Chop Chicago: A Neighborhood Steakhouse

When you think of going to a steakhouse restaurant, what comes to mind? For me, I think of dark, clubby, more formal environments that can have a business feel to them. Well, since that wasn’t the purpose of my dinner this time, I was very happy to discover a new restaurant with a different ambience. Chop Chicago is a new steakhouse located in the South Loop area of Chicago adjacent to the ShowPlace Icon movie theaters in the Roosevelt Collection.

While you may see the dark booths, the rest of the space is an easy place to be in whether you are sitting at the table or at the bar watching a game. Walking into the restaurant means leaving the high energy coming from the mall outside the doors to have a relaxing dinner in a comfortable setting.

The goal of the evening was to have a relaxing catch up session with my friend over a delicious dinner. We didn’t want pressure to have to eat and run. Chop Chicago welcomed us, allowed us to enjoy our cocktails and dinner with very little interruption but still paid attention to our needs. We appreciated that.

Now, on to dinner. As our waitress introduced the menu and shared some of her favorite dishes, she also mentioned that the steaks are locally grown and raised. That won over my friend who ordered the Filet Mignon with horseradish crust as a topper. She was very happy with her choice!

I, on the other hand, wanted a good piece of fish. I chose their Ahi tuna that came with a sesame crust and served with pineapple chutney, braised purple cabbage and wasabi aioli. Ok. This was seriously good. The tuna was seared perfectly. Virtually no fat and just melted in my mouth.

I got caught up in describing the waitress’s education on where their steaks came from before sharing the ALL-CRAB crab cakes on the menu. Most crab cakes you order seem to have so much filler whether bread crumbs or celery that the crab is masked. Not here! These crab cakes were served a little differently than other steakhouses that offer a creamy dipping sauce. In this case, Chop Chicago drizzled a balsamic reduction with greens as the base of the appetizer that held 3 large cakes. This could have been a meal in itself. Highly recommend.

We then ordered some side dishes to share as is typical in steakhouses where most dishes are a la carte. We started with the Caesar salad which we both loved. The dressing was delicious. This would also make for a good lunch dish should you want a salad. Add a protein and that is a filling lunch.

Because we are in a steakhouse, we needed to order the garlic mash potatoes. Creamy and a bit decadent with a hint or two of garlic made for a very comforting dish.

And then, because this menu item was recommended to us before we even went to the restaurant, we ordered the lobster macaroni and cheese. Now, please remember this is just a side of this lobster filled pasta dish. First thing we commented on were the large pieces of lobster in the dish. No having to dig through all the pasta to find this treat.

And to finish off this delicious meal, dessert of green apple and lemon ice with tiramisu gelato and white chocolate, raspberry cheesecake:

From the cocktails to the dinner to the ambience, we had a lovely evening. The service was terrific, and food creative, fresh and delicious. We really wouldn’t have asked for more. We had been told that there were some issues in the past with some guest’s dining experiences. But, we can tell you with the new management and adjusted menu, they have done a wonderful job showcasing what they do best. Leaving their guests with a warm, welcoming experience in a restaurant with high quality food and excellent service.

Chop Chicago is also very interested in making their restaurant a destination for not only an enjoyable meal but a fun night out. To add a little humor to our daily lives, they are inviting comedians in to the restaurant on the last Thursday of every month starting on April 28. There are wine events being offered including a wine series sampling different wines on the last Wednesday of every month as well as half priced bottles of wine every Wednesday. While Chop Chicago is a steakhouse, it really feels like a place you want to hang out in the neighborhood with your friends. Next time you are looking for a good steak or piece of fish, please go try Chop Chicago. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!