Room 21
2110 S. Wabash
(312) 328-1198
room21chicago.com

By Rick Karlin

Contributing writer

If you’ve got out-of-town guests who want to get an authentic Chicago experience, you could take them to one of the many joints claiming to be the home of Chicago-style pizza or to one of the city’s many steakhouses. But if you want something really authentic, head over to Room 21, a remodeled warehouse with a colorful background. The building housing the eatery is also the location where Elliot Ness first busted Al Capone during Prohibition. In fact, it gets its name from a door labeled “Room 21” found at the end of an escape tunnel during the building’s renovation.

Restaurateur extraordinaire Jerry Kleiner and his KDK Group are no strangers to opening upscale restaurants in out of the way spots. He helped to create the West Randolph dining corridor with such favorites as Marche and Red Light and energized the South Loop with Opera. Room 21 is housed in a converted 5,000-square-foot former liquor warehouse in the area sandwiched between the South Loop and Chinatown.

Across the cobblestone alley and visible from Room 21’s story-book garden terrace is a two-story, 20,000-square-foot building. It was once the oldest surviving power plant in the state and belonged to Chicago Illuminating Company, one of the many predecessors of Commonwealth Edison. Kleiner, who has transformed the space (which is not served by Room 21’s kitchen yet) into a private dining space, available for parties and special events, reports that Al Capone’s bodyguards used to use the space for target practice.

The décor in Room 21’s dining room can best be categorized as upscale brothel, which is fitting in that the famous Everleigh Sisters ran their house of ill repute not far away. The upscale American menu holds its own against the lush décor. Though the prices are so hefty that you might expect that a visit with one of the Everleigh’s employees was included in the meal, you do get a lot of bang for your buck.      

Appetizers range in price from $10 to $16 and while the servings are not large, they are full of flavor. A trio of BBQ short ribs “Slider” style sandwiches featured tender, moist meat piled onto miniature steamed buns topped with sautéed onions. White Castle has nothing on this former brothel. The crab cake arrived plump and perfectly cooked, but at the price, should have featured more crab than breading.

Soup and salads, priced from $7-$10, are a better bargain as a starter option. The Caesar is a good representation of the classic dish, although the addition of anchovies would have been nice. Soup options include a gooey baked onion, roasted tomato bisque and a daily special. On the night of our visit, the special was flavorful, creamy, squash puree with hints of curry and cumin.

Pan-seared salmon arrived perfectly cooked to medium rare, floating upon a raft of white polenta in a pool of mushroom truffle broth. Sautéed mushrooms, which topped the fish, proved to be a bit overpowering, but for mushroom lovers it’s a delightful combination. Filet Oscar offered up too much of a good thing. Two medallions of beef tenderloin arrived under mounds of jumbo lump crab topped with the richest béarnaise sauce that I’ve ever tasted. Grilled asparagus spears kept the dish from being a complete artery clogger. Whoever said too much of a good thing is not enough never tried this dish. As good as it was, I was only able to eat a few bites before having the remainder wrapped up (and used for two additional meals.)

Desserts are pleasing but unremarkable. The wine list is extensive and pricey, although there are some real bargains, such as the Pichot Vouvray, a wonderful French wine from the Loire Valley, for $29 a bottle. That’s not a bad price when you compare it to the by-the-glass options, which average $13. The Everleigh Sisters would be proud of the service, which is friendly, efficient and eager to please.

The Bottom Line: A three-course meal, with a moderately priced glass of wine, runs about $75 a person, tax and tip included