The Beloved MN Steakhouse Chain That’s Now Gone for Good

While the golden era of its seared steaks and 80-item buffet may be a thing of the past in the North Star State, the legacy of this iconic steakhouse still lingers in the minds of hungry Minnesotans. Though its once-common buildings have vanished from our local landscape, a trip across the border is now your only chance to relive the glory days of this legendary chain.

When it comes to nostalgia, few things bring up as many fond memories as those once-popular restaurants that are now gone for good. To start walking down memory lane, all you have to do is think about some of those places your parents took you when you were a kid that are now long since gone.

The Golden Era of Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses in Minnesota

And one of those places here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes is this restaurant chain of steakhouses. It first opened back in 1966, and hit its heyday in the 70s and 80s, when there were hundreds of locations sprinkled across our neck of the woods, including here in Minnesota.

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So which steakhouse chain are we talking about? That would be the Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouses. While they were separate entities initially, this Wikipedia story notes that they merged in the late 80s, when Ponderosa was sold to the Metromedia Restaurant Group.

That group eventually went through several reorganizations, mergers, and bankruptcies and was eventually acquired in late 2017 by FAT Brands. Back in its day, the Ponderosa Steakhouse brand was pretty popular, though that trend has since faded, as Wikipedia notes:

In 1989, there were almost 700 Ponderosa locations. By 2003, there were fewer than 400 locations. As of June 2024, only 13 Ponderosa locations and 3 Bonanza locations currently remain open in the US.

Investigating the "Open" Status of the St. Cloud Bonanza Location

A few years ago, the Ponderosa-Bonanza Steakhouse website still listed a restaurant on West Division Street in St. Cloud as its lone Minnesota location. Google Maps proves that there *was* once a location on that site, as the picture below from November 2018 shows.

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But the corporate website was finally updated and now lists no current locations here in our neck of the woods. Which makes sense because, as you can see from this May 2024 Google Maps picture, all that's left of the last Bonanza Steakhouse in Minnesota is its sign... along with the memories of hitting up its legendary 80-item buffet, of course.

Where to Find the Last Remaining Midwest Ponderosa Locations

Now, just because we no longer have either a Ponderosa Steakhouse or a Bonanza Steakhouse still in business here in Minnesota, it would appear that if you want to take a trip back in time, all you have to do is head east, to Wisconsin Dells Parkway South in Lake Delton, Wisconsin, where a Ponderosa Steakhouse *is* still open.

Now, while that picture is from October 2024, the Ponderosa Steakhouse website says its location in Wisconsin Dells says it's closed Monday through Thursday, but is, in fact, open Fridays from 4 to 8 pm, Saturdays from 11 am to 9 pm, and Sundays from 11 am to 6 pm.

So are there any other Ponderosa or Bonanza Steakhouses still operating here in the upper Midwest? Good question! Speaking of brands that were once popular but now only exist in our memories, keep scrolling to check out 50 beloved retail chains that aren't around anymore either.