Elegance, sophistication, class and prestige: these are all the things you won’t find at Ronny’s! What you will find is a great place to sit down and grab a filling and satisfying meal with your coworkers, served on actual dinner ware, and won’t clean out your wallet. Just about everyone goes here at one time or another, many of whom are regulars, all chowing down on some good grub at great prices.
Ronny’s is a Chicago institution for decades that has been used and mentioned in numerous films. It is a frequent haunt of local celebrities and politicians, due to its proximity to the government buildings, train system hub and theatre and shopping districts. Of course, what keeps the place running is all the regular Joes and Janes that have come in over the years. It ain’t healthy, but it sure is good!
When you enter this cafeteria style restaurant, grab a tray and silverware and take a quick look at the overhead boards. Be forewarned most people already know what they want, so step aside for them! The 8oz T-Bone lunch special is what almost everyone goes for, seared on the grill to your liking, served with garlic bread, baked potato and salad. Tips and the super tender half barbecued chicken are also popular choices. Vegetarians who tag along may want to check out the giant slices of spinach and mushroom pizzas. Drinks are for a separate charge, which does include bottled beer and wine, though most look forward to their delicious fruit punch with watermelon wedges in the pitcher. Folks on a budget just bring their own.
What’s nice about this place is there is almost always a nice place to sit, with tall cushion backed chairs and booths, including an upstairs area with a giant TV. No one is in a rush to kick you out, and the bus boys make frequent sweeps to clear the table for you. Unlike most fast food joints, you are not expected to bus your own; when you leave, leave your plates and trays on the table. What a concept!
Now it’s been said by fine dining snobs that the steaks they hustle have a distinct possibility of being carved from Secretariat, but for $5.95, the price can’t be beat! The service is quick and attentive, the atmosphere is very cozy and casual, and you just might rub elbows with some of the city’s most important people. Including you!
Why chop houses in Chicago carry an air of pretension is anyone's guess. After all, there isn't a thing wrong with dressing presentable and having a few table manners, but a good steak needs no formal introduction, and Kinzie's Chophouse knows that well. Located downtown by the Merchandise Mart and catering to the local businessmen and artisans by day, this chop house is moderately upscale in decor and demeanor but down to earth when it comes to its food.
Since steaks and chops are the highlights on the menu, focus is placed upon searing them to perfection and using only the choicest cuts. The wait staff are extremely knowledgeable about the different varieties and will patiently explain the differences in each. The Kinzie Cut is the most popular, a sixteen ounce flat iron steak cooked just the way you like it! Of course, those who really love their meat can shoot straight for the top and test the depths of their stomachs with the forty eight ounce whopper of a porterhouse, Chicagoans favorite cut. On the chop side of things are the well received one pounder Apple Wood Smoked Pork Chop as well as the New Zealand Lamb Chops and the Veal Chops.
Of course, those looking to cut back on the red meat will find a nice selection of seafood and pasta dishes available, their Peppercorn Halibut steak being especially noteworthy. Vegetarians will even be pleasantly surprised with some of the selections available, and since Kinzie's aims to please, many salads and entrees can be adjusted to suit their dietary needs.
Kinzie's isn't just for dinner of course, since they have a nice lunch menu that accommodates the locals well. Those who tend to eat there often may find a caricature of themselves gracing the walls! Regulars and newcomers alike will be pleasantly surprised by their award winning and extensive wine list, carrying a wide selection of domestic and imported varieties from all over and accommodating to all price ranges. Of course, no meal would be complete without at least a sampling of their fine desserts, especially the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Terrine.
What truly makes Kinzie's a place to check out is the overall service and vibe. The ambiance may not be the absolute classiest, but it has that true Chicago "feel" to it that no one can deny, which makes it a great place to enjoy an excellent meal without needing to take out a small loan. Yes guys, you can leave the tie at home!
Vegetarians: stay far, far away, lest ye craves a lesson in nightmarish torture! This is Man’s Country, baby, as steaks served up at this Western-themed, suburban steak house are not for the meek (or even the health-conscious). Al's Char-House proves a great steak does not have to be located in the city, have an elegant or trendy setting or include a hefty price tag. Nor does require proper dining etiquette or attire. The steaks carry plenty of weight on their own!
“Oh. My. Gawd!” That is almost unanimously the first thing people state when their orders are brought, no, scratch that - thumped, onto the table down at Al‘s. No lie! In fact, a question poses out of a curiosity if new wait staff are required to bench at least 250lbs. before applying. Al’s popular and super-tender 56oz Char-House steak should probably be sided with a doggie bag, as very few people can tackle it in a single sitting. Complimented with delicious raisin pumpernickel bread and honey butter, baked potato, steamed veggies and a choice of soup or salad, every meal is transformed into a gluttonous memory in and of itself.
Yes, there are smaller portions and cuts available, but none of them warrant a tag like quaint, dainty or especially presumptuous. Aside from the 56er, there are other choice cuts featured people will want to explore, such as their 48oz Porterhouse and the 32oz Texas Sirloin. A nice selection of drinks are available from their full bar, though sticking with a good beer or glass of wine sides best. The muscular wait staff is knowledgeable yet laid back, and the chefs have a solid understanding of what constitutes as “rare”.
Keeping in mind families are welcome, most couples will probably want to go to Al’s later in the evening, when the kids are already fast asleep and the traffic from out of the city is lighter. Besides, a place like this needs time to work up an appetite and is definitely worth the drive!
Vegetarians: stay far, far away, lest ye craves a lesson in nightmarish torture! This is Man’s Country, baby, as steaks served up at this Western-themed, suburban steak house are not for the meek (or even the health-conscious).