Cattlemens

About the Business

Specialties

Cattlemens is a casual, western-themed steakhouse chain. Founded in 1968 by a father-son team with decades of experience in the cattle business, eight locations now serve California. Still family-owned and operated, each location follows the "Cattlemens Code," offering the feel and flavor of the old west, aged and hand-cut beef, the finest ingredients, and old-fashioned Western hospitality. Serving generous portions and all-natural Harris Ranch beef, Cattlemens is always in good taste.

History

Established in 1968.

Pete Gillham Senior, the driving force behind Cattlemens, spent the first fifty years of his life on the ranches. He grew up on his father's dude ranch in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona. After attending Stanford University in 1933, he returned to ranching, working on the "U Circle Ranch" near Oracle, Arizona, Pete Jr was born there.", After many adventures and a lot of less-than-satisfactory restaurant meals, the two Petes decided they had spent enough years raising main courses and it was time to start cooking and serving them. They set about learning the restaurant business by working at Chuck's Steak House in Los Altos, California. Pete doesn't like to brag, but he does know a thing or two about beef. Today Pete Jr. presides over eight Cattlemens restaurants. The decor in each restaurant is unique-comprised of local antiques and ranching artifacts, but you'll find the same straightforward Western Hospitality and great food regardless of which Cattlemens

Meet the Business Owner

Business owner information

Pete G.

Business Owner

It's the Cattlemens Way -- a tradition that began more than 45 years ago..."It was my first ranch, a nice little place...," Cattlemens founder Pete Gillham Sr. remembered fondly, "I had about 1,000 head of longhorn, and of course, Pete Jr. was born there." Pete Sr. grew up on his dad's ranch near Tucson, Arizona and in 1937 he bought his first ranch -- the U Circle in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains near Oracle, Arizona. At one point in the 50's, he managed a ranch that ran over 15,000 head of cattle! "I knew there was great beef out there, and I was always puzzled (and a little peeved) that you couldn't find it in restaurants." So in the mid-1960's, both Pete Sr. and Jr. set out to learn the restaurant business. In 1968 they opened the first Cattlemens and brought their rancher's straightforwardness to the restaurant business.