Last night was my first time at Al's Steakhouse, and honestly... I'm a little embarrassed it took me this long to go. Four girlfriends and I rolled in for a girls' night dressed like mafia wives because obviously and the vibe at Al's matched the theme perfectly. Dark wood everywhere, dim lighting, cozy booths made for long conversations, and that old-school steakhouse feel where you half expect someone in the corner to be quietly making "important business decisions." Absolute classic. Now the food... wow. Every one of us ordered the petite filet, and they were cooked perfectly. We had twice-baked potatoes, Greek potatoes, salad, and soup, and not a single thing disappointed. I added lobster to my steak and it was not one of those sad little add-ons either it was a legit, perfectly cooked lobster and absolutely delicious. The service was just as good as the food. Our waiter was fantastic, attentive without hovering, and the front-of-house staff were warm and welcoming from the moment we walked in. Between the incredible food, the classic steakhouse atmosphere, and a table full of mafia wives enjoying their steaks and martinis, it made for the perfect girls' night. 10/10. No notes. Al's... we'll definitely be back. Next time the crew might be bigger. read more

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I ordered the petit fillet, and my wife had the chicken marsala. My fillet was cooked to order, but didn't have a whole lot of taste to it, my wife said her meal was bland. They might need to work on their sous chef skills. My old-fashioned was great and my wife had a glass of wine. The atmosphere was great and the surface was great, but it seemed to be a bit overpriced before the quality of the. Seasoning. read more

We had halibut and filet mignon. They were both cooked perfectly. The staff from the moment you walk in until your done was always polite and always checking on us. read more

Celebrate Moms birthday here occasionally, went last night for the first time in a few years. Arrived at 630 with a reservation for 9. Our waitress was very nice but she was overwhelmed and the service was not good. Forgotten drink orders, appetizers, mixed up meals, etc. I will say the food was very good and cooked perfectly. But... don't bother with the clam chowder, it was canned. Terrible, no flavor. I'm pretty sure we will not be back. read more

We have been there often and never disappointed. Great service, welcoming receptionist and outstanding food. Good choices on the menu. It's an old fashion steakhouse with updated menu. Recently we celebrated a birthday there and everyone was pleased with the food and service. Keep up the good work, Al's. read more

Oof. What an expensive not-good meal. We frequent steak houses all over the country and this place should be skipped. The only good part of the meal was the pre-entree Caesar salad. The filet + lobster were both overcooked and the lobster could not have been fresh...and we were then charged $70 just for it. We gently gave this feedback and it was...basically ignored. Ugh. read more

The food is very good. The service is excellent. It doesn't look like much from the outside but the inside takes you back to a time when restaurant seating was comfortable and fostered conversation. George the owner bought our table of 6 a drink (the main course might have been a little late but we barely noticed). Highly recommend Al's! read more

We went tonight for New Years Eve and can say we have never been so nickel and dimed for a holiday meal. Entrees were around $50 but they charged us $1.25 for salad dressing. I can understand specialty dressing but blue cheese?!?! Our waitress literally picked up a potato off of one of our plates with her bare hands and then picked it up again off the cart and put it back on the plate. Yuck! We had to ask several times for drinks and we never did see the bbq sauce we asked for the ribs. Finally there was a guy walking around seating people that was militant with an aggressive demeanor which made guests uncomfortable. Not the way we wanted to end 2025. Will not be going back! read more

We went there on 11/3 and we had a large group of 25 people. Our servers Sheila and Dan were awesome. Food tasted great. I had the New York Steak it was cooked to perfection, and the baked potato was delicious. The manager/ hostess Kim was very accommodating and a delight to deal with. I would highly recommend. read more

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My family hosted a very special birthday party for me in a private room at Al's with 35 guests. Kim, Maggie and George were so good to work with and provided excellent service. The food was delicious, served well and each order prepared as requested. All of the special requests were honored with space for displaying photographs and an area for the violinist who entertained during the entire event. Al's is a well known restaurant that everyone was pleased to be invited to. read more

With so many great steak houses in Chicago, why would we go to Joliet? Well, let me tell you about Al's! It's a "throw back" to a great, "destination" dinner club. We walk in & the place was packed! *It used to be one of my dates' old haunts some years ago. Everyone knew his name & treated us like family. We were wanting to "catch up" so were offered a quiet, more intimate, booth in the bar. Jennifer, our server, was so nice as she explained the menu & described in depth each special. George, the owner stopped by to introduce himself to me & say hello to my date. Again, so nice & gracious! George is Greek & that was a big part of my decision making process for my entree. My date went with the Chicken Marsala & I got The Rack of Lamb. Rare. We started with salads which I got kidney beans on the side. So delicious! Homemade ranch dressing I could've drank with a spoon! The kidney beans were fresh & served with a sweet vinegarette & fresh chopped onion. I've never had kidney beans like that & I'm here for it! We did get there at 9:00pm & Al's closed at 10:00pm. We were never rushed nor felt hurried! Let me tell you, when that rack of Lamb was presented, I sat up a little taller in the booth! The presentation was great! A double baked potato & the Rack of Lamb. No flash! No paper on the legs... a little mint jelly & the mustard/breadcrumb crusted/coated Rack of Lamb! "Chef's kiss!" So delicious! My date got the chicken Marsala which he promised was phenomenal (I'm allergic to mushrooms so I didn't take a chance to try)! It was smothered in mushrooms the way it ought to be! I got about 1/2 way through my meal & my date devoured his. I'm not a big drinker & certainly don't drink & drive as I had to head back to the City... we were offered dessert. Too full to entertain dessert, the server took my plate to wrap my remaining dinner "to go."! We asked for the check & when I'm was presenting with my "to go," I found a couple of slices of carrot cake in my bag! I love carrot cake done right & they do it justice! I just heated up my remaining Rack of Lamb" so I'm going to wrap this review up... If you find yourself near or in Joliet or want to get out of the City for a change of pace, go say hello to Jennifer, our server, or George, the owner of Al's Steakhouse! I highly recommend! read more

Al's Steak House - My "to go" food on Sunday The Rack of Lamb - Steakhouses Near Me - Joliet, Illinois

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My family went here for the first time, and we enjoyed it! The service was good, the food was delicious, and the rice pudding and espresso martini were a perfect ending to a great meal! read more

Al's always delivers. The restaurant is a Joliet staple having been around since the early 60"s and named for its founder Al Cookas.

food is good, atmosphere is upscale, service can be questionable overall good place to go for a special occasion read more

Food is just OK. Nothing special. Appetizers were good (stuffed mushroom and oysters) I got the pepper steak- very salty and not much other flavor Bread cold. Overall just very average read more

Had the Steak Diane. Delicious. Service was excellent. Lovely atmosphere conducive to good conversation!!

Good food,pleasant service,couls use a bit more light. When the salad bar is available, it has a bountiful variety.

Great for group dinners for sure! We had party of 25 and they did a great job. Everyone enjoyed their entrees and dessert options!

Like a fool I ordered seafood in a steak restaurant! Got the king crab legs they had no flavor just watery and mushy. It's my own fault I should have spoke up. The price was 92 dollars!!! We were celebrating our 52nd wedding anniversary. Oh well. Service was good. Ambiance was nice. But a bad choice on my part. Live and learn!! read more

Nah. A tasteless, seasoned-less, flavorless experience. I should have known when the waitress brought my Old Fashioned , which tasted like a flat Sprite, that this would not end well. Whoever cooked the food literally didn't put any effort into the quality , taste , nor presentation. read more

So sorry but this place has gone SERIOUSLY DOWN HILL! four of us ate I was the Only One who drank (2 glasses of wine) our bill was 298.00! Not quality meat at all, husband had prime rib dry and old. I attempted to enjoy a lobster tail!!! Yuck dry warm at best not hot. As well as appetizers were ridiculously small! Stuffed mushrooms were cold! Dble baked potatoes was clearly made hours and hours before not hit! Waiter was pushy (to flip table) gotta understand many of us have also been in the industry at one time....never ever will return! Lost all quality , many many years ago we attempted a Mother's Day brunch as well. Got there at 2 o'clock had no more shrimp. We're not bringing any other food items out. Absolutely a horrible place for the prices. Ridiculously overpriced for Joliet Illinois. Come on people. We're not in Chicago. I see this place closing within one year I promise you not worth it anymore. Better off going to Texas roadhouse and Joliet least you get a quality steak and hot bread. Nobody wants cold food for that price. I'm sorry it should be smoking hot, not sitting under lamps for a half hour. I will definitely let everybody know not to ever return there. It's not worthy. read more

I like the variety they offer on their menu, the food is ok nothing great nothing horrible and prices are comparable to other steakhouses. I would definitely not go out of my way to go there but we like a popcorn shop across the street so if we are in the area when we go to get popcorn and they are open we may consider going there for dinner. One HUGE turn off for me is that after Covid I've noticed there is something awful with their drinking water. We used to go there every so often before Covid and I never noticed it before after Covid we've tried two times and it taste like well water very irony both and smell and taste. We asked them and they said they do not have water but Lake Michigan water I don't know what to say but I know what well water taste like and it is definitely high in iron. The smell and the taste is absolutely putrid. The first time I tried changing to pop just to have something to wash my food down with and even the ice cubes had the taste of iron. I asked the waitress if there was any other Options that they did not use water to mix, and there was not. the only other option was for us to purchase bottled water from their bar. We did the one time because we were already there, but the next time I refuse to pay for drinking water at a restaurant. This time I brought my own bottled water in because I have to take medication with my meal and surely do NOT want to gulp down that putrid water. Perhaps if they do have Lake Michigan water than they need to do something with their piping system because it emits a large quantity of iron smell and taste. Very surprising and disappointing that a restaurant of this caliber a famous steakhouse in that area would not pay to have a filtration system filter out their water. It's sad because the restaurant as I said is good enough to return to, but for myself being as sensitive to the water, as I am is a huge deal to me and a dealbreaker. as longas they would allow me to bring my own bottled water in because as I said when one is paying that kind of money at a steakhouse, the last thing I wanna do is pay extra money to drink water at their restaurant. Then I would go back, so would I recommend the place yes however if one is sensitive to the taste and quality of their drinking water, they may want to rethink their decision to go there. read more

Perfect place for a nice romantic dinner! Old school! George does a great job - steaks are amazing!

Yeah--this is a true favorite. Maybe I'm a sucker for old-school steakhouses, like Sorrentos WAY out on North Avenue in Maple Park, Illinois; or the divine Don Hall's Factory in deepest Ft. Wayne, Indiana, or the Roxy in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. (see my Yelps on all three of these stellar joints) Time was when you had the hottest of dates, a victory celebration, or any reason to throw down a great meal you went to a place like this. Paragons of class, and you dressed up to go there. (tuck in your napkin so you dont shlobber on your new tie) Nowadays, a posh downtown steakhouse will set you back the equivalent of a car payment for a steak not too far removed from the cut you get here at Al's. Naw, this is old-school indeed, and that means a great meal in nice surroundings, with fine service. Steaks are featured, and they are fab. If you want to get full-G Chicago about it, order Shrimp de Jonghe as an appetizer to go with your Boutique Nolets Gin Martini (with 3 blue cheese olives). Then slide into an 8oz "Al's cut" Filet with a great baked potato. The pandemic has 86'd the awesome old-school salad bar for now, but if you ask, most of that stuff can be brought to your table. Wife and I dig the home-made macaroni salad as an adjunct appetizer. Tastes EXACTLY like the one my sainted Grandmother used to make. There's a Greek vibe underlying-ask for the House Greek dressing on your dinner salad. The often-offered Chicken soup is close to an Avgolemono without a strong lemon tone. And if you can bear to not order a steak, swing with the Lamb chops which are off the hook. Maybe the only gripe is the friday AYCE seafood buffet (not offered for now because of the pandemic)-It was OK, but not at the same level as other stuff on the menu. Full disclosure--I had this buffet late in the evening, It's prolly a lot better earlier when things are really fresh. It aint cheap-cheap, but like I said, not Amex-melting like the downtown joints. Is this place an analog for Gene & Georgetti's? Of course not. But it's a slice of nostalgia bringing you a fine feed. I feel like a prince when I go there-if you're a boomer, your parents took you to a joint like this (maybe even this exact joint) when you were a kid. And we had our wedding dinner there! Worth the trek out to Joliet, indeed! (P.S.-if you're going there for a Birthday--call ahead and order the special Birthday Cake. It's a masterpiece of rich buttercream and moist cake. But you have to order it in advance.) read more

This place is perfect for special events, dates, family dinner, and others. Al's Steak House is truly a gem in this area. Their steaks are top-notch! It was tasty, juicy, and tender. Melts on mouth! I was really impressed and satisfied by the taste. Plus, it has side dishes, potato and a gravy. I also got their popular calamari. Everything I got was quality and worth trying! Their serving was generous too, prices were great and fair, and their customer service is phenomenal! Can't wait to go back again soon! read more

Service was amazing had a server named Sheila , she really knew the menu. The food didn't taste very good but not horrible. some dishes tasted like they bought it from the frozen food section and heated it up. The drinks didn't have a great presentation but they tasted decent in my opinion but the person I was with didn't agree. For my main dish I ordered ribs and chicken and the chicken had an unsavory texture and had too much black pepper. The ribs tasted very porky that is the best way I can describe that and the sauce of choice to dress the ribs wasn't very impactful. the environment of the place was amazing though especially for a location in Joliet. Definitely made you feel like you need to spend some money but that might be to the food's detriment because I expected to eat a dish magnitudes greater than what they served us. read more

Al's Steak House - Ribs and chicken - Steakhouses Near Me - Joliet, Illinois

Good food, but if you're crunched for time, go elsewhere. With a 5:15 reservation, we would have ample time to order, eat, and leave to continue on to the rest of the date for a live performance in downtown Joliet. Nope, several tables arrived and ordered after us were served much sooner than us. What's that all about? My mistake was to order the ribs and chicken combo. Chicken takes longer to cook than beef. I should have known about this, fair enough. However, nothing was mentioned by our server that there might be an issue with that menu choice, nor was there any mention in the menu about time requirements. read more

First time trying a Joliet legend. Unimposing from the outside. Inside it has a rustic mid century high quality feel, but there is nothing worn or dilapidated. I ordered -- you guessed it -- steak. The prices were decent for the market and time. The salad was super fresh and the dressing delicious. The steak was a superb medium rare and was of such a quality that steak sauce was NOT needed. The baked potato was of a good size and properly baked and not dried out as if left in the oven. Waitstaff was attentive and of good humor and deserved the extra large tip we left. This was an outstanding experience! read more

I am kinda on the fence about this review. This was my first time here. My family and I met here for my niece's birthday. The food was decent for a local steakhouse. Our server was nice, she really didn't check on us much, she brought our for and stayed gone for the most part. The outside looks like a dive bar, however the inside has a European style to it. Beautiful wood work and lovely designs. For the most part , I wouldn't drive that far to just to eat there, but if I'm in the area visiting I may stop by. read more

My petite filet dinner was perfection, but I was surprised to be charged 1.25 for dressing on my salad. Waiter never mentioned this unusual charge. read more

We have frequent many 4 and 5 star restaurants this by far the worst one yet. My family do Christmas Eve dinner every year at different restaurants. We decided to try this one. The service was terrible we know that it's the holiday and the demand is high. We waited 30 minutes to be acknowledged. Took over an hour to bring our cold food. We had to follow the waitress to get our bill. We had been waiting for 25 minutes just to get the bill. Then she was rude and yell out loud in front of everyone. The lady at the front desk got smart and the waitress that replaced her was laughing with the staff instead of solving the issue. There is minimum diversity in this place. They really showed us what they care about diversity. I'm not one to complain but this place is deserving of this review. read more

The food is Always wonderful and consistent! Ambiance is nice, decorated lovely and clean. Service is good and attentive.

Avoid. You're better off hitting Outback - Al's Steakhouse, I cannot believe that it's still open. The last 2 times that we've gone, the service was below average and the food was worse. I NEVER review restaurants like this - but I'm that stunned. read more

A very average meal for the price. Online menu misrepresents the actual menu. No salad bar, no liver and onions, etc. steak is totally overpriced despite the Grecian style grilling, which is unique. Very small crowd on a Wednesday evening, and rightly so. Unfortunate to have a landmark-type restaurant with lots of potential but apparently management is ok as is. In the meantime we'll continue to search for something better. read more

Al's Steak House is well known for this area - most of the patrons were over 50. Not entirely sure when the establishment was started but our waitress alluded to the mid-20th century. I'm from the Midwest (Kansas City area) so BBQ and steak is a staple in our family. That said, we normally do not order steak or eat at BBQ places because we are usually disappointed, but since the ribeye is the center piece and it's a traditional "steakhouse" I tied the ribeye....IMPRESSED to say the least. It was cooked per my request and the flavor was great! To add to the experience, ask for the chef or manager on duty and ask for a brief history of the resteraunt. Well definitely be coming back. read more

I've decided to start a review as someone who travels across the United States regularly. Al's Steak House is the first place I'm reviewing, and I must say, this establishment is a 5 star establishment. The wait staff was present and arrived regularly. The food was cooked precisely to what was requested for each of us in our party of 5. Everyone was well satisfied with their meal presented. I will be adding Al's to my regular Chicago area places to patron. read more

Delicious food, great service, and awesome atmosphere! Will definitely return when in the area.

This restaurant never lets you down. Best steak in Joliet. They were super short staffed and completely packed on Christmas Eve and yet it was an amazing evening! Wait staff was exceptional, drinks were exceptional, food was exceptional. If you want a consistent, fine dining restaurant to put on your list, this is the one. read more

Al's Steak House - Turtle Pie! Oh my! - Steakhouses Near Me - Joliet, Illinois

The owner is always present. Staff is professional and always a smile. Food is excellent quality, and just waiting for the delicious salad bar to come back. My favorite place to go to de-stress as no little kids not supervised. read more

Been driving by this place for years but never ate there until recently. From the outside you'd never know it was so nice on the inside. It's elegantly decorated and dimly lit which makes for a comfortable experience. The service was exceptional. Everyone we had contact with was very friendly. The food was high quality. I just wish it had a little more seasoning. read more