STK Chicago

Such a fantastic experience. The service was second to none, the food and drinks were excellent. The service was great and the music and atmosphere were well thought out. All and all a great experience.

In the middle of our dinner, I texted my friend and said «STK– top 3 worst dining experiences I’ve had in Chicago». We had a reservation at 730 pm on a Wednesday, and we were told our table was wrapping up when we arrived. We didn’t get sat for an hour, and it wasn’t until just after the 45 minute mark that the manager, Manny, finally decided to offer us some wine (which we later found out was already ½ off). He then told us he would have an app ready and sent out to us when we got to the table.
When our waiter came, there was no acknowledgement of our wait, no apology, nothing. He went on to tell us how it was ½ price wine night– aren’t we lucky?! After leaving and coming back he then said «Oh, better news, turns out the wine you have is free (which we already knew as this was the bottle we brought to the table after our hour wait). NEAT!
It just went downhill from there. The app we were promised from the manager never came, we were supposed to have bread brought out right away (you guessed it, we had to ask where it was, twice). Then the real kicker– I ordered my steak medium rare, and it came out essentially medium well to well done. The waiter didn’t believe me at first and asked me to cut into the steak to show him. Once he realized I was not lying, they took it away.
Then the ended the night with a cheesy display of «Oh look! Free desserts (which none of us wanted at this point). When he delivered the check he put on a big show. «That wine? GONE. Your steak? Gone! The desserts? Gone!» I literally just sat there and stared at them. We were left with still well over $ 200 on the bill. I went to RPM one time, years ago, and they made similar mistakes– and they ended up comping our entire bill. That is service. STK was a hot mess.
I will say the food that was brought out (once asked for, or cooked correctly) was good, only thing they have going for them.

There was a lot of buzz around STK when it first came to Chicago a few months back. We decided to have dinner at the account to see what the buzz was all about. Not sure if it was because we came during restaurant week or if it was just apart of the norm for the place to be so packed on Wednesday.
The majority of our group went with the restaurant week course. The bread was phenomenal and was definitely a hit for the table. The food wasn’t so bad either, but man was this place jumping!
I couldn’t give the restaurant more than 3 stars because coupled with the extremely loud music that made it difficult for our party to have a decent conversation was the extremely slow service. From the ordering and making of drinks, from the lengthy time it took to bring each of our meal courses out, and even down to paying the bill, it just took so long. Our waiter was great, it was just the overall experience that was bad.
I won’t be rushing to come back to this restaurant in particular but maybe I’ll go during a less popular week to see if there is a difference.

Oh I’m a fan for sure. This was my last stop on the 2016 Chicago Restaurant Week Tour. I had heard good things about STK but was hesitant to make the reservation because I’m usually not a big steak orderer. My friend and I decided to go for it and, I have to say, that was the right choice.
The décor is pretty awesome and the space has more of a lounge/​club vibe than most Chicago steakhouses I’ve visited. The music was a little louder than what I’m used to but I heard some Brittney, a lot of Christina Aguilera, some Shakira, and a solid mix of Chicago House… all those guilty pleasure pop songs that I have a Pandora station dedicated to but would never dare listen to in front of company. I wanted to love everything about this place because visually it just looked cool but the one thing I was not crazy about was the seating configuration. One of my biggest pet peeves is when two people sit on the same side of a booth. If your cozying up with a date, ok fine… I’ll let it slide. But when you are out to dinner with a friend or a colleague I just find that set up to make conversation incredibly awkward.
That aside, I would suffer through the awkwardness of same side sitting to eat this food again. The bleu cheese butter pull apart bread with chive oil was amazing. Ours came out after our appetizer course, with apologies from our waitress for the timing problem, but it was worth the wait. The tuna tartare features fresh, not fishy, tuna and the yuca chips were a great pairing. I had the brussels salad and LOVED it.
As an entrée I had the 10 oz loin steak with fried onions and opted for the horseradish cream sauce. All the sauces sounded amazing though so that was a hard choice. The steak was well seasoned with a perfect hard sear but still cooked perfectly to my desired doneness (which was rare because I love me some rare steak). I didn’t opt for additional sides but my portion was more than sufficient. I was full but I ate it all because it was that good.
As far as desserts went, the Banana Cream Pie in a Jar was the better of our two selections. Both were great but the jar pie was light and creamy with a butter crust that was just the perfect way to end one of my better cheat meals so far this year.
Overall, the full menu looked great. I would love to dine here again and try some of the sides and other entrée options. The cocktail menu also looked intriguing. There is also a sizeable bar area and happy hour specials that looked promising.

STK has a very different feel for a steakhouse. The live DJ and loud music with the layout is a very nice option in my view. It defiantly for the a younger generation, if you are looking for a place to go before going out on the weekends, this place is great for that. Food wise, it was very good but there are better steakhouse in the middle of Chicago.

If its the weekend and you appreciate a see and be seen environment, STK is the scene for you. Complete with great drinks, better music (90’s hip hop), good food and service, it will be on my short list for an elevated night out for drinks without the hastle of overcrowded club and bar scenes. I would return for the environment first and the food second. Will visit again.

Went here on a Saturday for a friends birthday. We had reservations but still had to wait almost an hour for our table. The live Dj was awesome and made the wait bearable. Once seated the really nice waiter, the delicious food and the club like atmosphere made us forget all about our long wait. I had the Red snapper and creamy spinach and my husband had the duck breast, it was amazing! I will definitely go back!

Celebrated a birthday here on a Wednesday night during Restaurant Week. The menu was varied and the food was exquisite. (Our compliments to the chef.)
The best accompaniment to our food, was the amazing staff.
We had an awesome waiter with a very celebratory attitude, thank you Paltros! We thought it was just him but he got other staff members in on our fun and they were just as uplifting. Rachel, the manager, was not only very nice when checking on our service, she was also accommodating when we decided to bring over 6 more people to join the party. She moved us to a bar area for post dinner drinks and our waitress, Cassie, brought it home with her own brand of birthday amusements and great service.
Overall my girls and I had a wonderful time and it made for a very memorable and happy birthday.

Expensive.
The venue is young, hip, and modern and a bit loud for conversation. It’s also very very dark, almost like a club.
I was very excited to try out another steak establishment on Kinzie to see if I could find a new favorite on «steak row.» We ordered the sliders, mushroom sides, and the beef short rib. my husband had the sliders and they were filling enough but pretty standard in terms of taste/​creativity. I enjoyed the Glazed Beef Short rib and was certainly full after the healthy portion. Again, the food is decent but I could get a similar quality dish at another establishment for less. The mushroom sides were tasty, good portions, a bit too much oil.
The best part of the meal were the rolls with blue cheese and the herb dip. This was certainly worth the trip alone. simply delicious and very heavy!
In summary, if you’re looking for meat/​steak, it’s going to be expensive here. I’m not convinced the quality or execution of the food warrant what you will spend here. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the club/​music atmosphere so that brought the rating down a star as well.

Wait… am I at the club or a restaurant? If you aren’t into the club scene I’d recommend going to this place during the week when they are slower and the DJ isn’t blasting. The two times I’ve been to this place on Friday & Sat evening around 8/​9pm it was the place jamming. Makes me think this is a great place to come for a drink or two before heading out to another bar/​club.
Drinks were good and strong. I particularly liked the secret affair.
Food — Both the skirt steak and spare ribs were delicious. And the spare ribs are deceptively filling. You don’t think it will be enough but it is!
Sides — Brussels sprout were amazing. Definitely should be had. The mac & Cheese was a little bland. But then again I’m southern and have high expectations on my mac & cheese. Next time I’d try something else.

Food: expensive and subpar
Drinks: amazing
Décor: stunning and music was on point
Overall, this place would be perfect if they served quality food. Would not suggest dining here if hungry, but awesome hangout spot!

A steak house should have amazing steak. You will not find that here.
After waiting 45 minutes after our reservation time, we ended up joining friends at their table so that we could eat before 11pm. I will say our server was amazing and the drinks were good, but those were the only good things about this place. We had a table of 8 and each person said their steak had been prepared wrong and to order it more well than you normally would. What the hell is that? So we try this option and it still came out too rare. Too rare/​but still tough. How is that possible. Not worth your time or $, check out anywhere else.

The food was great but the service was extremely slow. Nice décor and every time I looked around to admire it I noticed 3 – 4 servers standing in the corner. Ordered a Not Your Daddy’s Whiskey it made my lips burn but my date loved it and proceeded to drink it. Pinot Noir was pretty good according to my date. I felt as though it tasted like regular wine.
If the food was not so delicious I would easily give them a 3, simply because it took soooooo long.

I wavered back and forth for awhile on how many stars to give. On one hand, I feel like if you’re shelling out the $$ this place costs, you want a quality experience. However, what I felt were «downsides» aka the loudest music ever (we couldn’t hear everyone at the table speak), this place does own and embrace– it is why people come here– to be part of the «Scene». So, I can’t fault them for that. The tables, however, are definitely not conducive for large groups, music or not. They are very large U shapes so I couldn’t talk to anyone that wasn’t next to me.
But, alas, if you are looking for a scene, and don’t have a massive group, then I would say this is a spot to go. The food was delicious!
To start, we ordered:
Mac and Cheese
Shaved Brussell Sprout Salad
Burrata
tuna tartar
oysters
parmesan truffle fries
For entrees:
2 Market Fish (to be fully honest, I was about 4 glasses of wine in– don’t remember what kind of fish it was, some white fish, but it was delicious)
Bone In Rib Steak
a few other steaks (again, other side of the table, couldn’t hear them talk let alone see specifically what kind of meat was on their plate)
Everyone was extremely happy with their food– I‘d say the standouts were the Shaved Brussell Sprouts Salad (definitely worth ordering this over the plain side) and then the Oysters– one girl said they were the best oysters she had ever had.

Rounded up from 3.5 stars. This place was very good, but it wouldn’t be my choice for a steakhouse in Chicago. Overall appetizers and seafood platter blew the steak and sides out of the water
Things i liked:
– the waygu beef sliders (highlight of the meal)
— all the fixins (;ots of sauces and truffles to add to your meal — makes it fun and different — not your classic steakhouse)
— seafood platter (blew the steak out of the water… best part of the meal)
— the crisp to the outside of my steak (lots of flavor)
— bread with green sauce to start with (unreal)
Things I didnt like:
– the music (started with all house music, they switched it up to more fun music i.e. stevie wonder and more singalong tunes which was much more enojyable but it was still TOO loud)
– my steak was a bit overcooked for a «warm medium rare»
– none of the sides stood out that much (brussels, creamy potatoes and asparagus)

Chicago and Steakhouses. They go together like peas and carrots. And just when you think Chicago cannot possibly support another steakhouse, another one (or in the case of this year alone, SEVEN!) more open. And while in the past, the food alone was the differentiator (dry or wet aged, kobe or Wagyu beef?) in today’s competitive world, the ambiance plays a huge role in choice.
Take STK. Now while I have been to their Vegas location, when I heard they were coming this way, I wondered how the sleek, clubby nature of this brand would play in a town where old school steakhouses rule? I was invited to an opening night party but when I drove by and saw the line of 20 somethings in nightclub wear outside, I decided I would save my visit for another night. And that was definitely the right choice!
I went early on a weeknight and practically had the place to myself. Located in the Museum of Broadcast Communications, the sleek, trendy, almost over the top ambiance with «waves on the ceiling» made me feel like they might have a bit of an identity crisis. Are they a steakhouse? Club? Sports bar? Each room I walked into had a different feel and with the DJ booth front and center, I was beginning to think this wasn’t the place for me.
That was until I sat at the bar and had a great conversation with Julie, bartender extrodinaire, who made me a great drink and chatted with me until my dining companion showed up. Know before you go that they may not carry your liquor of choice (no grey goose for me and the guy next to me was shocked they didn’t have his variety of gin) but the bartenders are on their game and know what to substitute right away.
We were quickly seated in a booth up front. I have to say the service in this place is 5 stars all the way. Eric was our server and he was AMAZING! Now this is how service is supposed to executed in a restaurant. Knowledgeable and friendly he steered us toward great choices all night, never wrote a thing down (how’d he do that?) and made sure our evening was a success. When my dining companion didn’t like his wine, it was replaced. When a sauce came and was a little salty, he notified the chef and removed it from the bill. A perfect execution!
And the food was equally as good. We started with the grilled octopus and the fois gras with mini pancakes. Of those two, the octopus was the clear winner. Very tasty and very fresh!
For our entrees, we split the 16 oz sirloin (our server had it sliced in the kitchen so very easy to share) as well as the Lake Erie Walleye. I was a bit hesitant of eating a fish from Lake Erie but that dish was the winner of the night. Lightly pan fried with Brussel Sprouts it was so good, it was that, not the steak that would have me returning, although the steak was perfectly prepared to a medium rare. You can also purchase sauces for $ 2 each to go on the steak but it really didn’t need any sauce the meat was so flavorful.
And finally, just when we didn’t think one more morsel could pass our lips, Eric gave a soliloquy about the banana crème pie served in a mini mason jar. Get this. That’s all I can say!
As for the music? It was an interesting combination of 80’s and 90’s tunes and as the night went on, the «oontz, oontz, oontz» in the background of more clubbier hits, didn’t really bother me, although I had moved into the «sports bar» room at this point to catch the end of the game.
So why 4 stars instead of a perfect 5? Well for me it all comes down to all things working together and the big question of would I return? Plenty of places to get steaks in this town and I already have my favorite and it doesn’t come with a club scene. I might pop in for a drink or two as that bar after work is a happening place. But then again, I guess that’s why seven new steakhouses opened this year. It just makes sure there is «something for everyone».

STK IS just known for sexy-​ness and steak and it’s so true.
I signed up for the email list as soon as I knew STK was coming to Chicago. After having a wonderful experience at STK in Miami — i was anticipating the wait. I got a 50 dollar gift certificate emailed to me as a birthday gift and just had a wonderful and impressive dining experience with my husband at 6:30 pm on a Sunday night. Not sure if you can do that now– but give it a try!
TIP: If you are looking for the ‘scene’ bar type of experience with people viewing and a DJ come on a Friday or Saturday night. If you are looking to have not a quiet, but just a chatty experience on a date and attention from your server, then come on a weekday night like we did.
FOR DINING: Our waiter was amazing. He was one of the waiters you will always remember because he was just that kind. Extremely professional and if there is one of those standard checklists on what a waiter should do– every box would have a check mark on his for being AWESOME. Do the favor of listening to recommendations and then make your decision. We were debating between ordering the burrata, halibut, sliders, the sides, which steak, the chicken, the brussel sprout salad– everything he described sounded phenomenal. We started with a tuna tartare which I would give a 3.5÷5. It was quite big (bigger than the one in Miami) and it was topped on guacamole (the guac didn’t taste homemade) and the tuna was all right. No specific flavors popped out but getting tuna tartare at a steakhouse is always my favorite starter.
We then ordered the loin strip because it was the cheapest and 10 oz. I was nervous about it– but it was cooked perfectly medium as requested and it was quite thick. They didn’t split it for us but that’s okay. We got a horseradish sauce, which again, seemed to be right out of a Kraft’s Dressing Bottle but it was great on our steak.
Even though the gift card I got from STK was for my birthday, they didn’t bring out any dessert but again– I didn’t mind.
STK was all right. The service blew my mind, but the food was more than average, but in this area where we have celebrity restaurants and top chefs around the world– STK needs to highlight ingredients on there menu and talk about there steaks more. Some people are fans– but they are in competition. As far as night life– great place! There Cocktail List is pretty weak, so I would stick to wine and the basics. Not in a HUGE rush to come back.

«You know what would go great with this porterhouse? A go-​go dancer!» Said no one ever. Not until last night anyways. I never thought I’d enjoy a steak with a side of fishnets as much as I did yesterday evening, but I definitely did.
STK’s more of a nightclub that you can get a great cut of meat at than it is a steakhouse. If you enjoy «the scene» then you’ll absolutely love it, but if velvet ropes, earpieces, and the usual club clientele aren’t your thing you’re not gonna want to waste your time.
From a food and beverage standpoint I really enjoyed everything. Tried an incredibly juicy short rib, a well-​made Manhattan, and a creamed corn pudding that I’d easily choose over just about any dessert. The mac and cheese was also out of sight and they keep the champers as cool as can be on ice next to the table.
It’s definitely the type of place you’d see a celebrity or two chilling at as evidenced by the fact that some of the Shameless cast were two tables over from us. If ‘Lip is on board so am I! I love that guy!

Firstly, these five star reviews from people with only one review to their name are bullshit, but you know that. Just a heads up.
I booked a late Sunday night booth on opening weekend for four. Friends were visiting from out of town and they asked to go to a restaurant with a cool vibe and they really couldn’t care less about food. This is pretty much the opposite of my priorities. Based on the initial negative reviews, I thought about canceling and waiting until they worked out the kinks, but I’m glad I kept it; however there certainly are issues. We had a nice time and a satisfying but long meal.
I was surprised by a few things, some good, some bad.
I could not believe we were seated right away for our reservation, and in a booth no less!
Perhaps surprisingly on opening weekend the food was pretty damn good. Steaks cooked to temperature and unlike other bad reviews, they were served warm and on warm plates. The sides were all great and we all liked the dessert enough. The truffle «fries» were not a big basket of truffle fries as I had expected — there were a dozen or so little blocks. Not bad, but not what we expected. Mac and Cheese was on point, Broccolini were great and had a little kick which also caught us by surprise. The food took a while to come out, but that is par for the course.
The music was surprisingly weak. For a place that is trying to market themselves as a trendy nightlife spot, one might expect a DJ that reflects that. I think she was spinning «A Night at the Roxbury» soundtrack. I definitely heard an Uncle Kracker song in there.
Our server was sweet, professional, and knowledgeable, but she lacked in one very key area: presence. It took about an hour for our food to come out, and in that time we could have had two or three rounds of drinks and boosted her tip up quite a bit. Instead, our drinks sat empty.
If they pick up the pace a bit at the DJ booth and with the service, this place may be a real contender.

Let me preface this review by saying that this place has been open 2 days. Every server I had was from another STK just here to help with the opening. There is no sign out front. But they do have valet.
We had a reservation at 830. We showed up at 8. We were sat at 10. I have a feeling this will not change much here… the whole being sat way past your reso time. People take up tables and stay. That’s how this place works. They have a live DJ that starts around 9 pm. Try and sit up on the upper level. You can get bottle service at your table. This is a party vibe place just like at the other STKs. Which means… don’t come here for dinner with your parents or little kids. The service is lacking, but you shoud be drunk enough not to really care. And you don’t come here because they have the best steaks in town.
The best things we had were the seafood platter. The parmesian french fries. The Brussel sprout salad. Anything with truffle butter. and you have to get the champagne/​strawberries and cream dessert. Nothing is amazing, but it is very good. Oh, and the fish portions are huge.
I’ll be back! Had a really fun time, that’s why you come here.