I was initially a little hesitant to check out Chop ( 1017 S. Delano Ct.; ChopChicago.com ).
The primary reason was because it's an offshoot of Porkchop, which has been a mixed bag for me ( although brunch at the West Loop restaurant was outstanding ). My verdict on Chop is that it has enough appealing aspects to recommend itwith one major caveat.
Located in the South Loop, Chop has a prime locationright next to the ShowPlace ICON movie theaters on Roosevelt Road. However, moviegoers who might want to dine at Chop might be in for a little sticker shock ( the aforementioned caveat ). Entreesincluding pasta, chicken, steak and seafood dishesstart at $22, topped by a $65 surf-and-turf combo. ( Chop may have recently heard about this backlash, which is why it offers a variety of burgers that are more reasonably priced. )
The food and drinks are solidly done, however. The bread with apple-Brie bake was an absolute winner, while the shrimp cocktail featured some pretty large, tasty crustaceans. Curious about how a $40 braised shortrib looked, I requested that dishand was pleasantly surprised by the portion. ( It was executed quite well. ) The braised lamb shank that one of my dining companions had looked amazing, and my other companion really seemed to like her crab-cake sandwich.
The list of desserts isn't exactly life-altering, with offerings such as bread pudding, Death by Chocolate and a sorbet trio, among other items. The chocolate lava cake we shared was a pleasant end to the evening.
The cocktails ( $10 each ) are certainly worth trying. I tried a Summer Harvesta nice mix of bourbon, seasonal syrup, lemon and ginger beer. Another one that looks exquisite is All Fruits Ripe, which includes two rums, pineapple, lime and cherry-bark vanilla bitters.
Should you check out Chop? I'd say "yes"but just make sure you don't go from a comedy like Finding Dory to experiencing your version of The Big Short.