Grilling out in Chicago

“FINE DINING” WARNING: My blog honor dictates that I offer this WARNING prior to this post. Typically, my FINE DINING posts tend to be such places as Hillbilly Hot Dog. Or, perhaps catching the world famous bologna sandwiches at the G&R Tavern. These places abound with personality, ambiance and downhome cooking. Furthermore, they do not usually damage the wallet much. However, I am going to deviate from that tradition a bit. You are not getting out of this place for $20 each. But, there were so many things that I liked about it. I just had to do a post. That said, if you ever want to do some serious grilling out in Chicago…this is the place.

For backyard users of the Weber grill, or for just anyone that just wants an excellent steak, I give you the Weber Grill Restaurant. Carol and I visited the one in downtown Chicago. But, there are about 4 of them in the greater Chicago area. This is not just a restaurant merely capitalizing on the popularity of the Weber grill name. Rather, these restaurants actually use the Weber grills to cook all their entrees. The legacy of Weber grill began back in 1952 when George Stephen Sr. sold the first grill. Originally, George was in the sheet metal business making large spherical buoys for the shipping business. At some point, George took half a buoy and decided to grill some meat. The results were so successful that he eventually went commercial with it. Thus, the rest is history. But, let’s cut to the chase…

The pictures above show the bank of Webers used for your dinner. The kitchen is easy to view so you can follow the action all you want. I don’t know what it is exactly. There is just some “je ne sais quoi” when it comes to grilling raw meat on a fiery grill. Not surprisingly, the smells did not disappoint either. I got a medium rare ribeye that was done to perfection. However, Carol embarrassed me by ordering FISH. Thankfully, we do not know anyone in Chicago. So, our shame was minimized.

As special as all this was, it would not have been enough to compel me to do this post. No, no, there had to be something else, something big. Yes, I buried the lead. Brace yourself…this place had Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap!! I did not know this prior to entry. It was a pure serendipitous experience. Furthermore, it gave me a chance to use the word “serendipitous” in a post. Additionally, as I am a fan of superlatives, there was the outside marquis grill. Reportedly, this is the world’s largest grill. However, there was no Guinness certification. So, take it with a grain of salt.

That about sums it up. My apologies for going a bit pricey on my FINE DINING. If you want to stay cheap, the Billy Goat Tavern is only about 5 blocks away. But, if you are going to be in Chicago with your wife, you are going to have to go somewhere nice at least once. The Weber Grill Restaurant will meet her definition of acceptable. While at the same time, you will literally be grilling out in Chicago. And, if I had neglected to mention it, they have PBR on tap. Have a wonderful day. PT

I hope you have enjoyed reading “Grilling Out in Chicago” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.

Here’s a nearby restaurant if you want to cheap out on your date https://travelingwithpt.com/the-billy-goat-is-dining-excellence/

If you want to plan an evening at the Weber Grill Restaurant https://webergrillrestaurant.com/chicago/