Restaurant Review: Why is River North’s Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf so special?
Why would it take 21 days to secure a reservation to a Chicago steakhouse? In a city filled with great places for steak, what makes River North’s Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf so special?
Could it be their Hand-Made Sourdough, with cultured butter and sea salt?
Could it be their embrace of “French flair without the formality, blending fine dining with unabashed fun,” as their website says?
Could it be that the modern steakhouse seduces with its speakeasy feel, as Resy notes?
There may be something to that seduction. Eater.com said at the time of Bavette’s August 2012 opening, “With red leather booths, antiqued mirrors advertising culinary catches, exposed and distressed brick, a zinc-topped bar, a vintage sink subbing as a raw bar and dark leather couches in the lower-level lounge where papier-mache animal heads grace the walls, the space screams sexy.”
Whatever the reason, Brendan Sodikoff’s steakhouse delivers on every count. From Reddit to Resy to Google and Eater, Bavette has earned top ratings for their food and service with a French flair.
Their hors d’oeuvres can be best described as “unctous.” Baked Goat Cheese (Circa 1992) Is made with red sauce and fines herbes, and served with garlic bread. Sizzling Shrimp Scampi has garlic bread, chilies, and parsley. Baked Crab Cake is made with Blue crab, preserved lemon, and rémoulade. Tenderloin Steak Tartare comes with Dijonnaise and a slow-cooked egg.
Salads can also be described as “unctuous:” Lyonnaise Salad, served as a side or full meal, has bacon, soft-cooked egg, and is festooned with brioche croutons. Crab Stuffed Avocado pairs bibb lettuce and dijon-sherry vinaigrette in a fresh avocado with crab. Smoked Salmon Caesar has potato chips and a classic caesar dressing. Bacon Roasted Tomato is made with watercress, olive oil, and herb salt.
And now…Boeuf!
Across the universe, Bavette’s earned praise for its 10oz Double Wagyu Cheeseburger, apressed and griddled Snake River Farms wagyu (i.e. the pioneers of American Wagyu beef), its buttery texture and complex flavors paired with American cheese, pickles, onions, dijonnaise and hand-cut fries..Roasted Bone Marrow is served with caramelized red onion jam and a parsley salad, while Ribeye Steak Frites features a 10-ounce ribeye smothered in béarnaise sauce and served with hand-cut fries. Their Filet Mignon – Petite Duchess Cut is a six-ounce filetserved with roasted tomato, béarnaise, watercress, and steak salt. They also serve a 10-ounce traditional version with béarnaise and steak salt. Also, their Dry-Aged Bone-In Ribeye earned raves for their 20 oz, 42-day dry aged, served with béarnaise sauce and steak salt.
And More…Poultry and Seafood!
If beef isn’t your forte, many have also suggested Bavette’s Spiced Fried Chicken, served with mashed potatoes, sweet pea, cipollini gravy, or their Roasted Chicken with mashed potatoes, garlic confit, and chicken jus. Double Cut Berkshire Pork Chop is served with roasted mushrooms and herb jus, while Lamb Chops are fragrant with roasted garlic and rosemary.
Lobster Frites has herbed butter sauce and hand-cut fries, Branzino (sea bass) has a cilantro-mint pesto and lemon. Big Glory Bay Salmon has black pepper, brown butter, and lemon.
Mine is far from the only positive review.
“If you haven’t tried Bavette’s you are missong out!! . This was not just dinner, this was by far an entire experience and it was amazing.
The dry-aged bone-in ribeye was truly exceptional. You have plenty of time to plan as reservation are 20+ days out, which is a testament to its popularity. The dining experience was further enhanced by the great service. Every aspect of the meal, from the perfectly cooked steak to the attentive service, was enjoyable. Overall, it was a truly memorable dining experience that I highly recommend.”
Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf is located at 218 W. Kinzie Street. They are open Sunday from 3pm-10:30pm, Monday – Thursday from 4pm-10:30pm, and Friday – Saturday from 3pm-11pm.
Reservations: They’re available up to 21 days in advance, with each new date becoming available at 9 AM.
They welcome walk-ins at the bar, where they serve the full menu.
As they explain on their website: “We are an intimate restaurant and accept reservations for parties of up to 6 guests… a $2.50 per person reservation fee will be added to all online reservations to secure your seats. Holiday booking fees may vary.
We do not charge a reservation fee for walk-in guests.
We are delighted to host guests of all ages. Kindly note that high chairs and booster seats are not available, and our dining room cannot accommodate strollers. “
For more information and reservations, click here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
