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Pete Miller's Seafood & Prime Steak
Category: Restaurants Steakhouses Steakhouses [Edit]
1557 Sherman Ave(between Grove St & Orrington Ave)
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-0399
- Nearest Transit:
-
Davis (Purple Line)
Dempster (Purple Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4:30 pm - 1 am
Fri-Sat 4:30 pm - 2 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
131 reviews for Pete Miller's Seafood & Prime Steak
Review Highlights
"I'm a fan of their live jazz and great ambiance."
(in 22 reviews)
"We then both had a filet mignon and garlic mashed potatoes."
(in 12 reviews)
"Filet mignon was extremely tender."
(in 14 reviews)
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131 reviews in English
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Review from Rustygirl M.
Chicago, IL
1/23/2012
Bread basket was great. Very buttery, no need to add any.
I had the fish- grouper with mashed potatoes. Very good. Partner had black and blue burger with sweet potato fries. It came on rye bread that was interesting but not that great.
Jazz was good. Made reservation on open table requesting we be seated near jazz but instead we were placed in back. We could still hear so no biggie.
Bad part was we still had to wait 15-20 mins for our table even tho we had reservation.
Expensive but lunch menu would be a nice way to go.
*They bring the large tray around with the raw red meat so you can pick out your steak. Just fyi. -
Review from Megan L.
2/6/2012
I really want to love Pete Miller's. I love a good steakhouse, but I'm just not impressed. I mean, everything was fine - but really, only fine.
Things started out really promising. They were very accommodating when we showed up over half an hour early for our reservation. They promptly took us to a sort of back room with only 4 or 5 tables - more on that later. Our server was knowledgeable, and was able to provide some good recommendations.
The appetizers (artichoke dip and oysters) were both good. Nothing exceptional, but solid. We get some wine, and everything is going fine.
Out come the entrees. The seared tuna didn't come with the promised wasabi cream. One of the steaks, ordered medium well, was pretty much raw in the middle. The side of au poivre & cognac reduction that came with one of the steaks (for extra money, mind you) was almost entirely mushrooms - the cup was only about half full once you took the mushrooms out. Out of four of us, three had something that was off about our meal. That's not a great batting average, guys.
Additionally, mid-way through dinner the heat came on. And on. And on. And it started to get VERY uncomfortable. I was lucky enough to have a sleeveless top on under my jacket, so I could de-layer - but even so, I was HOT. As were the other tables - we were all looking around going "Is it just us?" The table next to us nearly opened the emergency exit. Our server came by to let us know they were turning down the heat, but it really should never have gotten to that point.
Anyway, the temperature did return to normal eventually, and we continued on with our meal. We were there to celebrate a birthday so we decided we had to have dessert - we ended up with the sampler, which included Italian cheesecake, Key lime pie, hot fudge sundae, and creme brulee. And yep, still just not quite right. The creme brulee was really runny and over bruleed on the top. The hot fudge sundae - well, I don't even think you can call it that. There was a thin layer (like see-thru-y) of fudge lining the dish, and then a bunch of vanilla ice cream. It's like they forgot to put the fudge on it. The Key lime pie and cheesecake were fine, but just fine.
Pete Miller's definitely has the standard steakhouse prices, but just didn't deliver on the steakhouse experience. -
Review from mark w.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
I'm going to preface that I will give them another try. Some dishes were awesome, some were lackluster. The ambiance was perfect, and the service was pretty good.
The prime rib was way over salted, but flavor was there. The burger i got was just barely waved over a fire, and totally raw inside. No char whatsoever, and pretty bland. The eggplant appetizer was awesome, the crabcakes were awesome, and the lobster bisque tasted perfect...BUT they add the hot soup table side to your cold bowl with chilled lobster and veggies. This leaves for a luke warm soup :( Bread bowl was very yummy.
I don't know if the chef was not having a good day, but it wasn't terrible and it wasn't great. It did show potential. -
Review from Linda S.
Evanston, IL
1/1/2012
Chill, swank, just enough little retro vibe to make it work. Pete Miller's has been a corner stone of Evanston for years - I wasn't sure how the recent (past year or so) change of management would impact the place - well, it seems that change is for the good! The food is still great, but the vibe seems a tiny bit more energetic.
You could always count on great music there, but even here they have raised the bar (so to speak) - we saw the Chris Greene Quartet on Friday night (fantastic jazz ensemble), ran into friends, ate well, drank well - you couldn't ask for a better time. The staff is awesome there - super friendly, on top of their game and not in your face. Best of all was the Mascarpone Cheesecake with berries - like eating a piece of heaven.
Go with friends for great food and tunes! -
Review from Danielle C.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2011
We strolled into Pete Millers not looking too hot. We had been shopping all day and were hungry. Jeans, Etc. We certainly were not dressed too wonderfully, but we wanted a good meal and it was rather early- like 6ish. We figured it was too early for the snobs to be out. To the host and hostesses credit, they did not raise an eyebrow at us. We were seated immediately and not hidden in a back corner. That earned some goodwill in my mind.
We started off with the seared tuna medallion appetizer. OH MY GOD. These were amazing and we all wanted more. Really, really great tuna, the flavoring of the spices was perfect. It was so much better than expected. We also had the escargot. It was, well, es cargo. Not my favorite thing to eat but it tasted ok. But the tuna medallions? Take me back any day and I will happily eat about 3 orders of them!
None of us were actually in the mood for steak (why were we here?) but one had a craving for a specific item on the menu. So, steak Wellington, BBQ ribs, and pistachio crusted grouper (for me) summed up our main order. Oh, we also ordered enough asparagus to feed a camp of vegans. I guess we all felt the need for greens! Everything was wonderful, with, of course, the grouper being AWESOME. In fact, I have craved it ever since. It was thick, flaky, and entirely incredible. The ribs were demolished, as was the wellington.
Of course, we were not finished. We split the creme brulee for dessert. It was probably the creamiest, most delectable creme brulee that I have ever had. Not to mention that one portion easily served three of us.
Our server was fantastic. He was personable, friendly, on hand without being intrusive and very knowledgeable. He was Johnny on the spot to replenish beers and wine without being prompted.
Our experience here was great. While we certainly were not quite dressed like the normal clientele, we also did not look like riffraff off the street. They treated us wonderfully and our meal was great. I have no idea as to the pricing, but the service and quality was fantastic. -
Review from Glenn D.
Chicago, IL
1/30/2012
Sat down at a bar table on Monday night. Bartender and waitresses ignored me. Told the hostess. She said "Sorry about that," took no action and I left. For 100 bucks per person, I guess the customer is paying to be treated like garbage. All this happened at approximately 7PM. Restaurant was about 1/8 th full. Nice, huh?
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Review from Jennifer B.
Chicago, IL
12/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This place is a local staple when I'm in the mood for a steak and good live jazz music. While there are a few surprises on the menu, everything here is fairly straightforward. More importantly, it's consistent.
Regardless of whether I'm seated at the bar (which offers both a bar and regular menu) or the dining area, I can rely on my experience meeting my expectations. The staff is incredibly attentive, and will actually sit and chat with you. I'm a regular here, as are many of the patrons, which speaks to the quality of the restaurant.
Having tried almost everything on the menu, there legitimately aren't any bad choices in their food or wine selections. Menu items are standard fare for mid-range Chicago steakhouses. There are several aged beef options, as well as more original offerings such as bison strip steak and kobe beef meatballs. Their oyster selection is always great, and their seafood options have yet to disappoint me (though their lobster bisque is a bit standard). Likewise, there are several gems on their wine and cocktail lists.
The only somewhat lackluster part of their menu could be their desserts. While each is delicious, nothing jumps out as being fantastically prepared. But in all fairness, the same can be said for the entire restaurant. You're unlikely to leave being wowed. But you will have had a great meal without disappointment, which is a welcomed reliability in my eyes.
The main perk of Pete Miller's is their ongoing offering of live jazz, without cover. While some performances have not been my preferred style of jazz, I have yet to see a bad show--and some have been simply amazing. The timing for each set depends on the act and night of the week, but artists tend to play for at least 2 -3 hours. Background information can be found about each performer on the restaurant's website. Be forewarned that some jazz performances can be a bit loud.
The restaurant has two main sections, a fine-dining area and a more sports-bar area (with billiards). Beyond a few World Cup games, I've yet to sit in the latter section, but I believe the same menu is used on both sides.
Whenever a consistently good restaurant such as Pete Miller's mentions a menu revision, I'm automatically wary as chefs are prone to ruining a good thing. Each addition to Pete's menu, however, has added quality variations to their central theme. Given my love of prohibition era drinks, I was pleased to see that several cocktails inspired by that time have been added--and the experimentation with fresh herbs and non-standard liqueurs is a nice touch.
On countless occasions, I've been grateful to not have to drive downtown for an experience similar to those provided by Pete Miller's. May they continue to be a wonderful addition to this area's dining establishments. -
Review from ann s.
Evanston, IL
10/18/2011
Burger with a side of jazz. Not a bad way to kill a couple of hours. We sat in the bar area and had mostly bar items, so the closest I got to steak this time was a steak sandwich.
We've been in the fancier dining space but wanted to keep it casual and more obviously affordable this time. We had lobster bisque, french onion soup, burger, aforementioned steak sandwich, sides of parmesan creamed spinach and sweet-potato fries. Plus Bell's beers. All pretty good, though I did end up pushing all the cheese and peppers and glop off of my sandwich so I could taste the meat. Next time, I think I'll go with the burger, which looked great. But at least there will be a next time! Our servers were very attentive.
The jazz lounge is very comfortable and seems to draw some nice talent. If you're on the far side of the lounge from the stage, you may not hear the music all that well over people's conversations.
And for those of you who inexplicably hate jazz, there's a capacious sports bar to the left with lots of televisions and a couple of pool tables. If that's what you want, take the door to the left. If you prefer the jazz, open the door to the right.
Update: We went to the Evanston location for dinner and I ordered the exact same dish I ordered in Wheeling: porcini-dusted salmon with a side of asparagus. It wasn't as good. I sent the first piece of fish back as overcooked. The second piece still wasn't done as nicely as the one in Wheeling, and the asparagus wasn't as good either (that may be a shopping problem, not in the cooking). I'm not changing my rating, because the steaks were reportedly good, and we had an awesome table right in front of the stage. So my final verdict is that the Wheeling location has the edge when it comes to kitchen staff, but the Evanston place is a better venue for jazz with dinner, as long as you don't get seated in the back room (they initially tried to seat us back there--a windowless, charmless little Siberia with about six tables of varying sizes). -
Review from Tom H.
Evanston, IL
Updated - 10/4/2011
Revisited Pete Miller's last night.
I sat at a table next to the music stage which had a light overhead, so, unlike the very dark table at the side of the room I sat at the last time where I couldn't even read the menu, I was able to see just fine.
John Williams played a very enjoyable set of jazz standards on the grand piano nearby.
They have just revamped their menu and beer list, which makes this place even better than it was before. There are now easily two dozen bottled micro brews, like Bell's Kalamazoo Stout and Half Acre Daisy Cutter, as befits a good steakhouse in the 21st Century. Instead of being limited to three possible side dishes with your steak, as before, now there's a dozen or more choices and quite a few new items. For example, previously you could have garlic mashed potatoes but not a baked potato as an included side; now you can have either.
I started with a very good, very enjoyable bowl of french onion soup, a new menu item, filled with onions, soaked bread and a baked cheese topping. For the entree, I had a Kansas City aged bone in strip steak with "potato cakes", David, my waiter's good suggestion. The steak was both large and good. The potato cakes were finely mashed potatoes formed into a small square, covered with melted cheddar and bacon strips--yummy. For dessert, I opted for lime sorbet and black coffee. I was tempted to try the vanilla creme brulee or berries in whiskey whipped cream, but I was very full from the main course by then.
The tab came to just under $73 plus tip, which seemed in line for this kind of dinner.
Again, Pete Miller's is even better now than it was a few months ago on my first visit. It's a bar and restaurant aimed for adults, as opposed to many of the college places in Evanston.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/29/2011
Treated myself to a really nice steak dinner last night at Pete Miller's. I got there pretty late… Read more »
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Review from Josh P.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2012
Always great food, great blue point oysters. We sat at the bar last time we were here and still really enjoyed ourselves! We head in about once a week, and have never been let down. The live music is great!
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Review from Carmie C.
Skokie, IL
9/26/2011
Finally time to write this up, as we've been to PM Evanston 3 times this year, and over the weekend at the Wheeling location. Once just for dinner, and the other times because we wanted to hear a local jazz singer.
I'll say up front that it is a good place to hear jazz and we will only go back for that aspect and sit in the bar. I hear that PM treats musicians well and that is a big plus for me. However...
Our first dinner back in June was fine. We both had versions of the filet which was cooked nicely - a little more medium than the medium rare we like - but no complaints and very good service.
OK, on to August. We went two nights in a row to hear our friend Erin sing. 1st night - I called for reservation mentioning that we wanted to sit in the music room near the band and had a pleasant conversation about music and how we like to go on jazz nights. We show up and we were lead to the BACK of the place as the note on our reservation said we wanted to be as far from the music as possible. Whaaa?? They fixed that quick. I don't remember what husband ate, but I had the whitefish with garlic mashed potatoes. I used to have this all the time when I worked in Evanston and was looking forward to it. It was kinda mushy and bland but edible. I did not say anything about it, and that was my fault.
2nd night - We walked in to make a reservation for like an hour later. No problem. Again mentioned that we would be here for the music and could we sit there. No problem. Then wandered around town a bit and when we went back - you guessed it - we were lead away from the music room again! Now that's just weird. Food - we decided to try the burgers instead of full-out dinner. They were good, but not 'the best burger in Chicago' or whatever was advertized. Again more medium-to-well than medium rare. Go to Edzo's a few doors down for a burger that will blow your mind. Beer was good. That's all. -
Review from Al I.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/20/2011
Recent menu changes and a number of positive trips here have more than made up for prior unremarkable experiences we had here once upon a time. I'd definitely recommend this place now. Is it Morton's? No, but it's darn good. Last night, our steaks and fish entrees were perfectly prepared and the (new?) potato cake with cheese side is wonderfully yummy. We had a key lime pie that was almost more of a key lime cheesecake, and it was delicious.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/6/2010
A friend suggested to me that Pete Miller's is a suburban steakhouse pretending to be a downtown… Read more »
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Review from Kelly C.
4/30/2011
Pete Millers has always been a favorite of Kellogg students and alumni who come back to campus for a slightly nicer meal. I have enjoyed many casual but nice beers and glasses of wine here, which I would still recommend.
Recently, I ate in the restaurant portion for the first time for steak and seafood. Given $35-$45 prices for steaks, I would expect a high quality steak cooked properly and on par with any steak house in Chicago. Unfortunately, the steaks were terrible - ordered medium rare, parts of the steak were completely raw other parts tough and well done. It was clear they did not have a hot enough grill to cook them properly.
In the future, I'll continue to go here for drinks and pub fare, but not for a nice steak dinner. -
Review from kendrah r.
Chicago, IL
7/25/2011
I'm not a big fish eater but this place makes me like fish. It is all wild caught and you can taste the difference. They know how to cook it well so it comes to the table juicy not dried out. I appreciate that the menu is so focused - they know what they do well and stick to it. If you love mushrooms, order a side of mushrooms with whatever you have. Carrot cake: the best I have ever had. Moist, tasted like pineapple, and not overly sugary cream cheese frosting.
These days so many restaurants try to create an "experience" or a "concept". I don't feel any of that pretentious crap here. It is simply a good place to get a steak or a piece of fish. The service is good service (though we have gone early on Sunday nights when it is half empty.) They have good live music. I love the decor - nice and dark and understated.
We have been here twice with our parents and will keep coming back whenever we are looking for a good place to eat in Evanston. -
Review from Kelly N.
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best steak I've EVER had, and all the seafood was amazing. Went for a grooms dinner with a group of about 25 people or so. We were seated in a room partitioned off a bit from the dining area, this allowed for some privacy yet ability to enjoy the live music played in the restaurant. The staff from the hostess, bartender, waiters, and bussers were all phenomenal. Our waiter was especially nice and super attentive.
My ONLY complaint is that the music was a bit loud for speeches to be heard well.
We had a limited menu without prices listed on it. I'm not sure how expensive everything was, but I think its safe to assume a dining experience at Pete miller's costs a pretty penny. I'm lucky to have enjoyed my dinner on someone else's dime, but given how phenomenal the meal was--If I'm back in the Evanston area it's a guarantee I'll come for seconds--it's a dining experience that is worth every penny. It's going to be hard to eat steak after this dinner, how will anything else compare??? -
Review from nick a.
6/4/2011
I've always enjoyed myself here. The problem with yelp is that there are too many people who pan a restaurant for having one slightly unimpressive meal. For shame.
This place has been a respectable establishment in the neighborhood for a long time now. The steaks are always good, I just don't know what these haters are talking about. It makes me hate this website. -
Review from Heidi D.
Chicago, IL
11/6/2011
Excellent location for "Date Night" Perfect night of Live Jazz, tender cuts of Beef, and great ambience. Of course we ate WAy TOO MUCH, but made for amazing steak and eggs this morning!
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Review from Mike R.
Libertyville, IL
12/29/2011 Seated via OpenTable
After being at the Pete Miller's in Wheeling I wasn't expecting much. I surprised the service was great and so was the food, which neither of which occured at the Wheeling location. Are the really owned by the same people?
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Review from Thomas S.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2011
To be honest I haven't been here in a while. Since I moved out of Evanston, that is. But the last time I went was pretty great.
When I came out here from New York a year ago I didn't know many people in town and got into the habit of going to restaurants/bars alone. If there's a bar area I'll plop down on a stool there and hope someone who seems interesting ("pretty girl") sits next to me so we can start up a conversation. So this one time at Pete Miller's I'm there by myself because I guess I had some money to burn because even though I do like Pete Miller's it's kind of expensive, and I'm seated next to this girl and guy. The girl is seated closest to me, the guy one stool over, so essentially a guy/girl/guy sandwich or whatever. Not the point. I assume they're a couple, so I don't try and strike up conversation with the girl because I'm such a gentleman.
Anyway, so I'm sitting there for a while drinking my six dollar Budweisers or whatever when I notice the guy has gone off to the bathroom and the girl is giggling a lot. Like, she's giggling a lot and doing that thing where she's sort of looking askance in your direction, trying to get your attention. I turn my head and smile and ask what's so funny and she slides me this folded napkin and tells me to read it. The note says:
I know we work together and this is the first time we've gone out together but I am really feeling it and if you want to go home with me you should let me know.
"He just gave this to me," she says after I finish reading. So I ask her if she's "feeling it," and she says "I'm gay!" So I advise that if she is not a heterosexual she might want to tell him she's not interested. But then she gets all weird and drunk and wishy-washy, like getting drunk changes your sexuality. (Does it? Someone please tell me if that really happens.) At this point the guy's back and I pretend we never talked. He acts as if the note was never written, and then the girl takes a piece of paper and writes a note back to him. He reads it, takes a napkin, writes something back. This goes on for like 5 minutes. It was incredible! It was like watching two people having a conversation through gchat but instead of on gchat they're sitting right next to each other. It actually got me thinking about our generation (the not old people one) and how all this online interaction makes it much more difficult for us to express things to each other vocally and face to face because of all of our online interactions. Does anyone else think about that and feel really guilty about it? I get to feeling guilty because I feel like certain things should be said in person and not through a computer even though I am just as guilty as everyone when it comes to breaking up through email. But what I was witnessing was the ideal opportunity for two people to talk being squandered by the inherent desire to distance ourselves from our feelings by putting them on pieces of paper and passing them onto someone else, as if by doing so we no longer feel responsible for the things said and can therefore not feel hurt by hearing something we don't want to hear.
Anyway, after a while I'm feeling too tired and get my check. I tell the girl goodnight and she gives me her business card. What? And I'm drunk so I call this girl I like to tell her what happened on the walk home but she doesn't pick up and the next day texts me and asks me not to call her so late at night. Basically no one actually talked to each other in this entire episode.
But Pete Miller's is pretty good. The jazz is a nice touch. So's the food. -
Review from Kate W.
3/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I came here for drinks nearly every Monday night as an undergrad at NU. My friends and I were the exceptionally cool (read: helplessly nerdy) artistes who sipped Manhattans and Cosmopolitans and Sapporos over conversations about David Foster Wallace and Hermann Hesse and Hunter S. Thompson and other esoteric writers whose works we were adapting for the stage. The heaviness of the wood that envelopes you, the dark secrets lingering in every corner, the comfort of the same table being held for us week after week - those feelings made Pete's our perfect grown-up clubhouse.
Over the years I've eaten here plenty of times - sometimes a quick and easy salad or burger, and other times a slower-paced, more complex steak or lobster. It's all divine. The whole dining experience is just the right amount of lovely indulgence. Whether you're with a group, a date, your parents, or by yourself, this place works for any night - as long as you realize that your ordinary night will be transformed once you step inside the clubhouse. -
Review from Carly H.
9/26/2011
Pete Miller's is one of my all time favorite Steak houses in/near Evanston!! They have an amazing wait staff, wine, and food selections. The bread is made fresh and is almost always served hot out of the oven.. Only after being a seasoned veteran of Pete Miller's did I learn to stay away from their amazing bread- It's SO GOOD!! i always get their lobster bisque and filet mignon + mash. They never disappoint!!
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Review from David B.
Evanston, IL
4/16/2011
I've been reluctant to go Pete Miller's because I'm not a big steakhouse restaurant guy. But, since its one of the few places I haven't tried in Evanston, I gave it a shot.
Overall, going here was a really nice time. My wife and I split the pork chop, jumbo crab cake and bacon wrapped scallops. The scallops and crab cakes were absolutely amazing! The pork chop was just okay, probably wouldn't order it again.
It is a steakhouse, so prices will a bit higher. However, their appetizer portions are very big and they do have a bar menu (burgers, chicken sandwiches, etc.). My only disappointment was that their online menu shows that they have Belgium beers, when in fact they don't. Only the wheeling has those type of beers.
Overall, really nice experience at Pete Miller's. One day I'll go and try the steak, but for now, I think its a great place to grab an appetizer/burger and a drink. Certainly a nice alternative to other places in Evanston like bar louie, prarie moon, nevin's, etc. -
Review from Margaret L.
Chicago, IL
6/19/2011
This is my favorite restaurant. I definitely go there for my birthday and would go there more often if I had the money to splurge. I don't know why I'm not giving it 5 stars. I guess I'm reluctant because is there really any perfection out there?
But I've never had a bad meal or experience there. I've had the New York Strip and Filet Mignon. I've been to other high-end steak places, and this place has consistently been better. I've also had their burgers and fish: Marinated Yellowfin Tuna, Whitefish, and Salmon. All good.
Their martinis are tasty, and their bread is the best. Service is always professional, and I like the atmosphere. Look forward to going there again.
And if you think this place is the same as the Wheeling location, think again. Don't even go to Wheeling. This place is far better. -
Review from andy o.
Chicago, IL
10/4/2011 Seated via OpenTable
went here for Christmas eve this past year so I wanted it to be a memorable meal and a delicious meal for my family. The service was ok. She came over and refilled my drink once when I was done with my meal. Also I ordered a NY strip steak. It wasn't too large..... I'm thinking 16-18 ounces. I ordered it medium well and she said they had to butterfly it. I really hate it when they do this. I wonder why JB albertos or outback, or any other common steakhouse doesn't ever butterfly their steaks why Pete miller's would. anyway the steak was bland..... service was snooty and the check was ok for a steakhouse and seafood joint on the north side.... next time I'm going to outback or texas steakhouse out in the burbs or something....... maybe gene and georgette's
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Review from Gail S.
Wilmette, IL
8/29/2011
We had a groupon for this restarant and decided to give it a try on a Saturday night.
We had a nice evening. I had a caesar salad and my husband had the house salad. Both were good. Veal chop was very good, braised cabbage, delicious and aparagus perfectly done. My New York strip was so rare I had to send it back. This meant my husband and I were not able to eat our dinners at the same time. The steak was excellent when I finnaly got it back, but my husband was just about finished with his dinner by then.
They have a jazz band which is very nice, unless you want to have a conversation at your table. Since we were seated right next to the band, this was not an easy thing to do.
For what we paid for this dinner, I would have expected it to be a better experience. -
Review from Trevor T.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
I have been here a bunch of times and it was always pretty good. I came here with my family for my brother's birthday on Sunday and it was total crap.
I ordered two things the escargot appetizer and the rack of lamb. The escargot was boring just garlic butter and there you have it. The lamb I ordered medium rare. It came out cook to hell. Just looking at them I could tell they were over done. The butchery on the chops looked like some one had hack at them with an ice pick. The meat was black on the outside and the bones on chops where black as well. No salt or pepper at all and the thyme jus that it came in was nothing but unseasoned juices from the lamb resting for a minute. Call that sauce if a joke. The whole thing was a joke. I thought I was being "punked".
I would have sent it back with instructions of how to cook and respect a rack of lamb, I was with my family and didn't want to make a fuss on my brothers birthday. I will never go back here, and you can bet that I will tell every one of my chef friends at my school, Le Cordon Bleu, and at work not to go here.
Utter crap! Pete Miller's close you doors. -
Review from loni t.
Chicago, IL
9/11/2011
Meh. The restaurant is warm and romantic and the food was ok. I had the chicken marsala, and it was good, but the chicken had more fatty pieces than I cared for and the sauce was a tad salty (but that could have just been me since I rarely use salt on anything)
My complaint is only this, the service is as slow as a turtle! It literally took us 2 hours for dinner on a weeknight when it was not at all busy in there! But it is a great place for a cute date night or a nice dinner! -
Review from Keun L.
Chicago, IL
10/25/2010
I used to live near Pete Millers. I'd go here once every month to reflect and celebrate to myself the success I've had with my work and endeavors and to have a bit of self reflection time.... I've always enjoyed the drinks, the prime rib steak, as well as the carpacio.
It's been almost a year since I went back to Pete's. I brought my girlfriend here in hopes to share the same experiences that I've had here... It was not in the least the experience that I remember having here.
Maybe it was because we went there on a friday night when it was loud and crowded and people were drunk with laughter and what not. Not that there's anything wrong with that... but it doesn't add much to a romantic experience... perhaps on an off day is when it would be best to bring your girl here.
Anyways, here are my bullets for the latest experience here:
- service was slow. then again, I can be forgiving since it was a busy friday night.
- the scallops.... I dunno man. Those were bad news. I've never ordered sea food from these guys and wow.... it was bad. I took a bite, and told my friend straight up... "baby, don't eat this. Please, don't eat this". They tasted old. They tasted bitter. They tasted bad... and it smelled so bad.... The ravioli that came with it... I dunno, i had to ask my girlfriend.. "what is this underneath the scallops?"... I really didn't know. It looked like pot stickers all torn open.
- the filet minon... I thought it was descent, but they didn't cook it to order. It was a bit overdone.
- the carpacio as I remember getting all the time... was not the same either as I remembered having it. It was ok, but man, I dunno... it just was not the quality that I remember.
The bread and the champagne is all this place had going for it that friday night. So sad... I felt so bad bringing my girl here. We didn't even finish the food. Instead we went to argo tea and got the Mint Tea which took the scallop taste out of my mouth and calmed my stomach. Then we got some frozen yogurt afterwards. -
Review from Alan S.
Evanston, IL
12/26/2010
Pete Milllers Steakhouse is pretty Good. I had gone here several times with family members and find the place hospitable.
I didn't have problems with service . The Food was good and I enjoyed their excellent desert...
They also have music performance as well....
Overall I had a good time at this establishment and highly recommend people to go... -
Review from Jake P.
Chicago, IL
3/15/2011
The carpaccio was good, but the entres were less than satisfying.
I had the filet and my girlfriend had a salmon special. The filet was not cooked to taste and really didn't have any taste. The garlic mashed potatoes didn't taste like anything. My girlfriend ordered the salmon special, which was topped with mushrooms over a soba type noodle, was overcooked. It tasted like a microwave dinner.
My girlfriend has ordered bar food here before and really enjoyed it.
For the price, and the taste, I would recommend trying somewhere else, or driving a half hour and going into Chicago for more of a selection. -
Review from Jiyoun B.
Chicago, IL
10/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
I read all the negative reviews here and now I know why.
Run down of what we ordered:
-carpaccio: this was the only salvageable thing we ate that night
-Scallops with squash ravioli: DON'T order these! The scallops smelled funny and tasted worse. The raviolis, if you can call it that, were not edible.
-Medium Filet Mignon with bearnaise sauce: the driest steak with the funkiest bearnaise sauce I've ever tasted.
Don't waste your money here. Go here for drinks and carpaccio but other than that don't even bother. -
Review from Edwin W.
Cook, IL
6/21/2010
This review is not just for Pete Millers (as you will find out why as you read below), but also for Yelp as they're lowest rating is one star. There really should be 1/2 star or NO STAR AT ALL!
My family made reservations for Father's Day because we heard of the Father's Day Dinner Buffet that Pete Miller's was having. Menu for the buffet did not sound bad on paper:
Prime Rib, Prime Pork, Lobster Bisque, Cocktail Shrimp, Rack of Lamb, Shrimp Clusters, and Mash Potato Bar.
We arrive and my dad takes a peek to at the buffet table and immediately gets turned off by it . So the rest of us decide to get the buffet just to make the ordering process less complicated. I decided to get my dad the Bone in Filet since I know he likes his cut of steaks to be tender.
The rest of my family proceed to dine from the buffet table. Upon getting our meats from the buffet table, we almost all immediately to make the same comment, "This meat is cold and way under cooked". Our server happens to hear our comments and politely offers to put any cuts of meat from the buffet table into their oven to cook it to our preference. From here, I thought to myself, "Wow, maybe yelp was wrong and the bad reviews regarding the service about this place was exagerated"
Almost 45 minutes into our meal, my dad is sitting there wondering where his food is. The rest of us have almost completed our 3 servings from the buffet table and he has yet to even smell his food. We reach the hour point and my dad, who is usually the last person in my family that we would wish to have piss off, (because he worked in the food industry all his life as a head chef, as well as running his own restaurant for 15 years), is ready to storm into the kitchen and cook the steak himself. He annoyingly tells me that he doesn't want his steak anymore and tells me to cancel his order. The entire table at this point can not even look at their food anymore because we came here for my dad as it was Father's Day.
We ask the server as to the status of my dad's steak, he comes back from the kitchen as says "We apologize, but because your dad asked for medium well, it took longer to cook, and in this instance there was an extended time on top of that". All the family members sitting by my side of the table were about to delete the existence of our server in this world. Not only did he not apologize for the steak being late, but he tried to blame it on the way my dad wanted his steak cooked. I do not know where they train these servers, but I've had better excuses from ordering at fast food places.
The manager comes by and tells us that the server forgot to put the order in and that he will erase the order off our bill and get us deserts on the house. We tell them that at this point, we do not care if the steak is for free because my dad is not going to eat it anyways. We all decide that we should get dessert to salvage whatever possibility there was that could please our palates as well as tame that raging fire that was the inferno burning within my dad's face. The entire family starts to make their dessert choices right before our idiot server comes to take our order. We all finish ordering and I ask him to make sure "so these are all on the house right"
Server - "umm no, the best I can do is maybe put like 2 or 3 of them on the house".
Me - "Cancel the desert order, and get us our bill!"
Overall, this may have been the worst dining experience I have ever had in my 30 years of dining out. There is a reason that Pete Miller's is never even mentioned amongst conversations regarding the best steakhouses in Chicago. I do not think they will even get a mention for best steakhouse in Evanston (the location we dined at).
I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU TAKE A PASS AT PETE MILLERS. THERE ARE SO MANY BETTER PLACES TO DINE AT IN BOTH WHEELING AND EVANSTON THAT WOULD NOT LEAVE YOU ANGRY AT YOURSELF FOR CHOOSING IT. -
Review from David M.
Palatine, IL
1/1/2011
We selected Pete Miller's as it was located in Evanston and walkable to our New Year's Eve theater performance at Kahn Auditorium. We were seated in the small room in the back which was quiet and cozy. The main room was busy and noisy, but the band was not yet there so conversations were possible. The design of the flooring and walls ensures a noisy restaurant for which you can easily overhear conversations of those even across the room.
We selected a bottle of French wine but were told it was not yet chilled enough for service. They brought it to the table and we suggested it be iced now and would be fine when the main course arrived, which it was. This delay with the wine however, seemed to mess up the meals timing. Service was slow, then too fast, as noted below.
I enjoyed the lump crab appetizer, which was nicely prepared and not simply crab with cocktail sauce, but rather lump crab tossed in a lime dressing with finely diced red peppers and jalapenos. It had a little kick and was quite tasty. Likewise the iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing was also quite good. Unfortunately, our main dishes arrived just a minute after our salads. But we took it on the chin, and let them place the food while setting our salads to the side.
The main courses were good, but not exceptional. My dining companion had the seared yellow fin tuna, which was well prepared but a rather thin piece. The wasabi cream sauce was particularly smooth and nice. I had one of the evening's specials, lobster tail Oscar. This too was well cooked and of good quality. Both dishes came with a huge potato on the side and you are required to order vegetable dishes to share. The creamed spinach was perhaps the best we've ever had. It was not overcooked, and in a nice mushroom cream sauce with bits of bacon.
We had the ice cream sundae for dessert, which we thankfully shared as it was quite large. It was a pretty common rendition.
Overall, if you are looking for an early meal near Kahn auditorium, and you can get a seat in the small back room, Pete Miller's is a good choice. But beware service problems and consider noise levels if you are only able to sit in the main dining room. I give it two stars for service issues and inconsistency in overall food quality. -
Review from Will C.
Skokie, IL
1/28/2011
I have been to many many high end prime steak restaurants for over 15 years, and this is by far the best! (per chain) Their aged-prime steaks and bone-in filets (blackened by fav) are to die for. Price definitely reflect this and is worth every penny and well-priced in my opinion. Remember....prime steak is a luxury item, so people complaining about price and penny pinching and poor people shouldn't eat here.
This place definitely topples over other mediocre steak places like Wildfire, Joe's Prime Steak and Stone Crab (this place is bad compared to Pete Miller's), etc.
Atmosphere is classy and live music reverberates throughout the establishment....definitely a great time!
I always get the largest Bone-In Filet blackened....you won't be disappointed....or if you are really hungry....get the porterhouse!
High class restaurant with lots of "class" to match. You must eat here! -
Review from Jeremy K.
Chicago, IL
8/5/2011
Very good food, service, atmosphere. We really enjoyed our dinner there.
Between the two of us, we had a tuna steak and a fillet mignon. Both were great and the app we chose was the artichoke fondue which was awesome. I tried to order a beer, but their draft beers weren't working.
There was a piano player and a stand-up base playing and set a great atmosphere. Really enjoyed that. -
Review from Irish G.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2010
I am STUNNED at the amount of negative reviews of this place!
A friend and I dined here last night to celebrate an amazing day at work and an even more amazing week. We chose to sit on the bar side because it was first come, first serve. We sat down right away at 7:00 pm on a Saturday. Our waiter, Richard, came right over and gave us our menus and said he would check back in a few minutes. He came back and was very friendly and personable, even though it was obvious he was the only one serving the bar area. He made some good suggestions on our entrees, and made me a friend for life with his pour of the wine. Wink.
The reason I'm giving them 4 stars instead of 5 is because it took a while for our food to arrive. Now, I'm not going to blame our waiter for that, because he was definitely running around A LOT. So, I'll blame management for that one; not having enough coverage, or at least lending a hand, on a Saturday night.
Our food was phenomenal! I had the filet mignon and my friend had the salmon, both fresh and cooked to perfection. We shared the asparagus and I could have drank a glass of the hollandaise sauce it was so good. After desert, and about 3 hours later, we were doooooooooone. Needless to say, we were as happy as pigs in shit. Sorry, but that's the only way I can describe it.
Try it, I think you'll like it. Trust me. I'm a Yelper. : ) -
Review from Matt S.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2010 5 Check-ins Here
This Evanston steakhouse has been a regular haunt for my family and me. As a grad student in Northwestern for two years, Ryan had many recitals and operas that would bring his and my family to town. Whenever the occasion brought everyone to Evanston, Pete Miller's was almost always a destination during the weekend.
The best advice I can give you if you're planning on going to Pete Miller's an want to have any semblance of audible conversation with your guests is to request a table as far away as possible from the stage. Pete Miller's has some pretty nice live jazz, but holy balls it gets loud.
Regarding food, you can't go wrong with their selection of steak and seafood. While Ryan's family typically opts for the tuna or the salmon (probably the best seafood options outside of the lobster), I find that their blackened filet or the New York strip are the better selections from a meat standpoint. -
Review from Gill C.
6/29/2009
On my recent trip to Chicago, I visited some friends in Evanston, who took me to Pete Miller's. From the outside, it appears to be a fancy schmancy place. Upon entering the front doors, the bar area was to the left, with the main formal dining to the right. Since we were meeting with other friends, we opted to sit in the bar for a more relaxed vibe, and more importantly to watch the last game of the NBA finals. This area was dimly lit, as most steak houses are, and the ambiance was chill and somewhat romantical (as we all thought a couple sitting in a booth with a bottle of bubbly was about to get engaged).
Anywho, the menu is pretty extensive, with a good selection of salads, as well as prime aged steaks and chops, and seafood. There is also bar food, with hamburgers, ribs, and steak sammies, which all sounded so tasty. However, since I had a very filling deep dish pizza lunch, I opted for something healthier and lighter (so I initially thought). The "Garbage Caesar," which was romaine lettuce, chicken, bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar & blue cheese, honeyed walnuts, fried wontons. Not exactly your typical Caesar, right?
When this salad arrived at the table, I couldn't believe how ginormous the bowl was. I swear it was enough to feed a family of 3. There was absolutely no skimping on this salad, as I loved the fact that I got chicken, cheese, and walnuts in every fork stab. The romaine lettuce was fresh and crisp, and chicken was very tender. I only wished that the chicken was served warm instead of cold. As much as I love cheese, I had to go sans bleu, and wasn't feeling the fried wontons, so axed those as well. I worked on this salad for at least 20 minutes, and looked like I didn't even make a dent in it. I knew it was time to give up, and waived the white flag! OMG, I was so full!
A majority of my table mates ordered salads, and the Seafood Chopped one was popular. It had shrimp, jumbo lump crab, scallops, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, tomato, fried tortillas and avocado with Asian sesame ginger dressing. Like my Garbage Caesar, they had a hard time finishing or even putting a dent in it. A couple of friends ordered the burger, which looked delish, with huge steak cut fries.
Service was good and efficient. Great selection of beers (tap and bottled) as well as hard alcohol. This place is a bit pricey, but I hear they have Happy Hour specials, which is key for the students at Northwestern. I'm glad I experienced Pete Miller's, and wouldn't mind returning to try a steak or seafood entree when I have a heartier appetite!Listed in: Windy City, I love thee!
-
Review from Brandie T.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2008
My son raves about this place - so, when he said he was taking me out for a late Christmas celebration, it seemed only natural that we would come here.
We were seated precisely at the time our reservations were for -- no waiting -- in a cozy room within the restaurant. This place is immense. Just when you think you've seen the entire establishment, another room is discovered and your exploration continues.
Our waiter was charming and witty - he thanked us for returning! My son and his Fiance' had been there before - I had not - pretty cool! After perusing the menu, all three of us decided on Filet Mignon and baked potato, simple basic fare. I can't say the steak was the most tender Filet Mignon I have ever had; it was a bit charred more than I like on the outside. Inside, however, it was truly a Medium Rare steak! Tender and juicy.
The potato? I have never - ever - seen a potato THAT BIG! it was the size of a small barge - I am not kidding! it dwarfed my steak which sat to the right, in the shadow of this immense tuber. That said, you would think, for it's size - that it would perhaps be under cooked. Au Contraire! it was the peak of potato perfection, add the butter, sour creme and you might as well have had mashed potatoes. THAT tender and consistent throughout!
Dinner was finished with a Hot Fudge Sundae -- again, HUGE topped off with a generous application of whip cream and the obligatory cherry -- large enough for all three of us to have a healthy portion!
Service? outstanding
Ambiance? wonderful - I have a thing for vintage artwork/photos they had several nice pieces sprinkled throughout the establishment
Atmosphere? Nice - Lounge styling Jazz filtered throughout the room. Not my taste in music, but certainly not assaultive to listen to.
Food? Very good -- I'll go back again to make sure that they weren't just having an off night on the steak.
If we had chose to, we could have utilized their Coat Check - but we didn't notice they had one until it came time to leave. I'm not faulting the establishment - we didn't think to ask. But a good thing to know! So, I'm making sure to tell everyone! -
Review from Taryn T.
7/18/2010
I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews of this place. I've dined here several times with my family, and we've always had yummy meals and prompt service. I've ordered fish (salmon) and steak (medium-well) here before. Many of my friends from college have eaten here at some point, too, and really seemed to relish their meals.
Maybe as college students we're just easily impressed after years of being fed mystery meat in the university cafeterias?
