About 45-50 min. down the hill from Estes Park is the wonderful town of Fort Collins, CO. Take Hwy. 34 East (a gorgeous drive alongside the river), make a left in Loveland onto Hwy. 287 and go north a bit. Make your way straight into the Old Town Square, rated one of the 2010 Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Orlando’s Steakhouse opened its doors in 1972 upstairs from the world famous Wheel Bar, which has been serving patrons since 1945. Locals and visitors enjoyed the delectable food and friendly service for years. In 1981 Chef Tandy Brown signed on and remained for the next 12 years, alongside Cathy Crowley, the former owner of Lonigan’s, who ran the wait staff superbly for 16 years.
But recently the doors have been shut up tight as the major players felt they needed a break. It’s not easy keeping the quality and reliability at peak standards year after year, decade after decade, so the break was healthy for all involved. During the hiatus Chef Brown took on the position of head chef at Dunraven’s and Crowley moved on to Nicky’s.