Morton's, as every Chicagoan knows, is an institution of the Windy City. It's legend and place in the Chicago Gustatory Constellation has reached near-mythical status. In part, that is because of the many city heavyweights that hang out at the restaurant. Also, it is because the place is Just. So. Darn. Good.
It's really nice to go to a restaurant where people identify you immediately and treat you like a good friend after only a couple of visits. The greeting staff, the management and the wait staff are extremely friendly, extremely helpful and incredibly diligent. It's easy to get spoiled on that kind of service and congeniality and one misses it immediately when visiting restaurants of lesser quality.
And then there is the fare The double filet mignon is one of the better ones I have had. Very tender, very juicy, succulent and can be made rather quickly to boot. The baked potatoes are mutant-sized. The wine selection is very good (the pinot noir is recommended by yours truly) and the cappuccino will make you curse Starbuck's the next time you frequent it (the merits of Starbuck's notwithstanding). I am anxious at some point to try their seafood selection, but that would mean forsaking the double filet and I am not sure how I will muster the willpower to do that.
Of course, Morton's is pricy--all good steakhouses are--and so perhaps one cannot enjoy it as often as one wishes. It should be noted that there is a bar where some lower maintenance fun can be had. And of course, so long as one is measured in enjoying indulgences, those indulgences can still be enjoyed. In any case, give Morton's a try, and soon. It's hard to truly understand Chicago without doing so. And if you do not have the privilege and honor of living in the Windy City, rest assured: Morton's is all over the place.