Asador Bastian: A Premier Spanish Steakhouse Experience in Chicago

Overall I would say this place is worth the hype as long as you're willing to spend some money. The steak (We got the Galiciana Ribeye and Matriarch au Poivre) was phenomenal, up there with RPM, Gibson's Italia, and Bavette's for best in the city. The bone marrow mashed potatoes are a must have as they are buttery, creamy, and meaty while I would also recommend the steak tartare as it's a bit different than most tartare's out there. Their seafood menu was also impressive but we only got the Arroz Cremoso, which was great as a side dish with the steak. The Cecina and artichokes were also tasty. The wine selection is obviously heavy on the Spanish wines, particular with Tempranillo's, but that was totally fine as they paired perfectly with the steak. Definitely a place to save for a special occasion as you're going to easily spend over $200/person, but I would say that at the end of the day it's worth it as the food quality and service were outstanding. The only knock on it is that we had a reservation and we still had to wait almost an hour to get our table and while they obviously apologized, it would have been nice to get a Pintxos or drink to make up for it.

I have loved steaks for as long as I can remember. I found out I was traveling to Chicago and I booked Asador Bastian (#13th best steakhouse in the world) and Bavette's in one trip. Overall this was a solid dinner experience but at a very high price point compared to competitors. I work in finance so I always gauge the value for anything. The food is great (9/10), the service is amazing (10/10) but the value for that food is where I would say needs reconsideration (7/10). The ambience is subtle and classy. The drinks are very smooth. All the dishes I have tried were great but I have had similar quality food at similarly up-scale restaurants across world but at lower price tags. This is a restaurant you take people to impress. They bring the meat and seafood selections to you and explain their origins and flavor profile. It was definitely nice to see all the options and select one. I opted for their house special dry aged NY strip with fine marbling (off menu). Please know that the steak sizing is geared primarily towards 2+ people groups but they do keep smaller portions but options are limited. I also took a drink which was very smooth and quite strong (kudos to the bartender) and a side of the mashed potatoes with bone marrow (definitely recommend). Having been fortunate to try some of the best steakhouses in America, I would rank this in my top 5, which is definitely saying that food was excellent. Others in the US top 5 (in no specific order) would include Gallaghers, Bavette's, Bourbon, and Pappas Bros. Overall, I will say it's worth a visit at least once, especially if it's a special event such as an anniversary or a big achievement. I do think the value would be far better if it were a 2+ person experience as most of their steak selections are geared towards that.

Cannot emphasize enough how much we enjoyed this meal. Everything start to finish from the second you walk in is curated and perfect. Server gave us a tour of the space at the end, which was very cool. We tried a few appetizers and sides in addition to the steak. And the basque cheesecake was incredible (and gluten free!)

Went for restaurant week and was disappointed with that menu. The fish was really good, but the previous appetizers were a bit of a let down. We decided to order a steak on top of everything, and the steak was fantastic. In hindsight, if we were to go again we would get mostly steaks and seafood dishes. Specifically the octopus as another table had that and it looked very good.

All around fun experience of wonderful service, superb food, great atmosphere. We had the corn-lobster-fois gras pintxos. Tiny and good. Beef tallow potatoes were amazing, and the highlight is the protein - sweet brown butter cigalas (langoustines) and of course, the steak. Perfect cook, perfect seasoning. The hazelnut chocolate cake was intense and amazing, but alas, next to it, the burnt basque cheesecake paled a little.

I had a wonderful experience dining as Asador Bastian. I've been dying to check this place out since it received "World's Best Steakhouse" honors. But reservations are difficult to snag, so I showed up when they open the doors (4pm) and was seated at the bar promptly. Surprisingly, there were a couple people waiting outside prior to 4, and by 445 the entire bar was packed! The food was excellent. I went with the tuna carpaccio for an appetizer and the dry aged steak for my main. I washed it all down with their scotch old fashioned and saved no room for dessert. The price is about what you'd expect - expensive. But the food, ambiance and service were top notch. And speaking of the service, I came away very impressed with the bar staff. Super knowledgeable; the server told me I really need to come back with a larger group so I can try more of their steak options. I highly recommend this spot

WOW. I loved this!! I honestly have nothing to improve upon in this experience. The staff was so thoughtful (shout out to Nikita for his insight on the wine menu and obvious passion for this job). The food was phenomenal. 2 of my companions ordered from the restaurant week menu, while I tried the sardines and the steak tartare. I was celebrating my birthday, and the extra care that was taken to recognize me was so appreciated. I would love to come back in the future when it is not restaurant week to enjoy a nice steak, some sides, and a bottle of wine. I can understand now why this is repeatedly mentioned as being in the top 100 of the worlds’ best steakhouses.

Their Galician Steak was excellent. I can imagine the wagyu Japanese options would be phenomenal as well but I came for their Spanish breed and it did not disappoint. The tartare tasted great, but was served a bit too cold for my liking. A bit closer to room temp and it would have been phenomenal. Funny enough the their grilled country bread was a standout. Wine selection by the glass was good but limited. Wine was also served a bit too cold for my liking. Ate at the bar, bartender was great. Service was good overall.