Founded in 1920As immigrants from Greece, Pete Maduras and Tony Papouchis set out to serve authentic food to those around them. Established in 1920 as Pete's Place, the original location was sandwiched in between two large cement plants in a neighborhood called Northwestern Row. Here all Tony & Pete strived to do was feed the hard workers of what used to be known as River City, now Mason City, IA. This was a time where T-bone steaks were $.25 and liquor was bootlegged out of the basement. Pete operated the front of house while Tony was the brains of the kitchen. The partnership continued as the location moved to its current location in 1954. It became the Northwestern Steakhouse when the restaurant was sold to Tony in 1965. Tony worked everyday to provide meals to others until he died in 1991. Unable to escape from his Greek roots, he had a large private garden next to the restaurant where he planted and collected an array of produce to use fresh in his meals daily. People would look forward to Tony's fresh salads, and especially his special Greek-inspired menu on Sundays.
Today, Tony's son and his wife, Bill and Ann Papouchis, own and operate the Northwestern Steakhouse. The menu has only changed slightly throughout the years, but most of the recipes are still Tony's. They honor the past with old wooden booths, early movie posters hung on the walls, and photographs of a simpler time in Mason City, IA. Customers continue to wrap around the building, waiting for hours for the food that never disappoints. A comfortable lounge has been added upstairs for customer's to enjoy a drink while they await their table. And don't worry, Tony continues to keep an eye on the place as his portrait is hung on the wall behind the register!
