Host Your Holiday Dinner at a Chicago Steakhouse

It is definitely NOT too early to reserve space for a holiday dinner at one of Chicago’s best steakhouses. Soon, it may be too late.

 

Whether you’re trying to arrange a corporate event, or just a family get-together, now is exactly the time you want to lock in a venue for your holiday dinner.

 

Here are six Chicago steakhouses that are perfect for celebrating the holidays in style.

 

 

RL Restaurant. Ideally located off Michigan Avenue, and so very accessible for those of you doing some window shopping, Ralph Lauren’s RL Restaurant is a stylish way to celebrate the season. For those who need a break from heavy holiday dining, there are the Avocado & Crab and the Zucchini & Burrata salads, and for those who are charging full steam into holiday excess, there’s a range of USDA prime Angus steaks, including filet mignon, ribeye and strip steaks.

 

The Grillroom Chophouse & Winebar. If you’re visiting the Christkindlmarket or other downtown sites during the holiday season, or perhaps catching a show at the nearby Goodman, The Grillroom Chophouse & Winebar has something for everyone in your group. There’s a big selection of seafood and steaks, and for those who are avoiding any kind of animal protein, there’s Hickory Smoked Mushrooms and Onions, asparagus done a few ways and some deliciously inventive salads. And a lot of wine.

 

Cochon Volant. Also in the Loop area, Cochon Volant, headed up by James Beard Award-winning chef Roland Liccioni, is the epitome of casual style. Your guests will feel comfortable in jacket/tie tie or denim. Cochon Volant serves many brasserie favorites, including oysters fresh and grilled, mussels mariniere, and several different cuts of beef (all served with frites, bien sur).

 

 

Sam & Harry’s. If your guests, whether corporate colleagues or family, are the least bit adventurous, Sam & Harry’s serves up more than the usual round of excellent USDA prime steaks: on the menu, they have a pheasant breast wrapped in bacon that will knock you out, a grilled Spanish octopus that will make your eyes cross, and a Miller Amish chicken that feels so healthy to eat that it will give you that self-satisfied feeling of just having finished a workout at the gym. Of course, there are also the most excellent steaks.

 

Mirabella Italian Cuisine. If you’re not in the Loop nor in the suburbs, you’ll find great northwest side dining at Mirabella Italian Cuisine. Italian restaurants frequently feel festive year-round, and Mirabella Italian Cuisine is no exception. Predictably, there’s a lot of excellent and classic Italian chow on the menu – including linguini and clams, cheese ravioli and risotto – but there’s also a whole lot of outstanding red meat. Broiled Steak Vesuvio is a red meat twist on a Chicago classic (Chicken Vesuvio was invented downtown), and the Filet a la Fiorentina is a masterful take on a most tender and delicious cut.

 

The Barn Steakhouse. If you and yours are way up in the Evanston area, The Barn Steakhouse is a perfect place to gather the tribe. There are some very special items on the menu, like the Grand Central Caviar Sandwich (wild American bowfin caviar, crème fraiche, and fresh egg), crab spaghetti (you don’t see that on a lot of menus!) and Bison Bolognese. There are also some exceptional steaks, including a Center Strip Manhattan Cut, which, again, is something you’d have a hard time finding anywhere else.