A Great Way to Satisfy your Need for Steak - Morton's of Chicago
Written: Jul 23 '03 (Updated Jul 23 '03)
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Pros: Very good steakhouse fare in a great atmosphere. Consistent service and food across multiple locations.
Cons: Very pricey, not the best steak I've had for the money.
The Bottom Line: I prefer the steaks at Ruth's Chris, but Morton's is no slouch when it comes to good food and service in a great atmosphere.
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| mrs-j's Full Review: Morton's of Chicago |
Introduction
Dining out at nice restaurants for business lunches and dinners is one of the perks of my job that I get to enjoy every so often. It's not a daily thing, thank goodness, but every once in awhile we find ourselves heading out with a group of folks for a meal on someone's expense account.
One of our favorite places to dine is Morton's of Chicago.
About Morton's of Chicago
The chain began, as its name implies, in Chicago. An upscale steakhouse and dining experience, all of the Morton's of Chicago restaurants that I have visited have dark, deep wood paneled walls, few windows, white linen tableclothes and the atmosphere of a very posh cigar club.
The entryways at several locations have wine lockers engraved with the names of their owners. The most famous wine locker I saw was in D.C., belonging to Senator Orrin Hatch.
The menu is consistent across all locations and I found the quality of food to be consistent from restaurant to restaurant as well.
Morton's of Chicago offers an an extensive lunch menu consisting of several varieties of soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, Signature Dishes and desserts. The prices on the lunch menu are actually quite reasonable considering the restaurant's dinner prices.
The dinner menu is unique in that it is a la carte and at dinner your server presents the menu tableside, using a cart with fresh cuts of meat and various accompaniments on display. You get more food at dinner, and you certainly pay more as well.
The Service
I've dined at Morton's of Chicago restaurants in Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and San Diego. I found the table service consistently exceptional at all of these locations. Morton's of Chicago is not a place to dine if you're in a rush, however. Your service will be attentive, but it will not be quick, as they don't seem to want to give off the impression that they are rushing you.
I like the "dine and linger" atmosphere that Morton's provides, particularly for business since we often have many things to discuss. If you want to get in and out, don't go to Morton's.
I've cozied up to the bar numerous days and nights at Morton's as well. The service in the bar area has been less reliable and is about average. If it's busy, service is rather poor.
Morton's would have you believe it's all about the service, but the truth is that the main selling feature of the place are the big slabs o' beef that they'll put on your plate...
The Food
Vegetarians, don't even bother. Really. There is no way to completely avoid meat at this place. The waiter will even stroll up to your table with large hunks of raw meat to show you their selection for the evening. If you don't want to eat meat, you don't want to be here.
The food at Morton's is very, very good. It is not the best, in my opinion. I like Morton's, but for great steakhouse food, I honestly prefer Ruth's Chris. Having said that, I can still say that I have never left Morton's very disappointed in the quality of what was put on my plate.
Dinner portions are typically huge. They have enormous baked potatoes that look as if they must weigh a pound. Filets and steaks are delivered to your table seared, and are plentiful in size. Even their shrimp are monumental.
Salad portions are generous. My favorite salad, the tomato and red onion salad, comes with an enormous tomato sliced up and one of two types of dressing: a vinaigrette dressing, or a delightful chunky bleu cheese dressing. Soups (my favorite is the Lobster Bisque) come in large soup bowls and are very, very filling.
The desserts are tremendous. Morton's of Chicago is famous for their chocolate souffle and Godiva chocolate cake. Their Grand Marnier souffle is fantastic as well. The souffle's must be ordered at the same time that you order your appetizer and main courses so that the kitchen will have enough time to prepare your dessert.
If there is one criticism that I have of the food, it is that the filets that I have ordered have sometimes been a little more charred on the outside than I would like. The inside isn't consistently "done" either. I order my steak medium but fortunately I am comfortable eating anything from rare to well done. I find that "medium" and "medium-rare" at Morton's seem to be interchangeable. I have also found that every so often the filet is a little gristly. I eat around it and love the filet otherwise, but for the price, I don't expect gristle in the meat.
Prices
Morton's is not cheap. You wouldn't expect it to be. Lunch entrees are more reasonably priced than dinner, running $14 and up. As mentioned earlier, dinner is served a la carte and this adds to the price tag. If you want a steak, a baked potato and a salad you can look to spend anywhere from $40 and up for your meal (not including dessert or drinks).
Favorite Menu Items
Some of my favorite menu items at Morton's of Chicago include:
- Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail (They aren't kidding, these shrimp really are jumbo. They look as if they could rise up and mug you if you aren't careful.)
- Lobster Bisque (Creamy and delicious with chunks of lobster.)
- Crab Cakes (Lots of crab, very little filling.)
- Sliced Beefsteak Tomato and Red Onion salad (Not good if you don't want bad breath. Otherwise, delicious with enormous tomato slices!)
- Filet Mignon (Sometimes it arrives perfectly cooked with no gristle, but not always.)
- Filet Oscar or Filet Diane (Both are very tasty.)
- Lyonnaise Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes (Really creamy, terrific. Enough for two at dinner.)
- Chocolate and Grand Marnier Souffle'
Some Tips
Living around and visiting many other Morton's of Chicago restaurants, I have discovered a couple of tips to save money and time:
- Lunch is a surprisingly good time to visit Morton's. It's not as crowded, the food is just as good, the service is more attentive because the restaurant isn't rushed, and the prices are so reasonable compared to the dinner prices. They serve smaller portions, but I can never eat all of their dinner sized portions anyway, so it doesn't matter. Morton's is great for a business lunch!
- Go to the bar for Happy Hour during the work week. Not only do you get to drink and chat with your coworkers in an elegant environment, but Morton's frequently serves small steak sandwiches for free at the bar during Happy Hour! And they are fantastic. If you go during the week you'll find the bar less crowded and that the steak sandwiches come out more frequently and disappear less rapidly.
Summary
Morton's of Chicago seems to be the company favorite so that's where we go most frequently when we're in the mood to dine at a steakhouse. I prefer the steaks at Ruth's Chris, but Morton's is no slouch when it comes to good food and service in a great atmosphere.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Visit Morton's of Chicago during lunch for a great menu at a reasonable price. Also be sure to go for Happy Hour during the week when you're likely to find tender, small and free steak sandwiches at the bar!
Best Suited For: Business
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mrs-j
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