The Silver Palm: User Reviews

In Atlas Shrugged, the men of the mind go on strike against the world, relinquishing their positions of power and taking up unassuming tasks like cooking. I am convinced that John Galt cooks for Silver Palm.

Considering the proximity, (well within stumbling distance) many an evening has ended at either Silver Palm or its famous sister: the Matchbox. Unfortunately, by these hours, food is no longer being served and no evening starting at these places ever ends well. But a great shame it is to have a meal at Silver Palm and not dedicate every sober neuron to its memory. So today, I put myself on a 5-martini limit and focused on the food.

The City of Chicago, like most metropolitan babysitters, dealt the Matchbox and the Silver Palm a blow by banning indoor smoking. Not being a ciggy-sucker, I do value coming home and not smelling like an ashtray. But there are some places where the thick cloud of airborne tar is an improvement upon decades of booze and smoke oozing from the crevices. So a newcomer might even be forgiven for inhaling the setting and not indulging his appetite. I hope to change that.

What sort of bar menu proudly boasts a duck club sandwich? Jumbo shrimp? A Triple-pig sandwich with pickled green tomatoes? Or even a deep-fried avocado salad? Most bars would never dream of such items simply because their customers would have nightmares about ordering them. But here, the doubters get a giant middle finger. Success is the best comeback and oh how delicious success is. In the 6 years of its existence, never once have I had anything but perfection grace my plate and never once has dinner for 2 cost more than the price of a Gibson’s entrée. The love of food and attention to detail shine through every meal as though I was sitting in Dagny Taggart’s private rail car with John Galt himself in the kitchen cooking in pots of Rearden metal. My only regret is not remembering every one of them.

Love,

Mealschpeal com

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I've been here twice. On my first visit, the fish I ordered was so dry and tart from the lemony sauce that I could only take a couple bites. Decided to give it a second chance after hearing their sandwiches were really their specialty, especially the Three Piggies sandwich, which Anthony Bourdain called "the best sandwich in America." Mistake. Dry, salty, and the egg was overcooked. How can the best sandwich in America be one of the worst sandwiches I've ever had?

My girlfriend ordered the shrimp/scallop po boy sandwich - the french roll could have been used to stone someone to death. Also ordered some onion rings which took forever to come out - they were cold. The server, who was apparently swamped even though there were only two other couples in the joint, brought out some new onion rings after we said something.

The train car theme is cool. Unfortunately, the food tastes like something you'd get on a train.

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I have been to the Silver Palm twice. The first time was a bad experience. Very overpriced food for the quality/flavor, slim menu and terrible wine selection. But I live in the neighborhood and sitting in the train car was kind of cool, so I went back a couple months later to give it a second chance. Mistake. My other half ordered the steak, and let me tell you it was so tough and sinewy that the serated steak knife would not cut through it. We told the server and he said "That's the 3rd person to complain this week. I can take it to the kitchen and have the chef cut it for you, if you want" !!! Are you kidding me? How are my teeth going to get through that when you need a professional Japanese steak kife to cut it? We ended up getting a hamburger to go instead, but by then we were starving, hungry and completely disenchanted with the "box car" magic. My food was overcooked and oily. Never again will I eat there. How they supposedly have some recognized restaurant award on their door is beyond me. Do not eat here. Glorified diner food at a posh restaurant price.

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Like many people I saw Anthony Bourdain rave about this sandwich and had to check it out when I visited Chicago. I went on a Friday night with a reservation. I was with a party of 6 and the train car isn't really set up for parties bigger than 4. We sat right across from each other and we talked, but conversation was a bit difficult. The beer selection was pretty good and we tried several different brews. The onion rings were v good, I highly recommend. I had the three little piggies and it was excellent. I'm not a huge pork lover but it was great. The portions are large so my sister and I split the sandwich and it was plenty. I got the vegetables for a side and they were good, but room temperature. My husband felt his sandwich and fries had been sitting a while. We also tried some of the desserts and they were pretty good. I would go back for the sandwich and o rings for sure, but with a smaller group.

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We visitied on a cold night in Jan 2009, had beers we'd never heard of next door at matchbox and loved them. Dinner was GREAT -the shrimp cocktail and smoked meat sandwich were excellent, I've never had a grilled beet - or a beet ever - and loved it! Hubby had steak and thought was okay. If I didn't have to drape my coat over my lap for warmth and didn't have frozen toes while eating I would have rated it higher. Will go back when it's warmer.

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Service was slow and extremely rude.
Food was underthought, overpriced ("Po'" is short for poor, not $13 sandwich).
Train theme is pounded into you.
Drink prices increased every round. ?
If you want to eat on a train car, take the Amtrak. A better view, better service, definitely better food.
Skip the silver palm.

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Dont waste your time.
The food is overpriced Bar food. The Staff is unfriendly. Go to the matchbox for before and after drinks skip the palm and eat some where else.

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The food is great here - try the ribs, calamari (fried or grilled, both great), chicken, smoked meat sandwich. If the pork sand. not the fried one - is a special, get that. Lovely service and fabulous desserts, esp. choc. lava cake.

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Best Ribs in the city. Make sure to get them spicy.

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I have to say, the overall experience was disappointing. My friend wanted to go there for his birthday so we made reservations for 5. No problem. When we get there we discover that, because of the configuration of the dining car, the tables are only 4 seaters. Our party had to sit separately... 3 and 2. They could have warned us when they had us on the phone. The food was served cold - not a great selling point on a Hot Meat Sandwich. I could taste the deep fryer on the cold french fries. The Po' boy had crispy bits that the restaurant passes for "seafood". In a word: LOUSY.

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