Beloved 80-year-old steakhouse closes for good, customers upset

You know that lovely restaurant in your town that has been around for as long as you can remember? Now, it’s time to say goodbye to it. Running a business for 80 years is an achievement worthy of respect. It is far from true that 90% of restaurants fail within the first five years. Still, the percentage of those that survive past 10 years is less than 40%, according to a 2014 study by researchers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and University of California, Berkeley. Now imagine how many restaurants survive 80 years, and especially the last 80 years, during which they had to deal with all sorts of challenges, including: Several recessionsPeriods of high inflationOwnership changesMajor labor market shifts, unionization efforts Changing food trends Technological revolutionsCovid pandemic When a hospitality establishment survives all these trials, it means something. It signals its value and a loyal customer base. Sometimes, unfortunately, even those kinds of restaurants succumb to the challenges and are forced to shutter for good. The latest one to join the group is a popular restaurant in San Ramon, California. After nearly 80 years of business, its last day is approaching, as the owner was unable to renew its lease.

The Brass Door restaurant in San Ramon confirmed its closure after nearly 80 years of business.PeopleImages/Shutterstock.com The Brass Door restaurant, a popular steakhouse, is closing on Dec. 24 The Brass Door, popular for its special prime rib offerings, confirmed its closure after nearly 80 years of business. The iconic steakhouse, located at 2154 San Ramon Valley Boulevard, will close its doors permanently on Christmas Eve, after its failure to secure a lease. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce that The Brass Door will be closing, with our final day of operation on December 24th, 2025. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to secure or renew a lease for our location, and we must bring this chapter to a close at the end of that day,” read The Brass Door’s post on Facebook. Shahla Azad, the current owner, told CBS News that “people have been coming here all their lives, and I’m so proud to own this place." Azad has been managing the business for about 10 years, though she never owned the property.Azad explained to the outlet that the landlord, 8 to 5 Properties, didn’t want to renew the lease, even though she offered them more money. "I can't explain, but closing the door.

Closing Brass Door is heartbreaking," Azad said. “We recognize this news may be unwelcome and unexpected, but we have only just begun exploring new opportunities for one of San Ramon's oldest and most beloved restaurants,” 8 to 5 Properties stated. Azad is hopeful of finding another location and reopening The Brass Door early in 2026. "They have been calling all day long to make reservations to come for the last time. That is even more sad, to be honest with you, it makes me more sad," she said. Steakhouses that closed, industry trends The U.S. restaurant industry sales forecast has “dampened,” and 2025 revenues are projected to hit $478 billion, which is just 2.8% higher than in 2024. This represents the smallest annual increase in a decade outside the 2020 Covid pandemic slump, according to a report from Technomic cited by Nation's Restaurant News.Restaurant categories that are having the most difficult time surviving include: burgers, sandwiches, and pizza. Over the past several years, several popular steakhouses have also been forced to close their doors permanently. Famous steakhouses that have closed some of their locations:Outback Steakhouse: Parent company Bloomin’ Brands confirmed the closure of over 40 underperforming Outback locations early in 2024, and another 20 in 2025, according to ABC 25 Columbia. Sizzler: At its peak it had 270 locations, and by 2025, around 74 remained. Morton's The Steakhouse: Closed a few of its restaurants in Dallas and Cincinnati after their leases expired. Ponderosa Steakhouse/Bonanza Steakhouse: Now operate only about 21 locations nationwide as of 2025, down from hundreds at their peak.

York Steak House: Had about 200 restaurants in the 1980s, but is now down to one location in Ohio. Tad’s Steaks: Peaked at 28 locations, and now only one remains. Steak and Ale: Once had 280 restaurants, and in 2008 it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. One or two locations have reopened since, under new ownership, according to Legendary Restaurant Brands and as reported by FSR. Shula’s Steakhouse: The chain has been closing locations, including an iconic restaurant at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, which has been open since 1999.In 2025, some restaurants have been adjusting their business models to address rising costs, according to the National Restaurant Association’s recent industry report. Those adjustments have included: menu changes to reduce expenses, reducing labor or hours, some even closing operating days to reduce costs, postponing expansions, and investing in technology. The majority of operators confirmed that the major challenges for their operations include: labor costs, food costs, insurance costs, energy/utility costs, and credit/debit card processing.

The Brass Door appeared to have successfully navigated the major challenges, with the exception of securing its lease. A "Cheers" kind of restaurant: The Brass Door's history In 1946, Howard “Shorty” Schlesinger opened the 9/5 club (referencing his favorite odds at the track) in San Ramon. At the time, it was just a small six-stool bar and dining facility for 20 guests, serving steamed beer and fried chicken. Of course, the place was also filled with a row of nickel slot machines. In the restaurant's early days, the majority of guests were local ranchers, cattlemen, and travelers along Highway 21. In 1955, when Schlesinger’s son Mick took over the business together with a local dairy man Dick Basso, they renamed it “The Brass Door.” Over the years, the restaurant underwent several remodels and even survived a fire. It grew to become a popular place for the community and expanded to serve more than 200 guests.

The Brass Door's menu featured corn-fed Midwestern beef, chicken, fresh seafood, prime rib, French dip, salads, sandwiches, and soups, as well as an extensive wine list with Livermore Valley Napa Valley and California wines. “Prime rib is our signature dish and is served 'all day every day.' Our prime rib French dip sandwich has always been a guest favorite,” according to The Brass Door’s official history page. The restaurant prides itself on becoming the local meeting place of choice for business and social events in the San Ramon Valley. Its loyal customers even compare it to the popular bar from the TV show "Cheers."Customers are disappointed with The Brass Door closure; end of an "institution"San Ramon resident Denis Pennington, who has been coming to The Brass Door for more than 30 years, calls it an institution in the East Bay. "This is one of the staples of San Ramon, as far as a restaurant goes. And it's a gathering place. It's like a family," Pennington told CBS News."We do treat it like a 'Cheers' restaurant. It's where everybody knows your name, and that is so true for this place.” "The Woody Harrelson of The Brass Door? I'll take it," the bartender said in response.

More Restaurants Beloved regional Mexican restaurant abruptly closes all locations Popular pasta chain closing dozens of restaurantsMajor restaurant chain’s $10.99 burger deals McDonald’s, Wendy’s blowInstagram user doramgriffin wrote: "We are so sad about The Brass Door closing; we have been going to the Brass Door since I was a very young child, with my father and family. It was such a treat and always felt like we were going to see family and friends and have a great meal. As an adult, I have been going to Brass Door continuously for years at least one day weekly with my husband, friends, and family.” The Brass Door’s goodbye note on Facebook and Instagram adds that the restaurant has been more than a business: “It has been a gathering place for friends, families, celebrations, and countless memories. We are profoundly grateful for every person who walked through our doors and helped create the warm, welcoming community that defined us.” Many loyal guests expressed their disappointment with The Brass Door’s closure, sharing their sadness in comments below the announcements. A number of customers called the restaurant “an institution." Facebook user Larry Grey, wrote, “My close friends and I have been having Thursday cocktails here for many years (often taking over a significant part of the bar area).

The Brass Door is an important part of San Ramon — and the community will be the worse due to its loss.”Judie Verrips seconded that feeling, saying, “So sad to hear this. My friends & I have made this a monthly stop for over 30 years for lunch or dinner. We’ve celebrated holidays, birthdays, anniversaries & (sadly) more than 1 passing. I’ll miss the Belvedere martinis, the prime rib & the friendly atmosphere.” The comments continued, sharing that the restaurant “will be missed,” and with many hoping it will succeed in finding another location to reopen.Related: 92-year-old family clothing retailer closes permanently