David Burke’s Primehouse

My sister and I stayed at The James and went to Primehouse for lunch after I read all of the blogs and posts about their burger. I’ll start by saying that I don’t love beef and in particular don’t love aged beef. I also don’t love onions of any kind. That being said, this was quite possibly the best burger I’ve ever eaten. Some sort of magical marriage happens with those toppings and that aged beef and the delicious bun. I didn’t need fries but they were pretty good too. The service was great — we sat at the bar. I’ll definitely be back here.

I brought a small group here for a business dinner. Maybe I’m spoiled being from Texas, but the steaks were forgettable. Mine was slightly over-​cooked, thin, and lacked flavor. Others at the table looked better — we all got ribeyes — but no one was overly impressed. The sides were OK, but nothing extremely noteworthy. The wine was good, but of course it was. This would be one star, but the service was very attentive and good. Other than that, I’m not sure why this place got rated #1 in Chicago.

Made reservations here while on a group trip with 8 guys. I have never seen a restaurant more packed… there was almost no space to walk.
This is considered a top steakhouse in Chicago (or at least charges that amount) however the steak was way to salty, and the service was ok at best.
My friend had wine spilled on him by a waiter and they didn’t apologise. They just brought us champagne for the table (8 guys don’t want champagne… bring us scotch!)
Suffice to say, unless you’re going through steak withdrawal, there are a number of better spots in Chicago.
Food ***
Service **
Ambience *1/​2

We visited David Burke’s for my boyfriend’s birthday. We ordered:
Filet mignon: ¹⁰⁄₁₀ great, cooked rare just like it should be.
55 day ribeye: ⁹⁄₁₀ excellent flavor, definitely high fat.
Fries: ⁹⁄₁₀ delicious and peppery with homemade aioli
Chocolate sundae: ⁵⁄₁₀ good but nothing to write home about– the only chocolate element of the dish is a thin chocolate shell atop a single scoop of caramel ice cream, underwhelming.
Service: ³⁄₁₀ We tipped because we felt it was the polite thing to do and I presume/​hope tips are pooled and shared with the rest of the staff. Our server took 30 min to bring over our cocktails and disappeared after our main courses were delivered. We were here late so the restaurant was pretty empty.
Steaks are delicious and the place is worth a visit just for that, perhaps next time we will sit at the bar.

Overall an outstanding experience. I throughly enjoyed my 75 day aged ribeye and the service has exceptional.
My wife enjoyed her experience, but was not blown away by the food. With so many other great steakhouses in Chicago, we will probably pass and go somewhere else on our next visit.

Amazing steak and amazing service. Would definitely come back when I’m back in Chicago!

Apparently it is to much to ask for a restaurant that specializes in steak to actually know how to cook a steak. I ordered the aged sirloin medium rare. When it came out, it was way overcooked, I would say medium if not medium well. The waiter tried to convince me that it wasn’t overdone because the aged steaks aren’t as bloody. However my colleague across the table ordered the same steak cooked the same way and his looked perfect. I was finally able to send it back and they brought me out a new steak that was even WORSE. I think they seared it on a flat top for all of 2 minutes a side because it was blue rare– the inside was still cold. My other colleague’s steak was overcooked for his taste as well so we just traded, but I was not happy at all.
I think it’s sad that the best part of the meal was the roasted mushrooms side dish. Definitely get those if you bother to go here, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

A great experience overall. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that this was my first visit.

I have had DB’s on my Chicago Bucket List for years. and my high hopes just kept escalating every time I saw the place and chef featured on every food show on earth. But upon receiving my 55 day dry aged cut, I was actually thinking of how I’ve had better. It’s not that I hated it or my experience, but I wasn’t wowed as much as I thought I would be. My husband agreed. We both wanted to love this so much, and it had nothing to do with our high bill lol we’ve gone to pretentious places before and paid an arm and a leg for «pretty plates». This place isn’t pretentious. I guess it’s just more for a different crowd. I know others have given raving reviews, but it just wasn’t for me or my husband. And sadly I don’t think I’d come back to give it another shot.

Prime house is my go to steakhouse in Chicago; the service and food are phenomenal. I recommend the dry aged bone-​in ribeye and the Kobe sashimi.

10% off if you check in on Unilocal.We came after the lunch rush on Monday (1:30pm), so we were seated immediately.
55 day dry aged ribeye ($ 68) — the medium rare rib eye had a bit too much fat, but the bold flavors and juiciness made up for it.
Black pepper fries ($ 9) — crispy, fresh, and not oily which is great, but the sauce they provided on the side did not go well with it. (HUGE PORTION)
Rib-​eye sandwich ($ 17) — comes with a huge serving of onion rings. The meat was juicy, but the combination of flavors seemed a bit off with the sauce.
Overall, it’s worth trying if you want to experience the «day dry aged» ribeye, but it was not worth the $ 68 and no where near the top best rib eyes I’ve ever had.

Not quite sure if Chicago is known for steak, but after my trip, I’m assuming it is not.
The description for my 40 day ribeye states «rich BEEF flavor, bone-​in.» From the taste and look of it, I thought it was the 28 day ribeye. Its description, «rich MARBLING, BONE-​IN,» suited my steak better. My friend who also ordered the same dish was even more disappointed than I was and he is hard to disappoint with meat!
I’m glad my other friend ordered his filet mignon, even after I kept pressuring him to order the day-​aged steaks, because he would’ve been disappointed. His steak was cooked the way he wanted — rare. However, my other friend, who also ordered a filet, received his rare as well when he had actually wanted it medium.
Additionally, I’m used to restaurants letting me taste the wine before pouring me an entire glass. However, my waiter did not allow me that courtesy and brought over a wine that I was hesitant ordering. I didn’t want to waste the wine, but I was thoroughly displeased. I forced myself to drink it, since wasting food or alcoholic beverages is usually frowned upon!
The service was a little on the slow side. The steaks were okay. My steak was cooked perfectly fine, even with the chunks of fat. Overall, 3 stars, but minus 1 star for the wine mishap.
This place is like any other steakhouse I’ve been to in other major cities and I would’ve preferred saving my money and experiencing other food in Chicago.

Wow.
I was staying at The James and decided to get lunch here on my last day and I’m glad I did.
I ordered the Steak Frites with a Caesar salad.
The steak was one of the best I’ve ever had and I grew up on a cattle ranch in Montana. I was honestly not expecting it to be that good and it wasn’t even a top cut. Apparently dry aging with 1,000 year out Himalayan sea salt is the way to go.
The fries were very good and not too greasy. They did need a little salt. After the terrible «Caesar salad» I had at Nico the day before I was delighted to see they were doing it right at prime house. The lettuce was cut up into bite sized pieces and the dressing was classic and done well.
I will definitely come back next time I am in Chicago.

Quality has plummeted.
I compare this restaurant to an old quarterback, who used to be stellar, but has gotten old and beaten up and can’t do it anymore. The steaks were awful. We ordered the 28 and 40-​day aged ribeyes. Expensive items. They were tough as boots, a disgrace. The lobster appetizer, done in the broiler, was way overcooked, charred. It should never have been sent to our table. What were they thinking, that we wouldn’t notice? Table-​side caesar salad was fine, as were the deserts. Service good, but place was nearly emtpy anyway. Sadly, it appears DB Primehouse is a now has-​been. Retire the jersey.

For my boyfriends birthday I wanted to surprise him with the best ribeye I could find in Chicago. After talking to some colleagues of mine, they insisted we go to David Burke’s Primehouse located in the James Hotel. The ambiance of the restaurant was relaxing, calm and very enjoyable — the perfect setting for a romantic dinner for two. Our Waiter, Jeremy, was as professional and as attentive as they come without being overbearing. He made great suggestions and had a really enjoyable personality. We tried a plethora of food and were not disappointed whatsoever.
To start, we ordered the wagyu beef sashimi which was creamy and melted in our mouths along with the black pepper fries that were addicting. For dinner, I got the filet cooked MR and my boyfriend ordered the 55 day ribeye cooked MR. The filet was amazing but his ribeye was like nothing we have ever tasted before. Great cut of meat and the flavors spoke volumes. This is a must when dining there. As sides we had the grain risotto which at first sounded ehh but was our favorite side dish, the mac and cheese which and the broccolini as the vegetable. Then as if we needed any more, the Restaurant Manager Nathan Escue sent over donuts and a cake pop tree for dessert! We managed to finish the dessert it was so good. Nathan then made our experience unforgettable by taking us downstairs to see the dry aging room.
This truly is a restaurant I will be coming back to and cannot wait to tell my Clients about!

Came here with a group of 10 for a work dinner. The food was pretty good, the service was not. The server would come to the table to do something, then just leave. It took about half an hour to get our drinks, then he tried to leave again and as he was leaving said, «oh, did you want to start ordering?» as if it was an afterthought.
We put in orders for appetizers and salads, and also did the entrée and side orders. Since it was ala carte, I wish the server would have indicated what sides had been ordered by the other ‘half’ of the table (with a group of 10 you couldn’t hear what was being said). We ended up with 3 orders of broccolini, and many other duplicates, that we likely would have better shared if there had been indication that the other half of the table had already ordered it. Instead the server encouraged us to just order more, which I get from a business standpoint means more money, but it was also annoying.
The Cesar salads came out first, but they made it all table-​side, so they brought this big cart out with the fixin’s and then you had to sit there for 10 minutes and watch them make the salad. Okay, I get it’s the experience, but we were hungry at that point and it felt like a tease. Then finally gave the Cesar salads out, and then about 5 – 10 minutes later brought out the other salads and the appetizers, so the timing was poor there as well.
Same thing at the end of the dinner, we had to sit around for quite a while and then had to flag down the server to get the check. I can appreciate not being rushed, but this was a bit excessive.
I have to say, ask for the tour of the salt room where they age the meat, it’s pretty cool. That was likely the best part.

I had decent experience here. Came here on a random Saturday afternoon and it was pretty light on the diners. I even got to use the Unilocal 10% check-​in coupon too.
I guess they have different menus depending on when you eat, because they only offered the 55 day dry aged steak for lunch. I was hoping to do the 75 day, but I can do that on my next visit here.
Very nice steak. Good marbling, good flavor. I also did the Caesar salad and the guy preps it right in front of you.
Nice mango, toffee and ice cream for dessert. Well presented.

I went to David Burke’s Primehouse on a Saturday evening. Needless to say, the restaurant was very busy and the bar scene seemed pretty hip and lively. Since I didn’t made a reservation, I ended up dining in the lounge area. This is not ideal as the tables are low to the ground (coffee table height).
The service was impeccable. I didn’t have to wait very long before our waitress greeted our table. She returned promptly with the wine list and menus. The wine list is extensive with wines from all over the world and at all price ranges. We ordered a bottle of wine and snacked on the crispy bread sticks with spicy chili oil that are brought to each table. To start, we shared an arugula salad that was incredible; as well, it was nicely split in the kitchen for us. An unexpected pleasure was the individual made-​to-​order popovers that we received with our salads.
I ordered the Filet Mignon as my main course accompanied by Bearnaise sauce and Chorizo whipped potatoes. It was incredible, as were the potatoes too. Amazingly, it was not uncomfortable to sit like we were, but the meal and service were so good that I didn’t want it to end. We decided to share a dessert and settled on the Chocolate Hazelnut Crème brûlée.
Would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the Chicago area.

I visited David Burke’s for one thing and one thing only — the 40 day dry-​aged prime steak burger. It was listed as the best burger on a Food & Wine list. Since I love burgers, I this was a must do on my recent trip to Chicago. Luckily, it was close to my hotel. The burger comes with spinach, caramelized onion, bacon, black pepper aioli, and a side of fries. Cheese choices incude cheddar, american, swiss, and bleu. Cost is $ 16.
I went near the end of the Sunday brunch period– about an hour before closing. They offered me both a table and the bar. I told them whatever was easier for them since I was by myself and it was near closing. They seated me at a table. Service was on point. I was checked on just enough. My burger may have been brought out by one of the chefs or the kitchen manager. He took such pride when I told him how surprised I was that the burger came out so quick.
The burger is definitely something to be admired. Lovely presentation. But I sent a pic to a friend and his response was «That’s a burger?» Lol. I told him that it was underneath all the toppings. The burger is quite well crafted. I can tell that it is gourmet. I really liked the bacon. However, it is not a burger that I would crave even though it is quality and well executed. The fries were perfectly cooked and tasted great.
Definitely try the burger out for the novelty and to say you’ve done it. If it rings your bell, you’ve found a great spot for a burger. If not, at least you’ve tried an award-​winning burger.

It was my last day in Chicago and one of my co-​workers told me about this place and of course we had to go to have a great ending of our Chicago trip. It was a Thursday afternoon and we got there around 1:00pm and it wasn’t crowded so it was nice to get seated right away. My co-​worker and I were wearing jeans and a casual blouse, we felt a little underdressed but they didn’t care. We ordered the following:
Ice berg wedge ($ 13) — I love the thick pieces of bacon and lots of flavorful blue cheese crumbles. Great start to a delicious lunch.
28 Day Old Ribeye ($ 51) — Medium Rare: LOVED IT!!! Juicy and tender. It melted in our mouths!!!
What was a bigger treat was that we got a tour of the «Salt Room» where we saw all the delicious meat being aged to deliciousness. It was aromatic and beautiful. What a great ending to our business trip to Chicago.

A Top Chef Master in his own right, Chef Burke’s got a clear passion for beef. So much so that he was the first chef to own his own bull. Named Prime 207L, or simply Prime, this is the Black Angus bull that’s sired the foundation for high-​quality steaks. In fact, despite Prime’s passing, his sperm has been frozen to continue the line of beef.
Rye-​P-​A [$ 16]
Templeton rye, absinthe, bitters, orange, IPA
After a long day of conferencing, I decided to start off with the Rye-​P-​A. I usually only drink stouts if I’m opting for beer, but was intrigued by the potential balance of the IPA with the orange and absinthe. Coupled with the stiffness of the rye whiskey, we’re talking about a smooth tipple that comes through with floral citrus notes.
Bread Service
Gruyère popover, butter with Himalayan sea salt
A la BLT Steak in NY, there’s nothing I enjoy more than a popover to start. This was one of the best I’ve had. Perfectly portioned with a nicely crisp texture on the outside, this was studded with salty hits of cheesy Gruyère. Once opened, the bread within was fluffy and just hot enough to melt the room temperature butter, which was topped with pink specks of Himalayan sea salt. Delicious.
Bacon [$ 12]
Slaw, black pepper, maple syrup

I had to get David Burke’s bacon dish (this is the Chef who had his own bacon bar!). And I’m glad I did. In fact, consider this one of my last meal dishes. Previous iterations of this dish were presented in «cake pop» fashion and I’m glad they did away with it in favor of this more beautifully presented spectacle of pork. The belly was incredibly flavorful, with the sweetness from the maple syrup rendering it into bacon candy. There was a nice outer crisp as well, which helped to provide some textural balance. There was a valiant attempt by the crisp red cabbage and pea tendril slaw to cut through the heft of the pork, but the richness of the unctuous belly could not be denied, Seriously the best steakhouse bacon I’ve ever had, even over Peter Luger’s. Ridiculously delicious and a must order.
At this point, the kitchen gifted me with the caesar salad with add-on’s. Perhaps they were attempting to provide some levity to my meal, which regular readers know centers around carnivorous tendencies. The salad’s expertly crafted tableside, with the option of adding on delectable crab croutons or white anchovies to impart some bright salinity to the dressing.
Caesar Salad [$ 14] + White Anchovies [$ 3] + Crab Croutons [$ 5]
The greens were perfectly dressed, with a great depth of flavor from the just-​made dressing. The hits of salt from the Parmesan Reggiano and the tasty morsels of lumb crab in the crisp croutons helped to provide additional savoriness to each bite.
75 Day Dry-​Aged Ribeye [$ 79]
20 oz salt brick beef
But really, I was here for the dry-​aged beef. They offer several steaks, including the standard 28-​day as well as 35, 40 and 55-​day aged steaks. But I was here for the bad boy, the 75-​day. Dry-​aged using Chef Burke’s patented Himalayan salt brick process, this 20 ounce bone-​in ribeye was cooked nicely medium-​rare.
There was a clear beefy funk that was highly reminiscent of blue cheese, but with a buttery tenderness to the beef due to the tissue breakdown. In fact, the beef finished with a sweetness that was reminiscent of elk. This was delicious and well-​executed in that the beef really shined over any overt seasoning or butter one may expect from your more typical steakhouses.
Mac n Cheese [$ 9]
Camembert, cheddar, bread crumbs
I couldn’t stop there — especially when there was mac n cheese on the menu. The noodles were nicely al dente and the mélange of sharp cheddar and the funky umami of the Camembert helped to create a creamy and delicious bite.
At this point, I was excited to tour the dry-​aging room, clearly designated and locked, with the official patent proudly displayed.
Manager Tommy Livingston (often mistaken for the Chef!), described the aging process and proudly highlighted the various cuts, including the ribeyes and the lard, which is aged as well. Apparently, the fat is melted and brushed onto their incredible dry-​aged burger. They’re even in the process of dry-​aging pork, which’ll make for an interesting treat.
They still had one of their original steaks on display, representing almost a decade of aging! You can see how much of the actual beef gets eaten away during the process. Amazing, though probably not entirely edible.
So if you’re in Chicago and looking for a proper steak experience, look no further than David Burke’s Primehouse. And if you’re interested in trying more nuanced flavors compared to your standard 28-​day dry-​aged ribeye, the 75-​day is the way to go. Don’t forget a side of that incredible bacon!

My three stars is based on the overall experience we had for lunch. Service was shockingly disappointing considering the fact that it’s a high end steak house.
Valet is $ 15 for 3 hrs. I would valet rather than park at a near by garage where you would have to pay over $ 20.
Ordered The James signature cocktail $ 16: it was very refreshing and well balanced.
Ordered the 40 day dry aged prime steak cheddar burger done medium rare $ 16 with peppered fries $ 1 extra: the fries came with an aioli sauce and was a good compliment to the fries. Maybe I chose the wrong type of cheese because the burger turn out very salty.
My boyfriend ordered the 55 day dry aged ribeye $ 68 with basil whipped mash potatoes $ 9 and onion rings $ 9 (among the 2 sides the mashed potatoes stood out the most. Exactly what you expect from a high end steak house full of cream and butter). The onion rings were good portion, however it was over cooked. The breading was burnt on most rings and it became unappetizing after a few rings. Disappointing especially since they cost $ 9. The steak lived up to the reputation of having a bold beefy flavor. He asked for medium rare which was perfectly cooked and proved to be a decent portion.
Ordered the Caesar salad with crab croutons and white anchovies $ 23: It was served table side and the server was really nice and knowledgable. We said to give us the works, without leaving anything out, and he did not disappoint. Everything you can think of to make a classic Caesar, anchovy paste, mustard, cheese, chili oil, olive oil, eggs, chives, and more cheese and peppers. This had to be, by far, the best Caesar we have ever had. It’s something to say that the Caesar salad took the show today. Definitely a wonderful surprise that you must have on your table.