Sandy's Outback Steakhouse, Utah's first, is closing after roughly three decades. Franchise operator Evergreen Restaurant Group opened a combined Outback and Bonefish Grill in Murray on Oct. 21.
The Sandy location opened in the mid-1990s as the state's first Outback. The new Murray restaurant at 5177 S. State St., at The Point @ 53rd, is what the company calls the first fully unified Bonefish Grill and Outback Steakhouse anywhere, as first reported by the Murray Journal.
Bonefish Grill is new to Utah.
For Sandy diners, the closure ends a long run on the city's restaurant scene. Evergreen owner Jeff Jones told the Murray Journal that adding Bonefish Grill required more space and substantially more parking than the Sandy site could provide.
"Murray sits right in the middle of the valley, and State Street puts us in front of families, shoppers and people coming off I-15 and I-215 every day," Jones said, according to the Murray Journal.
Most of the Sandy staff transferred to Murray, according to Drew Faddis, regional director of operations and general manager of the new restaurant. The Murray location opened with roughly 125 to 130 team members, including up to 100 new hires alongside the Sandy transfers, according to a company announcement.
The Murray building has one entrance, one kitchen, one bar and a shared menu covering both brands. It features two dining rooms, two patios, two private dining rooms that can each seat groups of 30 or more, and a fireplace lobby. Diners can order steak and seafood dishes from either brand at any table.
Jones declined to disclose project costs but told the Murray Journal the investment exceeds a typical single-brand restaurant opening.
The Murray restaurant is also the first new Outback built in Utah in more than a decade, according to Evergreen. Outback locations remain open in Layton, Orem and St. George.
Sandy's Planning Commission did approve a preliminary site plan for a dual-concept Outback and Bonefish Grill at 11114 S. State St. in Sandy, according to city agenda records. How that proposal relates to the Murray restaurant is not addressed in any of the sources covering the opening.
Evergreen has identified the Murray format as a model for future Wasatch Front expansion. Jones did not name additional locations or provide a timetable.
