River North's Theatrical Steakhouse
Mastro's Steakhouse on Dearborn is the Chicago flagship of the international Mastro's chain — a polished, theatrically-staged American steakhouse with the distinctive sizzling-plate presentation, live piano, and the kind of dining-room theatre the format trades on.
The cooking is American steakhouse at hotel-restaurant standards: prime cuts presented on plates heated to 500°F, fresh seafood, considered sides. The wine cellar is genuinely deep; the cocktail programme handles the format.
What to Order
Bone-in ribeye or filet mignon, served on a sizzling plate. Seafood tower; chilled lobster; the bread basket and the butter cake at the end of the meal. The wine list is unsurprisingly deep on Bordeaux and Napa.
The Format
The room is well-staged: dim lighting, live piano in the bar area, the sizzling-plate theatre that defines the brand. Private dining rooms accommodate corporate parties.
Best Occasion: Close a Deal
Mastro's handles a Chicago deal dinner with practised confidence. The format communicates a particular kind of expense-account seriousness; the wine list lets the meeting ascend to whatever level the deal requires.