The Grill on the Alley
Dimly lighted with brown, cowhide booths and white tablecloths, the dining room at The Grill on the Alley somewhat betrays it’s youthfulness – it has been around for only 10 years – but rest assured, the crowded “lounge” area with its awkward seating reminds you quickly that it is just that, young. And if the tragically hip and trendy hotel lobby of the Westin adjacent to the lounge didn’t tip you off, then perhaps you were too enamored by the mixed bag of folks – some there for business, some looking for business and some just there. In any regard, The Grill on the Alley does its best to welcome you and make you forget the tragic scenery that you were forced to walk through as you stroll down the long, beautifully lit hallway with a not so bad looking hostess waiting for you.
Right off the bat, it is important to note that The Grill on the Alley has not, and will not, become an institution of steak in Chicago based on its menu, regardless of how big, fat and well-cut the steaks are, or by way of the never-ending, well-chosen wine list (not that i can truly attest to the latter), but if it does, it will be because of its staff. They are the type that you think of when it comes to old-fashioned, personalized service. From the young man that waited on the table and tried his best to remember our orders, to the very truly man of the hour, the 82 year old Manfred…what a delight! Manfred, alone, is worth the price of admission. In fact, he was so well-received that I happen to know on personal knowledge that at least two of us tried (and crashed) to re-tell his jokes. I’m not sure if they were the dirty or the really dirty ones, but still.
Alas, if only we could have buttered up our Austrian friend (or at least put him in the back room in place of the potato guy) I could attempt to claim that the meal was worth it. The steaks were beautifully cut, and most came grilled to order. However, the one thing that continued to dominate the conversation was just how awful the sides were. I would argue that we sometimes spend too much time dillydallying with the sides on these special nights, but this time my brethren got it right. The sides were just too bad to ignore.
Could the deserts save them? The group’s old staple, the key lime pie, was very good, but may have finally met its match with the fudge brownie pie laying in the cut for the birthday boy of the month, and proud sproutpa to be.
Speaking of which, another strong showing from Rick, but sadly he becomes the group’s reverse Zenyatta – with his losing streak intact and almost a lock to go on for his umpteenth loss in a row (maybe no. 20?), Rick made a strong push with the Austrian (and the rest of the group, if not solely for the laughs) willing him on to lose, he was beat out by a nose – it just wasn’t in the cards. I’d say the same regarding The Grill on the Alley, especially when the witty, white-haired Austrian isn’t there to help you forget everything but the cut.
Donald A. Cole
Filed under: General
What a strong review from our gracious host, Donald “E.T. Fingers” Cole. I have to agree with most points highlighted by Don. The bar area is awkward and filled with a mixed bag of travelers who seem to be staying at the Westin. Not quite the steak night vibe we have come to love. I do however need to give credit where credit is due – my gimlets were amazing, the best in recent steak night memory. The quality Gimms coupled with my commitment to be good company this month had me looking forward to the meal.
The dining area was nice, tones of a classic steak house however the crowd a bit dead. I give the apps less than stellar marks simply because as I write I cant recall what we had outside the Oysters, which were average. I decided to go with an atypical move and steered clear of the rib-eye. Instead, I had the bone in filet with blue cheese crust. Much to my surprise it was outstanding – truly packed with flavor. However, I would not say it was exactly cooked to order. While I am a medium rare guy (preferring a bit more emphasis on the rare side) this cut was flat out rare and some parts bordering on blue. For me, I didn’t mind. However I was within my right to send it back.
I don’t want to waste too much time on the sides because they were below average (I would go as far as classifying the mashed potatoes as disgusting) and I have yet to talk about Manfred. Even though he was not our server, we were lucky enough to hear a few of his dirty jokes which were delivered to perfection. Once again agreeing with our host, he alone is worth the price of admission. I hope I am operating at that level when I am 82.
The Grill on the Alley just had too many holes for me to thoroughly love the steak night experience. As such, I will not be going back anytime soon.
6
What could have been my last steak night for a couple months due to impending responsibilities, I am happy to report that I went out on top. Nothing more fitting than a beat down of Zenyatta to book a free dinna. Even more sweet was taking the Motor City Kitties on the following Sunday at +5 with the dinner winnings to practically make the take down a twofer. Good luck in the playoffs, Bear fans!
As previously stated, the bar scene left something to be desired, unfortunately, that’s a theme that carried through the rest of the evening.
Crab cakes, oysters and calamari (our surf course) was a mediocre start. The crab cakes were who we thought they were – Mr. Glick pointed out that hes never cared for them and these were no exception. Calamari was served with a white sauce that did not complement as well as a classic cocktail or marinara sauce would have. Oysters have been covered by Gimms: mediocre.
Not an auspicious beginning, however, as previously stated, the cuts were phenomenal. I, too, went with the bone-in filet and topped it with their special bacon, onion and pepper seasoning. Nothing short of spectacular!
Let us never again speak of the sides that adorned the table with our steaks.
Thanks to Manfred for spicing up the evening for all of us and providing even more laughs than usual.
Happy birthday and congratulations, Mr. Martin. Good luck with Sprout!
Average, very average is how I would describe Grill on the Alley.
The bar area, where many patrons possessed shopping bags feels like a rest stop for those shopping the Magnificent Mile or staying at the Westin for the weekend. The wood booths and dark tones give the dining room a classic steak house feel, however the crowd was lacking and the place was basically empty.
The lobster bisque was the best part of the meal. The calamari was good but didn’t separate itself from calamari you can get anywhere else. The mac and cheese felt closer to Kraft then something you get in a nice restaurant. The mashed potatoes were just ok. I went with the NY pepper steak with cracked pepper, bacon and onions, a slight departure for me. It was an interesting topping although perhaps over powering rather then complementing the steak. It was just average.
On to Manfred, the Austrian accented, 82-year-old highlight of the evening. With his spikey white hair and well-rehearsed dirty jokes he is the type of character you hope to run into on one of your dining excursions. Steak night is not just about the food, it’s about the experience and Manfred certainly provided a memorable experience, especially because the food itself was sub par.
It has become tradition for me to comment on my credit card roulette futility, once again I didn’t win. Mr. Cole referred to my streak as a reverse Zenyatta. I think it is important to note that Zenyatta lost her last race, perhaps that means I will win next time at steak night.
One quick note about Holinger’s post, where he points out Mr. Glick never really cared for crab cakes. Mr. Glick was not in attendance, although I suppose he could have texted in this info. Why do I bring this up, because I made the crab cakes comment. Which means I’m being confused with Glick which personally I find a bit concerning.
There are so many great steak places in Chicago; there is no reason to return to the Grill on the Alley, especially because we have already experience Manfred. By the way, no truth to the rumor that Manfred is Hans’s great uncle.
One more thing…I was not there for the infamous “Holinger’s in charge of the wine night”; which by all accounts had a large bill. However I have been to most steak nights and I think this is the most expensive to date. The food did not justify the bill.