National steakhouse to open first central Ohio restaurant in a decade

NEW ALBANY, Ohio (WCMH) -- A national steakhouse known for preparing hand-cut, aged meats is opening a central Ohio location for the first time in more than a decade.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is opening at 6036 N. Hamilton Road west of New Albany, according to a permit under review by the city of Columbus. The location will add to the chain's more than 60 restaurants across 20 states, including Firebirds' Polaris Fashion Place grill at 8760 Sancus Blvd. that opened in 2014 and eateries near Cincinnati, Cleveland and Youngstown.

The grill's permit calls from the construction of 6,000 square-foot restaurant with a patio on a more than two-acre site. The Westerville location will span about the same size as the Polaris restaurant, which can seat more than 200 patrons.

Firebirds is known for 21-day-aged steaks butchered in house, hand-trimmed and then hardwood grilled. The restaurant also features of selection of seafood offerings, chicken dishes and pork chops. Half-pound burgers and signature salads with house-made dressings round of the menu.

The brand is one of several steakhouses expanding in central Ohio, along with international chain Fogo de Chão, a Brazilian steakhouse with locations across the globe, including in Dubai, Toronto and Istanbul. Fogo de Chão will open at a former O'Charley's at 1425 Polaris Parkway after the building undergoes at $1.5 million renovation.

Cameron Mitchell's new downtown steakhouse Butcher and Rose is set to open this year on the ground floor of 155 E. Broad St. at Preston Centre, the building previously known as the PNC Plaza. Columbus developer Edwards Cos. is transforming the building, one of several high-profile efforts underway to convert downtown towers for new uses.