Chicago’s Best Steakhouses, Ranked

Hot Sauces

Forget the peppercorn. Steakhouses are getting creative with their sauces. Chef Andrew Zimmerman breaks down Proxi’s offerings, which tap Asian influences.

By Lisa Shames
Photography by Jeff Marini

Ssamjang butter

The gentle heat comes courtesy of a traditional Korean condiment of fermented soybeans, red chile paste, garlic, and green onions that chef de cuisine Jennifer Kim makes. “Jennifer can’t help but ferment stuff.”

Soy–black garlic jus

Inspired by Japanese yakitori sauces, Zimmerman cooks down roasted chicken jus with soy sauce and black garlic until it takes on the consistency of caramel. “A lot of savory and umami flavors,” he says.

Sichuan salsa verde

A mash-up of Argentina’s garlic-forward salsa verde and spicy-tingly Sichuan sauce. “Having a lot of herbs and acidity is one of my favorite ways to eat a steak.”

Miso hollandaise

The white miso adds depth to a traditional sauce, and a food whipper keeps it hot and aerated. “I love a rich, thick hollandaise, but this one has a light texture that’s less decadent — in a good way.”

Foie gras toyomansi

A traditional Filipino offering made of soy sauce and calamansi vinegar gets a luxe upgrade with foie gras trimmings.

Which Steakhouse Is Right for You?

T
he Potato Power Rankings

How do the stop studs at steakhouses in town stack up?

8. Double baked potato at Gibsons

This throwback fave — sour cream and onion mash heaped back into a crackly skin and gilded with Crayola-orange cheddar — is easy to love but daunting to finish.

7. Beef fat fries at El Che

You can dunk them in the accompanying chimichurri aïoli, but they’re better for sopping up spicy lobster butter.

6. Millionaire’s Potato at RPM Steak

The black truffle shavings on this $22 side will have you feeling like a high roller.

5. Bone marrow potato purée at Asador Bastian

This überbuttery number is rich on rich.

4. Potato and ricotta pierogi at Swift & Sons

Pierogi aren’t a steakhouse classic, but these perfect pillowy pockets make an argument for them becoming one.

3. Pommes purée frites at the Alston

This app of foot-tall spears of fried potato is ideal when you want to start the meal with spuds.

2. Beef Dripping Chips at Hawksmoor

That’s “chips” in the British sense, and these fat, craggy, golden, tallow-fried spears sport an awesome crunch.

1. Potatoes Lyonnaise at Joe’s

Crisp on the outside, silky on the inside, topped with a pile of sweet caramelized onions.

Photograph: Garrett Sweet

Our New Favorite Steakhouse MartiniBy Amy Cavanaugh

Martinis are standard on steakhouse menus, which means I have tried many over the years. But none have made an impression on me quite like the El Che Martini, a newbie from director of culture Jarod Boyer that fits this Argentine restaurant perfectly. Boyer uses a La Luna mezcal made specifically for El Che that incorporates a tomahawk steak into the distilling process. More minerally than beefy, it makes for an ideal base here and is balanced by herbaceous Barr Hill gin and citrusy La Fuerza Blanco vermouth from Argentina. Boyer then dots the top with vibrant green drops of chimichurri oil, adding a bright note of herbs to finish off a martini that could only be served at El Che.

Move Over, Napa Cab

These days, steakhouse wine lists go way beyond cab and chardonnay. Here, five local sommeliers pair off-the-beaten-path favorites on their menus with classic dishes.

By Ari Bendersky

Hana Makgeolli Forbidden Takju

Wagyu rib eye

Perilla's Thomas Oh:

"It is made with an heirloom variety of black rice, and with its unfiltered finish, the texture pairs well with the rich coating of the palate the rib eye provides."

Photograph courtesy of vendor

2021 Radikon Sivi Pinot Grigio

Shrimp cocktail

Boeufhaus's Jamie Finnegan:

"This is my favorite orange wine pairing, and the herb and citrus of the court-bouillon we poach the shrimp in matches its notes."

Photograph courtesy of vendor

2022 Elena Walch Beyond the Clouds Alto Adige Bianco

Cotoletta fritta

Tre Dita's Kat Hawkins:

"In Alto Adige, in that part of Italy, you will find German and Austrian influence, and the breaded and fried nature of this dish is a more Germanic way of cooking."

Photograph courtesy of vendor

Ayala Brut Nature Champagne Zéro Dosage

28-day dry-aged bone-in rib eye

Maple & Ash's Amy Mundwiler:

"The crisp acidity cuts through the fatty rib eye."

Photograph courtesy of vendor

The Rare Wine Co. Boston Bual Madeira

Roasted bone marrow

Hawksmoor's Dylan Estey:

"The hazelnut quality of the wine accentuates the nuttiness of the bone marrow."

Photograph courtesy of vendor

T
he Best Steakhouse Dishes
T
hat Aren’t Steak

The Alston’s lobster tourte with Normandy sauce and morel mushrooms Asador Bastian’s salt-roasted carabineros Bavette’s wedge salad with egg, bacon, Gorgonzola, ranch, and onion Bazaar Meat’s Paletilla Ibérica De Bellota with chimichurri and mojo verde BLVD’s blistered asparagus with smoked trout roe, pickled shallot beurre blanc, and fines herbes Boeufhaus’s fried perch with sauerkraut and crème fraîche El Che’s lobster tail with diavola butter, pickled shallots, and scallions Gene & Georgetti’s linguine with clams Hawksmoor’s fried shrimp with jalapeño tartar sauce Joe’s fried chicken MAPLE & ASH’s Fork & Knife Caesar salad with wood-fired romaine, pecorino, soft-cooked egg, and savory sprinkles Perilla’s monkey bread with gochujang-honey butter RPM Steak’s baked Alaska SOPHIA STEAK’s grilled burger with sweet onion, aged white cheddar, and horseradish aïoli Tre Dita’s pici cacio e pepe with pecorino croccolo and black pepper

T
he Leftover Remix: Recipes for the Next Day

Ep. 13: Ranking Our Favorite Steakhouses