Benny's Chop House - Wednesday Oyster Special

David Hammond wrote:Downed a few dozen at Benny's yesterday

Followed in Mr. Hammond's well traveled footsteps, 2-dozen Pocomoco oysters from Virginia, mildly salty clean flavor with a hint of mineral, deep shell retaining briney ocean liquor. Nicely presented, halved lemon outfitted in see-through skirt, cocktail sauce with fresh horseradish and a low acid mignonette, one of the better of my acquaintance, lovely counterpoint.

Beautifully composed prosciutto, sliced on a hand crank Berkel, Reggiano Parmigiana pebbles, ripe heirloom tomatoes and syrupy balsamic universally well received by myself and table mates.

Service smooth as silk and I enjoyed the Gordon Gekko and the young girls who love them atmosphere. Surprisingly uncrowded at 5, special runs through 7pm, considering top quality .25c oysters. My one observation is the oysters could have been shucked a bit more professionally. Half still had the adductor muscle attached and there were bits of shell in four or five of my oysters.

Benny's Chop House Wednesday Oyster special, an outstanding, and inexpensive, way to spend a few hours with friends.

Enjoy,
Gary

Benny's Chop House
444 North Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312-626-2444

great place, i had calamari before eating about 2 doz of oysters.
i am looking forward to a return vist. maybe a steak

I think I owe it to myself to check this special out. Is this a bar-only thing, or is it (ahem) kosher to make a reservation and occupy a table for an hour or so?

It is only in the bar area.I really liked the oysters here. Stopped by yesterday for a cocktail and they said this promotion is helping them gets some bar action. It is worth a trip!

Since I only seem to remember this deal on Thursday here is a reminder for everyone.

I will be ther with bell's and whistles, espically since I paid $2 a pop for oysters I shucked last night at Dirk's!!

Also noticed $1 ceviche this week also. Hope to have a positive report tomorrow.

Regards,

Bourbon

G Wiv wrote:Followed in Mr. Hammond's well traveled footsteps, 2-dozen Pocomoco oysters from Virginia,

Nothing to do with Benny's but I just got an email from Bill at the Fishguy and he has the exact same oysters on special right now for 75 cents each.

Fish Guy Market
www.fishguy.com
4423 North Elston Avenue, Chicago - (773) 283-7400

...now back to your regularly scheduled program.......

Thanks for mentioning Benny's. This spot has a terrific oyster program. Went there on a lark today. Having split a lot of time between Seattle and Boston lately, I was pleased and confused to find the best early season oysters I've had this year in Chicago. Very well shucked and presented. At least six top-shelf varieties.

The Raspberry Points from PEI were nuts. Possibly the best non-Belons I've had.

Maitre D' says the same stuff is available during happy hour. So even if the shucking gets sloppier per GWiv, the value is quite mind-boggling at 25 cents each.

A very serious effort is being made here, as evidenced by the pan-fried goeduck sandwich I had. Goeduck.

I can't speak for the steak, but this is not a by the numbers conventioneer meat market. Not that I eat at steakhouses much these days, but I'd put Benny's in the lineup with Joe's, Keefer's and Primehouse as "steak" places where much of the menu isn't steak and it's no afterthought.

JeffB wrote:A very serious effort is being made here, as evidenced by the pan-fried goeduck sandwich I had. Goeduck.

As Homer would say, "Wait, back up: when are the pancakes are coming in the mail?"

I believe an explanation of a geoduck sandwich is warranted. Very curious, am I.

Sorry to report that yesterday was the last day of the 25-cent oyster promotion. It was too good to last. The weird feeling in my stomach this morning suggests that man was never supposed to get full on oysters anyway.

a few posts about the oysters which is all good.

Anyone eaten a steak from here?

I have a reservation for Saturday, trying to decide. Also looking @ Mastro's.

Couldnt get a reservation @ 1st choice Joe's, did D. Burkes last week, so looking to try someplace new that has a bar that we can watch the 1st half of the NCAA game before heading in to eat supper.

jimswside wrote:a few posts about the oysters which is all good.

Anyone eaten a steak from here?

I have a reservation for Saturday, trying to decide. Also looking @ Mastro's.

Couldnt get a reservation @ 1st choice Joe's, did D. Burkes last week, so looking to try someplace new that has a bar that we can watch the 1st half of the NCAA game before heading in to eat supper.

Having recently eaten at Mastros and Chicago Cut, I'd recommend Chicago Cut for the best steaks and Mastros for the best seafood and sides. It's a tough call, but if the quality of the steak is your criteria, Chicago Cut is the winner by a wide margin. They dry age in house whereas Mastros wet ages. The difference definitely shows up on your plate.

Chicago Cut Steakhouse
300 North Lasalle
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 329-1800

stevez wrote:Having recently eaten at Mastros and Chicago Cut, I'd recommend Chicago Cut for the best steaks and Mastros for the best seafood and sides. It's a tough call, but if the quality of the steak is your criteria, Chicago Cut is the winner by a wide margin. They dry age in house whereas Mastros wet ages. The difference definitely shows up on your plate.

steak is important, but having just eaten @ Chicago's holy grail of steaks D. Burkes last week, I can do with a really good steak vs a great one.

Some sort of surf with my turf is important(either a lobster, crab legs, & or stone crab claws as an appetizer). Sides not important.

Ill check out Chicago Cut's menu.

jimswside wrote:

stevez wrote:Having recently eaten at Mastros and Chicago Cut, I'd recommend Chicago Cut for the best steaks and Mastros for the best seafood and sides. It's a tough call, but if the quality of the steak is your criteria, Chicago Cut is the winner by a wide margin. They dry age in house whereas Mastros wet ages. The difference definitely shows up on your plate.

steak is important, but having just eaten @ Chicago's holy grail of steaks D. Burkes last week, I can do with a really good steak vs a great one.

Some sort of surf with my turf is important(either a lobster, crab legs, & or stone crab claws as an appetizer). Sides not important.

Ill check out Chicago Cut's menu.

The "surf" part of the equation is far superior at Mastros VS Chicago Cut.

Not sure if this whole thread is fair to the Benny's discussion but wanted to add that if Stevez's experience at Chicago Cut was pre-Jackie Shen, it might not be an accurate assessment since I'm guessing she will have some positive impact.

no other thread on Benny's, figured it was a good place to ask if anyone had tried one of their steaks. my apologies.

jimswside wrote:Anyone eaten a steak from here? .

The Prime ribeye I had was perfectly butchered and cooked. It was delicious, but the highlight of the plate was the "garnish" - a hot and fresh yorkshire pudding baked tall, with a hollowed out center that was filled to the brim with rich oxtail jus. Man that was good. $3 cans of good Capital brew too - I suspect Benny's would make an excellent NCAA-watching venue.

Kennyz wrote:

jimswside wrote:Anyone eaten a steak from here? .

The Prime ribeye I had was perfectly butchered and cooked. It was delicious, but the highlight of the plate was the "garnish" - a hot and fresh yorkshire pudding baked tall, with a hollowed out center that was filled to the brim with rich oxtail jus. Man that was good. $3 cans of good Capital brew too - I suspect Benny's would make an excellent NCAA-watching venue.

thanks kenny, that yorkshire pudding sounds great..

Seconded. I was pleasantly surprised to see this new place move in close to the top of my list for steakhouses, esp. based on the non-steak food.

Darn, I thought the thread was revived because the special was back on. Anybody know of a good oyster special?

Received a press release indicating that the Oyster Special is back on.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Received a press release indicating that the Oyster Special is back on.

=R=

Just called Mrs. Trpt, we'll going to check it out tonight. Will report.

Thank you, Ronnie! So glad to see this back.

Tonight I picked up Mrs. Trpt from work and we hopped on the red line to Grand and went to Benny's. Surprised it's in the old Jazz Record Mart location (before the current location and after the Grand location that's now the Ribco franchise). Went to the bar, ordered a couple drinks and a dozen of the $.25 virginia oysters. Small but tasty, as were the Ketel One gimlets. (The drinks were not nearly the swimming pool sized ones you'd get at Gibson's). I had two dozen more oysters, fresh, great flavor, good cocktail/horseradish sauce. Along with a somewhat bland tomato basil flatbread that the sea salt livened up, we had an elegant sufficiency. The waitress told us that the oyster special required a two drink minimum, but since the three drinks the Mrs. and I had between us clocked in at $14 each, she forgave us. So $16 in food, $42 in drinks, I guess it works out since usually oysters are $12-$15 a dozen in this town, and many are not as good. I'd go back.

trpt2345 wrote:Tonight I picked up Mrs. Trpt from work and we hopped on the red line to Grand and went to Benny's. Surprised it's in the old Jazz Record Mart location (before the current location and after the Grand location that's now the Ribco franchise). Went to the bar, ordered a couple drinks and a dozen of the $.25 virginia oysters. Small but tasty, as were the Ketel One gimlets. (The drinks were not nearly the swimming pool sized ones you'd get at Gibson's). I had two dozen more oysters, fresh, great flavor, good cocktail/horseradish sauce. Along with a somewhat bland tomato basil flatbread that the sea salt livened up, we had an elegant sufficiency. The waitress told us that the oyster special required a two drink minimum, but since the three drinks the Mrs. and I had between us clocked in at $14 each, she forgave us. So $16 in food, $42 in drinks, I guess it works out since usually oysters are $12-$15 a dozen in this town, and many are not as good. I'd go back.

This is the sole reason I wouldn't intentionally go back to Benny's. They charge the same amount as Gibson's for drinks and give you have as much. The food was great but not great enough (or better than some other places) to overcome that discrepancy, IMO of course.

John

We sat at the bar and had a glass of rose each and a dozen 25 cent oysters. No minimum. Wed also had the Wild Mushroom Flatbread - which was tasty, but unless there are free range button mushrooms, not wild.

Tab = $28 total. The $8/glass Rose was delicious and a steal. And the wine machine thingies ensure a steady 6 oz pour.

Benny's is very close to my office, so I've been there a few times for lunch and dinner. Burgers are good, steaks are very good, and some of the sides are great. One thing I will not ever get again at Benny's though: the lobster roll. Way too much lemon juice creates an overly acidic, watery mayo dressing that I'd say ruined the lobster - if the lobster itself had started out better. It was bland and overcooked, with bits of shell thrown in to boot. I still quite like Benny's, but with Shaw's around the corner there's no reason to order a lobster roll here.

ronnie_suburban wrote:Received a press release indicating that the Oyster Special is back on.

=R=

I just called Benny's and they stated they expect the $.25 oyster Wed to continue on & on, with no stop date.

Good news, Mrs Sweet Willie & I will soon be getting our oyster fix taken care of.

Benny's Chop House has an advertised Wednesday happy hour special.....25 cent oysters when you purchase a two drink min.
4-7pm I believe.
I was so excited to chow down on some oysters the other day at Benny's. I ordered a dozen of the Chesapeake Bay. The oysters were pretty good, $3 for the dozen. I finished the first batch along with my Belhaven Ale. When I ordered what would have been my second batch, I was informed that the .25 cent oysters had sold out....it was 5:26pm.
I was told, however, that there were other oysters available...at market price.


Any comments or reactions. Does this type of thing happen often ??

So you got your 25-cent oysters with only one drink rather than two? Not a bad deal. But "sold out" seems a lame explanation for why the 25-cent oyster deal was curtailed when clearly they had oysters available "at market price."

Bait and Switch. Really lame.