Ken's on Western
Chris · 171 Google reviewsKen's on Western — steakhouse in Far South Side. 375+ Google reviews. "The meat was full off the bone tender, and the gravy was rich and perfectly seasoned" — Warwick Varney [$$]
What 383 diners keep saying
What 383 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“The Bartender Jackie was on fire and probably the best Bartender I've ever had! Thank you for the great service and the food.... Absolutely Perfect!! Stopped in again and this place got even better! Great food !!”
“We had an amazing experience at Ken's. The food, the service, and the spirits were awesome. Looking forward to visiting again.”
“The New York strip was huge! The flavoring and the cook, were spot on. Although the steak could have been more tender, it tasted delicious so I can't take off any stars for that. Upon seating they served complimentary bread with a tomato sauce and cheese, a small portion of noodle salad, and a slice of cooked bell pepper. The soup that I had before my meal was hot and welcoming. The house merlot went perfectly with the meal. Service was outstanding. Nice experience!”
“Wonderful old supper club vibe. All local people and great atmosphere. It's been a staple in the neighborhood for years, but it was my first time going. Definitely will return. It's a great place for a date, celebration of birthdays or just get together with friends. The pasta dishes are great, seafood was very nice, the standout for us was the Blueberry Bread Pudding, topped with Vanilla ice cream, Blueberry sauce & Whipped Cream. Phenomenal.”
“A good local place. Very good food, adequate service, plenty of parking. We went on a Friday night and it was crowded. Make a reservation. Good selection of specials. I had the blackened grouper with shrimp risotto. Excellent. Reasonable prices. Limited wine list. Excellent piano player that night.”
“First time. Made advance reservations. Nice but smaller than pics showed. Requested best table. Got booth RIGHT next to bar. Barely room for servers much less bar patrons who were having a REALLY good time. Expected crowds for Valentines day but not in our laps. Only Valentines special was rosebud around red candle. Complimentary pizza bread, cucumber salad & pickled green peppers were great. Clam chowder was good, salad was fresh, crisp & came with 1 quarter of a tomato. Asked for bread, got 1/4 loaf of cold French bread with dinner. 25 oz bone in ribeye with grilled onions was good. Twice baked potatoe was 1/2 potatoe good but no butter, sour cream or seasoning. 10 oz filet with DeJonge topping was garlicky & so dry it fell off steak at first cut. Very little au ju so steak was dry too. House Grigio was awful but Meiomi Pinot Nior was good. Molton lava cake was good but served in a cup so missed the lava flow. Death by Chocolat martini was to die for. Btw entertainment was good. We will try again but not on a holiday or in the bar.”
“Last night I went to the restaurant to celebrate my birthday (I didn't mention that it was my birthday, just so you understand that it was a special occasion). I have already been to this restaurant like 3 times since the service and ambient is 10/10 even the food, but this time something a little unpleasant happened to me. I ordered Cajun chicken Alfredo pasta but instead of chicken I asked to replace them with mushrooms, yesterday I ate and everything was fine, today I wanted to eat some of the pasta that I had left, I try to grab a mushroom and I can't it's like hard, after several attempts to grab it with the fork I proceed to grab it with my finger and I feel a strange texture but it was mushroom-shaped and I tried to bite it, and it was HARD, I turn on the lamp of my cell phone (I was eating with the light off) and I see that it's a PIECE OF CARDBOARD CUT LIKE A MUSHROOM. I already compared it with flash with the other mushrooms And you can clearly see a difference in color and texture... IT WAS A PIECE OF CARDBOARD THICK, IT WAS SEPARATED INTO 3 SHEETS. I leave you the chronological order of the events. I Take a video and these photos are taken from the video I took. I DON'T KNOW HOW I ENDED UP A PIECE OF HARD CARDBOARD CUT INTO MUSHROOM SHAPES ON MY PLATE. The food tastes good. But this experience is a little unpleasant:(”
“Food was a little on the salty side. Generous portions. Server was very polite but not very attentive after the food was served. The atmosphere was very nice and comfy, felt like youre at a friends house.”
“first time visitor. it was on a date. it was excellent that there was live piano music. server was excellent and attentive. beer selection was a bit weak, but still phone options that I liked. specials all sounded delicious. both of our meals were delicious. Ken's not close to where I live, but I would certainly go back there again.”
“If you go to Ken’s and get lucky enough to have Kristin as your server, just know your night is about to become a full-on experience. All of the servers here are amazing, but Kristin is truly something special. She somehow makes every table feel like you’re not even at a restaurant , you’re hanging out at your friend’s house where everyone knows your name, your drink order, and makes sure you’re laughing the whole night. She’s warm, hilarious, attentive, and genuinely one of the best people in hospitality on the South Side. And Vicki behind the bar? An actual angel. I’m not exaggerating when I say she makes the BEST dirty martini on the South Side. Ice cold, perfectly balanced, extra dirty in all the right ways. Ken’s has always been a neighborhood gem, but people like Kristin and Vicki are what make it feel like home. Absolute legends. ❤️”
“Ken’s Restaurant has been around forever and there’s a reason it’s still packed all the time. When you walk in, dining room is on the left and the bar is on the right. Totally different feel depending on what you want. Dining room is quieter and gives you more space. The bar side has seating at the bar and booths and it gets busy, but it’s a fun crowd and good energy. Food is always solid and the service is just as good. They know what they’re doing, and even when it’s crowded, it runs smooth. If you don’t want the noise, ask for the dining room. If you want more of a lively atmosphere, sit in the bar area. Either way, make a reservation. This place is consistently full and for good reason.”
Sounds like your kind of place?
Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.
One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.
More Steakhouse in Chicago
See the ranking →
In the same lane · Steakhouse, mid-range
If it's packed, walk to…
More good rooms in Far South Side, minutes away.