I’m not going to tell you the name of the amiable server who took care of me and some friends at a recent dine at the Hoof and Horn in Sedgwick because she confided that she will use a different name when she starts her new job at a Wichita radio station, so I’m convinced she’s in the witness protection program and I don’t want to blow her cover.
Once you find your way to downtown Sedgwick, it’s not difficult to locate Hoof and Horn; it’s the only business with lights on after five o’clock.
The entryway is narrow and somewhat reminiscent of a ramp leading cattle to slaughter. At the top, turn to the left and you’ll enter the bar, where they say it “gets pretty wild” after 10 o’clock. To the right is the dining room, unassuming and more akin to a roadside café than to anyplace even remotely resembling an upscale steakhouse. But don’t be put off. The steak is as good at Hoof and Horn as you’ll find at other, more upscale steakhouses.
Our foursome ordered two cuts of steak, chicken fried steak and chicken breast fillet. In each case, generous portions for Kansas appetites. But none of us are true Kansans so we left with half of what we ordered in doggie bags.
My friend who had the chicken fried steak is apparently quite the aficionado and said it was the best she has ever eaten. I can’t say as much for the chicken breast fillet but then, just two weeks prior I had eaten the best chicken breast of my life at The Feed Barn in Yates Center.
Excellent steak is what people expect when they chose to dine at Hoof and Horn and based on the trusted palates of my dinning companions, it’s easy to conclude why. Hoof and Horn serves Cargill’s Sterling Silver beef products and they’re cooked to perfection–lightly seasoned and served with some pink so you can really taste the meat. There are specials almost every night of the week, including one night with deep discounts.
The meat is complemented by traditional steakhouse side dish fare: potatoes, dinner rolls and a vegetable (green beans on the night we were there). And as one might expect from a down-home place that’s filled with locals (make a reservation to be guaranteed a table), the wait staff will steer you towards favored menu items.The beer selection is small but adequate but I can’t say as much for the wine selection. They have two kinds: red and pink. We each opted for beer.
Sure, there are plenty of places within the city limits of Wichita to get a good steak but by making the short drive to Sedgwick to eat at Hoof and Horn, we were able to get off the beaten track and have a mini-adventure. Our foursome will return to the Hoof and Horn, likely late enough in the evening that we can traipse over the bar for after-dinner drinks.