I'll try to write a helpful review while keeping it brief. Random: Ignore any reviewer that orders steak any way other than medium rare, particularly at this price point. Elite service with a sexy ambiance. Steaks are perfectly cooked and well seasoned, but the price is nearly impossible to justify. Drinks are balanced. Marrow Mashed Potatoes were overpriced, disappointing, and forgettable. I didn't love the Lobster, Corn & Foie Gras bites. Dessert is worth checking out. Go here with a corporate card. I spend an embarrassing amount of money on food annually, but I can't make sense of this price tag even for special occasions. I'm sure the cuts of beef are about as good as they come, but these talented chefs could make lesser cuts taste equally as good for a fraction of the price. I can't rate higher than 3.81 stars. read more

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Had a very tasty meal here! It's a very elevated meal from the moment you walk in. The service was attentive and very knowledgeable. I love how they present the proteins tableside, which is helpful to making the best decision (saves time from searching for photos!). The cocktails were smooth and elevated and you can't beat a chilled glass! The starter bites were fine, but not as memorable as the mains and steaks especially. We chose the True Galiciana steak since it's a Spain cuisine and the steak was seasoned so well and so tender. Spider Crab Arroz Cremoso - was also really delicious! Presentation was beautiful and the rice was creamy, 'crabby' and a great pairing with the steak. Bone Marrow Potato Purée - also equally delicious and so decadent. I loved how smooth, creamy, and savory this was. To complete the meal, their basque cheesecake was delicious. A little more structured than others, but was really tasty and smooth. Overall, we had. fantastic meal here! read more

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I went to Asador Bastian before it got really popular. The restaurant is gorgeous and very dark and sexy. Great restaurant for a special occasion, or a place to impress someone. We got the beef tartare to start. It was very yummy. We got the steak that "tastes like popcorn" they charge by the pound but only had cuts that were 2.5 lbs minimum so just keep that in mind! The steak was good - I think they're definitely a contender in the Chicago Steak scene but I wasn't absolutely blown away for the cost of the overall meal. Everything was delicious and I will return, I just would go more often if I felt it was worth the money. read more

Easily one of the best steakhouses I've been to. Reservations are tough to get, I had alerts set for multiple dates before finally snagging one, but it was absolutely worth the effort. The service is exceptional and delivers a true high-end dining experience. I first visited for their Mother's Day prix fixe menu and enjoyed it so much that I returned a few weeks later to explore the regular menu. Both visits were outstanding, with incredible flavors, perfectly executed dishes, and a memorable overall experience. Drinks are also 10/10. read more

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What can I say. Truly one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in recent memory. The atmosphere is so classy. Drinks downstairs. And then the waiter took us upstairs for dinner. Our waiter was the best. Knew our names the whole night. Made it feel like we were dining at a friend's house. The dirty martini is a one of a kind. Great start. All the apps were great. The choices for meats were - no lie - overwhelming. All were great. Sides were all well done and tasty. If you can snag a reservation, I highly recommend. Great date night. Night with good friends. Or a business dinner. Can't go wrong. read more

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Came in for the spring menu pre-fixe event. Everything we tried was good, but I was a little disappointed. It was good but not earth shattering. Plating was pretty and the servers were super nice. Bar downstairs has a lounge-y feel. A lot of natural light in the dining room, at least the side we were sat in. read more

The upstairs dining space was lovely but definitely gets loud. Our waiter was so helpful with a) describing the choices on the menu b) helping us decide how much to order. The descriptions did remind me a bit of a Portland episode (e.g., the pig being fed only acorns for 3 years, the 2.5 year old cow from XYZ, Kentucky that is only fed food grown on the same farm, etc. ). That said, I'm here for knowing how hard they work to source food from great farms. We had delicious cocktails: the Cutting Daisies and the Gingersnap Fizz. We would have had more if we weren't trying to keep the bill within reason . The real stars: the whiskey prawn, the spider crab arroz cremosa, and the tortilla española. The steak was great and all but I'm a sides girl. read more

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The late evening reservations we had were so worth it. The steak and sides were delicious and made an excellent well rounded meal. Outside of the steak the bone marrow puree was a standout. Great date night atmosphere. read more

Asador Bastian - Galacian steak. Back right is the bone marry potato puree. - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had a wonderful experience dining as Asador Bastian. I've been dying to check this place out since it received "World's Best Steakhouse" honors. But reservations are difficult to snag, so I showed up when they open the doors (4pm) and was seated at the bar promptly. Surprisingly, there were a couple people waiting outside prior to 4, and by 445 the entire bar was packed! The food was excellent. I went with the tuna carpaccio for an appetizer and the dry aged steak for my main. I washed it all down with their scotch old fashioned and saved no room for dessert. The price is about what you'd expect - expensive. But the food, ambiance and service were top notch. And speaking of the service, I came away very impressed with the bar staff. Super knowledgeable; the server told me I really need to come back with a larger group so I can try more of their steak options. I highly recommend this spot read more

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I will say the service was spectacular and they selection was nice but overall for the price, the meal did not live up to the hype. I've had a better steak and sides for half the cost in Chicago. We went with the X steak, tarrow potatoes, artichokes, and Jamon Spanish omelette. Honestly the omelette was the star item. I would come for that and a drink! Haha the steak was fine but I don't like that you have to buy the full steak for $100+ instead of each of being able to order a cut we prefer and try two things. My husband's portion had gristle and once you removed the bone and excessive fat, it really wasn't that much meat. The artichokes were some of the best I've had and the potatoes were good but again, for the price I could have a better steak meal. Sorry! read more

Asador Bastian - Steak - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Asador Bastian was a great restaurant to celebrate with some friends. We were able to get a reservation for a Sunday evening for a table of six. My husband and I started in the bar with some drinks, and once the whole party arrived, we were quickly seated at our table upstairs. The bar almost felt like an airport bar and the upstairs felt like a cozy/modern cabin. We ordered a few cocktails, the crab/uni butter risotto, the melody of vegetables, two steaks (Spain and Australia), the potatoes, fried rice, peppers, and two desserts -- the citrus and the swan. We also ordered a bottle of wine. I will say the meal was quite expensive (~$400 a couple), but I think that's to be expected based on the restaurant's price point. The best dishes of the night were the risotto, the Australian wagyu, and the melody of vegetables. The table also really enjoyed the Moscow mules. Overall, the flat fish was a little blander than I'd prefer and the potatoes were mediocre. The fried rice was a little too hard for my preference. But the service was consistent, and the servers were well attentive and helpful, especially in the food and wine selection. read more

My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025! Restaurant: 40/50 Month tried: July Favorite dish: Spider Crab Arroz Cremoso (crab fried rice) Prefacing this review with the fact that I do not eat beef! So although Asador Bastian was just named one of the best steakhouses in the world, I was not able to have that experience. Asador Bastian was good. Insanely expensive. Probably would not go back, as I am not a beef eater and therefore could not even try what they do best. But, I did enjoy the sardines, and the crab fried rice was outstanding. The beef eaters did give rave reviews. But I don't think any of us are willing to pay what we did for the amount of food we got. This is maybe a one-time experience for true steakhouse lovers, but not a place to return. The space itself with the dark ambiance is awesome, and the service was incredible. Our server was awesome, attentive, and always addressed us by name. Felt very cared for! read more

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Great place to go if you feel like throwing a lot of money around! But actually, I went here with my family, and the food was excellent. The restaurant is very unassuming and in an old townhouse type building from the 1800s. Everyone who has been here in the city always says they love it and so I was excited to check it out. Service was excellent and they are definitely on it at all times. This is one of those special occasion places that doesn't feel super fancy inside and it's really nice but not over the top. I tried the grapefruit, gin and tonic, which was very good and a nice serving for a cocktail. For food, we had the Spanish tortilla (incredible), Spanish salad (fine), Warm vegetable (for sure skip), Grilled artichokes (favorite tbh so good with a lovely lemon flavor and I want to remake them), bone marrow mashed potatoes (Really rich and really good), Spanish rice (Great flavor with the ham) and two steaks. Now I'm not a crazy meat eater, but the steaks were wonderfully flavored and super memorable. They were a bit too rare for me, but I guess that's how people enjoy them. We finished off by trying the Basque cheesecake which I loved. Super light and fluffy. Overall, the food was really good! A lot of people say it's one of their favorite restaurants in the city and I understand why but the price point is a bit crazy! If you feel like spending a lot of money on meat then this is the place to go. It's definitely not your typical Chicago steakhouse at all but it's a unique dining experience. read more

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I was really hoping to love AB as I would like to add to my list of favorite Chicago steakhouses. Despite visiting over two dozen of Chicago's finest purveyors of bovine over the past decade, the list remains very short, with Bavette's being the only one I consistently recommend to friends and family. It wasn't my intention to mention Bavette's in this review, but as we were dining at AB I overheard several parties mention Bavette's to the wait staff as a local comparison. IMHO, the quality at Bavette's, and dare I say the "value," are superior. AB shines in presentation and its diverse menu, but when it comes to the food itself, it falls short. Prior to dining at AB, I was confused by the overwhelming number of positive critic reviews yet large number of Average Joe "meh" reviews, but now I get it. A friend summed it up best describing AB as the place you go to when armed with a corporate card and important customer, but not when coming with your own plastic and value-conscious sig other. The Steaks - The Holstein was solid, but not $84 per pound solid. Our super friendly server advised us not to go below MED temperature as it would be stringy and difficult to chew. A flashing yellow light should've gone off in my head when he said this. Despite being aged for 60 days, it didn't have any funk and was tender and enjoyable, albeit slightly underseasoned. I never reach for salt when dining out as I believe chef knows best, but I came close to asking for the shaker. Where the Holstein largely met expectations, the Galiciana ($86/lb), ordered MED-RARE, was a massive disappointment. It came out rare and was extremely stringy and chewy. Two of us found ourselves spending an inordinate amount of time chewing through the small medallions. A couple of pieces were impossible to get through so we each had to (conspicuously) dispose of gnawed up pieces into our napkins (apologies to the dining room attendant). The bones for each of these bone-in cuts were impressively large, but given their own size and weight, the price per pound should've been lower, at least 15-20% lower. Our party of four, two men and two women, destroyed the four-pound order and were still hungry. The two steaks yielded a total of five (small) medallions per person. Still hungry, my buddy and I each took a bone hoping to find some stragglers, but to our impressed disappointment, there was nothing left to be had! The grill cook did an excellent job shaving off every piece of edible meat from the bones. Octopus - Great presentation and perfectly cooked, but the squid ink pasta and octopus were under-seasoned. Had it not been for the accompanying aioli, this would've been a big miss. Spider Crab Rice - Once again, wonderful presentation as removal of the shell uncovered all the seafood that our server mixed into the rice, tableside, but a full portion yielded only two (perfectly cooked and tasty) bites per guest. Crispy Artichokes - Five small pieces for $19 is outrageous. They were very good but had the presentation and substance of something in the $10 range (which I imagine would still yield an insane margin for the restaurant). These are probably best served as a small appetizer, think zucchini blossoms. Bone Marrow Potato Puree - Presentation was king as our server lifted the bone from the cast iron skillet, carefully extracted the marrow, and then whipped the gelatinous gold into the puree, tableside. Very good, but for the portion size and size of the bone itself, this is not a $26 side. Pan con Tomate Jamon - This was the best thing we had all evening. It was so good we ordered a second serving. Six pieces for $16 seemed fare. Edit: OMG - My wife just told me the base pan con tomate was $16 and it was an additional $16 for the jamon - that is absolutely insane. Raspberry Mil Hojas - What a creative and amazing dessert. It looks very simple but has a subtle complexity to it. This is one of the best desserts I've had in Chicago. Pavlova - Underwhelming and comically small. Where the mil hojas was well thought out and had complexity to it, this one felt like an afterthought to fill out the dessert menu. The damage: $663, pre-tax and tip, $870+ all in. That's for four people and four cocktails (one of which was $30!) and a canned beer. On the surface $663 may not sounds out-of-line considering it's Chicago and inflation, but most of the items were underseasoned and the portions were small for the prices. I feel like adding another steak for $180 would've done the trick, but then we're talking crazy $. I left hungry and started doing the math on how many quarter pounders or cheesy gorditas I could've purchased instead, but quickly became depressed and felt the need to apologize to our dining couple for the unexpectedly large bill. read more

Unbelievable meal and incredible service! The service was truly Michelin star level. The food and wine were amazing. They bring around fresh seafood and steaks for you to see before ordering and everything is very unique and fresh. Everything was awesome and we ended the meal with a full tour of the kitchen, meat locker, bar, restaurant. Cannot recommend this place enough! read more

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Asador Bastian is described as a chophouse with Basque influences - We came here to celebrate a birthday, and after being promptly seated, we started off with some shareable apps: +the Osetra Caviar Churros - the churros didn't have a crisp exterior, and, and the Osetra Caviar was served lukewarm; an order came with 2 pieces +the Anchovy "Matrimonio" - be sure to order at least a couple if you're an anchovy fan, as it came with 3 pieces +the Lobster, Corn & Foie Gras - a nice one-bite app; be sure to order at least a couple, as it came with 3 pieces +and, the Spider Crab Arroz Cremoso - also comes in a half portion; this was served tableside, and it was more like a risotto that was more dense; an interesting presentation, as it had the spider crab shell on top For our mains, we focused on the Txuleton steaks: +the 100% Akushi - had a buttery and sweet notes to it +the Dry Aged Holstein - this was nice and tender, prepared and cooked well +and, The San Miguel - this was a hand-cut, bone-in steak; this was juicy and tender +a side of Iberico Fried Rice +a side of Tallow Fried Potatoes - these were interesting, as they were shaped like thick French toast sticks; a little bit too greasy for us +a side of Nico's Piquillos - we felt that this side dish wasn't worth it, as they were just thinly-sliced peppers +and, a side of Crisp Artichokes - these were really tasty, and could have been an app! We couldn't pass up on the desserts, so we tried the Raspberry Mil Hojas (Napoleon-style), The Swan (I was excited for this - an espresso ice cream, spun-to-order, with vanilla chantilly and cafe amaro chocolate sauce; loved the presentation!), the Citrus Coupe (our favorite out of the desserts; very refreshing), and the Burnt Basque Cheesecake (your usual basque cheesecake). The staff and service were both friendly and attentive. The restaurant is located in the 'Flair House', a historic townhouse that has been around since 1883; the space is dim-lit with a nice wooden decor. Located in the River North area, there's metered street parking available. +the Anchovy "Matrimonio" +Crisp Artichokes +Txuleton steaks +The Swan +friendly staff & service +metered street parking in the area read more

I took my husband for his birthday. We had one of the first reservations for dinner and they quickly went through the steak options and didn't offer the seafood options. Our steak was extremely bland, appetizer was not good, and mashed potatoes had a very weird texture. Bavettes, Gibsons Italia, El Che all definitely way better food, experience, and ambience. read more

Asador Bastian - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Asador Bastian may be the best steakhouse experience we have ever had. Everything from the moment we walked in to the moment we left was exceptional. The service was attentive warm and truly knowledgeable and the townhouse setting added a charm and intimacy that elevated the entire evening. The drinks and wine were outstanding and paired beautifully with every course. We started with the pintxos which were genuinely delicious and full of flavor. The sardines were perfectly prepared and the Iberico fried rice was incredible and something we are still talking about. One of the highlights was the steak display they bring out and take the time to explain each cut. It made the experience feel special and helped build anticipation for what was to come. The steaks themselves were among the best we have ever had the flavors rich and nuanced and each bite memorable. We could not recommend Asador Bastian more highly. If you are looking for an unforgettable steakhouse meal with exceptional food service and atmosphere this is the place to go. read more

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step inside the historic flair house, where basque tradition meets river north sophistication at the iconic asador bastian. we're kicking things off with the summer in bordeaux, an incredibly bright mix of old tom gin and yuzu sake, and the el perfecto--a serious london dry and spanish vermut blend for the gin lovers. for the main event, you have to see this txuleton burger. it's an 8oz curated beef blend with mahon cheese on toasted brioche with a roasted garlic and piquillo pepper aioli--it's pure luxury. if you're here for the signature basque experience but want something manageable, the san miguel steak is the move; it's the perfect size for one or a quick share. we're rounding out the night with the rich old tom tonic, the smokey-meets-nutty cutting daisies with mezcal and pistachio, and finishing on a bright note with the citrus coupe. summer in bordeaux $22 old tom gin, yuzu sake, cocchi americano, benedictine el perfecto $21 london dry & navy strength gin, spanish vermut txuleton burger $22 harking back to the days of lavish parties in the original flair house, our txuleton burger is an 8oz blend of curated beef, topped with mahon cheese served on a toasted brioche bun brushed with roasted garlic & piquillo pepper aioli the san miguel steak $73 a smaller cut of our classic txuleton steaks. perfect for one person to enjoy or for two to share for a quick bite bone marrow potato puré $26 rich old tom 19 hayman's old tom gin, cocchi americano, angostura, fever tree tonic cutting daisies $18 la luna mezcal, genepy, pineapple cordial, pistachio citrus coupe $17 read more

Downstairs, not up! It's subtle and feels a little like I imagine an old time speakeasy entry- where you might doubt or question whether or not you're in the right place. Wonderful place to go for Thanksgiving dinner. Staff was outstanding, and even with pared down menu, loved all the flavors presented to us. Even though it's an upscale place, it didn't feel overly stuffy. Love the intimacy of the venue. Getting a full tour of the place was another nice touch. Highly recommend read more

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Wonderful experience. I loved our server Juan. Very knowledgeable and very friendly! When they bring out those trays of seafood and steaks it's wild. Started with the caviar churros so good. Get these for sure! Spider crab table side was pretty awesome too like a rich risotto great recommendation. Next we ordered two different steaks. The Holstein with like a popcorn dry age and a traditional style NY Bronx dry aged steak as well, that one wasn't on the menu. Both were top notch! Can't even decide which I liked better. Both equally amazing and for different reasons. Lastly, the bone marrow mashed potatoes were insane. I can eat those every day! Don't snooze on those. We had a couple G&T's with grapefruit, and a couple nice glasses of wine! No room for dessert. Everything was perfection. Will definitely return. Thank you for the hospitality, Asador Bastian! I think it's important to mention we were sat almost immediately, and the place was very busy. It's dialed in there and I love the clean Design. Noise level is perfect - not too loud not too quiet. Met a great table beside us celebrating a birthday. We all had a phenomenal evening. Cheers to the entire staff! It definitely lives up to what everyone is talking about. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! read more

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Asador Bastian is a wonderful place for high quality steaks with a Basque styling. All the steaks are very good, but if you get a chance to try the Kagoshima wagyu (a special) it will be a momd blowing experience. But more than the steaks, you'll enjoy the great appetizers, desserts and drinks. The restaurant is dimly lit but if you can get the chef's table (note this is just a larger table near the kitchen) you'll have a great opportunity to see the steaks being beautifully prepared. Across the three times I've been the service has ranged from excellent to good, depending on who's helping you - with some variety in how the meats are presented and the level of friendliness. read more

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Absolutely amazing experience. I say experience because it is more than a meal. Greeted by name and consistently checked on to make sure everything is a 10/10 makes one feel like royalty. Beautiful interior and decor. Staff was friendly and so very inquisitive to find the perfect selection to make our night remarkable. Nothing happens without a purpose and that purpose is to make you king and queen for the night. The Bone Marrow Potato Puree is a must. Steak was so simple and we decadent it melts in your mouth. The small bit trip was amazing, make sure to get the crab risotto (not the name of it but they will tell you what is is based on that name) and the dessert ....an omg moment with the raspberry layered treat. Been to many a top tier restaurant and A.B. Takes the gold. Special thanks to our server Usef. He was gracious always smiling and so helpful picking our meal items. read more

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What an incredible dining experience! We ordered at least half of the menu items and somehow each dish managed to outdo the last - every bite was exceptional. The meat was butter and cooked to sheer perfection, and even the NA drinks were beautifully crafted and full of flavor. read more

Asador Bastian - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely the best dinner I've ever had! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The steak gave the most delicious juicy, melt in your mouth feeling. And the dessert also didn't miss! The service was amazing! Our server introduced himself to every single person in the party, and also remembered everyone's name. He was very knowledgeable about all the dishes on the menu, and an absolute pleasure to talk with. If you're looking for a place to impress some folks, take them here! read more

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Man... This place is good as advertised. The setting is really nice. Intimate setting. I sat at the bar (Not Intimate lol). The menu is interesting. I'll explain the steak options. Basically they have 3 types. The Galiciana, Holstein, and Akuashi. Their sold by the pound varying prices. You can order the San Miguel which is less than a pound, flat price and you can choose between the Galiciana and Holstein. I went with the Galencia Medium Well. It was phenomenal and stilll pretty pink imo. Great char and flavor. I also ordered 2 sides Nico Piquillos, it was OK, but it's a little pepper sliced and it's $15 hard pass. However the Bone Marrow Potato Puree $24 is amazing, about the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. These are most buy. Service was good but i would definitely recommend a reservation for a party bigger than 1. And reserve maybe a week in advance. read more

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Came for hubby's birthday, The ambience and service were excellent (Christian was just wonderful)! The two standouts were the Spider Crab Arroz Cremosa (we will be coming back for this meal just alone), and the Bone Marrow Potato Purée was delectable. The drinks were delicious and incredibly well priced for such a high end establishment. I had the Sole Amandine which was delicious, but not worth $103 (I'm told they price it for the import fees from Spain), though having the best Seafood in Seattle and home town Santa Barbara, I don't think I'll be back for any of the mains. My husband had the True Galiciana which was cooked to perfection and had complex flavors and taste, but it was so incredibly chewy and the fat was almost inedible, and we are gristle loving people. The overall result was disappointing. Not a fault of the chef, perhaps just the particular type of Steak? Also incredibly expensive for just an okay cut of steak (we're assuming the import prices are involved here too)? Husband wishes he had ordered the Holstein, which we hope would have been able to boast the claim of being one of the best steak places in the world. I have family from Spain (Asturias/Oviedo/Aviles) and we will most definitely be going to check out Asador Extebarri when we visit Spain next year. I wish I had also ordered a steak so that we could have had at least a range and comparison of their signature steak options (I was just so tempted by the Sole). Not sure if we'll be back for steak again, as the prices make the gamble for having a better experience a bit higher, but we'll definitely be back for a number of their other offerings! read more

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Amazing food, steaks, potato purée with bone marrow, one of the best restaurants in Chicago. It's hard to get a reservation but keep pursuing, it's expensive but truly worth it for the food and experience. read more

Sat at the bar. The tortillas was completely raw. Throughout. Potatoes were hard. Only thing eatable was the jamon However that's not the worse. When the main course came. They sent out the wrong sides. Would not let me mix the bone marrow. Steak was burnt and chewy. Asked for a different glass of wine. The bartender said he got me then completely forgot about it. Has he have checked up on us.. these issues would have been resolved. However the only check up he gave was the check itself. Pretty ridiculous as he only had 4 covers. read more

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Spectacular business dinner. impeccable chef's choice preparation of seafood and steaks. I was a guest so I can't comment on the expense. Appetizers: steak tartar, caviar bite, shrimp ceviche bite were amazing. For entrees we tried: prawns, brown butter sole, seafood paella, and selection of steaks. One was from Pennsylvania and the other was from Austin. The suckling pig was roasted to perfection. Tender, moist meat with crispy skin. The chocolate hazelnut cake, cheesecake and Spanish layered dessert were the perfect finishers. read more

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Delicious, rich and pricey. Service is amazing and each dish was special. Presentation is great.

We ordered: 100% Akaushi Tortilla Española with Jamon Hongos Y Huevo Raspberry Mil Hojas Lobster, Corn & Foie Gras Roasted Beets with Black Truffles Little Gem Lettuce with Shaved Fall Vegetables Burnt Basque Cheesecake Akaushi steak had a perfect crust and was tender, seasoned, and flavorful. Tortilla espanola was cold but the jamon was fantastic. Lobster, corn, and foie gras was tasty but for the price point, I don't need to get it again. Between the beets and gem salad, I loved the balanced, deep flavor combination of the beets salad. Gem salad was overwhelmingly sour for my palate but the veggies were all fresh. We loved the Raspberry Mil Hojas with the crunchy layers and different layers of sweets in-between. Basque Cheesecake was textbook but could use an additional element to complete it. Our waiter, Christian, provided excellent, professional service. Seating and ambience was all very nice. read more

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What a great experience we had for a mid week dinner! The staff is very knowledgeable about the food and wine, each dish comes with a story of where the food came from and the inspiration. We loved the restaurant, the low light vibe and very homey feeling. The dinner itself took about 3 hours and was expensive but the quality of food and service was excellent read more

Asador Bastian - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I arrived early for my 5:15pm reservation and got seated immediately after checking in. We were served water right away but waited 15minutes before given menus to browse while waiting for our server. The table next to us came in 10mins after us but was immediately given menus as they were being seated. Ambiance is really nice but it does get loud if too many people are having conversations all at once. The server eventually came over to introduce himself and gave us menus to look over while we waited for him to come back to take our drink orders. After taking drink orders, he decided to give us and the table next to us the seafood/steak presentation that every table gets before ordering. Although efficient (since he could give the presentation to us and our neighboring table at the same time), it felt somewhat impersonal and disingenuous. After his presentation, we put in our food orders. We decided to do the spider crab cremoso, melody of veggies, 100% Akaushi, and crisp artichokes. The crab cremoso blew my mind. The richness of the crab after taking the first bite surprised me! Probably one of the best seafood risotto like I've ever had in the states cause I can't compare it to Italy. The melody veggies were just a bunch of blanched veggies with a celery sauce at the bottom. It's cute looking but would never order again. The crisp artichokes were decent and you can taste a bit of lemon on some bites which made it super refreshing. The steak is really what we came for especially reading reviews/news how people are talking about how good this place is at cooking their steaks. The server said the Akaushi is basically wagyu so I am supposed be able to taste the buttery sweet of it but unfortunately I did not. We did medium rare for the steak and I really liked how they made the steak very crispy along the side. But every bite of the steak, I felt like it didn't melt in my mouth like Wagyu or butter. Some part were a bit tender so I was bit thrown off. The raspberry dessert was absolutely amazing! I would for sure recommend people ordering this if they come here. Overall, the crab cremoso was the star of the night and the raspberry dessert. I think I've had better steaks elsewhere for half the price. We did come here for a celebration so I'm not gonna complain much about the price cause I knew what I was getting myself into. My partner and I walked out feeling a bit disappointed since reservations are hard to get here and it didn't hit the spot for us. We're always looking for good steakhouses in Chicago whenever we do fancy date nights or celebrations. read more

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Recently came here for my fiancés birthday. We were a party of 6 as we were with his family. We arrived at 6:55 for our 7pm reservation. They first took us to a table that already had people at it. (Very unprofessional) They then said our table was not ready. We did not get seated until 7:30. We put a down payment on this reservation, why did we have to wait so long? They were not nice about it until I went up a third time to complain. The manager offered to bring out complimentary apps. Sadly those were not even taken off the bill at the end, we had to ask. It felt as if this was on purpose. Also, we had to ask for clean dinner plates after eating appetizers. To be at such a nice restaurant and pay so much for the food and have them "pretend to be all fancy" they did not quite have the proper etiquette down. They did not even clear dirty dishes off the table. It was kinda gross in my opinion. Our server put down one of the desserts we got and almost knocked a knife on one of our laps. Needless to say, the steaks were good. The bone marrow potato purée was excellent. However, if I am going to such an upscale and expensive restaurant I expect, food, service and ambiance to be a 10/10 and sadly that was not my experience. read more

INFLATION? The more we thought. makes us all feel Robbed from believing that there is still an honest restauranter operating today. The charges were/are exorbitant. Charging $129 for a piece of sea bream, butterflied open and served overcooked with bones in a pool of either EVOO or a mix of butter is outrageous for our industry. Then without explanation after a pre-charged non-refundable deposit to drop an automatic 20% into the check is close to dishonest. Bonne Chance. What always goes around comes around. read more

Food was incredible. The presentation and quality were on point. Excellent service. I love this little hidden gem. We had such a good time enjoying the food. This is a spot where you really want to enjoy the experience and company over taking pictures so many pics are missing from this post. Definitely coming back. read more

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Only had one opportunity for a nice meal my last trip out to Chicago and chose asador bastian and was impressed with the food. My favorite of the night was either the sardine appetizer - wow this dish packed so much flavor into each bite. The other favorite was the carabineros prawn. This thing was huge! The risotto was great and the flavors were delicious but for two people it is a bit heavy. As some other reviewers have mentioned, the seats are a bit close together and unfortunately since the word got out with NYT and other write ups, the clientele can be annoying and loud- think marketing bro types that talk way too loud after a few drinks. If you can tune out the noise, the food is worth it. read more

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Absolutely delicious. I could harp on about the food all day, but the service is where this restaurant shines. Our sommelier and server were so funny and sweet. They made dining an experience- telling us how to plan and eat our meal in order for it to taste the best. Also when my boyfriend ordered a cocktail with his steak (oh boy), the sommelier insisted he had a glass of red for free! Overall amazing experience that was only made better by the wonderful food. read more

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Way overhyped. Definitely not a top steakhouse in the United States, even Chicago is a huge stretch. The food is advertised as shareable, every morsel of food was laughably small. The food was average, but when you're shelling out this much money for food, you expect it to be much better. The most confusing part of the experience is that all steak sizes are bigger than 1 person can eat, but way too small for 2 people to share. Makes absolutely zero sense. The waitress recommended our table ordered 2 steaks for 3 people... that's $400! Zero idea how the restaurant received its accolades. There are better ways to spend money, I think lighting my money on fire would've been a better use. read more