New luxury steakhouse, Esquire, sizzles into the Gold Coast

Chicago’s prestigious Gold Coast neighborhood is adding another upscale eatery to its roster of fine dining establishments as luxury steakhouse “Esquire” prepares to open its doors later this summer.

Set to debut at 58 East Oak Street, the restaurant will occupy the location of the old Esquire Theatre, a Movie hall first opened in 1938 and situated in the heart of the Gold Coast’s high-end food scene.  

According to a release from Crain's Chicago Business, the Steakhouse describes itself as Japanese in format with a French foundation, combining elite, globally sourced ingredients with world-class culinary precision to deliver a one-of-a-kind dining experience to customers. 

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The restaurant will primarily be a steakhouse with a menu anchored by a Wagyu Program featuring premium cuts sourced from locations in Japan as well as New Zealand, America and Australia. In addition, Esquire will offer an imported daily selection of seafood, including fresh fish, caviar, shellfish and some sushi options. 

Alongside the best-in-class food, Esquire also delivers an elite beverage selection. Highlights include a handpicked array of globally renowned wine brands, a trophy room featuring rare Cognacs, Japanese Whiskies, Bourbons and Scotchs, a sake list which reflects the cultural roots of the restaurant and even a tableside Martini option. A mixologist-led cocktail menu will also be available, ensuring there is a winning libation for every guest.

The project will make up the second and third floors of the site, occupying 24,000 square feet of space with an estimated 270 seats. According to a report by Morningstar, the interior design aims to combine the refinement of Japanese aesthetics with the opulence and grandeur of the historical theatre. Standout features are set to include retractable windows that open up onto Oak Street in the warmer months, along with a 5000-capacity wine tower that stretches between both floors.

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However, the actual Esquire Steakhouse is only expected to operate on the third floor. Located on the second level will be two associated ventures that make the development a truly unique gem in the city. The first is a members-only private club called the “58 Club,” which will exist as an invite-only space offering an exclusive getaway and adding another player to the already crowded private club industry in Chicago. 

The other will be a dedicated Omakase room located within the private club. Omakase, which translates to “I’ll leave it up to you,” is a traditional Japanese dining format where guests leave the entire dining experience up to the chef, who prepares a curated meal specifically for the group. The Omakase room is expected to only house up to 12 people at a time and host two groups per evening.     

The project is being led by Nashville-based hospitality group M-Street Collective, which operates a number of upscale establishments around the Music City. Esquire will be the third restaurant to occupy the old Esquire Theatre space after failed attempts by Cooper’s Hawks & Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in recent years.

An official grand opening date has yet to be set, but the late summer timeframe has been given as a rough timeline as construction and progress continue.