2beerguys beer blog

A Trip to Chicago & a Piece of Heaven at Wollensky’s Grill

Jen and I just got back from celebrating our 10th Wedding Anniversary in Chicago. While there we visited some amazing breweries that I will discuss in a future post and a few you will see during our 31 Beers of Christmas. We also had the opportunity to have lunch at Wollensky’s Grill right on the Chicago River which was recommended to us by a friend and fellow craft beer enthusiast.  Wollensky’s Grill opened up beneath the Smith and Wollensky’s Steakhouse in early October & prior to our lunch, neither of us had ever been to a Smith and Wollensky’s. The Grill aims to be a more casual and relaxed setting than the Steakhouse but we were unsure what to expect.

Ebel’s Weiss (Two Brothers Bewing) & Robert the Bruce (3 Floyds)

Wollensky’s Grill featured 8 beers on tap and an extensive bottle list that surprisingly was all from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan or Indiana. The tap list didn’t disappoint at all. I chose 3 Floyd’s Robert the Bruce and Jenny picked Ebel’s Weiss from Two Brothers Brewing in Chicago. Jen and I love going places that allow us to drink local.  Robert the Bruce, a Scottish Ale, poured a rich brown with a healthy tan head that screamed of brown sugar. The Ebel’s Weiss took me by surprise because the sweetness reminded me of 3 Floyd’s Gumballhead (luckily Jen let me help finish her beer). We ate so much that we sadly didn’t have enough space for a second beer because the bottle list was loaded with mouth watering beers.

On to the food. To no one’s surprise, the menu provided Jen and I with some difficult choices so we opted to try the BEEF bacon starter while pondering our options. The beef bacon was smoked in house and came out with a blue cheese dip. For the meal, I chose the Chicago Cheesesteak and Jen went with the Steak Frites.  We also ordered Poutine and a Leek, Potato, & Brussels Sprout Hash. For some reason both of us were expecting the smaller portions that often accompany fine dining but as the meal was delivered to the table we knew we were in over our heads in this battle of gluttony. There was no way we could slay the dragon without exploding.  As our meals were delivered, Jen and I admitted to each other that we both really wanted the meal the other had ordered so we traded. In my humble opinion, the cheesesteak was amazing but it couldn’t compare with the steak frites. By the time we were full we had barely put a dent in the meals.  It was only 2 PM but we were pretty sure neither of us would need to eat again that day, until our waiter Daniel surprised us with a beautiful Coconut Layer Cake for an anniversary dessert which we finished barely escaping crapulence.

As we left Wollensky’s Grill on our Chicago expedition, we couldn’t have been happier. Not only were the service and food amazing, but we quickly felt at home and had been so relaxed that there is no question if we’d ever go back. Now we just need to schedule it.

A special thank you to Nancy, Daniel, and everyone at Wollensky’s Grill.

-Ryan