Magnum's Prime Steak House

[ronnie_suburban]

Anyone been there? That's where I'm going on Thursday night and I wonder if I should be expecting anything beyond the standard Prime steak house experience. Is there anything noteworthy or distinctive about the menu or the place? I've checked out their menu on line but I'd love to hear from anyone who's been there.

So many steak places in Chicago, and I've been to several of them, but never to Magnum's.

Thanks

=R=

[ronnie_suburban]

LMAO! The dearth of responses here is not entirely surprising.

Anyone?

=R=

[yellow truffle]

ronnie_suburban, let me be the first to respond on a positive note. I agree with you, I too have never been.

As far as noteworthy, its close to Chilpancingo so you can finish off your dinner with the Mayan coffee.

[ronnie_suburban]

Thanks for the link YT...can't say I'll get there on Thursday, since I'll be part of a bachelor party (ugh! ) but I appreciate having it on hand for the future.

=R=

[Craig Camp]

It's been a long time since I ate there, but I always found it just adequate by Chicago steak house standards. If you want steak in that area why not go to the Chicago Chop house. It's just a few blocks away and much better IMO.

Does Magnums still have that cheesy disco in the back?

[ronnie_suburban]

It's been a long time since I ate there, but I always found it just adequate by Chicago steak house standards. If you want steak in that area why not go to the Chicago Chop house. It's just a few blocks away and much better IMO.

Does Magnums still have that cheesy disco in the back?

Well, it's not my call...I'm just an invited guest. But I guess there was some trouble getting a private room at a few other places in town because the best man waited a bit too long. Hard to say this was a bad choice (since I've never been) but there are several other places I would have chosen before Magnum's--Chicago Chop House being one of them.

And yes, from what I have read, the cheezy disco--complete with disco ball--still exists...but a separate cover charge applies

=R=

[Fresser]

It's been a long time since I ate there, but I always found it just adequate by Chicago steak house standards. If you want steak in that area why not go to the Chicago Chop house. It's just a few blocks away and much better IMO.

Does Magnums still have that cheesy disco in the back?

Well, it's not my call...I'm just an invited guest. But I guess there was some trouble getting a private room at a few other places in town because the best man waited a bit too long. Hard to say this was a bad choice (since I've never been) but there are several other places I would have chosen before Magnum's--Chicago Chop House being one of them.

And yes, from what I have read, the cheezy disco--complete with disco ball--still exists...but a separate cover charge applies

=R=

Magnum's is situated on the site of the former Ditka's Restaurant, which always seemed to me to be the refuge of people who grew too old to hang around Gibson's and Faces. Kind of an over-40, glitzy gold chain meet-market.

[yellow truffle]

bachelor party, now I understand. I'm sorry. But the place fits the 'bachelor party' bill. Lots of good looking people, who are willing to pay allot for mediocre food. The real question is where are you going after Magnum's?¿?

Thanks for the link YT...can't say I'll get there on Thursday, since I'll be part of a bachelor party (ugh! ) but I appreciate having it on hand for the future.

The future may not look that good for the restaurant. I thought I read on Chicago Magazine's Morsels section (1 or 2 weeks ago) that the restaurant will be closing soon.

[ronnie_suburban]

LMAO!

I will be going directly home while the youngin's venture forth...it's a school night after all

But, if what you say is true, I don't think I'll fit in at Magnum's very well...I'm not good looking and I hate mediocre food--especially when it's over-priced.

=R=

Edited for clarity

[ronnie_suburban]

First of all, please note the hour...proof, that I came home directly after dinner like a good boy should. Of course, my wife is still out carousing with the bachelorette, et al.

I wish I had something exciting or surprising to report about my trip to Magnum's but alas...

There was almost nothing wrong with the place, although the cavernous space was almost completely empty. The service was very good and friendly. The food was very good. My USDA Prime, bone-in rib eye was cooked precisely to medium rare and it tasted great. The (steamed?) asparagus was beautiful and tender and the hollandaise sauce served with it was terrific--lemony, bright and rich with a hint of (cayenne?) pepper. Ok, the caesar salad was below average. Mine had more than a few browning edges, but the "wedge" salads ordered by the guys next to me were fantastic.

It's hard for me to completely separate the quality of the food from the quality of the experience. Being in an empty restaurant feels ominous and even though the food was good, eating it in a private room in back of a large and almost completely empty restaurant, took away--significantly--from the overall experience. I'm not particularly fond of "the scene" but this was just too far in the other direction.

But, the weirdest thing happened at the end when our waitress brought to our table the keys to all the vehicles that were valet parked. She informed us that the valet had "gone home." Of course, how did she know that all those keys belonged to us? That's right...we were the only ones left in the place. 10:15 and the night is just getting started (well...for everyone but me ), as we close Magnum's.

=R=

[Girlie Girl]

Magnums is good; at least it's not over-crowded like Gibson's. A great steak place is Sullivan's. Interesting decor from the John L. Sullivan boxing era and of course mutant portions of wonderful food.

[ronnie_suburban]

I've had some up and down experiences at Gibson's but I find their primary location to be very good and even outstanding at times. Believe me when I say that I don't love crowds, but the "bustle" at Gibson's makes me feel linked, in some way, to the rest of the city. Dining there is a 'Chicago' experience. Conversely, last night at Magnum's, I felt like I was on a sinking ship, and I could have been anywhere.

I've never been to Sullivan's but it sounds promising

=R=

[niv]

Magnum's is situated on the site of the former Ditka's Restaurant, which always seemed to me to be the refuge of people who grew too old to hang around Gibson's and Faces. Kind of an over-40, glitzy gold chain meet-market.

I never managed to get over to Ditka's in Chicago but I've been to the one in Naples Florida. That one is an over-80, glitzy gold chain meet-market.

[yellow truffle]

... But the place fits the 'bachelor party' bill. Lots of good looking people, who are willing to pay allot for mediocre food. The real question is where are you going after Magnum's?¿?

Okay so let me eat my words. So there was nobody around and the food was good.

Maybe on the weekends, when they are packing it in, the beautiful people come out and the quality diminishes.

[ronnie_suburban]

Chicago Magazine's Dish reports this week that Magnum's has closed. Based on my experience there, which I described upthread, it comes as no surprise. The place was an absolute ghost town when I was there back in May.

Damn! I should have taken Magnum's in the Restaurant Death Pool.

=R=

[Fresser]

Chicago Magazine's Dish reports this week that Magnum's has closed.  Based on my experience there, which I described upthread, it comes as no surprise.  The place was an absolute ghost town when I was there back in May.

Damn!  I should have taken Magnum's in the Restaurant Death Pool.

=R=

←

What about the Rolling Meadows' branch of Magnums? Are they boarding up as well?

Any bets on who will take over the Magnums site?

[ronnie_suburban]

What about the Rolling Meadows' branch of Magnums?  Are they boarding up as well? 

Any bets on who will take over the Magnums site?

←

According to the linked blurb, both their Lombard and Rolling Meadows locations will remain open. As for the vacant space, Dish quotes Tim Borden, Magnum’s VP of corporate development: "'We are looking at 2005 to get something new in that space.'”

=R=

[Sweet Willie]

Went on a Thursday night to Magnum's Steakhouse, seeing as Magnum’s is in an office building that is far off of Algonquin Rd with not much signage visible, I didn’t expect it to be busy on a weekday night and sure enough it was almost empty. Out of the 17 people in this large restaurant 10 were at the bar. Place was so empty that the busboy seated us, I don't think they had a host(ess), at least they were not on when we showed up.

Service was quite good however as it should be for a near empty place.

Started out with a ½ dozen oysters and a shrimp cocktail. Oysters were fresh and very good. Shrimp were slightly overcooked but still had a lot of flavor.

For entrees, we both chose meat entrees although as with most steakhouses, there are seafood entrees as well. We love leftover steak for sandwiches, so we ordered large. Mrs. Sweet Willie had the 24oz bone in ribeye and I had the smoked prime rib. All of Magnum’s steaks are wet aged and we were told USDA Prime, but it did not say USDA on the menu only descriptor used was Prime which is allowed even if the meat is not USDA prime.

Ribeye was good and quite flavorful, not that tender which confirms my belief that the meat is not USDA Prime.

I had the smoked prime rib, yes that is correct, Magnum’s smokes their prime rib, it is not a heavy smoke, it was one of the best pieces of prime rib I’ve had, quite delicious.

The side of sautéed mushrooms we ordered was excellent, perhaps heavy on the black pepper but still excellent.

Lots of well known wines, especially reds, Stag’s Leap, Freemark Abbey, Cakebread.

I'm not a fan of steakhouses, but I would go back to Magnums for the smoked prime rib.

To answer Ronnie's question: Magnum's Prime Steak House, Where in the Chicago steak hierarchy? I would have to say low on the hierarchy.

Edited June 8, 2007 by Sweet Willie (log)