History
The building that now houses McGraw's has been part of the history of Tippecanoe County for nearly two hundred years. Originally, the property was going to be part of a small town-in-the-making called Cincinnatus. One building was erected, but the rest of Cincinnatus was not. That single building still stands today as McGraw's Steak Chop and Fish House. We are proud to be in a building with such a rich and beautiful history.
A Community Grows
Even though Cincinnatus never blossomed, its one building was excellently situated on the west side of the river between Lafayette and Fort Ouiatenon, and there were several small villages lining the west side of the Wabash. One of these villages was Chauncey, which grew into West Lafayette after Purdue University was established there in 1869.
Purdue brought a vibrant, thriving community which kept the future McGraw’s building useful and updated. The singular riverfront building and its property served various functions—an inn for a few years, a boathouse for a few years more—as the surrounding area grew and prospered throughout the nineteenth century. In 1948, the building was transformed into a restaurant called Stiney’s.
As Stiney's
Known as “Indiana’s most unique restaurant,” Stiney’s offered a friendly, down-home family dining experience while proudly displaying their building’s near two centuries of local history. Stiney’s was decorated with both antiques and paintings of the frontier history of the Indiana territory and the Wabash River. The restaurant was also proud to point visitors in the direction of Fort Ouiatenon, an important trading center in the early 1700s. To this day, Fort Ouiatenon is beautifully maintained as a national historic landmark.
As a restaurant, Stiney’s was famous for exactly the sort of food McGraw’s is known for today: delicious steaks, hearty meat entrees, and sumptuous seafood specials, especially the fresh local catfish. Stiney’s signature cocktail, a delicious concoction of galiano, vodka, orange juice, and ice cream, was named the “whispering river” after the Wabash.
Introducing McGraw's
In 1999 Stiney’s closed, but was reopened and transformed into McGraw’s Steak Chop & Fish House under the new owner, Todd McGraw. McGraw’s carries on some of Stiney’s legacy through their delicious food and family-friendly atmosphere, but has set a new gourmet standard for steak and wine selections. Today, McGraw’s flourishes as one of the premier establishments in Lafayette and is proud to serve its superior cuisine at this beautiful and historic riverfront location.
McGraw's Gives Back
Here at McGraw’s we are proud to serve the greater Lafayette, Indiana community. We are excited to be able to help local outreach programs with sponsorships and fundraisers.
Recently, we had the privilege of donating wine for a wine and cheese party in honor of the volunteers in West Lafayette. These selfless, dedicated volunteers from St. Tom’s church have been working to make life better for the citizens of Haiti.
We also regularly participate in the March of Dimes, we donate wine dinners for charity auctions, and we use our culinary artistry to support Lafayette, Indiana’s fine arts community.
Address
2707 South River Road
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Hours
- Tuesday - Wednesday
- 5:00pm - 9:00 pm
- Thursday - Saturday
- 5:00pm - 10:00pm
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