Restaurateur Craig Nickoloff opened the first Claim Jumper in Los Alamitos, California, in 1977. Inspired by California's Gold Rush history they have a large menu featuring homemade dishes, including burgers, sandwiches, fresh-baked pot pie, specialty salads, pasta, baby back pork ribs, seafood, certified Angus Beef and much more. Their six-layer Chocolate Motherlode Cake, renowned by Food Network as one of America's "Top 5 Most Decadent Desserts".
Link to Nutrition Facts:
- Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Onion
- Pickles
- Fries
- Smoked Bacon
- Onion Rings
- Sliced Avocado
- American Cheese
- Cheddar Cheese
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Mayo
- Red Relish
- Pickles
- Seven Ounce Certified Angus Beef
- Garlic Herb Butter
- Parmesan Onion Ring
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes
About our RestaurantClaim JumperWelcome to Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar
Open daily for lunch and dinner, Claim Jumper offers a selection of freshly prepared items using only the finest ingredients available. Favorites include Prime steaks, Certified Angus Beef, fresh fish, baby back pork ribs, fresh baked pot pie, specialty salads, wood-fired pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, burgers and more. Claim Jumper's baked goods and desserts including our Six-Layer Chocolate Motherlode Cake, Scratch Carrot Cake and deliciously rich cream cheese pies are popular favorites with our guests.Our Restaurant
Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar is a premier dining destination where indulgence meets comfort. We are dedicated to providing our guests with a memorable and satisfying experience through exceptional food, warm hospitality, and a welcoming ambiance. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, enjoying a night out with friends, or simply craving a delicious steak, Claim Jumper is the perfect choice.Step into Claim Jumper and immerse yourself in an atmosphere that exudes warmth and hospitality. Our spacious dining area is adorned with rustic yet elegant decor, creating a cozy ambiance that invites you to relax and savor every moment. Whether you're enjoying a romantic dinner for two or gathering with a larger group, our attentive staff is dedicated to ensuring your comfort and satisfaction.
Our Menu
At Claim Jumper, we take pride in offering a diverse menu that caters to all tastes. Our expert chefs skillfully prepare a tantalizing selection of steaks, from tender and juicy filet mignon to flavorful ribeye and New York strip cuts.If you're in the mood for something different, explore our wide range of seafood, chicken, and vegetarian options. Complement your meal with our extensive wine list and handcrafted cocktails for the perfect dining experience.
Our menu features Claim Jumper classic dishes as well as Prime USDA steaks served to impress everyone at your table!
We are know for our delicious homemade desserts include our Famous Motherlode Chocolate Cake, Berry Butter Cake, Carrot Cake and much more.
Claim Jumper
WIKIPEDIAClaim Jumper Restaurant and Saloon
American restaurant chain with 11 locations as of October 28th, 2023. The company is based in Houston, Texas.
- Restaurateur Craig Nickoloff opened the first Claim Jumper in Los Alamitos, California, on September 27, 1977. The original restaurant had a large menu and an atmosphere inspired by California's Gold Rush of 1849.
- In September 2010, the chain filed for bankruptcy and was slated to be auctioned off.
- In October 2010, Landry's, Inc. acquired Claim Jumper, with a bid of $76.6 million. Landry's President/CEO Tilman J. Fertitta relocated the company's headquarters from Irvine, California, to Landry's corporate headquarters in the Uptown area of Houston.
- All locations on the claimjumper.com website are franchised to Kelly Restaurant Group (KRG). As of August 2023, KRG has locations in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. There are three locations that are still owned and operated by Landry's. They are located inside Golden Nugget Casinos.
Claim Jumper Restaurant & Saloon
Landry'sSee you at the Saloon
Inspired by California's Gold Rush history, Claim Jumper puts a modern twist on traditional American cuisine. There is something delicious for everyoneFamous for food crafted with the best ingredients and an atmosphere that makes you feel right at home, Claim Jumper offers an experience sure to satisfy everyone. The menu features a medley of homemade dishes, including burgers, sandwiches, fresh-baked pot pie, specialty salads, pasta, baby back pork ribs, seafood, Certified Angus Beef and much more. We also feature our legendary breakfast morning, noon and night. After dinner, make sure you've saved room the decadent six-layer Chocolate Motherlode Cake, renowned by Food Network as one of America's "Top 5 Most Decadent Desserts".
O.C. History Roundup
Claim Jumper, Los Alamitos, 1977BlogspotOctober 2010
Earlier in 2010 we learned that the Claim Jumper restaurant chain filed for bankruptcy and would change ownership. The ensuing news coverage reminded me that Claim Jumper -- like Marie Callender's, Coco's, Polly's Pies and other chains -- was started right here in Orange County.
On Sept. 27, 1977, father and son business partners Carl and Craig Nickoloff opened the first Claim Jumper restaurant in Los Alamitos. The 250-seat restaurant became known for its good food and large portions.
In a 1999 interview with Nation's Restaurant News, Craig Nickoloff remembered, "We were wrapped, set and ready to go for about $250,000. Those are fees to a city today for a sewer hook up."
The business' California Gold Rush theme was chosen by the Nickoloffs, who enjoyed Western movies. As they brainstormed, they kept coming back to the name "Claim Jumper."
Never originally envisioned as a chain, Claim Jumper's popularity and Craig Nickoloff's love of a challenge led to the opening of a second restaurant, then a third, ...and so on. The first four restaurants were all in Orange County, and were built on the bones of older restaurant buildings. The fifth was opened in the City of Industry and was the first one built specifically as a Claim Jumper. Currently, there are 45 locations spread across the Western and Midwestern United States.
The original Los Alamitos Claim Jumper closed its doors in the 1990s. The threshold of the restaurant, however, was removed and attached to a Claim Jumper in Long Beach.
The Claim Jumper
Hell Comes in Large Portions
The StrangerMarch 2000
Finally, we are led through the enormous, stadium-like room to our booth. The decor is a Disneyfied vision of the Gold Rush days -- plastic rusticity. At every table except for ours, someone is having a birthday; again and again, the chipper waitstaff form a semi-circle, clap their hands, and do their alarming birthday chant. Perhaps it's meant to cheer us on as we struggle to finish our meals.Foolishly, we order the appetizer combo plate, which could feed an entire rugby team on onion rings, deep-fried cheese, fried zucchini, and other greasy tidbits. My friends wallow in all of this excess. In the dim, hazy lighting, their faces distort and turn into grotesques out of a Goya painting. They laugh like fiends as our salads arrive, served on plates the size of hubcaps. Do I lack fortitude and irony, or are my friends utterly corrupt, seduced into a false paradise of opulent waste?
Finally, the moment I dread most: Our entrees. I break into a nervous sweat just looking at my plate. One friend's steak is literally an inch and a half thick, with a rough diameter of 10 inches; the other friend has a platter of barbecued pork ribs that seem to have come from some beast with an unnaturally long ribcage. The baked potatoes must have been grown downstream from Hanford; they're as big as ostrich eggs. My blackened salmon, by comparison, is downright modest, being only twice the serving size any sane cook would offer. Every meal is accompanied by a small apple, clearly meant to be stuffed into our mouths after we're immobilized by bloat.
Of course, what makes it truly insidious is that the food is pretty good. It's best to order dishes that fit into the vague category of "American cuisine" -- avoid anything even remotely ethnic like pizza, pasta, fajitas, or eggrolls, as there will be something off about them. Stick with the steaks, the ribs, the roast chicken, and the broiled or blackened seafood, which are decidedly tasty. Don't try anything vegetarian -- that would be like ordering pad thai in an Irish pub.
Our sly waiter constantly pushes the next course, and I watch in appalled horror as my friends order a slice of six-layer chocolate monstrosity ("The Mother Lode," $7.95). Like rapacious birds, they tear into the moist devil's food, cackling and joking about it being a "roast of cake." One of them tells me that Beelzebub also means "lord of the flies."
Did Claim Jumper Go Out Of Business?
The Doughnut Lounge2024
Claim Jumper, a beloved American restaurant chain known for its generous portions and cozy, lodge-inspired ambiance, has held a significant place in the hearts of many diners across the United States.Founded in 1977 in Los Alamitos, California, the restaurant quickly gained popularity for its hearty, comfort-food menu and unique dining experience.
Over the years, Claim Jumper expanded rapidly, opening locations across multiple states and becoming a staple in the casual dining scene. At its peak, the chain boasted an impressive 45 locations, cementing its status as a beloved American restaurant brand. However, in recent years, rumors and speculation have circulated about the potential demise of this once-thriving establishment, leaving many to wonder: Did Claim Jumper go out of business?
Claim Jumper was founded in 1977 by a husband-and-wife team, Randy and Kathleen Hiatt, in Los Alamitos, California. Their vision was to create a casual dining experience with a rustic, old West-inspired ambiance and generous portions of American comfort food. The restaurant's name was a nod to the gold prospectors who would illegally stake claims on other miners' land during the California Gold Rush.
From its humble beginnings, Claim Jumper quickly gained popularity for its hearty meals, family-friendly atmosphere, and distinctive decor featuring wagon wheels, mining tools, and other Western memorabilia.
The success of the first location paved the way for rapid expansion, and by the late 1990s, Claim Jumper had grown to become a prominent restaurant chain with 45 locations across several states, including California, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington.
During its peak years, Claim Jumper was renowned for its extensive menu, featuring signature dishes like the Claim Jumper Chopped Salad, Chicken Fried Steak, and the colossal Motherlode Cake for dessert.
The restaurants were designed to transport diners to the era of the Wild West, with rustic wood accents, dim lighting, and an abundance of antique mining artifacts adorning the walls and ceilings.
In the late 2000s, Claim Jumper faced significant financial struggles that ultimately led to the company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2010. The economic downturn and changing consumer preferences took a toll on the restaurant chain, which had expanded rapidly in the previous years. Despite efforts to restructure and cut costs, Claim Jumper found itself unable to service its mounting debt obligations. The company owed millions to creditors, including landlords and suppliers, and had seen a decline in customer traffic and sales.
In a bid to avoid complete liquidation, Claim Jumper sought a buyer to acquire the company and its assets. Landry's, Inc., a Houston-based hospitality company known for its portfolio of restaurant brands and casinos, stepped in as the successful bidder. In October 2010, Landry's, Inc. acquired Claim Jumper for $76.6 million, effectively rescuing the struggling chain from bankruptcy. The acquisition provided a lifeline for Claim Jumper, allowing it to continue operations under new ownership and management.
Current Status
As of October 2023, Claim Jumper has significantly downsized its operations, with only 11 locations remaining across four states in the western United States. The surviving restaurants are scattered across California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. In California, Claim Jumper still has a presence in major cities like Los Angeles, Riverside, and Sacramento.The Nevada locations include two restaurants in Las Vegas, both situated within Golden Nugget casino properties. Oregon has one remaining Claim Jumper in Portland, while Washington state retains two locations in Seattle and Tukwila.
The drastic reduction from the chain's peak of 45 locations nationwide is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the once-thriving restaurant brand.
One of the key factors influencing Claim Jumper's future is the performance of the locations within the Golden Nugget casinos. These restaurants, managed directly by Landry's, Inc., benefit from the foot traffic and customer base of the casinos. Their success could be pivotal in sustaining the brand's presence and potentially serving as a foundation for future expansion.
However, the franchised locations managed by Kelly Restaurant Group (KRG) face different challenges. Their performance will depend on factors such as local market conditions, competition, and the effectiveness of KRG's management strategies. If these locations struggle to maintain profitability, further closures may be inevitable.
- Knott's Berry Farm in the background
Their six-layer Chocolate Motherlode Cake, renowned by Food Network as one of America's Top 5 Most Decadent Desserts.
