"On two occasions, I ordered a medium rare Delmonico Ribeye steak and was served it blue rare instead. The first time, it upset my stomach all night and into the next day. The second time, I had to cook it myself in my home oven to bring it up to medium rare, which compromised the flavor. I called the restaurant while cooking the steak, but the hostess I spoke with did not offer any form of compensation or even an apology.
I also tried their Lobster Shishito appetizer. The first time it was fantastic, but the second time, a few months later, it was disappointing—the batter was so thick that there was more batter than lobster meat, with some bites containing only batter.
Then there’s the Saturday night Prime Rib special. I ordered the end cut but was served a regular cut instead. By this time, I had learned to expect mistakes, so I checked my order before heading home. Sure enough, they had made an error, so I returned to the restaurant. The hostess and a male staff member, whom I believe was a manager due to his attire, took my order from me without saying a word and walked to the kitchen. There was again no apology or communication during this interaction. I stood awkwardly by, waiting for them to correct it, which they did, but it was still a very uncomfortable experience.
I am appalled by the lack of service and the poor attitudes at Sophia Steak. It seems that staff members choose which customers to treat nicely, which is unacceptable behavior. Additionally, I’ve noticed a troubling pattern where non-white customers are sometimes treated as if they are merely delivery drivers instead of patrons, which has been commented on by other reviewers. I have never experienced such discrimination in any other restaurant in the area aside from Sophia Steak, and it's not isolated to their Wilmette location; I've seen similar issues at their Lake Forest restaurant as well.
On another occasion, I ordered my usual Prime Rib end cut, but it arrived overcooked, tough, and lacking in marbling. The meat was so dry it could be shredded, making it hard to believe it was USDA Prime rather than Choice due to its lack of marbling and dryness.
When Sophia Steak gets it right, it truly is one of the best restaurants in the area. But when they get it wrong, don't expect any compensation or even an apology. Here’s a tip: always check your order before leaving, as half the time they mess it up.
Service: Takeout
Meal Type: Dinner
Price per person: $50–100
Food: 2
Service: 2"
