The aroma of smoky meat reached us as soon as we stepped out of the car at Walt’s Hitching Post in Fort Wright. The source was easy to spot: a small smokehouse stands near the front of the restaurant, continuing a tradition that began more than 80 years ago.
Walt’s dates to 1942, when horse enthusiast Walt Ballanger purchased The Hitching Post and began pit-smoking chicken and ribs. Although the restaurant closed in 2010, it reopened under new ownership in 2013 with much of its history and character intact.
Ballanger sold the restaurant in 1958 to his neighbor Bill Melton, who ran it for the next 50 years. During that time, Melton expanded both the building and the menu, adding steaks, brisket and seafood while preserving Walt’s smokehouse cooking. When the current owners revived the restaurant, longtime kitchen employee “Smokin’ Zeke” helped them retain the established recipes. That continuity helps explain why Walt’s remains closely tied to generations of Northern Kentucky diners.
We attempted to make a reservation while driving to Kentucky, but only late-night times remained available. A helpful attendant told us we were welcome to take an open high-top table in the bar area or sit at the bar. Fortunately, we found a table almost immediately. The crowd inside made it clear that advance reservations are advisable on a Saturday night.
Walt’s is exceptionally well named. Stone walls, heavy wooden beams and low ceilings give the interior the appearance of an old lodge or a Western movie set. Framed photographs of thoroughbreds, horse-racing memorabilia and paintings of jockeys fill the rooms. Part of an exposed log wall remains from the building’s early history, adding a sense of authenticity.
The entrance and bar were bustling, yet the close quarters felt sociable rather than uncomfortable. Classic rock and old blues played loudly enough to energize the room without preventing conversation.
A server promptly returned with our iced teas. Although the staff moved quickly through the crowded rooms, service slowed considerably after the drinks arrived. Our waitresses remained friendly, however, and fresh teas, salads and a basket of Walt’s well-known salted rye bread helped compensate for the delay.
The bread deserves its reputation. Served warm, it was soft and flavorful, with the salt providing a pleasant contrast to the rye. Our salads were fresh, and the balsamic vinaigrette had a lively, well-balanced flavor.
Then the steaks arrived.
My six-ounce filet was among the most delicious steaks I have eaten. It was tender throughout and deeply flavorful without relying on a heavy sauce or elaborate presentation. The quality of the beef and the kitchen’s handling of it required no embellishment. Walt’s is priced for an occasional evening out rather than an inexpensive dinner, but the quality of the filet made the cost easier to appreciate.
On a future visit, I plan to try the chicken—and to make the reservation early in the week.
Walt’s Hitching Post is located at 3300 Madison Pike in Fort Wright, Kentucky. Reservations may be made by calling 859-360-2222.
