History of Chicago Chop House
Chicago Chop House® first opened its doors in November 1986 by Henry Norton. A successful Chicago restauranteur, Norton’s previous launches included Easy Street in 1959, Alfies in 1966, Gate of Horn in 1968, Le Pub in 1971 and Shuckers in 1978. With his investment in the landmark brownstone building, was his first venture into the steakhouse scene.
His first challenge was to come up with a menu for the fledgling enterprise. He hired Bill Farrahi, a former chef at Café Bohemia and a partner at Shuckers; he was adept at preparing a wide variety of meats and game, including moose, bear, buffalo and elk. Bill recalls that he and Henry got the idea for a 64- and 48-ounce porterhouse from Café Bohemia— and so the legend was born.
In 2017, Chicago Chop House was purchased by Chop Hospitality. The building was completely renovated, and the menu updated. The new ownership also added nightly music that plays to the restaurant’s vintage take on unpretentious steakhouse ambiance, call for piano schedule. However, Chicago Chop House stays loyal to its roots, still offering the grand USDA Prime porterhouse introduced by Norton and Farrahi.
Lining the walls of one of Chicago’s original steakhouses are more than 1,400 historic photos featuring iconic sports, entertainment and political personalities, including photos of every mayor. Outside, you can’t miss our beautiful Courtyard — a perfect place to enjoy a moonlit dinner.
About Us
Chicago Chop House® is located in the bustling River North neighborhood in downtown Chicago at 60 W. Ontario Street. Our building is a historic 120-year old Victorian brownstone built in 1897 that has been renovated.
Our menu features legendary dishes including stunning USDA Prime steaks, fresh seafood and decadent sides. We are Chicago’s only steakhouse devoted exclusively to USDA Prime and superior-grade cuts—each meticulously hand-cut in-house to ensure an unparalleled dining experience.
We are open nightly for dinner Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Sunday 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. All major credit cards are accepted. We are not ADA accessible. Four steps to go down into the Lounge and fifteen steps to go up to the main dining room. Restrooms in the lounge and on the 3rd floor are wheelchair accessible.
Reservations can be made through OpenTable or Tock or by calling (312) 787-7100.
