The 36 best steakhouses in Chicago

Brendan Sodikoff's vaguely French steakhouse is a departure—or perhaps an evolution—for the restaurateur. While his other spots (Gilt Bar, Au Cheval) have their charms, the appeal of this spot—decked out with jazz-era decor and music—is practically universal. Diners need not be huge steak fans to get a good meal; in fact, as good as the steak frites is, both the fried and roasted chicken are even better. Elegant cocktails begin meals here; fabulous pies (lemon meringue, chocolate cream) end them.

El Che is chef John Manion’s love letter to his time spent traveling throughout Argentina. Vegetables, red meat and whole fish are cooked on a custom 12-foot grill. Your options range from an 8-ounce filet to the comically large 48-ounce tomahawk ribeye. If you're going to splurge on a piece of meat like that, you've come to the right place: Manion uses open-flame cooking to render the cut tender and impossibly juicy and serves it with smoked salt and chimichurri.

Housed inside a historic century-old townhouse in River North, this intimate Spanish steakhouse is all class and luxury. Chef-owners Doug Psaltis and Hsing Chen, who also run Andros Taverna, treat guests to a Basque-inspired menu full of delicacies like caviar churros, jamón ibérico and dry-aged steak tartare with truffles. The star of the show are the Txuleton steaks—well-marbled, bone-in cuts that are roasted over coals and available by the pound. Chen provides a satisfying conclusion to the experience with indulgent desserts, such as a golden chocolate hazelnut cake and burnt Basque cheesecake.

This Gold Coast steakhouse feels wonderfully tongue-in-cheek—the chef's-choice option is called “I Don't Give a F*@k”—while still serving up classics like surf and turf, potato gratin and old fashioneds. The laundry list of steaks on offer are complimented by a selection of "Arm Candy," including horseradish sauce, roasted bone marrow and beefed-up butter. Though it's tempting to fill up on savory treats, be sure to save room for the sundae service, your own personalized ice cream bar stocked with hot fudge, peanut butter cups, sprinkles and more.

Drawing inspiration from 1920s supper clubs, this Loop steakhouse is the kind of place that's made for client dinners and special occasions. The steak here is finished with Wisconsin grass-fed butter, with options like a dry-aged bone-in ribeye, a 10-ounce hand-cut filet mignon and a porterhouse for two. Wagyu fans can empty their bank accounts on some of the most expensive and well-marbled cuts of beef imported from Japan's top regions. Close out your meal by making a selection from the Cigar Box, with a host of stogies to choose from. If you prefer to end on a sweet note, save room for banana cream pie, caramel crème brûlée or classic carrot cake.

The most meat-centric Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, RPM Steak is an expense-account buster, with a wagyu smash burger, chilled and ember-roasted seafood towers, millionaire potatoes with black truffles, and 14K chocolate cake with gold leaf. The steak options are similarly indulgent, with a lineup of wagyu and grass-fed beef, a bone-in bison filet and a 36-ounce porterhouse. Trust us, it's worth every penny.

Holu pulls out all the stops: Wagyu tartare, oysters topped with caviar, jumbo lump crab cakes and set menus offering a wide variety of meats including dry-aged ribeye, New York strip and marinated short rib. This modern Asian steakhouse in Chinatown has a minimalist decor with smokeless ceramic grills at each table, because you wouldn’t want your wagyu filet prepared any other way. Snack on kimchi and lotus root while waiting for the staff to cook your beef.

You should feel like royalty when you’re paying through the nose for a steakhouse experience, and you will here. Start with the sweet, cool stone crabs, oysters Rockerfeller and a delicious chopped salad that could easily feed two. Go straight to the top with a filet, perfect when charred medium-rare, or the Alaskan king crab legs served chilled. Key lime pie is puckeringly sweet for those who like a hit-you-over-the-head finish, and Joe's fried chicken is one of the best secrets in town.

London-based steakhouse chain Hawksmoor arrived in River North in June 2024, taking up residence inside the 16,500-square-foot historic LaSalle Powerhouse building. Pasture-raised beef is dry aged and perfectly cooked over charcoal before being sliced and served in cast iron skillets with sauces like peppercorn and bone marrow gravy. The restaurant also gives Chicago a taste of the British tradition of Sunday roast, serving dry-aged beef rump with Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes and carrots. Large parties can book a private dining room, inlcuding one dedicated to His Airness, Michael Jordan, whose restaurant once occupied the same building.

The anti-steakhouse for those who are tired of white tablecloths and long menus, Bouefhaus delivers exceptional beef in an unpretentious setting. This modern steakhouse uses European culinary techniques to create dishes like short rib beignets and chickpea cavatelli topped with merguez sausage and caciocavallo cheese. The steaks, the predictable stars of the show, undergo a dry-aging process to make them more tender and beefier in flavor, complemented by a choice of bordelaise, bearnaise or au poivre sauce. Visit Sunday night for prime rib or whole lobster.

Whiling away the evening at Gibsons—with an ice-cold martini in one hand and a hunk of steak in the other—is practically a rite of passage in Chicago. Second only to the lively atmosphere are the accoutrements, including a loaded wedge salad, juicy oysters and saucy baby back ribs. If you'd rather stay in, Gibsons will pack up its prime cuts to go—from burgers to porterhouse—so that you can play chef at home.

At this cavernous West Loop steakhouse, chef Chris Pandel blends old-school Midwestern charm with forward-thinking sensibilities. On the steak front, there are a handful of cuts to choose from, ranging from a ruby-red filet mignon to a splurge-worthy Japanese A5 wagyu strip loin. But you're here for the beef Wellington, with mushrooms, foie gras and spinach wrapped up into a perfectly flaky pastry crust. Finish it off with petite sweets, which are presented in a dessert trolley.

DineAmic Hospitality celebrates 1950s Italian American cuisine with an opulent steakhouse in Fulton Market. The stunning 8,200-square-foot space is decked out in crystal chandeliers, fresh florals, booths dressed in lavender mohair, dark leather chairs and other elegant touches. This is a place to see and be seen, and chef Joe Rizza complements the experience with a menu that’s equally dazzling—Caesar salad is prepared tableside, squid ink pasta arrives topped with a whole lobster and the beefy steaks are grilled on a wood and charcoal hearth. The wine list boasts dozens of Italian bottles, while dessert is headlined by decadent chocolate cake.

One of the most beautiful and opulent restaurants in Chicago, you’ll want to walk into BLVD Steakhouse dressed to the nines. The bi-level space, now with an all-season atrium as well, draws inspiration from Hollywood’s Golden Age so elegant touches like crystal chandeliers and a grand staircase will have you feeling like a million bucks. Culinary director Joe Flamm, of Top Chef fame, elevates the experience even further with pristine seafood towers, caviar service and a selection of first-rate steaks. We suggest adding grilled king crab leg to the beef because why not? You deserve it.

This Boka property from chef-partner Giuseppe Tentori takes the cake for the city's sexiest steakhouse. The enormous interior is decked out in fur-lined chairs, modern chandeliers and dark, moody jewel tones. You'll spot all the usual suspects on the dinner menu (a seafood tower, wedge salad, Brussels sprouts), but when it comes to meat, GT Prime ups the ante. The kitchen offers pleasures such as bison tenderloin, a 32-ounce tomahawk and A5 Kagoshima wagyu.

Celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés partnered with Gibsons Restaurant Group to open two restaurants inside the Bank of America Tower in 2021. Bazaar Meat, a steakhouse on the second floor, pampers guests with cured meats, suckling pig, Wagyu beef and other similarly luxurious bites. You won’t see hulking steaks here—they’re offered by the ounce and pound—but you will get beautiful views of the Chicago River and sit underneath crimson chandeliers meant to mimic volcanic flames. There’s also a lavish tasting menu if you hate making decisions.

The restaurant within the new L7 Chicago By Lotte hotel from the team behind Perilla fuses Korean and American steakhouse traditions with custom grill tables for sizzling wagyu hanger steak and 60-day aged ribeye. The indecisive can opt for a steakhouse set, but it’s hard to go wrong ordering a la carte with luxurious dishes like grilled oysters with kimchi butter, king crab pancakes and kimchi fried rice with smoked bleu cheese.

Omakase Yume owner and executive chef Sangtae Park brings the Korean trend of steak omakase to Chicago with Bonyeon, offering a 14-course tasting menu where the chefs explain each bite while grilling before depositing the meat onto your plate. The experience is pricey, but you’ll be rewarded with a generously portioned progression of marinated galbi, hanger steak and short rib. Luxurious accompaniments like bone marrow and caviar are meant to complement the courses and provide a palate-cleansing contrast.

Modern and plush, Steak 48 offers a menu of wet-aged steaks, including a wagyu filet and a grass-fed New York strip. But our eyes are wandering over to the prime steakhouse meatloaf, which is crafted with ribeye, filet mignon, pork and black truffles. Start the meal with the chef’s cut hanging bacon or something from the new caviar menu, such as gold leaf-studded cones with horseradish crème fraîche paired with a glass of bubbly.

You don’t have to go north of the border to enjoy a supper club experience. The Alinea Group’s Wisconsin-inspired restaurant located underneath Roister presents the Midwestern tradition through a modern lens. Sip a sweet brandy old fashioned while waiting for apps like shrimp cocktail and deviled eggs. The only beef on the menu is tender prime rib, served au jus and available in four cuts, but we promise it’s all you’ll need to leave happy and satisfied.

Tre Dita means three fingers in Italian, a nod to the thickness of the restaurant’s signature bistecca alla fiorentina, 42 ounces of 60-day, dry-aged porterhouse simply seasoned with olive oil and sea salt. Those who aren’t prepared to spend $290 on a piece of meat can opt for smaller cuts like the filet mignon or New York strip sliced to share along with fluffy rosemary-studded focaccia and cacio e pepe made in the on-site pasta lab.

Sushi and sizzling cuts of beef prepared on a 12-foot robata grill draw diners into this River North steakhouse. You’ll splurge on a meal here but rest assured you’re getting the best of the best, from USDA Prime steaks to domestic and Japanese A5 wagyu. Go all out by ordering Kobe beef sourced from Japan's Hyōgo Prefecture plus king crab legs for the ultimate surf and turf.

If it gets any more old-school than this circa-1941 steakhouse, we haven’t seen it. The wood-lined dining room is filled with plush bar stools, chairs and banquettes as blood-red as the steaks. The main attractions are the aged steaks and house-made pastas, but other classics include chicken Vesuvio, a “garbage” salad meant to share and shrimp DeJonghe made with a recipe that’s been perfected over the decades.

This century-old brownstone is a quintessential Chicago steakhouse in every sense of the word. Out-of-town execs with fat expense wallets head upstairs for white-tablecloth service, pricey wines and both wet- and dry-aged steaks. We much prefer the subterranean piano bar, where every inch of wall is covered with vintage photos of Capone and crew and the high wooden tables are packed with storytellers and uncompromising carnivores.

Situated along the river, Chicago Cut is a glassy beacon for carnivores who are looking for dinner and a show. The suit- and LBD-clad crowd flock here for center barrel cut filet mignon, lobster mac and cheese and lollipop lamb chops. Make sure to browse the extensive glossary of meat temperatures before your server takes your order: The choices range from Black & Blue (seared raw) to well done; ordering medium-rare has never steered us wrong.

Things to know when planning a trip to this Argentine grill: You will wait for a table, and when it’s time to order, it’s best to keep it simple. Start with a plate of empanadas to share, then order a perfectly seared steak to dunk in the house chimichurri sauce and finish with the flan. Bring along that bottle of big red wine you’ve been holding on to, drink it with your slab of beef, sit outside on the patio and enjoy the live Latin guitar—is life really always this sweet in Buenos Aires?

Come hungry because Chubby Cattle offers all-you-can-eat meat grilled at your table along with a variety of other dishes, including shrimp tempura, tom yum soup and soba noodles. Splurge on the gold tier for A5 wagyu ribeye and short rib and other luxurious bites like foie gras nigiri and scallop sashimi with caviar. Food comes out fast and servers will offer tips on how to prepare each dish or help cook it for you. Memberships are available if you fall in love with the experience and want to become a regular at the Chinatown spot.

Located in Lincoln Park, this steak speakeasy offers wagyu tastings and classic steakhouse cuts featuring Second City Prime black angus beef. The meat is simply served with a variety of salts, but you can add on traditional sides like mashed potatoes and mac and cheese or start the meal with a seafood platter. The Prohibition-era vibe extends to the drink menu, which features spins on classic cocktails like an olive oil vodka martini.

This elegant River North staple has been serving locals, tourists and downtown office workers since 1991. If the ribeye and porterhouse cuts aren't enough to draw you in, the eight sauce options—whiskey peppercorn, bacon maple demi glace, bell pepper romesco, to name a few—should do the trick. And if beef isn’t your thing, order the signature anniversary cut 21-day dry-aged lamb chops, which you won’t find anywhere else in the city.

For the best bang for your buck, it’s hard to beat the meat parade offered at this Brazilian churrascaria. Servers, dressed in the style of South American cowboys, roam the dining room with spits of fire-roasted beef, chicken, lamb and pork. You’ll receive a token with a green and a red side, which lets staff know when to come by to carve more meats onto your plate. Of course, veggies are needed to balance the meal out so the all-you-can-eat experience also includes a bountiful salad bar.

James Beard Award-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer shows off his passion for wood-fire cooking at this restaurant within the Willis Tower. Watch the action in the kitchen while sipping an old fashioned and snacking on confit chicken wings with charred jalapenos, then dig into some well-marbled meat like steak frites with salsa verde or a filet topped with red wine demi-glace and fried shallots. If you’re celebrating, go all out with a seafood tower featuring flame-kissed jumbo prawns and grilled lobster tail.

House salad: $22. Shrimp cocktail: $30. 40-ounce wagyu tomahawk chop: $250. Before you shake your head and huff off to Portillo's, hear us out on one thing: If you’ve got these kinds of funds at your disposal, Mastro’s is the place to blow them. The martini is shaken with dry ice so that it bubbles like a cauldron when poured tableside. Steaks come out perfectly medium-rare on the hottest plates you’ve ever accidentally touched, and the signature side of lobster mashed potatoes—a cool $40—is comically indulgent.

Spanning two floors and 10,120 square feet, this massive brasserie-steakhouse concept from New York's The Group Hospitality is a sight to behold. Executive chef Michael Taus blends Midwestern charm with French traditions to craft a menu that offers something to every meat lover. Enjoy options like chateaubriand, steak au poivre and steak frites; before deciding, guests can peruse cuts from the dry-aged fridge on the first floor. Don't forget the decadent smoked gouda mac and cheese or classics such as French onion soup and escargots, either. Pair your food with a bottle of red wine for the perfect French dining experience.

There are reasons why Morton’s is so famous: The classic Chicago steakhouse interior, tailor-made for sealing the deal; crab cakes with hardly any filler; and barely seasoned steaks that stand out for their flavor (ribeye), their tenderness (filet mignon) or both (porterhouse). Options range from 6- or 8-ounce filet to a 16-ounce New York strip served with sauces like black truffle butter and whipped horseradish. Share a few equally decadent sides like king crab mashed potatoes or lobster macaroni and cheese. And finish on a sweet note with the restaurant’s signature hot chocolate cake.

Who can pick just one cut when you could order an entire steak flight? If variety is what you desire, order a tasting of ribeye cap, New York strip and tenderloin while enjoying live jazz and flamenco guitar. You can’t go wrong with a glass of Malbec, but we recommend trying one of the house cocktails inspired by tango culture, like the Volvér with mezcal, hibiscus, jalapeno, lime, cilantro and simple syrup.

This Avondale favorite provides what owner and head chef Arturo Aucaquizhpi calls “Loop quality with neighborhood prices.” A 20-year veteran of Gene & Georgetti’s, Aucaquizhpi offers a menu that is full of steakhouse classics like shrimp cocktail and broiled ribeye and filet mignon. They're complemented by an extensive lineup of Italian pastas as well as chicken, veal and pork dishes. Chef Aucaquizhpi knows how to sizzle a great piece of meat, but if you’re a first-timer you should go for the Chicken Mirabella—a half chicken broiled at 1,500 degrees accompanied by bell peppers and pepperoncini, and topped with lemon.