About Circle H Chophouse

Chef James Reaux

Chef James Reaux has built a long-running restaurant career around good food, genuine hospitality and a strong connection to the Southern Appalachian mountains. In 2009, he opened Murphy’s Chophouse in downtown Murphy, North Carolina, establishing a dining destination centered on steaks, seafood and polished service.

In the spring of 2023, he expanded into Franklin with JR Chophouse on Main Street. The restaurant blends casual elegance with a menu of hand-cut steaks, daily-roasted prime rib, locally farmed trout, signature entrées, salads, appetizers and sandwiches. Reaux also owns and operates Hawg Wild BBQ & Catfish House in Hiawassee, Georgia.

Over the years, the Reaux family has developed a deep appreciation for the mountains, the people and the history of the region. James has taken a particular interest in Cherokee influences and has carried elements of that regional character into the atmosphere, menus and presentation of his restaurants.

His love of cooking began much earlier, growing up in a small Michigan town where his mother taught him to work with seasonal ingredients and build flavor from simple, well-prepared food. Those early lessons still shape his approach in the kitchen today.

Chef Reaux lives in Hayesville, North Carolina, with his wife Jennifer and their children, Haley and Hunter. Circle H Chophouse continues that family-centered approach: welcoming, unpretentious and built around food people want to come back for.