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    The Alston

    3.9 (74 reviews)
    Closed 4:30 pm - 11:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Services - The Alston

    Venue rental

    The Alston Photos

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    THE ALSTON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - The Alston

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    Martini
    Olivia E.

    Great atmosphere, service, and food/drinks. No complaints. I ordered a steak and it was cooked to perfection.

    Dining room area with almost floor to ceiling windows and small table spaces.
    Sue L.

    Located near State and Chicago, this brand new seven month restaurant is well decorated with intimate and large tables. The gilded room is for large parties. The wood work, soft lighting, floor to ceiling windows, and chandeliers add elegance to the dining room areas. I ordered the Chicag Restaurant Week dinner special. I upgraded $20 for the steak. The wait staff were friendly and attentive and knew the menu well.

    Bread service
    Eda X.

    The Alston serves a steakhouse grade burger right! From the high quality beef patty, firm brioche bun, shoestring truffle fries to a very flavorful sweet onion, I truly believe they have knocked it off the charts. The waiters here are amazing--extremely attentive to filling your water glasses. You will certainly leave well hydrated. Beautiful steakhouse. Amazing service and trendy instrumental music.

    Menu
    Aly M.

    Beautiful luxury space in high end location. Comfy, cozy and full of energy when you walk in. The service was excellent. The servers know the menu very well and are knowledgeable on the preparation and source of items. Everything I tried was excellent.

    Mushrooms
    Eris T.

    A Stunning Setting That Struggled to Deliver I so wanted to absolutely love this place. We dined at Alston with a party of four for a 5:30 PM dinner reservation. We were seated right on time, and from the moment we walked in, everything looked like a five-star experience. The attention to detail--from the floors to the ceiling, the elegant décor, the lighting, even the restrooms and personalized candles--was truly stunning. Visually, Alston delivers luxury in every sense. But unfortunately, the beauty didn't quite extend to the full dining experience. Let's start with the food. While some dishes shined--the New York strip was cooked to perfection and the potatoes au gratin, though extremely salty, were rich and flavorful--many others fell flat. In fact, several dishes were overly salted, to the point that it masked the ingredients and dulled the overall flavor. The lobster bisque which we all got was one of these dishes. Although very nicely presented and served it was overly salted and very curry forward. The mushroom side was underwhelming, and the Caesar salad was especially disappointing. Instead of a shareable plate, it was literally an intact head of lettuce--not exactly practical for a table of four hoping to enjoy a classic dish. The service also left much to be desired. While it started out promising, things took a noticeable turn as the restaurant got busier. Our server missed two of the appetizer dishes we ordered, and while we initially thought he was pacing them with the meal, it became clear he simply forgot. We didn't see him for a full 25 minutes, and it was the manager who ended up checking in with us. To top it off, we were charged for one of the missing appetizers on the final bill. The manager did take care of our check and adjuster bill accordingly. That was greatly appreciated. Two highlights - a complimentary bread service, and complementary beverage when you first sit down at the table; which were a thoughtful and tasty touch. To be fair, Alston is still relatively new, and some bumps are to be expected. But with the elevated price point and luxury aesthetic, expectations are understandably high--and unfortunately, they weren't fully met. It's a gorgeous space with potential, but the experience needs to catch up to the surroundings.

    Caviar bumps
    Sarah L.

    The Alston - truly exceeded my expectations for service, food, and ambience. Servers/chef were super accommodating to our dietary restrictions and were very knowledgeable about the menu. We were started with complementary bread and champagne (and ended the meal with another!) Staff was super attentive and checked in frequently. Overall food was really great, I especially loved the steak burger! I also liked that you can get caviar bumps instead of committing to a full ounce or more, and I enjoyed it with the rye bread. I wasn't a fan of the "Caesar" salad which was just a head of lettuce with whole anchovies laid over. It had a vinaigrette dressing instead of a traditional Caesar dressing but our server did mention this beforehand. Everything else was great and I'd definitely come back!

    Brandy S.

    If you're looking for an unforgettable dining experience in Chicago, look no further than The Alston. From the moment you step inside, the interior immediately sets the tone--elegant, moody, and effortlessly sophisticated. The service? Impeccable. The wait staff was knowledgeable, attentive without being overbearing. The Bar Manager even took time to get us a tour of the Members only section. It was so elegant and luxurious. We started with a caviar bump, followed by escargot, which both were perfection. The Baked Scallop Saint Jacques was a rich, velvety delight--beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. For mains, the Filet Mignon was cooked flawlessly. The Boeuf Pithivier--a flaky, golden pastry filled with tender, flavorful beef--was an absolute standout, both in taste and presentation. On the side, the wood-fired asparagus added a lovely smoky char that complemented both mains. From start to finish, The Alston delivered an exceptional evening and you should definitely add it to your list! Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5

    Rie U.

    TLDR: This review is for the NOT steak dinner that was pretty great otherwise. We came here for the steak and we didn't get it bc the server forgot to bring our steak--but we got an amazing Duck Press dinner which ended up being more than enough for the two of us... but our gluttonous fat child inside still wanted the dry-aged steak, dammit! We were also seated at first right next to the kitchen in a corner, which kind of sucked, bc it was so loud. (I usually don't care about seating, but constant loud ambient noise makes it hard to hear conversations so we asked to be moved to a better seat that was more date night appropriate.) Don't get us wrong, our server was super friendly and sweet but she forgot several more things here and there throughout the night (e.g. cocktail, pre-alcohol, etc.) and the business just didn't seem to be running smoothly--yet. The manager (?) came over several times to check in, and brought us a welcome drink bc we probably were seated for 15-20 min before our sever came over with our dinner menus. We thought the Seared Foie Gras was pretty good, but a little cold, and the escargot was a little too salty (but the puff the individual puff pastry was a nice touch, instead of the classic en croute). The Duck Press (very Paris 1906-esque from Chef Achatz) is definitely a show stopper and absolutely worth getting, but our duck legs were cold; the duck breast was perfect!! Would absolutely order again...and again! The Scallops were tasty but didn't realize they were going to be cooked. Oysters were excellent, but wouldn't expect otherwise from a steakhouse at this caliber. Also, oddly loved their really long fries! It's like when you get that one long fry, except it's every single one of them. Am I the only one who gets a kick out of that? Whatever. We would love to come back for the dry-aged ribeye but, we had a pretty great wet-aged ribeye at Joe's Seafood (unexpectedly) the following night for really reasonable price, so we're not in a big rush to return. Definitely would love to see them succeed and would love to return when they're up and running smoothly.

    Crab legs and  oysters  with Mac and cheese
    Daidra M.

    Went to the Alston last evening and was blown away by the staff, amazing food and classy and modern ambiance of a French influenced speakeasy Cozy feel with rich textures surround you while you experience fine dining. The waitstaff is knowledgeable and impeccable with speed and service From the bread that was specially cut at the table, to fresh oysters, crab legs, and scallops .... I could barely make it to the trout (which was also fantastic)! And don't miss the lobster bisque-the best I have ever experienced in my entire life Thank you for an amazing culinary journey awaiting my next visit

    Alston House salad

    Second visit. Easter Sunday. Another amazing experience. The family loved it. Alston, you've done it again!

    Tara L.

    found this place while looking for a good steakhouse in chicago loved the atmosphere the first thing you do on the way to your table is pick a votiv to set your mood. i picked the lotus first place ive ever been to where they cut your bread tableside. such an interesting thing to do just to elevate your experience. we got: seafood tower, which is kind of basic but i love shellfish so definitely tastty crab cakes, loved all the garnishes that came with it house salad, large and filling and can definitely be shared potato gratin & asparagus, sides. waiter also added on brussel sprouts for us, which turned out to be superb. and i got the center cut filet, which was thick and fat but still super tender and juicy i was also glad for such a high end restaurant, that they actually have yeungling. i had been searching for the beer since we got to chicago, since we dont have it where we're from. for dessert we got the basque, and i loved that it was a real basque. ive been to places where it said they had basque but then it just turned out to be a regular cheesecake. i would definitely go back here again.

    Jessie M.

    Great ambiance, perfect for date night! Service was good, not amazing, but it was very crowded. Now the food, it was ok. Maybe we went on am off night, but no dish was outstanding. Presentation also left something to be desired.

    Trout

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    27 days ago

    Outstanding food outstanding prices service is the best ambience couldn't get any better

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    10 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Amazing service, delicious food and wine, special experience. Highly recommend for an unforgettable dinner!

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    7 months ago

    Incredible decor, food was 10/10. Ceaser salad, crab cake, center cut filet were amazing, service was great.

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    Ask the Community - The Alston

    Is it preteen-age kid friendly?

    Don’t think kids would appreciate such a fine dining experience unless they are used to upscale restaurants

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The Alston - steak - Updated May 2026

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