When Michael Jordan’s Steak House on Michigan Ave was first announced, Chicago Magazine’s dining critic Jeff Ruby hilariously described the concept as fool proof: “A steakhouse. In Chicago. Owned by Michael Jordan. On Michigan Avenue.” Sure, Chicago already has loads of steak houses, especially in the River North neighborhood, but none have Jordan’s name on the sign. Without guessing too much, we imagine this will be one of the busiest and most lucrative openings of the year. Yet, all we have known about the restaurant for the past few months was its location, and the fact that Jordan probably wouldn’t get near the kitchen. That all changed today.
The restaurant decided to go with a proven winner, pulling in James O’Donnell as the executive chef. He’s moving here from Jacksonville, FL, where he was cooking at The Capital Grille. But before that, he actually helped open the first Michael Jordan Steak House in Connecticut. The massive, 6,300 square-foot restaurant in the InterContinental Chicago Hotel is still set to open in mid-August.
Michael Jordan’s Steak House, 505 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611; 312-321-8823
