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Alexander's Steakhouse
Category: Restaurants Steakhouses Steakhouses [Edit]
100 Alexander AvePeoria, IL 61603
(309) 688-0404
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Alexander's Steakhouse
Review Highlights
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"The dressings on the salad bar are top notch." In 13 reviews -
"Two words: SKILLET COOKIE." In 3 reviews -
"Was in P-town over the weekend and brought the family to..." In 3 reviews
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Jeffrey F.
Burbank, CA
12/30/2011
My favorite restaurant in Peoria. Every time I visit, it's must! Where else can you grill your steak to perfection while enjoying a cocktail and family!
It's not fussy or formal, but outstanding quality, service, and value! -
Review from David B.
Peoria, IL
5/22/2012
Meh. Steak is expensive even if you cook it yourself. It was delicious, but I paid nice steakhouse prices for the "privilege" of cooking it myself. And luckily, I cooked it perfectly.
The menu lacks sides and is limited altogether. The salad bar is a cheap buffet salad bar. I hope for Peoria's sake, this isn't as good as it can do.
I like the gimmick of cooking your own steak, but everything else was lacking, except the bill which has as much as Jim's and there they cook the steak for you. -
Review from Nichole F.
Chicago, IL
3/11/2012
Alexanders is one of my favorite restaurants in Peoria! I have never had bad service there or a bad meal. I have been dining there for many many years. The salad bar is great! So many options in the salad bar! The steaks are delicious and high quality. They come with a baked potato and Texas toast - yum! I usually order steak here but I have also had the chicken which is also delicious. Appetizers are not needed but the stuffed mushrooms are great if you need a recommendation. If you have the room, get the skillet cookie, yum!!!! You can have them cook for you but cooking it yourself (or have your significant other do it like I do) is more fun in my humble opinion.
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Review from Chicago M.
Burbank, IL
3/25/2012
For anyone familiar with the Prime Quarter Steakhouse chain, this is almost identical, just slightly less upscale. The steaks were great, at a reasonable price, $36 for a 16oz filet. The salad bar was adequate. The drinks were reasonably priced...$4.50 for a tall Bacardi and Coke. Chef was pleasant and helpful to those cooking on their own. Lobster tails a bit small, but you can load up on as many baked potatoes and Texas toast as you want. The mushrooms as an appetizer are definitely recommended! Next time in town, we will be back!
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Review from Carrie Jeremiah A.
Peoria, IL
3/13/2012
Definately a fun place to go with a crowd of people. You can select and cook your own steak if you like or have it cooked for you. The marinated filet is my number one choice, IF you get that far, as the salad bar always fills me up and I end up taking most of my steak home. If you arent undoing your pants my the end of the meal try the skillet cookie, which in my opinion tends to be the best part of the whole meal. Try to save room!
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Review from Jen C.
Viera, FL
12/1/2011
Such a fun place to go with friends.. always loved the ambiance here.. great steaks, whether you cook them yourself or they do for you.. good salad bar. Just a great place!
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Review from Jason V.
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had a good dinner for five at Alexander's. For appetizer's, the fried mushrooms and the fried calamari were pretty good. The calamari were in an odd French fry-like shape, but were still tasty. The potato skins were nothing special, and I would recommend passing on them in favor of another appetizer. Alternatively, you could just go for another round (or two) at the salad bar, which is not super extensive but has relatively fresh ingredients--definitely a good step up in that department from your average chain restaurant salad bar like Ruby Tuesday's.
We opted to kick in the extra couple bucks and have the chef prepare our steaks. I went with a medium rare t-bone that may have been a tad overcooked into medium territory. The steak itself was pretty large--maybe just a tad under porterhouse size pre-cooked. The steaks are apparently hand cut by in-house butchers but, possibly as a result, they'll only guarantee USDA Choice or above. The baked potato side is very basic--an uncut baked potato put on your plate. The hand cut Idaho steak fries looked pretty good--as simple as a couple of lengthwise cuts in a potato that are fried. The shrimp on the Jumbo Shrimp Skewer was short of being anything "jumbo" in my opinion, but it's still nice to have the shrimp as an add on. The vegetables on the skewer, on the other hand, weren't that good. If you like mushrooms at all, I strongly recommend getting the skillet of sauteed mushrooms along with your steaks. Dinner also comes with unlimited Texas toast--literally out of a bag like you would get at the grocery store, but the end result is actually really enjoyable after toasting the bread on the grill for a little bit.
Even though we were all pretty stuffed, we decided to share a Skillet Cookie, which is a chocolate chip cookie served in a hot skillet with ice cream and whipped cream. I thought it was all a little over-hyped, but it's an okay dessert to share among a couple of people.
Overall, Alexander's isn't the place to go for a classic steakhouse experience, but it's exactly the right place if you're looking to kick back and drink beers around a huge grill while cooking your steaks. The restaurant atmosphere is friendly, as is the service. I do like the fact that you can take a look at the different cuts in the fridge before making your selection. Except for the sauteed mushrooms, the food doesn't stand out among all the steakhouses I've been to, but, if you're cooking your own steaks, the experience is a little more unique than the rest. -
Review from Gary P.
Carol Stream, IL
10/17/2011
Was in P-town over the weekend and brought the family to Alexander's. Food was great and the service was outstanding (ask for Lyndsay). My wife and daughter both had salmon (which they will cook for you without an extra charge) and it was amazing. Others in the group had steak which we cooked ourselves. The guy at the grill keeps an eye on the grill for you and all of our steaks came our great.
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Review from Debra S.
Chicago, IL
11/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
Always a delicious steak at Alexander's. Only go here if you like a nice salad buffet and to cook your own steak. However, for $2 more, I had my steak cooked and it was to PERFECTION! I'm not sure how , but they even delivered it to me at the exact same time my dining companions were done cooking their steaks. AMAZING! Alexander's is a great option for steak in the Peoria area. It is casual and also good for groups (my class reunion was there last year and it worked well).
I could only give three stars because for being a fine steakhouse, the beer and wine menu is lacking. I also wasn't super excited about the price. The waitstaff could use some additional skills as well (i.e. our server didn't even ask if we were ordering off the menu or not, she just took the pre-placed menus away. another server was cleaning the buffet sneeze guards with windex while there was food in there....ick!)
Otherwise, I have no complaints on the food and I imagine I will be back again someday! -
Review from Michele H.
Alameda, CA
12/18/2009
Good grief, people, it's a steakhouse, and a good one, at that.
I live in the SF Bay area and there are weeks when I would KILL
to find a place like this. No such thing, really as a Midwestern
steakhouse in our area. Morton's (franchise out of Chicago)
does not count. People out here do not know beef. At all.
Any time I am back to visit family, we make a pilgrimage here
and I am HAPPY to pay the little bit extra to have them cook my steak.
It's practically a BARGAIN. -
Review from Mike T.
Bolingbrook, IL
2/5/2012
There is something special about having to cook your own steak because you can pick the best cut of meat and cook it exactly the way you want. Alexander's typically has the best quality of meat and a great environment to sit down for a nice meal with a friends and family.
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Review from Michelle B.
Peoria, IL
1/10/2011
If you are out with friends or a large group this is your place. If you don't want to cook your steaks they have someone to do it for you but I think that just takes the fun out of it.
The steak quality isn't horrible and the set up is pretty cool. The dressings on the salad bar are top notch...my only complaint is the the service.
Besides drinks the wait staff only has to bring out butter/sour cream and any sides you might order that you don't cook yourself and they are sooo slow doing it. If I am cooking my own meal and order mushrooms to go with it why do I need to tell you 3 times that hey...my steak is done...can I get those shrooms? I gave you a 5 minute heads up..I told you when I sat down....I told you when half of my meal was done and your restaurant wasn't really busy. I watched you mingle at the bar. Mind you this has happened a couple of times.
I just don't get the concept of expecting 18% to set down 2 drinks, butter and sour cream, write down what I cooked, have to be flagged down for more drinks and an order of mushrooms to be served when my meal is 3/4 of the way done. -
Review from Nancy W.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2008
Assumptions:
1. You are in Peoria.
2. You are looking for a casual, group- or family-oriented restaurant.
3. You love steak.
4. You think cooking your own steak on a charcoal grill approximately the size of a modest above-ground swimming pool while you hang with your friends, a pitcher of beer at your side, is a good time.
Yup. Now before you poo-poo this like they'd asked you to peel potatoes, wash lettuce or do the dishes, please re-read Assumption #4.
Et voila, I present, "Alexander's Steakhouse". I went with a couple of our engineers and one of the folks from the project we're working on and we had a great time and the steaks were excellent. I had the New York Strip, J and T had the T-bone and M had the fillet. Each dinner comes with a baked potato, a trip to the salad bar and as much Texas Toast as you care to spend time grilling. I passed on the salad bar (most mid-west salads make me sad), potato and Texas Toast (really, it's just big toast) and concentrated on the meat and a skillet of the most crack-o'licious sauteed mushrooms I've ever had.
You can cook your own meat or one of the 'grill-side chefs' will cook it for you -- for an extra charge. If you need advice, they will help you out. There are non-steak choices (chicken, fish, shrimp and lobster, pork chops, etc.). Alexander's also features a kids menu, student and early bird specials.
This is a big venue (I'm guessing it seats over 200) and there are at least two big-a$$ communal grills indoors. When we got there it was dark so I couldn't see the exterior, but it is on the shore of Lake Peoria and it looks like a converted mill or factory. I liked the outside -- I'm always in favor of 're-purposing' instead of the homogeneous 'new' -- but the inside looked a little too chain-y for my tastes. I'm guessing there's a size-able outside seating area.
If the aforementioned assumptions are true, then you will likely enjoy your visit. -
Review from Josette J.
Detroit, MI
12/14/2009
Two words: SKILLET COOKIE.
I am amazed that none of the reviews mention the skillet cookie, which is a chocolate chip cookie cooked in a skillet and topped with delicious vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. It's large enough to share with another person, but you'll want to eat one all by your lonesome!
But now for the rest of the review!
As others have mentioned, you can cook your own steak here, but the whole table elected to have the chef cook our meals, which was a good choice. This gave us time to socialize rather than worrying over slices of beef.
While we waited for our main courses, we headed out to the salad bar. It's an above average salad bar--nothing terribly fancy. I will have to commend them for having real bacon instead of just bacon bits, though. I do loves me some bacon.
The steaks arrived, and I was in carnivore heaven. I got a perfect, medium rare filet, a potato and a piece of toasted, buttery bread. Mmmm, YES. I was dancing in my seat as I chewed.
To end the meal, one of our dinner companions suggested we get a couple of skillet cookies, and, as I mentioned earlier, the skillet cookie was marvelous. Actually, I regret not going back the next day for another one!
-1 star because myself and my dinner companions had empty cups on the table for much too long. How hard is it to refill water and pop? -
Review from Justin S.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/16/2008
Alexander's.... it's a gimmick place. "Cook your own steak." It wears off after a couple times and you realize that you came to a restaurant to be served, not to cook your own steak at restaurant prices.
The steaks are fabulous, but the place gets crowded and the crowd gets irritating, not to mention how hot it is due to the grills in the middle of the place.
It's pretty decent, but Johnny's and especially Jim's are better choices. -
Review from Chris D.
Naperville, IL
8/5/2009
I think they get their meat from old bulls. The steak I had was like shoe leather. The salad bar is really good. The idea of cooking your own steak is cool especially if you go with friends. Something about standing around a grill drinking beer. That said, go to Alwans, pick up your own steak and stand around the grill and drink beer that way. It will save you money and you will get a better cut of beef.
I wont go back again. -
Review from Eric H.
Peoria, IL
7/31/2010
Grossly Overpriced - on everything, from beer (3.50+), to very average salad bar (10), to a sub-par 23 dollar fillet that you get charged extra for if you want it cooked (part of their catch is you can order raw steak then cook it your self on these community grills).
My steak had a foreign body inside of it, however they were eager to remediate any dissatisfaction, and the service was amongst the best that I have ever had in the Peoria area.
The atmosphere is forgettable, and the location is questionable.
Bottom line - way overpriced, very average food, good service. -
Review from Beth C.
Lexington, KY
3/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've always heard great things about Alexander's--I was impressed! The steak was delicious. I had the chef prepare mine, but there were lots of people up at the grill making their own steak masterpieces. The salad bar was fresh and tasty! You will NOT leave hungry. I was born and raised in Peoria, and I'm ashamed to say this was my first time eating here. Thumbs up!
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Review from Paul A.
Oswego, IL
4/29/2011
BIG FOOD...grill your own giant steak (fun, yet very hot by the grill!) and BIG SALAD BAR (with a big neon sign -- Peoria's Best Salad Bar -- to prove it)! Alexander's was a lot of fun. A very steak-knowledgeable guy watches the grill for you to make sure you're cooking it the way you like, so it's foolproof! Casual atmosphere with televisions hung in the corners of the dining room to watch sports. When in P-Town, give it a try!
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Review from Frank E.
Phoenix, AZ
7/20/2009 2 Check-ins Here
I don't understand some of the negativeness being posted about Alexander's. It's a great place. Excellent atmosphere, great salad bar, and great drinks. Wife loves the Teryaki fillet (and it is tasty) and the regular fillet made w/ the Santa Maria seasoning is great. A great Long Island Iced Tea and Mai Tai can also be had here. They have great food. Don't know if it's the best in the US but it's one of the best in the area.
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Review from Rusty S.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2007
This place flat-out rocks for us Carnivores, but you've got to have a plan. First, you order up a tall, cold stein of your favorite lager. Then you select your slab of meat out of the cooler.
Take a few steps over to the grill and throw the meat on the grill with a grunt(more of a 'Tim the Tool-Man Taylor' grunt than a 'dang, this meat is heavy' grunt).
Right away, now, take a nice long swig of your beer(you didn't set it down, did you? Or, worse yet, leave it at the table?) Take a moment to admire your handiwork. Now you can either head over to the salad bar to graze for a bit, or you can stay at the grill and munch on a piece of you-grilled Texas-toast. After about ten minutes, flip your meat, after another ten or so(when your steak reaches your desired 'done-ness') order up another cold one so it's waiting for you at your table when you complete the final step before eating(see, I told you that you've got to have a plan): grab a potato, throw your steak on a clean plate, re-join your friends/family and enjoy!
The prices are pretty reasonable, but if you're the type that's going to complain that it should be cheaper because, hey, you do all the real work, then maybe this isn't the restaurant for you. But if you're up for a fun evening of carnivorous dining then you've come to the right place.Listed in: Great Service, Clean Plate Club
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Review from Jeff F.
Peoria, IL
2/16/2011
This is where I like to go when I have people visiting from out of town. Cooking your own steak while having a beer or wine is a great social activity. The food is great along with the atmosphere.
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Review from Mike G.
Metamora, IL
5/19/2009
Some of the best steak in town. Just let them cook it!
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Review from Sarah G.
4/30/2009
People rave about Alexander's in Peoria, but to me it was just a regular 'ol steakhouse. That's what I get from growing up in Omaha, I guess... Still, probably the best place to get a steak in P-town, even if it a little bit on the expensive side.
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Review from Frankie B.
Biloxi, MS
11/21/2009
The steaks were awesome - so tender you could cut it with a fork. The concept of the place is pretty cool, but be prepared to wait for a little while to get in. I would agree with some of Justin S. points with regards to the grill and sometimes having to wait, but overall if you aren't in a hurry and want a pretty freakin' good steak this place is worth the visit.
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Review from Jodi C.
Peoria, IL
7/14/2007
The gimic here is that you can cook your own steak. Couldn't I have done that at home? They actually charge extra if you want them to cook for you? Hello! Rest-aurant - not work-aurant! They do have a pretty tasty salad bar though.
We went here recently for Father's Day. My hubby ordered "fresh, corn on the cob". It was horrible. Not only was it not fresh, it wasn't sweet corn and it tasted like it had been reheated a few times. The whole experience was mediocre, and they weren't busy. It definitely wasn't one of their better days.
It's a large old warehouse with plenty of seating. Parking, however, is always a crunch.
If you're in the mood to cook for yourself, this is the only place (except in the privacy of your neighbor's grill). But, there are plenty of other places to get a steak in Peoria. -
Review from Ashley R.
Peoria, IL
10/29/2010
you dont have to cook your own steak, so the lazy reviewers should quit whining. their chefs here are actually magicians of meat, they just look at a steak and know its done. the salad bar, best in the area. hands down. ill knife fight anyone who says otherwise. sauteed mushrooms, ill ask for them on my death bed, to be followed by a skillet cookie. Its a slightly expensive night out, but you cant beat alexanders for a good steak dinner in this town in my opinion.
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Review from Sandra L.
East Peoria, IL
8/19/2009
Unique and picturesque, located on the Illiinois River and you enter on Alexander Street in the warehouse district of the city. You'd never know this place was there unless someone told you and that's one of the first restaurants we were advised to visit upon moving to the Peoria area. Inside, it's huge with lofted ceilings and lots of old wood. Big grills stand in the middle of the first floor and you are given the choice of grilling your own steaks or they'll cook it for you for $1 more. Once we were inside, the smells were fabulous and the atmosphere fun and friendly. Standing around the grill with a drink talking to the other patrons is fun. We had good meals, not great and I think cooking it yourself is unique but something we can do ourselves. There's another restaurant in Wisconsin like this called Hookers and our kids always enjoyed cooking their own meat, choosing the selection etc. I think the best thing about Alexanders is the atmosphere, location and people. It's unique and fun.
