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Inside Gold Coast’s Lavish New Champagne Lounge

Esquire Champagne Room opens on Sunday inside Del Frisco’s

Inside Esquire Champagne Room
Barry Brecheisen
Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

Those living in Gold Coast love telling other Chicagoans how much they enjoy decadence and the owners of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House want to cater to those champagne wishes and caviar dreams. They’ll try to do that with the 1,400-square-foot Esquire Champagne Room that debuts on Sunday on the restaurant’s third floor. It’s part of a wider renovation project for Del Frisco’s Double Eagle, the steakhouse that opened five years ago in Chicago and is part of the Texas company that also owns Sullivan’s Steakhouse.

Chicagoans familiar with the space at 58 E. Oak Street know about the building’s history as the Esquire Theater which opened in 1938. A gigantic-lit vertical sign marks the entrance off Oak Street, a corridor lush with posh retailers. Esquire Champagne Room is gunning for patrons of those businesses allowing the steakhouse’s 1,700 wines to shine. They’ll also have 50 Champagnes by the bottle and 20 by the glass including Ayala by Bollinger Brut Majeur, Dom Pérignon Brut Épernay, Krug Grand Cuvée, Perrier Jouët Grand Brut Épernay, Schramsberg Brut Rosé, and Veuve Clicquot Le Grande Dame Reims. There’s also a trio of champagne cocktails.

The Champagne room features a menu unique from the dry-aged steaks served at the restaurant. They’ll offer caviar service with white sturgeon and Galilee Prime and Royal Belgium Osetra. Other items include oysters, foie gras mousse, miso-glazed octopus, Iberico charcuterie, King Crab spring rolls, and lamb lollipops.

Del Frisco’s reps are stressing that seating is limited inside the small space. They hope the lounge becomes a destination, not just a place for pre- or post-dinner drinks. Take a tour around the space before Esquire Champagne Room debuts on Sunday.

Esquire Champagne Room on the third floor of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, 58 E. Oak Street, reservations can be made by calling (312) 846-6575, hours not posted yet.

The new bar is part of a ongoing renovation project for the restaurant.
The appropriate signage greets customers on the third floor.
There’s even creative lighting.
It’s a small space.
Imagine noshing on caviar and sipping on Champagne.

See the Art Deco influence.
The fireplaces don’t appear to work.
As long as guests don’t hear any Billy Joel on the piano, it’s going to be a good night.
Note how the tables overlap.
Marc Much/Eater Chicago
There’s a variety of seating options.
Marc Much/Eater Chicago
A curved bar is a welcome design change from most Chicago’s drinking establishments.
Even the lighting reminds guests of bubbles.
Go beyond the bar for a nook.
There’s a little bit more intimacy in this space.

Esquire Champagne Room

58 E Oak St, Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 846-6575 Visit Website