By Michael Kinnerk ‘20

The Barrel Club, which recently opened in Oak Lawn near 111th and Cicero, has a great sense of class and style. The ambiance keeps up with trends present in most top-notch restaurants. This restaurant had many pros, but also some cons.

The service of The Barrel Club suited the atmosphere of the restaurant. The servers wore ties and were eager to help make your experience one to remember. On the other hand, the service was very slow. I spent two hours in the restaurant, and most of that time was waiting for items such as entrees, drinks, and desserts to come out.

The Barrel Club has many soups and salads on the menu. Patron Matt Delesio, who ordered the bacon and avocado salad, said, “I really enjoyed looking at and eating this salad. It looked amazing and tasted even better.”

The Barrel Club offers an array of different food to choose from, including various cuts of steak and fish. My favorite part of the dining experience was the delicious appetizers. The potato and cheese pierogies were to die for, along with the baked meatballs. These two appetizers set the bar very high for my entree and dessert.

I ordered the six-ounce filet as my entree. The steak, cooked to perfection, tasted great. I found that the look of the food was somewhat dull, as a plain, white plate presented a small cut of steak. At other restaurants like The Barrel Club, steaks are usually dolled up to make them look more appetizing. The side that I ordered with my steak was roasted corn, which is my favorite item on the menu at The Barrel Club. This corn was so light but also seasoned with an array of spices that gave it a tanginess. It was amazing.

For dessert, I ordered the cookies and cream bundt cake. This dessert tasted great, especially with a dollop of ice cream placed on the side of the cake; however, the cake tasted dry, and that was unsatisfying, especially after waiting 25 minutes for it.

Overall, The Barrel Club offers great food, excellent service, and an enjoyable ambiance. I will be returning to this restaurant again in the near future, especially for the appetizers and roasted corn.