CHOP

CHOP Chicago

When the weekend rolls around, it can be difficult to decide where to go to brunch. If you're like me, you start thinking of where to brunch before the week's over. When I was recently invited to check out CHOP in the South Loop's Roosevelt Collection complex, I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't have to pick!

CHOP is owned by the same folks behind BBQ spot Porkchop, but CHOP is a steakhouse at heart. CHOP serves grass-fed and locally-sourced burgers, seafood, and steak for lunch and dinner, and also serves weekend brunch. The vibe is super relaxed, and the dining room is bright and fun (they have a SHOT sign behind the bar).  I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon to check out the brunch menu, but they also offer their lunch menu during weekend brunch hours.

CHOP Dining Room
Photo Credit: CHOP Chicago

CHOP Chicago

My +1 and I started with a classic bloody Mary and mimosa while we perused the menu. The brunch menu is fairly limited, and tends to lean more savory than sweet. The lunch menu is much larger, featuring appetizers, sandwiches, soups, salads, and large entrees.

Mimosa & Bloody Mary

Our first pick was listed as an appetizer on the lunch menu, but trust me, it's a meal in itself. The steak poutine includes a bed of crispy fries topped with cheese cubes, gravy, pieces of steak, and a fried egg if you so choose (we did). This was incredibly decadent and delicious. It will definitely cure what ails ya! The steak was nicely cooked to a medium doneness, and was tender and well-seasoned. I want it again right. about. now.

Steak Poutine

We could have stopped right there, but alas, blog research called! Wanting to sample the brunch and lunch menus, we ordered one additional dish from each. The brunch dish was the johnnycakes, a stack of cornmeal pancakes topped with pickled cantaloupe and strawberries, brandy whipped cream, and maple syrup on the side. The pancakes were super thin and light and had a rougher texture due to the cornmeal. The cantaloupe sounded more interesting than it was (I couldn't taste pickled flavor), but we enjoyed the flavor and texture of the cakes overall.

Johnnycakes

The dish we tried from the lunch menu was the Philly steak sandwich with sautéed red peppers, giardiniera, shredded lettuce, and cheese sauce. The sandwich was definitely a hefty one and came with another side of fries (as if we needed them!). The meat was high quality, not like those mystery meat Philly cheesesteaks in your grocer's freezer. I didn't love having lettuce on the sandwich, but it was also my attempt at convincing myself I was actually eating a salad.

Philly Steak Sandwich

Brunch at CHOP is heavy. We had three dishes and could barely walk out of there. If you're a carnivore, you'll enjoy the quality of the meat-focused entrees, especially the steak poutine, which is one of my favorite variations I've tried. Come meat-hungry, and you'll leave happy.  I'd like to return for dinner to check out the steaks and seafood options as well!

Note: my meal at CHOP was complimentary; however all opinions are my own.

CHOP

www.chopchicago.com

1017 S. Delano Court

Chicago, IL 60605

312.461.9333