Top Cut Steakhouses in Chicago and Illinois

Illinoisians love steak-and-potato meals, especially so with a cocktail or a glass of wine found statewide at steakhouses. While the menus may look similar, the vibes of each restaurant are different.

GIBSONS BAR & STEAKHOUSE

Wear loose-cut clothes to Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, because if there’s one word to describe the food at this Chicago institution, it’s BIG. High-quality steaks like the 48-ounce Porterhouse come alongside just as large side dishes, like a twice baked potato that hangs over the plate. Still hungry? Their cake slices feed an entire table. Best to share.

Framed pictures of Ol’ Blue Eyes adorn the booth Frank Sinatra frequented at Gene & Georgetti. That “Guys and Dolls” feel remains throughout the nearly-80-year-old throwback restaurant, the oldest steakhouse in Chicago, with giant wall murals and dishes that look like your grandma’s china. It’s old-school Chicago at its best, and that goes for the food, too, like the Roast Prime Rib with a side of Gene’s Cole Slaw. A new location in suburban Rosemont, near O’Hare International Airport, makes it possible to squeeze in a classic Chicago steak during a long layover.

CHICAGO CUT STEAKHOUSE

You might see rapper Drake, Chicago Cubs coach Joe Maddon or actor John Cusack digging into steaks at Chicago Cut Steakhouse, a stylish, window-lined downtown restaurant along the Chicago River. Reserve a seat on the outdoor patio for the 35-day dry-aged filet or ribeye. Hollywood stars who are in town also pop in at the luxe supper club Prime & Provisions including “This is Us” stars Justin Hartley and Milo Ventimiglia.

LAS TABLAS

A more budget-friendly but just-as-tasty steakhouse option are the thin skirt steaks rubbed with Columbian spices at the Las Tablas locations. Their churrasco cut steak pairs perfectly with a freshly made mojito. Live music on the weekend ups the festive feel. The Argentinian asado-styled steaks are grilled on a live fire in the West Loop’s raved-about newcomer El Che Bar.

Outstanding, modern steakhouses are as plentiful as Chicago deep-dish pizza restaurants and none disappoint. Good options include Maple & Ash’s dry-aged steaks pair well with a well-made martinis; chic RPM Steak’s unique cuts of meat, like the Hokkaido Snow Beef (the rarest imported wagyu); the melt-in-your-mouth USDA prime steaks and Instagram-worthy desserts at Steak 48; and the bone-in ribeye at Bavette's Bar & Beouf, a restaurant with a sultry feel that’s a perennial list topper for Chicago’s best steakhouse.

MICHAEL JORDAN'S STEAK HOUSE

Tucked in a hotel on the touristy Magnificent Mile, Michael Jordan’s Steak House doesn’t have much memorabilia from the Chicago Bulls legend. But the menu is full of all-stars, including the 23-layer chocolate cake (Jordan’s jersey number). The steaks are a slam-dunk, too, like MJ’s 16-ounce Prime Delmonico, dry-aged for 45 days and cooked in ginger balsamic jus.

In Oak Brook, Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, a family-owned meat market turned steakhouse, wows diners with its 7-fingers-tall pork chop that’s roasted, caramelized and smoked.

MORTON'S THE STEAKHOUSE | WILDFIRE

Scattered around the suburbs are consistently good upscale chains, including the men’s club-styled Morton’s The Steakhouse in Schaumburg and Wildfire in Oak Brook, known for its horseradish-crusted filet.  

ALEXANDER'S | JIM'S STEAK HOUSE | NIEMERG'S STEAKHOUSE

In Springfield, Normal, Peoria and Champaign a unique dining experience awaits at Alexander’s Steakhouse. Here, you play chef by selecting a raw steak before cooking it over an open fire, which makes it an extra fun date-night or group spot. The filet mignon slathered in bleu cheese is a standout at Jim’s Steak House in downtown Peoria, where framed photos of celebrity diners line the walls. It also has locations in Peoria Heights and Bloomington. In Effingham, the unpretentious Niemerg’s Steakhouse serves high quality Heartland Angus Beef, and some steaks arrive wrapped in bacon.