NEWS / Press

Press Release Archives

November 2023 - Connor Concepts announces the grand opening of Connors Steak & Seafood in Alpharetta, GA. read more

February 2023 - Connor Concepts announces the grand opening of Connors Steak & Seafood in Louisville, KY. read more

December 2022 - Connors Steak & Seafood Sarasota makes Top 100 on OpenTable. read more

September 2022 - Connor Concepts announces the grand opening of the newest Chop House in Athens, GA. read more

September 2017 - Connor Concepts announces the grand opening of the newest Connors Steak & Seafood in Sarasota, FL. read more

July 2016 - Connors Steak & Seafood ranked best steakhouse in Tennessee according to Foursquare. read more

November 2014 - Connor Concepts announces plans for the 4th Connors Steak & Seafood restaurant in Nashville, TN (Cool Springs Galleria). read more

March 7-13, 2012 - The Chop House® celebrates its 20th Anniversary in East TN with a special menu offering popular menu items at 1992 prices. read more

February 25, 2012 - Connors Steak & Seafood grand opening in Fort Myers, FL. read more

August 1, 2011 - Restaurant Business magazine has released “The Future 50” list of the fastest growing restaurant concepts in America with sales between $25 and $50 million, with Knoxville-based The Chop House® coming in at number nine. read more

Recent News

May 2024
Connors Steak & Seafood Voted Best Steakhouse and Best Lunch in Sarasota, FL by Sarasota Magazine (link)

November 2023
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Grand Opening Article (link)

March 2023
Louisville Courier-Journal Grand Opening Article (link)

March 2023
WLKY Louisville Grand Opening Article (link)

April 2023
Connors Steak & Seafood Opening 8th Location in Tallahassee, FL (link)

January 2023
Connors Steak & Seafood Huntsville Named a Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America by OpenTable (link)

December 2022
Connors Steak & Seafood Sarasota Named a Top 100 Most Loved Restaurants in America by OpenTable (link)

June 2022
Connors Steak & Seafood Opening 7th Location in Alpharetta, GA (link)

February 2020
Two Chop House locations, Sevierville and Kingsport, TN, receive the "Diners' Choice Award" from OpenTable.com (link)

October 2019
50 Best Date Restaurants Across the U.S. (link)

October 2019
Best Restaurants in Sarasota (link)

September 2019
Best Steakhouses in Alabama (link)

February 2019
Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the Country (link)

September 2017
Notable Startups That Have Shaped Knoxville (link)

September 2017
Connors Steak & Seafood Restaurant to Open at the Westfield Siesta Key Mall (link)

May 2017
Renderings of the newest Connors Steak & Seafood in Sarasota, FL (pdf)

May 2017
Connors Listed Best Steakhouse in Alabama (link)

January 2017
The Chop House steakhouse rolling out online reservations (link)

November 2016
Connors Steak & Seafood named best steakhouse in Alabama (link)

August 2016
Connors Steak & Seafood named best steakhouse in Alabama (link)

July 2016
Foursquare ranks Connors Steak & Seafood Best Steak in Tennessee (link)

July 2016
Connors Steak & Seafood ranked 2nd most romantic restaurant in Alabama (link)

February 2016
Connors Steak & Seafood Opening in CoolSprings Galleria (link)

August 2015
Huntsville Connors named Alabama's best steakhouse by Business Insider (link)

July 2015
Business Insider: Connors Steak & Seafood Best Steak in Alabama (link)

November 2014
Connors Steak & Seafood Coming to Nashville (.pdf)

April 2012
Mike Connor Inducted into Junior Achievement Hall of Fame (.pdf)

April 2012
Estero Lifestyle (.pdf)

March 2012
WBIR coverage of the 20th Anniversary (link)

September 2008
Augusta's Metro Spirit on The Chop House (.pdf)

January 2008
Huntsville Times review on Connors Steak & Seafood (.pdf)

February 2007
Southeast Food Service News (.pdf)

October 2006
Murfreesboro Magazine on The Chop House (.pdf)

November 2005
Knoxville Magazine on Mike Connor (.pdf)

1990s
Additional articles and reviews (.pdf)

Awards & Accolades

2022
—CityView Magazine "Best of the Best 2022", Steak, Seafood, West/Farragut categories, Knoxville, TN (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—Open Table "Top 100 Restaurant in America", Sarasota, FL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—Sarasota Magazine "Best Steakhouse", "Best Restaurant", "Best Lunch Spot", Sarasota, FL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

2021
—Sarasota Magazine "Best Steakhouse", "Best Restaurant", "Best Lunch Spot", Sarasota, FL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

2020
—"Diners' Choice Award", OpenTable.com (The Chop House)

—BestofHuntsville.com "Best Steak", "Best Fine Dining", "Best Date Night", and "Best Bartender"
Huntsville, AL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

2019
—"Best Date Restaurants in the U.S." USA Today, Travel & Leisure (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—“Best Restaurants in Sarasota”, Sarasota Magazine
Sarasota, FL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—“Best Steakhouse in Alabama”, Birmingham Business Journal
Birmingham, AL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

2018
—“Best Upscale Restaurant”, Hendersonville Lifestyle Magazine
Hendersonville, TN (The Chop House)

2017
—"Favorite Place to Eat Steak" The Daily News Journal
Murfreesboro, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Steaks”, Mountain Press
Sevierville, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Upscale Restaurant”, Hendersonville Lifestyle Magazine
Hendersonville, TN (The Chop House)

2016
—"Best 100 Steakhouses" Forbes.com
Knoxville, TN (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—"Best Steakhouse in all 50 States" Business Insider
Huntsville, AL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—“Best Steaks”, Mountain Press
Sevierville, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Overall Restaurant” and "Best Steak", Knoxville News Sentinel,
Knoxville, TN, (The Chop House)

—“Best Steak”, Kingsport Times News
Kingsport, TN(The Chop House)

2015
—The Taste of Huntsville "Best Entrée"
Huntsville, AL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—Taste of the Town "Best Entrée" and "People's Choice"
Fort Myers, FL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—“Best Overall Restaurant”, Taste of Hendersonville
Hendersonville, TN (The Chop House)

—"Best Steakhouse in all 50 States" Business Insider
Huntsville, AL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—“Best Steaks”, Mountain Press
Sevierville, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Steak”, Kingsport Times News
Kingsport, TN (The Chop House)

—“Outstanding Restaurant GM of the Year” by the TN Hospitality Assoc.
Joe Mays, Kingsport, TN (The Chop House)

2014
—“Best Entrée”, Taste of Stones River
Murfreesboro, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Business Lunch”, Ruthie Awards
Murfreesboro, TN (The Chop House)

—“Favorite Place to Eat Steak”, Ruthie Awards
Murfreesboro, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Special Occasion Place”, Knoxville News Sentinel
Knoxville, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Steak”, Kingsport Times News
Kingsport, TN (The Chop House)

2013
—Valley Planet "Best Steak", "Best Restaurant", "Best Special Occasions Restaurant"
Huntsville, AL (Connors Steak & Seafood)

—Brian Keyes awarded Tennessee Restaurateur of the Year

—“Best Entrée”, Taste of Stones River
Murfreesboro, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Business Lunch”, Ruthie Awards
Murfreesboro, TN (The Chop House)

—“Best Steak”, Kingsport Times News
Kingsport (The Chop House)

2012
—Valley Planet "Best Steak", "Best Restaurant"
Connors Steak & Seafood (Huntsville)

—Coby Leach voted Restaurant General Manager of the Year in Knoxville and Tennessee (Chop House)

—Mike Connor inducted into the East Tennessee Business Hall of Fame

—“Best Steak”, Kingsport Times News, Kingsport (The Chop House)

2011
—Metro Pulse "Best Steak" Category
The Chop House (Knoxville)
Connors Steak & Seafood (Knoxville)

—Valley Planet "Best Steak", "Best Restaurant"
Connors Steak & Seafood (Huntsville)

—The Taste of Huntsville "Best Entrée"
Connors Steak & Seafood (Huntsville)

2010
—"Outstanding Restaurant GM of the Year”, Coby Leach, TN Hospitality Assoc., Knoxville, TN

2003
—Mike Connor awarded "Tennessee Restaurateur of the Year"