Sean Mitchell, 46, inflicted four stab wounds on Stephen Dagg, 53, when he attacked him from behind at the St Mary's Vaults pub in Stamford, Lincolnshire.
Lincoln Crown Court heard there was a history of hostility between the men.
Mitchell, who was a publican at the nearby Melbourn pub, had previously banned Mr Dagg from his premises.
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The court heard Mr Dagg was drinking in the St Mary's Vaults pub on 12 June when Mitchell burst in to the pub and was heard to say: "Where's that queer."
Witnesses then described Mitchell, a father-of-three, attacking Mr Dagg from behind and inflicting four "karate chop" type blows to his neck and shoulder area.
The publican of St Mary's Vaults confirmed all of her knives were accounted for which meant Mitchell must have brought his steak knife with him.
Mr Dagg was then chased three or four times around the pub and hid behind the bar before he managed to escape outside.
He was later admitted to hospital in Peterborough where was he treated for four stab wounds.
Mitchell, who also had a supervisory role at the St Mary's Vaults pub, later said he had no memory of the attack and simply did not know why it had happened.
Mark Watson, mitigating, admitted Mitchell had brought the weapon with him, but had no recollection of what happened.
He added: "He had and has no idea about the complainant's sexuality. It was simply generic abuse."
Mitchell, of All Saints Street, Stamford, admitted a charge of wounding Mr Dagg with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and having an offensive weapon.
A publican who repeatedly stabbed a man with a steak knife has been jailed for four years.