Al's Char-House Steak House: User Reviews

Horrible Filet-unedible
By Garry from Indian Head Park, March 19, 2009

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My wife and I visited this restaurant tonight. My wife ordered the 'Petite Filet' ($25), and it was horrible. No flavor. Ordered medium - well...arrived well (gray). The manager approached and apologized, then offered a desert or drink. We still ended up paying for this terrible piece of filet. It did resemble the filet you would purchase at Jewel during the "two for $8 special". I would not recommend this restaurant for steak; and if your entree is substandard, you will be forced to pay. Period.

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Dinner?
By ChiSusieQ from O' Hare, February 24, 2009

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I recently went to Al's. I had read the reviews and was looking forward to going. What a disappointment. The waitperson just rubbed me the wrong way. Boasting how they had been waiting tables for over 10 years and that they put themself through school. Food was lackluster. Prime Rib was cool when I received it. I seemed to hit quite a few tough chewy parts. Vegetables cold. He spoke of how for the price of a Coke you should get the refills. They may have them but they were difficult to get. Then when we got the bill they continued to tell us how legally you do not have to tip. I was disappointed. Thank goodness for the friends I was with. Perhaps it was just an off night.

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Fun Atmosphere, Great Homemade Food, Juicy Steaks, and Top Notch Drinks!
By janetthebat from LaGrange Park, June 19, 2008

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A couple of girlfriends and myself visited Al's Char-House a few days ago and we had a blast. This was my first time here (my girlfriends had been here before) and I was impressed with all the antique western deco. and who can miss the huge meat cooler in the front! The service was good and attentive and took care of our requests with a nice big smile. We all ordered something different. I ordered the queen filet which was just great. In fact I didn't even have to chew the food it just melted in my mouth; that's how tender it was! We ordered a bottle of wine and then I had some kind of dessert coffee with liquor in it which was sweet! Now that I'm done teaching for the summer I will definitely be back here more often!

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Did not care for Al's Charhouse
By Dirks from Chicago, June 19, 2008

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My family and I went to visit Al's Charhouse for my daughter's birthday. The staff were really nice and did a great song at the end for my daughter which was just wonderful. But I have to say, i wish the food was better. The steaks weren't too good, so next time we want steak we know to go to a place like Morton's. But everything else was just so big in portions, it was like they were trying to make us forget that the food is not very good and just focus on how much we were being given. Drinks were excellent, however, especially the Texas sunset (i think that's what it was called) and the Sweet Almond drink (forgot theexact name). Wouldn't go back, because you can get this type of food anywhere.

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Tender steaks, awesome soups, and the best drinks!
By luvtorock from LaGrange, June 12, 2008

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My husband and I have been dining here for years and I felt that it's time to let them know what a good job they do! The steaks are always tender and juicy, the vegetables fresh, and the those whipped potatoes.....YUM!! If I had to pick my favorite dish it would have to be the Cajun Filet Alferno which is basically filet served over a bed of pasta and alfredo sauce. The garlic bread is also very good...I usually order an extra side. If our appetites warrant we will share a pecan pie which we always order warmed up. The service has always been great and I'd have to say that most of the staff knows us by name now. If you are looking for fresh food served up in a creative and tasty way I (we) highly recommend Al's Char-House!!

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AL'S CHAR-HOUSE IS THE BEST!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! GREAT STEAKS!!
By daverinobob from daverinobob, May 23, 2008

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I decided to try Al's Char-House after seeing a great review of them. I went with a good friend of mine last Wednesday and we had quite a pleasant experience. We were both shocked by the meat cooler display in the front; the first thing you see when you walk into the restaurant. Our server was good but the steaks were just awesome. I ordered a ribeye and my friend chose a queen filet which looked good as well. I always order a ribeye when I go to a steakhouse and let me tell you... this one dwarfs all other in both size and taste. I was actually surprised at how tender this steak was and somehow managed to eat about half of it. We had no room for dessert unfortunately. We will definitely be back soon and I'd recommend this place to anyone who loves steak!

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Good Stuff!!
By mac_01 from Wicker Park, May 7, 2008

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The only complaint I have is with the service. Our waiter wasn't around enough. We waited 15 - 20 minutes between each visit from him. I wanted the waiter to be more attentive, especially for the price. Overall it was very good and I'll be going back.

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AL'S CHAR-HOUSE STEAKS ARE THE BEST!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
By chefrated from suburbs, April 24, 2008

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My family has been dining here at Al's Char-House for many years... almost 10! Our last visit was a few days ago and after reading the angry person below me I felt obligated to put in a real review of this great restaurant. It's hard to come by a restaurant that balances quantity with quality these days and Al's does just that and more. We tend to go there on the weekends so we end up having to wait a few minutes for a table which is no big deal. Once seated the service is always prompt and attentive to our needs. We always start out with either the portobello mushroom appetizer or if we have another couple with us we order an appetizer combo which is VERY GOOD! My family (myself included) love the black bean soup and all of the homemade "cream" soups (chicken, broccoli, mushroom..etc). If my appetite isn't big that day I will go for the salad which is always fresh, colorful, and very tasty. We always go for the house italian dressing which has a nice "kick" to it. The steaks at Al's are quite awesome to say the least. I usually go for the king filet and my wife opts for the full slab of ribs. My children seem to always order something different. The portions are huge so we always end up taking home leftovers. No one says you need to eat it all there... we just don't have to cook the next day! The steaks are very tender and juicy and full of taste. We sometimes share a dessert; usually the pecan pie with a scoop of ice cream. I'd say Al's is a great family place for people who want big portions for a great price. We're customers for life!

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Great Restaurant!!!
By Margie Mc from Bridgeview, December 17, 2007

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The portions are huge, the drinks great!! The night we were there our server had a huge party, but was still very attentive to us!!! Some people think it is ala' cart, but that is not the case. All dinners come with salad and choice of potato. We will certainly keep dining at Al's!!!

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OH MY GOODNESS! Stumbled...
By Jessica from Oak Park, IL, July 28, 2007

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OH MY GOODNESS! Stumbled into this place by going through a wrong door, and BOY! Were we pleasantly surprised! INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS steaks! PERFECT, BIG, ICY MARTINIS! And I'm on a serious budget, so the quality and amount of deliciousness for the money was EXTREMELY appreciated! Definitely go there! And go there hungry.