Smith & Wollensky
Category: Steakhouses [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North Side318 N State Street
(at Ibm Plz)
Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 670-9900
- Nearest Transit:
State/Lake (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
Clark/Lake (Pink, Brown, Green, Blue, Purple Express, Orange)
Lake (Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
58 reviews
Neighborhood: Near North Side
"I know there are a lot of haters out there, can't help, I like and have fun. Okay, only ate a cheese plate and had a drink, so I cannot…" read more »
56 Reviews for Smith & Wollensky
Great place to have a drink after work . Wonderful outside patio with plenty of tables. Great views of the river. Not a place I would go to often for happy hour because it is expensive. During happy hour I want leave happy not depressed once getting the tab : ) Great location so you can hop around to other bars near by (Flat Water, Bin 36, Rebar, Crimson Lounge) and plenty others.
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Although the food is excellent and the service is great, there are better places to have a steak or up-scale meal in Chicago. I give it 4 stars for the food and service, but I urge you to check out other like-restaurants in the city before settling on Smith & Wollensky.
Food. Excellent. I always get the fish here at Smith & Wollensky because I do not eat beef. The dishes are always superb. Tender and perfectly prepared. My husband gets steak and loves it as well. The drinks are great and the sides are wonderful as well.
Service is attentive and very knowledgeable.
three things that stand out in my memory from my visit to Smith & Wollensky:
1. the company - my boyfriend, my best girlfriend and her fiance. lovely! :)
2. the crab cake - OMG! heavenly! perfection in crab cake form. :)
3. the bill - OMG! did we eat a bentley? :(
food, decor and service were very forgettable.
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beautifully located in the middle of downtown Chicago, my colleagues and I dined on the patio overlooking the river. A beautiful night in the fall. I ordered the salmon which was a bit disappointing for the price tag it was assigned. It was too dry and bland for me. The steak and chicken dishes looked great but I cannot vouch for their capacity to satisfy one's pallette. Wine list was pretty good. Overall, the company made up for my meal topped off with a glass of 25 yr old port. Not too shabby!
Its a "nice" steakhouse, there is a reason for nice in quotes and not excellent or awesomerooni etc..( get the picture). My husband and I were here for our anniversary, the appetizer were lame at best. I had the Crab cakes, my husband had the lobster cocktail. Honestly, it was not worth the money.
Now coming to the entrees: mmm mmm mmm! I had the bone in Rib eye, which was very good. It was charred just perfectly and nice and moist on the inside. ( I eat my steak medium rare). My husband got the prime rib which was very good too.
Sides: the whipped potatoes were pretty decent. Something was missing, I am not sure what though.
Dessert: Lame, just like the appetizer. We split a ceesecake, nothing great to write about.
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I'm pretty disappointed with S&W. We used to go there pretty often (and in numerous cities), but in the past year or so, their quality has gone downhill significantly. In a city where the steak is king, you gotta keep your game up. You can pick up the same offerings elsewhere, at a better price point, and most importantly, much better quality.
I've been to S&W in NYC & Chicago, and have been a little disappointed by both experiences. On my most recent visit to the Chicago branch, I debated between the filet mignon & the prime rib, ultimately settling on the latter because I was told that you can never judge a steakhouse by its filet. I also asked the waiter for his recommendation - he said "The prime rib is better, but it's 32 ounces."
32 ounces!!! I was sold. Medium rare please!
I started with the crab cake appetizer and it was really good - large enough to almost be a burger patty, crisply seared, and full of delicious lump crab meat. It also held together very well, and wasn't falling apart into an oily chunky mess like at some other steakhouses.
My prime rib came out looking ultra promising - steamy, thick, and oozing delicious meat juices. I cut into it, and was sad to find the inside pink(ish) but definitely way overcooked into medium well territory. When I bit into it, I found that, though tender, it was firmly on the bland side. Despite my disappointment, I managed to finish every ounce of that steak as well as the slice of (only ok) cheesecake that followed.
On the upside, the service at S&W Chicago is better than that in NY, but this could be due to the fact that Midwesterners are just nicer people in general.
Btw, did you know that Smith & Wollensky got its name when the owners flipped open a phone book and selected two random entries? I heart the Food Network.
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What else can be said for this place? It's a great location. Beautiful seating in the summer- for dining al fresco overlooking the river. The food is impeccable and delicious. The service can be lacking when they're busy. But the one thing I will never understand is this: Why do so many people enjoy an inch of black, burned meat surrrounding their steak? I know, I know- it's char. But let's be real- it's burned. If you request your steak without the char, you run the risk of insulting the chef- never a good idea. Oh well, I really love their salmon ; )
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I go to "Smith's" all the time... it's one of my go-to's for cocktails and dinner with clients and I usually end up here a handful of times in a year. I've never been compelled to Yelp it because it doesn't hold a candle to my fav Chicago steakhouses and I don't usually end up here by choice...
The food is always good (read: not fantastic), save for the truffle mac 'n cheese which truly is mind-blowing. But considering this place is supposedly renowned for it's Midwestern beef, that should be the menu item to trump everything else. Not the case. My steak is almost always overdone and the Oscar-style steak (with lump crab meat, asparagus and hollandaise) comes with a teaspoon of crab. Boooo.
On a recent visit my steak was served to me cold and minus the Oscar I had ordered... I had another appointment to get to and didn't have the time to have the steak reheated (eeew. who wants a nuked steak anyway???) so I told the waiter just to bring the check and ate the lukewarm chuck. No concessions were made on the bill and he really didn't seem to feel the least bit apologetic at the lack of standards. Bummer.
Smith's is great for the location; the view of the skyline and river are beautiful, the piano bar is nice and you always find plenty of entertaining characters puffing away on cigars and showing off their pinky rings... love it! The bartenders are attentive, funny and seem to pour glasses of wine by the liter. The food is 'good', but you go for the atmosphere.... A Smith's in any town is a safe bet, but not your best bet in Chicago.
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"A steakhouse to end all arguments," says the New York Times. I am compelled to agree, so I guess they were right. In the spirit of the City that Works, the Chicagoan location has the ambiance of a tightly-run operation that should not be questioned. :-)
I've been here for dinner twice with two large parties. I dare say that everything here is great. How often does one go to such a place? And this place sticks to its linen. You got some steaks, lobster, and the type of sides and desserts that go with it (creamed spinach, whipped potatoes, mac & cheese).
You should get a Ribeye, the all around most flavorful cut in general and not a small one at that. Any of the steaks can be permuted with one of a couple serving styles, such as cajun style, or with a slab of Gorgonzola cheese.
As a bonus, you get to dine with a view of the river... a perfect setting to discuss plans of world domination with your closest compadres.
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This is a steak house with a huge reputation and a large price tag to boot. I have been here more than once and was very disappointed both times. With as much as you're paying, the food should be exceptional and this food fell below expectations. The waiter acted as if we were bothering him as he was simply taking our orders complete with a snooty attitude. I would definately not return to this place considering there are much better steak houses in Chicago!!!
Lets just say, I have never had a more memorable experience. The prime rib was perfect and very reasonable. In addition, the service was impeccable........which amazed me seeing if I had to wear what they wear, I would definitely have a disposition.
The dessert, although lacking in creativity was the best part. My bf ordered the "build your own sunday thing".......and ate it by himself.......ALL OF IT. While I ordered the sorbet collection.
The only downside to the evening was the bill.......for eight of us, the total was $1,600. NOT INCLUDING TIP......which then amounted to over $2000, because we felt bad for the server who had to wear that prison looking suit.
The only thing that will always stick out in my mind about S&M (HAHAHA....Smith & Wollensky.....S&M) is that I went to the men's room and stood next to a well known male celebrity at the urnal who left without washing his hands............hmm........yum.....NOT.
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This place definitely deserves 5 stars for the food alone but there were a few off things about the service and I strongly believe that the service should match the price.
First off, every morsel of food I have put in my mouth from this restaurant is absolutely to die for! I have been to the location in Las Vegas and this Chicago location and I have to say they are certainly consistent.
They have a huge wine selection and a rather large menu but the server recommended some excellent choices on both and I had an delicious meal.
The Wollensky salad is good enough to make it a meal. It has huge bacon chunks and the croutons are made from little fried potato squares (hard to describe but absolutely amazing). The dressing was great.. kind of like a light sweeter dijon. The bread they bring out is a pull-apart type in a round pan that is warm and covered in butter and garlic and other seasonings which can be dangerous especially when you have a super steak on the way. I truly enjoy the fillet and it was cooked to absolute perfection. The sides are amazing... I recommend the creamed spinach and the asparagus. The fried zucchini was nothing special so I'd skip it in the future. At this point.. I can't believe we had room for desert but of course we did. We split the creme brulee trio which was a trio of three different chocolate creme brulee's... it was perfect.
The only thing I found disappointing was the lack of accommodation but I know sometimes these things cannot be prevented. We reserved with a large group (7 people) and had a few out of towners so we requested a marina view. When we go there they did not have any open marina tables and seated us in an enclosed banquet room which was insanely loud. About 30 minutes into the meal they sat a table of 6 early twenties guys next to us who proceeded to yell and be inappropriate through the entire meal and it seemed that the waiter almost egged them on. It made for a pretty uncomfortable meal not being able to converse with the people across the table.
I definitely will return and I think this place truly makes for a special night out!
Loved Smith & Wollensky, but David Burke's still wins! But I would still go here again.
Nice atmosphere...but eat outside if you can!
Loved our server! He was great - very fun, energetic, and personable. He was so nice he even packaged up some of our leftover food specifically for my very cute dog at home. :) How nice is that? :)
Food was delicious, but the food at David Burke's is definitely still better. The bread here is really yummy. The au poivre (sp?) filet is delicious! Tons of sauce comes with it...don't know if that's really necessary. Sides were great too (asparagus and whipped potatoes). Dessert was great - but I always love passion fruit sorbet wherever I go...I don't know how they can ever make it wrong.
Valet ~ $12...but public parking structure 1 block away ~ $9 or something.
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Smith & Wollensky is an upscale Chicago steak house that turns the most proper into salivating dogs! After you valet park your car, stroll past the piano player and take your seat at the nicely set table make sure to grab your napkin, tuck it at the top off your shirt, grab your fork and knife and while pounding on the table yell, "Meat! Meat! Meat!" S&W specializes in dry-aged beef. Most steaks are prepared with a flavorful rub or seasoning. Once you take a bite of any of their juicy steaks you may want to eat the hollandaise sauce as a soup instead of as a dipping sauce.
The sides are a la carte and every bit as delicious. Start out with their chilled iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese dressing, but make sure to save room for more. If you can eat a whole head of cool, crisp lettuce I would say you ate your share of vegetables for the week.
The crab cakes are a staple at S&W. The crab chunks are large in these flaky, delicate cakes. Don't ask what is in the flavorful sauce poured over them; just ask for more. I recommend getting two crab cakes instead of the one. It is worth it!
The starches are enough to keep a large dry cleaning business in stock for a year. The potatoes are fluffy and flavorful. The onion rings are a perfect compliment with any steak. The stuffed macaroni & cheese with a breadcrumb topping will put you in a food coma that you may not want to leave. I can assure that once you receive the bill you will have no problem waking up. Unless you are rolling in the dough this is a special occasion kind of place.
If anything go there for the bread! Their rolls are served in a small skillet right out of the oven. What is great about these rolls, besides the hunks of butter melted on top, are the large grains of salt sticky to the buns. After you eat a couple of those you may have something sticking from your buns as well.
The Chicago S&W is very classy with classic foods made better. Make sure to visit during the warm seasons and sit on their patio overlooking the river. If you're lucky you might catch a glimpse of the man that wears a purple suit. It's really purple.
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I give this place 3 stars for now, but would like to think my steak will be better the next time I go.
For starters, the pretzel bread and some sort of flavored butter they serve with it was so damn good.
I wanted to go with the fillet or the surf & turf, but the waiter recommended the bone in KC. I ordered it Med Rare, the way a good steak should be ordered. But, the outside of the steak was Med Well, at best. The middle and the meat close to the bone, excellent.
We also had asparagus that came with a cream sauce that simply kicked ass. My colleague had the surf and turf, which looked awesome and he said tasted even better.
I may go back here again, but I'll probably be on the lookout for a better, high quality steak before I do.
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I would have to say of all the steakhouses we have gone to in the city, this is one of the least memorable. We went here for our anniversary probably like 2 years ago and were not too impressed. We were actually seated right away and it was not crowded at all! It was the weirdest thing I have ever seen! And then when we made our way to our table, we were being stared at by most of the 60 somethings that were already sitting, apparently we were too young for the place or something. Our waiter was one of the best parts of the experience, he was very friendly and knowledgeable. We started off with the crab cake which was delicious!! I then ordered the bone-in ribeye, which was cooked perfectly and was pretty good. I believe (see I can't even remember for sure) my husband got the filet, because that's what he always gets, but I don't remember his reaction. For our sides we got the creamed spinach and a seasonal veggie of asparagus with barnaise sauce, which were both just okay. So overall, we would maybe go back here if someone we knew really wanted to go but, personally we would probably choose somewhere more to our liking.
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I took my guy here as a surprise knowing he loves steak and I love fine wine ;). We had a lovely dinner and the wait staff were excellent. There was a piano player playing light toe-tapping music near the bar which by the way is located I wouldn't say far but further than most restaurant floorplans and staff positioning.
A bit pricey but definitely worthy of a swipe of your credit card :)
YUM! I'm not a big steak eater but can't refuse it when it's this good. I had the filet simply grilled. I ordered it medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. The potatoes and sauteed mushrooms werent bad either. Service was average, which was a little disappointing given the price tag.
My only real complaint though was the dessert cart. They are in desperate need of a chocolate tort at this place! No matter how enormous your chocolate cake is, it doesnt make it anything more than plain, old chocolate cake! We went with espresso instead and I guess my wallet and waistline are thankful...
Good place for business lunches/drinks. Had the best seared tuna steak here. I could only eat half of it. Wonderful location and service was very attentive. Would def go back when I'm Chicago again.
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YUM YUM. I got the filet mignon, what a great choice!!!! I ate it all, sad I know, right? The staff was very friendly and all the portions were more than enough--except for mine--it was perfect and not too huge (shush, I'm justifying the fact that I ate all of it) :) It is pricey of course, but for a reason! I wish I tried the desserts!!
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My filet was overcooked, warm at best, and the waiter forgot my baked potato. And never brought it after being asked for it again.
Maybe it was an off night
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I had two meals here in one month and both times I was unimpressed. First time, I was acting girly and ordered a steak salad. It was ok and nothing special. Second time, I gave in and ordered what I wanted which was the onion soup and the prime rib. I was so disappointed! The onion soup was not hot and it was so thick that I only had 2 spoonful before I gave up. It was gross! The prime rib which I ordered to be middle rare was medium well. It didn't taste fresh and I also only had a few bites. I can not believe I spent $45 and left there hungry.
(originally written Feb 07)
Going pretty much on reputation, I made reservations for two with the host about a week before we dined, and requested a four-top table rather than the typically crowded two-top, preferably near a window.
Since I had never been to Smith & Wollensky before, I wasn't sure the layout, but I was assured by the host that he'd set up something special. When we arrived, he had indeed set aside a four-top though it was across the aisie from a table near the window, a minor setback. We were immediately greeted by our server as well as someone to help us with the wine menu. Our drinks arrived promptly, though my dirty martini was a little dirtier than I prefer. I didn't request a new one, but I have a feeling one would have come back very quickly without a fuss. My date ordered the split pea soup which he quickly devoured, singing its praise the whole time. I opted for a small salad which was fine, nothing terribly memorable. Shortly after those arrived, we ordered the bottle of wine (Cabernet Savignon from Napa) and the steaks. My date ordered the cajun ribeye, I ordered the filet. Going against my better judgment, I opted for the Gorgonzola crust. The steaks arrived perfectly cooked, though mine did not have the crust when he set it down. He realized his mistake right away and returned with the correct steak. It turned out that the crust was completely unnecessary and I wound up scraping most of it off. We also ordered garlic whipped potatoes arrived in a small saucepan and tasted great, though they were a little too whipped, we agreed.The service was very good. Not overbearing, and friendly and helpful.
I don't know if it is a great date place as it seems to be more the after-work power dinner/platinum card/beer and cigar crowd, but you can be assured of good service, a perfectly cooked steak, and a wine list that has wine from just about every square inch of every wine-producing region on the planet. Ultimately, I have had better steaks elsewhere and for less money, however the view, the service and the wine list make a total package worth the expense.
(updated 12/07)
In search of a few post-dinner drinks, walked into S&W and headed to the downstairs bar. My date ordered a dirty martini for me, which was missing everything that makes a good martini, good. Too dirty, no vermouth even though I asked for it, not shaken long enough so it was on the warmer side and was missing the layer of ice. The bartender seemed far more concerned with his regulars at the bar than helping us, and was running around so frenetic he forgot how to do his job well. The Blue Point oysters were ok, but not cleaned or shucked very well.
As we were leaving, the bartender was swearing and laughing loudly, and it just felt as if the whole 'fancy' element of the restaurant fell apart.
I won't go back unless someone else is paying - and even then would probably try to steer them elsewhere.
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Funny how life is. Up until this week, I had not ever been to this place and this week I got to eat here twice- once for dinner and once for lunch but both out on their great patio that overlooks the Chicago River.
The service was excellent, the food outstanding and the ambiance- well, there is nothing better than sitting outside in Chicago on a beautiful day or evening watching the world shuffle by.
For dinner- we started with the tuna takati (seared with a great sauce) and fried calamari. Both came up quickly and the portion size on the calarami was huge. As for the entrees- we had a slab of prime rib and the NY strip which we had au poivre style with pepper and gravy. I personally could have lived without the gravy but it was good. Sides run about $9.50 each but are big enough to split so we had french fries and creamed spinach- but the list includes things like sauteed mushrooms, whipped potatoes, baked potatoes, etc.
At lunch- we started with the special soup of the day which was gazpacho. It was absolutely delicious- I should of just had that and a salad. It came with two mini crab cakes and a lime. We then split a burger and a Cobb salad -both were almost as good. But that soup- I need to find out what days they serve that on- we were still talking about it a day later!
They pour a good drink and the bartenders and serving staff alike were personable and knowledgeable.
If you go in the summer- its worth the wait to sit outside, stare at the skyline and think about what the people who don't live in our great city miss each and every day.
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Hands down, S&W serves the best steaks. Not only is it USDA certified Prime but it is also dry-aged. 1% of all beef is certified prime and less than half of all prime beef is dry-aged. Additionally, they dry age their own meat (ask to see it) and that is you can order an 18 oz. New York Strip rather than the 16 oz. standard at all other places. Great marbling and less than 1/4 inch fat left on the steaks.
An '02 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages with a fat NY strip... great meals like this are hard to come by.
Limited wine selection but within the selection, they have a lot of the heavy hitters (e.g. Screaming Eagle, Opus One, etc.). Great selection of side dishes with a wide variety of prepared potato dishes. The salads are hit or miss. The S&W signature salad...if you don't order it, you won't regret it but maybe you should try it anyways. It is a true "steak salad": big chunks of lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon.
Atmosphere is semi-formal saloon feeling with a "smart" or "resort" casual or business casual as the normal dress attire. If you're used to going to Morton's, Ruth's Chris or Flemings, you'll be a little surprised. The atmosphere is brighter with less muted colors and lighting than other formal steakhouses.
As with any nice steak restaurant, never order a "bone-in" steak as it tends to lose more moisture when cooked and never ask for A-1 (you'll insult the cattle rancher, the USDA inspector, the butcher, and the chef).
All in all, you'll have a great time here. If you know your steaks and demand only the top cuts, this is your place.
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Top notch steaks and service!
Never been there since moving to Chicago, but well worth the wait.
Stan the server was the best, even comping us on the dessert !
(try the Strip!)
We sat by the river- it didn't stink like I heard from co-workers
All in all a 5 star experience, which I didn't expect from a chain.
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I only ever come to Smith & Wollensky for company lunches. It's not my first pick, but it's close by and all the executives like it. So, I go along and enjoy the free lunch. ;)
That said, I've never really been impressed with the food. The food is just a formality to me...something to "get through" before they roll the dessert trolley over. I LOVE the dessert trolley!! I always want to order one of everything! Smith & Wollensky does dessert very well!
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Yes, its a chain and yes, there are many other steak houses out there but for my money, its a safe bet that I will be pleased when I leave here. I am particularly partial to the bar area of Smith & Wollensky which I find to by one of the best spots in the city to order a great steak. Down in the bar area, the atmosphere is considerably less stuffy and you usually don't need a reservation. The view of the river really makes it even better. While I am usually partial to the bone in ribeye, their filet mignon is da bomb... just rare, velvety perfection.
Mind you, I'm not saying that Smith and Wollensky is the best steakhouse in Chicago but it does seem to remain at a consistently high level. I've had varied experiences at almost every other "top flight" steakhouse, (Morton's, Keefer's, Gibson's, etc.) and although all of those restaurants have at times narrowly edged out S&W, they have also all fallen well short on other occassions. Maybe I am getting old but I feel like a sure "9 out of 10" is preferable to gambing on getting a "10" or a "6".
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The food is excellent, well-prepared, drinks are lovely. The service is good as well.
I've eaten here once and had the filet of some variety with the blue cheese on the top. Very tasty. The truffle macaroni and cheese was a little off-tasting, but that could be due to expecting regular-ish mac 'n cheese.
I also visited here for drinks after work one day. A tip? They have an outside bar and outside patio tables that are first come first served. Very nice if you'd like to enjoy a glass of wine or a well-made cocktail (or several!) right along the river after a hard day of work!
It is expensive, and I couldn't find any "specials," but it is a nice treat, and worth it if you want to splurge for a special happy hour!
5 stars on the service alone. Never in my life have I been served by such a professional wait staff. They were all extremely pleasant (including those I passed by on my way to the restrooms), prompt, and courteous! And considering I was only one person in a party of 30, I felt they did a darn good job of being extremely personable.
The restaurant itself has the old school Chicago charm, which I love, and it overlooks the river, so the view isn't too shabby, if you ask me. If you can, snag one of the window views - you won't regret it.
Now, onto the food. It's a well-known beef restaurant in the city that eats, breathes, and drinks beef. Nuff said. Seriously, though, I had the filet mignon, which was well done (if you like medium, however, ask for medium rare). I tried the mashed potatoes (very creamy!) and creamed spinach (much better than I expected!), but I must say, the food didn't entirely blow me over. However, the dessert...well, that's a different story. I had a superb chocolate layer cake that was so good I stole bites from my so's plate while he wasn't looking.
I wouldn't recommend the house Cabernet (which tasted watered down), but the mixed drinks are stiff enough to remind you to tip well.
I'm not sure what the total damage was, since I was there as a guest for a friend's wedding rehearsal dinner, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap. Definitely a place to go for a big celebration.
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This is the best steakhouse in the city on a 75-85 degree day in the spring/summer. The outdoor patio on the river is unmatched, and could not be a better place for lunch, weather permitting. I had a NY strip with Bearnaise sauce, and it was prepared exceptionally well. I have no complaints, but have heard that at times, the service can be a bit slow here. However, this was not my experience. I will say, that on a sunny day, the wait staff wears goofy looking sunglasses though...
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I was super excited when my parents and I were ushered to one of the tables overlooking the river! I absolutely loved the view! Oh, and I also loved the piano player right by the bar. It gives the restaurant that 40's kinda feel. Even though I probably should've ordered a steak, I opted for the mahi-mahi special of the day and loved that it came with this sweet, soy sauce. The best part of the dinner was the trio of creme brulees that we ordered for dessert -- white, milk, and dark chocolate. ;) Yum.
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Well for me. This is a meeting place. I met my friend that lives just out the door. Good thing for him. This is classic american steakhouse. Servers and bartenders are well dressed some in white coats.
So i met my friend after getting into town and checking in at the hotel. Drinks prices are decent. Bit higher than I'm used to paying but right for the place. There is an upstairs and downstairs. The latter being more a casual dinning/bar. We ordered a bone in ribeye with Cajun seasoning and cut as an appitizer. It did take awhile but than we ordered it close to midnight. That's the beauty. The ribeye was cooke well. I found the spices to be just right. Just a little smack. The place downstairs closes early compared to other bars, 1:30am. A group came in and ordered filet, lobster tail and ??? to go. It is just 50 feet to the House of Blues. It's also the same to walk my friend and girlfriend to his door. Hate when i show up late for a party like that.
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This is my personal favorite steakhouse in Chicago. The view right off marina harbor is excellent. Make sure to request a table outside or overlooking the river. Smith and Wollensky specializes in Dry aged beef. They have an extensive wine list also.My choice cut is the New York Strip. I had it cooked medium rare and it came out perfect. I had the whipped potatoes and sauteed mushrooms on the side. Don't forget to order the massive lettuce wedge with blue cheese and diced tomatoes! It is the size of a whole head of lettuce. The seafood appetizers are amazing as well. They come to your table displayed as a tower of fresh seafood. Everything on the menu is a la carte, and can be pricey.
This is really an amazing establishment that you should treat yourself to often. Make sure to stop by the cigar room. My wife and I went here most recently for our anniversary, and the waitress gave us an excellent slice of New York cheesecake with a piece of chocolate that had "happy anniversary" engraved on it.
The steak here is excellent! I ordered the Filet, Oscar style, and it was the best I've ever had. The portions are perfect, and it was cooked exactly as I had ordered. The prices match the taste but it is definitely worth the extra bucks!
Leave room for dessert as there is a huge piece of chocolate cake on the menu that you must try!
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One of favorite steakhouse for business meetings and dinners, service is always excellent. Bone-in Rib-eye is the best I ever tried, but ladies shall be aware that the portion size on the steak is huge, I've never finished them even though I am a huge fan of steaks..., A good thing about this fancy chain steakhouses is.... if you can not find a good restaurant for business dinner in a new city, Smith & Wollensky could be a safe way to satisfy your companies, I've been those in Vegas, NYC, and Chicago, the service is always excellent in those but quite pricy, so actually the good service is supposed to be., One in Chicago is the most romantic with the lake-view and spacious. For Saturday lunch, if you are mood for steaks, you can casually go to the Webber grill to grab lunch or dinner with friends but would recommend to go S & W as long as the dinner comes with "business" or "company" things. Once again, not that " Fantastic" but " Very Safe if you need to take your business companies...."
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How can you giveth this place anything less.
This is a true indicator of the quality of reviewers on this site. 16 reviews? Serious Foodies are not on YELP.
This restaurant rocks my world. This was the best meal I have had in about a year well well worth it.
Service is pristine. Wine is decadent. No complaints. maybe more tables they can do it!
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showed up without reservations on a monday night. the place was pretty crowded. we wanted to sit outside by the water but those tables were full. so, apparently, were the tables inside upstairs so we were asked to go downstairs. for some reason, i expected a lesser experience...like being asked to eat in the bar but it seemed just the same to me.
the wine list seemed reasonably priced. another review said the wine list was 'boring' which i didn't really understand. sport the $2400 for a bottle of screaming eagle and i think things would get unboring in a hurry. perhaps the other places have those $3K bottles that let you know that you're enjoying a special meal. we went with a nice $60 bottle of david bruce pinot, pocketing the $2340 to spend later on, oh i don't know, a used car maybe.
the bone-in ribeye was not quite as thick as i expected but was delicious and cooked to perfection (med rare). at $9.50 for two sides, i expected a more whipped potatoes. i should mention that my soup was cold! it was also gespacho, so no problem~
too much food for a lap around the dessert menu.
great location, good wine list, very good food. it lacked something in the 'wow' department that would have snagged the fifth star but, all in all, a nice option if you don't want to roll out the extra couple of benjamins for ruth's chris.
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