
One of London’s most popular restaurants, Hawksmoor, will officially launch its brand-new restaurant in Chicago. Located in the three-story landmark location at 500 N LaSalle Drive in River North, you can make reservations starting Thursday, June 27.
Hawksmoor is renowned as one of the best steakhouses globally, named #1 steakhouse in the world by the World’s Best Steak Restaurants in 2022. This global recognition places Hawksmoor in a prestigious dining community, and now you can officially take part in Chicago.
Hawksmoor was first opened in 2006 by childhood friends Will Beckett and Huw Gott in London. Almost twenty years later, it has made a name for itself as a world-class dining destination.
Its rigorous ingredients and employment ethics standards have earned it recognition as one of few restaurants worldwide with a B Corp Certification. The menu centers around steaks from ethically reared cattle and sustainably sourced seafood alongside one of the country’s most progressive cocktail programs.
Will Beckett, Hawksmoor Co-Founder, said:
We’re incredibly excited to officially open doors and bring our celebration of American beef and produce to Chicago.
Charcoal grilling, British classics, and Chicago callbacks
In the land of vast steakhouses in Chicago, Hawksmoor has all-natural, pasture-reared beef carefully sourced from family-run farms, dry-aged, and expertly grilled over small-batch charcoal from the hills of West Virginia.
Look for a local nod to H.M. Kinsley, the iconic 19th-century Chicago restaurateur, with Hawksmoor’s signature “Beefsteak 1894,” an optional add-on preparation of three charcoal-roasted Bone Marrow Oysters and Bone Marrow Gravy to top or accompany any cut, inspired by a recipe in Kinsley’s 1894 cookbook.
However, Hawksmoor Chicago’s menu will feature over a dozen new dishes, each with a unique story. Among them is the Lobster Louis, which pays homage to a seafood salad first served in Colorado Springs in 1918.
Inside the historic preservation of Hawksmoor Chicago
Hawksmoor Chicago has been brought to life in the LaSalle Street Cable Car Powerhouse, which was first opened in 1887. In its heyday, it pulled thousands of cable cars, bringing approximately 100,000 workers downtown each day.
The venue’s design was a collaborative effort between Hawksmoor’s Design Team. Led by Mai-Yee Ng and UK Interior Architecture firm Macaulay Sinclair, the goal was to revitalize the space. They restored its original barrel-vaulted ceilings, exposed timber joists, and brickwork. Additionally, new elements were incorporated, drawing inspiration from the ‘Golden Age of Travel.’
The first floor includes a 125-seat dining room with a mirrored wraparound bar and velvet booths. The second floor features a 76-cover dining room with a second dazzling bar and restored Parisian holophane glass street lamps. The third floor, set to open in the fall, will offer a customizable events space.