We are, by habit, second-chance diners. A restaurant deserves to be judged on the evening in front of it rather than on its history, and Primo had a history with us. Across a few visits many years ago, neither the cooking nor the service ever gave us a reason to return, and for a long while we didn't. A recent family dinner at what is now Primo Steak and Seafood in Gurnee, formerly Primo Italian American Cuisine, was a chance to start over, and Primo made good use of it. The evening began well. We were greeted warmly and invited to choose our own booth, a small courtesy that sets a generous tone. Primo presents itself as a cross between the classic American steakhouse and the Italian restaurant, staged in a grand room of high ceilings and marble, and the setting lives up to the billing. We liked the mood of the place, and, no small thing these days, the noise level allowed for easy conversation across the table. The booths are mostly comfortable, though the table sat closer to me than I would have liked for the entire evening. It never spoiled the meal, but I never stopped noticing it. Service was the clearest sign of progress. Our server was excellent: helpful, attentive, and genuinely good at the job. For a restaurant that once lost us partly on service, that alone marked a real turnaround. The bar held up its end as well. Cocktails and wine alike were very good, and the choices on offer are well considered, with a wine list that runs past a hundred bottles. The kitchen was less even. Soups and salads were good but not great, competent openers that did their job without lingering in memory. Most of our table ordered fish, and here Primo was at its best: every entrée was very good, which seems only fitting for a restaurant that now puts seafood in its name. The trouble was the plating. Presentation lagged behind the cooking, and the dishes arrived looking less considered than they tasted. In a room this handsome, at a restaurant with these ambitions, the eye deserves the same care as the palate, and presentation is the area most in need of attention. Taken as a whole, this was a far better showing than anything Primo had given us before: gracious hospitality, excellent service, a strong bar, very good fish, and a room where you can actually hear one another. The distance between a good evening here and a memorable one now comes down largely to a few refinements on the plate. We'll likely be back, hoping to find the presentation has caught up with the cooking. read more

I went on a Wednesday with my sister-friend and her daughter, and the experience was phenomenal from start to finish. We both ordered the 8 oz filet mignon, and it did not disappoint -- cooked perfectly and super flavorful. Her daughter got the kids steak and fries -- the steak was great, fries were just decent. Now let's talk about the appetizer... the shrimp with the Parmesan crust? 10/10. Easily the star of the night. We also shared a bottle of Riesling, which was only about $24, making it super affordable. Service was lovely. The staff checked in just enough without being overbearing, and they even surprised us with a birthday brownie, which was such a sweet touch. The ambiance was also really nice -- one of those versatile spots where you can dress it up or keep it casual. I had on a tailored sweatsuit, my sister wore jeans, and we still felt perfectly in place. It's definitely a spot you could come to for a date night, family dinner, or even a corporate happy hour. Overall, our bill came out to around $160, which felt completely worth it for the quality, service, and experience. I'd absolutely come back. read more

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This was our first time at Primo and it won't be the last! This Italian steakhouse did not disappoint with its classic offerings of steak, seafood and pasta. The dining rooms were large, with spacious seating areas and a large bar. Although a large restaurant, the decor and lighting provided a comfortable atmosphere. There is an onsite parking lot and outdoor seating. Reservations are recommended but not required read more

Primo Steak and Seafood - Horseradish Crust Prime Sirloin - Seafood Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

Loved the energy here! The recent remodel looks fantastic whether you're grabbing a drink at the bar or sitting down for dinner. Great food, wonderful people, and highly recommended! read more

We went to Primos last Saturday. We had 8 in our party. We were celebrating some birthdays and anniversary's. Our server Ryan was wonderful. He took great care of our party. Ryan made some great suggestions on what to order. I asked if an item could be made differently than was on the menu and he said of course. The manager or maybe the owner came over to check on us, a nice touch. We all think both Ryan and him really cared about us. Thanks for a great experience and we will definitely return and recommend you to our friends. read more

We had an amaaaaaazing dining experience this trip! Karen was wonderful and attentive. The miso-glazed sea bass is always so delicious. Lamb lollipops are always a must! Drinks from the Speakeasy menu were on point. The ambiance is so nice when they dim the lights and have either music playing or a guest performer. Love the live acts! We had some issues previously but Elliott, Karen, everyone shined this time. The food was just perfect. We left stuffed, happy, and highly anticipating our next visit! read more

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Once again, Primo is a good spot in Gurnee Illinois! Made reservations for a Friday and informed them we were going afterwards to see Jay Leno at the Genesse Theater in Waukegan Illinois . Made reservations for 5PM, so as not to feel rushed. Which worked out perfectly. Our Server was, Taylor, you could sense the level of experience. read more

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I have seen mixed reviews on Yelp but I wanted to try this restaurant anyway. The ambiance is really nice and you can tell the owner spared no expense. The waiter was not the most attentive but the food and ambiance made up for it. I tried the Pear martini, but it was too bitter so instead I ordered a Blueberry lemon drop martini which was delicious and the old-fashioned was very good. The braised short ribs with pasta was in the smaller side, but still very good. The cheese ravioli with meat sauce was fresh, delicious, and fantastic! The crème brûlée with raspberry sauce was very good. I will definitely be back! read more

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Spent a few weeks in the area for work and we became frequent customers of Primo. Never failed to take care of us and treat us like family. Wish you weren't in another state, otherwise I'd be there all the time. Dining room is warm but questionably decorated. I'm sure there's a story as to why that I missed. Maybe I'll ask next time? Recommend: Spicy vodka rigatoni - consistently good, perfectly cooked pasta. I'll keep coming back for this alone. Carbonara - good but non-traditional. Flavors are there but the choice of pasta shape leaves me wanting. Caesar Salad - consistently good - fresh and non overly dressed. Avoid: Piccata - too much lemon, not enough salt. Felt unbalanced. They do well with dietary requests - thanks for your care and attention to this. Tutti a Tavola a Mangiare! read more

Let me do everyone a favor. This is the spot! In town for our son's graduation, spent some time try to figure out where to go as a family for starters. We decided to go here. So good when a plan comes together! Food was great! Service was tip top! Our sever even brought out an amazing piece of cake with a sparkler on it for our Sailor. Didn't even ask for it! But let me tell you, that was the icing on the cake! Thank you so much! read more

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Let me start by saying I don't normally give reviews online but was compelled to after working with Elliott and the folks at Primo. My mother recently passed away, and we were looking for a place to hold a luncheon after the funeral in a location 1.5 hours from home. We were referred to Primo through family, trusted the recommendation and could not have been happier about our choice. In a week of making plans for a difficult time, Elliott took his time with us, provided suggestions, and responded quickly to my communication. When we arrived after an extremely hot day, the restaurant was welcoming, the servers couldn't have been more attentive, the food was fantastic, and the pricing was equal to other spots we looked into but nowhere near the hands-off approach we had with Primo. Thank you to Elliott and his team...we would HIGHLY recommend them for any banquets needs, or a night out at a great venue. read more

Primo=prime so expectation was high. They start with fresh breadsticks and oil, Romano cheese and basil butter which was delicious! Menu looked decent but I was looking for a smaller portion so I opted for the fish tacos and beef sliders. The tacos were pretty good with the halibut but the toppings were pretty light and minimal. The sliders knocked it out of the park with abundant flavor and toppings on a flavorful brioche bun. Both sides offered cucumber salad or Fries and I wanted to try the salad but there was a mix up and I got 2 Fries which were a little too greasy for my liking. The unfortunate thing was the espresso. How does a Primo Italian offer watery espresso and charge the same amount for a shot as a Cappuccino at $6 got each? If it was good and not bitter and full of crema ok I guess but for a shot and watery? No thank you. Took 2 stars off for that. read more

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If you want way over cooked bland food this is the place for you. I'm not sure I've ever had a meat ball that was worse. Subway has better meat balls. You might choke on the dry chicken Parmesan. The sauce would be better straight out of the bottle. Literally the worst Italian food I've ever been served. You might actually get better food an Olive Garden. I'd rather eat fast food. It has a chance of having some flavor. read more

The servers are very nice but my silver wear had stains of I have no Idea my drink was very good and my bread was delicious.food is delicious I ordered a tomahawk steak and it was absolutely amazing the wait wasn't long either the only problems was my silver wear read more

Food is delicious but super expensive for what the portion amount you're getting. Other than that it's a great place to have dinner. Really nice ambiance. read more

Excellent steak and menu selection including unique apps. Extensive wine/beer list. Good for a birthday celebration with free cake slice provided to split. Only downside was cost, but you pay for quality and service as well as location. read more

Primo Steak and Seafood - Filet Trio - Seafood Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

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Food was excellent the Bar tender was great the place is beautiful what more could you want

Zero stars and what was formerly one of our favorite places. Called on July 4 to confirm open. "Yes" by phone. Drove 40 minutes on what also happens to be our wedding anniversary. Upon walking to the door, we were informed they were closed with a private party. When will these places start hiring competent people to answer the phone? read more

The food and ambience are always delightful. Kevin was our server . He was great. He kept the hot coffee coming. Their scrambled eggs and French toast sticks are a must! read more

Primo Steak and Seafood - Brunch food - Seafood Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

The food is really bad now and the service really sucks. I don't know what happened in the last couple years but it is not the same place. It has gone downhill. read more

Went here while in town over the weekend with family. We sat outside and enjoyed the live music. Drinks were yummy (I loved the smokey margarita), the apps were delicious - the lamb pops were a stand out, and our meals were rich and filling! We ended up staying and enjoying our time way longer then I would have guess. Also, I can't forget the wonderful service from Zach, he was so kind, patient and helpful! We will stop again next time we are in town. read more

Our food was amazing. I had a pasta dish with goat cheese, my husband had the grouper. We also had a wonderful stuffed portabello as an appetizer. The service was great. read more

Primo Steak and Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

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Visited last month, really great food. I ordered the Pasta Ala Primo and it was very good. It wasnt too heavy on the sauce, which is an issue I usually find with many pastas. It was the perfect balance of flavor with the pasta to sauce ratio. Service and Ambiance were both nice. read more

This place came recommended as a great place to eat so we couldn't miss out. Reservations were easy as expected and they even communicated to confirm. On arrival, everyone was very friendly and we were seated quickly. Going to restaurants during COVID is a new experience and we were glad to just get out. There were definitely less tables than normal and it seemed that they wanted to turn over tables quickly as we watched waiters/busboys ready to clean. The appetizers of calamari and oysters were perfect. They came out quickly and the oysters had mini hot sauce bottles which were cute. We ordered lobster ravioli and candied pecan crusted salmon. The raviolis were good but sadly the salmon wasn't. I loved the candied pecans but the salmon was super hot and overcooked in the center and lukewarm on the outside. Service was excellent as was the ambiance even during trying times. It would be helpful if it wasn't so dim as the menu was hard to read and I'm far from old. There were tons of other options that I'd like to try next time. read more

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It was our first time visit to Primo's, and the Hubby and I were looking forward to it! We had read the reviews and had a few friends recommend Primo's. I made an online reservation for a Friday night at 5:30PM and requested a booth. Thank goodness we made the reservation! Upon our arrival at 5:30PM, the place was fully packed! The good news, they honored our request for a booth. After we were seated, that is when everything came to a halt! It took 15 minutes for water and what they serve as "bread sticks" to be delivered to us. I call them "bread sticks" as I think they tasted like cut up Gonnella buns. They were all uneven, not even straight sticks: flavorless, doughy, a hint of possibly being toasted, a small dribble of flavorless olive oil, a tablespoon of parmesan cheese and a dollop of butter. We tried the "sticks" and decided they were not worth the calories. Our Waiter appeared at 5:45 and asked if we were ready to order. No recommendations or evening specials were provided to us. Since it was our first time at Primo's and the menu is 6 pages, we were not ready to order. Our Waiter returned at 6PM and we put in our drink order, One (1) Cosmopolitan and our dinner order. 15 minutes later the Cosmo finally arrived! We had pushed the bread sticks and it's condiments to the end of the table for the busboy to remove, he did not until after we left. Not sure why? We finally received our appetizer and entrees a full 1 hour after being seated! BTW, the Italian Saganaki tasted just like marinara sauce, could not really taste the cheese because it was drenched in the sauce. Finished at 6:50 and then sat in the booth while the dishes were being cleared, YEP, the bread sticks remained at the corner of the table...still. Tried to catch our Waiter's eye as he zoomed past our table multiple times. When he ignored us, we tried to grab the Hostess' attention, she ignored us and ran back to Hostess station. Finally received our bill without being offered any dessert menu. 1 hour and 45 minutes later we could finally leave. Being in the elevated booth, we witnessed other diners being promptly waited on a served. For the price $$$, quality and professionalism of the Staff, I would recommend another local Italian restaurant which will CARE that you spend time enjoying your dining experience. read more

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Primo is a premier northshore dining establishment that provides the feel of upscale city dining with excellent food quality and service to match. The ambiance of the restaurant emanates an upscale yet inviting vibe with incredible appetizers, deliciously well proportioned entrees, and outstanding cocktails. Whether dining at a table, enjoying a a relaxing evening at the bar, scheduling a party, or attending a unique event, your experience is paramount to Primo from the moment you walk in the door. We have been regular patrons since Primo opened and appreciate the owners and the entire staff for their incredible work on bringing this gem to the north! read more

Me: Pops, what do you want for dinner? Pops: I want beef like a really, really good steak, but I don't want to go too far, so somewhere around here. Me: say less ************* Backstory: I knew pops was none too thrilled about the place we went to Sunday night. He was like I can say I've eaten here but I doubt I will be back anytime soon. So, needless to say, I had to find figure out a spot tonight that would make up for that lackluster experience. All I can say is that @primogurnee, specifically Marko did just that! From the service to the mojito mocktails that Marko whipped up since he can no longer drink to the appetizer, dinner, and surprise dessert, Pops was beyond happy. It's been a rough few weeks for him, and I loved how happy he was. My wallet however, not so much! ‍ But it was so worth it! read more

Primo Steak and Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

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Came here for Valentine's Day with a 7:15 reservation. We got seated at 7:43. What really made me upset was they seated a couple who had 7:30 reservations before us. Extremely unprofessional, especially because I called them out as they told the man they would seat him & his wife. When we checked in (early) they said our table would be ready closer to 7:15 (not early). They never gave us any updates unless we asked. Our waitress was very nice and fast. We didn't want to linger and take the time from other diners so we knew what we wanted to order when she first came to the table. She seemed to appreciate that. The crispy calamari we had for an appetizer was a very large portion, but tasted pretty good. The shrimp cocktail was good too with decent sized shrimp. Our meals - rigatoni and tortellini were okay too. The one thing we both said was that our meals could have been warmer. There were parts of the dish/meal that were luke warm and others that were warm. None of it was really hot. Considering it was Valentine's Day and they were busy the service was very good and fast. I would not be opposed to trying this place again if we are in the area. read more

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What do you do after getting fancy for pictures with Santa? Date night at Primo of course! Great service along with delicious and beautifully plated food. Order the Italian Saganaki or Smoked Pork Shank for that extra WOW affect!!! read more

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We had work Holiday dinner here. It was a nice upscale decent restaurant. With many different food options. We were around 18 people and the service was really nice. The ambiance was calm too. read more

This was a really nice restaurant. My wife and I visited this business to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The environment was very energetic yet also calm. There was definitely ample parking. There was nice decor and a few fireplaces that gave off good energy. The staff were very polite and professional. I ordered a bourbon drink that was well made, my wife had a glass of wine that she enjoyed. We ordered calamari, a smash burger and a steak dish. The calamari serving was enormous and we were not upset. Our server was very attentive. The owner or manager periodically walked by checking on tables which I did think was above and beyond. All the dishes were delicious. We barely had room for dessert but we did order a bread pudding dish that was great. There was only 1 small scoop of icecream on it so I do wish that they added just a bit more. Overall it was a great experience. I loved the energy in the restaurant. I do wish that they added something special for our anniversary. When I made the reservation I did specify what we were celebrating. I would definitely dine there again. We did spent close to $200 fyi. So this is not a restuarant I'd be going to weekly. But definitely for special occasions. read more

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This was our first dinner while in town visiting family. It has a very classy feel. While we were in collared shirts and pants, there were people in shorts and t-shirts. The food was outstanding! No complaints and enough to fill you up. A lot of good choices on the menu, it was hard to narrow it down to 1 thing. It also appeared that the waitstaff were well versed in the selections of wine offered, although no one in our party had any. If we ever make it back out this way, I'd definitely love to go back! read more

Given our long-standing friendship and patronage, it's natural to feel comfortable entrusting them to deliver their signature excellence, resulting in outstanding service, quality, and culinary delights for our family celebration of 9 for Thanksgiving. Marko consistently delivers flawless service, and Scottie, in his managerial capacity, ensured our family's requirements were met, taking particular care with our two elderly parents in wheelchairs. Additionally, other skilled servers, including Ryan and Tyler, provided intermittent check-ins. If you're deciding to visit Primo--do it!-- you won't be disappointed!! read more

Came here for my birthday dinner tonight expecting a nice dinner with my husband. We asked to be seated in a booth only to be shown to a table and left for almost thirty mins before putting in a drink order. The menu looked great and I was excited to try our food after reading the menu to close to an hour before someone came by to take our order. Food came to our table by a server who shouted the food at us and it was good but I was disappointed as a whole, everything from our table to our menus were sticky and trying to wave down a server to get boxes and our bill was near impossible. I was hoping to get dessert here but I didn't have an hour more to spare waiting. I would be more lenient if it was a full house but there were a lot of empty tables near us and what felt like enough staff to keep things going. I like the food but don't ever see myself coming back to the restaurant. read more

I shared a special dinner with my daughter in Primo Italian American Cuisine. I was initially looking for a steakhouse. Then Primo caught my eye on yelp. I must say when I saw the title with the word Italian in it I wasn't thinking great steak. Boy was I wrong. They have a Tomahawk steak and a New York strip steak that I would put up against any other in the neighborhood. They did not disappoint. Although we was addressed to be in the all you can eat barbecue joint. The staff welcome us in just the same. Our dinner was special because it was just her and I celebrating her new career in the US Navy. I am a retired US Navy Sailor also and was overjoyed to see my daughter whom I haven't seen in over nine months due to her training. With that said the place for us had to be Primo to mark the occasion. We started off with a few drinks. She had a fancy lemonade and I had the house sangria. She's old enough to serve in the military but too young for alcohol. Our appetizers were Wagyu meatballs and Lamb pops. We could've ended the evening there with some desserts and moved on, but we still had to have the main course to deal with. They actually ran out of the Tomahawk ribeye steaks. But I ordered a Beef Wellington for her and a New York strip for me with a side of roasted sweet potato in Honey. The food was very good and very filling (LOL). We ate about a third and box to rest. Honestly we had our eye on the desert also. The bread pudding à la mode. We ate at least 2/3 of it. We were stuffed and extremely happy. Primo was very welcoming for us. The atmosphere was conducive to good conversation. From our booth seats we could see the big screen TVs that was over the Bar, which had sports games on them. My daughter and I bonded and I was glad we shared that experience in Primos. If given the opportunity I will return. read more

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Well a fellow coworker recommended trying this place compared to Stevens Resturant nearby with high hopes but it was disappointing. It wasn't really bad but there was no "Wow" to the main entrees I ordered as well as a friend I brought. Only 2 items the scallops was good but not satisfying for starters. The Wagyu meatballs is so so Ok. For it to be made out Wagyu beef Grounded I was expecting it to be very delicious. Again it was Ok but nothing uniquely delicious. I could have had a traditional meatball with marinara on cast iron and I would be good. The service was a bit slow when ask to have bread and water. The prime new York was a disappointing despite being cooked medium rare. It was still kinda dry and the horseradish the server suggested was too dry next to garlic bulb as a garnish. The sweet potato was actually delicious and they a generous portion that I took home for my family to have as leftover. The lamb rack which was really not a lamb rack was like a leg of lamb according to the the staff that delivered was over season with pistachio seasoning. It was my friends order and he didn't like it as much. I was Ok with it since he gave me a sample and I have him a sample of my New York strip. The beverage of mix drink with lemon was decently delicious and wine my friend ordered. We ended our dessert with this Nutella Banana tiramisu which tasted like a traditional tiramisu but was good but not unique. All I know it was good but it wasn't extraordinary. I would rather go to Stevens restaurant nearby first before I come here. Maybe for the Italian dishes to give another chance but I really cut back in my Seattle Suttons diet. read more

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My husband and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary at Primo's tonight. We had 14 guests, family and friends. We had a private room. It was spectacular. Crystal was our server, and handled our group perfectly. She met our every need. Appetizers and food were served on time and done just as we asked. She even helped us take a group photo. We could not have asked for a better experience. It more than met our expectations. We've decided to do this annually. read more

Food is very goo's but the ability to answer the phone or make reservations is a lot to be desired. I don't like making reservations on line. If you want my business, you make the reservation. Whether it's two or 5 people they want you to do it. There are other places I can go to in Libertyville or Chicago that make it far easier to get a reservation. The only reason I am giving it a rating is the food was good. read more

I tried their brunch buffet today. The food was cold and awful and not much of a selection. They actually make golden corral look and taste like a five star buffet. They don't open the doors until 10 AM sharp. Table setting and environment all first class. Staff and service is wonderful. Can't speak about dinners there. But if it's anything like their breakfast buffet for $23, I would say they're highly overpriced and not a good choice!!! read more

Was good. Love the ambiance. Certain items were great. Others were ok. Service was great. I'll have to go back and try more items off the menu. read more

Primo Steak and Seafood - Chicken Parmesan - Seafood Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

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