Kurt Akers "The CEO"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• Steaks & Cigars can rarely go wrong! What can I say, it was my choice to choose the masters dinner and I knew I would not steer the group wrong! Prime & Provisions is a fantastic spot and I know we will be back again. Another successful night with the guys and wouldn’t have it any other way. I did miss Mr. Bill Allen however! Only thing that could of made the night even better. Highlight of my night were the Cigars on the Patio!.

 

Food:  4/5

• Tasty… Tasty…. Tasty…  for appetizers we selected 4 fine dishes. As the first course we had the house flared thick cut bacon (Yum!), tuna tartar, lobster & avocado and some crab cakes I believe. I don’t eat seafood, but it looked good. The thick cut bacon was great and would absolutely get it again. I had the French onion soup as a second course since I missed out on most of the apps. Wow was it cheesy and good.  It filled me up a little too much however. For the main course I had the Dry Aged New York Strip. I was quite pleased with the cut, but it was a tad over charred on the outside for me. I generally like a lite char. Nonetheless it was paired extremely well with roasted garlic and a special house made seasoning. Absolutely loved the garlic addition! The Leche Cake was unreal and a must try!

​

Bar:  4/5

• Most of the boys were a tad late, so Pierce and I had some time to catch-up. Foxy Roxy! Was our server and she was very nice, entertaining and served us well. I had my classic ginger ale as my cocktail (I don’t drink) and rate it a 5/5. It was house made, not to over powering and was perfect to get the night going.  The atmosphere for the bar was a modern touch with a bit of swag, which mirrored the dinning room and flowed nicely.

 

Service:  5/5

• For dinner Brandee was our server and boy did she have a good personality. We got along nicely with her, she provided some good laughter, explained the menu nicely and even tried to guess our nick names. She got a few right and a few wrong, but it was all in good fun.  It was her 5 yr. wedding anniversary and still kept tremendous focus on us. Hope she had fun when she got off work. Only thing that was a little annoying was that my water was filled about 50 times. Both mangers Craig & Patrick greeted us a few times and provided some light conversation. Very charismatic guys and run a tight ship!

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• A beautiful setting and environment to dine in to say the least. Prime had an upscale modern feel to it which I totally digged and could see other steakhouses starting to model their design after them. Décor was aesthetically pleasing and couldn’t notice a thing off about the dinning room. The ceiling had a rounded top with a glowing dimmed light throughout the entire place, which was pretty cool.

 

BONUS:  5/5 Cigars & Patio

• A fantastic addition to a steakhouse, and fit the environment just right. I enjoyed a Montecritso # 2 in a comfy wicker chair while chatting it up with the rest of the masters.  Great way to end our dinner.

​

​

​

Pierce Baron "Mr. Hospitality"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• Char-crusted Filet, Roasted Garlic, and a Toasted dessert does the trick! The 3rd dinner is in the books and “The CEO” did an amazing job finding this Chicago gem! The location (Wacker and LaSalle), ambiance, service, vibe, and layout all make it a MUST visit here in Chicago, when thinking of the best steakhouses! While it is quite the inviting place, it does serve up a mean piece of meat and the sides are no slouch either. The boys and I had a wonderful experience here, and will certainly share our experiences to those beyond the group in the near future!

 

Food:  5/5

• Anytime you have the opportunity to order Maple Glazed, Thick Cut Bacon...do not think twice about ordering it! While it was not the best I ever had, it was a great kick-off to the evening. The Lump Blue Crab & Lobster Cake, as well as, the Lobster & Avocado, Asparagus, Sauce Louie were the appetizers that stuck out the most to me. Both strategically used large chunks of lobster and crab, which made them out-of-sight! The appetizers were a big, big hit for the guys, as they were also fans of the tuna tartare, too. The main course was the absolute highlight of my evening- my order was prepared perfectly! I ordered the Barrel Cut Filet (Medium) with the additional Cold Water Lobster Tail. The filet was cooked to perfection, lightly seasoned, and had a lovely charred crust. There was one welcoming addition on the plate that exceeded my expectations- the roasted garlic clove. It was full of flavor, which was a great addition to the piece of filet, along with the house-made simple seasoning to apply on top.  The flavor of everything combined in each bite was simply extraordinary, which is why it makes Prime and Provisions one of my favorite steaks to date! Our server, Brandee, selected a few desserts that she thought the masters would enjoy and she did not disappoint. The presentation of each was beautiful! The desserts included: Leche Cake, Tableside Smore’s, and Banana Crème Pie. While I was not a fan of the initial or latter, the Smore’s was something I could not keep my hands off of! The dessert was presented as ball of chocolate, over crushed graham crackers, and the server poured hot chocolate over it, which produced a smoke and melted the exterior. Inside were melted marshmallows, fudge, and ice cream. Yum! It was an innovative way to showcase a dessert and tasted like we were sitting by a bonfire roasting up our own! Amazing food overall, and really every phase of the meal did not miss a beat. While it may have been pricey, you pay for the quality of the food here!

 

Bar/Wine List:  5/5

• “The CEO” and myself were the first two who arrived to the cocktail hour and luckily, we found a seat at one of the bar booths. While it was hard to fit all of the masters once they arrived, it did provide a bit of privacy without other groups right on top of us. Roxy, our cocktail server, was very approachable and made sure to continue checking in. I ordered the Old Fashioned, which was well prepared and contained a large ice block.  I ordered another once we were seated for dinner and it was consistent, which was key. The wine list was pretty extensive and contained some great, but pretty expensive, options. We went with Decoy (Duckhorn Wine) Cabernet Sauvignon, which was smooth and full of flavor- even though it was a 2014 wine. Overall, a good-looking menu with above average tasting drinks, but it lacked the “wow” factor that I developed throughout the rest of the evening. One MAJOR bonus of the Bar/Wine Category, which improved the grade to a perfect “5”, was the ability to purchase a Cigar from the “Cigar Box”, which is the in house humidifier. After dinner, my fellow masters and I purchased our cigars (I ordered the MonteCristo #2) and stepped outside in a semi-enclosed area with space heaters. It was a perfect nightcap to the evening and certainly set it far apart from previous and future Steak Master dinners!

 

Service:  5/5

• Service, which is key in the hospitality industry, was without a doubt spot on at Prime and Provisions. It seemed as if they only sought out individuals, who fit the mold of being outgoing, entertaining, and hospitable all in one. That was something I personally noticed, which is always good to see in today’s world because it can simply create repeat business from great service alone. From the start of the night, Roxy was an excellent server at the bar and then led us to our server for dinner, Brandee. She was intrigued by our club and made sure to spend ample time to share specific details of each piece of meat. She told us where it came from, the humanely raised process, and how it is all-natural. She even took the time to play around with us and attempt to guess who was who, based off of the nicknames on the business card. She was incredible, definitely deserves recognition, and will be requested upon future visits. I do not think we could have been more pleased with her selection of desserts that she chose for us. Lastly, I do want to touch on the fact that two different managers (Patrick & Craig) both stopped by our table to ensure we were enjoying our evening and hoped to see our positive reviews online. It was a pleasant surprise to have them stop by and I am certain that all the reviews will be an acknowledgement of the work that takes place at Prime and Provisions

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• The dark tones of the wood designed walls, mixed in with the glowing, yet welcoming, chandelier lighting perfectly set the tone for what I deem as a true “Chicago Steakhouse”. The outside area, where we enjoyed the cigars, was beautifully lit with hanging lights that made for a cozy feel. Even the bar itself had a scenic back lighting to enhance the wood backdrop. The layout was pretty darn spot on to how a steakhouse should look/feel, which will definitely make it hard to beat!

 

​

​

Vince Volpe "Cousin Vinny"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• Prime & Provisions was a great 3rd choice by Kurt and it lived up to all of the hype. Food, drinks, service and ambiance all exceeded our steep expectations.

 

Food:  5/5

• The food portion of our experience was the spotlight of the night. Our meal started of great with a Avocado and lobster salad which was very unique. For the main course I ordered a 18 oz dry aged bone in ribeye cooked medium rare. This steak was cooked perfectly and was seasoned with their house blended salt. It was also accompanied by sautéed garlic which was a very nice addition that I had never had with steak before. Our steaks were paired with great sautéed mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. For wine we drank a 2013 Duckhorn Cabernet which paired nicely with my cut of meat. For dessert we had a creme brûlée cake and a s'mores ice cream cake which was unbelievable.

​

Bar:  3/5

• Our cocktail hour was cut a tad short at this particular dinner. The table we were seated at was a little bit small for the group we had. Our server was very nice and came around a few times in the short time we were there to see if we needed new drinks. The bar itself was pretty empty so we got plenty of attention.

 

Service:  5/5

• Service at the bar was adequate. Our waitress in the dining room was very knowledgeable of the menu and made some great recommendations for appetizers and the wine list. She explained all of the different cuts of steak and provided a in depth description of how the beef was raised. She had a sarcastic sense of humor and was cracking jokes with the table most of the night. When she found out that we were there to review our experience, both managers came over to make sure everything was up to par. The entire restaurant staff educated our group, and provided excellent service throughout the night.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• The dinning room was well lit and decorated very elegantly. The dinning room was about 3/4 full so it wasn't as loud as our previous dinner at Harry Carey's.  

​

​

​

Christian DiVito "Prince Charming"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• Every dinner keeps getting better and better, so far Prime & Provisions has been the best and it will sure be difficult to top.  Although we were missing one of the members this dinner we still had a great night and we will make sure he knows what he missed out on.  The overall experience I had here was excellent and I will definitely be coming back and recommending Prime & Provisions to others.  Although this was the priciest steakhouse we have been to, it was well worth it.

 

Food:  4/5

• All the food was outstanding.  We ordered several appetizers which was great because we were able to try many different flavors before getting to the steaks.  Some of the appetizers we had were the bacon, both lobster dishes, and the tuna tartare.  The bacon was had great flavor but could have been a little more crispier.  The lobster cake and the lobster avocado were both my absolute favorite appetizers.  I love seafood and both these dishes were fantastic, I can’t decide which one I enjoyed more.  After all the appetizers I was afraid I was not going to have enough room for dinner, luckily as soon as I saw my steak I didn't have to worry about that anymore.  While ordering, I was thinking about switching up my typical order but decided I had to go with the bone in rib eye at a newer place like this.  Once again, I was very pleased with my decision.  The steak was cooked perfectly and had a nice char on the outside.  It was the perfect size, not too overwhelming but left me completely stuffed.  I barley added any sides and no sauces to my steak because the rich steak flavor was more than enough.  Lastly, the desserts were brought out and I had to make some room for a couple bites.  I tasted the banana cream pie and chocolate s’more.  The presentation was nice with the chocolate s’more but my favorite dessert was the banana cream pie, I promised my self one bite but I couldn’t help sneaking in one or two more.

​

Bar:  3/5

• I had to give this a lower rating because I showed up a little late and was only able to get one drink from the bar.  I asked for my go-to Makers Mark Manhattan but Roxy must not have heard me ask for it straight up.  The Manhattan was made well but I prefer to not have a large ice cube plopped in there because I feel like it takes away from the taste.  I got another Manhattan at the table, this time is was straight up, and it definitely made up for the first one.  The wine list was a little overwhelming because of the prices so we went with one of the cheaper options.  Although it was the cheapest on the menu it was by no means a cheap wine, it was the Decoy which is one of my dads preferred wines.  It went very well with the steak and didn’t put too big of a dent in the wallet.

 

Service:  5/5

• The service here is what separated this steakhouse from the others we have been to so far. I can’t speak highly enough of the service we experience at Prime & Provisions.  Our waitress, Brandee, was outstanding.  She was very personable and right away struck up a conversation with everyone and asked what the occasion was.  We joked around with her for a little bit but eventually explained to her the main reason why we were at dinner that night.  It seemed to strike her interest because she kept asking questions and even told some of the other staff, including management, our reason for dining that night.  Two of the managers, Craig and Patrick, came out and introduced themselves and wanted to learn more about the CSM.  I know it was a small gesture on their part but I really appreciated it, it made me feel important.  Along with that they sent out a few dessert items on the house, free dessert goes a long way!  At the end of the night Brandee wanted to try and guess who was who based off the CSM business card we gave her with all of our nicknames on it.  It was funny to see her guesses but I have to give her credit because she got mine right! 

 

Ambiance:  5/5

• This place was the perfect combination of a classic steakhouse feel mixed in with a modern touch.  The whole place felt comfortable to me, it had a classy feel but not too proper like Benny’s. I also really enjoyed the cigar collection right by the front bar, it was icing on the cake.  Although I rarely smoke cigars, it was the perfect way to end the evening.  They had a great outside patio that was enclosed enough to keep us warm and enjoy our cigars, very classy.

​

​

​

Mario Carbonaro "Michigan Man"

 

Overall Experience:  5/5

• Prime & Provisions surprised and delighted from the moment I laid eyes upon our lovely cocktail waitress, Roxy. The staff was friendly, informative and inviting as soon as walked in the door and as a steak master, as well as having tried multiple other steakhouses throughout our fair city and the food at Prime and Provision stands toe-to-toe with every single one of them. I would strongly recommend any visitor of The Second City to dine and imbibe at this top notch establishment.

 

Food:  5/5

• I normally don’t like to load up on appetizers at a restaurant when I am as hungry as I was on this night but I am sure glad I did. The tuna tartare was magnificent, but the app that stood out to me was the lobster and avocado. If I were to have one knock against this course it would be that the crab cakes were relatively sub-par. My main course was the dry-aged bone-in Rib Eye, and it was, to this point in my steak career thee best I have had in Chicago. They provided roasted garlic and the temperature, which I requested as Medium Rare-Plus was perfection. We were provided with a combination of spices to add ourselves and this really boosted the flavor profile of the meat.

​

Bar:  4/5

• Having been running late from work I was only able to enjoy the one cocktail at the bar but our server, Roxy, made the experience enjoyable for the several minutes I was there. The bar area was well decorated and had a great energy about it. My only reason for not giving a 5 was the amount of time spent.

 

Service:  4/5

• Brandee came out a little slow but as she warmed up to us, we warmed up to her. She enjoyed our groups mission and had some fun guessing which master was which. The management was also quite accommodating as they learned of the masters and why were chose their restaurant. They even went above and beyond and provided us with some deserts on the house.

 

Ambiance:  4/5

• Although it was clear that this was a fine dinning establishment I was not in love with the atmosphere in the main dining area. This could have been because of our proximity to the kitchen.

​

​

​

Michael Dotson "Man Dime"

 

Overall Experience:  4/5

• Having attended our first two steak masters dinners I now had a belter idea of what to expect. Thankfully the restaurant wasn’t too packed when the group walked in and I think this allowed us to get a better feel for the whole experience Prime & Provisions had to offer. Overall I cannot say enough about what a joyous dinner this was. The minute we walked in we were greeted with a smile and directed to our booth at the bar. The wait staff was some of the best we have dealt with and Brandee especially was sharp as a tack and able to accompany all of our needs. We even had the pleasure to meet the manager, Patrick O’Donoghue, who saw to it we were well taken care of. I really cannot say enough about this experience as a whole.

 

Food:  5/5

• The food at Prime & Provisions may have been my favorite to date. From the appetizers to the deserts, and everything in between, the entire meal was sublime and I think left us all wanting to come back. Starting with out appetizers, the thick cut bacon is an absolute must. Other restaurants offer a similar option but none compare to the absolute perfect cut of pork belly with just the right amount of sweetness. The lobster and avocado, asparagus, sauce Louie was very fresh as well and a nice accompaniment to our first round of dishes. Per usual, I continued with tradition and ordered the dry-age bone-in rib eye, medium rare plus. One thing our server (Brandee) mentioned they don’t like to add too much seasoning to the steaks before cooking as it takes away from the flavor. Therefore, each steak is served with a clove of cooked garlic and steak seasoning is provided at the table to add to your liking. The side of garlic was honestly something I have never been served before with my steak but moving forward I may end up requesting it everywhere I go because of what flavor it added to the meat. My steak was cooked to absolute perfection with just the right amount of char. I was thoroughly impressed with the meal up until this point and then dessert was served…I don’t think any of the group was prepared for what was in store. The delivery of the tableside smores was an absolute pageant. It comes out in what looks like a milk chocolate ball on a bed of graham cracker until the server pours melted chocolate on it and the sphere opens to smoke pouring out. It was just another unexpected addition to an already perfect dinner.

​

Bar:  5/5

• Contrary to some of the other establishments we have attended, the bar area was very warm and quaint. I didn’t feel crammed and  the group had more than enough space to enjoy their cocktails prior to us being seated for dinner. Our server, Roxy, was extremely knowledge on the different house cocktails and suggested a few we would like to get use started. She absolutely knocked it out of the park too.

​

Ambiance:  4/5

• Prime & Provisions encompasses modern feel with their ambient lighting while still maintaining a traditional feel with white table clothes. There is a noticeable rustic tone throughout the bar and dining room accented by the wooden décor and flooring. I very much enjoy a more modern feel to their dining room. I feel traditional steakhouses, while they have their place, also maintain a degree of pomposity that can be very hit or miss at times.

​

BONUS:  4/5 Cigar Lounge

• Having not eaten at Prime & Provisions before I was unaware of the cigar lounge they offered out in front of the restaurant.  The bar had a small humidor with a number of cigar selections based on ones preference. This was a wonderful addition and a great way to top off the night.