Anchorage’s Oldest Steakhouse Grinds Filet Mignon Burgers at Lunch

Club Paris opened in downtown Anchorage in 1957. The building dates to the 1920s and has housed a home, a furniture store, and a funeral parlor over the decades. When the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, the most powerful ever recorded in North America, leveled the JCPenney across the street, Club Paris stood.

The Selman family has owned the restaurant since the 1970s. Some staff members have worked there for decades. The vintage pink neon sign with the Eiffel Tower still glows outside. Inside, red leather booths, wood paneling, and art deco bar fixtures create an atmosphere that ownership has deliberately resisted updating.

The real reason Anchorage food people make lunch reservations weeks in advance: the burger. It's made from house-ground filet mignon trim, only available at lunch, and it's the kind of thing you have to know about to find. It made the best burger in every U.S. state.

The family philosophy, passed down from the patriarch, is straightforward: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' After nearly 70 years, that approach has produced the oldest steakhouse in Anchorage and one of the most beloved lunch burgers in the state.

What to Order

The Paris Special is 8 ounces of ground tenderloin on a French roll with cheddar and au jus on the side. The Bistro Burger swaps in Havarti, sauteed onions, and bacon for a richer combination. Both come from the same filet trim that feeds the dinner crowd.

That's the whole story of the Club Paris burger: the same quality beef that goes into four-inch steaks gets ground into the lunch patty. No other restaurant in Anchorage does this, which is why the dining room fills well before noon most days.

The dinner menu runs to fresh Alaskan seafood, halibut, red king crab, prime rib, and a full steak program. The chocolate sweet potato pie is housemade and worth saving room for. But if you're making the trip for the first time, go at lunch. For more on the nearby food scene, see the iconic Alaskan foods worth seeking out.

Nearly 70 Years of Unchanged Atmosphere

A World War II veteran came home with his French wife and wanted to bring a touch of sophistication to the Last Frontier. That's how Club Paris started.

The dark-wood interior, leather booths, and Art Deco bar with faux-marble linoleum have been maintained rather than updated for decades. The decor is original, not recreated.

When you sit down at Club Paris, you're sitting in the same room where Anchorage politicians, oil workers, and locals have been eating since before Alaska became a state. That context is part of what you're ordering when you sit down for the filet burger. For more of the state's dining history, see the best restaurants in Alaska.

Plan Your Visit

Club Paris is in downtown Anchorage. Lunch burgers are available only during lunch service and require advance planning. Reservations are strongly recommended, as the dining room fills quickly.

Open year-round except Christmas and Thanksgiving. Call ahead before making the trip specifically for the burger. Dinner does not require the same lead time, but reservations are still advisable. While you're planning the trip, check out beloved hometown restaurants across the state.