Post-valentine's dinner was a disappointment. Appetizer and dessert were ok but main dishes were far, far off. Sea bass looked pretty- but, had no flavor and I suspect was not fresh- probably frozen. Steak was submerged in some sauce which basically ruined it. Service was good but we definitely felt rushed. Recommend for appetizers, drinks and ambience; rooftop is also cozy and great for drinks in the summer.
Review Source:Despite being a little tricky for Chicago cabbies to find, III Forks was wonderful. We went for the Restaurant Week Menu and it was an incredible deal - $44 for three courses when a steak on its own is typically $36.50. Our food was cooked perfectly and was packed with flavor. One of our steaks was overdone and they replaced it with a new, perfectly cooked one within five minutes. I was impressed. The dessert - Maker's Mark Bread Pudding - was to die for, and the starter course of Lobster Bisque was delicious. The ambiance is really cool in there with a beautiful bar and huge windows on all sides. I'm dying to sit in the private wine room. Definitely might consider III Forks for a special night out in the future, especially when the patio is open!
Review Source:Supper Club splurged for Restaurant Week and did it up right on a random bitterly cold Monday. Â The place is pretty much IN Lake Michigan, in case you didn't know. Â Very much not by anything.
The valet situation was a little weird, both on the way in and out he was sort of MIA. Â Wouldn't have been a big deal if, like I said, it wasn't bitterly cold and next to nothing else.
Anyways, onto the important part of dinner. Â Dinner.
I love going to steakhouses during Restaurant Week, it is seriously the best deal. Â I'd say it was around an 8 oz filet with potatoes and asparagus, plus Caesar Salad or Lobster Bisque and dessert for $44. Â Yes, please.
I got the Lobster Bisque because, duh. Â It wasn't as creamy and heavy as most are but it was still full of lobster flavor and a couple meaty pieces. Â Good stuff. Â My filet was cooked perfectly medium but unfortunately husband's medium was like rare plus. Â Not sure how the same guy cooked two steaks medium for the same table and got such different results. Â Either way, husband said it was still delicious and ate the whole thing. Â Boozy bread pudding for dessert was a giant portion, like half a sheet pan with ice cream. Â I mean, really.
The service, as expected, was way over the top. Â I got a call the next day following up to see how my meal was, I mean that is just crazy good customer service. Â Our server was a bit odd and awkward but still did a great job. Â Would recommend for a fancy, romantic date night.
3.5 Stars
Pros:
Very Good Dirty Martini (as to be expected in a steakhouse)
Bread Pudding - Awesome!! Â
Restaurant Week Menu had good size portions
Cons:
Hard to find
Steak - Filet was good, NY Strip was okay. Â Not as bad as Mastros but not as good as Tavern & Gibsons
Service was good but could have used a bit more knowledge on the steaks
Rooftop looks fun - def will be back in the summer to check it out
I went to III Forks last night as part of Chicago Restaurant Week and would definitely go again. Starting from the top...
Finding the restaurant was a bit tricky - instead of walking, as I usually would, my boyfriend decided to drive. Siri had us take a wrong turn and all of a sudden we were on the lower Wacker, lower Randolph, lower Columbus streets aka land of the mole people. So my advice - take a cab there, walk there, or don't listen to Siri and stay on Michigan, then upper Randolph.
Our party of 8 was seated right away and our server explained the Chicago Restaurant Week menu as well as the fancy iPad drink menu. Once we were armed with cocktails (goose, up, slightly dirty, blue cheese olives) 7 of the 8 went with the Restaurant Week menu...such a great deal, it was an easy choice.
I had the Caesar salad, boyfriend had the lobster bisque. Both great, but the bisque was better. For main entree, I got a double pork chop, boyfriend got the fillet. Again, both tasty, but the fillet was better - very tender, could almost cut it with a fork. The pork chop was definitely a much larger portion - my boyfriend actually finished the other half of mine since the fillet was pretty tiny - the standard 8oz I think. Our server (who was super friendly and nice and totally fine splitting the check 6 ways) recommended both cooked medium because they tend to cook their meat a little rare. For someone who usually likes Medium Rare, the "III Forks Medium" was perfect. For dessert - I picked the obvious choice, the bourbon bread pudding which absolutely did not disappoint. I'm sure the raspberry sorbet was delicious...but I can't say no to bread pudding.
All in all - definitely a great meal and recommend!
I was wondering why this place doesn't have more people going to it, but I think it's kind of tucked away and you have to be looking for the restaurant in order to find it. I was happy that I did. It was a double date night with my sister coming into town, and we decided to come here for a dinner on a Saturday night. It was a nice open modern floor space, and the views are spectacular with the floor to ceiling windows of the park and the skyscrapers in the city. Michael was our waiter, and he was fabulous about letting us know what was on the menu, recommending what to order, and giving us time to make our selections. We shared a glass of Merlot, and my sister and I split the III Forks salad. I like that this salad isn't as common for a house salad since it had apples pecans in it, and that it was large enough to share. I went with the steak special, a couple of 3 oz. beef medallions with crab meat, asparagus, and fingerling potatoes. I figured this would give me a little of everything I wanted. My medium steak was cooked to my liking and very tender and juicy. As stuffed as I was with my meal, we made room for the Texas Layer Cake and the Bread Pudding. My favorite was the Bread Pudding, but both were delicious. Looking at my boyfriend's steak, though his was a different cut, seemed a little undercooked for it being medium. I believe the manager stopped by to check on us to see that we were enjoying our meal. I received a call on Sunday, the next day, to insure that I had a pleasant experience. It was a nice touch. The prices were reasonable, and I certainly would not mind coming back.
Review Source:We were in Chicago and this restaurant was recommended by a local friend.
We had a bit of trouble finding it as we came in from the back side but once inside found it very spacious. Â The staff greeted us and found seats for the two of us even though it was very busy on a friday night.
Once seated the waitress came and gave us a rather lengthy explanation of the menu which is quite similar to chain chop houses like morton's.
We placed our order and things really slowed down. Â It took quite some time to get the food. Â We started with the French Onion Soup which was quite good and a caesar salad that was very underdressed and nothing special.
It took quite some time for the staff to clear the table before our main course.
We ordered wine to go with the meal which came quite a bit before the meal. Â The wine list is unique and pretty good.
Our main courses were one of the specials that evening a Beef Medallions with crab and asparagus and a New York strip. Â We shared a loaded baked potato.
The food was very good and by far the best part of the evening. Â Everything was cooked to perfection and plated nicely.
Once again it took a very long time for the staff to clear the plates and we opted out of staying for dessert as a result.
If the staff efficiency could catch up with the great food this would be a 5 star restaurant.
We will most likely repeat if we return.
Service was excellent - Waiter Michael was helpful in selecting our meals - ambience was warm and inviting, nice view of outdoor open space, and very good selection and delivery on standards for a steak house both food and beverages. Â Terrific steaks, lamb, salads, and sides. Too full for desserts. Will return looking forward to warmer climate to enjoy outdoor patio.
Review Source:You would think a steakhouse would know how to cook a steak. Â My steak was overcooked, served au poivre against my order, twice! I had to send it back two times, and after their third attempt I just broke down and ate the thing because I didn't want to hold up our party. Â It's pretty hard to screw up a filet but they managed to do it over and over again. Â Do yourself a favor and go to real steakhouse like Mastro's or Gibsons.
Review Source:After a tiring day of travel, I didn't want to think, and went on a last-minute recommendation for a Chicago steakhouse experience. I was totally disappointed to end up at III Forks--the most generic restaurant ever!
So the steak itself was ok...but what really killed me is that they were totally pushing their "award winning" III Forks salad...and it turned out to be a tired-looking plate of packaged salad greens with a few sad tomato wedges and a smattering of nuts. Seriously??? I'm from LA--I know my salads--and that salad was as award-winning as a Ready-Pac kit from the grocery store.
But you know what? Maybe this is what I deserve for listening to the hotel concierge!
First off, severs act with conceded mentalities. Â Management treat their employees like crap, i have two friends who worked there, vouched for the rudeness of a manager named Lance, who slandered a pregnant woman by calling her "fat ass". Â Absolutely not a place with high standards of characteristics a fine establishment. Â Food may be good but service SUCKS!!!
Review Source:I have been here about 4-5 times now and I will never sit anywhere except the bar. Talk about outstanding service! I have been fortunate to always have Mr. Levi as my bartender/server and I could not be more satisfied. He always makes me and my friends feel at home. Besides the great service the specialty drinks, wine selection, and food puts III Forks on my top 5 list!
Review Source:We came here for our engagement dinner and were very impressed all the way around. Â The staff knew it was a special occasion and pulled out all the stops for us. Â I was afraid it would be a stuffy, upscale atmosphere but was very surprised. Â Although upscale, it was pretty relaxed and social.
I ordered the bone-in ribeye and my better half had the petite filet. Â Both were cooked to our exact liking with a nice salty-peppery-crust on both sides of the meat (btw, the beef is corn-fed which means it tastes better to most people than grass-fed beef). Â The a la carte sides we enjoyed were the six-cheese potatoes and the creamed corn. Â Holy smokes, both were heavenly. Â The corn was so sweet and buttery without being too creamy and the potatoes were a perfect mix of sharp and creamy cheeses. Â Outstanding experience all the way around, certainly worth the expense.
Good food, decent service, a bit pricey.
My husband and I have been to III Forks many times. The bread they bring out before your meal is amazing - hot, fresh, soft. Â The food is consistently good, though sometimes a bit salty. Portions are good - not too small or too big. Waiters are generally friendly and attentive. Ambiance is nice. Overall, a great experience.
Surprised this romantic place is not a 5! Perfect place to take that special someone! My fiancé and I came here for my birthday dinner and I was looking for a good piece of steak and a romantic atmosphere.
He did make reservations and asked for window seatings for a Saturday night at 7:45 PM, mentioning it's my birthday, but the place was packed so we ended up sitting in the dining room which was also very lovely.
Tip: Sign up on their website and receive an email for a complimentary appetizer of beef croustades that are worth 10 dollars, and it was absolutely delicious. I also got one for dessert because of my birthday but when it came to choosing one, I picked the appetizer. Then we split a filet mignon and of the cob cream corn. Completely filled us and we were completely full.
The location is beautiful, near a patio and many other prime Chicago spots. Definitely make reservations, and I recommend this restaurant for anyone looking to go on a romantic date! I know they have a outdoor patio that is open during the summer and is known for the best city views.
We have been to 3 forks three times and ordered delivery couple of times. So yes, we like it. But 4 times out of 5 my husband's steak came out overcooked, sometimes almost completely done!
I had tried salads, whitefish and salmon-all delicious. The salmon is one of the best I ve ever had.
The ambiance is nice and service is good.
Two things  to improve:  please get the steak temps right ( you are a stakehouse!) and offer more organic products (especially corn; just don't feel like paying $8.50 for genetically engineered corn).
No good. For the prices the ambience is off, the service is way off, and the quality of food is way off. Who tries to sell a steak by saying that it's "corn fed." Anyone with a conscience and an ear for current events would see the red flag.
If you want a steak and a steakhouse experience, go to any number of other places like Morton's, Gibson's, or Mastro's. BTW, we did not get steaks, we got incorrectly prepared burgers and a bizarre shrimp cocktail experience. I don't think iii Forks will last here.
Rooftop Review Only:
Holy wow is this place pricey. A cheese plate, some sliders, some flatbread, two glasses of wine, and two cocktails, all together set us back $117 without tip. Yes, you are paying for the location, which is amazing. The patio is a sleek, sophisticated space with a nice downtempo/chillout/lounge soundtrack, of which I am a complete sucker. The tables are nicely spaced so you don't feel like you are on top of your neighbor, and there are "cabana" tables underneath heat lamps for you sissies who can't stand a nice cool evening.
This place, unless you know it is there, is probably next to impossible to just stumble upon, which is probably why it isn't one big mass of humanity. Its slightly out-of-the-way location gives it the benefit of being quiet. Because it is located just off of the park in the Lakeshore East development, away from any real city streets, there is almost ZERO city noise (hard to believe that Randolph is just the opposite side of the building. The other cool thing is that this place is surrounded by some of the newest and coolest skyscrapers (as well as the Standard Oil Building, or whatever they are calling it these days), so it's almost as if you are in the middle of a glass, steel, and concrete forest.
Now onto the food. As mentioned above we had the sliders (three I think) which were decent enough but understandably overpriced for what they were. The cheese plate was alright, but at $17 for 5 selections, a few caramelized walnuts and some crackers, again a little steep. The only thing that seemed really worth the price was the beef flatbread. Oh was that good, and surprisingly large. It was as if they took an entire filet, cubed it up, and put a piece on each individual square of flatbread. It was nice and cheesy and spicy too. Very good.
Would I go back? Definitely. Often? Well... let's just call this a special-evening type of place until the law school loans are repaid.
Located smack-dab in the heart of Lake Shore East (the bucolic area in the northeastern part of the Loop), lies III Forks. Good thing, because we are sorely lacking in steakhouses in Chicago. /sarcasm.
One feature that sets III Forks apart from other steakhouses is their gorgeous rooftop patio, with its stunning views of the city. We came with another couple on Saturday and enjoyed cocktails al fresco before our meal, as well as after-dinner drinks.
They have a great beer, wine and cocktail list, with prices comparable to any restaurant of this caliber. I downed two delicious martinis (a cucumber one and a mango-chipotle one with a nice kick of heat). It's worth coming here just for those alone.
We moved downstairs to the dining area for our dinner, which again, has lovely views. The dining room itself is very modern with crisp, clean furnishings.
We all liked our food well enough, but I think it's safe to say that none of us were blown away by anything in particular. There was just nothing here that I haven't had better at another of the many steakhouses in Chicago.
For starters, we had the bacon-wrapped scallops which were great, but it's not a complicated dish so I would hope they could execute it well, and they did. We also had the ahi tuna which was cooked more than I'd prefer, and also covered in a sauce that completely overwhelmed the fish. I couldn't even taste it.
For mains, we ordered four different things so we could sample more of the menu. Our selections were rack of lamb, bone-in ribeye, prime rib, and filet mignon, all cooked medium rare. To that, we ordered several sides: creamed corn, six-cheese potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed spinach, and mashed potatoes. Their list of side dishes isn't as extensive as other steakhouses and we were all surprised at the lack of creamed spinach, which is usually on the menu at every steakhouse.
The meat was all cooked perfectly, the flavor was good, but never elicited any "oohs and ahhs" from any of us. The sides weren't that spectacular either; the mushrooms were the tiny, flavorless button variety, that felt slimy in my mouth. I expected a lot more flavor from the six-cheese potatoes, but they were boring (although they had a nice crusty exterior). The creamed corn was so sweet that it was more of a dessert, the spinach tasted bitter, and I'm pretty sure we never got our mashed potatoes.
Our server was pleasant and knowledgeable, but the service just didn't seem as polished as it should be at this price point.
We decided to retreat back up to the rooftop for dessert and after-dinner drinks, and by that time, the rooftop was one hot and happening place. We found seats at the bar and ordered more drinks, but we actually forgot to order dessert (that never happens to me), so I can't comment on their offerings.
Other than the rooftop patio, there wasn't much that sets III Forks apart from other places. I'd probably go back to have drinks, but would likely skip the meal next time.
Would NOT recommend this restaurant - rude abusive staff. Â
Met up with some friends for drinks and appetizers on the rooftop on a Wednesday evening in late June. Â The restaurant was empty, the rooftop had a few tables with people at them plus 4-5 people at the bar so not busy at all. Â The first half of our party arrived at 7:00pm, wine and appetizers had already been ordered when we joined them at 7:30pm.. Â The table had only 3 armchairs so a waiter quickly brought over another (regular) chair. Â My friend also anticipating the need for a chair had already asked the table next to us if it was OK to take the extra one their table. Â When she approached the table with the armchair the waiter pointed to his chair and said it was "already taken care of", she smiled and responded that since her chair (same as the other 3) had arms and a cushion it would be a more comfortable option. Â
To our stunned surprise he picked up his chair and FLUNG it across the restaurant, sending it crashing into another seating area. Â The rage and aggression was shocking. Â We initially though it was some sort of "shtick" and tried to laugh off an awkward situation, it became apprant he was serious. Â Throughout the evening neither he, our waitress or a manager ever offered an apology or an explanation. Â He disappered from the rooftop for a while but we did see him back serving later that evening. Â Dealing with an employee's erratic outburst is challenging but to deliberately ignore his abusive/dangerous behavior and allow him back to interact with customers indicates there is something seriously wrong with management in this restaurant. Â I would not consider going back...EVER!
Went here with 2 friends tonight. Â This is my take on III Forks:
Service by our wonderful bartender: 5 stars
Location: 1 star
View: 1 star
I did not try the food at III Forks. Â My friends and I were only on the rooftop tonight and the view is only of tall residential buildings all around. Â Very strange. Â Anyway, the only way I would come back to this place would be if I was with a loved one and he either wanted to try it or if it was his favorite restaurant. Â Getting to III Forks was monumental if one does not live nearby.
I had always wanted to try this restaurant because it is just across from my apartment and it looked like a good place to impress my girl. After I was seated, I saw there was many stains on the table cloth, the wine glasses had food remains on it. These was not acceptable for a wannabe high end restaurant like this but I went along with it. When they brough out their bread, we found a piece of hair inside the bread after we ate half of it. We felt disgusted from it and let the waitress know. She just replied with 'oops' and I was stoned from her reaction. She just took our bread away and did not delegate the issue to the manager. As the manager looking dude walked around and checking with the customers, I told him that we found a hair inside the bread. He basically had the same reaction and did not thing afterward. At this point, we wanted to finish the dinner and go home.
Now the food part of the story, she ordered a burger and I ordered a filet mignon, both medium rare . The food was only average. From the colour of the steak and the burger patty, you can tell that their cooking oven is not hot enough to cook meat to its perfection. The steak was no longer pink inside and it starts to have some brownish colour. For a 30 dollars steak, execution like this is really not acceptable. I can pay the same amount of money to enjoy much better steak at Joes or Gibson in Chicago.
For average food, unacceptable tidiness, and below average service, I shall not go to this place again and do not recommend anybody to go.
Following up my earlier review with a review for the rooftop patio. Â I guess my first clue that something was amiss was that this place was empty on the same night where we had just come from the Roof at the Wit which was packed and lively.
I get that this location is a little off the beaten path . . .but seriousely? Â One guy at the bar and two tables with people at them? Â On a beautiful Chicago night? Â Something is wrong!
It was a warm night so we asked the server if we could remove the canvas that separated us from the breeze. Â She said no so we asked to speak to a manager given there was one removed at the other end. Â The manager came over (obviously not empowered to take care of the customer) as he said he couldn't as the "general manager wouldn't approve it". Â Okay. Â So we sat there and got a bit of a breeze as it sneaked in around the canvas. Â Too bad as the view is off that side too. Â Bad planning if those things really don't come off easily.
Our food came up quickly and was pretty good. Â They serve a starter course menu and limited entree menu in this part of the restaurant. Â My steak was good- perfectly cooked as was my friend's.
I guess it is just the attitude of this place that bothers me. Â As I walked through the restaurant to get to the elevator to take me to the roof- many of the workers said hi and welcomed us to the place. Â But once up on the roof- all the friendliness went away and it was clear that the lone server up there did not want to be there.
You should of heard the sneer in her voice when she said she was here "to please us". Â Really? Â Had me fooled.
Good drinks, lovely patio, bad attitude. Â I'll stick to the Roof at the Wit.
I'm not so prompt to give 5 stars unless the restaurant is really extraordinary and exactly on my style but ....
I have to admit that, regardless the fact this is not my kind of restaurant, everything was awesome! First I have to mention that the main responsibility was probably due to the bar tender, his name is BJ - if I remember properly- he was such a nice, kind, Â cool and professional guy that made the atmosphere very enjoyable. Second the food was very healthy, fresh and well disposed. Plus the wine also didn't disappoint me... so I don't see any reason to give it less than 5 stars
I had a good experience and everything was ok!
Four Stars with reservations.
I would go back for the space and the view, which I give 3 forks 5 stars.. As for the service, I give it 3 stars, as for the food I will go with 3 stars.. Â
I will cut it some slack as we went on the first saturday of restaurant week, so I noticed it was VERY busy.. Â Â The three stars are for the two filets which one was a Mangie end cut, and the other was served over the correct temp, Medium instead of the requested rare... Â I will also give them creidt for fixing the issue promptly with two brand new filets.. Â The ceasar salad was unremarkable, french onion soup was OK, not great, not bad.. The beef cruediets (sp) app was very good, as were the onion rings... I hade the Pork Chop which was tasty yet the BBQ sauce was very unremarkable.. Â The salmon was cooked well, Â Waiters were good but very busy, did not get asked for new cocktails during dinner, ( not that we wanted any, but are drink glasses were all empty)...
For GREAT steak dinner spend your $100 per person at Mastro's.. Â For a great view and a cool room and bar, go to three forks..
We arranged a family gathering at III forks based on Andrew T's experience at the restaurant in Dallas. Â There were five of us and we had a very good experience all around. Â The restaurant is very nice and the service was excellent. Â They have reasonably priced valet service.
To open there were two bowls of lobster bisque and one III Forks salad. Â The salad was mixed baby greens with bleu cheese, apples and pecans. Â It was lightly dressed and served on a chilled plate. Â Very good. Â The bisque was flavorful and filled with lots of lumps of lobster meat. Â Ms T declared it to be very good.
Two of us had the bone in rib eye, two had filets and one had whitefish. Â We shared sides of asparagus, creamed corn and six-cheese potatoes. Â We all ordered medium-rare. Â The steaks were all fixed properly to order with good crust. Â They were all seasoned well with salt and pepper, Â so none of us left complaining about unseasoned steaks or lack of crust. Â The sides are a la carte and were all very good. Â The asparagus was steamed perfectly and lightly salted. Â We all enjoyed the sweet creamed corn and the cheesy potatoes.
The whitefish was very flavorful and moist with a light cream sauce. Â Ms T, who is not the beef lover, really liked it. Â The portion was large and she could only eat about half.
It was well prepared and presented.
We finished with a multi-layered chocolate cake and a Texas pecan cake. Â Both were really good, but I loved the Texas pecan cake with a good frosting ratio. Â III Forks will run you $75+ per person (depending on your wine selections) and considering what it is and where it is that was not unreasonable. Â Wine pricing is in line with typical good restaurant markups. Â It was a memorable evening with the family. Â We all really enjoyed it.
First, let me make this clear: the food and service were five star. The only issue was the wall of fire along one side of the room our party was seated in, which, even when the staff turned it down, still left the room swelteringly hot.
I dined here with a large group of colleagues. The selection of appetizers were all outstanding, especially the bacon-wrapped scallops and beef croustades (beef and blue cheese crostini). The steak itself was on par with any I've had elsewhere, and the service was attentive and also patient; especially important when waiting for a large group to get their act together. The restaurant itself is beautiful.
I often get the meat sweats after a good steak meal, but this time I could blame it on the fireplace...
Just as good as the one in Dallas. I'm pleased to report that I don't have to go all the way down there to get a steak this good - wonderful flavor, perfectly cooked, and with that amazing grill crust that places like Gene & Georgetti could take a page from.
The major downside as compared to Dallas is that your steak isn't plated with the creamed corn, duchess potatoes, and sugar snap peas, but the meat itself is actually *less* expensive than it is in Dallas, so if you're dining with a group, it'll probably wash when you order a couple sides. But like I said, the bone-in ribeye is every last bit as good, and believe me, none of it went to waste. Filets had by other diners were also treated to the same outside seasoning and perfect cook job - beautifully tender and still flavorful for a filet, reinforcing what I thought about my first Dallas visit, where I had the filet.
We did order creamed corn, but opted for asparagus and 6 cheese potatoes instead of the peas (which I'm not sure I saw as an option) and duchess potatoes. The asparagus was perfectly cooked - we like ours a little crisp, not mushy, and this delivered, and the potatoes were perfect with plenty of cheese (all 6 of them). And we finished that all off with Texas pecan cake and a chocolate cake. The chocolate was good, but not truly remarkable, while the Texas pecan, which I would never have ordered myself, was epic. Thin layers of almost white spice cake separated by layers of intensely vanilla butter cream icing, topped with candied pecans and blueberries. Wow.
The only possible misstep here was the lobster bisque, which to me, was just OK. The bisque we had at Devon, service not with standing, was much better to my taste. Specifically, the hint of white pepper in Devon's really sets the whole thing off.
And as usual, the service was excellent and friendly. The restaurant decor, as Dan M. points out (I'm stealing his points since I'm the coworker he references) is more modern than the "old west" decor in Dallas - lots of glass and blond wood - the thick wooden topped, undressed tables recall a butcher block and are really pretty cool.
So, now the hard part. Do I keep trying to find another good "Chicago" steakhouse, or do I just go with the devil I know, and accept an import from Texas as the best in the city? I mean, I've only had a couple steaks in Chicago, so it's not fair to everyplace else to stop trying at III Forks, but the rest of the spots in town have their work cut out for them.
Perfect place to snuggle up to the fireplace on a cold snowy day with a glass of wine and a juicy steak. I absolutely love this sexy sophisticated space with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows peering out over beautiful Lake Shore East Park.
App:
(+) Â Ahi Tuna - sushi grade tuna, rare and seared perfectly
Starter:
(+) Â Tomato and Onion Salad - MMMmmm, Mmm. Â 3 thick, juicy large slices of tomato served on a bed of baby greens covered with sliced red onions, balsamic dressing topped with blue cheese crumbles
Beef Market:
(+) Â USDA Prime Bone In Ribeye - love flavor? Â well then you're going to love this steak. Â This well marbled piece of meat has it's flavor boosted with the bone in. Â It was cooked perfectly medium rare.
"Local Favorites"
(-) Â Chicken-Fried Prime Rib - Meh, not my thing. Â My dining companion wanted some "comfort food" on a cold snowy day. Â The prime rib is pounded flat and then breaded. Â Personally, I thought the breading seasoning overpowered the taste of the prime rib. Â The breading had a strong "flowery" taste that I did not find appealing.
Side:
Sautéed Spinach - perfectly cooked and flavored
Take a cab or valet park. Â Street parking is only available on Randolph.
One of the best meals that I have had all year. Yeah, the year just started, but so what? Â The ambiance is high energy and reminded me of some of the steak houses that you would see in Las Vegas with emphasis on the bar. Â One of the first things that you will see when you walk in is their wine wall, which in my opinion is a little pretentious but definitely not a deal killer. Â
They sat us (I was with a 12 person party) away from the bar and we had one large table which suited us well. Â Service was impeccable and they did a great job paying attention to detail. Â The majority of the party ordered the 18 oz. bone in rib eye which was heaven! Â It was well marbled, well seasoned, and cooked perfectly! Â Would definitely recommend it to any of my friends and colleagues. Â
One tip if you are driving, do the valet. Â Its only $12 while the garage parking will cost you $21. Â Financial lesson learned here.
So here's a joke. Â Man walks into a steakhouse and orders a steak. Â Waitress asks how he wants that cooked. Â Medium he replies. Â Unfortunately, the joke comes with a punchline, but it's at the expense of the man because what comes out isn't medium, but Medium well/well done. Â Man asks for another one and this time he gets medium rare. Â This is a steakhouse right? Â It's not like I'm in a Greek restaurant ordering steak! Â I'm in a steakhouse who's #1 job is to ensure that they cook their steaks to the customer's desired temperature. Â Not 1/2 step above, not a 1/2 step below..but just right!
I was seriously disappointed and what really turned me off the rest of the evening was how the server tried to play it off as though it was cooked properly. Â I've eaten my fair share of steaks and I know what medium looks like (even under the low lights at the restaurant). Â I not only got confirmation from those at my table, but when compared to other "mediums" at the table, my steak was way much cooked and nearly not enough pink. Â I am not trying to be difficult, but when I drop $45 on a piece of cooked meat, the least you can do is cook it to my specifications!
I would definitely suggest you not waste your time at this restaurant. Â I much preferred other steak houses in chicago like Hugo's or Gibson's. Â Part of the same restaurant, I know, but I have never had a complaint about the flavor nor cook temp there in the many times I have visited! Â
Lastly, this restaurant was a B*&*H to find. Â And you have to valet...no street parking available. Â So plan on spending another $12+tip for your car. Â All-in-all..I wasn't impressed and have had better.
I ended up sending the following eamil to the ownership. Â I am stunned that people could possible rank this place high
--------------------------------------------------Â------------------
We were all very excited to have a steak house in our neighborhood. Â Especially one with such great reputation.
However, without exception, everyone I have talked to has been greatly disappointed. Â Quite a surprise since some people must like it.
In my experience I ordered the prime rib. Â I specifically asked if the prime rib was cooked and would be sliced of the roast. Â Not reheated.
The waiter assured me it was so another in our party also ordered it.
When it arrived it was Very obvious that it was reheated.  We ordered it medium rare and it arrived  medium well.  The outside was browned and the inside was slightly pink.  The cut lacked any moisture at all and was such a labor to chew, I gave up half way.
It was presented leaning against mashed potatoes that had hot and warm spots (again showing it was reheated). Â The color was grey and the mound of potatoes spilled over the edge of the plate.
I was simply stunned. Â The whole meal was reheated from another day. Â What irritated me more was that I had specifically asked about it.
If my wife and I was with a group we would have sent it back or refused it. Â But since we had brought friends we worked our way through and passed on taking it home. Â (what we could do with a dry overcooked steak and cold mashed potatoes I had no idea)
We pretended to enjoy it for the benefit of our guests (who later told us their disappointing experience.)
I live in the surrounding condos. Â Without an exception people have poor experiences.
I am really disappointed and am emailing you in hope that you can find a competent staff. Â I'd really like to have a nice steak house a block away. Â One that I would not be embarrassed to take friends to.
Please
We have heard great things about your chain.
Please find a decent chef.
There is no way a competent chef would let that stuff go out to the floor.
LOVE this place!!!
Ventured to III Forks this past weekend with family and friends for a pre Christmas celebration.  We all met at the bar for some pre dinner drinks and had a blast.  The bar reminds me of one of the new lounges in Vegas (the Bond Bar in the Cosmo to be exact)...super lively, beautifully lit, and tons of smiling and fun people!!!  Our bartender, Chris, could not have been nicer or more on top of his game!!!  We had so much fun with him that we def  will be returning for some dinner at the bar!!!
On to dinner.  Our party was too large to get a seat at the windows so we were stuck in the back of the dining room.  Still was nicely decorated and lively and fun.  Plus...it was right near the bathroom...HUGE PLUS for drinking ladies in heels!!!  The bread brought around looked to be pretzel bread, but so was not...it was warm and soft and very tasty.  We ordered a few appetizers  for the table and all were delicious.  I ordered the Mahi Mahi with crab for my entree and could not have been happier.  The sides are for sharing so we ordered a few sides for the table and everyone was very happy with each of them.  The servings are HUGE, however, so you won't get to fully enjoy what you order if you order a lot...so order small...and share!!!  Our waiter, Curtis, was a delight and able to roll with our punches.
One thing I HIGHLY suggest  before going is to know exactly where this place is.  We were lucky enough to have a cab driver who had been here before, but others in our party were not as fortunate.  It is mixed up in that whole 3 level Wacker/Michigan/Randolph mess. Â
I read all of the reviews about the "kinks" to be worked out and I do believe they have made the needed changes...our experience was near perfect!!!
We will definitely be back!!!
Enjoyed a lovely dinner here with my husband the other evening.....after we located the restaurant! Â I am very good at finding pretty much anyplace I want to find in Chicago, but this was tricky (even with the knowledge that it was off of upper Randolph).
We dined on a Tuesday evening, so it was not too busy.  Our seats overlooking the park were fantastic!  I loved the decor, very fresh and modern, and the service was generally helpful!  The bar is in the center and is large and attractive.  Would  be a great place to enjoy some cocktails!  I will say that this place was attracting an older crowd on our visit.  I was the youngest patron, and I am in my 30s!  My husband is 46, and he was the second youngest patron!  LOL.  Not sure what the weekends bring.
Loved: Â the perfectly cooked filet and ribeye, the complimentary bread, lobster bisque, special french toast dessert. Â Liked: Â 6 cheese potatoes and onion rings (should have been crispier). Â Drinks: Â Husband had a glass of pinot noir with a pour that was on the smaller side.
This is a great addition to the Chicago dining scene! Â Can't wait to go back!
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