The Saloon Steakhouse

Went here for a birthday dinner. Had the Steak Diane and it was good. I had two drinks that were delicious. Server couldn’t be bothered with any conversation which was fine because we weren’t there for him. Nice city atmosphere.

The Saloon… we hardly knew ye.

It is with deep sadness and regret that I announce this hidden gem and most underrated steakhouse in the great city of Chicago has closed its doors. The Saloon will be greatly missed and was one of the last old school throwbacks of its kind. The best old-​fashioned I ever had and one of only 4 establishments in the city where one could get a bone-​in filet. RIP The Saloon.

Do a Unilocal check-​in and get a free dessert!
So, I think the food at the nearby Rosebud Steakhouse is a notch better – but I love the quiet 60’s ambiance of the Saloon. You feel like you are joining the Rat Pack! (look it up kids, before the brat pack, there was the Rat Pack…)
You walk past a wall of signed baseballs, past the tiny bar with apparent regulars, into the 60’s style steakhouse.
Our service was just adequate. and the bartender could not make hubby a Sazerac. They were out of some of the small filet… the waiter said it had been a busy weekend.
Hubby had the dry-​aged Kansas City, I had the New York strip. Both were cooked to our liking. The obligatory humongous baked potato was fine but no serving spoon was provided for the chives, etc. My steak knife was missing. Lots of little service flaws. Nothing traumatic though.
We had key lime pie for our free dessert – it was decent.
All in all, we still like – especially because of the quiet cool vibe.

This place is legit. My gf lives in the Seneca, so we frequent this place quite a bit. It’s cozy, never packed, we can go in looking like Hell and hide at a high top, and service is excellent. I wish I remembered his name. Tall, dark haired gentleman behind the bar. Something about him, I just like.
Sliders– we order them every time, they’re the best I have had anywhere.
Cesar salad– very good.
Burger– great
Fries– great
Mashes potatoes– are there bad ones?
Lobster Mac– not my favorite, but good.
Pinot noir– the best I’ve had by the glass. Excellent.
Not much left to say, can’t go wrong.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have a good experience here :(Would’ve given two or three stars if not for the food poisoning.
It was our first time at this restaurant. Went around 5:30 on a Saturday evening, and the place was fairly empty when we got there.
Felt rushed by the waiter the whole time. He kept coming by before we’d had a chance to really explore the menu, finish eating, etc. I guess he was attentive, but maybe a little TOO attentive.
Ordered the caesar salad to split with my husband. Quality was average, definitely not worth the $ 9.
I ordered the 8oz. petite filet mignon, cooked medium. The filet was pretty good and very tender, but what ruined it for me was the charred outside. Too burnt, which added an unpleasant charcoal taste.
My husband ordered the cowboy rib-​eye steak, cooked medium rare. It was also charred on the outside and rather burnt. The inside, as he described it, was quite rare and rather game-​y in some parts. He was going to overlook these details, but woke up with food poisoning at 4am the next morning. NOT OK. He called the restaurant to see if they’d be willing to offer some sort of compensation, but never heard back.
We did order a banana cream pie for dessert, and we enjoyed that a lot. That, and the corn chowder soup that came with our entrees was pretty good, as well.
In the end, the food was only average and not worth the prices they were asking. And because my husband got food poisoning, we definitely won’t be going back :(

Just a classic Chicago steakhouse. Great martins (dirty with freshly stuffed blue cheese olives is my favorite). Excellent steaks and seafood, with wonderful sides. The brownie dessert (with chocolate gelato and chocolate mousse) was so large and decadent it took three of us to finish. Friendly staff and a warm atmosphere, I make it a point to stop in whenever in town.

My date and I had the pleasure of dinning at this locale on a recommendation from our hotel concierge. I wanted an unassuming unpretentious steak house that would be on par with the big Chicago steak house chains that dot the inner city landscape.
The feel of the place upon entering was warm and inviting. Dimly light with rich wood tones throughout low ceilings and a evening glow through the street side windows that lined the dinning room from which made the feel even more cozy.
After settling in and skimming over the menus, I ordered a bottle of Cabernet to accompany the meal to which the waiter promptly retrieved and decanted for us (as it should be done!). We then decided on an oyster Rockefeller appetizer to start. Large northeastern variety oyster mixed with spinach, garlic and cheese, very good indeed! After the steak selections and house specials were presented, I went with my olé ‘standby bone in ribeye, baked potato, and the brussels sprout house special. However I didn’t realize the steak entrée comes automatically with choice of soup or house salad to start, probably should have passed on a side item, but gluttony is abound for the evening. I choose the soup of the day (seafood gumbo), not made to my liking but definitely not bad. The steak was delightful, tender, and seasoned well, although it came out a little on the rare side of med-​rare for me the waiter without hesitation had it quickly refired and back on the table in minutes. The side items hit the mark, potato was cooked to perfection with all the accouterments offered on the side to mix up your potato concoction and the sprouts were a little over cooked but equally delicious and flavorful.
The finally for dessert was a house made gelato, which my date and I shared and I topped it off with a double expresso. Both were spot on!
All the service from front and back of house seemed exceptional.
I thoroughly enjoyed my evening and would recommend this establishment to others.
**Large selection of wines at a good price point for higher end steakhouse.

I’ll keep this short and sweet…
1. Great specials! Thursday… half price waygu nachos and $ 5 well martinis.
2. Friendly and prompt staff.
3. Check in through Unilocal!and get a free dessert! The white chocolate caramel pretzel bread pudding was fantastic!
I’ve been here a handful of times and have only been in the bar area. The restaurant area looks so quaint and comfortable I will have to check it out one of these visits. I overheard another regular talking about the restaurant portions — huge and delicious. Sounds like a win/​win.

I took my mom here for dinner on Sunday before a show at Lookingglass. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the steaks. My mom’s steak was delicious and she had more for the next day. Definitely a good amount of food for your money.
I am a vegetarian, so there wasn’t much on the menu for me at all. I was hoping for a risotto or something! I had the wedge salad which was amazing (ask for no bacon) and the French onion soup which was ok (there is meat in there as well).
The drinks are fantastic!!! I would go back just for the drink list. The Jalisco Margarita was spicy, delicious, and pretty to look at. The crème brûlée was AWESOME! It had just the right amount of crunch and sweetness. I would be back for drinks and dessert for sure!

I love this place. A high class hang out place. This place is never short of locals. And think about the locals. I mean this place is located in a high class area and the patrons match. I love the wagu nachos here. Seriously a steak house and I get the nachos, they are that good. If you don’t want the chips, then the wagu steak or burgers are just as tasty.
The workers here are great. I haven’t been here in a couple of months (cold weather, yeah I’m a wimp) and the first thing she did when I came in was rush over and tell me they got rid of the Brooklyn Lager. What? I almost walked out. Kidding. They now have local fair for beer and they picked up wifi! Nice!
Love this place and you will too. Check it out. Skip the cheesecake factory and come here instead.

Occasionally, once a month or maybe even less frequently than that, I get in the mood for a really really incredible steak. When the rare mood hits, I make it a point to research the potential restaurants and pick one that suits my taste as well as my mood. For this particular occasion, I wanted to dine at an old Chicago establishment, and one that didn’t have that annoying corporate atmosphere of so many other steak houses in town. Saloon was exactly the vibe I needed: low key, low stress with very attentive bartender and waitstaff. The steak prices ranged from the high $ 20’s to the high $ 60’s or $ 70’s, and there are lots of other entrees if you are not into beef. But, if you are into beef, the staff is knowledgeable enough to steer you to the right order to suit your taste.
If you’re looking for lots of flash, and a bustling ‘scene’, then you’d be better off elsewhere. But if you are in the mood for a good strong drink or two, a glass of wine and a truly great cut of beef then this is worth a visit.

Had the Kansas City Strip, it was about as good as I’ve had so I’d say they are worth a try if you’re in the mood for steak. I’ve never been fond of getting no sides and having to order those separate for an additional cost but that’s how they do things here. Steak + salad and nothing else unless you order it.
I wouldn’t recommend the Horseradish Crust for the finish on the steak, it didn’t really add any character or additional flavor to things.

This past weekend a friend and I wanted to have a late lunch. She was craving steak and headed straight to her favorite place downtown. Unfortunately, they close for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. Where to go, were to go. Then I remembered a co-​worker telling me about the Saloon when I first moved to Chicago. «Hands down my favorite steak house in CHICAGO» were his exact words. So we went to check it out.
I did a quick look on the open table app on my phone and made reservations just in case. We arrived 10 minutes later and were greeted warmly and seated right away. There were a few other tables wrapping up and a couple came in after us. We weren’t given a full wine list, just a list of stuff avaliable by the glass and the bottle. I assume it was because we were sort of early for dinner but it would have been nice. We picked a bottle anyway and were enjoying it while our waiter brought over a tray of the steaks they had. He explained each one and we overheard him answering a dozen questions about them to another table later on during the meal.
I had the Dry aged Kansas City and my friend had the Buffalo Ribeye. I had my heart set on the bone in filet but his description of the Kansas City was so good. We both got them medium rare and they were perfectly cooked. Tender and delicious! We had the mushroom medley and the au gratin potatoes on the side. The potatoes were cheesy and creamy and perfectly cooked. The mushrooms were buttery and had the right amount of seasoning. The meal was perfect! For desert we had the Key Lime pie and the Chocolate brownie. I was stuffed by dessert but my friend insisted. They were both so good. The brownie had a wonderful chocolate gelato that just melted into it. And the key lime pie was tart with a crumbly crust. Mmmm!
I read some of the other reviews, maybe I just came on a good day. I loved it. It’s not my favorite steak in Chicago, but between the service and the food, It’s a steakhouse I’d definitely go back to!

This review really hurts me to write. I have been a MAJOR fan of the Saloon Steakhouse for YEARS. Living in Los Angeles, I’ve always included the Saloon Steakhouse on my don’t f with me list of places I must go to when frequently in my beloved Chicago. Tonight changes it all. It seems even the locals have moved on to other places since the place was only half full, if that, on a Friday night in the summer. The GM, although charming, was somewhat under-​dressed also acting as hostess. What happened to the women in the nice dresses? Yes, the Saloon is know for it;s lack of snobbery, but I expect a little more image polishing for a place that offers a $ 55 dollar steak.
I made reservations almost a month before indicating that I was visiting from LA and requested a booth. We got a table on the upper level with no reference to my request. It seems The GM later realized her mistake and offered to buy us a desert and offered my friend a glass of champagne. Keep in mind, my bill was almost $ 300 for two people. Smart girl.
The food was very good as always — you can’t change a great thing. I only say very good because the deserts were just okay. I had the bone-​in filet — a steak I live to eat and gladly pay $ 55 to eat. It was perfect, albeit not quite what it used to be given the grizzle component. Martinis were good — scotch was weak.
Our server was sweet as can be, but totally intimidated by her job. She has only been there since November. Every dish delivered was to the wrong person and there were only two of us. On a $ 300 tab for two, I expect more. A small issue was her not showing us the choice of steaks in their raw form. We noticed every other table received that courtesy before ordering.
The music is just crazy. We had everything from Michael Jackson to Elvis. Pick a play list and stay with it! It did nothing for the ambiance — but was very, very present.
They seated an obviously very, very intoxicated patron behind us who was nearly disruptive with his frequent outbursts of insane laughter. I’d say, «We refuse the right to refuse service to anyone,» — but, the place was it was half empty. Cha-​ching. Luckily, he left in record time — bill in hand.
So, in chatting with my friend afterwards, we concluded that the experience was just okay. Going to a restaurant is so much more than the food and this one is on its way out without significant change. That hurts me to write since I can’t even recall how many people I referred to the place that left delighted. I just can’t do that anymore.
The Saloon is suffering from a dramatic decline in management disciplines. I’m kinda worried it won’t be here the next time I am in my beloved city — but, if it’s in this state, I’d rather bid adieu and recall the many, many memorable nights I had of impeccable service and life changing tastes of the best steaks in America. Kinda like watching a train wreck.

Came here for a nice dinner with my wife while staying down town for the evening. The food was alright, and the service was terrible.
We had reservations for 5pm, and showed up at 4:50pm, the place was empty as we were 1 of 2 tables sat. We were expecting to eat and have plenty of time to make a 7pm show down the street. We were greeted quickly and offered drinks, ordered a bottle of wine, which also came out quickly. After that, we waited until 5:30 (40min after seating) to get our order in (still only 2 tables sat). We ordered calamari to start, I ordered lobster bisque and Wagyu tbone for my main course. My wife ordered the Wagyu meatloaf and a salad.
By 6pm we had been served our soup and salad, and bread (70min after seating), and yes, these came out before the appetizer. Our waiter came around to tell us our steaks would be out shortly. I asked about the calamari, and he said it was coming out now. 10 minutes later our calamari comes out, and 10 minutes after that we get our main dishes. It is now 6:20 and my wife and I shove what we can down before having to run out the door to catch a cab.
Now to the food, the lobster bisque was mostly just lobster flavored, but tasted good. The calamari was nothing special, but not sure what you can do to make it special. The steak was salty, I have had similar tasting food at lesser restaurants for a quarter of the price. My wife said the Wagyu meatloaf was delicious, but was only able to take a few bites before having to go.
Bottom line, I’d go somewhere else if looking to sit down for a nice dinner. I won’t be back.

I’m reluctant to write this review because this is such a hidden gem and I don’t want people to know about it!
I’ve had lunch/​dinner here, their steak is solid and at par with Rosebud/​Morton. But my favorite is happy hour! Whenever my fiancé and I crave some good meaty appetizers but don’t feel like going to more popular spots with loud music, we come here. A note of caution, they have different hh deals Monday-​Thursday. Tuesday is when they have the best deal – $ 5 wine and half-​off bar menu. I’m not going to list items I like, because I tried almost everything on their menu and I like them all! My fiancé’s favorite is definitely the wagyu beef slider and prime rib quesadilla. Give it a try and you will definitely return!

It is sad to say, but this used to be my favorite steakhouse in Chicago. A lot has changed, unfortunately, since I last visited a few years ago.
I took a friend here with hopes of enjoying another world-​class meal. Sadly, no more «baseball filet». Also, the Wagyu NY strip steak wasn’t as tender as we expected. The shrimp cocktail and oysters rockefeller were both good, but the oysters had way too much cheese on top.
The bone-​in filet also was not as tender as expected and was overcooked. The wine list was top-​shelf. But, you would expect that for $ 12 per glass for pinot noir.
Unfortunately, I won’t be back again. Sigh. Another happy dining memory marred.

For the bar, I’d give them 5 stars. For the restaurant, I’d say 2 or 3, at the most.
Most recently I’ve been to the Saloon bar for a work get together, there was about 8 of us. The service was good, the bar menu had a wide selection of choices and everyone enjoyed the food and drinks. I ordered the shrimp po’ boy and it was delicious. Others said the nachos were really good, they looked delicious.
The restaurant on the other hand always leaves me wanting more. Their food is just ok. The $ 13 burger is really just sad. I can walk two blocks to Ditka’s for a much better $ 13 burger, I always wish I had after eating at the Saloon. The other items I’ve tried are ok, and for the price, they should really be better than «ok». The other night I was in the neighborhood, hungry, and had a craving for that shrimp po’ boy. It wasn’t on the restaurant menu so I settled for a burger. It was a bad decision. Next time I shall fight for my comfy booth *and* my good food.
The décor at this place cracks me up. What’s with the gaudy fake red flower arrangements? Seriously, get rid of those. They look horrible and don’t go with the rest of the place. The fake frosted evergreen boughs? Trash those too. They look old and worn out.

The Saloon Steakhouse (or at least the bar area for I got no further) is worthy of a review if only for the list of characters that frequent this place.
We stopped in on a Saturday night after dinner in the neighborhood. Now I don’t spend a lot of time in this area, but if I ever want a «flash forward» to life for the rich and aged in Chicago, this neighborhood is certainly it. The average age at the bar had to be 65 and only because my dining companion, the bartender and I brought it down by many years.
We grabbed a seat at the bar and ordered a couple of martinis. The bartender was great. .. .quick with a quip and a cold drink. I stole a look around. The walls are covered with pictures and artifacts; signed baseballs from the Cubs, signed pictures of the famous who have gone before me, and white draped tables in the back with that masculine steakhouse feel.
But the real character in this place comes from the patrons. The guy sitting net to us used to be a bartender on the Queen Mary. .. oh the stories he was telling. I could have listened to him and his accent all night. The senior next to me could barely stay on her stool but she was having a great time and the guy on the other side looked like an aging opera singer with all of his get up on.
If you drive, the Seneca Hotel (this restaurant is located in it) has valet or there are a couple of parking garages located just east of the location. Use the one furthest to the east as the one in this block will run you a small fortune and they take cash only! But as an aside– if you are a car aficionado, this garage is full of «fancy cars» that nearby residents store here. One the night I was there not only were Mercedes all over the place but there was a Maybach and a Maserati as well! I guess they don’t call this the Gold Coast for nothing!
Check it out if only for a drink after shopping in the area or as a dining destination. I need to go back if only to try one of those steaks that kept moving past me on this night. They sure looked good, and smelled even better!