The Double Musky Inn is a highly unique and acclaimed restaurant located in Girdwood, Alaska.1
What Makes it Unique
The restaurant is renowned for its unexpected blend of New Orleans-style Cajun and Creole cuisine served in a rustic Alaskan roadhouse setting.2 This “Alaskan Cajun” style, combined with the atmosphere, sets it apart:
- Atmosphere and Decor: It features a vibrant, eclectic, and “groovy” Mardi Gras-style decor, complete with stained glass and various pieces of flair, which creates a festive and warm contrast to the surrounding Alaskan mountain town.3 The experience is often described as lively and ebullient.4
- Reputation: Despite its remote location, the Double Musky Inn has received national recognition, including being named the “last great American roadhouse” by Esquire Magazine and being featured on the Food Network’s Best Of series, where its Pepper Steak was specifically named the best in the USA.5
History
- Early Days (1962): The original Double Musky was built in 1962 and initially functioned as a simple after-ski bar.6 In its earliest form, customers would cook their own steaks over a fire, and the atmosphere was very informal, sometimes featuring polka bands and dancing.7 The name is believed to come from a drink the original owner, Julian Maule, used to make: a “double Muscatel spritzer.”8
- The Turning Point (1979): The restaurant struggled through several owners until Bob and Deanna Persons purchased it in May 1979.9 Originally from the South, they gradually transformed it, adding numerous additions and introducing the Cajun-influenced cuisine that would become its hallmark.10
Highlight Menu Items
While the menu emphasizes steaks and local Alaska seafood with New Orleans seasoning, some dishes are particularly famous:11
- French Pepper Steak: Often cited as the restaurant’s signature dish, it has been named the best steak in the USA by the Food Network’s Best Of series.12
- Cajun-Inspired Seafood: Dishes such as Crab Meat Dressing Stuffed Halibut served with Creole beurre blanc sauce, Shrimp Étouffée, Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya, and Salmon Au Poivre.13
- Appetizers and Desserts: The Scallop Stuffed Mushrooms and the legendary Double Musky Cake or Pie (often a strawberry pie) are frequently praised.14
Customer Feedback
Customer feedback is overwhelmingly positive, focusing on:
- Food Quality: Reviewers consistently praise the quality of the steaks (especially the French Pepper Steak) and the unique, flavorful Cajun-influenced food.15
- Service: The staff is often described as exceptionally efficient, friendly, and knowledgeable, providing a high level of service even when the restaurant is very busy.16
- Atmosphere: While some find the seating tight or the environment loud, most appreciate the kitschy, lively, and unpretentious charm.
- Wait Times: It is well-known that the Double Musky does not accept reservations, meaning a wait can be “epic,” especially during peak times.17 However, most patrons feel the food is well worth the wait.
Significant Events
The most significant events in the restaurant’s history are centered around its national recognition, which put Girdwood on the culinary map:
- Post-1979 Growth: Following Bob and Deanna Persons’ purchase, the restaurant underwent a successful transformation and expansion.
- National Recognition (Mid-1980s to 2000s): Favorable reviews from major publications like Bon Appétit, The New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune, as well as a feature on CNN World-Wide in 1986.18
- Food Network’s Best Of: Being featured on the national show, named one of the “ten favorite restaurants in America,” and receiving the title of having the Best Steak in the USA in 2000.19
Contact Information and Details
| Category | Information |
| Address | Mile .3 Crow Creek Rd, Girdwood, AK 99587, USA |
| Phone | (907) 783-2822 |
| Website | doublemuskyinn.com |
