Gino's Steak House

Every holiday or birthday my family is here! Their steaks are amazing and so is their home made bread, garlic bread and peppers (all free!) They may be a little pricy but it's well worth it...I would recommend avoiding them on New Years Eve but I would recommend that for any fantastic restaurant like this one...check them out...you will not be sorry!

Turns out there really is more than corn in Indiana.  There is cheap gas and cigarettes.  There is also Gino's Steakhouse in Dyer.

Once a month, a group of men visit a local steakhouse.  I know what you're saying - Dyer, Indiana is not local, but it really kinda is, plus the guy who picked it lives in Indiana so it's local to him so quit arguing with me.  In reality, It's a mere 30 minute drive from Oak Lawn which, on most days, is alot closer than Downtown Chicago, Naperville or Oakbrook.  From the outside, this place doesn't look like much, but this is definitely deceiving.  Our reservation was at 7pm.  We arrived at around 6:15, intending to enjoy a few cocktails at the bar while waiting for members of our group to arrive.   As a resident of the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago, the first thing that hit me upon entering Gino's was the existence of ashtrays on the bar.  Yes, you can smoke inside in Indiana.  God bless the Hoosier State!!  Once I came down from my indoor nicotene high, I ordered a cocktail and, lemme tell ya, they know how to pour a drink at this place;   four ounces of Captain Morgan and the suggestion of Diet Coke. Well done, Sir.  I had three.   The staff was extrememly friendly, going so far as inviting us to go ahead and have a seat at our table even though it was 30 minutes before our reservation and only half of our party of ten was present.  If you've ever managed a restaurant, you know that this is a really bad idea for you, but convenient for the guest.  

Once assembled, we moved to our table, which was actually a private room.  Again, nice touch.  Bread and butter and crackers and cheese were already placed on the table, as were menus and a martini list.  Oddly, we had to ask for a wine list, which our server, Lisa, promptly presented along with a tasting of a Cabernet that they were trying to unload.  Lisa must have overheard us talking about Shiraz while reading the list, because before we ever discussed wine with her,  she showed up with two more glasses - one, a tasting of shiraz and the other, a syrah.  Again, nice touch.  We chose the Shiraz.....and kept it coming.  The menu is typical of a steakhouse, with fish and chicken available for pussies.  The specials included a Veal Fillet and Beef Wellington.  I gotta say, I love Beef Wellington, but I had to go with the 20oz Porterhouse because A)  Porterhouse is the perfect cut of meat and B) something has shifted recently in the world of Steakhouses because it's hard to find a single-serving porterhouse on a menu.  Most are upwards of 48oz and meant to be shared.  I was hoping that somebody else at the table would order the Wellington but it was prepared with duxelle and appearently everybody i know has an irrational fear of mushrooms.  I ordered my steak Medium, with the double baked potato and I opted for a dinner salad with garlic dressing.

The table ordered a variety of appetizers;  a combo platter consisting of oysters rockefeller, ribs, fillet medallions, and calamari.  Two orders of crab cakes and extra calamari were also ordered.   The salad was fresh but nothing special (note to the pantry chef:  dry your lettuce).  The Steak was superb.  Honestly I've eaten many steaks in my life and this was among the best.  It was cooked perfectly and the red wine reduction drizzled on top complimented, yet did not overtake the flavor of the meat, which is good since the flavor of the meat was as close to perfect as i've ever experienced.  I had asked for a side of garlic butter, which is not offered on the menu but they were happy to prepare.  I felt bad having requested it and not using it, but this piece of meat needed no help.  The double baked potato was also a champ.  

As dinner wound down and the plates were cleared, Lisa came in and set a few ashtrays on the table and invited us to light up.  Again, when you live in a state that essentially places smokers on the same level as sexual predators, lighting up at the dinner table in a restaurant is freaking awesome, if not a bit strange. I definitely felt a little naughty, but not as naughty as i would feel next, when Lisa showed up carting what looked like a satellite dish full of desserts.  We never order dessert but then again when they bring it out and shove your face in it, it's hard to turn away.  We were told that the chef made a special bread pudding and that we were basically morons if we didn't try it.  Now, I'm a chef, and i know what bread pudding is.  It's what you make to get rid of bread.  It's the last chance to recover some money on something that is going to be wasted product.  That being said, I love bread pudding, so i snuffed out my cigarette and ordered me some.  It was really, really good.

Obviously this place is well-managed, the staff is well-trained and they got their shit together.  Well worth a visit, and Lisa is awesome.

We went to this restaurant for a family get-together recently. It was way too pricey for my blood.