About Last Knife (ALK) — Restaurant in Chicago

Upon first appearance, this place looked and seemed like a great option to choose for dinner. Granted, it is Chicago Restaurant "week" (that spans 16 days), I still had high hopes. They had great menu options. As we walked in, we were promptly greeted and told someone would be right with us. About 30 seconds after, we were greeted by another member of the staff, & shown to our table. This is where things start to significantly decline (aka: drop off a cliff). Our server took a few minutes (4-6 minutes) to even greet our table. When she finally greeted us, she was very cold, short, and not welcoming. (As a note, I worked as a server, bartender, and multiple kitchen positions. I am not one that will review without experience.) After asking if we were ready to order (not "have you had a chance to review the menu?"), she seemed even more standoffish than before. Once we finally ordered, that was the last of the conversation/checking-in on us...until the check. After FOUR courses. (Please note, the busser/whomever cleared our table was EXCEPTIONAL! Prompt, polite, and courteous.) Our server ONLY came back after our fourth course [and noticing we had finished our beverages] to ask if we were ready for the check... Begrudgingly, I said yes. This was the fastest, most responsive she was all night. While the food was delicious, the portions were substantially lackluster. Perhaps, it was because of Restaurant Week; although, it wasn't noted anywhere. Service was some of the worst I have received in 5+ years. After reading the review prior to mine, the cremé brûlée was disappointing. Nowhere near the amount of necessary sugar/crispiness on top. Was far too much of a "pudding rather than a custard." Definitely has potential. Please also save the "generic response" of "we have taken this to our management team..." I leave this review because your restaurant has potential. Make sure your staff is trained up to par, don't serve pudding as "cremé brûlée ", and certainly advertise if portion sizes will be significantly smaller than a normal portion. The food was delicious - it's the aforementioned areas/opportunities that need to be improved upon to make your...

This is my second time at ALK! I came here with some friends before and really liked the food so I brought my mom here to celebrate Mother's Day. She left the restaurant super happy and full!

The food and drinks are both amazing and everyone is super nice! Our waitress was able to provide recommendations and help us choose the right drinks. I'm very picky with my cocktails and when I say fruity, I really mean fruity where I can't even taste the alcohol. I got the Daiquiri and it tasted great! Just like the description, fruity but not too sweet.

For the food, we got the mushroom soup, shrimp cocktails, beef Wellington and ribeye steak with mushroom and Brussels sprouts as sides. Everything tasted amazing! The mushroom is the best tasting mushroom I have ever had in my life! It's my second time eating the beef Wellington and it's wrapped in the same yummy mushroom and pastry. It's just perfection! The first time I had the brunch version with a poach egg on top. It's like heaven! I will order this every time I go back to ALK! I definitely recommend trying the beef Wellington and get a side of mushrooms! You won't regret it!

The ribeye steak we got is 16oz and I never thought my mom and I will be able to finish it but we did! It was that good! I was super full but still wanted to finish it. The steak came with Brussels sprouts on the side... oh my god, was I really eating vegetables? I didn't know Brussels sprouts can taste like that! I loved it so much I went home and tried to cook my own Brussels sprouts but my version definitely wasn't comparable and tasted like vegetables... props to the chef!! Our waitress told us the chef actually has Michelin stars! No wonder the food tastes so great. Even the simple grilled cheese I tried last time was the best grilled cheese. I'm feeling hungry from writing this review thinking back to the yummy food. I can't wait to go back again!

P.S. the location was a big plus! After dinner my mom and I walked around millennium park, which is just across...

I don’t often write reviews, even if the service was not ideal. - However, today I had to break that cycle to warn others.

I came here with friends after work, and I must warn that if anybody has a server named Howl (maybe spelt hawl, Howel, etc), - with well defined eyebrows as sharp as her tongue to insult customers.

First off, I never been gaslit by a waiter in a restaurant, my therapist is going to have something to talk about for a while. I ask her if she has “au poivre” sauce for the steaks or steak enhancements. - all she did was just look at me angrily and gaslight me about my question. I thought I was crazy, but even my friends and people from surrounding tables told me they saw the same thing.

My friend, he’s pescatarian, he asks a different waiter if they have eel sauce for his sushi. They tell him no with a sharp tone, and ironically walk away. After we ask that, Howl, she completely ghosts us.

The same friend, who ordered a veggie burger asks for no tomato sauce due to an allergy. They look at us angrily when we tell them that the first burger was made wrong.

So many errors, and for no reason a tenacious attitude. The other friend here with me, she orders a steak medium rare, and never have I seen something so tough at a small cooked temp.

They won’t apologize for their mistakes. I don’t expect a apology, but at least an acknowledgment for the mistakes.

Quite some attitudes.

I WARN YOU, BEWARE WITH CAUTION. If you want a steak, go right down the road for a steak at the other establishments. Howl, the girl, even after her acknowledgement of being a bad waitress, will try to sneak her tip on your bill. BEWARE

Never have I had service like...