The 15 Best Steakhouses in Chicago
In a city like Chicago, you can find all walks of life when it comes to food, from food trucks and little hole in the wall spots to incredible fine dining. There are plenty of steakhouses in Chicago and while they are all similar at their core, each of these restaurants are different variations of the classic steakhouse you know and love. We’ve put together a list of 15 steakhouses for you to try from Brazilian and Asian inspired, to the classic steakhouse located right on the Chicago river.
1. Artango Bar & Steakhouse
4767 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
First up on our list, Artango Bar & Steakhouse is an absolute top choice. This Lincoln Square gem offers high-end fare with an Argentinian flair that you won’t soon forget. Mouth-watering, grass-fed beef is a universal, top choice on this restaurant’s menu, and we enthusiastically recommend their ojo de bife (heart of rib eye) served with house-made chimichurri or oyster-malbec sauce. The feel and theme of Artango are also memorable, embracing all of the classy pizazz of 1920s Buenos Aires.
2. Maple & Ash Steakhouse
8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL, 60610
On the southern side of the city’s Gold Coast area lies another great steakhouse: Maple & Ash. Maple & Ash is renowned for its high-end fare. In particular, you will be pleased with the fine selection of wine, caviar, fire-roasted seafood towers, and succulent, dry-aged steaks offered here. This one sits on the second floor, just above the Eight Bar and Patio, and its very happening dining area will let you know that you’re in the right spot. For an interesting twist, or if you’re just not quite sure what to order, the kitchen will gladly prepare their own dinner arrangement selection just for you.
3. Tango Sur
3763 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL, 60613
Tango Sur is located on the west side of the city’s Wrigleyville area and is another, top-notch steakhouse to visit. This is another Argentinean option in our steakhouse lineup, and it will leave you undeniably satisfied. While not the most expensive option on our list, the filet mignon is a city-wide best-seller, and the rest of the cuisine here is also absolutely mouth-watering. Enjoy this spot’s BYOB policy, and don’t forget to try some of the delicious sweetbreads and short ribs along the way.
4. Fogo de Chão
661 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL, 60654
For an unforgettable Brazillian take on the modern steakhouse experience, Fogo de Chão is an absolute must and was essential on our Best Steakhouses in Chicago list. Here, you’ll enjoy endless treats, as the wait staff, dressed in traditional gauchos, move about the dining area offering an endless supply of succulent, fire-roasted meat spits to everyone present. For more, awesome meats, we highly recommend the restaurant’s bacon-wrapped filet or the lamb chops. For equally delicious, non-meat fare, try the truly bountiful salad bar on site.
5. Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse
1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL, 60611
For more than 25 years, Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse has been a jewel of the Chicago steakhouse and restaurant scene, and it’s also one of the city’s most well-known. One of the reasons this restaurant is so well-known, aside from its upstanding level of quality, is its impressive cut sizes. 48-ounce porterhouses and 32-ounce tomahawk chops are a daily thing, and you’ll probably not be able to get enough of their high-end, grass-fed Australian beef.
6. Chicago Chop House
60 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL, 60654
Chicago Chop House offers some exquisite cuisine with a classy ode to the area’s history as well. Housed in a recently-renovated Victorian brownstone building that’s over 120 years old, they really embrace the history here. Aside from lots of stories and old pictures and art to view, the food is simply remarkable. Wet-aged and dry-aged premier Angus, delicious Wagyu steak, and Japanese beef that is unlike any other you’ve tried all await the hungry diner at the Chicago Chop House.
7. Steak 48 Chicago
615 North Wabash Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611
For an excellent steakhouse experience on the east side of the city’s River North section, Steak 48 won’t disappoint. Diners at this top Chicago steakhouse can expect all of the interactive thrill of an open kitchen with numerous fireplaces, multiple bars, and a happening, outdoor patio area. Ready for your mouth to water? You have to try Steak 48’s 28-day, wet-aged, sustainably-sourced steak selections alongside their excellent foie gras, burrata, and black truffle-sauteed lobster.
8. Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
60 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611
Located close to Steak 48 and in heated yet camaraderie-filled competition, Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab is a win-win for a great evening out. As their name suggests, surf and turf is this restaurant’s specialty, and they certainly do it right. Perfectly-prepared vegetable and pasta dishes come at the ready as well as some excellent steak dishes that you will not want to miss. The dessert options here are also just as good, and we highly recommend a slice of their signature key lime pie after indulging in the main course.
9. Gene & Georgetti
500 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL, 60654
Another Chicago steakhouse we couldn’t leave off our list is Gene & Georgetti, which is considered by many to be the best steakhouse in Chicago. It’s also the oldest in the city having first laid down its roots back in 1941. Marinated in tradition, the foods here are undeniably delicious with wet-aged steak being the very deserving headline dish. For starters here, try the baked clams or calamari alla griglia. They have several of their famous wet-aged steaks as well as prime bone-in steaks and plenty of pasta and seafood dishes to try.
10. Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf
218 W. Kinzie St., Chicago, IL 60654
Bavette’s presents a relaxed take on upscale french fare. You can detect that blend of comfort and upscale cuisine in each bite you take, starting with the appetizers. For that first course, the shrimp cocktail is a classic, served with horseradish, cocktail sauce, and dijonnaise. Given that it’s a steakhouse, it’s all about the meat, or “La Boeuf.” There’s no finer steak in the land than a dry-aged bone-in ribeye, and theirs will absolutely not disappoint. You can also enjoy the steakhouse cheeseburger: an 8-oz beef patty with cheddar, tavern sauce, pickles, and onions with a side of steak-cut fries. Pair it up with the elote style corn or truffle mac and cheese and you’ll be ready to walk off your meal (or lay down).
11. Holu
2101 S Jefferson Street, Chicago, IL 60616
Holu is a “perfect combination” of an Asian BBQ joint, a classic steakhouse, and a sprawling bar. In the style of Korean BBQ, each table has its own ceramic charcoal smokeless high-end grill. The steaks range fom USDA Prime and wagyu to A5 Japanese Muyazaki Kobe. They also have a terrific cocktail list. And while you may come for the steak, you’ll stay for the seafood. If you’re ready to get the full bonafide Holu experience, look no further than the Meat Paradise. It’s an ounce each of 45-day dry aged New York strip, filet mignon, spinalis, skirt steak, 45-day dry-aged ribeye steak, short ribs, cullote, and flat iron. As if that wasn’t enough, it comes with a vegetable platter and a house salad. Belts are not recommended for this one.
12. El Che
845 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607
El Che offers “South American dishes from a midwestern perspective.” The entire menu is centered around their 12-foot custom-built grill as well as a perfectly complementary South American wine list to ensure a perfect pairing no matter what you order. Start light with their fabulous arugula salad with manchego cheese, sunflower seeds, apples, and a Creole mustard vinaigrette. Although the steak is phenomenal here, they also have other options to try like grilled oysters with smoked onion aioli, bacon, and a side of chips or go even richer with the marrow bone with pickled onions and ciabatta. El Che is a steakhouse, after all, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better steak than their 18-oz dry-aged tomahawk ribeye served with chimichurri, red chimichurri, and salsa criolla.
13. Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse
505 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
MJ’s Steakhouse is elegant, moody, romantic, and if nothing else, you can say you ate at the GOAT’s restaurant which is pretty cool. From the steaks that are served to the cocktails that are crafted, each and every item is MJ approved. For dinner, start off with their signature garlic bread or some shrimp cocktail before diving into the main course. MJ’s prime delmonico or the KC strip are just wonderful. Pair them with a side of roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a cocktail from the bar. You will not be disappointed!
14. BLVD Steakhouse
817 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607
Talk about class, from the gorgeous chandeliers to the comfortable round booths, you’ll enjoy a wonderful experience here from the minute you walk in the door. From the design of the restaurant to the menu itself, BLVD Steakhouse takes after the old Hollywood era. This is the perfect place for an upscale date night or if you’re celebrating a special occasion. If you’re dining with a group, their seafood tower with lobster, king crab, jumbo shrimp, and oysters is a great way to start off the meal. If it’s date night, try their crudo or an order of the crab cakes. For dinner, they have several different steak options from steak frites and the 32 oz porterhouse to vegetable risotto and grilled lamb chops.
15. Chicago Cut Steakhouse
300 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654
From the meal you decide on to the cocktail you drink, you cannot make a wrong decision at Chicago Cut Steakhouse. They take quality very seriously here from the ingredients they use to the service you receive. There are so many wonderful dinner options, but they can run out of items since everything is fresh so you might want to make an earlier reservation to play it safe.
Some favorites on their menu include the Colorado double cut, marinated skirt steak, lamb chops, and their half roasted free range chicken. They also have quite the wine selection so have your server recommend something that will pair perfectly with your meal. Possibly the best part about this restaurant? It sits right on the Chicago River. If you can sit outside, the scene is just magical.
For more recommendations on where to eat and drink in the city, check out our Chicago page, here!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on October 31, 2020 and last updated on March 7, 2023. Please refer to restaurant websites and social media pages for the most up-to-date information.
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