Morton's The Steakhouse — Restaurant in Schaumburg Township

As a Chef I am extremely ( and occasionally unfairly) critical of just about every dining experience I have. It's not that I don't enjoy food or eating out, rather I spend most of my waking hours actively involved in the preparation, execution, and assessment/critique of food, and it carries over into my recreational time as well.

I've been in the Chicagoland area for about a month training with a extraordinary restaurant and winery company that is opening a few more locations in south Florida, where I am from, and could not pass up the opportunity to visit and take my wife (who was up to visit me) to The Steakhouse in Chicago.

I can honestly say I have never been more disappointed in a meal. For years I had dreamed of visiting Morton's, but avoided it due to it's price point. I love steak. I love simple food fair. I love simple, understated elegance, all of which Morton's delivers, or so I thought.

To start my wife ordered a Caesar salad, I went for the Lobster bisque. While the portion was impressively large, the salad was one of the blandest and watered down offerings I have tasted. My bisque was pleasant. For our meal (we had appetizers at my current restaurant which were delicious) my wife ordered a petite (6 oz) filet mignon with grilled shrimp and bacon wrapped scallops. I ordered the Chicago 22oz Bone in Ribeye (the king of steaks in my opinion). To start, both the filet and my ribeye were among the most tender steaks I have tasted. That is probably the only complement I can give the meal. The grilled shrimp were very tender as well, but the beurre blanc (or whatever butter sauce) was awkwardly tangy and did not complement the shrimp. The bacon wrapped scallops were large (U-10 I would guess) and as well very tender, but were on the "fishy" side and served atop what I believe was a horseradish/applesauce compote that was interesting on its own, but did nothing for the scallops what so ever. Side items were a la carte, expected, but should be included at this price point. We opted to share (at our server's recommendation) Morton's version of potatoes au gratin. Again, awkward and bland flavors. As far as the steaks went, although they were very tender, they were both disappointing. I would not personally call my steak med-rare, but it was close. I would technically categorize it as a "medium plus" but I would probably argue the correctness if I were the chef and this steak was returned to my kitchen. Besides "possibly" being overcooked I was severely disappointed with the seasoning (or lack of it). Now I am all about the flavor of the beef, especially aged Prime Angus, but seriously, a little salt and pepper goes a long way. The temp on my wife's filet was a spot on med-rare, but again had no flavor (seasoning) to complement the beef. We opted to skip desert, and were presented with a $180 bill, plus tip over $220 for a very mediocre/disappointing meal. To say that I will not be back is an understatement. I sincerely hope to never be this disappointed with...

Exceptional Service & Memorable Touches at Morton’s Steakhouse

My partner and I dined at Morton’s Steakhouse for a birthday dinner at 6:30 PM on a Sunday evening. Though we’d made a reservation, the restaurant wasn’t overly crowded, but the warm welcome we received set the tone for the evening. The hostess immediately asked if we preferred a table or booth—we chose a booth and were impressed when the hostes effortlessly pulled out the table to seat us comfortably. It’s those little details that make a difference!

The celebration started right away when we noticed “Happy Birthday” elegantly printed on the menu's —a thoughtful touch since I’d mentioned the occasion in the reservation. It made me feel special before we even ordered!

While browsing the menu, we were served a massive, warm loaf of onion bread with generous amounts of butter. The bread was soft, fresh, and utterly delicious. The drink menu also stood out, offering four well-crafted non-alcoholic options. The one I tried was among the best zero-proof cocktails I’ve ever had—refreshing and complex.

Our server was exceptionally knowledgeable, walking us through the menu with expertise. We opted for the Wagyu steak, garlic mashed potatoes, onion rings with truffle dipping sauce, and the new Wagyu beef dumplings. Everything arrived promptly, hot, and perfectly prepared. The dumplings were a standout, and the onion rings were elevated by the truffle sauce—though I would’ve loved a stronger truffle flavor.

The only slight letdown was the Wagyu steak. While good, it didn’t quite meet my expectations in terms of marbling and richness. Next time, I’d likely go for the ribeye instead.

The real showstopper was the famous chocolate cake, which our server wisely recommended we order in advance. It was worth the 25-minute wait—decadent, moist, and the perfect celebratory dessert.

Overall, Morton’s delivered an outstanding experience. The service was impeccable, the atmosphere refined yet inviting, and the attention to detail made it perfect for special occasions. Despite the steak not being my favorite, the exceptional hospitality and delicious sides (plus that incredible cake!) ensured we left happy and already planning our next visit.

Rating: 5/5 (Highly recommend for...

Sad to report that I didn't enjoy my experience at Morton's, nor will I be planning to revisit any time soon. I do want to thank the Manager Michael, and the lovely hostess for their support and immediate attention to us and comping our meal. To the review: We did arrive late and still had a table for us. I made sure to note food allergies in our reservation. I read there was a gluten free menu which was very helpful and appreciated but wasn't given to us unless asked. The busboy immediately placed bread and butter on the table and we gently refused. The waiter was not prepared to answer questions nor aware of how items were prepared. I never assume employees know, so I am always ready to explain. We waited a while (6-8 mins) to get our order in and mid sentence the waiter walked off only to return about 10 minutes later. The food was not very pleasing; shrimp tasted thawed from a freezer bag and the cocktail sauce was ketchup. I couldn't taste any horseradish, quite possibly from a jar? There was one chicken and one fish dish but because I have a dairy intolerance I could not order. I had a soggy cobb salad and the dressing tasted like a mayonnaise base? Was not impressed with the price either. We ordered a side of brussel sprouts which were quite overcooked and greasy. The ribeye steak was not very flavorful as well. We went home disappointed, with leftovers in tow, including some fresh berries as the only dessert option, and a photo to capture the memory of our upsetting anniversary dinner. The restaurant was quite busy, loud and lots of traffic around us. Appreciate the manager for being...