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WILDERS STEAKHOUSE A HISTORIC JOPLIN LANDMARK SINCE 1929 Wilders has been a fixture of the downtown area since its early days as Jay L. Wilder's Drug Store, addressed as 224 Main on a simple dirt road and railway going through the heart of Joplin, Missouri. Later during the 1930's thru 1945 Wilder's operated at 1216 Main Street as a restaurant featuring buffet style dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A full bar was also available except during the years of the prohibition. In 1946, Vern Wilder expanded the operation with a complete renovation of the two story brick building at an expense of $50,000 dollars. The renovation included a beautiful 40 ft mahogany bar and high back booths that still exist in the main dining room today. The cafe style restaurant was one of only a few that offered breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week to the growing town of Joplin. The restaurant had a large kitchen that stretched across the entire back of the building, this is where the areas finest chefs offered an extensive menu of fine foods, including several fresh bakery items. Wilders also featured private dining in the two large banquet rooms downstairs, and another one upstairs. An additional upstairs area featured a gambling parlor for a number of years until local and federal authorities closed down the operation. Vern Wilder's successful downtown restaurant continued to serve the Joplin area until 1976. Soon after in 1977, Clarence Burgraff bought Wilder's and continued to operate the full scale facility for several years before downsizing the restaurant. Under the name Wilder's Old Time Bar & Grill, the Burgraffs had a good run in the business offering a wide variety of menu items for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. In October of 1996 the Burgraff family sold Wilders to us, we had been operating The Kitchen Pass Restaurant and Bar since 1986, which was a result of the downsizing of Wilders in the early 1980's. Exactly 50 years after Vern Wilder had renovated the areas most popular restaurant, we took on the challenge to restore Wilders to is original design. We brought back the original atmosphere by refinishing the 40 ft mahogany bar and exposed the original 16 ft ornamental tin ceilings that had been hidden for so many years. Currently, Wilders Steakhouse is open for dinner Monday thru Saturday and features casual fine dining in the main room with private facilities to the north and south. Fresh cut steaks, chops, ribs and seafood highlight the menu along with nightly dinner specials from our chef. An extensive drink and wine list as well as several single malt scotch's are available to compliment our dinner selections. Wilders has withstood the test of time in the growing and everchanging city of Joplin, we urge you to come in and see why people come to us for a unique and memorable dining experience. Mike and Marsha Pawlus, Owners HOURS Monday - Thursday 5:00-9:30pm Friday - Saturday 5:00-10:00pm Sunday Closed Please call for your reservation today (417) 623-7230 Wilder's Steakhouse is located in Joplin's Historic Downtown Area 1216 South Main Street Joplin, Missouri 64801 Driving Directions from Interstate-44 West: from Springfield, MO Exit 8B - Exit to the right towards Hotel district, continue north on Rangeline 1.7 miles to 15th St., turn left (west) on 15th St. then 2.0 miles to Main St., turn right (north), two blocks to 1216 S. Main. Wilders is on the west side of the street. Driving Directions from Interstate-44 East: from Oklahoma Exit 6 - (43 North) Turns into Main St., go north 2.8 miles to 1216 N. Main St. |
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