Ronny’s Original Chicago Steak House

Reviews

• Dane Y.

  star star star star star_border 10 June 2026

  Great diner vibe and fast service.  This place knows what they are doing.  Before arriving, and also to build up an appetite, we did about a two mile walk along the Chicago Riverwalk right down the street.  It was beautiful.  After, we made our way for brunch to the restaurant, which is right by the Clark and Lake train station.
  
  The restaurant had no line, but that's not because no one was eating there.  It was because they literally finish your order in minutes after you tell them the number combo you want.  It's also pretty cheap.  To expedite the process just tell them the order number you want.  They'll ask how you want your eggs cooked or any other specification needed, but they keep the line moving for sure.  Pick up a drink, and make your way to a seat.
  
  They accommodated for the 6 of us; it was open seating.  My friend explained a few bits of history while we were chowing down our food.  The diner used to be around the theater district, so a lot of famous actors made their way to Ronny's after a rehearsal.
  
  Now to my order.  I got the #2, which came with 2 pieces of texas toast, slice of watermelon, 2 eggs over easy, some steak, and some hash potatoes with bell peppers and onions mixed in.  I also ordered a side of watermelon lemonade; it was a bit sweet, as all lemonade is, but I wish I also got a water on the side.  All of that was a little over $11.  Not bad.
  
  The experience was definitely more on the efficient and fast side.  Prices were cheap enough for a college student.  The bathrooms were not too clean.  It was in the morning, so I do not think there is an excuse for having a dirty bathroom in the morning.
  
  The food and company were great.  They also played some good diner music.  All in all, for the price of the meal and portion of the breakfast, I will definitely be returning for a nice Chicago style breakfast.

• Naiima D.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 10 June 2026

  I mean god this place was horrible! Everything was the lowest of the low quality. From the burgers, to the smothered pork chops, the steak, the macaroni and cheese, the salad dressing,( I never had ranch dressing that had no flavor before) the croutons, the lemonade, the mashed potatoes were flavorful Yet had an aftertaste. Even the vodka lemonade was bad. I never had macaroni and cheese that I couldn't finish...well it's at Ronny's if that's what you are looking for in life. I was highly disappointed today.  The men's washroom needs a deep cleaning too.
  
  The food was so bad they owe me $68.14!!!!!!

• Mars N.

  star star star star star_border 26 May 2026

  Good deal for  a lot of food
  You can't complain with the amount of food you get for the price.  Although the food ranges from not so good to pretty good.  The steak is cheap, but it was tasty. The macaroni and cheese was the tastiest part of the meal.  The food that was not good was the cheap garden salad floating in a soup of ranch dressing and the cardboard garlic bread.
  I wish I can give this place 3 1/2 stars.  The food deserves 3 stars, but the classic old school diner setting and friendly service made it a joy to eat there, so I bumped the score to 4 stars.

• Andy N.

  star star star star_border star_border 23 May 2026

  I had been looking forward to trying Ronny's before I left Chicago and found the opportunity with friends before watching a show nearby. As a  classic Chicago deli featuring steak and turf, what's not to enjoy about the varied options available?
  
  Ronny's operates like a deli/cafeteria where you grab a tray, order your meal, and then sit down to eat. They have a lot of American steak options here along with daily specials. On the Wednesday we went, they had a steak and lobster tail deal for $25 to which I obliged.
  
  My 14oz rare steak was not bad. It was definitely cooked a bit more towards medium and ended up being too chewy for my overall liking. My lobster tail however was excellent and really helped to complete my meal. Pass on the salad or at least grab the one without any dressing on top. Baked potato was hot and delectable especially with my added chives. Overall, the plate was good but the steak could have been better.
  
  While the service was friendly, I felt at times they were a bit pushy to get you to order sides or additional toppings, or outright adds them on for you without even realizing. My meal came out to be a few dollars more because they gave me an extra baked potato and sour cream when I asked for neither. It's hard to realize in the moment that you've been given more when there's a lot of people waiting in line.

• Maronda H.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 21 May 2026

  I haven't been here in years. I was on my lunch and came in for the daily lunch special.  8oz steak, baked potato, garlic bread and chef salad for $9.99. I think in my opinion this place is overrated. Now back in the day Ronny's had it going on. This was the place to come on a date or hang out with your girls.  The prices are still decent but the quality and taste of food needs some work. The décor still looks old and out dated. Needs a make over.  My steak was cold and my garlic bread was hard. My baked potato was the only thing good.  One star customer service was friendly and one star for my baked potato.