This past Sunday night I went to Erie Café with two friends. I had not been there for quite a while. When I called to make the reservation, I spoke to Johnny, and he was as nice as could be. He told me that when I arrive I should see him or Juan, the manager. When we got there, we wanted to sit outside and went to look at the area. There was a group of servers outside and they were so very friendly. It looked like rain, so we chose a table inside. Our server, Cesar, turned out to be fabulous. I must admit I was slightly biased since he had been my student in high school. That was such a surprise! I can't remember any restaurant that I've been to where the servers, managers, and everyone was beyond helpful. Aside from the people, I the food was great. I had Greek chicken, and it was enough for three people! I ate the leftovers at home for the next two nights, and they were still great. It was definitely the best Greek chicken I've ever had, including at the restaurants in Greektown. My friends agreed. I can't wait to go back to Erie Café. I certainly will go back very soon! read more

Food is the most important thing and it's just flat out not good. Lasagna is a weekend special and came out looking dull and tasted the same. I'd rather have Stouffers from the grocery store every time. They try and redeem things with lots of bread and included soup or salad but those aren't particularly tasty either. Red wine felt watered down too. For positives, the service is good and prompt, it smells good walking in, and the vibe is cool/authentic. That said, it took several minutes for anyone to acknowledge us at the host stand at the outset, despite several employees walking by multiple times. Wouldn't recommend because the food disappointed so much it overwhelmed everything else. read more

Stopped in today for a lite lunch and sat at the bar Bartender was attentive and took very good care of me. I was on the clock so I kept it lite. I had the pasta fagioli soup and a beverage (Diet Coke) Soup was fantastic Service was fantastic Staff awesome Just a very cool place to dine If you're in the area stop in. You'll be glad you did read more

What a lovely restaurant! Took a couple clients here and had an amazing meal. The food was delicious and the service was exceptional. I had the blackened tuna. My friend had the salmon. And my other friend had the chicken Parmesan. All were delicious. Portion sizes were very ample. And they gave us a dessert to share at the end. I cannot be more happy with how the evening went and I would definitely return. Wonderful experience. read more

A restaurant can have a great look, a great menu, which the Erie Cafe has, but many times it's the service and Luis was that person who omade our dinner special! The Ken Wright Pinot Noir was outstanding, especially since we had been to the winery. Everyone loved the calamari except me because of the heavy coating of a sauce. The shrimp DeJonghe was something you don't see much any more and was outstanding. Just a fun evening with friends! read more

I'm kind of stuck between a three and a four, has great food but feels very blah. I expected more with the menu as it seems like an elevated menu but no descriptions so you aren't sure how much food you're getting we ended up ordering way too much. Food taste and flavors were delicious, but I did notice they didn't ask about allergies. I'm severely allergic to lobster, crab, and shrimp and I'm pretty sure the calamari was cooked with one of them if not all as I had to get Benadryl while I was dining. The vibe and atmosphere needs a little sprucing up. Service was great. The guys were lovely. I noticed all men servers which was cool to see. Not sure I'd come back though, thank you! read more

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Erie Cafe is a great restaurant tucked away in the quiet part of River North. It's definitely old school Italian and has the charm that comes with that. The salads are great as is the chicken parm. The portions are large and always leave enough for leftovers. Service is top notch! My water never emptied and the wait staff is extremely friendly and thorough. read more

Best chops in town, better than the pricey steak houses. Great service and great drinks. A wonderful spot! read more

Erie Cafe - Another great Prime Rib at Erie! - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You might come here for the patio but don't bother. Manager is more concerned about turning tables than making money and serving great food. After having an appetizer, 3 of of us ladies were having cocktails (read: spending money and making them a good profit) on a not so crowded Friday night when the manager rudely took our menus and said this table is for people who eat. Duly noted - we will take our profitable dollars elsewhere in this wonderful city with massive competition. Cheers. read more

Had high expectations but they weren't met. Service was just alright. We ordered mashed potatoes and they brought sliced potatoes to our table and said that was all they had left?? The ravioli was pretty good. The steak was just alright. The drinks were the best part and they came out super fast. (French martini and dirty martini) read more

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My beef tip stroganoff was fantastic! The onion rings were also very good. The prices are expensive and you cannot reserve the outdoor seating but otherwise a good first experience! read more

Judges cigar bar night in the back private room; Cook County Democratic Party candidate slating interviews in the private back room; and a WONDERFUL dining room with a classic club-like atmosphere is the perfect setting for casually elegant dining. A GREAT Chicago-styled classic steakhouse! Erie Café can comfortably accommodate groups up to 200 people. Custom menu selections can be created to suit any occasion. The banquet room features a fully complimented bar, wood dance floor, and wood-burning fireplace. The restaurant has a classic Italian Steakhouse feel. THE SERVICE IS IMPECCABLE! read more

An amazing, classic old-school Chicago Italian American restaurant. This place is not flashy or Instagram-esque, but it's open, down to earth, and cozy. The food has ALWAYS been great over the years. Service is also consistently on point as well. You don't come here because it's a trendy place, you come here for good food. A true hidden gem of Chicago in our River North area. read more

I recently moved into the River North neighborhood and discovered the Erie Cafe. Incredibly delicious food in this out-of-the way setting. You can eat indoors, at the bar, or at the outdoor seating area across the street. Wait staff is friendly and courteous. Overall, a wonderful experience! Try it ... You'll love it!! read more

Still a real deal Chicago steakhouse. They've been around many years and most of the professional servers have been around with them as long. When you work the floor in a spot like this you have no reason to leave. The customer base and quality speak for itself. Most of the employees started as young guys and make a hell of a living, some into the six figures. Repeat business here is the rule and there's a reason for that. Why? because they know their business and they know their customers, most by first name. The service is top shelf and the decor harkens back to a time when handshakes were gold and a word was a word. Just a stroll around the dining room and the art and photographs take you back to a time when handshake deals made made and the celebrities that crowded the room. If the walls could talk oh the stories they could tell you on Erie Cafe's history and standing in the city. Set off the beaten path and away from the madness and hubbub of the grind the neighborhood has grown around Erie Cafe. It is the anchor of all around it and they are the neighborhood. From the table side salads and menu entrees the care is spot on. Their cuts of meat are exceptional and you never get a bad temperature or a dish that cannot be fixed if not to liking. They have several house specialties and the servers are not afraid to suggest certain meals for large groups of hardcore carnivores. Some of their offerings don't even exist in most establishments anymore. The classic dishes are served at Erie cafe. A must try is the prime rib! Nowhere have I ever had better. Price points? Well, it ain't cheap, but Chicago steaks ain't for sissies either. The quality and service = top shelf. read more

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I've been wanting to try this spot that is tucked away in river north. I love the old school vibes and wish some frank sinatra was playing in the background to top it off, but no music was playing this night. It's so cozy inside as well, but it was tough to get a waiter's attention at first. I had a couple of glasses of the Chianti which I liked over their cab. We had the grilled calamari to start, which was so tasty and delicious with a great sauce to dip your bread in. We also had the lasagna which came with a nice side salad and potato chips. It was very filling and satisfying to share. Overall I love the old ambiance of this place and would wanna try some more menu items! Great for a family night or date night. read more

Great meal, but service left much to be desired. Our server was curt and somewhat sarcastic as he served us on Valentine's evening. We ordered two bottles of wine, appetizers, my date ordered a $100 steak, etc. I asked for a hot tea as my throat hurt and he showed his irritation! My date asked for a wine recommendation on our second bottle and he was sarcastic and rude as he chatted about it. Thankfully, my man is a sweetheart and let it go, but mentioned later that he didn't like how he treated me. For a meal that pricey you want impeccable service, as you get anywhere else in the city. I wish I wrote this review earlier so I remembered our server's name, but regardless, he should know what he's doing. An older gentleman, Italian guy who had been there a long time. read more

Erie Cafe - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is one of my last favorite places to eat, I've eaten here a few times with other people who like it, but I'm usually disappointed because I think there are so many other great restaurants. We had the grilled calamari, I don't recommend it, they put some kind of sauce on it, which is awful, and the calamari was chewy. The chicken dish and the fish were ok, but I won't come back!!!!! read more

Classic steak restaurant in Chicago. Great valet parking. Enjoyed a business dinner with a long time friend. I love the feel of this place and servers are terrific. We opened with an old fashion which was made to perfection. For dinner, we decided to split a New York strip and asked for potato chips cooked extra crispy. We needed to send the chips back for additional frying. Finished with a chocolate martini which hit the dessert category. I'll be back. read more

This used to be a go to when we lived in the city. We moved out about four years ago and haven't been back since. Went there for an early dinner today. I can't tell you how much I miss it. The food is five star. it never disappointed in the past and it didn't disappoint today. Apps, salad and entrées were all fantastic. Absolutely love this place. read more

Let me tell you, the food at Erie Cafe is good. Our entrees were well prepared, the grilled calamari was perfect and the drinks were poured nicely. The outdoor area is beautiful and the restaurant and bar are comfortably inviting. But, if I was going to compare Erie to it's family tree (Gene & Georgetti, EJ's Place, Mirabella) it would land near the bottom for me. Why? It's never a memorable meal. I somehow always feel like they're overtly upselling and adding items to charge you for. Some ten years ago, my gf and I went for a birthday dinner. They recommended the prime rib, so we both ordered it. The portions were 32oz.+ and one would have sufficed (with leftovers). They gladly "pushed" our order of two. The server could have informed us that the food was a ridiculous amount for two. Not at Erie! Last night, we ordered family style. The bill was well over $500 and they charged $6 for something that would always be included with a meal there. Their explanation was, "You know that this is an expensive restaurant!". It's not the $6, but the principle of charging for it for a large party (when the "hosts" are regulars a few times a month). Short-sighted and greedy are not attributes in the hospitality industry; hospitality is. They don't need our business, as they are full with hotel visitors and tourists. There are plenty of other options available who actually appreciate patronage. We'll be going there in the future. read more

Erie Cafe - A fun group on a beautiful Chicago summer night. - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I threw a party for 40 people in Erie Cafe's back room this weekend and it was the most relaxed, well-serviced, incredible party. The staff was on top of everything. They were so helpful! If you have ever thrown an event in the city, you know that you are expected to follow a very strict set of rules and not expect any help from the restaurant to make the setup possible. Not the case with Erie Cafe, they were willing to help make everything as easy as possible. Not to mention the obvious-the food was perfect, there was no rush on any of the timing, they let us go at our pace. The drinks were flowing and they were perfectly made. I cannot recommend and event here enough. The back room is quite large, I was nervous about the setup feeling empty, but it totally worked. Thank you Erie Cafe! read more

Visitor to Chicago here... this place was recommended to us by the owner of a pizza place in downtown, he said it's one of the best Italian/steaks in Chicago. Well he did not disappoint! We are from texas and this place definitely measured up to texas steak! We ordered the blue cheese ravioli, stuffed cheese ravioli with vodka sauce, wedge salad, chicken parm, and tbone, and creamed spinach. Wilson was our server, he was freaking phenomenal!!!! All of the food was delicious!!! Definitely a place to eat at on future trips to Chicago! The atmosphere was so fun, and the decor was great to look at! read more

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We had a nice meal and the service was top notch and very attentive. My problem was that the price was a little over-priced for the quality of the food. The linguini with clam sauce was super fishy, so if you do not enoy that flavor a lot, then I would avoid that dish. The tenderloin was outstanding, and the salad was tasty. I just felt like the ambience (for some reason, we were seated back by the path to the restroom when there were ample tables available toward the front of the restaurant, which was a little livlier) and the lack of exceptional flavor in the pasta dishes etc. Above average, but I would not make it a regular haunt. read more

Came here with a work friend on a late summer Tuesday evening and we were able to get a table at the outdoor patio. Lovely setting. We started with the calmari and it has a great and flavorful sauce. Yummy. I had the veal limone and it was also flavorful. Very nice. We had some sliced potato chips as a side and they were a good accompaniment. Would definitely come back, nice neighborhood spot with a great atmosphere and very good food. read more

Came here on our first ever trip to Chicago. Wanted old school steakhouse. LOVED IT. Filet and veal were both awesome. Wine selection was perfect. Service was out of the 90s and perfect. Loved everything about it. read more

Erie Cafe - Friday, 6pm - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beautiful, clean, outdoor patio. Secluded and quiet. The service was very prompt. Consistently pouring water throughout our visit. Which was important because it was HOT to be in the sun on Sunday. We started with cappuccinos which were sprinkled with cinnamon and some Calamari. I thought it said friend calamari but whatever they served us came in a really great sauce. The carbonara was a really great portion and I couldn't finish it all! Hope to come back read more

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Agast! Their prices listed on yelp are not what they will charge you, but you won't find out until you go pick it up and they give you a bill that's double. The bartender was very kind and his handling of it and referred it to his supervisor. Supervisor said that that's what it is so, I said I can't do that because I just couldn't afford it. I came home empty-handed, checked yelp to make sure I wasn't wrong and then it occurred to me to go check the website . Go to their website to check for current prices. I will delete this review or 5 star them once they update the prices on yelp. The 4star is for their staff's handling of this situation. read more

Lovely 1970s Italian vibe, excellent chef and drinks. Steaks are expensive but servicing sizes are huge! Loved the espresso Martini.

Great staff but online prices much less than menu inside so that wasn't good. Sandwiches were 4$ more. read more

The chicken parmigiana was great. The place is slightly dated but the service was great. I do want to try the steak sandwich.

We went at 4 pm on a Thursday. There was no one in there when we got there, which was nice. They let us pick wherever we wanted to sit. I prefer booths, so we picked a booth and the waiter pulled the table out to let us walk in to sit down and then pushed the table closer. The service was excellent. My glass of water never got close to halfway. They were constantly filling it up. I really wanted veal piccata and it wasn't on the menu, but they made it for me anyways, which was super nice. It was the best veal piccata I've ever had, which is really impressive for not even being on the menu. The inside has a bunch of old posters, but still gives off a little Italian cafe vibe. This place is perfect for an intimate location you might want to take a client to impress them or take someone on a date. The food is a bit pricey, which I didn't know until we got there. If you get steak, you will be paying about $70... I was not aware that it was that fact of place... I was in a sweatshirt... I definitely recommend dressing like you would for a fancy Italian restaurant. I was so embarrassed that I was in a sweatshirt. The food was very good. I wish they provided oil and cheese with the bread, but that's honestly my only complaint (if you consider it a complaint). The Homer ice cream was clearly homemade and it was PHENOMENAL. I didn't know ice cream could taste like that. I normally wouldn't recommend getting ice cream as your dessert at a restaurant, but in this case, I do. read more

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Great food and atmosphere ! And.....it's a hidden gem!! Come and enjoy you won't be disappointed read more

Erie Cafe - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honestly my favorite place ever!!!!! Everything is absolute perfection. Sit at the Bar around lunch time and you are greeted by great bartenders and friendly regulars. At night its bustling and vibrant. Service is impeccable, good is always perfect. The place makes you feel at home. The grilled Calamari is so good that if they ever close I might want to throw myself in the river and go meet god only in the hopes they have grilled Calamari in heaven. read more

This review is based solely on the food that was provided for a lunch-and-learn meeting for work. We were offered VERY cheesy bread, tomato/basil/mozzarella on a stick and meatballs as appetizers. I particularly enjoyed the Greek-style chicken as our entree. The chicken was very tender and full of flavor. It was absolutely delicious with the roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach as sides. The wait staff was friendly. My coffee cup and water were not empty at any time during the 3 hours I was there. Superb service! I will definitely keep it in mind when I am in the area in the future. read more

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Though the outdoor patio was gorgeous, the service and food was not. To start off, my old fashioned took 15 minutes to bring out and when it arrived it was bright red and just full of sugar, not what you would expect from a nice Italian restaurant. My salad came out with no salad dressing and after the serve noticed it still took a significant of time to bring out. The pasta was overly sweet and unbalanced. The servers have no remorse and seem to lack proper communication skills for this type of establishment. Overall, vibes were not good and I probably will be not be coming back. read more

Erie Cafe - Underwhelming and 100% sugar old fashion. Not good!! - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent food selection and perfect customer service. The prime rib is delicious. The fried shrimp is fresh and not heavy with breading. Perfectly grilled calamari. I love the 70's vibe in the restaurant and will recommend to my family and friends. Great carrot cake for dessert. read more

Erie Cafe is one of those classic Chicago steakhouses you will always have a satisfying meal at. The steaks are cooked to perfection, the drinks are poured heavy, and the service is exemplary. Some of the best items I've had here are the apps/sides. In particular you have to try the Sausage & Peppers and Potatoes Erie. The latter is potatoes cooked with spicy giardiniera - what's not to like? It may sound odd, but the best pasta I've tasted in the city is a side of the Penne with vodka sauce we got with our steak. Simply excellent. And by the way, the steaks are so massive you can probably feed four people with one. I can't say enough good things about Erie Cafe! Come check this place out the next time you crave a proper Chicago steak! read more

Erie Cafe - Shrimp Cocktail - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Disclaimer: I came for a work team dinner and did not pay, so just keep that in mind. My 10 person team had a dinner here to enjoy some winding down after a really rough year end. We had resos at 5 pm and started at the bar with some cocktails while chatting. We had a semi private space right off the entrance which was a great space for the 10 of us on a slow night. It was a bit odd that we had the whole room, but they chose to set up the table in the most inconvenient way possible. We were in a long table where one half was against the wall in a corner. It was just weird and seemed like the waiters had to work a lot harder. This is definitely an old school type of steakhouse- you won't find cocktail lists rather a bartender who says "here are all the bottles, I'll make what you want". The service is gruff yet efficient overall. We had a bunch of appetizers that we passed around, and the shrimp cocktail and fried ravioli stood out to me. Those were excellent. I did not try the rest of the apps just because of personal taste, but the rest of my table was very impressed. For my entree, I had a petite filet that was cooked perfectly medium rare. I fought the bussers who tried to take away the bleu cheese from the appetizers and added them to my steak. I'm not a real big fan of the potato chips as a side for a steak...they are their "signature" side but I am not a fan. They are chips. Nothing very special about them. Fortunately, we also ordered some great veggies- broccoli and asparagus. We also had some excellent dessert. Overall I really liked this restaurant. If you have no budget and want a perfectly cooked steak with servers who aren't going to pander to you, this is the place to go. We had fine service, which makes me wonder what the service is like when you AREN'T spending $200 per person. read more

Erie Cafe - Desserts - Steakhouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend and I stopped in on a Friday about 8 PM and we were seated right away. We started off with a bottle of Pinot noir and the shrimp cocktail which was very good, but quite a small portion. For the mains, we split the grilled shrimp and an order of chicken parm. The chicken parm comes with spaghetti but we substituted the spaghetti with pasta a la vodka. Additionally, every dinner order comes with a salad, which was nice. The shrimp was overcooked and tough, I would not order again. However, the chicken parm and vodka pasta was amazing and a huge portion. The server was exceptional, he was super attentive and never let our wine glasses empty. It's a cozy and inviting spot with wooden decor, I will definitely be back! read more

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