Morton's, The Steakhouse

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Story That Started With a Hamburger

Morton's The Steakhouse traces its origins to an unlikely moment: co-founders Arnie Morton and Klaus Fritsch, both working at the Playboy Club in Montreal, connected over a hamburger so exceptional that Arnie stormed into the kitchen demanding to know who had cooked it. That burger became known as the "Million-Dollar Hamburger," and it set the tone for everything that followed. When Morton's opened its first doors on State Street in Chicago in 1978, the guiding principles were straightforward — quality, consistency, and genuine hospitality. More than four decades later, those same principles drive over 65 locations worldwide, including the Scottsdale address on Kierland Boulevard.

The Steakhouse Standard

What distinguishes Morton's as a steakhouse is the sourcing. The kitchen works with the same suppliers it has used since day one, selecting only USDA Prime-aged beef — the top two percent of beef available in the United States. If a cut doesn't meet Morton's own standards, it doesn't reach the plate. The menu extends beyond beef to include Chilean Sea Bass, Oysters on the Half Shell, Colossal Shrimp, and Red King Crab Legs, alongside rotating seasonal additions such as Prime Bavette Steak Frites, Wagyu Beef Stroganoff, and Oysters Rockefeller. The kitchen treats the combination of prime steak and fresh seafood as a natural pairing rather than a compromise.

Wine Worth Lingering Over

The Scottsdale location holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects a list of more than 300 wines spanning exclusive vintages, sommelier selections, and cult favorites. An on-site Wine Locker program allows guests to store personal selections, and the restaurant's sommelier team is available to guide pairings for any course. Morton's has also introduced a private label, "State & Rush," honoring its Chicago roots with a Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir sourced from Oak Ridge Winery in Lodi, California.

The Full Experience

The atmosphere moves between two registers: a lively bar scene built around hand-crafted cocktails and the award-winning wine program, and a quieter, more formal dining room suited to business dinners and special occasions alike. Private dining rooms accommodate everything from intimate celebrations to larger corporate events, with catering options extending the Morton's experience beyond the restaurant itself. Every guest, the team maintains, is treated as a VIP — a standard the longevity of its staff, some with the company for decades, helps uphold.