Chicago Chop House-Holy $hit
We went to Chicago Chop House a couple of years ago and had a great meal that was reasonably priced. In fact it was one of the cheapest steak nights on record. Thus a return trip seemed in order.
I guess the previous trip set us up for the utter shock when we opened the menus and saw the prices. There was a split second of relief when it was realized the menus on the table were not the actual menus. The real menus were delivered and the prices were not much better, $70-$100 for a steak. What the fuck?
Unfortunately the sticker shock of the menu set the tone for an evening that was memorable for all of the wrong reasons. Although the group took the collective approach of “we are here let’s suck it up and enjoy it”. The tone was set and there was little positive momentum.
Perhaps the silver lining is despite the ridiculous prices the food was excellent. I had the bone in filet that was cooked to perfection and literally fell off the bone, packed with flavor. The truffle mac&cheese, au gratin potatoes and corn were all delicious sides. The scallops and crab cake appetizers were also top notch. Although the food was great it did not justify the price but it really would have sucked to pay those prices for a bad meal.
We had a private room, which was a nice twist on more traditional seating and provided a different experience. The service was average at best.
People were fired up about the integrity of steak night. While I am all for holding steak night in the highest regard and having positive productive discussion around rules and violations I didn’t feel that’s what happened. It seemed to have a more negative tone, which didn’t help the evening get on track.
It wasn’t all bad. There were some great one-liners and the group had a lot of fun making fun of Scotty for moving to Wisconsin, something he denies. Which sort of feels like Clinton saying “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”. Yeah you did Bill and Scotty we know your moving.
You know how some veterans wait their whole career to win the Super Bowl yet it continues to elude them. Then some rookie wins the Super Bowl his first year. That’s kind of how credit card roulette was last night; I have been going to steak night for three plus years and have no wins. Cartwright wins on his third dinner.
It is always a pleasure to hang out with Chicago’s finest gentleman regardless of the evening. However for me personally overall this was the least enjoyable steak night to date.
The batting order has been updated on the website. Chris “Muddle the limes” Holinger is in the batter’s box.
Cheers,
The Drunk Idiot
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8 Responses to “Chicago Chop House-Holy $hit”
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Sorry I missed it (kind of?)… there must have been a change in ownership or management because that is definitely not representative of the Chicago Chop House we had last time – Brad, please verify.
As for all this negativity: glad to know you cats can get it out on this site and we can put it behind us. Stay tuned for the next pick!
Like Democrats and Republicans fighting over the budget, the gentleman of steak night came together to hash out hard fought topics of the day. Combative subjects such as prompt arrival, size of steak night, cost of the meal, use of PDA, attendance were all in play. While Rick observed his displeasure with the tone of the evening, I found the feisty atmosphere to rival that of C-SPAN. 7pm vs. 8pm, 9 people vs. 10, these subjects need and warrant debate.
What has no place in steak night is the lack of attentiveness paid to such a fine group. We were left to froth in the side room. No bread, no menus, no love. Not good. While the old school feel of Chicago Chop House is second to none, there are a few pieces of the place that could use some updates. Namely, the bathrooms. I found the bright yellow color of the first floor Loo, to be offensive.
But let us get to the matter at hand. The grub. First courses, while 4 scallops cost $49, I cannot say they were not glorious. My steak, the 16oz NY Strip was amongst the best I have had. The sides, very good. I most enjoyed the truffled mac and cheese. The Key Lime pie covered in slimmer green ooze was not worth the real estate in my belly.
It is a shame that such an establishment with fine fare has fallen prey to becoming an over priced tourist trap.
Amazing food, a private dining room and good company cannot overcome the sticker shock of our bill.
Overall – 6
I look forward to having all 9 people in attendance for May and pivoting to spring with flare and gusto.
P.S. Roddy we miss you
P.P.S. Rick please work to update the where have we been page. It must be accurate and it should have links to the write ups.
I’m still having issues walking after the ankle grabbing affair that was the Chicago Chop House. I am left bewildered by the entire experience which was truly all over the board. The last time we dined at the Chop House it was, and I believe still remains, the most inexpensive dinner for the group. However this time around, the tab came in a conservative 35% higher than any of the most expensive meals to date – $225 a person! For that price I prefer a small tube of Vaseline come with the check – no such luck. I might be able to understand the hefty price tag if Holinger was at the helm of the wine list but we only had 2 bottles of wine….and reasonable ones at that. I usually don’t get too hung up on the cost of the meal, and there were certainly some redeeming qualities, but over the top tourist pricing proved too much here.
Ok, I digress…..to the review. 9pm comes around and we have not even placed orders for appetizers. I think Ole Thorzeen asked for bread 2 or 3 times before receipt as well – so much for high end service. Had I known 4 scallops would cost $50, I might have been fine passing on apps altogether. As it turned out the scallops were delicious as were the tiger prawns – some of the biggest we have ever had.
When it came time to ordering steak I stuck with the usual bone-in rib eye. There was a tomahawk chop on the menu that looked enticing. Typically I would go for that but at $120+ for the cut, I decided to pass (for some perspective, the same cut at Sullivans runs about $70). My steak was actually delicious, cooked to perfection and the Cajun rub on the rib eye rivals Morton’s, much to my surprise. I happened to be dining next to Mr. Glick who was the unfortunate recipient of a steak that smelled like a sweat sock. The meat had so clearly gone bad that I was shocked when the wait staff took a whiff and had the audacity to defend it, saying it was still good. In the end, they did provide John with another piece of meat which I believe he enjoyed. The sides, at a modest $22 dollars a piece (can you sense the sarcasm, because I am laying it on pretty thick) were just ok – nothing that blows your hair back.
In the end my steak was cooked perfect and tasted delicious. That said, I probably never dine at The Chop House again. My money is better spent at just about any of the 5 star steak restaurants in Chicago that deliver great steaks at a reasonable price.
Cartwright, what a night to walk free…..
Imagine my surprise in posting a week after steak night and I have again beaten Mr. Glick and Mr. Cole to the post. Rick did you write in your review something about rules? Let the disregarding of them continue…
The evening for me was quite good as I joined the only other man in the group to put the puck in the net (Daddy Gimms) for some early boozing as we waited for the party to arrive. 3 Jameson rocks later and the bar bill was easily climbing towards the century mark.
Little did we know the items only got more expensively ridiculous the higher we went in the restaurant. Having dined in a side room on the 3rd floor, an after a top-five tasting, $80 cajun ribeye, although delicious, it pains me to say that it cannot qualify as one of the best of steak night due to its proprietors asking and arm and a leg for it.
What is also worth noting is the apparent chord my “looking” for a house here and elsewhere has struck with the group, in that everyone in the group was taking any shot possible to score on me. With the beastly Lammbykins as my only defender, it was a battle that was quickly lost, however, and something that will stick with me as I am heading north. You bitches will see…I will be back for every steak night. It is written.
What an interesting evening indeed. The night started out with a few good drinks and nice conversation in the downstairs bar, a step back in time, the feel of a true old school Chicago Steak House. Once we could no longer wait for Glick to arrive, we descended to our private dining room.
Although the evening would be shrouded with some tough group politics and outrageously high prices, a fun night with friends and good food was achieved. The scallops were near perfect and the crab cakes were above par. The bone in NY I devoured didn’t stand a chance and the truffle M&C was fantastic.
The prices were extremely high and unjustified as the service was a bit bland. We had to ask for bread numerous times and the visits to our table were few and far between. In the end I had a fun night with friends, but I also didn’t have to pay that shitty tab. Thanks for the meal fellas!
Got to love the balls on Thoresen. He gives me a homework assignment in his post. I didn’t realilze you were my teacher. Did I miss a meeting where you were given this authority?
The where have we been page as it currently exists is a joke. A few of us (not even a full crew) sat around months and in some cases years after going to these places and we rated them. Not really the most accurate way to rate them. Plus there was the group mentality of rating, meaning once someone suggested a rating there was not alot of vearing up or down from the original suggestion. There was little discussion or debate. Same is true for adding some of these new places. For example we went to Benny’s last April, that was a year ago. We are going to rate it now. Chop House is currently rated a 7, think that might change after the last trip? How Saloon is rated 8.5 is beyond me. The specific rating are a joke.
I’ll update the page but if I’m given the assignment to update that page I’m doing it my way. I would suggest a tier system. Tier 1, list what we think are the best places. Then Tier 2, Tier 3, etc. This way the page would work as a guide or as directional by grouping places together that are at a similar level without using specific ratings which are not accurate. We can discuss at the next steak night.
I’m not sure I can set up links, may need Roddy for that.
if i told you i was served a steak that smelled like a gym sock, had horrendous service and paid an ungodly sum of 225 for the experience and that wasn’t the worst part of the night (learning of scottie angle and sprout’s imminent move to wisconsin takes the cake. Wisconsin?!? as if sprout being raised by a mixed couple of packers\vikings fans wasn’t enough to stunt her development…but i digress) you’d think the night was unbearable. But in the rare pantheon that only sex and pizza belong to there is no such thing as a bad steak night. As always the fun of the group makes this by far the highlight of any month’s thursday. Hopefully as the weather comes back we’ll remember we’re still young and go out and attack a bar or three after this summer. looking forward to the next one and not buying drinks.
Late to the comment board, still reeling in the financial nut slap that was the chop house. I am convinced there is a bar menu and an upstairs bend you over the railing menu, but I digress. I must admit I truly enjoyed the outing. The starters were debated for quite sometime while everyone settled into the fact that we were embarking on easily the most expensive night of our fabled tradition. Once we got over the sticker shock the evening was able to proceed. The crab cake was excellent and stood above the other options as far as I was concerned. The steak did not disappoint and was absolutely cooked to perfection. I did enjoy Glick making the waiter / waitress dynamic duo smell his steak. I had a few good one liners directed at scotty markets which were well deserved given his lack of committing tot he fact that he will be leaving us before 2011 is done. This is a tragic turn of events to say the least. The banter did turn to the topic of introducing a new member. This was met with mainly approval. Perhaps the new recruits will better observe the rules. Until everyone begins to abide by the rules and arrive promptly it will continue to disappoint yours truly.
The final verdict: Chicago Chop House shall not be repeated. Money is better spent on going to two steak nights at other fine establishments than a single evening there.