Every great restaurant develops a personality. Some are elegant. Some are cozy. The Old San Francisco Steak House was somewhere between a Gay ‘90s saloon, a theatrical stage production and a family steakhouse. 

Opening in the early 1970s, The Old San Francisco Steak House was famous for its dimly lit, Old West décor, antique furnishings, taxidermy, saloon atmosphere and, most of all, the woman dressed in burlesque 1800s-style clothes who swung high above the dining room on a giant rope swing while patrons ate steaks, prime rib and baked potatoes. Seriously. She looked like Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke. The whole thing was very wholesome, though. 

The premise of the restaurant was quite romantic, actually. The narrative was all about a Texas Ranger named Tony Taylor who rode into San Francisco to capture a fugitive from justice and fell in love with a woman named Gussie Lee who swore she would come to Texas so they could be together. But on the way to Texas, her stagecoach was attacked and, sadly, she would never see the Lone Star state. So it had this whole backstory. 

The restaurant blended quality food with unapologetic showmanship, making it a favorite destination for birthdays, anniversaries, business dinners and special occasions. It started in San Antonio, and they had locations here as well as Austin and Dallas. All eventually closed, but someone purchased the San Antonio location as a venue for weddings and the like. The site of the Houston location is now a stupid Super Target. 

But we’ll always have this matchbook, procured firsthand from the Houston location. 

It reflects the restaurant's quieter side. Instead of the famous swinging performer, the cover features the handsome Old San Francisco Steak House logo framed inside an ornate Victorian border. It's elegant without being stuffy—like a cowboy who unexpectedly knows which fork goes with the salad.

The typography feels wonderfully Western. The decorative scrollwork recalls nineteenth-century storefront signs, while the restrained cream, black and red color palette gives it a timeless appearance. You can almost imagine it sitting beside a steak knife, the classic Old San Francisco Steak House Swiss cheese block with bread and a baked potato loaded with butter and sour cream. 

This original matchbook remains in good overall condition and presents beautifully. The cover graphics remain bold and highly legible while showing just enough honest age to remind you it actually lived through Houston's restaurant heyday rather than spending forty years inside somebody's display cabinet. 

Details

• Original Old San Francisco Steak House matchbook

• Original matches present

• Good overall condition

• Cream cover with black and red graphics

• Approximately 1.5" wide × 2" tall × 0.25" deep

• 16-ounce prime rib not included 

You may have missed your chance to ask the swing lady for her phone number, but you still have the opportunity to own this rare piece of Houston dining history.