Beef Up National Sandwich Month With These Steakhouse Creations

August being National Sandwich Month, it's an apt time to herald all the meatball subs, PB&Js, banh mis, and pulled pork sandwiches in our city. But we think it's more of an opportunity to pile up the beef and celebrate some of the most under-the-radar sandwiches in Chicago. I'm talking about steakhouse sandwiches. While most people dining at Chicago steakhouses hone in on steaks, chops, and lobster tails, it's a little known fact that steakhouses turn out some of the best (and burliest) sandwiches around. Herewith, check out some of our picks for steakhouse sandwiches to feast on this month. 

 

Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse
Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse



Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse: During the lunch rush, this River North mainstay serves up some of the best and meatiest sandwiches in the restaurant-packed neighborhood. Offerings include stellar sliders like a filet slider trio with horseradish cream and togarashi-spiced seared tuna, while individual sandwich plates include a killer prime rib au jus and grilled corned beef drowning in Swiss cheese and 1,000 Island. 

RPM Steak: Uber modern and moneyed by night, RPM Steak does a nice job of offering casual alternatives to their fanciful dinner menu via sandwiches. By layering flavors akin to traditional steakhouse dishes in sandwich format, RPM Steak makes some truly memorable and unabashedly lavish lunchtime dishes. These include a smoked prime rib dip, a New England lobster roll splashed with lemon butter, a dry-aged steak burger, and a hulking RPM club stacked with house smoked turkey, bacon, avocado, fried egg, and spicy olive aioli. 

Benny's Chop House: Major points for ingenuity go to Benny's Chop House, which thinks way outside the dry-aged box for their lunchtime sandwich menu. Unusual for most steakhouses, Benny's offers an expansive selection of fish tacos, grilled grouper sandwiches, lobster grilled cheese, a NY strip sandwich with pesto aioli, and a grilled chicken sandwich with roasted bell pepper and paprika aioli. 

Remington's: While prime rib au jus and French dip are typically par for the course on steakhouse sandwich menus, Remington's gets a little crafty with their sandwich selection. Try the chicken dip, which features succulent rotisserie chicken in lieu of beef for this surprisingly epic innovation. It's all rounded out with Jack cheese, mayo, tomato, onion, arugula, and chicken au jus. 

Phil Stefani's 437 Rush: If smoked salmon with cucumber yogurt sauce on toasted black rye or grilled rib-eye steak on semolina ciabatta sound enticing to you, then make a beeline to Phil Stefani's 437 Rush, one of the more underrated of the downtown steakhouse set. The lunchtime sandwich menu is at once bold and traditional, updating familiar flavors with a dosage of zest and creativity. Other options include roast beef, a BLT club, and a chicken wrap. 

Tavern on Rush: This Gold Coast staple is a people-pleaser like no other, with something on their eclectic menu for everyone. There's tuna salad on multi-grain, a spicy Cajun chicken sandwich, a salmon BLT, and a fried egg club sandwich, which tastes delightfully like old-school American diner comfort food. 

III Forks Prime Steakhouse: It's quality over quantity at III Forks Prime Steakhouse. While the restaurant doesn't offer many sandwiches, what they do offer is stellar. On the bar bites menu, you'll find one of the better patty melts in the city, made with four-year Hooks Wisconsin cheddar, caramelized onions, and pork belly, making for a meat-on-meat masterpiece. Then there's the lobster roll on the rooftop menu, made with fresh Maine lobster on a brioche hot dog-style bun with mayo and celery salt. 

- Matt Kirouac

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