Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

I'm going to be downtown Chicago this coming weekend, and I'm looking to eat the kinda meal I simply can't get down in Indianapolis.

I'm looking for a great steakhouse in the downtown area. Money is no object and we'll be very nicely dressed already so pretty much anywhere is in play.

For reference, one of my favorite restaurants in Vegas is Delmonico. I like top quality beef, great sauces and a good red wine by the glass.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

keefers aint bad, my personal fav is the chop house

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

For food and atmosphere, go to Gibson's. There are a lot of great steakhouses downtown though: Chop House, Morton's, Smith & Wollensky, Gene & Georgetti's, Ruth's Chris, Keefer's, Capital Grille, Joe's Steak and Stone Crab, Shula's, Sullivan's, Ditka's -- you can't go wrong with any of these.

Gibson's is the quintessential Chicago steakhouse though.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

ugh not a fan of chop house at all..but the rest mentioned are all pretty good

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

If you don't visit Gibson's then Rosebud on Rush is your second choice. By far the best steaks for miles and miles......... LINKY

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

Put me down for Smith & Wollensky. Great beef, awesome seafood appetizer, creamed spinach is SOLID. Can't comment on the red wine as I'm allergic, but they make a smooth dirty martini.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

If it's a clear night, try the Signature Room -- 98th Floor of the Hancock Building -- ask or a window table and you'll get an amazing view of Chicago lit up at night. The steak is just good but the view is great. If you don't eat, at least have a drink at the bar.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

DON'T BE A GOOGLETARD! YOU CAN GOOGLE THIS LDO

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm going to be downtown Chicago this coming weekend, and I'm looking to eat the kinda meal I simply can't get down in Indianapolis.


[/ QUOTE ]

St. Elmo isn't good enough for you?

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'm going to be downtown Chicago this coming weekend, and I'm looking to eat the kinda meal I simply can't get down in Indianapolis.


[/ QUOTE ]

St. Elmo isn't good enough for you?

[/ QUOTE ]

We do have some good steakhouses here. St. Elmo, Morton's, Ruth Chris, Eddie Merlot's, Sullivan's. IMO Sullivan's is by far the best of that bunch.

But I've had a different class of food in places like Vegas and New York, so I kinda figured similar fare could be had in Chicago.

Obv I'm gonna have to make time for some pizza or an italian beef too - this is the kinda food Chicago does best.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
ugh not a fan of chop house at all..but the rest mentioned are all pretty good

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a great meal at the Chop House the one time I went, I've never been to Gibsons or any of the other famous local places though.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

Chicago Chop House. End of story.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ugh not a fan of chop house at all..but the rest mentioned are all pretty good

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a great meal at the Chop House the one time I went, I've never been to Gibsons or any of the other famous local places though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

Smith and Wollensky is nice, will have a great view this wknd. Havent been to tothers.

D

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

Morton's is the best.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Morton's is a freakin chain

[/ QUOTE ]

you can go anywhere. go someplace more unique.

if you want a great chicago steakhouse experience, go to:

chop house
gibsons

mortons is a really great time, and very good steak, but blah.

don't do lawry's, it's gone far downhill.

you could also hit N9NE.

you can do a variety of fru fru places that all have excellent food (steaks obv included) like custom house or cafe spiaggia), or lower cost and tauted as having some of the best steaks (like custom house, keefers). or whatever.

if you're coming in to chicago to do a steak dinner and stuff, i'd do chop house, get some good appetizers, and either some good beer or good wine, depending on the mood. chop house is way less chique than say, even mortons, and way more casual.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

Do yourself a favor and go for the brazilian steakhouse option. Fogo de chao. Dinner is like 60-65 after tax and tip and there is so much variety of meats to choose from.A big salad bar with lots of different selection. Also their salad bar has meat!

They bring 3 continous, free, appetizers to the table carmalized bananas, garlic mashed potatoes, and fried polenta which is taste lke a super french fry. Also their bread is... I dunno what to say iits like butter disguised as bread or something to say its good is an understatement. Their service is so far and beyond any restaurant I have ever been to, and I spent 2 years in college going to at least 1 new restaurant in chicago a week with friends.

If you do decide to go try their limeade its 3 dollars and free refills and its damn good. If you get dessert get either the tres leches cake or the passion fruit sorbet.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

haha tvent your post makes me want to fly to chicago right now, mmmm sounds amazing

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
haha tvent your post makes me want to fly to chicago right now, mmmm sounds amazing

[/ QUOTE ]

fogo is a chain, they are in a lot of major cities, and if not, churrascaria (brazillian bbq) is the "new" hot thing, and there if there isnt already at least one restuarant like it in your town there will be soon.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
haha tvent your post makes me want to fly to chicago right now, mmmm sounds amazing

[/ QUOTE ]

ps- he really didnt describe the best part about it, the meat, basically its just a couple varities of meat, on a skewer, roasted on a rotissiere over an open flame, and they take the meat from table to table and carve off the meat, it really is good, but if you are looking for a "steak dinner" type event, you might be disappointed, as I like my steak places to just serve be up a 2lb T-bone, some bread to soak up the blood, and a lot of liquor and cigarettes, while being surrounded by cherry wood paneling.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
haha tvent your post makes me want to fly to chicago right now, mmmm sounds amazing

[/ QUOTE ]

fogo is a chain, they are in a lot of major cities, and if not, churrascaria (brazillian bbq) is the "new" hot thing, and there if there isnt already at least one restuarant like it in your town there will be soon.

[/ QUOTE ]

And they will all be quantity over quality. Great fun for gorging but laughable as the best steakhouse in Chicago.

The suggestion of national, big name chains is equally terrible advice. I understand Chicago to be a top 10 city in the US for dining. While Morton's may impress those who's best option at home is Outback, it relatively sucks in a major food city.

J

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

jaydub,

mortons is a hell of a steakhouse. saying it sucks compared to other steakhouses in major food cities is just wrong and silly.

quids,

i guess you lke selectcut then? (i'm personally sort of so depressed by the stuff on their menu that isn't steak, like the sides, that i can't deal.) steak, plate, done.

yeti,

there's 9 fogo's now, with a 10th opening soon. i'm pretty sure there's another brazillian steak place within 3 blocks of fogo in chicago, and another opening soon. sort of sick. fogo is really kinda cool (chicagoans, they have a "cheap" lunch option which is the nuts), but no, it's not the best steak around. i don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but they have an unbelievable salad bar that comes with the meal.

the first time i went to brazillian steak, the waiter gave us the directions. the directions was a square placard with a cartoon cow on both sides. on the one side was a green background with a cow licking its lips and holding knife and fork happily. on the other was a bloated cow holding it's stomach and its tongue sticking out. he goes "meat, no meat" while showing us the card, and then leaves. awesome.

all,

in chicago, another good option if you're looking for non-american steak is Tango Sur, on the northside. an argentinian steak place, it's byo, trendy, and takes no reservations. this means that the lines can get pretty oppressive if the weather is nice, or it's a weekend, but it's really quite nice.

i've as yet been unable to make it out to trumonto's new place in the suburbs, of which i've heard mixed reviews.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

What about best 'cuisine' places in Chi-Town?

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

When I'm in chitown, I go to Gibsons.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
yeti,

there's 9 fogo's now, with a 10th opening soon. i'm pretty sure there's another brazillian steak place within 3 blocks of fogo in chicago, and another opening soon. sort of sick.

[/ QUOTE ]

Brazzaz. It's on N. Dearborn I think. I've been to there and Fogo, I like Fogo better but it's pretty close.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
haha tvent your post makes me want to fly to chicago right now, mmmm sounds amazing

[/ QUOTE ]

ps- he really didnt describe the best part about it, the meat, basically its just a couple varities of meat, on a skewer, roasted on a rotissiere over an open flame, and they take the meat from table to table and carve off the meat, it really is good, but if you are looking for a "steak dinner" type event, you might be disappointed, as I like my steak places to just serve be up a 2lb T-bone, some bread to soak up the blood, and a lot of liquor and cigarettes, while being surrounded by cherry wood paneling.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeti knows all about it, we went to a place last time he was in boston.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

by the way, let's go to chicagoooooooooooooo

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
What about best 'cuisine' places in Chi-Town?


[/ QUOTE ]

i went to sushi samba tonight and it was better than nobu.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
What about best 'cuisine' places in Chi-Town?

[/ QUOTE ]

Charlie Trotter's.

They suggest reservations 10-12 weeks in advance.

I have not been [sad emoticon]

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What about best 'cuisine' places in Chi-Town?

[/ QUOTE ]

Charlie Trotter's.

They suggest reservations 10-12 weeks in advance.

I have not been [sad emoticon]

[/ QUOTE ]


you can add Tru to that too, it's probably a toss up between the two and a matter of personal preference

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

If you go to Smith & Wollensky's, make sure to get the mac 'n' cheese appetizer. Sounds stupid, I know, but it's mind-blowing.

Re: Best Steakhouse Downtown Chicago?
 

I see I am a bit late for this thread, but 3 of us hit up Mortson's on Friday. I liked the food just a bit better than Gibsons, but the atmosphere is just not as hype.

We tried to get reservations for Gibsons at 6:30. The quickest they could seat us was 10:30. Mortson's it is!

As for Fogo de chao, it is good, but it is not a steak house. I wouldnt go there for a great cut of meat.