I went to Butcher and the Bear to celebrate my birthday and it was perfect. The steak was cooked just right and packed with flavor, and the mashed potatoes were honestly some of the creamiest and smoothest I've ever had. I also loved the moody vibe inside, it made the whole night feel extra special. read more

My husband and I went to Butcher & The Bear for dinner last evening, and we both thought it was excellent! We started the meal with the root vegetable salad and beef tartare. The salad was unique with a sweet beet puree, contrasting with the textures of the hearty root vegetables. My husband enjoyed the tartare with smoked egg yolk. I tried the potatoes without the beef tartare, and they were addicting! For the main plates, my husband had the NY Strip with a truffle butter enhancement. I ordered the salmon over a tasty rice and an eye-catching potato nest. The food was well seasoned as it should be! The steak was high quality. For dessert, we shared a slice of carrot cake. It was divine. The frosting was creamy and the sweetened crunchy carrot chips were one of a kind. This was the ideal end to a five-star meal. To drink, I ordered the Haley zero proof cocktail -- very nice! My husband had the Engine 55. He said the drink would be good on its own, but the spice level of the serrano pineapple syrup slightly overwhelmed the palate. The ambience was beautiful with low lighting, ideal for date nights or anytime you want a classic Chicago speakeasy vibe (with steak). Our server was spectacular. She took care of us through the whole meal, checking in appropriately to see how things were tasting, providing useful recommendations, and making pleasant conversation. At this price point ($100/person), my expectations are high, and Butcher & The Bear delivered. While fairly new to the neighborhood , I hope it is here to stay! read more

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I rarely leave reviews, but this experience was disappointing. After being seated, our waiter did not greet us and only asked if we were waiting for someone before walking away. Five minutes later, we were told we had an hour and a half from the moment we sat down. The entire meal felt rushed. After our main course, instead of offering drinks or dessert, we were asked, "you done?" When dessert arrived, the bill was brought with it. We even packed the dessert to go, yet within minutes of signing the bill, everything including our water was cleared while staff watched us to hurry us out. We were at the table for just over an hour. The service felt unnecessarily rushed and unwelcoming. read more

Cool/trendy ambience, loved the beef tartarte! Unfortunately those are the only highlights. Cocktail (martini) was ok. Sides (mushrooms, asparagus) were ok. Steak (ribeye) was just ok - a bit tough. Though it wasn't a bad experience, everything seemed overpriced, even pricier than steak joints in River North and the Gold Coast. We spent $500+ for a dinner for 4 (which was after a $75 discount for a promo they were running) and I did not think it was worth it. I don't see myself returning. Also, the front of house staff came off as unfriendly and pretentious. Weird for a restaurant in a chill neighborhood like Lakeview. read more

I was looking forward to visiting B & B due to the fantastic reviews, and it did not disappoint. Thanks to the attentive care of my server Katharine. She made sure the food came out in a timely fashion and checked in to make sure we were doing okay. My favorites were the grilled octopus, grilled asparagus, seasonal mushrooms, Wagyu tasting board, and the strawberry gelato. It had a cozy and warm ambiance due to the dark walls and dim lighting. I would visit again for the excellent service and fantastic food. read more

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I was very impressed by the moment I walked in, you can feel the warm ambience. There was a Live singer performing right when we walked in! The owners are very welcoming, they did an amazing job with decor! The bar caught my attention so we decided to grab a drink there before we head to our table. Omar, the bartender is easy to converse with. Most bartenders I meet are usually rushing or very dry. Omar has a friendly personality and offers genuine customer service. Let's not forget to mention, he knows his crafts. After we finished our drink at the bar, we headed to our table which was downstairs. The table lamps were a good lighting choice and gave it more of a speakeasy vibe. There was a fireplace and inside of it there were lit candles, which are flattering and relaxing. The room gave a warm impression. The food was spectacular!! It didn't disappoint whatsoever! We ordered the Seafood Platter for appetizers, then we ordered the Wagyu Beef Cheek, wow, just WOW!! And the Wagyu Tasting Board, which was a hit on our table. And few other side plates like Mushrooms and Asparagus. First of all, the steaks were cooked to perfection! It is tender, flavorful, medium rare and perfectly seasoned. Their meat is provided by one of the restaurant owners, Second City Prime! High quality meat that melts in your mouth. Also, we couldn't leave without ordering desserts, which are sharable, so make sure you make room for that. We didn't get a chance to try everything but we plan to come back to try different plates the second time around. Overall, everything was exceptional. The staff went above and beyond to ensure we were attended to. From the moment we walked in, the drinks, the food, the ambience.....we were impressed and amazed by it all. We can't wait to come back and indulge some more!! read more

Butcher & The Bear - Bar - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This restaurant is dark and has a moody vibe. Our server was great and knowledgeable. The food was pretty good and the drinks were stellar. I got the wagyu platter. It was very tender and delicious. They had a nice selection of drinks. I would recommend this place for a special occasion. read more

Amazing food and service! We had the root vegetable salad shared the 38 ounce steak -delicious. The scallops were reported to be the best they ever had by my relative we dined with. Good Mac and cheese for a side. The focaccia bread was yummy and we finished with desert and it was a huge piece of carrot cake -enough to share with four people. Good drink choices and wonderful atmosphere. read more

Butcher & The Bear - Bar area at the restaurant. - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wow is this place amazing!!! Service is a 10/10 the servers knew so much about their menu and had so much enthusiasm!! Food is out of this world!! read more

Butcher & The Bear - Beef tartare - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious meat platter, super nice staff, excellent service and nice ambiance. Definitely going back. Would only suggest more lighting. Dark atmosphere was great but we could barely read the menu. Still a great place. read more

Great service and atmosphere! Food was great, with the exception of my oyster's Rockefeller, which was lukewarm. The the rest of it was fantastic! read more

Absolutely terrible service. Didn't know name of server but it didn't matter because it was impossible to waive anyone down to say our food came out cold read more

My sister and I went for my birthday dinner. Staff went above and beyond. The kindest, most attentive staff across the board, especially our server, Wally. Friendly and walked us through the menu & provided great recommendations. Ambiance is intimate, cozy, and elegant. We were initially supposed to go the night before but they ended up having electrical issues - the communication about this was so polite and prompt and solution oriented. We were greeted with a delicious amuse bouche. I got the vesper martini and my sis got a delicious Chardonnay. We split the charred octopus (delicious, tender/not chewy, with a sort of Calabrian chili paste and crema). We split the root vegetable salad (so delicious and very different from any other salad I've had!), filet mignon (phenomenal. No notes), and the wagyu beef cheek cavatelli (delicious, decadent, perfectly chewy fresh cavatelli noodles). We split the carrot cake for dessert that was quite honestly the best carrot cake I've ever had. We will hands down definitely be back. Want to try the tasting board, Mac & cheese, and Caesar salad in particular! Better than any of the river North steakhouses I've been to. read more

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The food is amazing for a great special occasion dinner! The ambiance is cozy and in the evening it gets lively.

if i could give it negative stars, i would. everything was way too salty and they play really bad covers of hit songs at astronomical levels of volume. bold and audacious choice of music considering the unsatisfactory quality of food. there was more pomegranate than foie gras on the foie gras toast. second class vibe and poor food quality all leads to an unpleasant dining experience. read more

Butcher & The Bear - "foie gras" - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The place is exactly as described. Speakeasy meets steakhouse. The food, service, and ambiance were all great. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for a nice steak dinner. read more

Butcher & The Bear - Wagyu flight - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food and service! They make an excellent dirty martini, too. I also loved the vodka pasta so I would recommend that.

I would skip this restaurant . Not sure how they a grilling up their meats but when they bring it out to you there is an awful smell that prevents you from enjoying ur pricey meal. Plus the bartender is not on their A game, how can anyone not know that a french 75 has a lemon peel NOT LIME!! read more

The server we had made some great recommendations and was very attentive to us! The ambiance truly felt like we were in a speakeasy during the prohibition. I loooved one of the specials - it was a steak with chimichurri sauce!!! Man was it good. read more

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This is a fantastic restaurant. We had a convention in town, and I noticed it was voted 10th top restaurant in the US, so OF COURSE we had to check it out. We had a perfect meal, with beautiful service and the environment is also very well done. You are #1 to us. Thank you! We will be back. read more

I wanted to call this place a neighborhood gem because it truly is, but people often associate that term with ugly, hole-in-the-wall spots that serve delicious food. This place is nothing like that. While the food is fabulous, the place boasts a luxurious speakeasy atmosphere. The decor is extremely well done--plush, elegant, dark, and romantic--you are immediately made to feel like a welcome regular. Welcome to the neighborhood Butcher & Bear! The food was beyond all expectations. We had fresh oysters served with 3 unique sauces, hamachi and scallop crudo, both absolutely exquisite (especially the hamachi!). The beef cheek and lobster tail with bone marrow took our breath away! As for the service, they have an all-star team. Cesar, our waiter, was knowledgeable and extremely accommodating. He later introduced us to the GM, Greg who was also super warm and welcoming. Cesar ensured all our dishes came out at the perfect time and the right temperature. His wine suggestion was a winner! The rest of the team seamlessly cleared plates, keeping our table neat and beautiful throughout the evening. This was an experience to remember, we will return! read more

Absolutely amazing! The hands down best steak we have ever had. Sides were incredible. Staff is awesome and the place is beautiful!

The food here is good, but not sure it measures up to other great restaurants in Chicago. My partner and I made a reservation here for early dinner, though we didn't need it as it was not busy. The inside of the restaurant is small, dimly lit, a nice and intimate dinner vibe. I ordered the sea bass and it was excellent. My partner ordered the steak and also enjoyed it. Despite the good food, we noticed we weren't being attended to as much as other customers. Our waiter was polite, but very short with us. We noticed his demeanor was quite different with other guests, which made us a bit uncomfortable. Perhaps because we looked young? Honestly, if the food somewhere is amazing I don't care so much about the service. The food here was good, but nothing quite special and without great service we found the overall experience a bit lacking. Not sure if we would return read more

Really enjoyed my first visit to Butcher & The Bear and will definitely be back! The ambiance inside is awesome: very dark and elegant. Service was great all night: thanks to Cesar, our server, for being awesome. Our party enjoyed two appetizers to start with: the Nonna's meatball, which was OUTSTANDING, and a crab cake special, which was beautifully presented but honestly not super memorable for me. For our entrees, my friend and I each enjoyed the wagyu beef cheek, which was fantastic. My husband had the salmon, which he said was good, but he didn't love it. (In fairness, I think he was just sad that he didn't order a steak instead, LOL.) Also, we ordered the mac and cheese side to share, which was good but honestly not great. We had several bottles of wine with dinner which were all very good, and my husband and my friend had a cocktail which they really enjoyed. Somehow we thought we had room for dessert, so we ordered the key lime cheesecake, and what we received was the biggest slice of cheesecake you could possibly imagine. No way could we finish all of it even with three of us, but it was really good. Dinner was pretty pricey overall, but you get what you pay for, and we had a really good time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. read more

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Went to Butcher and The Bear a few weeks ago and had an excellent meal! Starting with the Caesar Salad, Porterhouse Steak, Mac & Cheese, and finally the Bananas Foster Crepes. Highly recommend checking out this new Lincoln Park hot spot! read more

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Decent steakhouse, but there are better ones in Chicago. I liked the Wagyu candle dip with the bread service - that was innovative. Our steak came a little overcooked, but they comped us the dessert for that. Service was good. read more

The steaks were cooked to perfection and the staff was great. However... the mashed potatoes were gummy, the mushrooms were just ok, we should've skipped the steak tartare, and everything was extremely salty. And I don't know how a dirty martini could possibly cost $24.50, but I feel like we got ripped off. read more

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Butcher and the Bear was an 11/10 experience. Great service, food, and ambiance. Will be back!

The waitstaff was very pleasant. The food was very good but was it worth a $300 bill, no. Also, no one wants to have a nice meal while they are freezing cold. The AC was ridiculous. there was so much steam coming off our food. Even my husband who is never cold, he swims in 60 degree water, thought the place was freezing. We were out of there in an hour. The folks next to us were wearing sweatshirts. Not enjoyable at all. read more

Great food, great service. Love the ambience. Was pleasantly surprised by the NY Strip I'm usually a ribeye person. One star off because they were not flawless. Their signature old fashioned left quite a bit to be desired, the wild mushrooms were quite bland and plain, the Mac and Cheese was quite good. The béarnaise sauce was extremely thin and watery. My wife said her sea bass was one of the best she'd ever had, the couple dining with us shared mostly the same thoughts. We all had the same sides, my wife's friend had the beef cheek which she liked and her husband had the NY Strip as I did. Cooked to temp properly and had a nice sear. I liked that they asked us whether we wanted it pre sliced or not (we both declined pre slicing) as I'm not a fan of the pre slicing steak trend. Desserts were great we shared carrot cake and chocolate cake. They were both delicious and I'm not normally someone who would even try the carrot cake. One dessert is easily enough for two or more people. Great place. Hope it succeeds. Hope they thrive and continue to improve. Love having a place like this in this location!! But to get 5 stars at this price point you have to address the little things. read more

Wagyu board!!!!! Service was great, and a super unique atmosphere. Ask for the man with glasses and long hair! read more

Butcher & The Bear - Wagyu board and broccoli - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Outstanding food and atmosphere. Service was excellent, Kat is exceptional. Try the carrot cake!! read more

Butcher & The Bear - Carrot cake - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent service, ambiance, elegant setting with amazing food and presentation. I highly recommend ! read more

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Loved Butcher & the Bear! The vibe is modern and cozy, perfect for a night out. The cocktails are creative and the food was flavorful - especially the caviar fries & filet mignon! Service was super friendly and the space is gorgeous without being too loud. Definitely a spot I'd come back to with friends. read more

Love this place, great date night spot! Very sexy ambiance and amazing food. Highly recommend the brick chicken read more

Butcher & The Bear - Espresso Martini - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Whoa I've never felt more taken advantage of. We ordered the seafood "platter" as a starter but we were so underwhelmed by the amount of seafood.... Truly all ice on the platter. The king crab was laughable for our small party of three..... was very shrimpy! if your looking forward to a scrumptious seafood platter - skip this because it is beyond a rip off for the price they charge. Secondly, I asked our waiter Ceaser for a bottle of the Ridge, red blend. He arrives with a label that is not Ridge and I said. No that is not the bottle we ordered. Ceaser said, this is better and before we knew had uncorked and decanted the bottle at the table. It was truly used car sales man vibes. Before I could clearly understand what had just happened he said - I was just at their vineyard, trust me you want this instead. Ummmm what I want is what I ordered CEASER. My friends and I just thought maybe this was comparable to the Ridge and he was honestly helping us..... ummmm no. The bill came and clearly Ceaser pulled a true used car salesman on us. It was over DOUBLE the price of the bottle I had requested. We all felt just taken to town. I haven't had this happen before at a restaurant and just felt truly taken advantage of. Well played Ceaser well played read more

Great food service and ambience. Will be back and definitely recommend. The New York strip, and the Caesar salad was delicious, great cocktails. read more

Wow- Not sure what to think. If your looking for a Chicago steak house stay away. Their sides and salads are way over priced for the sizes for what you get. $17 for two meatballs the size of a strawberry is ridiculous. And stay away from the mushroom side it's uneatable. $17.00 for a big mushroom that tasted like rubber. The server was nice--even though I ordered a NY Strip and they brought out a ribeye. I told him it was fine I would eat the ribeye because it would have been wasteful to send it back. Worst restaurant I've been to in a long time. Save your money - a lot better places. read more

Just had an amazing dinner at the B&B. The service was impeccable and the food was excellent. Save room for carrot cake! Perspective delivered. read more

Had to wait 30 minutes post reservation time but no big deal. Everything was excellent. Had the oysters, scallops, seafood salad, brussel sprouts, filet and cheesecake. Drinks were solid. Will go again. read more