I think it’s safe to say diners have never seen, and probably never will see, another Valley restaurant with the décor of Trophy’s Steakhouse.
Owner Kevin Dettler is an elite big-game hunter — one of fewer than 120 people in the world who’ve bagged the Safari Club International’s “North American 29,” all the big-game species found on the continent.
And all 29 of the part-time Gilbert resident’s trophies — from bison to polar bear to musk ox — are on display at Trophy’s, which opened last month on the northeast corner of Power and Rittenhouse roads in Queen Queek.
Everywhere you look in the elegant restaurant, there are horns, claws and teeth. In the center of the 3,000-square-foot dining room, five huge bears stalk diners. Behind the polished granite bar, four majestic sheep keep watch on a rocky outcropping.
Wild game is showcased not just on the walls but also on the menu, although about three-fourths of the offerings are traditional steakhouse fare, such as steaks, chicken and seafood.
Given the opulent surroundings, Trophy’s prices are surprisingly affordable. You won’t find any $175 Japanese Kobe steaks here. With the exception of a special 24-ounce bone-in ribeye ($37), all of the 6- to 12-ounce premium steaks are less than $25. And that includes baked potato and vegetable.
“We weren’t sure what we wanted to do with the wild game,” says Dettler’s son Kiel (pictured above on right), who runs Trophy’s with his brother, Brett (pictured on left), while their parents spend summers back on the family farm near Aberdeen, S.D.
“It can get rather expensive doing wild game. When you get into kangaroo and llama, you’re definitely looking at more money per ounce.”
So the wild game is limited to a few regular menu items — such as buffalo and elk meatloaf ($13) and antelope sausage ($13) — and ever-changing weekend specials created by chef Rob Bowser. Last weekend’s special was red deer. This weekend, it’s rabbit.
“You gotta be careful with (wild game). You can undercook or overcook it very easily,” Brett Dittler, 25, says, adding that llama steaks are his favorite wild-game dish. For his 27-year-old brother, it’s wild boar sausage.
The brothers are toying with future menu ideas ranging from bear to rattlesnake.
So far, East Valley residents seem up for a taste of adventure. The filet and ribeye are Trophy’s two top sellers, but the buffalo and elk meatloaf is the third-most-popular item on the menu.
Now if the Dettlers could just get curious diners to follow the “No Touching” signs and stop trying to pet the grizzly bear or gray wolf.
“The kids are actually pretty good about it,” Kiel Dettler laughs. “The adults are the ones you have to watch.”
Trophy’s Steakhouse
Where: 7215 S. Power Road, Queen Creek (northeast corner of Power and Rittenhouse roads)
Open: 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Prices: Appetizers $7-$9, salads $7-$8, burgers $8-$10, entrees $13-$24, desserts $4-$6
Info: (480) 840-3981 or trophyssteakhouse.com
(Photos by Tim Hacker, East Valley Tribune)
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What a vulgar display.. Ill never visit this place, how disgusting.
Outstanding! I can’t wait to try this place
Looks real interesting, knowing how carefull you have to cook wild game, they will have to have a real top knotch chef, I look forward to dinning there.
This disgusts me. I do eat meat, but to blantantly display the animals like that? Polar bears are on the endangered species list, and they’re showcasing they KILLED one? I hope enough people boycott this place and they close down soon. I literally felt sick to my stomach looking at these photos.
Shari — Actually, polar bears only received designation as a “threatened” species (not as severe as “endangered”) in May 2008. Mr. Dettler hunted his polar bear well before they were so designated. To this day, polar bears can be, and are, legally hunted by Native Americans in Alaska and Canada. Wildlife experts agree the threat to these animals isn’t hunting, but rather climate changes that have significantly reduced their habitat.
Hi Jess,
Thank you for the great article on Trophy’s Steakhouse. You have your facts exactly right on the staus of the Polar bear.
To Shari and FB we realize Trophy’s won’t please everyone. We went to great lenghts to provide a very elegant setting that encompasses the animals in a re-creation of their natural habitat. Our taxidermist is one of the finest in the country and was commissioned to meet our goal of displaying the animals in a very warm and positive way. We have accomplished a dining atmosphere that makes people feel comfortable, and we have had nothing but great comments from our patrons. We wanted the museum feel versus the hunting lodge. We provide a great and reasonable priced kids menu, as we wanted the young to enjoy the animals especially those that may never get a chance to see them in the wild.We would invite you to see our handi-work and then make your decision.
In doing preliminary research before starting Trophy’s we were told by the Arizona game and fish dept. that 600,000 + people apply for some type of hunting license annually. With this many applicants, along with the people that enjoy a great steak, the outdoors, and great personal service from a family owned restuarant we went ahead and built our truly unique place.
Thanks again to you Jess.
Kevin, Becky, Kiel , and Brett Dettler
Owners
Trophy’s Steakhouse
How are people so ignorant, this business just opened not to long ago ,and the way the economy is , wanting to boycott this restaurant because it has legally hunted game animals displayed is stupid . There is no polar bear on the menu,or 95% of the the other animals on display. I took my grandchildren and the rest of family to eat there . They were in awe seeing these beautiful animals.The food and service was GREAT. WE WILL EAT THERE AGAIN AND AGAIN….
To those people that feel disgusted with the display at Trophy’s, I hope that they never go into Cabela’s or Bass Pro shops. As for Trophy’s I’m going there tonight. Not only do I like to look at the displays but I also like the taste of wild game. And by the way, this will be my first time and I’m looking forward to it.
I work very close to this restaurant and was going to try. Now that I know that there are dead animals on the wall, killed just for the sport of it, I won’t be going in. I hope this restaurant fails.
wouldn’t it be nice to see these beautiful animals when they were still ALIVE?
Cant wait to show my hubby this place ! He will love it… I can’t wait to go.
My son-n-law is a hunter as well as my husband and son. I can’t wait to surprise them with dinner here. They are going to love it.
I CANNOT wait to see this place in person, it looks like a beautiful and very friendly place….Good luck Dettler’s I am sure you will have a wonderful business.
I loved the article cousins!!! I’m so glad that you finally have opened and can not wait to see the finished productin person. The animals are beautiful and Kiel you are so right, now people who can’t see them in the wild have a chance to see them, even if they are dead. I love you guys! I hope that the business is picking up! Miss you tons!!!
Good to hear you are a Steakhouse. Being an Awards and Sign business, I thought I was going to have to visit you to offer advise on Trophies/Awards. Along with being the Membership Director for the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce, and an avid hunter, I welcome you to our community and wish you the best. I will be bringing my wife in for dinner very soon. We have needed an establishment for fine dining in Queen Creek, and I’m sure your restaurant will fit the bill.
GROSS! I loved my grandmother but I don’t want to see her stuffed and staring at me while I’m eating.
Animals weren’t put on this earth to be killed and stuffed, for our visual enjoyment. This restaurant will last all of five minutes… good luck with that!
The food and deco were AWESOME!!!! We will be returning for Fathers Day
I can’t wait to try this place, and will do so at the first opportunity.
Welcome to Queen Creek!
My husband and I just went to Trophy’s this past weekend, and I must say I was very impressed! We had seen the ad before some movie showing at a local theater, and both being hunters, knew we had to come and experience it! The food was absolutely wonderful (we’re talking like better than black angus for the steak), we shared a steak, perfectly cooked wonderful sides, and topped it off with a dessert, prompt friendly service, and wonderful atmosphere…the decor is what makes it unique, and I thought it was a great idea for a restaurant! The only thing that was troubling was for a saturday night there was barely anyone there…more signs/ads/pr is needed to see this place, I pass by it daily and never noticed it or saw a “trophy” sign from the main streets, if only people knew, get the word out and it will be a success!
the atmosphere is great, a real impressive display, but the food is really average.
It’s a shame, because I would love to bring my brother and my nephews to this place, but I’m not going to pay $14 to $20 per meal, on food that taste like I could have cooked it at home. It’s like they built this nice restaurant, and the food and menu choices were an after thought.
Just moved here from Illinois and was told about Trophy’s and after looking at the website I can’t wait to try it. I think the people that find hunting and places like this repulsive does not know or understand the importance of game management and how important it is to the animal eco system. I feel if you don’t like this type of scenery then don’t go because there are a lot of people who do and will enjoy what they offer. That’s just my opinion. Hope the food is good.