From Cork N’ Cleaver to The Drover

2121 S 73rd Street, Aksarben Track and Coliseum, Amy Leise, Anderson Food Shop, Bob Anderson, Bruce Steinfeldt, Cascio’s, Cork N Cleaver, Gorat’s, Johnny’s Cafe, Oldest Steakhouses, Scottsdale, Steakhouse_series, The Drover, Wendy Anderson

October 4, 2023

The Drover is an anomaly among Omaha’s oldest steakhouses. Unlike its predecessors, it began as a chain restaurant that originated in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1964. After opening a half dozen restaurants across the West, the owners of Cork N’ Cleaver decided to pursue franchising in 1968. That year, Omaha became just the second location to sign a franchise agreement, following Fargo, North Dakota.

1969 photo from the Omaha-World Herald of the Cork N’ Cleaver.

Managed by Bruce Steinfeldt, the restaurant located at 2121 S. 73rd Street stood out from other steakhouses in several ways that quickly proved popular with customers. Its Spanish motif featured hacienda-style buildings, madras-clad waiters, and adobe-style fireplaces. The atmosphere was casual yet cozy, with multiple small dining rooms that created a sense of intimacy. Both the steak and ale menus were engraved on meat cleavers, while the wine list was printed on a champagne bottle. Steinfeldt was appointed as the regional coordinator for the restaurant’s Midwest operations in 1972, where he was responsible for five of the restaurants in a chain that grew to more than 80 nationwide.

February 2025 Omaha Exploration photo of The Drover.

In a city already filled with high-quality steakhouses, The Cork was well received when it opened near 72nd Street and Mercy Road. Beyond its distinctive decor, it set itself apart by charbroiling steaks instead of cooking them on a griddle. Its proximity to Aksarben certainly helped early on, but it soon held its own among Omaha’s established steakhouses. In 1977, cost savings and the desire for independence led to its separation from the national Cork N’ Cleaver chain. Many other locations followed suit, and today three restaurants still operate under that trade name.

Following the change, Steinfeldt added a new partner in Bob Anderson. It was fitting that the restaurant adopted the name The Drover, defined by Anderson as “the cattle driver at the tail end of the herd, the one who uses the rear end of the cow for a compass.” The menu was expanded and the building’s exterior updated. The original hacienda style gave way to a Western theme, complete with a split-rail fence, wooden front porch, and wagon wheels. The interior, featuring brick and stucco walls, dim lighting, and an adobe-style fireplace, remained largely unchanged. Prices were adjusted to be more reasonable, and the restaurant continued to thrive, perhaps even more so.

Closeup of the Whiskey Filet at The Drover.

By 1979, Anderson became the sole owner of The Drover, a restaurant that became famous not only for its secret-recipe whiskey-marinated steaks but also for its old-school salad bar, which may have been the first of its kind in Omaha. With crisp iceberg lettuce, a dozen or so toppings, and chilled plates, it has remained virtually unchanged for over 50 years. After more than three decades running The Drover, Anderson passed away in 2014. At that point, ownership of the institution was turned over to his daughters, Amy Leise and Wendy Anderson, both of whom had worked at the restaurant since they were young. In a story in the Omaha World-Herald, Wendy recalled that her father, who also co-owned Anderson Food Shops, used to say that he didn’t look like John Wayne; John Wayne looked like him.

In recent years, The Drover has weathered the death of its longtime owner, a devastating fire, and even a global pandemic, yet it has always bounced back. That resilience can be credited to its consistency and quality, along with the dedication of the Anderson family and co-managers who have been with the restaurant for more than 45 years. In 2024, both Omaha Magazine and the Omaha World-Herald named it the city’s best steakhouse.

The Drover is one of just five classic steakhouses that remain open in Omaha. In order, they are Johnny’s Cafe (1922), Gorat’s (1944), Cascio’s (1946), The Drover (1968), and Brother Sebastian’s (1977).

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