Ernie’s in Lewiston Serves Steaks With a Valley View

A steak dinner becomes a little more memorable when the table looks out over the valley. At Ernie’s in Lewiston, the deck and patio put that wide-open setting beside a menu built for prime rib, steaks, ribs and the satisfying extras that belong with a proper steakhouse meal.

The restaurant has the useful flexibility of a longtime local favorite: it can handle a casual lunch outdoors, a burger and a drink in the lounge, or the anniversary dinner where everybody agrees it is worth lingering over dessert. Local regulars and travelers passing through Lewiston both find their way here.

The outdoor deck or patio is an easy choice when the weather cooperates. The view opens over the valley, and evening dining gives the setting its best advantage: a relaxed stretch of time before dark, a drink on the table, and dinner arriving without any need to rush.

Outdoor seating is not just for big steakhouse suppers. A casual patio lunch can be built around Caesar chicken salad and calamari, while the larger dinner menu leaves room for a more substantial meal later in the day.

Inside, Ernie’s is a large restaurant that avoids the cavernous feel. Booths, dim lighting and a separate bar-and-lounge area give diners a few different ways to settle in, from a quieter dinner to a more relaxed stop for drinks and appetizers.

Some booths look toward the grill, where the visible glow of the fire and the aroma of burning wood add a little theater to the meal. Not every table has that vantage point, but diners who enjoy the grill-side atmosphere can ask about a booth or table facing that direction.

The tables have adjustable lighting with three dimness settings, a small touch that suits the room’s traditional steakhouse mood. Employees in all-black attire add to the polished presentation without making the place feel stiff.

The lounge and bar offer another pace entirely. It is a comfortable place to gather over house wine or other drinks, and happy hour can be a good excuse to put together several appetizers rather than commit immediately to one large entrée.

Steaks sit at the center of the menu, and prime rib is one of the choices diners return for. This is the sort of dinner that invites the classic ordering ritual: select the cut, choose a side, take your time with the bread basket, and let the meal unfold at steakhouse speed.

Prime rib gets particularly good company from cowboy beans, a side with enough personality to avoid being an afterthought. Macaroni and cheese is another popular choice, especially useful for a table where a little comfort food is welcome alongside the beef.

Fresh bread arrives with raspberry butter, a sweet-tangy detail that gives the opening of the meal its own signature. It is easy to see why a generous cheese and snack plate can also stand in as a meal for someone more interested in grazing than ordering a steak.

Ernie’s menu is broad enough that a mixed group does not have to organize its dinner around beef alone. Ribs, pork steak, fish and chips, salmon, burgers and salads provide plenty of alternatives for the person at the table who is not in the mood for prime rib.

One especially lively burger combines blue cheese, apricot preserves, a large slice of bacon and deep-fried jalapeños on a brioche bun. It can be paired with a baked potato or another selected side, which is a pleasantly steakhouse-minded way to treat a burger.

Poutine fries bring a Canadian-inspired turn to the menu. For a starter spread, shrimp cocktail, fried mozzarella, hot wings and assorted happy-hour appetizers give a group several directions to take before the main course arrives.

Anniversaries, birthdays, graduations and visits from family or old friends all fit naturally here. Booth seating works well for couples, families and small groups, while the combination of attentive service, a traditional dining room and the valley-facing patio gives an ordinary dinner a little extra occasion.

Celebrations have received some thoughtful flourishes, including a special dessert for an anniversary couple and a birthday dessert accompanied by a song. Those moments are not the point of every visit, but they help explain why people choose Ernie’s when dinner is meant to mark something.

Reservations can be especially useful for a celebration or for diners hoping to request a preferred booth location. The restaurant also has a free parking lot with plentiful parking, a welcome practical detail when a group is arriving in more than one car.