Best is hard to nail down, but in 25+ years of dining in Chicago, my singularly worst treatment in terms of service was at the hands of the owner's wife at Chicago Chop House. I would never, ever return there unless the food and drink was free, and then only to even the score.

I enjoy eating at Gibson's in Rosemont except for one thing - they feel the need to shoehorn as many people as they can in the restaurant. If it's a busy night, it's absolutely ridiculous. I'm a big guy, and I have to shake my hips more than Shakira in order to get in and out of the joint. Love the food, though.

Right on Angry Sarah....had a filet at the bar recently at Gibsons....less than mediocre....but that scene you describe is absolutely hilarious....what a show it is (as long as you keep your distance!)

Just thought to post a summation of our search.

After much discussion of exactly what consistututed a great Chicago steakhouse, the wife and I determined the following criteria:

It must be a place that focuses on steak. If it has "Steak" or "Steakhouse" in the name, that's a promising start.
It must be a Chicago restaurant
It must not be a chain restaurant.

So we narrowed our rather voluminous list to a couple of well-qualified selections, and then stressed for several days whether we made the correct choice:

Keefer's came well recommended by many places on this board, as well as a few other sources we polled. No one ever faulted the quality of the meat, just whether it was truly a Chicago steakhouse. It's in Chicago, there are no other Keefer's, and it primarily serves steak.

Erie Cafe likewise received large volumes of positive review, and most certainly falls into the category of Chicago steakhouse, as it is actually an offshoot of the venerable Gene & Georgetti's, a once pround champion of Chicago steakhouses, but which was panned almost universally as a place where you have to know the owners to get even decent service. Erie Cafe, however, has had no drop off in service, and has had some phenomenal reviews of it steaks and the service.

Tavern On Rush had a couple of positive reviews, and no negatives, and otherwise fits the criteria we chose, so it's on this list, but would likely fall behind someother places, if for instance the moratorium on chain restaurants or must be a steakhouse was lifted.

So we eventually choose Keefer's, based on a good friend's rather insistent demand that we call his friend Glen at Keefer's and we would have a great time. Glen turns out to be Glen Keefer, so from this point any scientific exploration of the subject is moot, as we are now receiving the friend of the owner service, not the "just made a reservation on Thursday for dinner on Friday" type of service. In the interest of full disclosure, neither Glen nor his brother Richard were present, or if they were, there presence was never made known to us.

Drinks at the bar were comped. Sweet. It's good to know people, I guess

Bar has a couple of TVs running the NCAA conference tournament games, which is cool, so we can keep up with who's beating who, and talk some smack with the Big-10 fans at the bar. SEC rules, baby... the Vols rule all. Always fun.

Interior is styled in what I like to think of as contemporary la-la... very modern and clean lined, with a large curved bar area. My wife is in hospitality design, and she loved the style, but thinks it a little sterile for a steakhouse (or even a bistro). I am not inclined to care much about style, my concerns in terms of restaurant design have more to do with acoustical attenuation and lighting. If it's too loud or too bright/dark, then I will comment. The noise level was very respectable for a bar area on a Friday night. Good acoustic dampening design in a otherwise irrelevant dropped ceiling. Lighting was perfect. Each booth seemed like a private room, until the next table laughed loudly, or an early St. Paddy's reveler staggered too close...

Our server was punctual, and efficient. Conversant with the entire menu, but not one to stand and chat at the table for 10 minutes. Perfect. I respect and require your expertise, but I am here with a date, and their company is obviously preferable to most everyone else, or someone else would be in the wife's place... She talked a lot about the seafood and fish menu options, as well as the seafood specials for the evening. When we asked why a steak place was pushing all the seafood ("How old is this fish?"), she replied that it was a Friday during Lent. Duh. Now appropriate guilt-ridden (I am a recovering Catholic, it doesn't take a lot to get guilt-ridden) we talked about our selections.

Keefer's is bistro-style eats, which almost would have disqualified it, but the focus is obviously on the beef, with a selection of great cuts to choose from. We had a couple of appetizers: grilled calimari and the shrimp gumbo. The calimari was near perfectly cooked: done, but not over done to the point of chewiness, just enough texture to prove that they had cooked it through. The gumbo was delicious, and not overly spicy, which is a common complaint I have about gumbo made by people who are not from the south. Most gumbo made at a lot of restaurants is spiced with either too much black pepper or too much Tabasco. Neither one is particularly Cajun, but everyone thinks Cajun means tear the stomach walls and burn the colon. Keefer's was near perfect: seasoned well, but not burning up with spicy heat.

The steaks (she: small filet mignon/ me: porterhouse) came out perfectly to temperature (medium rare for both) and were not overly seasoned, just salt and pepper and Maitre'D butter. The cuts were perfect, and the portions were appropriately excessive for a dinner of that price. These were both fine examples of what a steak should be: tender and juicy, but with enough bite to keep them from running around in a pool on the plate. I have had only two steaks that rivaled these: one was a ribeye from Ruth's Chris', that was perfectly medium rare, and the butter had not browned on the plate, so it didn't stink like burnt butter, the other was a ribeye I slowly cooked over dried pine and oak somewhere in the foothills of the Smoky mountains that I had packed in my backpack. There is no better tenderizer than salt, pepper, red wine and 6 hours of endless agitation as you climb miles into the moutains. Or maybe I was just starving...

The sides: Al a carte sides, and with soup and app, were not interested in a bunch of sides: We split the Hogan's peas, and the potato croquettes. The peas were delicious, but I found the leak cream used in the peas too rich, especially considering it was a side for a steak. I would have appreciated something more zingy, less creamy. The potato croquettes were somewhat baffling. Softer than a tater tot, and more delicately seasoned, but eerily similar to the fast food staple in most respects. Also served with a completely unnecessary splodge of melted asiago cheese in the bottom of the dish. Way too creamy and rich for a steakhouse side. Needed more onion/garlic, less creamy. I don't understand why restaurants don't approach side dishes like wine and food pairing... If the main course is rich and fatty, give something zippy and acidic as counterpoint, not more richness and fat.

We chose a 2001 Angludet from the Margaux appelation from the wine list, and as always, I was blown away by the quality of wines from this vintage. While most of the "professional" critics downplayed the vintage, it was classic Bordeaux, and these wines are just coming to maturity. Crisp acidity, with a little more earthy depth than most Cabernet-based wines, and silky tannins on the finish. A beautiful counterpoint to the richness and unctuousness of the fare. Held up perfectly to the load of beef on our plates, and came out smiling.

All in all, it was one of the most enjoyable evenings of my life, as everything was near perfect. Timing was great, free drinks always good, service was A+, all food was well done, with one caveat being the sides (and that's a personal thing, I know), and I was not immediately floored by the check. It was about what I expected for a dinner of that quality. Overall, one of the best steaks I have ever had.

Erie Cafe will be next, but don't know when I might be in the mood for another steak out at a restaurant, as I pulled the Weber out of the garage last night... In general I prefer to cook my own

30 Great Places to get a Steak

1. Gene and Georgetti
2. Gibson's
3. Keefer's
4. Tavern on Rush
5. The Saloon in the Seneca Hotel
6. Joes Seafood
7. Morton's (the original Newbury Plaza location)
8. Uncommon Ground
9. Rosebud Steakhouse
10. Erie Cafe
11. Old Town Brasserie
12. Joe's on Grand
13. Chicago Chop House
14. David Burke's Primehouse
15. Ditka's
16. Capital Grille
17. Tango Sur
18. Stetson's
19. Harry Caray's
20. Carmichael's
21. Weber Grill
22. Myron & Phil
23. Ronny's Original Chicago Steak House
24. Blackbird
25. Ray Radigan's
26. Tom's Steak House
27. Mon Ami Gabi
28. Jack Binion's Steak House at the Horseshoe Casino
29. Smith & Wollensky
30. Sabatino's

It is my birthday on Friday and this is the best way for me to make a choice. Looks like Gene and Georgetti's is calling to me.

Happy birthday.

I wouldn't exactly call Ronny's a "great place to get a steak" even if I did mention it.

Two great places that haven't been mentioned in this thread, probably because they don't exactly fit the OP's criteria: Smith & Wollensky and Sabatino's.

Smith & Wollensky isn't a Chicago steakhouse, and I always want to take points off for that, but they serve very good steaks, including dry-aged cuts; they have a great wine list; they have the terrific "lobster cocktail" that's actually a whole lobster; they have delightful coconut cake; and they have wonderful river views. Not only that, but the grill is open till 1:30 a.m.

Sabatino's isn't a steakhouse, but they nevertheless serve quite good steaks at very good prices in a uniquely Chicago atmosphere.

Smith & Wollensky
312/670-9900
http://www.smithandwollensky.com
Marina City, 318 N. State St., Chicago

Sabatino's Restaurant
773/283-8331
http://www.sabatinoschicago.com
4441 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago

[quote="Panther in the Den"]30 Great Places to get a Steak

1. Gene and Georgetti
2. Gibson's
3. Keefer's
4. Tavern on Rush
5. The Saloon in the Seneca Hotel
6. Joes Seafood
7. Morton's (the original Newbury Plaza location)
8. Uncommon Ground
9. Rosebud Steakhouse
10. Erie Cafe
11. Old Town Brasserie
12. Joe's on Grand
13. Chicago Chop House
14. David Burke's Primehouse
15. Ditka's
16. Capital Grille
17. Tango Sur
18. Stetson's
19. Harry Caray's
20. Carmichael's
21. Weber Grill
22. Myron & Phil
23. Ronny's Original Chicago Steak House
24. Blackbird
25. Ray Radigan's
26. Tom's Steak House
27. Mon Ami Gabi
28. Jack Binion's Steak House at the Horseshoe Casino
29. Smith & Wollensky
30. Sabatino's

quote]
I want to bump this thread to ask about favorite steak places either in the north burbs or on the north side of the city. Sweet Baboo's birthday is coming up and he says he wants steak, but a recent gig involving a lot of city driving and parking has soured him on going downtown for his birthday. Of the downtown options, Erie Cafe looks like the option closest to the highway. Is there anything farther north that deserves a recommendation?

Myron & Phil is in Lincolnwood. I'll add - http://www.thecityparkgrill.com/cpg/default.htm to the list.

Also add Fleming's, about which there is a thread here.

Interesting choice of words in the subject heading. Not "what's the place that has your favorite steak," but "what's your favorite place for a steak." Two very different things, potentially. Your wording recognizes, properly I think, that a steakhouse is about much more than just the steak. The steak has to be great, of course, but what makes a steakhouse a "favorite place for steak" has to do with vibe as well. If you had asked "what's the place that has your favorite steak," I would have to say David Burke's, for the 75-day aged ribeye. It's extraordinary. But Burke's is not my "favorite place for a steak." It doesn't have the vibe I go to a steakhouse for. I have more fun when I go to Gibson's, and I'm looking forward to giving Fleming's a second visit. The meat is plenty good at both places. Since the overall fun of a night out is the bottom line for me (with the quality of food certainly being a key constituent of that fun, but not the only one), I'm gonna say my favorite place for a steak is Gibson's.

Two questions: is the Gibson's in Rosemont equal to the Gibsons on Rush? And if so, where exactly IS the Gibson's in Rosemont? From the map I have it looks like it could be in the Doubletree or the Embassy Suites.

Okay, a third question - Morton's is right there too. Is Gibson's a better choice?

Katie wrote:Two questions: is the Gibson's in Rosemont equal to the Gibsons on Rush? And if so, where exactly IS the Gibson's in Rosemont? From the map I have it looks like it could be in the Doubletree or the Embassy Suites.

Okay, a third question - Morton's is right there too. Is Gibson's a better choice?

Question one - I prefer the one in Rosemont because it's easier for me to get to and they have free valet parking (a BIG plus). It's been awhile since I've been to the one on Rush, so someone else can answer this better than I.

Question two - It's in the DoubleTree.

Can't answer question three.

I'd probably opt for Myron & Phil's for the old-school atmosphere (and free valet parking), but if you'd like to listen to live jazz, Pete Miller's does a decent, if not spectacular, job with steaks.

Myron & Phil's
3900 W. Devon Ave.
Lincolnwood
(847) 677-6663

Pete Miller's Steakhouse
1557 Sherman Ave.
Evanston
(847) 328-0399

I do really appreciate Panther's posting the list of top Chicago steakhouses, but Sweet Baboo's aversion of late to driving home from the city, changing clothes, and driving back into the city is a real dealbreaker just now.

I was two digits into phoning Gibson's in Rosemont for a reservation when I had second thoughts and decided to change my plan to The Tavern in Libertyville. It happens to be the closest option, other than Pete Miller's, though that is not why I picked it. Proximity to a French Silk pie for dessert from Baker's Square was however a factor.

We've never been to the Tavern before. But this looks like a good sign: on the website, there's a dinner menu, and a separate steak menu, on the latter of which options are presented in three categories: Wagyu, Prime, and Choice. (Also, unlike Morton's and some other places, they actually post their menu prices online, I like that.) I'll report back. No one tell Sweet Baboo, okay?

I have a question about Morton's Newbury Plaza location specifically. This place has memories for us going back to the eighties. And we're considering going back there with my sister when she's in town next week because of this. But the last time I was at this Morton's was sometime in the late nineties or very early aughts, and on that visit the place itself (not the food, but the place) seemed a little "shopworn," for lack of a better word. Have people been there more recently, and does the place project a nice vibe of vitality these days?

Has anybody been to (or know anyone who's been to, or know anything about) 33 Club, the new Kleiner-owned steakhouse on Wells Street in Old Town?

riddlemay wrote:Has anybody been to (or know anyone who's been to, or know anything about) 33 Club, the new Kleiner-owned steakhouse on Wells Street in Old Town?

FWIW - there's a review in Metromix.

When it's on, nothing beats David Burkes.

However, I was surprised at the routinely fantastic ribeyes I've had at Fleming's downtown. I have been there several times and each time was a homerun with the ribeye.

They have two sides that are addictive and must be laced with crack. That is the only explanation for why i crave them so much. One is the Chipotle Mac n Cheese. The other is Fleming's Potatoes, which are sliced potatoes with cream, cheddar cheese and jalapenos.

I must also add that they leftovers are fantastic, and I've woken up in the middle of the night to gnaw on the remaining ribeye and sides.

I am somewhat new to the Chicago area and was wondering if anybody had the scoop on what the best traditional steakhouses in Chicago are? I have been to Gibsons as well as Chicago Cut and thought both were good, but thought I would reach out to the board and see what I was missing.

Me thinks Golden Steer in Forest Park fits the bill!
Prime Rib on Fri and Sat. Good cuts on the menu. Soup (baked french onion or du jour) and salad(great garlic dressing) with dinner, loaded baked potatoes, hash browns, cottage fries (very good).
All at a reasonable price. Oh, a full bar too!

I personally think Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab has one of the best steaks in the city. Not terribly cheap, however. Also had one of the best dishes I've had there: a classic beef wellington.

Not too long ago I had a delicious bone-in-ribeye from Chicago Cut. I have to say I was a bit surprised and it was one of the best steaks I've had in this city. Huge, perfectly cooked and ridiculously juicy. Although my salad, a lobster and mango salad and sauteed spinach were not as good. WAY too oily. Coulda been the chef had a heavy hand with the oil that day. But the steak was top notch. The other side I had, scalloped potatoes, was also pretty tasty.

Just thought I'd bump this. I'd like to take my husband for a good steak for his birthday. Not my cup of tea so maybe some place that has good fish, etc. for me also. Anything new or should I just go to Gibson's? We'll be in the city for a play but if there's somewhere between Chicago and Naperville, that's okay too.

Petterino's is pretty good for your requirements, mainly because of its location close to the theater district.
If you want something a little more special, the Florentine might be a decent option.

So many steaks, so little money! As much as I am a meat and potatoes guy as anyone, I have a lot of steak joints to hit to catch up with the scene. It's been a rough last 5 years financially for me, so going out for the nice steak is a rare treat. And when I do it's almost always Lettuce Entertain You influenced (because we get gift cards from people and like to collect points). My girlfriend now works at 300 N La Salle which is also the home to Chicago Cut Steakhouse which has gotten some good reviews. I have a feeling I may have it if I end up near her work sometime or if we want to celebrate. I grew up with the Myron & Phil's crowd, that was THE place we'd go for any special dinner and I always got prime rib back then.

That being said, the last time I made such an announcement, Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab was my favorite place for a steak. I will also say that my latest visits to Morton's and Gibson's had them all but drop off my go-to steak list. And my guilty pleasure steakhouse that I go at least once a month is the Texas Roadhouse in Kenosha! Always packed, always great service, low prices, and the food can be really good (if you're not a snob). So technically, that's my favorite place that I go to regularly.

I much prefer a place serving dry aged beef to one serving wet aged beef, and so I'd choose David Burke's Primehouse over Gibson's every time (no knock against the quality of the food Gibson's is serving really).

But I also think Burke's has a lot to please the non-meat eater, including those fantastic complimentary popovers that start the meal and the house-made ice creams. You may want to check out their menu and see if it interests you, but keep in mind they usually have daily specials too.

I'll second Burke's!
You don't have to have the 55 day or whatever dry aged rib but any rib steak is great and sure to please.

As to Texas Roadhouse, I live in Kenosha County and I don't know anyone that goes there, in fact I didn't know there even was a place named Texas Roadhouse. I guess I'm a snob.
The website mentions hand cut steaks but usually these places serve portion controlled, mechanically tenderized beef. I'd be interested if anyone knows how they prep their steaks?-Dick

The Saloon is my favorite steakhouse of all time. Classic, comfortable. Focused wine list, great apps/sides/salads, but the steaks are out of this world good. I have never had a Ribeye so delicious as the one they cook at the Saloon. Mortons comes close, but it's the Saloon I dream about.

budrichard wrote:As to Texas Roadhouse, I live in Kenosha County and I don't know anyone that goes there, in fact I didn't know there even was a place named Texas Roadhouse. I guess I'm a snob.
The website mentions hand cut steaks but usually these places serve portion controlled, mechanically tenderized beef. I'd be interested if anyone knows how they prep their steaks?-Dick

They do cut their steaks in house as well as bake their own bread (and they claim that almost everything is made in house there), they even have a butcher case if you want to pick one that you like. As I said, I love a high end steak anytime, but my reality has me in Texas Roadhouse more than a place like David Burke's, and I feel they do a great job compared to their competition (other chains like Logan's Roadhouse, Lonestar, Outback, Longhorn, etc). If you are open to what you might expect when you go there, maybe you'll be in for a pleasant surprise. Maybe not.

Ghazi wrote:When it's on, nothing beats David Burkes.

However, I was surprised at the routinely fantastic ribeyes I've had at Fleming's downtown. I have been there several times and each time was a homerun with the ribeye.

They have two sides that are addictive and must be laced with crack. That is the only explanation for why i crave them so much. One is the Chipotle Mac n Cheese. The other is Fleming's Potatoes, which are sliced potatoes with cream, cheddar cheese and jalapenos.

I must also add that they leftovers are fantastic, and I've woken up in the middle of the night to gnaw on the remaining ribeye and sides.

We dined at Fleming's for the first time on Saturday and we came away very impressed.

First, the food was very, very good - equal to any steakhouse in Chicago not named David Burke's Primehouse. We started with salads - my wife had a kind of updated Caesar and I had the iceberg wedge. While I didn't sample my wife's salad (she was pleased), my wedge was very good with a strip of crisp bacon on top. The real stars were, of coure, the steaks. My wife raved about her filet mignon with king crab on top, while my bone-in ribeye (with lobster tail) was one of the best I've eaten in a very long time. We both like the turtle pie for dessert - gooey caramel and pecan goodness.

Second, the service was professional, engaging and prompt. We spoke with the manager for a good ten minutes about our experience at Flemings and at other local steakhouses. They were also very good with the small touches, e.g. having our car waiting for us when we departed.

We only decided to go to Fleming's after reading Chicago Magazine's list of the top 20 steakhouses in Chicago (Fleming's was tenth, ahead of such better-known/highter profile venues as Chicago Cut, Gibson's and Mastro's, to say nothing of restaurants that failed to make the list at all such as Joe's Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab, Smith & Wollensky's, Del Frisco's and III Forks). We are glad we decided to dine at this low-key restaurant.

Funny, this Outback Group chain also seems to get the popular nod in Tampa (home of the restaurant corporation and longtime incubator of its "concepts") over local independent legends Bern's and Charley's. I don't see it, there or here, but the place ain't bad, either.