Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse, one of Gaylord‘s Best

March 6, 2002

It‘s the story just about every starry-eyed entrepreneur dreams of: a couple
of visionaries sitting at a table, gesturing wildly, sketching on napkins,
bandying about big ideas. For Bill Rolinksi and his late business partner,
Blair Murphy, both Gaylord residents, it wasn‘t a dream. The two men
conceived of a brewery and steakhouse, a showplace where diners could see
the microbrewery from every table, where they‘d feel comfortable whether in
blue jeans, skirt, tie, camouflage or snowsuit. And the food and service
would, of course, match the quality of the place.
Their hard work shows: In this issue‘s Northern Express Reader‘s Choice awards, the Big Buck was chosen as “Best Hang-Out,“ “Best Ribs“ and “Best Restaurant to Impress“ in the Gaylord area.
In the summer of 1995, the Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse with its towering
ceilings and hand-carved furniture and wood carvings by local artisans
opened for business in Gaylord.
“Most people in the restaurant industry
wouldn‘t have built a restaurant of this size in a town this size. Some
people thought it was a crazy idea,“ says Paul Ruiter, director of training.
Seems Rolinski, staff and loyal customers have had the last laugh. Last
year, nearly a quarter of a million guests were served in the
15,000-square-foot lodge style eatery. Because it‘s so unique, Ruiter says
they come for different reasons. “It‘s an impressive place to bring someone
because of the ambience; some come because they‘re beer lovers -- there are
a lot of those people in the world; and others because, like I honestly do,
they believe it‘s really one of the best restaurants in northern Michigan.“
Big Buck‘s beers have won national awards. Ranging from light to stout, some
of the brews include Buck Naked Light (the most popular), Raspberry Wheat,
Antler Ale, Redbird Ale, India Pale Ale (a.k.a. I.P.A.), Black River Stout
and Cherry Shandy. Now that Big Buck is classified as a brewpub and not a
microbrewery as it formerly was, it can offer liquor and an expanded wine
list too.
All of the menu items are made from scratch. Appetizers run the gamut from
crab cakes to pot stickers, artichoke and spinach dip to venison beer
sausage. There‘s a beer cheese soup, and entrees such as barbequed ribs,
meatloaf with gravy and mashed potatoes, portabella grilled chicken with
fontina cheese and a Gamay Noir sauce and ale-battered fish and chips.
Specialties include pecan-encrusted salmon with smashed red potatoes or
Maryland crab cakes. Lighter meals and a lunch menu are also available.
Then -- brace yourself -- there‘s the meat, premium U.S.D.A. choice: a
nine-ounce filet mignon, prime rib, a 20-ounce Porterhouse, or a 12-ounce
top sirloin. “All of the steaks meet strict standards,“ says Ruiter. They‘re
aged 21 days for tenderness, seasoned with a house blend to give a distinct
flavor and grilled over natural charcoal.
Inspiration for the dozens of menu items have come from guest comment cards,
explains Ruiter. “The menu has progressed and developed over the past
six-and-a-half years to what it is today almost entirely from guest
feedback.“
Wait staff, called “beer and steak specialists,“ undergo an extensive
training program, working with the executive chef, the brewmaster and
certified trainers so that they‘re knowledgeable about all of the food and
beverages they serve and suggest.
After the Gaylord location, the company (Nasdaq: BBUC) opened restaurants in
Grand Rapids, Auburn Hills, Texas, and coming soon, not far from the Grand
Ole Opry in Tennessee.

Gaylord hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, until 11 p.m. on Fridays
and Saturdays, and from noon until 10 p.m. on Sundays. Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse
is located at 550 S. Wisconsin (adjacent to I-75 at Exit 282), Gaylord, ph. (517) 732-5781.
www.bigbuck.com