Bob Taylor's Original Ranch House a bit of living history

Restaurant has been around for 53 years

Clockwise from top left, Jorge Rocha seasons the big cut of beef placed on the grill at Bob Taylor?s Original Ranch House, 6250 Rio Vista St. Bartender Angela Valerda pours drinks. The entrance to Bob Taylor?s Original Ranch House mirrors the atmosphere inside, which is that of the rustic Old West. Bob Taylor?s Original Ranch House has been open for 53 years in northwest Las Vegas.Photos by Larry Cruikshank/view Advertisement

There's still a John Wayne poster hung on the dark wood walls greeting diners as they enter, but now it's joined by a Pittsburgh Steelers Terrible Towel. There's still the smell of burning mesquite coming from the grill, stacked with huge slabs of sizzling meat.

Not much has changed at Bob Taylor's Original Ranch House in 53 years. And in Las Vegas, that's simply unheard of.

Jeff Special bought the Ranch House, located at 6250 Rio Vista St. - considered a Vegas landmark and the oldest operating restaurant in the valley - 11 years ago, well before the northwest Las Vegas Beltway circled around behind it and shopping centers and suburban housing develops blossomed in the Centennial Hills area.

"The only thing that's changed is what's around us," said Special, a native of Pittsburgh (that's where the Steelers stuff comes from) and lifelong restaurateur. "And it sure has changed. Nothing was out here then. Rio Vista Street went all the way through."

The property was originally the residence of Ira and Bob Taylor, in 1954. Bob was a cook, which is where the restaurant part comes in. Prime rib has always been the specialty, and that hasn't changed, either.

When Special took over the business, he had a built-in following, a tribe of native desert rats who had been coming for steak for generations. The regulars turned into fast friends for someone new to Las Vegas.

"I've made a lot of good friends through the restaurant," he said. "A lot of locals born and raised here, and when I was new to the city, I got to meet many of them. It was really nice, and it made me feel like I have been here forever."

Special said he got a lot of phone calls telling him to keep the restaurant the same, lifelong customers pleading with him not to tinker with the old house or the menu.

Although it has seen plenty of new faces come through as more neighbors move to the growing northwest, it was the regulars who kept the Ranch House going when Beltway construction made it hard to find, back in 2001.

"We were kind of hidden, but it's always been kind of a hideout," Special said. "I don't want it to be. I want everyone to know where we are. But that's just how this place is made."

These days, dining options abound in Centennial Hills, but word-of-mouth keeps business strong.

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker recently stopped in for dinner while in town for the annual ShoWest convention. She said her nanny in New York had recommended the Ranch House, Special said.

The restaurant's consistency over the years is a big factor in its success today said bartender Rich Hamrick.

"It's the history," said the Summerlin resident, an employee for five years. "If these walls could talk, think of the stories they'd tell."

Shelly Ashley grew up in the area and said her father used to take her family there regularly. She came for dinner on a recent weeknight with a friend.

"My dad loved the prime rib," she said. "I think I'll always come here."

If she does, she'll likely see more of the same. Special expanded the menu years ago to include lunch, a wider variety of steaks and other dishes, but he's not planning on making any changes to the Ranch House any time soon.

"I think the reason this has been the most consistent restaurant in Las Vegas for 53 years is that it's meat and potatoes, it's a hearty meal. It's that reliable place."

Bob Taylor's Ranch House is open every day from 11 a.m. The restaurant seats for dinner until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

For more information, visit www.bobtaylorsranchhouse.com.