Best Steakhouse Mac & Cheese in Chicago
With the temperature continuing to cool, Chicagoans finally have a good excuse to amp up their comfort food intake. Chief among them, mac & cheese reigns supreme as one of the ultimates, especially when paired with a nice steak. It makes sense then that steakhouses serve some of the best, most indulgent versions in Chicago. Here’s where to feast on mac & cheese this season:
Steak 48: When it comes to comfort food, it’s hard to beat a good bowl of mac & cheese. But somehow Steak 48 managed to up the ante considerably when it opted to add fresh Alaskan king crab and rock shrimp to the mix, along with a medley of provel, parmesan and Tillamook cheddar cheeses.
Chicago Chop House: Heaped with truffles and smoked bacon, the mac & cheese at Chicago Chop House is one of the best, and most lavish, in Chicago. The truffles lend a fragrant earthiness and punch up the savoriness of the side dish, while the applewood bacon punches things up with smoke, crunch and a mild sweetness.
Tavern on Rush: In addition to a slate of other pasta options, mac and cheese is one of the dishes at Tavern on Rush that never leaves the menu. It’s so good — and in such high demand — that the restaurant actually has two versions on-hand at all times. There’s a chipotle-spiced version, with just enough heat to help cut through all that ooey gooey richness, and then there’s a lobster version, an impossibly decadent riff that comes studded with plump and meaty morsels.
Eddie Merlot’s: One surefire way to up the ante on lobster mac & cheese even further is by amping it up with five cheeses. The version here at Eddie Merlot’s not only brings the salty, briny deliciousness of the lobster to the party, but the pasta itself is wonderfully rich and creamy thanks to an array of cheeses melted into a bechamel and tossed with toothsome pasta.
Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House: The version served at Hugo’s is a real standout as a surf & turf-type side dish. As if Alaskan king crab wasn’t enough, these bowls come with Andouille sausage and scallions as well. The result is a pleasantly spicy and rich mac that tastes like something you’d eat in New Orleans.
