Sad News: Hilltop Steakhouse To Shutdown

Boston.com – It’s the last roundtop for the Hilltop Steak House. The landmark restaurant on Route 1 in Saugus, known for its juicy steaks, its giant cactus sign, and its herd of plastic cows, has announced that it will close later this month, citing a dramatic decline in business. “Over the past several years we have seen a dramatic change in the volume of our business,” the restaurant wrote the selectmen Wednesday. “The continued change in the demographics of our customer base, increased competition and the increased cost to run this fabulous landmark has been too great to overcome. We therefore have no choice but to close our restaurant.” “In closing we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the departments of the Town of Saugus and its wonderful residents for their support and patronage over the last 52 years,” the letter said.

Well this is fucking sad. Because make no mistake about it. The Hilltop was a BIG DEAL. Like when the Portnoy clan wanted to suit up, put on their best duds and head out to celebrate a big occasion the Hilltop is where we went. Just standing in line for hours with those plastic numbers and shit.  CARSON CITY PARTY OF FOUR! This was before all those fancy pants steakhouses moved into the city. This was the fancy pants steakhouse. I think my dad still thinks to this day if you want to impress somebody you take em to the Hilltop. And everytime I’d drive by it with the First Lady who had the misfortune of growing up on the South Shore I point to it and be like “that’s the joint right there. Big time steaks. You wouldn’t know anything about that” Then I point out the Kowloon and tell her how Eddie Andelman used to eat there and she just looks at me like I got 9 heads. Big orange dinosaur what!