All of the research done on the perfect place for a romantic steak dinner that led us here didn't disappoint at all! The experience from start to finish was incredible. We can't wait to visit Chicago again and come back!
Top. Notch. The food was absolutely delicious and service was stellar. Highly recommend, especially for an occasion.
My birthday dinner was at Bavette's this past year, and it did not disappoint! So many old school Chicago steakhouses feel like carbon copies of the next, but Bavette's takes an entirely different approach. It feels a bit more like a speakeasy/lounge setting, with wonderful music and decor. There's also a bar downstairs that is a great spot to either wait for your table, or for a night cap! While the steaks were good, the real standouts were the appetizers and the sides. The bacon roasted tomato salad was to die for. Thick bacon slices cooked with fresh tomato on top of lightly dressed greens.... wow! Additionally, the corn elotes were heavenly. I could have passed on the creamed spinach... too much cheese for my taste. They make a great old fashioned, but I am hard-pressed to believe any old fashioned is worth $16. I will return to Bavette's!
Great restaurant with fabulous service. The crab cakes are to die for as is the chocolate cream pie. Decorated with dark woods, the dining area allows for easy conversation with wonderful jazz standards in the background.
I came to Bavette's for my birthday in January and I wanted to express how awesome the food was. Presently, I wanted to refer my friends here, and enjoy another birthday, but unfortunately, the restaurant can only accommodate no more than six? I do not understand this concept, and we made reservations elsewhere.
Hands down one of the best French steakhouse in Chicago. From start to finish, everything was excellent. We ordered the dry aged ribeye and the truffle mac n cheese, and everything was on point . I especially liked the mac n cheese with thick bacons as it had pleasantly intense aroma of truffle mixed with cheese. Unfortunately, we got a seat that was the closest to the entrance, but the staffs were very friendly and made sure that we were always served well.
Amazing food and atmosphere! My new favorite in Chicago.
The waitstaff was awesome! Kip was fantastic and catered perfectly to our dietary restrictions. The food was unbelievable. We ordered the grand tower, baked goat cheese a 16oz steak and some broccoli and the two of us were comfortable. It may very well have been the best steak either of us have eaten
Not sure how much I really need to say. Bavette's is always delicious and we eat every bite, sip every sip. We'll be back again and again and again.
Not only is it the best steak in Chicago but the atmosphere was perfect and the service was excellent. I really can't say enough about this place. Forget the rest of the so called "great" Chicago steakhouses.
Get the steak. Get the chocolate mousse cream pie thing. Get a few drinks too. And a few sides, and probably some shrimp cocktail. Maybe avoid the other fish. Upstairs has a cool, older-school feel and downstairs is a little more romantic/hip. But overall, if you like steak you should definitely go.
A great atmosphere it makes you forget you're in the middle of a pandemic. The service is top-notch and the food is fantastic period make sure to get the brussel sprouts try the mac and cheese and the mashed potatoes. The sides really make the meal
Great service and GREAT FOOD! I ordered the bone-in NY strip and it was like cutting into a stick of butter. Highly recommended!!!
Savor This Classic Chicago Steakhouse!
We stayed with steakhouse classic of beef filet, mashed potatoes, mushrooms and onions and we were in heaven! Great food! The venue skews romantic. So this is a wonderful date place. Not cheap, but worth it!
The service is really what sets this restaurant above the rest. The food was really good, but probably similar to that of other great steakhouses in Chicago. Our waiter, however, was probably in the top 5 my family and I have ever had. He had personality, made a connection with us, but was not overbearing or overly opinionated or pushy. He gave great recommendations when asked.
The food: appetizers we ordered included the the crab cake (phenomenal) and the goat cheese (average). The 6 oz filet I ordered was cooked just as I asked and the sides were also delicious. I recommend the Brussels sprouts and the mashed potatoes.
Very nice and elegant place. Not great if you're a vegan or vegetarian, however they will make plates according to your dietary restrictions or allergies. Portions are quite big, including sides and salads so keep that in mind.
I enjoyed everything about Bavette's my waiter was very knowledgeable and definitely knows his stuff I didn't get his name however he was FABULOUS! Everything me and my fiance ordered was incredibly delicious! Thank you to my waiter for such a wonderful experience!
Great food, great atmosphere., great service. Reservations a must, but a definite do again and again!
Amazing food! Great atmosphere. We arrived around 9pm on a Saturday and it was a 3 hour wait. We came from a Blackhawks game so we were not formally dressed, which may have been the reason the hostess was a little rude to us. We opted to eat at the bar downstairs. The food and service from the bartender more than made up for the hostess' shortcomings. A must Chicago experience!
42 day day aged bone-in ribeye, best steak in Chicago hands down. Attentive, friendly, and *knowledgeable* servers in an awesome prohibition-era speakeasy atmosphere. Pricy - don't expect to spend less than a couple hundred on a dinner for two if you're getting steaks and a drink, but it is well worth it.
Honesty my favorite restaurant, but I have spent so much money here I can't let my last experience go unnoticed. I would wait to go back until they retain the new staff a bit longer and train them. They lost a lot over the covid break I'm sure. I had to remind them to fill my water multiple times, the waiter was not pleasant and seemed rush the entire time and I felt like we never got asked if we needed anything. I will say the food was pretty comparable to what it usually is. I hope things get back to what they were and I am sure they will when they have more time to train them. When people are spending 500/1000 to go out and eat you are held to a higher level. Just the way it is.
The food was great as was the service. Our table was located in the basement, which was very chic and cozy looking. Only complaint was that the music was too loud for the space making it hard to hear each other and the waiters.
My ribeye steak was seared to perfection and the brussels sprouts and roasted garlic mashed potatoes were fantastic. The desserts were amazing and the service was very attentive. Not to discredit the other parts of the meal but the most remarkable thing about the whole visit was their bread. That bread is the stuff dreams are made of.
Awesome food and service. Ask for the "long" version of what a Chicago cut is.
I'd venture to say it's the best steak in Chicago. The quality is extremely consistent, the service is second to none and the atmosphere is awesome! Highly recommended!
The bone marrow plate is outstanding and plentiful.
The atmosphere and dining area was great. The service was amazing our server was soooo nice and accommodating. My boyfriend opted for the dry aged steak and he loved it!!! However I was a little dissappointed in my entree. I got the short rib stroganoff expecting a rich sauce with noodles and short rib. But what I got was the opposite. The meat was great on its own. But the pasta was clearly not tossed in the sauce in a pan. It was all clumped together and had the sauce on top which made it all sticky and not well incorporated .The sauce also was very heavy on the horseradish. I love horseradish but was definitely not expecting it for a stroganoff dish. I either would've liked a normal stroganoff or at least a warning on the menu saying what would be in the sauce.
Just go! The most amazing steak, service, ambiance, drinks! Very romantic.
Food was great- unfortunately our server and some Fabio looking gentleman who thought he was a manager, but in reality played no part in the process were very rude. They definitely rushed us the entire time, and made it a point to say that they were all losing their jobs due to the new laws. To me the staff seemed to displace their anger from the current situation onto the patrons, which is probably not the best customer service. At the end, the actual manager (not the fake Fabio bouncer gentleman with no actual title) was understanding, and actually had a real conversation with us which did make up for the other workers.
Incredible service, bar and table, during a very busy convention Friday night and weekend! No reservations, hung out by the bar but was still waited on like something special, or at least they made us feel that way :) (Mike was tending bar)
We finally put our names on the dining list and was seated at a lounge area, a delightful wait being served and waited on by the super nice staff.
Then there s the food!... and as the reviews and friends suggest, truly 5 stars .
Perhaps we were just lucky this evening; hoping this is an indication of future visits, will def coming often!
Yooooooooooo this is hands down MY NEW FAVORITE steak house!!!! As a flavor guy!!! The food was flavorful all the way through the steak was excellent but the mac and cheese stole the show!!!
Great date night restaurant. Probably one of the best steak dinners I had in Chicago. The server did mess up one of the dinner entree orders, but was quick to correct and overall provided great service despite the mix up. Will definitely come back and visit again.
This was a special evening out with my beau. We were both very overdressed, but fortunately, the crab stuffed avocado salad was not! We both had Maine lobster, served perfectly chilled, shells cracked to perfection, eliminating the usual messiness lobster entails.
The cocktails were heavily poured and our server even brought me a freshly chilled glass when I advised that I would be nursing mine slowly (it's a Sunday, after all).
We loved every moment of this meal and will certainly be back!!
Favorite steak house in Chicago. First floor has a gorgeous prohibition style decor. BYOB, which is rare and awesome for a steak house (as a corkage fee you are asked to offer one glass to a neighbor table). Dedicated staff. Amazing Chicago's cut.
A true Chicago gem. Bavette's offers an amazingly delicious menu and exceptional service. Nick, Brandon and Kip are the definition of customer service. They made my wife and I feel welcomed from the time we entered the restaurant. They were very attentive and offered great suggestions regarding the menu and things to do in the area.
The ambiance was perfect whether your meeting up for drinks at the bar or a romantic evening with a loved one. The lower level featured great curated music.
Now back to the menu. For starters, the crab cake is a must. Packed with more crab than cake, seared and not completely breaded. It's definitely worth a try. The bone marrow is also an excellent appetizer. The homemade sourdough bread and caramelized onion jam offer a flavorful bite. The journey of flavors continues with the main courses offered. The Steak Frites are a number one pick. The steak was tender flavorful and paired excellently with the crispy fries. The lamb chops and fried chicken were also superb. These flavorful sides were an excellent accompaniment to the our entrees. The asparagus, mashed potatoes and mac n' cheese. The sides are pretty large portions and best shared. Your meal would not be complete without a slice of their carrot cake.
Service on point. The bartender and support staff were really efficient
Buzz was great, service from waiter Eric and bar staff was terrific and engaging. However the chef over cooked my bone in filet not once but twice. It was not me. My companions and Eric all said no way that my steak was medium rare. Embarrassing! The manager was a bit condescending which I did not appreciate but to his credit he did comp my meal. Based on the service alone I would go back. Why you need to make a reservation for a Friday/Saturday night so far in advance is a mystery with all the other great steak restaurants in Chicago.
Quite great! Will be actually returning once more. The place is good for me.
Nice ambience with background jazz music. The fillet mignon and ribeye was perfect. One of the best steaks we ever had. Truffle mac and cheese and the chocolate cake was amazing as well. 5 stars for us, no doubt.
Great service and food. We were very happy to be able to get a Wisconsin style old fashioned made well (made with brandy, not too sweet).
The food was delicious, my only complaint is there is no dress code. When I m paying this much money for the experience of a Chicago steakhouse atmosphere I don t want to see people wearing baseball caps and tee shirts.
With all the steakhouse in this city, Bavette's remains on our top five steakhouses we frequent. A well rounded experience, food, ambiance, service and drinks are all top notch.
My go to, the dry aged ribeye, is done to perfection with a side of bone marrow. The Elote Corn is both sweet and spicy. See you next time
I can t say enough good things about this place. From the food to the ambiance to the service, it is a fantastic experience. Hands down the best steak tartar I ve ever had and I scrutinize them everywhere I eat.
Very nice spot, go for the ambiance. Food is good, by extremely overpriced.
One of my fav spots for tasty Steaks. There was fast and courteous service.
Steak was cooked perfectly and I think I had the best old fashioned I have ever ordered
My friends and I love this place! The food and atmosphere keeps us coming back!
Everything was excellent except the chocolate mousse dessert, very bland.
Simply amazing food and drinks. Top notch experience.
Only had desert here which was really good. If you want to eat and/or drink here, be prepared to spend some money.
I've been to this place for so many times.
I absolutely love this place.
Such good food, such good drinks.
Probably the best place to hangout.
I usually go here with my friends for some dine-outs and parties.
A spot in the town that has fast service and good food
AMBIANCE -- cleanest, well maintained and there are plenty of tables for couples to big group sizes.
steaks... super delicious. very delicious. looking forward to going back again.
A favorite, dark, sexy restaurant reminiscent of a speakeasy. It s just so dark inside!! Love the ambiance of the occasional table top candle illumination and the dim, super-dim overhead lights. The food is fabulous: beginning, middle and end. Good luck with scoring a reservation.
Great food, atmosphere, and service. I will be back and you should try it!
I was surprised to learn that most if not all of the steaks at bevettes are broiled! I had previously been convinced that their meats were sous vide. Nonetheless the meal was amazing. I would absolutely go back and can't wait for the right event to do so cause you need to seriously plan in advance! It's a long wait most of the year.
Fresh seafood and great beef. Nice collection of bourbons, whiskies.
Been to lots of steak house in Chicago, high end and casual. Bavette's is one of my all time favorite! The ambiance is my all time favorite, rustic classical American. For a more secluded / romantic setting, ask to sit in the parlor.
My wife and I went for our wedding anniversary. They made the dining experience special with excellent service and amazing food. The ambiance is exceptional.
Bavette's dropped the ball on this one, big time. This was was with out a doubt the worst dinning experience I have ever had in Chicago. Despite good food, the entire staff failed to address the glaring issues that occurred during our night out. Midway through our meal, the music shuts off and the restaurant fills with smoke, not a light smoke but a heavy steak smog. Our steaks arrived, 45 mins after our appetizers, sans sides. Out waiter, John, asked us to "be patient" while he simply failed to assure us or accommodate our needs, instead offering us a table red wine on the house instead of the original wine we had specifically selected for our steaks. To be honest it was insulting. They tried to compensate with flat cheap sparking wine. I am truly insulted that I was even offered the check. I left the restaurant distraught and having my whole outfit foully smelling of a dirty kitchen. This was definitely a health violation for allowing patrons to stay inside the restaurant after the smoke let loose. Too little to late was done to assure my party of all inconveniences we endured. Will never return again.
Came here on a Saturday. Had a friend come into town and asked me to take him here again. The bill was appropriate for the quality.
Great atmosphere! Go for the experience. I get the Great Gatsby vibe. The portions were Huge! The staff and service was quick! It was an all inclusive kind of dinner - atmosphere, music, food, service, guests, location, employees. Did I say atmosphere? Let me say it again: Atmosphere. This place was jumping even on a Monday evening.
Absolute top-notch. There is no place better in Chicago for a steak. There are some places that come close, but no one eclipses Bavette's. Great environment too. No negative comments about this place. Love their BYO-Wine policy.
Bavette! Atmosphere was 5 stars; Cocktails was 7.5 stars; Food was 10 stars and the service, (oh my goodness) was 100 stars.
I've experienced and now understand why critics ranked this restaurant #1.
Be prepared to bust out your thickest plastic. But incredible.
Went to Bavette's for my birthday celebration. We ordered the baked goat cheese, crab stuffed avocado salad, creamy spinach, ribeye steak frittes and traditional filet mignon enhanced by bone marrow.
The highlights were thr filet mignion with the bone marrow as well as the creamy spinach. Everything tasted grear and the portions were decent.
The only negative comment is that we got the salted caramel ice cream instead of the chocolate cake we ordered. It came with the sparkling candle so we felt bad about having them return it and replace. This definitely wasn't enough reason not to give the restaurant a 5 stars review though.
excellent dining! Our waiter Eric was great. We will be back soon. Perfect for date night
Awesome food and service. I had the dry aged bone in ribeye and it was pretty special. The best part, however, was actually the mashed potatoes! So delicious.
Came here for our 31st wedding anniversary. I had the dry aged bone-in ribeye and my wife had the halibut special. Delicious!
Visiting Chicago from Minneapolis for the weekend. I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 star because Bavette's came highly recommended by a trusted friend of mine who grew up in Chicago. And I have to believe that the food and experience is worthy of 4-5 stars... the problem is that I never got a chance to judge for myself because of the hostess' communication failure. I called ahead, according to my friends' recommendation, to make sure I'm able to get in. I specifically asked if I needed a reservation and was told that there was currently no wait list and I should be able to get in right away.
So we didn't make a reservation because it was Sunday night and I was told I didn't need to...
And when we arrived we were told we'd have to wait for 45-60 minutes.
Like any "top notch" restaurant I fully expected to wait or have to put in a reservation... until I was told otherwise by a staff member.
Unfortunately the competition in Chicago for my hard earned money is high. And because of this, I won't be back.
So sorry we weren't able to experience what I'd hoped to be able to describe as top notch.
Many friends and acquaintances recommended. The steak was done in with a perfection I haven't had in a long while. They treated us well. Thank you!
This might be one of the best steaks you can get in Chicago. The ambiance is amazing and only second to the wonderful staff.
My favorite restaurant. Speakeasy, intimate vibe. Knowledgeable staff. Dry-aged ribeye, ELOTE, and Lyonnaise salad are divine. Inventive crafted cocktails.
Bavette s is the greatest restaurant of ALL TIME. Every single thing you could possibly order here will be the best version of that dish that you will ever have. Personal favorites are the sourdough bread (obviously), the crab and avocado salad, the wedge salad (!!!), filet, and French fries! The vibes are unbelievably cozy and sultry cool, music is great, staff is even better. 100/10 would recommend.
My favorite steak house I've ever been to. Everything is delicious, personal favorites: Elotes, the lamb, wedge salad (you only need the half order.
One of my favorite Chicago steakhouses. Great atmosphere, world class staff, food is ridiculously great. A must!
Amazing meal! Best Brussels sprout and broccoli in the Midwest.
Being from Cincinnati and a Ruby's devotee it hurts a little to say this, but the bone-in filet was one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. Fried chicken was to die for as well. Ambiance was great, service incredible. Overall an amazing experience. Pro tip: you can bring one bottle of wine per two diners and give a glass to another table as your corkage fee. What a great concept!
I've been 3 times and they never disappointed. service is great and very attentive but you will be there for a while, which is okay because at a place like this you don't mind. my bone in ribeye was cooked to perfection. try an old fashion from the bar, you won't be disappointed. cheesecake with raseberry drizzle for desert with a little Joseph Phelps insignia port wine will send you to the moon!
Wonderful steakhouse with fantastic ambiance. The food is stellar and the service is even better. Great date spot and impressive spot to take friends or family!
This was incredible from beginning to end. The service, atmosphere and food were all top notch. We went for our anniversary and were not dissapointed at all. My steak was melt in your mouth and full of flavor. My wife had the short rib stroganoff and it too was incredible. I had a Basil Hayden old fashion and it was spot on as well. We are still talking about it days later. The best meal experience on our trip hands down.
Amazing food and service. Took a bit to get our food as the place was crowded, but the wait was more than well worth it. Best steak i have eaten probably ever. Would most definitely reccomend to anyone into good meat and great service.
One of the best meals I've ever had. Perfect ambience and service. Amazing ribeye steak with peppercorn crust. And the chocolate pie was unbelievable. Hard to get into but worth it.
Best steakhouse in Chicago. Obviously you come for the steaks, which are always unbelievable and cooked to perfection, but the rest of the menu is just as good. Service is great and the cocktails are good. Very cool atmosphere to top it all off.
Absolutely exquisite. Every bite from the free bread to our filet mignon was amazing.
Glad to be the first one to write a review! This place is amazing. Not cheap at all, but if you are gonna go all out, come here. Where do I even start? The seafood tower...incredible. The bone marrow is amazing and makes a perfect complement on top of the equally incredible steaks. And wow, my bone in rib eye was absolutely incredible. The compound butter on top, wow. All in all, really an incredible dining experience. Will I come often? Nope, way too expensive. But yes, I will be back at some point.
Amazing place. The atmosphere is unbelievable, and service is top notch. Cooks are the best in the city!
Hector, our server for a total of 2 minutes was a POS who appeared threatening and mocked people in my party for their lack of knowledge of the English language and their accent while he himself had a Hispanic accent. I've never encountered such behavior from a restaurant staff before.
I'll say this though. The atmosphere is unique. Meaning, it feels like a sex dungeon and a shady business at best.
I've expected another level of service due to its high rating on Google. Don't take my word for it, but they might all be paid fake reviews. If you don't want any hassle with under-trained and under-educated staff, avoid this place, and take a short stroll down the street to Kinzie Chophouse, which is where we received world class service from a much, much friendlier and better-looking staff.
Hands down the best service and food I had in Chicago. Maybe anywhere ever. I wish I could stay another day just to eat here again!
bavettessteakhouse.com