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When Etta closed the doors to its Bucktown location last fall, the restaurant’s chef, Jake Peterson, took over the two-level space on North Avenue to transform it into a lavish steakhouse. Dēliz, which translates to “delicious” in Italian, is the city’s latest addition to the already-dense steakhouse scene. Partners Peterson and Steve Gogolab, who helped open the ritzy STK restaurants across the country, introduced Dēliz in December and have since garnered hype and genuine praise for both its food and ambiance.
Billed as an Italian steakhouse with la dolce vita flair, Dēliz actually does offer a social setting, unlike some restaurants that promise the same experience but often fall flat. On the first floor, tables are situated close enough to eavesdrop, which can sometimes feel distracting, but here, it encourages conversation with your neighbors, whether it’s inquiring about which drink they ordered or sharing awe over the theatrical dessert oozing with smoke at the table beside you.
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Cocktails like a cannoli-infused espresso martini and the smooth, mezcal-based Vivace with lavender honey syrup do the job, but wine is the way to go here. With a heavy focus on Italian makers, the curated wine program offers an extensive selection of pours.
For an immediate introduction to how Dēliz does things, start with the pan brioche: a light, flaky and blissfully buttered bun that’s more akin to a pastry than just bread. Other worthy starters include the Caesar salad, a creamy plate dusted with oregano and Parmesan croutons, and the fresh, juicy meatballs, served in a skillet with sweet buffalo ricotta.
The real standouts on Peterson’s menu come after the apps. Housemade pasta and steaks prepared on custom Argentinian-style grills anchor the menu, with a few fish and chicken dishes also on offer. For duos, I recommend pairing a steak with one or two pasta dishes. We opted for the cacio e pepe with decadent black truffle and pillowy buffalo ricotta gnocchi, along with the 10-ounce steak frites.
Dēliz serves a selection of premium Midwest cuts and Australian wagyu, including Mayura Station chocolate-fed wagyu, a coveted Australian beef known for its rich, sweet taste, and the flavorful 40-day dry-aged Kansas City strip. And if you don’t get one for your own table, you’ll probably see another group ordering the popular seafood tower, stacked with roasted lobster, crab, scallops, prawns, clams and oysters.
Not unlike a homemade meal by your nonna, a parade of hearty dishes excites until you’ve reached the point of asking for a to-go box. But plan accordingly, because the dessert menu, shaped by celebrity chef Jessica Scott, is the grand finale you won’t want to miss.
At least three tables within my line of sight ordered the Basque cheesecake, artfully prepared with a chocolate mirror glaze and pistachio mousse, but I chose to finish with cannoli. When the server approached our table with a five-arm candelabrum, I was impressed by the theatrical accouterments accompanying the cannoli before realizing that the candelabrum was actually the dessert (candlesticks had been swapped for cannoli). It’s playful innovations like this that give Dēliz staying power.
True to its name, everything at Dēliz is delicious, from the Italian-inflected steakhouse fare to the glamorous ruby-red aesthetic. Does Chicago need another steakhouse? Probably not, but Deliz is a welcome addition.