu selection and while offering a large variety, we believe that consistency is a major part of bringing people back to us time and time again,” said Reed. Her new venture will include a full bar with rail drinks, domestic beer, selected wines, martinis, Manhattans, old-fashioneds, and ice cream drinks.
Reed views community engagement as a key part of her business. “We are utilizing as many local businesses as possible to start up and maintain operation. We need each other and honestly believe it takes a village,” she explained. Full time and part time employees will receive paid time off annually to volunteer within their home communities. “We cannot function without our community and it's our way of giving back,” Reed told The Press.
The new business owner has long held the idea of opening a restaurant. “Since I started working in the industry when I was 13-14, I've never fully walked away from it. I've been told no a lot – sometimes it was financial; sometimes it was from people I knew that knew more about the industry than me; sometimes it was just being told over and over how risky the business was,” said Reed. “Perhaps I just got tired of being told no. Perhaps it was a case of ‘right place, right time.’ But if you want my honest opinion, God played a major role in bringing all of this together for us and our prayers were heard and answered.”
