Hopped Up wrote:The downstairs is awesome. The semicircle round booths are cozy and easily seat 3 and maybe 4 if you know each other pretty well. I really liked the atmosphere down there and it wasn't too loud.

This shows how very subjective the whole notion of seating area can be--perhaps even more subjective than food itself!--since I felt the downstairs merited that term known to all restaurant-goers, Siberia.

This was especially so since the way to the downstairs involves walking through the main floor all the way to the back. So one has an opportunity to marvel at the truly wonderful decor and amazing energy happening all around one on the main floor, only to discover that where one is headed has none of that going on. My perception may also be colored by the fact that Siberia was relatively unpopulated at the early-ish (7ish) hour we were there. Perhaps when it fills up (it if fills up) the feeling is different. But the aloof and not-very-attentive service we received from our waiter reinforced the Siberian impression. He might as well have carried a subtitle around with him that said, "Oh, this is where we put the losers."

Now, all that said, I knew when I made the reservation (because the young lady told me) that we'd be sitting downstairs. I just didn't know--never having been to the restaurant before--how Siberian the downstairs would be. She made it sound kind of cool on the phone. (If I had known better, I would have asked to sit on the main floor or not at all, and I will certainly do that if I return. But the bad taste of Siberia in my mouth may make it a while before that happens.)

I must also add--switching from bad taste to its opposite--that the bone-in ribeye that I shared was one of the best steaks I've had in my life. Better, IMO, than steaks I've had at David Burke's. It hardly needs saying that this counts for a lot. And for those who care about food and food alone, it would have been enough. But those for whom a restaurant experience is about the food and more will understand my reluctance to return to Bavette's.

Had another great meal here last weekend -- just about flawless. Seafood Tower, Salads, Steaks, Sides, Drinks and service were all top of the scale. We did encounter a couple of bummers, though. While there are plenty of potato options offered (fries, mashed, twice-baked, etc.), hash browns are no longer among them. I really like their version and will miss being able to order them. The other change -- a more significant one, IMO -- is that the fried chicken is longer whole pieces but instead, boneless, skinless breaded cutlets. And they were kind of mealy, too. I wish we'd read the menu more carefully and ordered something else. But it was pretty dark and we had no reason to believe this dish had changed since the last time we'd ordered it. Oh well. I'd happily go back to Bavette's but fried chicken is no longer a viable option there.

=R=

t the fried chicken is longer whole pieces but instead, boneless, skinless breaded cutlets -- and they were kind of mealy, too. I wish we'd read the menu more carefully and ordered something else. But it was pretty dark and we had no reason to believe this dish had changed since the last time we'd ordered. Oh well. I'd happily go back to Bavette's but fried chicken is no longer a viable option there.

too bad, I'd heard theirs was one of the better in town.... I am headed to Nashville on Sunday to eat some Hot Chicken!!

rubbbqco wrote:

t the fried chicken is longer whole pieces but instead, boneless, skinless breaded cutlets -- and they were kind of mealy, too. I wish we'd read the menu more carefully and ordered something else. But it was pretty dark and we had no reason to believe this dish had changed since the last time we'd ordered. Oh well. I'd happily go back to Bavette's but fried chicken is no longer a viable option there.

too bad, I'd heard theirs was one of the better in town.... I am headed to Nashville on Sunday to eat some Hot Chicken!!

Yeah, the fried chicken at Bavette's was pretty special. Usually I enjoy it when restaurants mix up the menu, but in this particular situation I really hope Bavette's brings back the previous version. I am actually in Nashville this weekend too! Am happy to be staying just down the road from Hattie B's.

My wife and I had a thoroughly enjoyable meat at Bavette's recently. We started with a pepper duck and goat cheese terrine and the shrimp dejong. A wedge salad bridged the appetizers and steak. I would order this every time. We had the 22oz bone-in rib eye with a variety of sides: fries, creamed spinach, and wild mushrooms. Everything was excellent. I especially loved the steak, which had a nice minerality to it. We also enjoyed the roomy both in the basement lounge. (It was enough food for four and provided great leftovers for a few days.)

My best friend's birthday is coming up. He always wants steak on his birthday but hasn't been to Bavette's, so I booked a reservation months out. Has anyone been recently? Also considering Swift & Sons and Boeufhaus. Thanks!

Love Bavette's. It's our go-to special occasion restaurant (including my birthday, our engagement dinner, and our anniversary). We were there at the end of December and it was as fantastic as ever. I took the Mister to Swift & Sons for his birthday, and we both felt as if it didn't hold a candle to Bavette's. Sadly, I haven't been to Boeufhaus since it opened -- need to get back! -- so I can't speak to the food comparisons but it's a very different vibe.

LaurenL wrote:My best friend's birthday is coming up. He always wants steak on his birthday but hasn't been to Bavette's, so I booked a reservation months out. Has anyone been recently? Also considering Swift & Sons and Boeufhaus. Thanks!

Lauren-

There was some recent chatter about steak places on thread.

Thanks for pointing me to that thread - very helpful! And thank you, chgoeditor, for your thoughts on Bavette's. Sounds like we can't really go wrong with Bavette's or Boeufhaus, though the other thread has thrown David Burke's into the mix.

While I love Boeufhaus (and luckily live right around the corner from it), Bavette's is also our 'special occasion' steakhouse. I've celebrated my last 4 birthdays there and feel it fits the bill better than Boeufhaus or DB's (where I spent a previous bday or 2).

Bavette's is really an impressive operation. It's been open for more than seven years, getting a table remains incredibly difficult, and the food is still top-notch. Made my first visit in a couple years for a special occasion last night and it was even better than I remembered. The menu doesn't change much at all, but given how infrequently I go, that's perfectly fine.

Bavette's isn't breaking any new ground - I don't think there's anything on the menu that can't get at dozens of other steakhouses. But what they do, they do very, very well, with steaks about as good as anywhere I've been and several sides that are best in class. We put a solid dent in the menu and with the exception of the pork chop, which was too dry (although the delicious herb jus helped with that quite a bit), we had hit after hit. Steaks, lamb chops, crab legs, shrimp scampi, creamed spinach, and beef tartare were all top notch; the pies (chocolate cream and lemon meringue) are probably the best in Chicago outside of Hoosier Mama; and remarkably, as has been the case on each of my visits, the wedge salad was my highlight of the meal.

I don't know if concierges are taking a decent chunk of the prime reservations, if the restaurant doesn't actually make all the tables publicly available, or if there is still that much buzz about the place, but it remains a challenge to get a table at a good day and time. We needed a Saturday night. That required getting online 30 days before at 12:00 AM. 45 minutes later, there was nothing left between 6:00 and 8:00 and by 8:30 that morning a month ago, the night was sold out.

We went earlier this year and, as much as I had been looking forward to a great steak, I was drawn to the short rib stroganoff. It was a game changer and very glad I tried it; so rich and satisfying. Love the atmosphere and the service was excellent. Also a fan of sister establishment The Library (downstairs from Gilt Bar).