u/If-By-Whisky

(Re-submitting this 2-year-old post because it was removed after editing it because the title was too short. Just want it to be available to the sub.)

Just wanted to add to the dialogue on the many wonderful steakhouses in Chicago. These are obviously just my personal opinions, and YMMV!

Overall Winners:

• Favorite Steakhouse Experience: Bavette's
  • (2026 Update: I still absolutely love Bavettes, but Asador Bastian has edged it out slightly for me)
• Favorite Steak: Australian Wagyu Ribeye Cap at Swift & Sons
  • (Honorable Mention: Off-Menu Spinalis at Maple & Ash)
  • (Honorable Mention: 45-Day Dry-Aged Ribeye at Prime & Provision)
  • (2026 Honorable Mention: Akaushi at Asador Bastian)
• Favorite Single Bite of Steak: Ribeye Taco at Nobu
• Favorite Steakhouse for the Money: Tango Sur/Bodega Sur/Folklore

General thoughts:

• Bavettes: Wow, I mean there's a reason this place is so frequently recommended on this sub. The service was the best of any place I've been. Everything was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere was so cozy and romantic. Really great vibe- it felt trendy and upscale without being pretentious. There was a table of celebrities just chilling in the back when we went, including Matty Matheson. It doesn't really feel like it can get better than this as a steakhouse experience, although I do think you can find a few better steaks out there.
  • Favorite bite: chocolate pie paired with cinnamon ice cream. Also, don't sleep on the sweet potato side, or on the bread.
• Maple & Ash: The food was incredible- pretty on par with Bavette's and I think they did the sides even better (but the desserts were not quite as good). The off-menu spinalis/ribeye cap is one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life, and the waiter went out of his way to bring me a sample after I inquired about it. But, my wife and I did not enjoy the atmosphere here. It does feel pretentious, like a place where wannabe influencers would try to come to "see and be seen." It was filled with finance bros and super loud parties when we went. I think someone on this sub mentioned that the restaurant would invite attractive women from their office to hang out for free drinks, in order to drive the vibe, and that would absolutely not surprise me. Plus, there's the owner drama and the alleged PPP fraud thing.
  • Favorite bite: the brussels sprouts were unreal. And do spring for the spinalis- it's worth it.
• Swift & Sons: On the one hand, the ribeye cap was literally the best steak I've ever had in my life, by a mile. It was absolute perfection in every way. The sides and drinks were also all delicious. On the other, I didn't think the service or atmosphere were on the level of either Bavette's or Maple & Ash, or even a "chain" steakhouse like Ruth's Chris, but the pricing did not reflect that. Maybe we just had a bad night, but it honestly didn't feel like we got the steakhouse experience. It just felt like a normal restaurant with really good food, but with the pricing of an upscale steakhouse. I will absolutely come back here for the steak, but I'll probably just sit at the bar rather than do the whole experience.
  • Favorite bite: Australian ribeye cap. Don't skip out on the mac and cheese.
• Prime & Provisions: Ok, this place really surprised me. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Honestly, if I had to pick a favorite classic/traditional steakhouse, this would probably be it. It's not quite on the same level as Bavette's, but it's not horribly far either. The dry-aged ribeye was fantastic, and the service was great. It's also pretty easy to get into, even on short notice; P&P is accessible in a way that some other places aren't. I haven't been to Gibson's or G&G yet, which I know reign king in the "classic steakhouse" category, and I'm curious how this place will compare.
  • Favorite bite: thick-cut bacon.
• Chicago Cut: Enjoyed CC a lot, but there isn't really anything to write home about. It's a classic steakhouse experience on the river. Not sure if I'd come here over P&P, although that's totally just my preference. Went here for business (same for several other places on this list) and I'm glad I didn't have to pick up the bill.
• Ocean Prime: Similar experience to Chicago Cut. Enjoyed it a lot, absolutely nothing wrong with it, but probably won't pick it over some of the other options on this list.
• Capital Grille: Look, it was fine. But I would never choose CG over any other steakhouse on this list- there are so many better options. If I am going to go to a chain steakhouse, it's probably going to be Ruth's Chris, Ocean Prime, or maybe Mortons. Also this place kinda has a weird vibe- can't quite put my finger on it. Gun to my head, I'd say that this place caters to an older, more conservative crowd.
• Tango/Bodega Sur and Folklore: Don't yell at me, but I'm throwing these three together because they are all basically the same thing. Yes, there are differences, and it's worth going to all three for different reasons, but they are really pretty similar, minus the fact that Folklore has a different atmosphere. All three are absolutely amazing for the price. I'm not big on filet, but that is my go-to order here. My wife and I love hitting up one of these for a date night, often followed by a show at Music Box. If you are looking for a night out by yourself, sit at the bar at Bodega and order a steak and a few drinks.
  • Favorite bite: the flan is to-die-for. Don't skip on the drinks either.

Other Mentions:

• Nobu isn't a steakhouse, but man do they have fantastic steak. Easily one of my favorite overall eating experiences, although the pricing is extremely high, especially if you spring for the A5 wagyu. My wife and I are about as far from "trendy" as possible, but we both loved Nobu and it deserves the love it gets.
• I remember liking Kinze Chophouse but it's been so long that I don't remember it enough to evaluate. Same goes for Catch 35.
• The prime rib at RPM Events was out-of-this world. Went there for a very large business party and was shocked by how good the food was.
• FourteenSixteen in the western suburbs is surprisingly good. My wife's family likes this place and it has never disappointed.

Next Up On My List (in no particular order):

• Boeufhaus
• RPM Steak
• Gibson's
• Gene and Georgetti
• Smoque Steak

2026 Update:

It's been a while and I thought it was time to update this post with a few thoughts.

• Asador Bastian - Hands-down the best steakhouse experience I've ever had. On par with Bavettes and honestly I liked it a little more. Yes, the cost is significant. A yes, you're going to get a tougher steak if you get a cut from an older cow, which they recommend. But everything here is done to perfection. Go with a group and get a couple cuts of steak so that you can get a variety of textures. The Akaushi was very tender. And if they have roast duck, get it.
• Boeufhaus - Loved the vibe of this place, but was honestly a little disappointed in the steak itself considering it was more expensive than this sub led me to believe it would be. I would definitely come back here anytime, but it's not significantly cheaper than a traditional steakhouse and I'd go back to Bavettes or Asador Bastian first. If I'm going to spend over $100 on steak, I'd rather spend the extra money and get the full steakhouse experience. I think the move here is to get steak frites or one of their sandwiches.
• Gibsons - Still haven't been here, but I've weirdly had their catering/delivery a bunch and honestly they have one of the very best turkey clubs in the city. Do yourself a favor and order it.

I previously wrote a very long post about steakhouses in Chicago (linked here) (actually, try this link) and haven't felt much of a need to update it. But I recently had a chance to go to Asador Bastian and wanted to share a few thoughts, and I've also updated the post to include some additional steakhouses.

My table of four ordered:

• 1st Course - jamon iberico
• 2nd Course - grilled langoustines
• 3rd Course - roast duck with caramelized onion tart
• 4th Course - steak (x2), bone marrow potato puree, tallow-fried potatoes, roasted peppers, salad
• 5th Course - raspberry mil hojas, basque cheesecake

For the steaks, we chose an off-menu ribeye from a 15-year old cow, plus the "Akaushi" strip. Both were incredible. The ribeye was on the tougher side, as is to be expected from a cow that lived 15 years, although the cap was perfection. I wouldn't have wanted to eat an entire one by myself, but splitting it between four people was perfect. The Akaushi was super tender and up there with the very best steaks I've ever had in my life.

The real standout was the roast duck. The meat was incredibly tender and the skin was so crispy it was like glass. It came with a decently-sized onion tart and I could have eaten five of them. If you ever have the chance to get this, pull the trigger.

Everything else was delicious. Absolutely no complaints. Great martini. Service was impeccable, on par with Bavettes or anywhere else (obviously, YMMV). It's a really small restaurant and the vibe was very cosy.

Of course, the thing that always comes up with regards to Asador Bastian is the cost. All in, our table paid about $350 per person, including tip and alcohol. That's nothing to laugh at, and you can find incredible steaks in the city for much cheaper. But we all agreed the cost was worth the experience. I personally liked both the steak and the total experience more than Bavettes, which I never thought I'd say and which feels blasphemous to admit. But the steaks were just really unique and perfectly cooked, the duck was out of this world, and the whole vibe of the place is amazing. Can't wait to go back.

P.S. No pictures because I am a terrible photographer and every shot came out so ugly.

Edit: forgot to mention that they gave us free champagne and an extra dessert because we were celebrating.