Sentinel staff report–
A popular saloon and steakhouse in Citrus Heights on Sunrise Boulevard closed last month, after the couple who owned the restaurant said they opted to move on to take over operations of Beer Dogs at Sylvan Corners.
Cattle Rustlers, located in the Copperwood Shopping Plaza at 7040 Sunrise Blvd., replaced Cool Hand Luke’s steakhouse about five years ago and built up a loyal following that boasted over 240 reviews on Yelp, with an average rating of 3.5-out-of-five stars. Popular menu items noted in reviews included rib eye steaks and coconut shrimp — while some reviews complained of inconsistent quality and service.
“To all those who supported us for the last 5 years here as Cattle Rustlers we truly thank you,” read a notice posted on the door last week, with a brief explanation about the closure. “We are moving on to other ventures. It was a great ride. Again thank you to all that made Cattle Rustlers your ‘Cheers.'”
Cattle Rustlers owner Chris Johnson told The Sentinel on Friday that he and his wife, Sara, had put “blood, sweat and tears” in the running the steakhouse for the past five years and made the decision not to renew their lease for another five years due to several factors. He said running a staff of 25 employees on the weekends got to be “a little too much,” and the large building was “about 3,000-square-feet too much” for the restaurant’s actual needs.
“I left by choice,” said Johnson, stating that the restaurant wasn’t forced to close. “We wanted to shift into something smaller, with less overhead.”
Beer Dogs, which opened a little over a year ago at 7032 Sylvan Road fit the bill for what Johnson and his wife were looking for — a 1,500-square-feet eatery featuring gourmet hot dogs and craft beers.
From 2016: ‘Beer Dogs’ in Citrus Heights now serving up gourmet hot dogs, craft beer
With 26 years in the restaurant industry, Johnson said he’s ready to make some improvements to Beer Dogs, with some changes coming in the next few months. Johnson said Tom Romeo and Zachary Swithenbank, who opened Beer Dogs in 2016 as a joint business venture, remain involved in the business, but he has now stepped in as co-owner.
