09/09/09

Done that

by TallTex

I have been there on each trip to Chicago. Always been a great place. Sorry to hear they have fallen down on the job. I read reviews and negative outweigh the positives. FYI: My first visit I did not understand the the scene, and our reservation time came and went, so I joked with the maître d' about our reservation time and he liked my attitude and Texas accent, (laughed with me and asked me where I was from) so we were sat in minutes. You tourists may need to try that, and a firm handshake with some green in it. "Uncle Larry" took us there, he worked down the street form them for 40 years and was a regular. When I started making jokes with the maître d' about it, he quietly pulled me aside to inform me that "Wiseguys get sat first!" At first this Texan did not quite understand so I made him repeat it with my puzzled look. I finally "got it" but by then we were being sat with the other "wiseguys" that do not wait to be sat at G&G's.

• Pros: Use to be a great Steak/Chop and service
• Cons: Wait even with reservation

03/17/09

My blind grandmother cooks better steak

by rfndpalate

We are from out of town and everyone told us that this was the place to go for good steak. My husband and I both ordered the filet, which was a mistake because they were both absolutely the worst filets we have ever eaten, a burnt layer surrounded the raw stringy beef inside, we actually had to cut it off the meat which was flavorless, I added ketchup and horseradish, which I would NEVER do to a GOOD filet, the cottage fries (fried potatoes) were a combo of raw and burnt, unedible.. The accompaniments, salad was okay nothing special, the bread was cold, like it just came out of the fridge, along with the butter. Honestly the only reason I gave them one star, is because they have somehow defied the laws of nature and stayed in business for so long..

Don't waste your time or your hard earned money!

• Pros: Cold tap water
• Cons: terrible food and service

03/13/09

blech

by rfndpalate

We were from out of town and everyone told us that this was the place to go for good steak. My husband and I both ordered the filet, which was a mistake because they were both absolutely the worst filets we have ever eaten, a burnt layer surrounded the raw stringy beef inside, we actually had to cut it off the meat which was flavorless, I added ketchup and horseradish, which I would NEVER do to a GOOD filet, the cottage fries (fried potatoes) were a combo of raw and burnt, unedible.. The accompaniments, salad was okay nothing special, the bread was cold, like it just came out of the fridge, along with the butter. Honestly the only reason I gave them one star, is because they have somehow defied the laws of nature and stayed in business for so long..

Don't waste your time or your hard earned money!

• Pros: Waiter was polite (sort of) and the tap water was cold
• Cons: Terrible Steak!!!

12/27/08

Better steak at Golden Corral

by burlpark333

I was visiting Chicago and was told that I had to visit Gene&Georgetti's for the steak. What a joke! Long wait for a table. Rude server, salad tasted like it was left over from yesterday's dinner. This could of all been forgiven with a good steak. I kid you not, right before I left for Chicago, I had dinner at the Golden Corral(my friend does not eat meat and likes the salad bar ) The steak I had at the Golden Corral was every bit as good as the one I had at Gene&Georgetti's. The people that eat there on a regular basis must be so use to the garbage that they are fed at G&G's they have no idea what a real steak should taste like. People of Chicago you can have G&G's all to yourself, the bad reviews about the place are getting around. Out of towners will soon stop going there and being ripped off. If you are ever in Cincinnati stop by any of the Jeff Ruby steakhouses. Your eyes will be opened as to what a REAL steak should taste like.

• Pros: at least I didn't end up in the hospital.
• Cons: Everthing else. I felt like I was robbed after paying the bill.

12/07/08

Bad choice.

by Nrgizme

Seating and service were fine, but the rest was blah and definitely not worth the price. My 20 dollar spaghetti came with no salad, not that that mattered because the people who I was with who did get a salad were brought a pile of lettuce and a piece of tomato (not exaggerating).

When my spaghetti came it was bad and I sent it back, which is something I never do unless the food is just god awful, and for the price I paid I expected something better. I got the tortellini instead, which were fine but again not worth the price. My friend got a 40 dollar hunk of meat, which is literally what it was. They brought her a piece of meat on a plate, no vegatables, not even a piece of lettuce for the thing to sit on. It was pathetic, who wants to eat a hunk of meat?

08/10/08

Avoid at all costs

by Harries

Reviewed this site before going, but went anyway. Should've listened to posters. Three of us went on Friday at 6:30 to avoid the rush. No complaints about seating or service (probably because of the early dining time). However, that is where the positives end. I ordered a Caeser salad and the dressing was obviously from a bottle and tasted horrible. My friends and I all ordered medium steaks. The only way mine was even edible was because it was the petite cut filet. Even so it was rare and unseasoned. The other two steaks on the table had to be sent back as the regular cut filets weren't anywhere close to properly cooked. Both were cold to the touch on the inside. My advice, don't ever go here. Plenty of other great steakhouses to choose from in Chicago. Screw this place. Wasted $100/person.

• Pros: didn't die from eating their food
• Cons: everything else

02/29/08

Cardboard Steaks

by irishjackharrington

Overrated place with bad food. I was brought there by a friend who thought he'd show me an "old Chicago" spot. There was a long wait even with a reservation and the meal itself from appetizers to conclusion was almost a parody of bad service and worse food at high prices. There's nothing more to say. Avoid this place.

• Pros: Alleged former gangster hangout sparks a few Chicago stories at the table.
• Cons: Everything else

02/25/08

Not up to what I expected for the price

by iwannawaltz

The steak was excellent and the service was good, but the cottage fries were cold and hard. Please provide a better choice of potato .

01/28/08

Customer Service

by CDTurner

Its very disappointing to hear such great things about food but such negative remarks about service. We had a 7:30 reservation and by 8:30 we were still not seated and half the bar had the same complaint. Many parties were leaving due to the poor service. I would not recommend and would not be sorry if its replaced by a StarBucks or cleaners. I understand why most Chicago night life avoids this place and its my understanding that this happens all the time. HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT..

12/07/07

Completely Over-rated

by transorbital

Had my third (and final) visit to Gene & Georgetti's steakhouse last night. Arrived about 15 minutes before my 7:30 reservation for two, and was seated at 8:20 only when I demanded to speak with the manager on duty. (Not normally my style, but this place has totally chaotic seating.)

I've been here before on the insistance of business partners and out-of-towners who had seen high ratings like those on this website. Never again. Those ratings are flat-out incorrect. The service is always sub-par, and the food average and overpriced. (Service: 1 star, Food: 3 stars - at best.)

Do yourself a favor and instead visit the Kinzie Chophouse, or the Chicago Chophouse - both are located nearby, and both regularly make me wonder how the #@$% this place has stayed in business so long.

If you do want to torture yourself at G & G, here's some advice: Be over 60 years of age; Be white; Don't bother making a reservation; Tip the host, which will make your wait annoying instead of intolerable; Expect to spend lots of money for an average meal.

• Pros: The valet did not wreck my car
• Cons: Would take up much more space than we have here - please see the review