World’s Best Steakhouses: 3 Illinois Joints Land On The List

I didn't even set foot into a steakhouse until I was in my early 20s, and when I did, I realized that the pieces of meat my dad was "grilling to perfection" when I was a kid really weren't even close to perfection. Dad loved his steaks super well-done, and he assumed that you liked them that way, too.

It's not that Dad's steaks were bad, it's just that---oh, who am I kidding here? They were pretty bad, unless tough, gray, and wildly over-salted are your qualifications for a good steak.

With apologies to most backyard grill-chefs, if you want a great steak, you should probably go to a great steakhouse. Illinois has plenty, and now we have three steakhouses that have found their way onto a ranking of the world's 101 best steakhouses.

A Cool Website With A Name That Tells You They Know About Good Steaks Just Released What They Call "The List 2025, Numbers 1-101"

That website, WorldBestSteaks.com (like I said, great name for someplace that rates steaks) used several criteria for giving their rankings of the world's best steakhouses:

• Quality of Meat
• Selection and Variety of Cuts
• Service Quality and Expertise in Meat
• Detailed Description of Meat Cuts on the Menu
• Curated Wine List
• Ease of Use and Efficiency of the Reservation System
• Interior Design, Ambiance, and Overall Look and Feel of the Restaurant

The criteria are assessed by what they call a global network of experienced "Steak Ambassadors," like chefs, meat experts, and food journalists.

Before We Get To The Three Illinois Steakhouse To Make The List Of The 101 World's Best, Let's See Who They Ranked At Number-One In The World

You're going to need a passport if you'd like to visit the restaurant that WorldBestSteaks.com says is the best steakhouse on the planet, but that's okay because...well, it's steaks we're talking about here, not grilled cheese sandwiches.

Their pick for number-one is Don Julio Parrilla in Buenos Aires, Argentina:

Parrilla Don Julio is more than a restaurant - it is the living embodiment of Pablo Rivero’s lifelong dedication to the craft of meat and wine. A beacon of Argentine excellence, it remains - once again - our No. 1 of the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants, offering a timeless yet ever-evolving celebration of fire, heritage and hospitality.

If You Just Don't Have The Time To Go To Buenos Aires For The #1 Steakhouse Experience, Don't Worry Because Illinois Has #13, #71, And #77 Right Here

If all this talk about steak has induced a huge craving in you, here are the 3 Illinois steakhouses on the list:

# 13-Asador Bastian (River North, Chicago):

Asador Bastian has redefined the Midwestern steak restaurant by looking not westward—but across the Atlantic, toward the Basque Country. In 2025, this elegant asador stands as the second-highest ranked steak restaurant in North America - a well-earned accolade for a concept rooted in purity, provenance and flame.

#71-Swift and Sons (1000 block of West Fulton Market, Chicago):

Swift & Sons remains a benchmark for American steak restaurant dining -not just in Chicago, but nationally. With its seamless blend of architectural grandeur, meat-driven excellence and timeless hospitality, it’s a place where history, flavour and modern elegance all share the same table.

#77-Bavette's Steakhouse (200 block of West Kinzie Street, Chicago):

In 2025, Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf remains a quintessential Chicago steak restaurant, seamlessly blending timeless elegance with modern culinary artistry. For those seeking an exceptional meal in an enchanting setting, Bavette’s continues to deliver on all fronts.