El Che Steakhouse & Bar
El Che Steakhouse & Bar is a Chicago West Loop fine dining steakhouse founded in 2016, serving dinner-only South American-inspired asado with dry-aged beef from multiple premium purveyors and a destination South American wine program, under Hey Che Hospitality.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What El Che Steakhouse & Bar does
El Che Steakhouse & Bar is a single-location, fine dining South American-inspired steakhouse operating since August 2016 in the ground-floor space of the historic Checkered Taxi Company building at 845 W. Washington Blvd in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. The restaurant is dinner-only (5 PM–10 PM Mon–Sat, 5 PM–9 PM Sun) and is built around an open-flame asado cooking technique executed over a central hearth, a fully stocked dry-aging program for beef (managed in-house), and a curated roster of premium beef purveyors including Meyer Farms, RR Ranch, Snake River Farms, King River Farms, and Aurora Packing. A signature capability is its South American wine program spanning Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil, including rare bottles from 200-year-old vines, volcanic regions, and high-altitude vineyards — a depth that has been independently recognized by Wine Spectator, Robb Report, and The New York Times. Sommelier Alex Cuper has been publicly profiled for the program's curation.
The business operates under the Hey Che Hospitality parent entity (also operating sister concept Brasero Chicago), is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, and is led by Chef John Manion, a recognized live-fire cooking authority who received top honors at the 2026 Jean Banchet Awards. Revenue is generated through four primary streams: standard dinner service (pay-as-you-go, with menu prices not publicly listed), a daily 5–6 PM happy hour, a premium Chef's Counter experience booked through Explore Tock, and private/special events managed via dedicated contact channels. A retail sub-brand, El Che Meat & Provisions, extends the brand into at-home dry-aged beef and grilling products, and shares gift card economics with the restaurant. Distribution and demand are driven by OpenTable reservations, phone reservations, walk-ins, Toast Tab for digital gift cards and online ordering, and active organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) supplemented by extensive earned media.
Customer segments comprise affluent dining enthusiasts seeking a premium steakhouse experience, wine enthusiasts drawn to the South American program, and group/event customers using dedicated partial-family-style and hearth group menus. Pricing is supplemented by a 3.75% admin fee (removable on request), auto-gratuity for parties of five or more, and a BYOB option with a $60 corkage fee per bottle (max one per guest, must differ from the wine list). The restaurant has won consistent inclusion in Chicago's best-restaurant and best-steakhouse lists from Chicago Magazine (2024, 2026), Eater Chicago (2025), The Infatuation (2026), Modern Luxury (2025, 2026), SAVEUR (2026), Forbes (2025), Conde Nast Traveler (2023), Food & Wine (2023), and Robb Report (2019, 2023).
El Che Steakhouse & Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- El Che Steakhouse & Bar
- Legal name
- Hey Che Hospitality
- Website
- https://elchechicago.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- El Che Steakhouse & Bar is a Chicago West Loop fine dining steakhouse founded in 2016, serving dinner-only South American-inspired asado with dry-aged beef from multiple premium purveyors and a destination South American wine program, under Hey Che Hospitality.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
El Che Steakhouse & Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fine Dining Steakhouse
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)
Keywords
Where El Che Steakhouse & Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
El Che Steakhouse & Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Dinner Service: Full-service dinner restaurant offering steakhouse menu including beef cuts, sides, and desserts. Revenue generated from food sales during dinner service (5PM-10PM Mon-Sat, 5PM-9PM Sun).
- Beverage Program: Wine program featuring South American selections, cocktails, and other beverages. BYOB option with $60 corkage fee per bottle.
- Private Events: Special events and private dining hosting. Contact for events at [email protected].
- El Che Meat & Provisions: Related retail operation for grilling items and meat products. Gift cards valid at both El Che Steakhouse & Bar and El Che Meat & Provisions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard dinner service pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
El Che Steakhouse & Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
El Che Steakhouse & Bar is a South American-inspired fine dining steakhouse that serves dry-aged beef and other proteins prepared via open-flame asado cooking on a central hearth. The core offering pairs this fire-driven cooking with an extensive South American wine program and ancillary on-premise experiences including happy hour, group/hearth dining, private events, and a Chef's Counter tasting seat, supplemented by a companion retail meat shop (El Che Meat & Provisions).
Product overview
El Che Steakhouse & Bar is a single restaurant concept operated by Hey Che Hospitality, featuring a live fire (asado) cooking approach with South American influences. The establishment offers a unified dining experience with multiple menu programs (dinner, wine, happy hour, group dining, desserts) and a retail companion shop called El Che Meat & Provisions for at-home grilling. The restaurant specializes in dry-aged beef sourced from multiple purveyors and pairs it with an extensive South American wine collection.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- El Che Steakhouse & Bar Dinner Service Full-service dinner-only steakhouse experience in Chicago's West Loop featuring open-flame asado cooking, dry-aged beef from multiple premium purveyors, and a South American wine program. Open 5PM-10PM Monday-Saturday and 5PM-9PM Sunday. Targeted at individual diners seeking a premium steakhouse experience.
- Chef's Counter Experience Premium counter seating experience booked exclusively through Explore Tock, offering close interaction with the kitchen and live-fire asado cooking. Targeted at culinary enthusiasts seeking an immersive, exclusive dining experience.
- Private Events & Group Dining Private event hosting and group dining service with customizable menus including partial family-style service and a dedicated group hearth menu. Targeted at event organizers, corporate hosts, and groups seeking a memorable, customizable dining experience.
- El Che Meat & Provisions Companion retail storefront connected to El Che Steakhouse & Bar offering premium dry-aged beef and grilling items for at-home purchase. Targeted at home cooks and gift purchasers seeking the same beef quality offered in the restaurant.
Companies that use El Che Steakhouse & Bar
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
El Che Steakhouse & Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
El Che Steakhouse & Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Hey Che HospitalitycoreParent company overseeing El Che Steakhouse & Bar and related restaurant operations including Brasero Chicago.
- Meyer FarmscoreBeef supplier for El Che, prioritized for humane farming practices and sustainable sourcing.
- RR RanchcoreBeef supplier for El Che, known for quality and humane farming practices.
- Snake River FarmscorePremium beef supplier known for wagyu and natural beef products.
- King River FarmscoreBeef supplier for El Che, focused on sustainable and humane farming.
- Aurora PackingcoreBeef supplier for El Che, known for quality and sustainable practices.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
El Che Steakhouse & Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
El Che Steakhouse & Bar social profiles
Digital presenceEl Che Steakhouse & Bar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
El Che Steakhouse & Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
El Che Steakhouse & Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
El Che Steakhouse & Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
El Che Steakhouse & Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about El Che Steakhouse & Bar
What does El Che Steakhouse & Bar do?
El Che Steakhouse & Bar is a South American-inspired fine dining steakhouse that serves dry-aged beef and other proteins prepared via open-flame asado cooking on a central hearth. The core offering pairs this fire-driven cooking with an extensive South American wine program and ancillary on-premise experiences including happy hour, group/hearth dining, private events, and a Chef's Counter tasting seat, supplemented by a companion retail meat shop (El Che Meat & Provisions).
Is El Che Steakhouse & Bar a public or private company?
El Che Steakhouse & Bar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was El Che Steakhouse & Bar founded?
El Che Steakhouse & Bar was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is El Che Steakhouse & Bar based?
El Che Steakhouse & Bar is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does El Che Steakhouse & Bar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dinner Service is the primary driver. The others are beverage Program, private Events and el Che Meat & Provisions.
Does El Che Steakhouse & Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for El Che Steakhouse & Bar.
What industry is El Che Steakhouse & Bar in?
El Che Steakhouse & Bar's product category is Fine Dining Steakhouse. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAE, Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAA, Fine Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.