MR MIKES Steakhouse Casual officially opens in Whitecourt

 

There is a new location to add to the list of great restaurants in Whitecourt! MR MIKES is now open at its location in the Western Budget Hotel parking lot on the corner just across the street from the Kanata Inn. Following several soft openings, the doors officially opened on Monday, November 26 and staff members were eager to share the experience with residents and highway traffic. During each soft open event proceeds were donated to the Whitecourt Rotary Club.

The MR MIKES brand offers two experiences under one roof. One side is a bar area for adults called the Urban Lodge while the other side offers family dining. As an added feature, they also provide games to play while dining out such as JENJA, Connect-Four, Battleship, Perfection, Trouble, and Yahtzee. Franchise owner Sal Naim said he is excited to finally share MR MIKES with Whitecourt.

“I’m a small-town guy. I know when you live in a smaller community you often want a more engaging experience when you go out to eat and you want a little more entertainment for your dollar. The MR MIKES brand, to me, really speaks very directly to small town Alberta folks and Whitecourt is an Alberta-proud type of town. We look forward to serving everyone here.”

So, what can you expect from MR MIKES Steakhouse Casual? “It’s basically a really good steakhouse except without the fancy cloth and pretentious environment. It’s come as you are and have a little fun. It’s a place to celebrate your birthday, your anniversary, hang out with the family, or to come to after work for a beer and a good meal. You’ll be well taken care here,” he explained.

Naim said the addition of the board games is part of wanting to help build person-to-person engagement with both those you come with and the restaurant team. “It’s a little bit different and we hope people will like it and that it makes your time here with us even more enjoyable.” It took a few years to finalize the restaurant in Whitecourt and he said that at one point he wondered if it would ever happen.

During the steak cutting (of course it would be called a steak cutting at a steakhouse and not a ribbon cutting), Naim shared a story that he considered his lucky charm during the last year. Monday’s grand opening is the one-year anniversary of a top shelf goal scored by his son during a tournament in Whitecourt last year. When it happened, he said it was a sign that the store would open and sure enough he was right. “We feel that we will be here for a long time and that we will serve the fine people of Whitecourt for many years to come.”