I am heading to Chicago in a few weeks for a 3 day vacation and was wondering if anyone has an recommendation for a great steakhouse and if you can smoke in Chicago - hoping to have a great dinner followed by a great cigar - :-)

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Vince
[Reply]

Sadly, there is no smoking indoors except B&Ms pretty much.
[Reply]

What part of the city are you staying in. There are only a few lounges actually in the city, but plenty out in the suburbs.

As far as steakhouses go, it depends on how much coin you are looking to drop.
[Reply]

My favorite is Gale Street Inn, on the northwest side. Famous for their ribs, and their steaks ain't too bad either!
[Reply]

You can get a great steak at Gibsons, Mortons, Harry Carey's, Gale Street Inn...but you can only smoke in a B&M. :-)
[Reply]

:-)

Ain't that total appalling BS!!!
[Reply]

how's the chop house these days, Tom?
[Reply]

I haven't been since the smoking ban took effect, Larry, but their food is among the best. :-)
[Reply]

you know i really used to like Illinois
[Reply]

yeah, that and Gibson's would be my choice. sucks that in the city of the big shoulders you can wander into a swank joint - like Gibson's - have a martini before dinner, clog an artery with a huge hunk of red meat and wash it down with your choice of spirits, but you can't fire up a cigar after...
[Reply]

Me too...and I live here! :-) :-)
[Reply]

mortons...been a long time since i was there...then to trader vick's for mi thia's
[Reply]

think there is an adam's rib there never been but wanted to try it
[Reply]

Trader Vic's in in the Near North "Viagra Triangle" area now, and from the description of some friends who were there in the spring, their prices have gone berserk. Since I was around for the tail end of the classic "Tiki" era in Chicago I would love to try the place, but am scared of the prices.

I can name a cheaper place in Lincolnwood that makes Mai Tais to die for.
[Reply]

Me too. :-)
[Reply]

Not in Chicago...It's definitely out in the boonies...http://www.al-capone.com/steakhouse/index.html

Not sure what the smoking ordinances are up there anymore, but I think they had a lounge you could smoke in.
[Reply]

Well, if you take the BNSF down to Naperville from Union Station, you are 4 blocks from Sullivan's Steak House (get the bone-in texas ribeye!) and then you are 1 block away from Bull and Bear.

Actually I think they are doing a Puff on the Patio w/ Sullivan Steak House end of July or first of August. Call them and ask!

Here is the link to their website:

Bull and Bear

When will you be in town!? There are a handful of B&M downtown, one of the highly regarded is Jack Schwartz....a few blocks from Union Station in the Chicago Board of Trade building (I might be wrong about the name of the building).
[Reply]

It's in Illinois, so it is "No Smoking". :-)
[Reply]

Good thing I moved from there ;-)
[Reply]

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like Gibson's or Mortons - I am staying downtown at Wacker and Michigan Ave. area.
[Reply]