Gold Coast's Wood-Fired Power Steakhouse
Maple & Ash in the Gold Coast has built one of Chicago's most-photographed steakhouse experiences. The format pivots on a single decision: cook the meat over wood-fired hearth at Argentinian asado temperatures, and let the smoke and char do the talking.
The cooking is American steakhouse with a serious seafood programme alongside: prime cuts from named producers, the seafood tower as the visual centrepiece, and an unusually broad list of seasonal sides and starters.
What to Order
The wood-fired ribeye or porterhouse — this is the dish the room is built around. The seafood tower for a celebration table. I Don't Give a F*@& — the menu's literally-named omakase-style chef's selection, for the diner who wants to commit. The cocktail programme is one of the more serious in the Gold Coast.
The Format
The dining room is large, dramatic, and well-staged for an evening. The mezzanine bar handles a starting drink; the private dining rooms accommodate corporate parties.
Best Occasion: Close a Deal
Maple & Ash handles a Chicago deal dinner with the kind of theatrical confidence the format requires. The wood-fire centrepiece, the seafood tower, the wine programme — combine into a meeting that signals seriousness without abandoning hospitality. Few Gold Coast rooms thread the needle this well.