There is a certain kind of comfort that only a vintage steakhouse can deliver, the kind that starts before the first bite. Elba’s Golden Steer has been part of the dinner rhythm in Forest Park, Illinois, since 1969, and it carries that history without making a show of it.
The sign glows softly out front, the dining room hums at an easy pace, and the scent of broiled steaks and slow-cooked onions hangs in the air like a promise. The baked French onion soup alone has built a following over the years, arriving bronzed and bubbling in its crock.
It is the kind of place that does not chase trends. It simply keeps doing dinner well with hearty plates, steady service, and a warmth that makes a night out feel comfortably familiar.
The French Onion Gold Standard
The baked French onion soup here is the kind that draws nods across the room. Under a bronzed, blistered mantle of cheese rests a deep, savory broth layered with sweet caramelized onions…