About Us
About
Enjoy one-of-a-kind, world class dining set among Coach Lombardi’s personal memorabilia and classic photos. Showcasing over 400 items in all, Vince Lombardi’s Steakhouse features a Brunswick-style bar and lounge plus two private dining areas for parties of eight to ten. Experience a commitment to excellence in food, beverage, and service that is commensurate with the standards of our namesake. Our menu includes generous sides, mouth-watering desserts, and the area’s most extensive wine list.
Vince Lombardi’s Steakhouse is honored to have received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence consecutively every year since 2005 for having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world. This prestigious award is part of a yearly recognition program by Wine Spectator magazine. Award recipients are selected through a review process by the magazine’s staff. This year, more than 3,500 restaurant wine lists and dinner menus were reviewed for the honor.
History
The idea for Vince Lombardi’s Steakhouse took root in 1999. Former hotel managing partner, Dennis Langley, desired to bring a Chicago-style steakhouse into his hotel and wanted to make it a signature restaurant. Familiar with various NFL-related steakhouses that were becoming popular in the United States, he started his research and began an online conversation with Vince Lombardi Jr. about his idea. After close to a year of convincing Vince that the restaurant would be of the highest quality, an agreement was struck. Trips to Seattle, WA (Vince Jr.’s residence) and Jacksonville, FL (his sister Susan’s residence) resulted in the treasure trove of memorabilia seen within the restaurant. Much of the memorabilia was found in attics and garages in cardboard boxes!
The restaurant opened to much fanfare in July 2000. Many of Vince Lombardi’s former players, including Bart Starr, Jerry Kramer, and Fuzzy Thurston as well as many other dignitaries in attendance ushered in a new era of dining into the Fox Cities. One reporter from The Packer News was on hand and asked Vince Jr., “Why in Appleton and not in Green Bay?” A fair question to which Vince responded, “because no one ever asked.”
Years later, the restaurant is still a must-see dining experience for not only Green Bay Packer fans but NFL history aficionados. With the majority of NFL teams utilizing the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley for their stay when they play the Green Bay Packers, it is very common to see NFL players, coaches, and owners enjoying dinner in the steakhouse the night before the big game.
One pre-opening quote from Vince Jr. still drives the staff and the restaurant. He said, ”Nothing I do can enhance the image of my father, but something done poorly can detract from it.”
Our goal continues to be to protect and maintain the integrity of the Lombardi name.
Meet the Chef
Approachable and elevated culinary arts that produce great plates start with vision, travel, experience, and creativity. Chef Joe Thomas uses these four elements to push the envelope when developing his creations while entertaining our guests. He believes you eat with your eyes and hearts and not just your mouth when he creates these colorful and visually stimulating culinary art designs.
Chef Joe Thomas is making a presence in the culinary field with numerous awards. The artistic freedom displayed on his plates is show-stopping with beautiful details. Dynamic, accomplished, and charismatic describes his presence and his desire to share his knowledge with the community is evident.
The chef we are proud to call our own here at Hilton Appleton Paper Valley is paving the way for a complete culinary emersion here in Appleton, Wisconsin.