Probably one of the best steaks I've had at the low price (for steak at least) in quite awhile. We called ahead, so we had a table ready for us when we came in. We were attended to quickly. Our server was friendly, the food was amazing, plus the salad bar has pretty decent options. Will be returning sometime. read more

We went there last Friday for the first time in a long time. I always liked to get the chicken kabobs. I ordered them and my husband got the ribeye. My side was rice and my husband got a baked potato. My chicke kabobs were EXCELLENT the rice however was so gross it was all mushy and slimy I could not eat it. My husband said the steak was "pretty good". Not the great place it used to be. The service was friendly but very slow. It is not the place to go for a quick dinner. Overall it was okay. I will go back for my kabobs but will get a different side next time. read more

I love this place!! I have never had a bad meal here. My husband gets the rib eye and I get the filet. I love the salad bar, the servers, and my iced tea has always been good. I would say don't get the carrot cake if you are trying to diet; it's awesome!!! read more

Always a favorite stop at the end of the day or to celebrate a special occasion! Family owned snd friendly crowd. The food is simple (awesome cuts of meat and seafood) deliciously prepared over an open flame. Fresh and abundant salad bar old school that never gets old. Just great food in a great atmosphere. I have never had bad service and it can get really busy in there at prime time. These people have been doing it right for 20+ years and I hope they keep it up for another 20. read more

They are the best! Chris is an amazing cook. The food is good. This is the only place to go for good steak

The Backyard Steak Pit in Gurnee is one of the best restaurants in Lake County. We consistently over the years have received great food and service there. This evening three of us went there for dinner and had a fantastic time. Our server Jackie was super friendly, helpful, and made our experience wonderful. We ordered the ahi tuna, the prime rib, and the sirloin as entrees. Not only were they cooked as requested they all so delicious. The sides we ordered were also perfect. All in all Backyard Steak Pit is a special place. Great restaurant for casual dining or for celebrating that special occasion. Have never been disappointed with any meal we have had here in 20 plus years. read more

Food was just ok. Overpriced for the quality. Ordered prime rib, it was chewy and hard to cut. Rice was average at best. The salad bar and fresh bread were good read more

We stopped off here because of the yelp reviews, and were not disappointed. Some of the best lobster bisque we have had outside of the east coast, and the steak was excellent. Wait staff was pleasant and attentive. The restaurant has a friendly hometown atmosphere that you don't find much anymore. Bypass the chain restaurants and make your way here, you won't regret it. read more

Been going there for 22 years! Loved this place then and continue to love it just as much! Family and friendly atmosphere. All employees make you feel like home! The bar reminds me of the tv show Cheers: you have your regulars and your new friendly faces that soon become regulars! The food is delicious!! You have to try the Filet Oscar with bearnaise sauce and fresh bread right out of the oven: crispy outside and soft inside! Melts in your mouth! If you haven't been, you have to stop by, you'll be coming back for more! :-) read more

18 oz ribeye cooked to perfection. Medium rare extra char. Good salad bar, good lobster bisque. The steaks were cooked on an open grill. The baked potatoes were actually smoke flavored from the grill. read more

Chris is the best chef. I like my steak well done and he cooks it perfect. It is still really juicy even with it being well done

This by far hands down my FAVORITE steak place. For the past 5 years this is were I want to go for my birthday dinner. Service and owners are so nice and welcoming. read more

Super yummy and friendly every time! Sometimes things can take some time to come out but it's always worth the wait! Love the coconut shrimp! read more

I dined here for the first time. I was not impressed with their food. Ordered Steaks and they were dry and lacking taste. Will not come back here again, sad to say, because I love steak. read more

I live in Barstow, CA. Saturday, January 11, 2015 we were still in Great Lakes, Il with my son and his wife after watchin my grandson graduate from Navy Boot Camp. On Friday, we had had a spectacular meal at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. But on Saturday, we asked my grandson to choose whatever he wanted for dinner. He said he wanted either a hamburger or a steak. It seems in boot camp, hamburgers are non-existent. But since my wife doesn't eat hamburgers, we opted for steak. I checked around and finally the night clerk at our hotel who had recommended Malnati's for pizza, recommended Backyard Steak Pit for steaks. Upon entering, the hosts were extremely pleasant and assured us the perfect meal. Having spent many years in the restaurant business, I know what to expect in a quality steak house. We looked at the menu and the prices seemed to be in order with a decent steak house, the restaurant was clean, and everything seemed good. Three of us ordered prime rib, one ordered the rib eye steak and my grandson (who's special day it was) ordered the bison burger. It seems he really did just want a hamburger and he had never had a bison burger so all seemed great. The salad bar was appropriate, and my son's Lobster Bisque was awesome! The warm bread was really excellent. When our food was delivered, we noticed the portions were fine and the meats were cooked perfectly. And the flavor of the meets were all top notch. The chef really did his job right! However, my grandson's bison burger was just a meat patty on a dry bun. No cheese (I thought we got a choice of cheeses?). No lettuce, no tomato, and no condiments! It seems the lettuce and tomato are only given when asked for. So my grandson asked for lettuce and tomato but forgot to ask about the cheese. I asked the waitress for butter for our baked potatoes and she pointed to the four butter pats that were left from our bread that was now gone. She had only given us a thimble full of sour cream so I laughed and told her that we wanted a lot of butter for our potatoes and some chives. She said that you don't serve chives but she would get more butter. After she left, we started in on our meals and I told my grandson to wait until she got back so he could get some mayonnaise, ketchup, or mustard, and some cheese for his burger. He said "no, I'll just eat it this way". He is too much of a gentleman to put someone out so he would just eat it like it came. I said "no, you'll get it properly" but by the time the waitress came back quite awhile later, his bison burger was about gone as were our meat portions. She set down four more butter pats for our potatoes that were by now cold and could not melt the butter even if we had gotten a real serving of butter. I asked if we could have more bread and quite awhile later she came back with a loaf of cold (and very cold in the middle) bread. I went to the salad bar to get some cheese for our now cold potatoes as it seemed obvious that butter is not going to be served in your restaurant. We left the cold bread and most of our cold potatoes and just asked for the check. After the check was delivered, the waitress and host were then all over us to make sure everything was great as promised. We just nodded and said fine. There was no point in making an incomplete meal even worse. We just figured it was not likely we would be back in the Chicago area again so just leave it. I left that waitress a $20.00 tip that in my opinion and way of tipping should have been $40.00 for a $129.00 bill, but I just could not conjure up the justification to tip properly for such and incomplete meal that could have been incredible. As I stated, the hosts were great, the chef was right on, the prices were fine, the portions were fine, and all to be spoiled by the apparent cost cutting measures on butter, a cheese slice, condiments, and cold bread (to ensure we would not ask for more?) not to mention only seeing our waitress when it was time for a tip. How sad that a place of potential quality should be ruined but ridiculously tight cost cutting measures. How sad that my grandson's special day would be topped off by cheapness. Of course my grandson is still saying "That's ok, it was good enough". In retrospect, we are wishing we had gone back for pizza a second night in a row. read more

By far the best restaurant, creating a sense of wanting to return everyday! We tried this restaurant in October based on reviews and we are so glad we did! I travel for business throughout the US and this by far my number one choice. We visit as often as possible. From the best steaks made to your desire, even charred rare, to the best salmon I ever had to excellent burgers. The portions and amount of food is amazing. The soup is outstanding, the salad bar has more toppings than any establishment I've visited. Sides are also delicious and the bread grilled will have you asking for more.. The staff is amazing and the owner who truly cares putting customer service first. Reading some of these reviews we just don't know where anything less than 5 stars is possible. This is a 5 star restaurant all the way! A MUST try and we are so glad we did, YUM! Deb from Deerfield read more

Great atmosphere. The onion loaf was a little salty but we really enjoyed it. Warm bread was very good. Lobster bisque was really nice. My wife and I had Surf & Turf. Filet was cooked perfect and very tender. The lobster was a disappointment no flavor at all. Our Freind had the Crusted bone in ribeye and loved it. We will go there again. Service was good. read more

I should have reviewed BSP prior to my latest visit this past Saturday. Until then, I never had a bad meal and even with the issues during my last visit, the wait staff was great. My visit was to celebrate my grand-daughters birthday. She likes crab and her and my wife ordered the King Crab dinner which was served cold and had to be reheated. I ordered my usual fare, a bone-in Ribeye which was served with no bone and for the first time ever, tough and chewy. My prior experiences always included a bone (to take home for the dog) and an almost cut with a fork piece of meat. I was served a different steak more fitting the meal I expected but the owner chose to "explain" to me about meat. Not appreciated. I did appreciate the minimal comp on my bill and didn't expect much because we did eventually get served our meals (hot and edible) after a fashion. The waitress was a trooper through it all as I've come to expect from any of them. read more

Where do I start.....My boyfriend and I decided to try this place after a recommendation from a friend. From the parking lot this place looked like a bar/diner. The place was packed and we were seating in the back by where all the waiting staff runs around and next to the cooking area (possibly the worst table). Our waitress was nice, but clearly had no concept of time. We were there for almost 2 hours wondering when we would finally get our food. I ordered a martini and she brought out one I didn't order, it took her about 10 minutes to bring me the right drink. We had the onion loaf as an appetizer which was decent however I've had better. I ordered a filet mignon with mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms and my boyfriend ordered a hickory smoked ribeye also with sautéed mushrooms. We also had the lobster bisque soup which tasted like it probably came from a can. When we finally received our food what felt like a decade later.....the filet was ok but charred on the outside, the mashed potatoes tasted like they used to be powdered and later microwaved with water and then buttered up. Which actually I had asked the waitress about and she said they came from a package and where buttered up but they where "red skin potatoes" way to tip toe around that one! So she offers me a baked potato instead, REALLY??? The hickory smoked ribeye was garbage. It was ordered to be medium but was almost well done, had no seasoning on it and charred to s***. The "sautéed mushroom" clearly came form a can and were reheated in their disgusting garlic sauce and not sautéed whatsoever. I expressed my disgust with our dinners and how we where there for the first time and very dissatisfied with the whole experience. Meanwhile, the table next to us (who actually got their food within 30 minutes of being seated) wanted to make sure that their dressing from the salad bar was gluten free, THE MANAGER approached the table and even offered to bring a ladle of it out to them to inspect and later offered to bring out the packets it came from....wow. Hoping the manager would approach us and try to reconcile this awful experience, he just simply walked away and kept busy with other things. We waited about 15 minutes for our check which was over $100 and all the waitress did was credit the "sautéed mushrooms." Horrible place, bad service and overpriced food. I would have rather gone to many of the other restaurants in Gurnee. read more

The steak was good, but for the price the chicken was rubbery and ribs ok. Commented on the chicken and I think someone else did and no response. read more

This restaurant had the feel of "Cheers"-everyone knows your name. Very nice atmos, great food.

Always good food here! I especially like the blackened rib eye. Salad bar is a plus as we do like restaurants that have a good salad bar!!

We used to be regulars, but their quality has gone down substantially. As noted by another reviewer, their "fresh" bread was undercooked, like raw dough in the middle. I got the ribeye, and same as before...it was so full of gristle, it was totally inedible! I mentioned it to the server and she said, yes," ribeye has lots of marbling". I told her there is a difference between marbling (which is fat), and gristle, (which is cartlidge. ) She did not offer any other options. I am not comfortable sending a crappy piece of meat back, so I just pushed the meat away and finished my sides. We will not be returning to this steak pit. read more

Great steakhouse! The salad bar is a must - the homemade ranch and blue cheese dressings are delicious. The potato skins are made from scratch and large enough to order as an entree. The petite filet, buffalo chicken sandwich, coconut shrimp and bbq ribs are my favorite entrees. Make sure you order a brandy Alexander for dessert - you will not be disappointed!! read more

Was very disappointed. Used to go here years ago and they always had a special, i.e. Salmon for a decent price. Now everything seems to be overpriced. $17 - $25 for a steak. Food is good but overpriced. I had a burger for $9.99 and nothing special. I've had just as good at a local grill for $7.99. Soup was good and bread nothing special. There are plenty of other places around for a better value...right neext door for that matter.... read more

A nice place to go in gurnee that isn't a chain! Little pricey but worth it! Burgers are always good!

The food was great and the staff was super friendly. A little out of the way but if you're in Gurnee a great place to pick up a great steak

Lets make this simple. 4 people, two kids...45 minutes for entrees! If every seat was full, I might expect this. But it wasn't. Server was polite but slightly un-attentive. Food was ok, and a little dry. $20 for 2 smoked pork chops, 8 oz ea is not a bad price. I just can't get over the long wait for 4 entrees. Half that time would have been ok... Will not return. read more

We are enjoying another fantastic and special evening at backyard! The steaks are certainly as good if not better than the more pricey steak houses in the area. The owners and servers make a point of really getting to know you personally. Everyone here is genuine. There is a real community feel here whether it is your first time or if you are, like us , bi-weekly regulars. Filet mignon and 2 lobster tails for under $50 ! Try it ! Backyard is a delightful and satisfying culinary experience! read more

I'm so surprised to read the less than stellar reviews. My husband and I love to come here, it's always a treat. The service is excellent, the steaks are great. The salad bar is lovely. We've never had a bad meal here. Our usual order is steak and ribs, baked potato and the salad bar. read more

Recently tried this restaurant with a large group of people for an event. To say it was disappointing would be an understatement (to say I felt horrible for my friend who had to foot the bill would be more accurate). Several items came out undercooked (onion loaf, bread, meat), the presentation was laughable, wait staff was completely ineffective, and we all felt like a burden to the servers. To boot, the food was mediocre, at best (many people just took the food home for their pets). I'd say stay away, as there's absolutely nothing remarkable about this restaurant. Spend your hard-earned money elsewhere, particularly when there are so many options out there. read more

One of the few consistently really good steak places in the area! The decor is a bit dated, bricks arches, dark wood, red faux leather booths, tables, but you can't eat that anyway! A little pricey, but not bad, you know the drill! Three of us last night. two, petite 8 oz. filet's, and one queen size prime-rib, plenty of meat!) (The baby-back ribs are really good too! Meaty, charred right and the sauce is excellent!) All cooked perfectly and the Black Angus beef is quality! Mashed and baked taters, great! (A nice homemade pan gravy for the mashed would be nice!) "Warm" fresh baked loaf of bread, always a sign of care and thought, terrific, salad bar, fresh with good choices and salad dressings! Lobster bisque, excellent! It seems to be getting better every time we go! Bar is decent. It does get a little tight around the tables when the place fills up! Booths are a nice choice, roomy and the tables in them move for bigger guys! Don't know them, not a part owner or own stock! It's just great food, and great service. Made 4:00 pm, (opening time dinner) reservations, by 4:30 the place was almost filled! So what does that tell you! Five drinks and one dessert, (Turtle cheesecake), awesome, to go! $145.00, for three adults! Took home part of the prime-rib! Would have liked a bone in cut but no can do there! Go early, have a cocktail, eat and enjoy! I think you'll like the food! Not too loud either! The wait staff and cook, know what there doing! Super friendly and genuine! You'll enjoy your dinner here, we do! Besides The Colony House, in Trevor, Wis, across the Ill., boarder from Antioch and Dover Straits, in Mundelein, for fish, "Backyard" is a great choice and right about in the middle! Heard "The Stage Stop", in Salem, Wis., was re-opening soon! We'll see!? You have a steak or seafood place near by? Let me know!!! Thank you, ThankyouveryMUNCH! read more

wow just got home the the back yard steak pit ahhhh i am sooo full, my steak was amazing with out a doubt,service was really good. my wife had the 16 oz lobster with rice have never had anything better i can say good bye red lobster and hello back yard. the wild rice i had with my 16-oz ribeye was soooo perfect. when i walked up to the salad bar i was able to speak with the chef him self and ask questions. very nice guy and was fun to watch my steak cooked on a charcoal grill.. over all the back yard holds up to its name, if you dont believe me get in there and try it your self... love the back yard and will be there every other friday after work for great food and drink read more

I was very unhappy with the service as well as my meal. Our waitress was rude and unattentive. She acted like we were a bother and we had to practically beg her for bread that everyone else at all of the tables around us were getting and to refill our water glasses. I ordered a New York strip steak and what I got was not a New York strip it was a thick, tough sirloin at a New York strip price tag. I asked for it to be cooked medium and it was medium well and dry and tough with very little seasoning. I asked for steamed veggies as my side item and what I got was raw veggies that were crunchy. The salad from the salad bar tasted as though it was not fresh. The only thing I had that was good was the bread (that I had to beg for) and my drink which was a very tasty martini made with amaretto, baileys and kahlua. What I paid for a steak and a drink did not match up to the quality of what I received. The waitress brought our check and didn't even ask if we wanted dessert. Very poor service and low quality food at a hefty price tag. I will not be back. read more

Horrible service! I mean she was just terrible. The food was dry and flavorless. I think the mashed potatos are made from instant. They had that taste. My husband ordered the baked potato...she brought it 15 minutes after our meal! We will never go back. read more

Basically mostly OK but nothing to draw us back as opposed to other places. We split a ribeye and lobster both of which were decent enough but unfortunately the mashed potatoes were both instant and not worth eating which seemed very out of place with the rest of the meal. Avoid those otherwise a bit pricey but decent food. read more

This restaurant is the best steak place I've been to in a while. My family went to the Backyard Steak Pit on a Saturday and the place was pretty busy so be sure to make a reservation if you are planning on going around 6 ish. However, during the week they are still pretty busy but you are able to get a table pretty quickly. My daughter loved the kids menu and being able to color on the table. The steaks were cooked to perfection and the staff were very friendly.This place is very family friendly and the food is excellent. They have a wide varied of steaks, seafood, chicken, and burgers so when no one can decide on one type of food we go here. I would definitely recommend this for a family night or even for a date night ! I am even planning on taking my wife there for Valentines day ! read more

Never had a bad meal here. I love that it's very casual. We eat a the bar usually. Always end up chatting to peple around us. Really nice people and great food. Try it for sure. read more

Starting with the positive thoughts about the reason for our visit.. Our youngest son had graduated from Navy Boot Camp. By his choice after our reviews of being a casual dining. In a party of seven we had no problem spending money. Ordered appetizers that were just ok. We then Ordered our meals, myself ordering a prim rib sandwich and it was horrible. The taste was horrible, our children decided to order a Sirloin dinner to share, another let down. My stepsons mother ordered The Special..Being a prim strip that was lacking in taste not cooked to order served cold! My Husband ordered the large Bone In Rib Eye that was also lacking in taste was also cold. Ordered a baked potato served cold mashed. We tried just accepting are horrible Experience with over priced horrible meat, sides bread was white bread under cooked!! Our Server was Great, Clearly not her fault. As I watched the manager walk past our table after I sent the sandwich back informed her of our unhappiness he never one time visited our table. So being unhappy I took it upon myself to approach him. His lack of being a manager responded with well if you were that unhappy you should of said something when your server ask how your dinner was! Really being a server bartender for the last 25 yrs. I was apauled by his arogence! Responds with well I took the sandwich off, the sirloin with gristle all the way through off. Never once did he approach our table. We are from California so no worries of ever visiting this Horrible place again. Didn't have any problem taking our 208.00 without being informed our party of being 7 18% gratuity included! This isn't a place I'd send my worst enemy to. As I hope the owners of this crapy place read this and take it serious enough to attempt in Fixing there Horrible Business! read more

We had our company Christmas dinner on Saturday here. Despite having a reservation we were still subjected to a 45 minute wait. However they did comp us with two free appetizers which we greatly appreciated. The food and service was excellent. We had such a good time. Would have given 5 starts had it not been for the long wait. Will go again. read more