Good Eats

Big Mike’s Steakhouse on the lake worth the wait

Story by David Myers Photos by David Moore

Since word got out that Big Mike’s Steakhouse was locating in Guntersville’s new City Harbor development, mouths have been watering non-stop. Mine included. Rose and I finally got to sample what we were salivating for three months after its highly anticipated opening in August. Was all the drooling worth it? Absolutely.

Most striking about the restaurant’s interior are its views of Guntersville Lake from both front and back. The décor is a combination of rustic and modern, with walls covered in woodcuts and strips of whiskey barrels alongside sleek booths and tables.

We were eager to get a look at the menu, but Chef Nick Sheffield took over our order and brought us one outstanding dish after another. Nick is thrilled to be running the new eatery with his partner Zach Morgan, who handles front of house.

Nick started at Big Mike’s flagship restaurant in Thomasville working weekends while in college, eventually traveling to help other locations get off the ground. He met his wife through Big Mike’s, and now the two are ready to settle down in North Alabama.

Our first dish was a pair of the finest crab cakes I ever dug into, and that’s high praise from a New Orleans native. I pay a lot of attention to crab cakes. Crispy, tangy and a slight sweet taste had us quizzing Nick on his method. He whispered that he mixes crackers with the panko breadcrumbs to achieve the crunchy coating and then adds just a hint of barbecue sauce to the crab mix for a twist. Most importantly, he packed plenty of crab in each cake.

Another crab creation followed – shrimp and crab bisque. Thick and creamy with subtle spiciness, it was a delicious soup. Diners can choose from bisque or seafood gumbo. We also got to sample the house made mozzarella cheese wedges fried in Italian panko and served with marinara sauce. Anyone would like that appetizer.

The stars of our night were the meat entrees. A 9-ounce filet mignon wrapped in applewood bacon wearing a parmesan topping stunned us with its tenderness. Thick, juicy and pink inside, this steak disappeared in minutes. The pork ribeye arrived beautifully grilled with a tenderness and juiciness I have yet to achieve personally. Then the Big Mike stepped on stage – a 24-ounce ribeye that filled the plate. This is a steak for a true beef lover. Nick explained that each steak is cooked over a live fire grill at temperatures between 600-800 degrees.

Big Mike’s serves 1855 Angus beef that is aged 28 days and then hand cut. Each steak is marinated in Big Mike’s seven-spice blend, wood-fired to each diner’s preference and topped with garlic herb butter. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Diners looking for a good steak can find their favorites at any Big Mike’s location.

“All the restaurants serve the same food,” Nick says. “You know what you’re getting and that it’s going to be dang good.”

That was the mission of three friends and the chain’s founders Mike Cole, Scott Powell and Caine Conway. Big Mike was an experienced chef and restaurant manager who had a vision of opening steakhouses in rural towns to feed folks who were tired of having to drive to the nearest city to get a good steak.

With their combined 30 years of experience, the friends began planning their first steakhouse. The three often make rounds to all Big Mike’s locations,

They’re great – a fillet you can cut with a fork, foreground, and prime pork ribeye.

Chef Nick Sheffield, holds a Big Mike Ribeye. Also looking good is the view of Lake Guntersville. Clockwise from far left are Mozzarella Cheese Wedges and some fine-eating crab cakes; a bowl of tasty shrimp and crab bisque; and deep-fried bread pudding with ice cream. Big Mike’s does not take reservations. It does offer catering and private parties. It’s open 4-10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 3-10 p.m. Saturdays.

while working on future endeavors as well as their cattle business. The City Harbor in Guntersville was determined to be the perfect spot for the sixth location, and it was the first Big Mike’s to be built from the ground up. It features seating for 150 inside and another 30 can dine on the patio while enjoying the lake view.

“I think folks can appreciate an experience like that,” says Nick.

We appreciated the bread pudding at the end of the meal. Deep fried and served with ice cream, this was a decadent dessert.

We didn’t get to try the oysters on the half shell or the four varieties of chargrilled oysters, but now that Big Mike’s is close by, we will have plenty of opportunities.

In fact, I already hold mental notes of items I’m anxious – even drooling – to dig into.