Okay, since this thread has turned from the discussion of Joe's itself to the discussion of restaurant customer attire in general, I must say that as a former employee of LEYE, I have never seen Rich in anything but bluejeans and white sneakers (altho my GF said he was spiffed up on Ambria's closing night). Rich has been at the forefront of making restaurant dining accessible to those who don't "dress to dine" and I feel that he leads by example. Joe's, being what it is, tends to get more dressed-up than dressed-down customers but I agree with other posters here that a restaurant shouldn't turn away a table based on what they're wearing (within reason of course). When I waited tables at Capital Grille years ago, we had regulars and new customers alike who wore jeans, or even shorts in the summer. I feel that a customer's behavior and attitude are more important than what he/she decides to wear to a meal.

It is a shame that this thread has gone from discussing the important thing, the food, or even the service at Joe's, and strayed into who the ownership group is, to dress codes, and debate of the cost of jeans.


I rank Joe's @ either # 1 or # 2 of my favorite steakhouses in the city. The other one on the top of my list is Saloon Steakhouse.

wino66 wrote:...I agree with other posters here that a restaurant shouldn't turn away a table based on what they're wearing (within reason of course).

I think (as nsxtasy said) that it's tricky, because it's not just a matter of being "nice" to slobby customers. The restaurant pays a real cost by allowing them in. Because the people who come dressed appropriately look around them and say, "What kind of dump has this turned into?!?"

The restaurant has to weigh one thing (the short-term revenue the shorts-wearing customer represents, and the desire for his repeat business) against another (the long-term cost of redefining itself as a low-end place that happens to serve expensive food).

For those walking into pricey chophouses wearing jeans,* dockers and/or golf shirts with your comapnies' logos or a Disney character on the chest, I think we have one answer to the question "Why are you deliberately taking me to a bad table?" Not my rule, just an observation. See also, "Why is the service at G&G so bad"? Do your out of town pals a favor, don't tell them to dress like they just got off of a tour bus, even if they did. Dressing up a little will make everything a smidge better, probably.

By the way, I agree that Joe's is swell. I'll never forgive them for dropping the grouper sandwich at the bar, but it's a great place.


*Note marked exception for certain jeans on certain folks with certain genes.

I see folks in jeans, shorts, etc. quite often at steakhouses such as Gibson's, which tend to attract a lot of tourists, conventioneers and the like. I'm more tolerant of casual dress in such places, regardless of the overall cost of the meal, because I view steakhouses as more casual establishments (more formal than, say, a neighborhood "boite" but more casual than restaurants that emphasize an elegant dining experience).

Where I get a bit peeved is when I go to a supposedly elegant place (e.g. Brasserie Ruhlmann) and see both men and women in jeans and men with untucked shirts, as if they just arrived from a sporting event or family outing.

linutink wrote:I see folks in jeans, shorts, etc. quite often at steakhouses such as Gibson's, which tend to attract a lot of tourists, conventioneers and the like. I'm more tolerant of casual dress in such places, regardless of the overall cost of the meal, because I view steakhouses as more casual establishments (more formal than, say, a neighborhood "boite" but more casual than restaurants that emphasize an elegant dining experience).

Where I get a bit peeved is when I go to a supposedly elegant place (e.g. Brasserie Ruhlmann) and see both men and women in jeans and men with untucked shirts, as if they just arrived from a sporting event or family outing.

Basseries by definition are casual.

" In France, a brasserie is a café doubling as a restaurant with a relaxed setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. It can be expected to have professional service and printed menus (unlike a bistro which may have neither), but more informal eating hours than a full-fledged restaurant. Typically, a brasserie is open every day of the week and the same menu is served all day.
The word 'brasserie' is also French for brewery and, by extension, "the brewing business"."

wino66 wrote:Okay, since this thread has turned from the discussion of Joe's itself to the discussion of restaurant customer attire in general, I must say that as a former employee of LEYE, I have never seen Rich in anything but bluejeans and white sneakers (altho my GF said he was spiffed up on Ambria's closing night). Rich has been at the forefront of making restaurant dining accessible to those who don't "dress to dine" and I feel that he leads by example. Joe's, being what it is, tends to get more dressed-up than dressed-down customers but I agree with other posters here that a restaurant shouldn't turn away a table based on what they're wearing (within reason of course). When I waited tables at Capital Grille years ago, we had regulars and new customers alike who wore jeans, or even shorts in the summer. I feel that a customer's behavior and attitude are more important than what he/she decides to wear to a meal.

So Rich Melman would find it perfectly acceptable to wear shorts / Jeans to Everest?

Back in the day, the Cape Cod Room would provide Tourists etc. who were unaware of the dress code with Crested Blue Blazers.

I keep wanting to try Joe's just for the Lyonnaise(sp) Hash Browns which they no longer have at Shaw's.

Marshall K wrote:Back in the day, the Cape Cod Room would provide Tourists etc. who were unaware of the dress code with Crested Blue Blazers.

I think it is fairly common for restaurants that have a jacket requirement to keep a few blazers on hand for such occasions. Fewer restaurants require jackets now, of course.

Marshall K wrote:So Rich Melman would find it perfectly acceptable to wear shorts / Jeans to Everest?

Well, with all due respect, there are obvious exceptions. And places that require "jackets for gentlemen" always have a few blazers in the coat check room for those who don't.

A friend told me a story of a gentleman who was refused entry to the a high-end hotel's fine dining room here in Chicago since he was wearing jeans and a windbreaker. Turns out it was Kevin Costner...

Also, I have seen Sam Zell (new owner of Tribune Co. as I type) dine at Gioco (where I wait tables) in jeans a few times, as well as Mayor Daley.

Anyhoo, the restaurant sets the mood/tone by how it decks itself and its staff out (like Joe's et al)...and that usually lets customers know how they should dress. But there will always be those who for some reason don't have fancy duds with them...should the restaurant deny them a nice meal and deny themselves the added income?

well done,

way to continue hijacking this thread. Perhaps start a new thread.

jimswside wrote:I rank Joe's @ either # 1 or # 2 of my favorite steakhouses in the city. The other one on the top of my list is Saloon Steakhouse.

Jim, do you have a standard meat order or favorite cut at Joe's? I'm making my second trip on Sunday evening. I'm leaning toward trying the bone in Strip unless something special blows me away. I had the ribeye on my first trip and enjoyed it. I can't wait to get into some sweet, succulent crab, too.

I have had the bone in filet a couple of times, and the 28 oz porterhouse as well as the most recent visit a regular filet. All of these were excellent in flavor, and cooked perfectly


I was really tempted by the 20 oz dry aged strip steak they had on the menu this past Saturday, , but at $58 I would have had a hard time convincing my wife into letting me pair the stak with an order of $30 stone crab claws.

Enjoy your vist, I can still taste the steak, crab claws, and bisque. Im saving my money for the next visit before May, and the stone cab claw season ends.

Made another return trip to one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago on Saturday. It was my birthday dinner, and I could have chosen anyplace in Chicago, and the place I chose was Joes Seafood, Prime Steaks, and Stone Crab. A no brainer for me.

Started out in the bar and watched some of the Saturday afternoon basketball while eating medium stone crab claws, sipping Budweiser, and sipping Herradura Silver Tequila. The stone crab claws were top notch as always, sweet, and perfectly prepared.

Our 4:00 p.m. dinner reservation was perfect for my mom, my wife, my 1-1/2 year old daughter, and myself. I find going out to eat with a young child much easier, and less frowned upon by other patrons if you go early, and get out before the later dinner hours.

At the table we started with the stone crab bisque, and I believe I stated up-thread that if there is a better soup in Chicago, I have yet to find it. SO rich, creamy, and flavorfullmI could eat 2 bowls easily. My entree was the petite filet(medium rare), paired with the lobster tails. The steak as always was done perfect, and the lobster tails were also perfectly prepared. My wife had the fried seafood combo(scallops, shrimp, calamari, etc). And my mom had a seafood pasta dish with shrimp, calamari, and a lobster tail. I did not try either of their dishes as I was enjoying mine to much.

Once again Joe's did not disappoint at all, perhaps I have one more visit left in me before Stone Crab season ends.

Just another datapoint - we enjoyed dinner there last night before going to see the Smashing Pumpkins at the Chicago Theater.

We started with the Select Stone Claws. Very good flavor, but I did get a whiff of amonia off of one or two of them.

I had the 21 day Dry Aged Strip (16 oz.) and my husband sprung for the fresh Alaskan King Crab Legs, cleaned tableside. These were both spendy items, but they were outstanding. Steak was perfectly cooked to Medium Rare. Tender, deep flavor. Crab legs melted in your mouth and were incredibly delicate and sweet. We had seen them on Hungry Hound and couldn't resist. The portion was generous, as it should have been for $69.

We split the Lyonnaise potatoes which were very good, but didn't wow me.

Service was outstanding. Hot towels provided twice. Professional without being snotty or obtrusive.

Dinner with 3 martinis and a glass of wine - $300 w/ tip.

kafein wrote: we enjoyed dinner there last night before going to see the Smashing Pumpkins at the Chicago Theater...

....Dinner with 3 martinis and a glass of wine...

Sounds like a pretty nice way to spend a Tuesday night.

I've been going to Joe's about 5 times a year since they opened this location and seriously have had nothing but good experiences.

The food is consistently great. I'd put the quality of their steaks in general against any of the big Chicago steakhouses (although lately I have to admit I place the flavor of the aged, outrageously-priced beauties at David Burke's in a class above the rest). Sides are good, especially the Jenny's potatoes. In addition, I love the Glazed Black Cod, a simple, but perfect dish that is always on the menu. The Stone Crabs are also outstanding, in and out of season.

What a lot of people don't know is how well they do takeout. The quality of the containers is better than any restaurant I've seen. They also include the full bread service that you get in the restaurant, which is a very nice selction.

Service also has been exceptional for me. They seem very accomodating to special food and table requests.

I've always loved Joe's for steaks. They have great food there, even if it is a LEYE place.

The sleeper on the menu is the homemade fried chicken. It takes a solid 30 minutes to make, so phoning ahead is smart (plus it will not get cold anytime soon - I assure you!) Last I checked it was around $15 for a big plate. I've had it many times there and it's pretty damn good. Sometimes it could use a little more seasoning, but it's worth it. I've seen businessmen in suits sitting at the bar with a big plate of Joe's fried chicken!

Was looking for a healthy yet decadent carryout meal during the COVID_19 shutdown Saturday night and Joe's hit the spot! We ordered the select size of stone crabs and the sea bass in miso glaze entree, also a side of creamed (ok, "healthy" is relative) spinach, and a bottle of 2018 William Fevre Chablis for $30. For pickup, there were long tables set up inside, bags on them sorted by Grubhub, Door Dash, individual customers, etc, and one gloved staff member handing out the bags. Customers were self-distancing. There was also one staffed booth, perhaps normally the coatcheck booth, I didn't ask but wonder if that might have been for in-house orders or payments; I didn't need to go there. Serving/reheating instructions were very clear. All in all a classy and tasty experience during this challenging time.