Pierce Baron "Mr. Hospitality"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• Benny’s Chop House was an excellent choice for the first Chicago Steak Masters outing! From its great location, excellent service, and elegant charm, it truly embodies a fine steakhouse. This was the first “steakhouse” I went to when I came to Chicago back in 2010, and had the opportunity now to share this location with the group, and was quite an honor to do so with such a great group of friends. Its brick architecture and vertical sign outside may not appeal to others just like some restaurants do, you cannot let it fool you, just entering inside you can tell it is one of the best the city has to offer! The drinks, ambiance, service, and of course the food, all add to the experience at Benny’s and let me tell you—this experience was no different in adding to my favorite steakhouse in the city of Chicago. 

 

Food:  4/5

• When at Benny’s you better be prepared for all sorts of creativity that comes from the kitchen. We had a server Alexander (more on him later) who made some immediate recommendations for starters for the table, and one that my father and I knew all too well—the Seafood Tower. Towered upon ice, the fresh shrimp, lobster, and crab sets the mood for the table that this place is not messing around! In accommodating 9 masters, of course we needed two! Next, I insisted on something that has been changed over time in its presentation but that I needed to order to have the group experience. This is Benny’s own maple glazed bacon (referred to as the Chop House Bacon) that used to be full slabs of pork belly, and since has been cut into pieces to be served table sized. The texture, char, and smoky flavor are out of sight! The bacon simply melts in your mouth! Back to my normal train of thought after talking about that bacon… I knew I needed to try some sort of smaller salad. I ordered a Caprese Salad with some extremely whipped mozzarella. The freshness and flavor in the mozzarella caught me by surprise and mixed together with the heirloom tomato and balsamic drizzle sealed the deal. This certainly will be ordered again! Most everyone seemed to enjoy their salads and I am sure will document that to be true. Moving on the moment we came for… the red meat! When browsing the menu there are so many options to choose from and Benny’s does a great job of having some of the best cuts available, as well as, dry aged beef. I stayed away from my normal “surf-n-turf” and decided to order a 16oz. bone-in filet.  Upon receiving the steak, I did my analysis of the presentation and it was the “centerpiece” of the plate with a simple artsy touch to compliment it. The first cut and bite were full of juice and tenderness by the bone but something was missing. Don’t get me wrong it was something I would order again, but maybe not what I expected. The juice and flavor to me lacked somewhat of a char on the outside that would have complimented it nicely. While ordering medium could be frowned upon, I thought it would be just enough flavor, but did run dry in spots away from the bone. The sides were above and beyond! The creamed corn is a favorite of mine, as it is almost a grilled corn in just the right amount of the creamy sauce.  Also the grilled asparagus was cooked to perfection and had a great char. By the time the dessert menu came around I was beyond full, but who could resist dessert at Benny’s? While others enjoyed Crème Brule and S’mores Cheesecake, I for one took much liking to the slice of chocolate, or how I would recall it, a little slice of heaven. The cake melted in my mouth and was extremely moist. Food was great as always, just may have needed to stick to my guns on the main course option, although venturing out never hurts. Steaks all are reasonably priced compared to some places in the city, and truly is a favorite of mine.

 

Bar/Wine List:  4/5

• This could have been a 5 for me, but I hope I have that experience with my fellow Steak Masters soon at a place of their choosing. Tucked away to the right of the entrance, this long bar is an area I really have not spent much time in. It is very welcoming and the bartenders (Tom & John) were a delight to chat with and watch as they performed their magic. The area has some high boy tables for dining and a piano with live music being performed, and we did make sure we got some Sinatra going just for the masters! I ordered a makers on the rocks, but the real magic was in the bartenders as they created what to me was a neat twist on the Old Fashioned cocktail. After making and pouring the drink into the glass, Tom & John would burn the back of the orange peel and rub that around the rim of the glass. That added hint of orange was very appealing and I almost ordered one after having two earlier in the day! Prince Charming (Christian DiVitio) ordered a Makers Manhattan- Up, and after allowing me a sip, it was my choice of drink to bring to the table to start dinner. The gentleman at the bar were great to us, remembered our orders, were working as a team, and made us feel special in having the time to chat with us while the bar was filled and they were still getting everyone drinks. Very Impressive! The only issue with the bar outside of me covering the tab on the inaugural dinner was the lack of space between the bar and where the tables started. Too many times during great conversation amongst Masters we had to make way for oncoming traffic. One minor flaw in otherwise a great space! Alexander presented the wine list at dinner to us upon sitting down and it was extensive. Probably one of the most broad lists I have had the privilege of seeing and I politely allowed The Chairman to take over ordering duties.  With the thought of a nice red and steak I proposed some option of Cabernet and my father chose a couple bottles of Mt. Brave Napa (MT. Veeder area). This was a full and savory red wine that paired excellently with my filet, as it almost seemed to provide that extra kick that I needed. The pricing on the wine list is a little excessive and no corkage is allowed at Benny’s Chop House.

 

Service:  4/5

• The combination of our servers did a good job in keeping the table happy and never having to reach out to let them know if we were ready to order something. Alexander great at feeling the need to explain certain options of the menu to the masters, but sometimes it was just too loud or he was too quiet to hear. He had a French accent which also may have allowed for my inability to hear fully. In all, he did his job to serve the table but did become a bit pushy in terms of how many sides, but then again, he may know the group size and what works better than us. He ended up being right on the side amount but that was one thing that did stand out to me a bit. The service in the bar with Tom & John was unbelievable. Class act guys who were down to earth, explaining drinks, and being able to hold conversation with us. They kept the whole group engaged with their skill and from being a former bartender myself, witnessed how great it would be to work in such an awesome environment. Lastly, the pianist whose name slipped my mind was accommodating in allowing us to have her play a Frank Sinatra tune, which was neat!

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• Maybe I am giving an unfair grade here, but the outside of the building appearance, probably does not attract people. I am truly lucky I had a dog-named Benny (R.I.P.) that inked my parents into trying this place six years ago while staying at Trump. The inside is full of dark polished wood and some great feel for a steak house, but really can be cramped, whether at the bar or sitting in the main dining room. The interior has a truly traditional feel and does make you feel in a formal setting. The table was awkwardly put next to bar divider that happened to be next to me. The idea of these places adding as many tables to just fit as many people as possible comes to mind and kind of drew me by surprise because I was told we would be having a corner table, which would avoid this feeling. Also , with how big our table was and the noise of the being where we were, it was hard to listen fully to everyone.

 

​

​

​

Billy Allen "Captain"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• I have been enjoying the chops and drinks at Benny’s for over 5 years. I usually visit for dinner twice a year and working in River North allows me to get to lunch quite frequently. Benny’s has never disappointed and I have tried a vast majority of the menu. Since this was the inaugural dinner for our group, I was very excited to get together with friends and share a great meal. Like always, the staff was very helpful and accommodated all of our requests. We could not have picked a better place for our inaugural get-together.

 

Food:  5/5

• I have tried a variety of cuts at Benny’s Chop House over the years. The extensiveness of the menu can at times be overwhelming, but in a good way. There is a cut on the menu for everyone regardless of your appetite. For our appetizer, we all went with two orders of the shellfish tower. It included lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, crab & etc.  It was very fresh and one of the better seafood towers I have had. The presentation was great and I had more than my fill. The seafood was followed by the Maple Glazed Bacon. This is a must at Benny’s. Truly unlike anything I have seen offered at other chophouses. For my main course I went with the 8 oz fillet cut.  After the amount of appetizers, I didn’t think I could eat anything else. The fillet was cooked to perfection. Tons of flavor and the perfect amount of food I was looking for. Usually I tend to look at a bone in cut, but I couldn’t have been happier with my selection.

​

Bar:  4/5

• My only complaint with the bar experience is that we were caught right in the middle of traffic for food delivery for patrons in the bar seating. That being said, the drinks were awesome and it was great we were all able to mingle at the bar and a few small tables. This gave everyone time to talk with one another and catch up. It was great because it allowed for everyone to meet Ron and get to talk with Mr. Baron. Also, the piano player in the background set the mood for a great evening with friends, food & drinks.

 

Service:  4/5

• Alexander was great. He was very helpful and his support staff was very on point. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Mr. Baron throughout the evening. I could tell there was some disconnect between Alexander and Mr. B when it came to ordering the wine. Although I was not paying much attention, there was definitely some miscommunication because he had to keep coming back and forth. Other than that, he was very helpful and on par with the high standards Benny’s hold their servers to.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• The dining room is really the highlight of the restaurant. The décor fit the overall feel of what Benny’s theme is. Everything is clean and well maintained. We were at a large table that made it difficult to connect with other members across from you. With the size of our group, I don’t think anything really could have been done to avoid it. We were given plenty of room and I didn’t feel cramped or on top of anyone. As discussed before, the bar set the tone for the night. The piano was wonderful and we had a great time together in our first Steak Masters dinner.

​

​

​

​

Kurt Akers "The CEO"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• An amazing display of seafood combinations with King Crab, Lobster & Shrimp lay across fresh ice in marvelous silver buckets. This indeed lightened up the eyes of my fellow masters.  I tried the maple pork belly bacon appetizer, which was cooked to perfection and tasted phenomenally! It hit me just right and wanting seconds. (This is a must try)

 

Food:  4/5

• My main course was the Traditional Section Filet Mignon 8oz cooked at a temperature of medium.  I felt my filet was cooked correctly, and just how I like it. It did however lack a little bit of the flavors I was looking for as they we not as strong as I traditionally like. Never the less it was solid filet. An ample amount of sides to choose from on the menu, which provided great variety for us! The cream summer corn was very tasty, the seasonal mushrooms were a bit cold and lacked the right flavors to pair with my steak (disappointed about this) & the asparagus with hollandaise sauce was enjoyable. An interesting twist on cheesecake sparked my eyes when I saw a S’mores Cheesecake option. An elegant display and a sweet and crunchy taste to it. The Crème Brulee, another elegant display was rich and plenty to go around. The crispy sugar top was perfect and the taste of crème was yummy.  Must have!

​

Bar:  4/5

• The bar area was nicely set up and the initial bartender I had provided great service.  The seats were comfortable and sturdy. A live piano player was setting the mood on this lovely night and did a good job entertaining us. Since I am not a drinker, I usually go with a Ginger Ale or Club Soda.  I started with a tasty Club Soda & Lime, it had good bubbles and the lime seemed quite fresh as well. There seemed to be an ample amount of room for patrons to sit, but I was a little disappointed with the amount of people in t-shirts. My Ginger Ale at dinner was tasty, but was missing a little bit of carbonation to it. The flavors associated to it were nice on the pallet and seemed to me like it was house made.

 

Service:  5/5

• The service of our waiter (Alex I believe) and assistants we had was top notch. He went above and beyond explaining the menu to us and his recommendations. He was certainly well qualified and provided a great rapport with our group, even providing some history on geography that was a topic of conversation our group had.  He was very detailed at making sure he got our orders correct and verified. My pet peeve is when an order is not written down, Alexander made sure he had it written down.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• A table of 9 we were on this night, the mood where we sat was nicely set, but the noise level rose quickly around us, which took away from the more intimate experience I would have expected. A disappointment of mine was the temperature in the room, being quite cold on my side, it was noticeably chilly and took part of the experience away from my dinner.  The décor and music was on point and enhanced the ambiance, one would expect.

​

​

​

​

Mario Carbonaro "Michigan Man"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• The evening was an absolute success from the moment we walked up to the bar and began to greet one another. A true Chicago Steakhouse, Benny’s was a wonderful place to hold our inaugural Chicago Steak Master’s dinner and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all had a great time and enjoyed spending a nice evening amongst our fellow master’s as well as our visiting founders, The Chairman and RonZ!

 

Food:  4/5

• Having the luxury of being a Benny’s veteran I was aware that there would a significant amount of food being passed around amongst each other. Benny’s offers one of the most extensive steak lists I have ever seen. Before we get to the steaks I should mention the variety of sides and accompaniment’s we enjoyed. We began with two seafood towers with oysters, lobster, shrimp and more which was excellent. A true favorite of mine, the maple glazed bacon, although altered from its usual state was still superbly done and enjoyed by all.  My steak choice for the evening was the dry-aged bone-in rib eye. The flavor was incredible from the first bite and it truly was one of the better steaks I have enjoyed in recent memory. After our entrees were completed we enjoyed several desserts and coffee/espresso. The crème brulee was perfectly charred on top and its consistency was great underneath. All of the dishes and sides were fantastic and I can’t wait to go back.

​

Bar:  4/5

• Upon arriving at Benny’s, one of my favorite steak purveyors in the city, I was excited to see our jovial group beginning to imbibe at the bar. Although there was a bit of congestion in the bar area we were attended to rather quickly and served. The bar area featured a pianist who was gracious enough to play several requests issued by the Masters. My order, as well as The Man Dime and Cousin Vinny, was a Makers’ Old Fashioned.  Our cocktails were crafted to perfection. Considering myself somewhat of an Old Fashioned connoisseur I was happily surprised to see the bartenders Tom and John mix things up and burn the back of an orange peel and run it around the edge of the glass. The bartending staff was extraordinarily accommodating and attentive. The only true negative of the bar area itself was the congestion of patrons and wait staff going back and forth. Being a burgeoning wine fan I was excited to see what choice our Northern California founder, The Chairman would choose. The wine of choice, the 2012 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon, paired beautifully with my steak and I believe most of the masters agreed. 

 

Service:  4/5

• The service was at times almost a 5 and at other times as low as a 3. Alexander and his team were very knowledgeable in regards to the menu and specials. At times it seemed like perhaps he was recommending more than what was needed but we ended up making use of all of his recommendations. Alexander did have a bit of an accent and spoke quickly at times, as well as sometimes being hard to hear, possibly due to the packed dining area. Aside from that, he and the rest of the supporting staff were kind and helpful all evening.  

 

Ambiance:  3/5

• I have never been a fan of dark dining areas at all so perhaps my predisposition adversely brings down this score but Benny’s features a rather dark dining room and at times was a bit loud. Also, I feel that perhaps they have too many tables. I am all for commerce but jamming that many people into what is otherwise such a beautiful restaurant could tarnish someone’s experience.

​

​

​

​

Christian DiVito "Prince Charming"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• This was the first time I was at Benny's chop house and I thought it was a perfect place to have our first Chicago Steak Masters dinner. Overall I had a great experience!

 

Food:  4/5

• The dish that stood out to me the most was the pork belly. It was outstanding, crispy on the outside and the center felt like it melted in my mouth.  I really enjoyed the seafood towers and almost cut my fingers on the lobster claw because I couldn't get to the meat fast enough.  I went with the bone in ribeye and the flavor was about as good as it gets! I went with the meat cooked medium, but I feel like I should have gone medium rare here because I would have liked it a tad more rare.  I like to keep my sides simple, asparagus and mushrooms, and they both complimented the meat perfectly. I was so stuffed I barely had room for dessert but I had to taste the smores cheesecake. It was a perfect way to finish off the night.

​

Bar:  3/5

• I really enjoyed the live music in the front bar, especially the Frank Sinatra songs, recommended by The Chairman. There was however, a lot of traffic going back in forth in the front bar that was causing us to constantly move out of the way. You had to make sure your head was always on a swivel.  I ordered a Makers Mark Manhattan and it was exactly the way I like it, strong whisky taste with just a hint of sweet vermouth. 

 

Service:  5/5

• Our waiter, Alexander, was very knowledgable and helpful throughout the whole night. He was there when you needed him but was not constantly hovering over my shoulder, which can become very distracting. He was very helpful while we were ordering dessert. 

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• The ambiance was exactly how a Chicago steak house should feel, cold crisp air with that rich food smell. I especially enjoyed the large round table we sat at, it makes it easy to converse with everybody at the table. Everybody there seemed to be enjoying themselves which makes it an easygoing night. We were one of the last parties in the restaurant, which I'm sure won't be the last time, and the night was filled with loud laughs and interesting stories. All I can say is I am looking forward to our next dinner!

​

​

​

​

Mike Dotson "Man Dime"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• I've had the pleasure of being a dining at Benny's a few times and couldn't think of a better place for the inaugural dinner. The overall theme paired with the different cuts of steak and of course the sides will leave you in awe and fully satisfied. 

 

Food:  5/5

• The menu at Benny's is very extensive and does not spare any details. From the appetizers to the Entrees, the sides, and everything in between you surely cannot make a wrong decision. For appetizers we couldn't resist the seafood tower, which came highly recommended from our server Alexander. We also ordered the thick cut bacon which is a house speciality and could be my favorite dish on the menu aside from the steaks of course. I've had a few cuts at Benny's but prefer the Bone-in ribeye over most. It arrived medium rare and perfectly marbled. Having experienced many a steaks and steakhouses. The bone-in ribeye at Benny's is as close to perfection as it comes.

​

Bar:  4/5

• The bar may have been the only downside to our experience. It seemed like every second we turned around to talk to one another there was another cart or tray walking passed us which required the group to move around a lot. However, the cocktails and bartender made up for the lack of space and helped boost the score. The piano player in the background did. 

 

Service:  5/5

• Aside from the steak, the service is arguably the most important aspect of an experience at any restaurant. Our waiter, Alexander, along with his wait staff, did a flawless job of making sure our experience was absolute perfection. Alexander himself was very knowledgeable on the menu and did a wonderful job of recommending everything from wine to different cuts and everything in between. This was essentially the most important part of the experience for me and once again Benny's held to its reputation and blew me away! 

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• The theme of Benny's mirrors what a typical up-scale, old style steak house embodies. The decor paired with the overall theme and helped to really tie the dining room together, which of course was the highlight of the evening (aside from the thick cut bacon). Overall, the feel of Benny's was very warm and was the perfect setting for our inaugural dinner.

​

​

​

​

Vince Volpe "Cousin Vinny"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• From start to finish, the experience at Benny's is first class. One of the better steaks I've had and the service was very attentive to the needs of every member of the group. 

 

Food:  5/5

• We started off dinner with 2 massive seafood towers. Not many things better than eating fresh seafood on a hot summer night. I can't imagine many steaks in the city that are better than Benny's. I ordered a bone-in Rib eye cooked medium rare. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly. This was accompanied by sides of spinach, mushrooms, mashed potatoes and Mac and cheese which were all delicious. For dessert we shared a triage of dishes that paired very well with the espresso that I ordered as a night cap.

​

Bar:  4/5

• The bar is very nicely decorated with a dark decorum spotlighted by the bright backdrop of the bar. The piano was in full swing and the musician on the keys was playing some of my favorite Sinatra classics. I ordered 2 old fashions with makers mark which were a little sweet for my taste. We had a nice full bodied red wine at dinner which paired very well with bloody steak that I consumed .

 

Service:  5/5

• The wait staff followed the lead of Alexander who knew the menu like the back of his hand.  He made some great recommendations for cuts of steak and appetizer choices. The staff made sure everyones cocktails were replenished, which is a hard task for our group.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• The dark theme of the restaurant played into the old steak House vibe. The subtle piano music complemented the waves of conversation from each table. The round table set up made it easy to take in the stories and reminiscing of each group member. At times the darkness made it hard to read menu items or see across the room. 

​

​

​

​

Bill Baron "The Chairman" - Visiting SVSM Member

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• I've been enjoying Benny's for nearly 6 years now and continues to be one of my favorite spots in Chicago.  I'm thrilled that the first affiliate club of the Silicon Valley Steak Masters crowned "Chicago Steak Masters" inaugural dinner was held at Benny's.  In its quest to experience and review the finest chop houses the Windy City has to offer, Chicago Steak Masters pick of Benny's was a perfect place to start and it was awesome to participate. Benny's has great people, excellent food, and a super setting.  It's a local favorite and also one that I regularly visit when in the great city of Chicago.

 

Food:  5/5

• Benny's Chop House has one of the most extensive steak offering menus in the Windy City.  I ordered the Dry-Aged New York, but not before I split a classic wedge with my Silicon Valley Steak Master travel mate, RonZ.  The salad was perfect.  The table also enjoyed two seafood towers that included monster prawns, lobster, oysters, etc... a great starter and presentation. As to my main course, I'm a simple guy, so all I really care about is the meat on my plate.  I ordered my Dry-Aged NY medium-rare and it came out absolutely perfect.  I can't think of a time that I have had such a wonderful, perfectly flavored cut of meat.  While there are other selections, the Dry-Aged is the way to go.  Big flavor indeed.  While the CSMs ordered several sides, I enjoyed only the steamed spinach and the creamed corn.  Both were very, very good. 

​

Bar:  4/5

• I was prepared to give a 3 on this as there was a ton of commotion as a result of several food carts being rolled to and fro servicing tables located at the far end of the bar.  Given that the isle way for this activity runs close to and parallel to the physical bar, our group--that was standing at the bar--found itself having to regularly shift from side to side to make room.  The reason I didn't score the bar as low as 3 is because there was a lovely female piano player who was playing beautiful music--and when asked and graciously tipped to play Sinatra, she did with a smile!  Moreover, my Tito's Martini was fantastic and the setting was cool. Benny's wine list is also near second to none.  We enjoyed a hearty Napa Valley (Mt. Veeder region) Mt. Brave Cab.  It was excellent and perfect with the NY.

 

Service:  4/5

• Our server was very good and his team of table support was wildly capable, efficient and pleasant.  The only thing I felt a bit uncomfortable with was a feeling when ordering the wine that I was being up-sold.  I settled on what I wanted because I like it.  Though not related to "service" per se, the other thing I am not a fan of is that Benny's does not allow wines brought in, period.  No corkage even if the bottle/brand is not on their very extensive menu.  I get it, I really do--but I'm just not partial to their policy as so strictly constructed.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• The dining room is outstanding. Dark, rich wood walls, comfortable chairs, clean restrooms.  All pluses.  My earlier comments about the bar, during our particular night and for our particular sized group just didn't feel right.  The host/hostesses should have provided a small, dedicated area for us in the otherwise good sized bar for the Chicago Steak Masters to enjoy.  A minor issue overall, however.

​

​

​

​

Ron Zraick "RonZ" - Visiting SVSM Member

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• How can a trip to Chicago with my best friend for the inaugural Chicago Steak Masters dinner be anything but a 5!!! In the land of a thousand steakhouses, Benny’s Chop House is a gem.  Located just down the street from the Trump Tower in the Near North Side Benny’s is an old world chop house with a full diverse menu, fantastic bar, extensive wine list and interesting interior. 

 

Food:  4/5

• Benny’s has an extensive menu of steaks, chops, and seafood.  Deciding on an entrée is difficult.  For an appetizer, we went with a couple of orders of the shellfish tower, a large tiered presentation of shellfish including lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, and crab and a couple of orders of Benny’s famous Chop House Maple Glazed Bacon. The shellfish were fresh and crisp and refreshing and are always a great way to start off a steak dinner. But the star appetizer was the Maple Glazed Bacon, which was more like pork belly with a delicious, sweet maple glaze. The pork melted in your mouth. Fantastic, but definitely double up on the statin drugs afterwards. After the appetizers came a half order of the Benny’s wedge salad.  I love a good wedge salad and this one was no exception.  A classic wedge with crisp iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and just the right amount of dressing.  For an entrée, I chose the 7 oz. filet mignon.  I love Benny’s pork chop and veal chop, but after the appetizers and salad, I was running out of stomach real estate and decided to go for a smaller steak.  It turned out to be a great choice.  The filet was cooked to a perfect medium rare and had a delicious, subtle salt and black pepper coating on the outside that enhanced the flavor of the meat.  One of the raps on filet mignon is that the cut is not as flavorful as other cuts of beef.  Not so with this outstanding tender, juicy, prime, natural cut.  Delicious and gone!!! Benny’s has an amazing list of side dishes, and we settled on five: creamed summer corn, goat cheese potato croquets, asparagus with hollandaise, sautéed spinach and sautéed mushrooms.  The potato croquets and the creamed corn were very different and delicious.  For dessert we ordered a s’mores cheesecake, crème brulee and chocolate layer cake to share.  Another memorable meal.

 

Bar:  4/5    Wine List:  4/5

• The bar at Benny’s was a treat.  We were able to get enough seats at the bar so we could all sit or stand one deep at the bar.  It was a little narrow so other diners were constantly walking between our group.  A little annoying but the bartenders Tom and John (great Midwest names) made up for it by being very attentive and mixing great drinks. There was an ample selection of whiskey, and I opted for my usual pre-meal bourbon on the rocks. A piano player/vocalist, Lynn Hilton, plays there on Fridays and her rich vocals and piano playing added a really cool vibe to the bar. She played mostly old classics.  Of course, the Chairman requested, and got, Sinatra.  The wine at dinner was outstanding.  The Chairman chose a 2012 Mt Brave Cabernet Sauvignon a blend consisting of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec.  The Mt. Brave vineyard is located in the Mount Veeder AVA in the Napa Valley.  This was the first time I tried this smooth yet robust wine, but am familiar with the Mount Veeder AVA, located about 1,500 feet above the Napa Valley as it is home to one of my favorite cabernet sauvignon vineyards: Cuvaison’s Brandlin Vineyard.

 

Service:  4/5

• Our server Alexander was more of a floor manager than a waiter.  He was attentive and knew the menu very well.  He was supported by a very good wait staff.  The best thing I can say about the service is that I really didn’t notice the service.  It was smooth, the courses were very well paced and we never wanted for anything.  Sometimes the best service is the service you don’t notice.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• The interior of Benny’s is really fantastic.  It combines the décor of a traditional steak house with some of the most interesting lighting fixtures and wonderful, colorful abstract modern artwork.  And it works, creating a very warm, inviting environment.  A little loud during the dinner rush, but bustling and energetic.  Of course, Benny’s is in Chicago!!  Which in and of itself adds to the ambiance!!!