We had a terrific dinner at Steven's the other night. Â There were a few slight inconveniences, but in the end, the food was terrific, so there may be hope for the front of the house yet.
We had a reservation, and we were seated promptly. We had two kids with our party, and the hostess told us she was "out of kids menus" but would get some for us (they never materialized. When we asked our waiter we saw him ask the manager who told him to "figure it out" - well done manager, nothing like backing your staff and serving your customer. To his credit, our waiter returned, apologized, and when we asked for some ideas from the kids menu, he knew enough of them to satisfy our kids.
It was slow. Â Slow, slow. Â It was Saturday night, and the waitstaff was way over their heads with tables. The hostess was clearly clueless.
Then the food started to come out.
For starters, we enjoyed the crab cakes (spicy) and the crab avocado tower (fresh). They were both dynamite. Â We also enjoyed the Grilled Salmon and the Wasabi Steak (which unfortunately had no wasabi on it (or peppercorn crust for that matter), but it took so long to get out, I didn't dare send it back to the kitchen. Besides, it was cooked perfectly). Â We also enjoyed the chicken penne pesto very much.
From the aforementioned kids menu (or lack of one) my youngest really liked his fried shrimp.
The waitstaff did what it could, and the kitchen turned out close to perfect food. Management and training still has a ways to go, but that wouldn't stop me from recommending Steven's Restaurant if you are in the area.
Pros:
+ Â The food. Tasty, fresh, well cooked, despite small over sites
+ Â They recognized our reservation on a busy night
+ Â Overburdened waitstaff still came through
Cons:
+ The manager on Sat. Night.
+ Â Front of house training, hostess & manager were terrible
Our friends had mentioned this place before and when I saw a Groupon deal for them we figured we'd give it a try. We hadn't had much luck with Steakhouses in northern Lake County so we were kinda skeptical about how it would turn out.
We had 6 pm reservations and it was already somewhat crowded. I started with a Pineapple Upside Down martini which was soooo good! We decided to do without an appetizer as we were busy filling up on the delicious bread they hand out and our meals both came with either a soup or salad. My husband got the ceaser salad, which  is hard to mess up and I ordered their much talked about crab brie soup. I had to restrain myself from licking the bowl it was that good. My husband ordered the filet with new orleans smashed potatoes and I'm always a sucker for beef wellington. By the end of the night we were both in a meat coma.
I'd definitely recommend this place. Only a few cons:
1. The steaks were good cuts but husband's steak was too salty.
2. Wish they had bottled water like Perrier or Pelligrino. They only had seltzer water which hubby asked for and it was horrible like the lines hadn't been cleaned in a long time.
3. Wish the crab brie soup came with more crab. There was only like a teaspoon of crab in the middle.
Luckily my first time here was for a birthday party. Â The ambiance was excellent. Â I really enjoyed the live music and dancing. Â Also, the staff was great, and the server we had was excellent. Â
So, why only 3 stars....price, seasoning, steak texture. Â The items on the menu were overpriced for the area. Â I would expect to pay what we paid at a restaurant a little closer to Chicago. Â One of the appetizers that we ordered was the lamb chops. Â My husband and I are huge fans of lamb chops. Â Neither one of us had more than one. Â Others in our party ( 20 people) described them as, blah. Â I ordered my sirloin medium, it arrived more on the medium well side. Â I made the best of it. Â I'm not the biggest fan of overcooked meat. Â To me it becomes chewy and looses it's natural flavor. Â I had to request A-1 steak sauce for help. Â
Now, what did I like. Â A big party meant there was plenty of food to sample. Â The following are all an A+ in my book, crab & avocado salad, calamari, mussels in white wine and garlic sauce, Â mashed sweet potato's, roast beef sandwich, and the shrimp pasta (the shrimp were HUGE). Â
The portion sizes were good. Â However, the prices were still too high for the location.
I feel bad for folks living in Gurnee; there just aren't that many places to go for a nice dinner that isn't a chain. Â I also feel bad for Gurnee-ians as this isn't really that great of a steak house.
The place is of course in a strip mall, is seemingly large and the decor feels overwrought, slightly cheap, and dusty. Â Dimly lit and loud. Â The place was packed.
Large group, in-laws, a Saturday night. Â Our poor server seemed so anxious and nervous and sweaty and I'm not sure why. Â We were missing things here and there throughout, a fork, a plate, water, ya know, that kind of stuff. Â The bread my brother-in-law raved about was just so-so. Â The Steven's Salad I split with my sweetheart was small and eh. Â It came on a warm plate which I thought everyone knew was a no-no.
My filet was cooked correctly enough; it hadn't been seasoned, just wasn't very flavorful or all that tender. Â My au gratins were lukewarm, undercooked and under-flavored. Â My love was disappointed in his steak as well. Â It just seemed everything was lacking flavor or quality. Â My mother-in-law who, it turns out, hates steak houses was just miserable but that's not the restaurant's fault. Â
This place definitely has city pricing. Â It's too bad it didn't have any city quality to it. Â It's passable. Â There are much better places to go in the 'burbs at the same price point. Â I guess I'm just a steak house snob.
Randomly Yelped this place on my way home from Gurnee Mills. Thank you YELP!!!!!
I have always dreamed of having beef wellington. All the cooking shows... drool. I went in with my husband and we were immediately seated. The ambiance of the place is calm and romantic.
I am sad that I waited so long to review the place because I cannot remember what my husband ate although I do know he enjoyed it very much.
I on the other hand can tell you how much I enjoyed the beef wellington. It was absolutely cooked to perfection. The flavors were amazing. I really enjoyed the mushrooms between the bread and steak. The asparagus was fresh and potatoes had great flavor. Price was reasonable also.
I actually spent 30 minutes on my yelp map tracking this place down so that I could review it and head back there as soon as I can.
I remember the service being great also. My husband and I also went on a walk nearby and turns out there's a little trail. It was lit by hundreds of lighting bugs. After the amazing experience at the restaurant this made it all the better!
I highly recommend this place.
Had lunch here on the way to Wisconsin yesterday. Â Note it was the day before Thanksgiving. Â My wife and I were seated promptly in a booth in the dining room. Â Free potato chips were provided immediately; we could not discern any parmesan cheese on them. Â Took a while before the waiter came to our table. Â The lady had the brie/crab soup and salmon salad. Â I went with chicken/vegetable soup and beef stew/pot roast.. Â We felt that both soups were average; certainly not anything exciting. Â Chicken soup had a few cubes of white meat, carrots, celery and onions in a broth. Â We rated the entrees 3.5 of 5. Â Asked the waiter for dinner rolls; he replied that they were out due to an ordering error. Â I asked what they make sandwiches with, and the light bulb went on; he provided sliced bread which went well with the stew. Â A soft drink was drastically overpriced ($4??).
One negative comment/observation: Â I am heavy and my wife is a svelte 130 pounds. We both agreed that the booth seats were uncomfortable, as if they have been there too long. Â They should be replaced.
I'd guess that dinners here are better than lunch, based on other reviews.
With all the chain restaurants in Gurnee, this is my "default" restaurant when I want someplace original and classy. Â Â I have had an excellent filet with Bearnaise sauce, Itailian Sausage and Peppers, and Pot Roast. Â All excellent. Â Â We also a year or so back rented the side room for my wifes 40th birthday and they offered excellent service buffet style. Â The pricing is reasonable for the most part, the only problem is if I am going to pay $40 for a steak I may want to drive to Mortons instead....So Stevens needs to watch the price point. Â Overall very good!
Review Source:Dimly lit, with warm, inviting, more masculine than feminine decor, Steven's reminded us of older traditional Chicagoland steak houses, and in that tradition the hostess and wait staff were neatly groomed and attired in simple black uniforms, complete with black aprons. Though they were warm and welcoming, they conducted themselves in a professional manner.
We ordered Beef Wellington, which consisted of a butter tender 8 oz. fillet mignon topped with finely chopped mushrooms and shallots which was encased in puff pastry, under which there was a creamy and flavorful mushroom, or "Duxelle Sauce" ($30). Our Beef Wellingtons were delicious. Though both were very nicely browned, there were roughly two inch portions in each that were not thoroughly baked through. Mushy and slightly slimy; it was an off-putting disappointment to what would have been otherwise perfect entrees.
On a scale of 5 (with 5 being the highest):
Service ... 5.0
Food ....... 3.5
Decor ..... 4.0
AVG ....... 4.2
The Seafood is really fresh here! Had the Raw oysters and they were very good, also had the ceviche app it lacked spice but it was fresh. The Crab Brie soup was good, but i could only take a few bites till the cheese was overwhelming. For an entree I had the crab cake salad, which was very good but I had already filled up on bread and apps that i only ate the crab cakes off it. My husband had the beef wellington and he was very pleased. Overeall I would come back for some oysters and seafood, however the prices were a bit steep for drinks.
Review Source:I have been here several times and I truly love this place. Â I am picky with service and it is extremely difficult to find a restaurant that I return to and Stevens does not disappoint. Â From the moment I walk in and get greeted by the personable and endearing hostess to the amazing and attentive waitstaff, this establishment is addictive. Â The food is always fresh and scrumptious. Â I always manage to leave room for dessert. Â I will always keep coming back to Steven's!!!
Review Source:A really nice experience that I would recommend for anyone in the area. Â The food was very good and actually priced quite reasonably for the quantity and quality. Â The service was excellent at every turn (we had a young guy named Jake as our waiter), and everyone we dealt w/ was very helpful and friendly. The crab bisque soup was incredible (a heart-attack in a bowl I'm sure) as were the seared tuna and the crab avocado appetizers. Â Dinners were both steaks (all done perfectly) and fish and everyone really enjoyed the meals. Â The wine selection was more than adequate and the deserts were excellent. Â Living in the downtown Chicago market we can be pretty snobby about food and service, but I wouldn't hesitate to go back and will do so when in the area.
Review Source:I am almost a "regular" at Steven's, meaning I get in once every couple of weeks. Â I thought the dining room was a bit overpriced but then they added the more reasonably-priced bar menu and I love it. Â Good food, the tall female bartender Sat. nights is friendly and attentive, and they have Newcastle on tap-my favorite! Â My wife also enjoys the variety of great martinis. Â Keep up the good work!
Review Source:Been here a bunch of times w my wife. Â Great chops, steaks and chicken. Â The crab cakes are a nice appetizer. Â Dark and romantic. Â Best steak and chops on the area. Â Great service. Â Many Gurnee-ites do not know about this place as it is tucked back in a sleepy strip mall on the NE corner of Washington and Milwaukee. Â But, it is the best Steak and Chops place within a 15 mile radius, oh and their seafood is not bad at all too. Â It is not like Del Frisco's or Ruths' Chris or Don Shula's, but it is just a smidgeon just behind those. Â If you are in the area and looking for a steak or chop, please drive out of the Outback or Lone Star parking lot and get yourself on down to Stevens. Â Look, good Mall based chain steak houses are great for areas that do not have good locally owned steak joints, but if you have a locally owned gem like Stevens, then pleaseeeeee drive on by the Mall based chains and come on down and get a great steak.
Review Source:Being new to Steven's I find the atmosphere warm & inviting! Everyone from the waitstaff to the manager treat everyone with the utmost respect and courtesy. It's hard to believe that anyone would rate this place less than 5 stars. The quality and quantity of the food & services far exceed that of any of the other restaurants I've been to in the area. I was there this past Tuesday night and found the bartender warm & inviting to everyone there and feel that anyone that could refer to her in a negative manner should take a closer look at their own personality. This review is not meant to reflect negatively on any specific incident! My intent here is to provide a positive & proper review of Steven's!
Review Source:I just want to start out by saying I usually only write reviews when I've either had a great experience or a bad one.My last review here was after 3 weeks of attitude and finally when my 8 coworkers told me they had the same experience.
There was definitely a reason I am the duchess here! The food here has always been really good. The bread is amazing, which is good for my friends dietary restrictions.
Now the reason for my change from one to 4 stars ... Despite a gentleman walking up to me and handing me a 5 dollar bill "just in case my service was bad".... Is because the service was not bad at all this time. After being convinced to go back to Stevens the same waitress was extremely attentive and respectful.
Granted after being handed a $5 bill I'd be surprised if I will be returning. Despite this man's actions and how offended I am I thought I should mention the increase in the service level. Also, I forgot to mention the very nice waiter we have had a couple times there. I wish I had gotten his name. He is an older gentleman, always smiling and about average height when I figure out what his name is I will be back with an update.
A women's group I belong to had our holiday dinner at Stevens last week during the snowstorm. Â Their sidewalk was clean and salted and that was an indication of the attention to detail we received once inside. A special menu of choices was printed and placed at each setting for us and the service was consistent and efficient. The food was spectacular and abundant. Â We ate in a private room which was tastefully decorated for Christmas. Most had the tilapia, which was just delicious. Â I highly recommend Stevens for 2 or for 25.
Review Source:A nice ambiance. The restaurant is a little more formal and good for business lunch or a little romantic dinner.
I've been here a few times and they are consistent.
It takes a bit for someone to notice you are waiting to be seated. Once you are seated, the service is pretty good. It's not just your waiter who will take care of you.
Their bar always seems busy at dinner. I've only eaten in the dining room.
Burgers and sandwiches are very good. I have their salmon quite often and always done very well. I had their steak and wasn't overly impressed. I would stay away from that.
I often ramble about the void that Northern Lake County has for good restaurants. Steven's is a glimmer of hope. My wife and I have eaten there several times, usually sitting at the bar. Last night was no exception. We had a glass of wine and a couple appetizers and it was great. The mussels were fresh, tasty and well prepared. The black and blue tuna was also very fresh.
The overall menu is basic nothing really out of the ordinary for a good steak house. The have a passable listing of wine and some good beers. While slightly more expensive than the chains that proliferate Gurnee it is very easy to drive them and come to Stevens"
First let me say that most of my visits to Stevens' have been for cocktails and or Happy Hour.
The few times that I have ordered a meal or an appetizer, it has been well plated and tasty. There isn't much out of the ordinary on the menu, but it's a steak house after all.
As others have mentioned- an evening at Stevens' can be a bit pricey, but let's be honest, this isn't a chain steak and salad bar sort of place. I feel it's a cozy destination for special occasions, and as such am fully prepared to pay a premium.
The only negative that I would care to write is that the service at the bar can be glacial. I find it irritating when there is only one bartender that "chatting with a regular" is tolerated when others at the bar have yet to place a first drink order. I would probably go to Stevens' more often if this was corrected.
I would give this restaurant 5 stars because the food was so great (even for breakfast the next morning(I got the red snapper)) and the drinks were out of this world. Â But one waiter was so rude that it made the experience horrible. Â He basically threw my plate on the table, a meal I didn't order and when my boyfriend confronted him about his manners he became rude and defensive instead of apologetic. Â Â I don't think I'll come back to this place...I get better service at Tacos El Norte next door.
Review Source:We've been to this place about 10 times in the past year, and everything we've eaten has been perfect. Â This restaurant would be packed daily if it was in the city. Â The calamari is awesome. Â The steaks are excellent. Â We've found it to be a great place for drinks. Â Awesome martinis, great night life (bands on Saturdays). Â The staff is always friendly and attentive.
Review Source:An childhood friend of mine's dad owns this place so I was really excited to try it for the first time. Â The steaks are delicious and their soups are also amazing. Â I am a sucker for a good soup. Â Seriously. Â The dinner is upscale and a bit expensive but they also have great lunches including a very juicy prime rib sandwich. Â If you're looking for something a little nicer in an area full of Applebees/Fridays/Unos/MaxandErma's etc. Steven's is the way to go.
Review Source:If you are up in the suburbs in Gurnee, this restaurant should not be missed. Â They have excellent steaks, sandwiches, everything. Â One hit is their crab and brie soup...LOVELY! Â They also have great specials, like Tuesday is penny wine day! Â Very upscale dining with a nice casual feel!
Review Source:
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