When Al’s Steakhouse first opened on Elgin Street, its steak special cost $1.49.

That kind of price tells you two things: You’re definitely not getting a steak for pocket change anymore, and this culinary landmark has been around for decades, pre-dating the National Arts Centre, Pierre Trudeau’s time in office and the birth of the Ottawa Senators.

While many Canadian restaurants reportedly struggle to stay afloat, Al’s Steakhouse remains a mainstay. Next year, it turns 60.

As Ottawa’s first steakhouse — and the city’s first formal dining restaurant outside of hotels — it has weathered more than most, including a kidnapping threat and mysterious explosive attacks.

Last year was the restaurant’s best on record, with sales rising 6.8 per cent. “I’m proud of our legacy,” said owner Sam Saikali, noting that such success isn’t easy, especially in an industry facing shrinking profit margins.

“Not many restaurants can say that after 59 years, their numbers are better than ever.

“It comes down to hard work,” Sam continued, noting that the restaurant has evolved with the times, attracting new and younger clientele while keeping loyal patrons, many now second- and third-generation.

“Unequivocally, without my staff, we’re nothing,” he emphasized. “They work hard and they’re loyal.”

And they stick around, which makes getting a job at Al’s Steakhouse a prized position. “You attract more flies with honey, and if you treat your staff with respect, they’ll respect you back,” said Sam.

Also key is consistency in service and food quality. “In general, we’re consistent,” Sam said, noting the on-site butchery allows for precision cutting and in-house aging by skilled staff.

Sam’s sisters Gloria McCann, Jane Merner and Barbara Saikali Hanna are all part of the family business, with Gloria the most hands-on of the sisters.

Gloria McCann at the host desk beneath a portrait of her late father, Al Saikali, and the celebrity wall showcasing notable diners from over the years. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Al’s Steakhouse was founded in July 1967 by their father Halim Saikali, a hard-working Lebanese immigrant who became a pillar of the Ottawa community.

Saikali arrived in Canada in 1950 with just $7 in his pocket and a hole in one shoe. On his first job, when a customer asked for mushrooms, he pointed them to the washrooms. He would go on to learn English, and how to read and write.

He worked day and night, including washing dishes at the Château Laurier, where the chef also taught him to make sauces. He saved enough to open his own restaurants, starting with the Riverside Tea Room in 1951, followed by Delmonico’s. To understand the steakhouse model, he spent a day washing dishes and observing at Joe’s Steak House in Montreal.

“My father was uneducated but the smartest man I knew,” said Barbara at the restaurant, located at 327 Elgin St.

Saikali was widely known quite simply as Al.

It took months — and a liquor licence — for the fine-dining steak experience to catch on in Ottawa. The original space, right next door to today’s location, was smaller. Once it became popular, there were lineups around the corner. Saikali sometimes seated strangers at occupied tables if there was room, and doubled as host and cook before hiring and training kitchen staff.

It wasn’t just the food that drew people. “He had such a big personality,” said Barbara. “He worked hard but loved kibitzing with people, eating with them, and had the looks of a movie star.

“My mother used to say he was like the Coca-Cola machine because everyone knew who he was.”

Ottawa restaurateur Al Saikaley posed for a photo at the future site of Al’s Steakhouse at 327 Elgin St. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Despite his local fame, Saikali always stayed humble, she said. “When you grow up poor, you don’t forget. He was always generous when it came to feeding people and giving people money,” said Barbara, who carried that drive in her own way, serving on hospital boards and chairing the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala.

Once the restaurant moved to its current location, it featured leather banquettes with landline phones at every table for business calls. Martini lunches were all the rage. The space has been updated many times since, now boasting a more modern, cosmopolitan feel. “All our customers tell us it has a New York vibe,” said Barbara.

Today, the restaurant seats up to 145 patrons in its main dining area and a maximum of 80 in its banquet room. As well, it operates seasonal outdoor patio areas.

For years, Saikali also ran a second steakhouse in Bells Corners, which also did well.

Anybody who’s anybody has eaten at Al’s Steakhouse. Its celebrity wall features politicians, hockey stars, actors and singers. Even Colonel Sanders swapped out his famous chicken for a juicy steak at Al’s.

Famed portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh came twice a week to enjoy a rib eye with Saikali. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed booked the entire restaurant for a private party when they were in town. Pierre Trudeau, Jean Chrétien, Lorne Michaels and Paul Anka are among notable figures to have dined at Al’s.

Al’s Steakhouse was the first fine-dining restaurant in Ottawa to operate independently of a hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Legend has it Al’s Steakhouse was there to welcome Ken Taylor and his entourage when the Canadian ambassador, known for helping six Americans escape during the Iran hostage crisis, came back to Ottawa. “As soon as they landed, they called to come here late at night,” said Barbara. “The kitchen was closed, but my father told them to come anyway, and the chef and my father served them.”

Barbara also said that when Ottawa-born comedic actor Dan Aykroyd received the Key to the City, he celebrated the way you might expect, by riding to Al’s Steakhouse with about 40 friends on their motorcycles. They parked their bikes right out front.

Such moments have helped cement Al’s place in Ottawa folklore. But a long history in hospitality isn’t built on special nights alone; it also means navigating the many ups and downs of the industry, ranging from the pandemic to disruptive roadwork (mitigated by the restaurant’s free customer parking out back).

In the late 1970s, several explosive devices detonated outside the restaurant over the course of a year. No one was injured, though the family also faced a kidnapping threat, prompting private police surveillance. Sam, still a teenager, was pulled from school for safety.

“My father was tough,” explained Barbara of her father’s response, as it was later told to her. “He said, ‘You can kill me and my whole family, but I will not give you one penny’.” They never heard from the extortionist again.

Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing; just focus on what you’re doing

Saikali never let the competition get to him, said Barbara. “One thing my father always said: Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing; just focus on what you’re doing.”

Saikali suffered a fall in 2016 while wintering in Florida and later died in hospital. He was 87. Local politician David McGuinty paid tribute to his legacy in the House of Commons.

Sam says he learned the art of good customer service and teamwork from his father. “That’s my humble way of keeping up with how my dad thought: check on the tables, talk to customers and make sure you help your staff when they need it.”

A framed photo of Saikali hangs prominently behind the host stand. His likeness is also printed on cocktail napkins, coasters, and beer glasses at the restaurant as a reminder of the legacy. “It’s just to let people know that this is Al’s. Let’s not forget about him,” said Sam.

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Syntax Strategic, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law.

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