Mike Ditkas

Had lunch with friends: great food, great service and super nice atmosphere. Plus a unique setting.

Having a crab bisque! Lots of sherry. Delicious but a little salty. As a fantastic meatloaf, just a great concoction. The jalapeño cornbread underneath the meatloaf was so delicious. We had fried chicken with mushrooms. A good mix. Da pork chop was beautifully presented. Enjoyed our valentines night out even though it started snowing!!!

We went to Ditkas on Saturday night during prime seating time and were immediately granted a table. THAT should have been a tip off but I shrugged it off as great luck. We’ve been through all the Chicago steak houses, except for this one, so we were excited to give it a try.
Let me cut to the chase. The food and service are terrible. I imagine Ditkas caters to Bears fans, people on expense accounts who don’t care, or out of town folks who are used to Outback as their go to steakhouse.
The waiter was not present in the moment and did not try to connect with us at all. The guy read through the specials and answered questions about the menu like a bored sixth grade kid aching for summer vacation.
On to the food.
I ordered a bone-​in ribeye. I asked for it to be pink throughout. It was served grey and well-​done. You could tell it was actually a great cut of beef because despite the over cooking because it was still easy to cut and had decent flavor. I wish I asked for a new one because the beef wasn’t the problem here.
My wife had the prime rib. It had a nice color but was tough and lacked flavor. It was not the melt in your mouth flavor goodness one expects from great prime rib.
The sides. If a steak house is going to charge you for sides the sides need to be an experience themselves. We ordered Brussels sprouts and twice baked potatoes. Both were terrible. The twice baked potatoes were flavorless, dried out and cold to the touch, like they were made in an assembly line and set aside until people order them. The Brussels were cold and flavorless. I’m not sure what cooking technique was used to prepare them but they lacked seasoning, flavor and were served cold and mushy. Honestly, eating them raw would have been better than what they did to them.
Based on this visit we will never come here again. Mortons, Gibsons, and Harry Caray’s are much better choices.

I decided to visit on my own for Chicago Restaurant Week. The staff was excellent, they were very friendly and accomodating without sounding like they had rehearsed a bunch of nice things to say; they seemed very sincere. I had my own booth in the lounge area, which I have to say I enjoyed.
I knew what I was going to get well before I came in. I started with organic kale caesar salad. Thankfully, it was a blend of romaine and kale. I don’t mind kale too much, but it needed the romaine or it would have been overwhelming. There were an awful lot of garlic croutons as well. I’m not a big croûton guy, but these had a strong garlic flavor, so I decided to have a couple. he Caesar dressing was really flavorful as well. I also got a bread basket with two warm crispy rolls and a ramekin of softened butter.
My entrée was da pork chop. And let me testify, it lives up to the hype. It’s a double cut bone-​in chop, with a nice salt and pepper crust. The chop was very juicy and cooked to a perfect medium. Pork chops can be difficult to cook just right, but Ditka’s did it very well. The chop was accompanied by diced cinnamon apples, cherry jus, and mashed sweet potatoes. All the flavors complement each other so well. I also got an order of caramelized brussel sprouts. I had to add a little salt and pepper, but they still had a very good flavor.
Dessert was banana cream pie, albeit without the chocolate sauce. The caramel was rich, the cream was thick and sweet, and the graham cracker crust was really flavorful firm. The crust was so firm, I thought I’d need a steak knife to cut through it. It would certainly rank in the top 3 or 4 banana cream pies I’ve ever had.
Ditka’s was an excellent dining experience and I would definitely return.

My husband and I decided to try Ditka’s for restaurant week. We made a reservation online and once arriving at the restaurant we had to wait for an additional 15 – 20 minutes after our reservation time. We are patient people so no big deal, but I still think if you have a reservation you shouldn’t have to wait. The service was great and we loved the singer!!! He was wonderful. The food overall was good. We got the prime rib and lobster tail. Prime rib was a little overcooked, but the lobster was great.
The only reason I am not rating Ditka’s higher is because at the end of the night the staff started rolling large circle table toppers out into the restaurant and moving tables around to set up for an event or something that they were having the next day. We were having a really nice evening and it ended by feeling like we were in the way. I’ve worked as a server, so I know what goes into set up/​break down for parties, but as a customer it ruins the atmosphere.

From highest to lowest: food, ambiance, service.
Food I recommend the baby kale Caesar, South African lobster tail, double-​cut pork chop, banana cream pie and peanut butter pie. The last two are rich and flavorful and lightly sweet.
Ambiance: your typical old school steak house. Lots of dark wood and dim lights. The furniture, tile, rugs etc. are weathering and need an update. Or maybe that is part of the charm?
One thing is for sure, our waiter had zero charm. Not friendly, but curt and abrupt.

I have been to Ditkas before but this is a review of my dinner experience on New Year’s Eve. I will say that I am a fan of Ditkas due to its casualness and affordability for a steakhouse. And unlike many similar spots, on NYE, they had a fixed menu along with their full menu which was much appreciated.
I made reservations about a week prior on Open Table and was seated promptly upon arrival. The crowd was mixed from families to friends in casual gear to people dressed up for New Year’s. Our reservation was early (630) since we were headed elsewhere for the ball drop. I believe they had live music later in the night but was not around for any of that.
Service was good as the waitress made no attempt to rush us through the meal. We ordered Mules (which sadly did not come in copper mugs (they were out at the time)) to drink. For an appetizer, we went with the Colossal Shrimp Cocktail which indeed was four colossal shrimps. The cocktail sauce which they were dipped in had a ton of horseradish which I think is a good thing especially when the shrimp were so large that they needed a good amount of sauce. While simple, sometimes the basic apps are always the best.
For dinner, I went with the Scallops while my friend went with the Salmon. The scallops were good though maybe a tad undercooked. The scallops were on a yummy crab risotto. The salmon was the better of the two meals especially if you like your salmon medium rare. It was over broccolini and a pineapple quinoa which was really good. We also split the lobster mac and cheese which is really really heavy. Perfect for sharing with a large group but for two of us, it was more than enough.
No dessert as we were headed out for the evening but I would assume that they are pretty good. Then again, I have a sweet tooth.
Overall, Ditka’s is a great steakhouse for any occasion. Good food, affordable pricing, and best of all, you do not need to put your name on any wait list months earlier. Go there!

Got the breakfast menu Saturday morning. Excellent service, great ambience, and the five-​star pork chops!

I really like their food, fancy upscale eating here. You have to be willing to splurge here if you decided to dine here and it’s really delicious food. We had their chicken and waffles and the chicken was crispy and yummy. Service is excellent because we’re at a classy high class place.

I was really surprised when I was looking at menus online for a good, reasonably priced lunch spot to stumble upon Ditka’s. I always assumed this was an expensive celebrity named restaurant for the upper class. That is not the case — the menu (both food and drinks) is actually very affordable especially given it’s downtown location. And as we came to find out, the food is delicious.
Our table got the chicken pot pie which apparently is seasonal and it was incredible — truly delicious. We also got a pulled pork sandwich that was tasty. To top it off, our server, Rachel was very friendly and helpful.
Overall, we were very impressed with the food, service, and prices. In the summer, they also have a beautiful patio. Definitely check it out!

Excellent service, great food, excellent martinis, great location, great prices for the area! Plenty of affordable and high end options with huge portions. Cool ambience and Kudos to Mike Ditka for this place.
Overall 5 rating as a 4 quality, 5 service and 5 value are a nice combo! ½ price of most other steakhouses in major cities!
Tip: Free wine corkage!
Da Bears

After a much-​delayed flight, I finally arrived in Chicago tired, grumpy and hungry. A work associate made mention that Ditka’s was a block away. We hiked over and my attitude changed as we walked in carnivore heaven. Despite the late-​ish hour, we were greeted with enthusiasm and seated immediately. Our waiter had drinks in our hands within a few minutes as we made our selections. I wound up getting the pork chop, which was easily the best pork chop I’ve eaten. This must have come from a spoiled and coddled pig. (Thanks, pig!) If I wasn’t so hungry, I might have spent more time admiring the entire plate, as the presentation was something. I walked out of Ditka’s in a far better mood. And no longer hungry.
If you require some tragically hip vibe, and food you’ve never heard of, you should go someplace else. If you enjoy classic traditional steakhouses, you’ll love Ditka’s. I did.

So other people travel during Thanksgiving to visit family. As foreign borners we take advantage and visit new cities.
But as we’re here longer and longer we’ve become slowly indoctrinated in the American way and are starting to enjoy Thanksgiving more and more.
So where else to go to celebrate the combo American traditions of football and overindulgence than Mike Ditka’s restaurant.
To most Americans he’s the player/​commentator/​coach/​Hall of Famer. To us the first time we heard of him was starring opposite Will Ferrell in KICKING AND SCREAMING. And when we heard he had a restaurant close to where we were staying, that was the ultimate.
I booked two weeks ahead, with multiple reservations and times available. Traditionally turkey time is celebrated at @ 1 – 4 pm but as holiday heretics we were happy to go at 6:45.
Under requests on opentable I asked for a booth as the area looked more festive, with multiple TV’s; essential as that evening’s game was Bears vs Packers.
The called two days before dinner to confirm if I wanted a booth which was great.
On walking in, we were greeted by a scrum of humanity. Well heeled patrons of all ages lined up in the hope of getting a seat at the great one’s restaurant. At least 20 people, all of whom would be eventually seated.
We had to wait 5 minutes above our waiting time but eventually got booth seating with great views of the bar and TV’s.
For thanksgiving they had a 4 course meal for $ 45 including an exceptional crab bisque, a caesar salad, a choice of pies and, of course, unlimited turkey. Yup. For my carnivorous son, as many plates as his 6’2″ skinny frame could take. Served with yams, beans and mash, it was as good a feast as was available in Chicago that night.
Others had the crab cakes and two bone in steak which were both pronounced excellent. Had a coupple of glasses of wine; an ok Sangiovese and a surprisingly good Pinot under his own label.
Cakes were decent, not grand but not really the point of the meal.
What blew us away was, on visiting upstairs, how busy the place was. Every table, every corner, every function room was packed. Despite this, the service was excellent and friendly.
And the Bears won.

My friend and I came into Ditka’s completely unexpected as we had an uncontrollable hunger for some great steak and big, bold wine. We ended up having an amazing dinner and a very memorable night at Ditka’s.
For wine-​we chose Nickel & Nickel-​because it was a Wednesday so why the heck not go big!
For food-​we started with the calamari and shrimp cocktail-​both of which were fresh and crisp. I loved the marinara and the aioli served with the calamari as well as the horseradish infused cocktail sauce for the shrimp.
To follow, we ended up getting a filet, lobster tail, porterhouse, and Brussels sprouts-​all of which were cooked to perfection. The filet was especially juicy and nicely crusted with a peppercorn glaze.
During our dinner, the table next to us asked me for some ibuprofen and I had some on me. To thank me for this gesture, they ended up buying us a bottle of wine for the trouble! So unexpected and so kind! Needles to say-​plenty of wine was consumed.
I would recommend Ditka’s for anyone looking for a very traditional steakhouse where you can find all the staples you crave. It’s a plus if you are into sports as there is a ton of memorabilia displayed throughout the restaurant. I’m only knocking off one star as our server was unreasonably surly. But overall I had a great experience.

Had reservations for Monday night and was seated promptly. For a Monday night it was packed. Started with a bottle of wine called the Player which was a Merlot and it paired nicely with the meal. We got the oysters on the half shell and Mike’s salad which were both great to start off with. My husband and I split the Kick Ass Paddle Steak (20oz) and it was plenty and done to perfection. We had a flight of sides which were the Burgundy mushrooms, Lobster Mac n Cheese and Mashed sweet potatoes… all were great, my favorite was the mushrooms. And then for dessert had the Banana Cream Pie, not too sweet, but just light enough since it had more of bananas in it.

Would give 0 if an option. Sat here waiting for Patriots game and then they turn off sound and put on 1960s music. This isn’t a sports bar. What a disappointment. Mike Ditka should be embarrassed that his name is on this place. Highly recommended finding another location to watch NFL.
Wings weren’t bad

Mike Ditka’s served me perhaps the best steak (s) I’ve had in my entire life. I ordered one of the daily specials, which was 2 filet, served on the bone. These things were cooked to a perfect medium rare and were fall-​off-​the-​bone tender. I used a knife, but I didn’t really need to. Tenn… Der!
I had a wedge salad and it was delish, but nothing spectacular.
Our table of 9 shared a bunch of sides and they were all excellent. Even the Brussels sprouts were yummy.
We also shared a couple of desserts, chocolate layer cake and raspberry cheesecake. I’m not generally a big fan of cheesecake, but I’d order this one in a heartbeat and eat the whole thing by myself. The cake was fantastic!
The service here is truly a fine-​dining experience. The wait staff is very knowledgeable about the menu and are happy to make recommendations. They are also right on top of things, every step of the way. We never wanted for anything.
This. Place. Rocks!

I didn’t expect much walking in the door because I poor experiences with theme restaurants in the past. BUT I was thrilled with my pork chop with a sweet potato purée with baked apple and cranberries, it was incredible. I was I would ha e tried the half fried chicken my friend ordered it was a very light golden brown and delicious so I was told. (I wasn’t offered a bite)
Also had the crab bisque and the cheese infusion was a very nice touch.

It’s fun if you want to drink and be in a busy restaurant with lots going on and entertainment upstairs. If you want a romantic, quiet, dinner Ii do not recommend.
We were an hour early for dinner reservation (for 6) so we checked-​in and stood in the bar area. Lots of USC/​Notre Dome fans since we were in town for the game this weekend. it was overcrowded from 7pm-​8pm. Mike Ditka came by and saw us in our USC shirts and said «good luck» tomorrow. He probably says that to everyone, regardless of which team you are wearing, but it was nice especially since we fired our coach earlier this week and appreciated the support.
We sat at 8pm for dinner. Service great, and the waitress was patient trying to maneuver with all those people coming and going in her way and drunk obnoxious guys yelling across the bar. We ordered a few bottles of good wine. Our group had all the different salads (all great), pork chops, dry rubbed aged Rib eye, Filet and all were excellent! I loved the Rib eye the best. Someone got banana crème pie and it was also very tasty. $ 500 for 6 people seemed about right and not too overpriced for the meals we ordered.
We ended the night upstairs with the solo singer doing Frank Sinatra and all the old standard hits that everyone can sing to. It was a fun night and i’ll go back next time we are in town.

Went after a Cubs game. It was safe for my wife’s peanut and tree nut allergy. They didn’t have a steak listed on their lunch menu. We had to ask for the steak menu. Top 5 steak. Cooked perfectly and great flavor. Sitting outside was a little weird. Pretty busy street but didn’t take away from the awesome food. Go for «Da Steak!»

BREAKFAST review
Showed u when they opened, on a game day without reservations, and had no trouble getting a table for two.
Service was 5 star and the food was great.
CLASSIC breakfast far. Nothing too elevated, but everything tasted great. I had the French Toast and my brother, a Raiders fan from Tennessee has the bacon and eggs dish, not sure what it was called.
The food was great and the PORTIONS were large, no one leaves hungry.
Loved it.

This place is so meh.
I had the crab cakes which were admittedly very full of crab but for 2 on the small side, a table spoon of very less than spectacular rice, and some shitty kfc-​esq cole slaw for 30 bucks no thanks…
This place might be cool if you were a Bears/​Ditka fan. Otherwise it’s boring and overpriced. There’s a lot better restaurants in Chicago for the price and cheaper to be honest.
Bye Felicia.

I don’t think we should have come here. I felt like from the moment we came in to the time we left there was no god service and it felt like the bus boys were nicer than our waiter.
I ordered the steak salad — don’t order this, its not tasty at all, and the hubby ordered a burger which was okay.
This place is just a name not anything that I’d ever come here intentionally.

Pour notre dernier dîner a Chicago, nous voulions du bon et du pas très loin de notre hôtel car il faisait encore très froid !
Quelle belle surprise de se retrouver ici et ce sans avoir lu au préalable les critiques déposées sur Unilocal.
Je né connaissais pas Mike Ditkas aussi y sommes nous allées totalement au feeling.
Nous avons fait le choix de spaghetti aux boulettes de viande et un meat loaf.
Les spaghetti étaient très bonnes mais somme toute assez classiques. Le meat loaf quant a lui était de loin le meilleur mangé à Chicago et même ailleurs. La présentation était a elle seule déjà originale. S’agissant du goût, il était parfait ! C’est un plat généreux, il n’est pas utile de prendre une entrée !!!
Service aimable, table confortable avec nappe blanche en tissu et bien sur le doggy-​bag si vous n’arrivez pas a terminer votre assiette.
Très bonne adresse

Mike Ditka est l’ancien président des Chicago Bears (ou des Cubs ?), bref: un ponte du sport à Chicago. Son restaurant est un vrai must: ambiance sportive aux murs, service impeccable, accueillant, amical, et alors franchement, fabuleux steak servi (si si, vous n’allez pas me croire) vraiment saignant si vous le demandez !
On en a eu pour 100 $ à quatre, et franchement, 20 EUR par personne pour une telle qualité, c’est assez rare. C’était un samedi soir, nous n’avions pas réservé, et pourtant on s’est trouvé assis en un quart d’heure.
N’hésitez pas à y faire une halte !