Gene & Georgetti

Gene & Georgetti opened in 1941, founded by Gene Michelotti and Alfredo Federighi, who was nicknamed "Georgetti". More than eight decades later it is still a fixture of River North dining on North Franklin Street, and it is now part of Turnkey Hospitality Group.

A meal here is about tradition rather than novelty. The menu is built around steaks and chops, with seafood and Italian-American pasta dishes reflecting the founders' roots, and the style is the classic American steakhouse, suited to business dinners and family celebrations alike. The restaurant also runs a butcher arm selling steak boxes and a shop for gift baskets.

Hours are listed on the restaurant's hours and location page, so check before you go, especially for lunch or on Sundays and holidays. Booking is a good idea for weekend evenings and for larger groups. The restaurant has private dining and event spaces and arranges catering, which makes it a common choice for celebrations. Expect top-end prices, as with most traditional steakhouses.

Gene & Georgetti suits meat lovers, groups marking an occasion and visitors who want a taste of old Chicago dining. It is also a sound option for business travellers staying in River North. Diners looking for lighter or more experimental food might prefer one of the West Loop restaurants. Allow around two hours for a full dinner with starters and dessert.

For reservations and enquiries, call +1 312-527-3718. The restaurant's website includes private dining, event planning and catering pages for larger bookings, and gift cards are available through the site. A few practical points help. Steakhouse menus of this kind are usually ordered course by course, so decide early whether you want starters and shared sides, and ask your server about portion sizes before ordering for the table. If you are celebrating, mention it when you book. For a group, the private dining rooms give you a space of your own, and the events team can advise on set menus. Those who enjoy the food can take a taste home through the steak boxes sold by Gene and Georgetti Meats or a gift basket from the G&G Store.

The restaurant is in River North, on the same street as the Doughnut Vault, which is handy for breakfast the next morning. Frontera Grill and the bars of River North, including Three Dots and a Dash, are a few blocks east.