The Best Steak

Looking for a place to go for a really good steak tonight. Not too expensive...suggestions?

You might enjoy reading Thoughts on Value Steak.

Best,
Michael

Thanks, that was a little helpful. I tried searching, but it was difficult to find this.

If you want a decent steak at a value price, you must go to Bogart's Charhouse in Tinley Park. You will be impressed with the cut you get. Quality is good. I think they tenderize their meats a little too much but overall this is value.

17344 Oak Park Avenue
Tinley Park, IL 60477-3458
708 532 5592

I'm afraid that really good steak at a cheap price are two things that are mutually exclusive. When it comes to good steak, you get what you pay for. If it were me, I'd be going to Smith & Wollensky or David Burke's, but both are expensive.

I'd say that's generally true, though the best value in my experience is Sabatino's strip. I'd venture it's a "high" choice that's been aged a bit.

But, yeah, it's generally either a thick and juicy US hunk of meat with a big price tag or an "ethnic" steak from a place where they can do a lot with a more toothsome cut -- Argentina, France, Belgium, Mexico.

I was about to post something and I realized I basically already did. But to summarize:

Best bang of beefy satisfaction for the buck: ribeye at El Llano or some of the other South American places.

About as good as mid-priced steaks get, no Smith & David Burkesky, but right for the price: Jury's. (I'd go Monday night, when they have a special going.)

Time-warp adventure for half the price of the same kind of thing on the north side at Myron & Phil's: Petey's. (I'm sure the same descriptor would fit Krapil's, Jack Gibbin's Garden, etc., but I haven't been to them.)

El Llano
3941 N. Lincoln Ave.
773-327-1659

El Llano
7018 N. Clark St.
773-338-0531

Jury's
4337 N. Lincoln Ave.
(773) 935-2255

Petey's Bungalow Lounge
4401 W 95th St
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
708.424.8210

JeffB wrote:I'd say that's generally true, though the best value in my experience is Sabatino's strip. I'd venture it's a "high" choice that's been aged a bit.

I'll concur with that evaluation of Sabatino's strip steak ($22), and add that their veal chop is a pretty close contender at $27. And that price includes bread, soup, and salad.

Mike G wrote:About as good as mid-priced steaks get, no Smith & David Burkesky, but right for the price: Jury's. (I'd go Monday night, when they have a special going.)

Gee, that would really suck if it were the truth.

Having had a Jury's "Choice Aged" steak just a few weeks ago, I can tell you that it was nullae magnae quassationes, i.e., as bland as all get out; "please pass the A.1.;" etc.

E.M.

So who do you think's better these days? This is a category that has lost a lot of old-timey spots in the last few years, though I admit when I go to new-timey spots, straight-up steak tends to be one of the last things I order, so there could be good mid-priced steaks at places that don't scream "steak place."

Personally, unless they screwed up the traditional Jury's char, I can't imagine it needing much of anything else-- finis coronat opus.

Mike G wrote:So who do you think's better these days? This is a category that has lost a lot of old-timey spots in the last few years, though I admit when I go to new-timey spots, straight-up steak tends to be one of the last things I order.

Personally, unless they screwed up the traditional Jury's char, I can't imagine it needing much of anything else-- finis coronat opus.

Funny, Jury's just screwed up my Patty Melt order on Wednesday night. I mean, who the hell wants slivers of raw red onion on their Melt? Perhaps that is why I had otherwise never been to Jury's on el cheapo night.

Anyway, I will be the first to admit that, after the wonderful dry-aged steaks at places like David Burke and Smith & Wollensky, precious few steaks have the ability to please me. I don't have alot of familiarity with the Mexican and Latin-style steaks around town, but that might be the way for me to go. I mean, they are usu. seasoned quite liberally, right? As cheap as the beef might be at the Mexican and Latin-style joints, nothing is more offensive to me these days than a pricy wet-aged Chicago steakhouse-style steak. Yeah, Rosebud, I'm talking to you...

Regards,
E.M.

Steak and sushi...so many times you will get what you pay for.

Spend a few extra bucks, go to Primehouse.

jesteinf wrote:Steak and sushi...so many times you will get what you pay for.

Spend a few extra bucks, go to Primehouse.

Hey, you get no arguement from me. I am most assuredly not a bargain shopper. The only reason that I ordered a steak at Jury's a few weeks ago was because I wasn't in the mood for a burger but I still craved beef. I learned my lesson.

And, speaking of sushi, as you will see very shortly, after my most recent sushi experience in Los Angeles, it will be very difficult for me to satisfy any future cravings in this town.

E.M.

Hey everyone, I said "not too expansive" ... I did not mean cheap. But good suggesitons, we ended up going for Indian at a bad place on Devon...
I appreciate your suggestions. We usually go to Ruth Chris and the petit filet is consistantly good. I think next time we will have to try Sabatinos or Smith and Wolensky. Thanks everybody!

I just got back from having a watery beer at Harrisons in Orland Park and I noticed that they supposedly serve prime, dry aged beef. Can anyone tell me that they've had their steak before and how was it? I did not eat there but I noticed their prime, dry aged 32 oz porterhouse was only $27.99. Just doesn't seem possible!

EvilUs wrote:I just got back from having a watery beer at Harrisons in Orland Park and I noticed that they supposedly serve prime, dry aged beef. Can anyone tell me that they've had their steak before and how was it? I did not eat there but I noticed their prime, dry aged 32 oz porterhouse was only $27.99. Just doesn't seem possible!

Wholesale price per pound for prime porterhouse is $18.95 to $21.80 per pound. Dry aged is more with Allen Bros. coming in at $21.95 per pound or $1.37 per oz.

So cost on a 32 oz. prime dry aged porterhouse steak would be $43.84. That's minus the baked potato and whatever ++...unless they are a la carte.

Smith and Wollensky's 26 oz. prime dry aged porterhouse is $44.00

David Burke's Primehouse sells their 39 oz porterhouse for $77.00

???