“The Place” has been an iconic location for oil field workers on the North Rd. for nearly 50 years. A home away from home for those who came from all over the world to build the oil and gas industry in the Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula. A first home for many who settled down here and raised their families while becoming part of the community. A place to lay your head after a hard day’s work and refresh with a beverage, share a laugh or story with friends, have a game of billiards and most importantly fill up on good American soul food. If there is one thing a hardworking man or woman needs at the end of a day or in the middle of it; it’s good food and lots of it. A tradition that has been revived along with the renaissance of the oil and gas industry at “The Place” on the North Rd. just before your reach the industrial complex in Nikiski.

Richard Garret has opened Garret’s Grill at The Place and loves to cook the old school way. “I guess I’m just lucky to have found The Place for me. I love to cook, it’s my life and folks that work hard need to eat hardy. I’ve brought back the Grizz burger that was created by a chef before me. But I was happy to bring it back, it’s a half pound the best burger I can find with two slices of thick cut bacon and loaded up with ham and all kinds of stuff. It takes a hungry beast to finish it and that’s why it’s called the Grizz burger and it’s good,” Richard told the Dispatch. The burgers at Garret’s Grill also features something unique in the way of onions, “Fried onion straws, we cut ‘em fresh flour them up a deep fry them so they have nice crunch over the burger and we add some barbeque sauce to blend the flavors all together and add a slice of pepper jack cheese and we call that the Cowboy burger, but Cowgirls love it too,” added Garret.

To build a word of mouth reputation for his new Grill at The Place Richard is offering a Friday and Saturday night steak special that indeed has folks talking, “You can come on in and get a hand cut ribeye steak, I buy the whole primes and cut the steaks myself so they are thick and juicy and add the potatoes of day long with a fresh veggie all for twenty bucks. With the price of beef you may find that hard to believe and sure there’s not much profit there, that’s why I buy the whole prime and cut it myself. I want people to taste my quality product and tell a friend and bring the whole family in on steak night. We are the definition of meat and potatoes and soul food and I promise no one is going to leave here hungry,” said Garret. Garett’s Grill opens at “The Place” Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am – 9:00pm and Sunday 11:00am – 7:00pm just look for the big grizzly bear at the bend as you drive out the North Rd.