PULL UP A PLATE. Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, which recently opened on the city’s southeast side, is designed to evoke the atmosphere of supper clubs of yore.

The city of Eau Claire has a couple of high-end dining options, but with a population of about 67,000, a couple might not be enough.

The folks behind the new Holiday Inn, located on the southeast side of Eau Claire, have taken a step forward in making the city an even classier place to visit and live by opening a new restaurant in the hotel, Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. Tom Larson, of Larson Companies, which owns and operates many hotels and restaurants in the Midwest, said he wanted to bring something to Eau Claire that was missing.

Larson said Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, 4751 Owen Ayres Court, will take customers back to a supper club atmosphere with great food and great service. “The food and beverages are outstanding, and it’s something that we identified long ago as something that has been an unmet need in the region,” Larson said. “So far the response from the region has validated our research.”

“The food and beverages are outstanding, and (the supper club is) something that we identified long ago as something that has been an unmet need in the region.” – Tom Larson, one of the owners of the new Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse

The restaurant is designed with a 1940s and ’50s supper club vibe in mind, complete with velvet curtains, Rat Pack music, and an extensive cocktail menu served at the Blue Bar. And it almost goes without saying there’s a menu full of Italian dishes and sizzling Angus steaks. Larson said some of the customers’ favorite dishes are the salmon, the bruschetta (which uses goat cheese instead of feta), and the Mounds Bar dessert, which uses a coconut sorbet.

Even though the restaurant is high-end, Larson said people do not need to worry about standing out. “There is no dress code,” Larson said. “Most folks for the evening will be dressed in business casual, but you will see everything. Everyone is welcome.”

The hotel and restaurant is located on Interstate 94, which is a little out of town for some, but Larson said he is not worried. The new Holiday Inn is the first branded full-service lodging facility completed in our region in 30 years that is visible from the interstate. He said there are around 70,000 cars per day that drive on I-94, which is why Larson said visibility and access to the public are not concerns.

“We spent a lot of time working on the curb appeal of the building,” Larson said. “We wanted to be a good representation of the community and as far as the access is concerned, in lodging and hospitality, visibility always trumps access.”

The restaurant’s ownership group is led by Larson Companies and includes Larson, Tim Pabich, Tim Olson, and Tom Toy. Johnny’s will be managed by Larson Management Inc.

As for the future of the restaurant, Larson remains positive that his decision to bring in a more chic restaurant to the area was a good choice. “I think it’s going to continue to get the attention of local folks,” he said. “And of course that it’s being attached to a 130-room lodging facility, I think you are going to see it well supported by visitors to the region.”

Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse • 4751 Owen Ayres Court (adjacent to the new Holiday Inn) • 11am-10pm Sunday-Thursday, 11am-midnight Friday-Saturday • (715) 830-9779 • johnnysitaliansteakhouse.com/eauclaire