Wildfire, Chicago

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Last visit: April 10, 2010, downtown location, September 2011, Lincolnshire location

This is a good place to go with any size group. I've been to a company holiday party at the Oakbrook location and it was an excellent place to host a larger group of people. I've also been to the Chicago, Schaumburg and Lincolnshire locations and the quality and service are excellent at each.

The downtown location is very busy, it's essential to have reservations on the weekend. The interior is all wood and leather and you can see into the oven where they are spit roasting chickens. It can be a little noisy when there are large groups so I wouldn't come here if you are looking for a romantic quiet meal.

Favorite Dish: I always get one of two things either the horseradish crusted filet mignon ($29.95) or the filet medalions ($28.95) that come with a variety of toppings, I tried parmesean and bearnaise in addition to the horseradish, both are delicious. The french onion soup is also good, it comes in a sizable portion so I split it with my husband if he's with me. And unlike other steak places in Chicago, the steak does not come totally ala carte, all steaks come with a choice of potatoes or vegetables, I like the au gratin potatoes that you can get with dinner.

They bring by a dessert tray with a wide variety of decadent looking desserts which I try to make sure I save room for, the full portion is big enough to share or you can order a 1/2 order, the chocolate chip cookie topped with ice cream and whipped cream is delicious.

If you have a party of 6 or more, you can do a family style menu choosing 2 options from each of the categories-appetizer, salad, entree and dessert for about $30 per person, a good deal if you can get the whole group to agree to 2 items in each of the categories, alas, we could not.

One thing I really like about Wildfire is that the price tag is affordable and they don't have portion sizes that are enough to feed a family of four. Steak is something that I don't really like taking home for leftovers and if you are traveling, you'll waste it anyway.

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Wildfire is a classic Chicago restaurant favorite, famous for steaks and chops. It is always crowded, but with the dim lighting and jazz music it can also be a romantic spot for two.

Favorite Dish: To begin, there's shrimp and crab bisque, crab cakes, classic French onion soup, baked goat cheese with tomato sauce, and stuffed mushrooms... And that's just for starters! My favorite steaks include the bleu cheese or horseradish crusted filets. They also have many seafood, chicken and ribs entrees, and delicious side dishes.

New photo is from another visit yester [2/1/2006] after seeing "Little Women, the Musical"

For my birthday celebration, Allan asked where I wanted to eat, and I remembered the wonderful meal I had at Wildfire a year ago with my daughter Jill. Since Allan had never been there, he was in for a real treat.
YOU MUST HAVE RESERVATIONS especially on Friday and Saturday.
We love the booths, so we asked for one and were seated in a great place. It's a very romantic place that transports you to the 1940s era....they have a spacious Martini Lounge, and the hand-stuffed olives are great (Allan tried the bluecheese stuffed ones). Their wine list is comprehensive...Allan had red, and I had a German White.
Their SIGNATURE DISHES include a trio of Filet medallions with your choice of crusted toppings, a Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut, Roasted Prime Rib of Beef, and Cedar Planked Salmon.
It's fun to smell the delicious smoke from the open hearth grills. It's the kind of restaurant that you never want to leave...great music, fantastic cuisine, marvelous drinks, and the ambience of another, less complicated era.
Our young waiter was so accommodating and friendly. He supplied the birthday treat as a complimentary gift from him.
Needless to say, my birthday was one to remember and topped off with a sinful chocolate mousse cake with fudge dripping over it, and as I made a wish on the candle, I thought, "How Perfect Life is Right Now"!!!

Favorite Dish: Allan and I shared a SMALL Chopped Tomato and Red Onion Salad that was so large, we could not finish it. It had Blue Cheese dressing and crumbled blue cheese along with deep red, delicious chopped tomatoes, red onions, and lettuce. Oh, so wonderful to savour.
Allan ordered a special cheese encrusted New York Strip Steak grilled to perfection and topped with large Portobello whole mushrooms. I ordered the Filet Medallions "Diane Style" with Portobello sliced mushrooms and accompanied by crispy onion strips. They give you three good-sized medallions. I took one home, and Allan took half of his Strip Steak home (so we were lucky to have the delicious steaks another night but with less atomosphere!) Oh, my, all of the food was unforgettable and the smell, taste, and sights of Wildfire linger still.

Note: Our great waiter took the photograph of Allan and I, and you can see that both of us were quite happy.

Chicago has many great steak restaurants, so picking just one was a challenge. But Wildfire was a great combination of a casual atmosphere, great food and at least somewhat reasonable prices. The restaurant is supposed to resemble a jazz supper club, and, while, they do play jazz music (by speakers and not live) and have posters on the walls, it looked like Houstons with checkered tablecloths to me. But the important thing was that the food was great.

Since its a steak place, that would be the thing to get here. The trio of filets each with a different topping (you can choose from mushrooms, horseradish, blue cheese and a few others) was delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly and the sauces were amazing. The horseradish crusted filet wrapped in bacon is supposed to be the specialty. As for appetizers, you can't go wrong with the roasted mussels (unless, of course, you don't like mussels). I can't recall ever having mussels like this before but I'm not complaining either. For dessert, the waiter suggested the peanut butter chocolate pie, which did taste like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. The dessert was overkill after such a huge meal and the desserts in general were the least impressive part of the menu. But, if you're inclined to so indulge, I'd recommend this one.

Favorite Dish: The filets were amazing.

This trendy, upscale steak house is a part of the Lettuce Entertain you family. But don't let that scare you off. When you step into this dark, oak panelled dining room you're bound to feel a bit nostalgic for the days of the Rat Pack. Personally I don't eat red meat, but my fellow diners raved about the steaks. I opted for some fish, which was equally appetizing. The portions are huge. We took half it home. So come hungry. And make reservations because this joint fills up fast and the waits are long. We had to swim through a crowd of hungry folks on our way out the door.