#29: Valle’s Steak House (1933–2000)
Valle’s Steak House was founded in 1933 in Portland, Maine, by Donald Valle during the Great Depression. It grew into a beloved East Coast institution known for affordable steak and lobster dinners served in enormous, banquet-style dining rooms. During the 1960s and ‘70s, Valle’s thrived, with over two dozen locations stretching from Maine to Florida.
However, economic shifts, aging infrastructure, and the rise of more modern steakhouses took their toll. By the 1990s, Valle’s struggled to stay relevant, closing locations one by one. The last of Valle’s restaurants shut its doors in 2000, ending nearly 70 years of hearty, no-frills dining.