George’s Grill
an old standby for friends, food and conversation
Nestled along East Kings Highway across from the campus of Centenary College sits George’s Grill. A family legacy and Shreveport legend, George and Charline Casten have operated the diner since 1960.
With George and Charline both semi-retired, the couple’s daughter, Tini (short for Christini) is slowly transitioning a changing of the guard at George’s Grill.
“I certainly intend to maintain the integrity of the heritage of George’s Grill but bring it blazing into this century,” Tini said. “It will be a subtle transformation but a transformation nevertheless.”
Tini said she literally grew up at George’s Grill. After a move to California and then tiring of working for others, she succumbed to the pull of the family business in 2009 by opening her own café, Deli-Tini, located farther east on Kings Highway almost to Youree.
“After working in the wholesale side of the mortgage business, I got tired of working for other people and opened Deli- Tini, which specialized in sandwiches and wraps as well as salads,” Tini said.
With her past experience at George’s Grill and in culinary school as well as with help from her dad, Tini had a successful two-year run with Deli-Tini before closing last July.
“I could see that mom and dad were slowing down and needed help, and I didn’t feel I could do both restaurants,” Tini said.
Some of the most popular Deli-Tini menu items will soon be added to the George’s Grill menu. The additions will include The Big Ed – “the hottest cheesy cheese sandwich in town” – which includes Gouda, Havarti, sharp cheddar and pepper jack cheese on jalapeno cheddar sourdough bread, panini-pressed and served with Tini’s famous “wicked” pickles; George the Generous Greek – sliced deli chicken with spinach and artichoke hummus, cucumbers, purple onions, kalamata olives, tomatoes, mixed greens and sprinkled with feta on a toasted pita; and The Holy Roller – smoked turkey, honey ham, roast beef and American cheese with mixed greens, tomato and homemade Green Goddess dressing all rolled tightly on a spinach tortilla.
George Casten emigrated from Greece when he was 18 and came to Shreveport because he already had family there.
“In those years, you had to have someone sponsor you, and dad had relatives already here,” Tini said.
When Casten first arrived in Shreveport, he held a variety of jobs including working for a cleaners and for the Fort Knox Lounge, which was a longtime fixture in downtown Shreveport. Along the way, George also worked at Murrell’s original diner on Kings Highway for five or six years.
When Murrell’s shuttered, George took over the location and opened his eponymous George’s Grill in 1960. George’s Grill has been a popular eating destination for breakfast, lunch and dinner ever since, defying the odds in the often-fickle restaurant business.
When he first opened George’s Grill, George said he pretty much kept it like it was and had no particular business strategy.
“My idea was to survive, to make a living and support my family,” he said.
From the time he opened, George always did anything that needed to be done, from cooking to sweeping the floor to busing tables to working the register – whatever it took to keep the business bustling.
“When you own the business, you have to be able to do it all,” he said.
In 1963, George married his wife, Charline, and she has been a constant presence and partner working at the grill ever since.
Offering quality family style food at affordable prices, George’s Grill has done far more than survive; it has thrived.
It has remained a popular meeting spot for regulars who know they can come in and get a cup of coffee and read their paper without being hustled quickly out the door. After 43 years of success, consistency and friendliness seem to remain the keystones of George’s success.
Local blues guitarist/singer songwriter Buddy Flett is a longtime fixture at George’s, a true regular for more than 30 years. When he is in town, Flett often can be found nursing a cup of coffee or holding court with friends.
“It’s my office,” Flett said. A regular for around two years, Highland resident Jessica Hall is a newer convert to George’s but just as devoted.
“This is comfort food that reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking,” she said. “The coconut pie is just like she made.”
That kind of loyalty is a reflection of George’s own loyalty to his customer’s needs and his staff as well. In a business known for frequent turnover, George’s has managed to go against that grain with most staff being on board for at least five years.
In addition, cook Jerome Ragler has been with George’s Grill for 41 years, after starting as a dishwasher. Marvin Collins has been there for 30 years, and waitress “Red” Gudrun has been with the grill for 26 years.
“George has a heart of gold,” Gudrun said. “He’d give you the shirt off his back.”
“You’re treated like family,” Collins said.
“He’s been like a father to me,” Ragler said.
The longevity of many of the workers speaks to how the Castens have treated their employees from Day 1.
When the business burned in 1977, Casten enlarged it just a touch when he built it back.
George’s Grill has been a landmark on the area dining scene for more than 50 years and has no plans to leave.
Whether you’re a longtime regular like Flett or a new customer, you will be welcomed warmly, served quickly and find your food “like mama made.”
For regulars, you will find all your old favorites and some new things to love as well. Pies (chocolate, lemon, strawberry, coconut, banana) have always been a popular part of the menu, and that menu will soon be enhanced with the addition of Oreo pie and Nutter Butter pie.
A sign on the back wall at George’s Grill says: “Work Hard and Be Nice.” That is a philosophy that has served well since 1960 and one thing that will not be changing.
