New Upscale Steakhouse 'Guard & Grace' Coming to Chicago

Why it matters

This is the third location for Guard and Grace, the flagship steakhouse concept from Chef and owner Troy Guard. The original, a 9,000-square-foot restaurant in Denver, opened in 2014, followed by an expansion to Houston in 2019. The restaurant is named after Guard's daughter, Grace. Chef Troy Guard, a Hawaiian native, built his career under mentor Roy Yamaguchi before leading kitchens in Asia and later as executive chef at the New York hotspot TAO. His Denver-based TAG Restaurant Group operates multiple concepts, including the Mexican-themed Los Chingones, the fast-casual Bubu, and a breakfast spot named HashTAG. Guard and Grace positions itself as a "modern steakhouse," moving away from a dark, heavy atmosphere to one that is more light and airy. The concept has earned a Michelin Guide recommendation and was ranked No. 47 on the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants list in 2024. The menu emphasizes wood-fired cooking and includes traditional prime and wagyu cuts alongside significant seafood offerings that reflect Guard's background. Signature dishes at other locations include a filet mignon flight, oak-grilled octopus, and handmade gnocchi with truffle. The Chicago restaurant will be located at One South Wacker, a 40-story office tower designed by famed architect Helmut Jahn in 1982. The building is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation to add a new fitness center, tenant lounge, and conferencing facilities. Guard & Grace enters a highly competitive market for upscale steakhouses in Chicago. Recent rankings for the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants included local players Asador Bastian (ranked 13th), Swift & Sons (71st), and Bavette's Bar & Boeuf (77th).

Key numbers

• The restaurant will occupy a 10th-floor space featuring a 2,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, aiming to attract an upscale clientele.
• The original, a 9,000-square-foot restaurant in Denver, opened in 2014, followed by an expansion to Houston in 2019.
• 47 on the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants list in 2024.
• The Chicago restaurant will be located at One South Wacker, a 40-story office tower designed by famed architect Helmut Jahn in 1982.

What happens next

• The Chicago restaurant will be located at One South Wacker, a 40-story office tower designed by famed architect Helmut Jahn in 1982.
• A new Michelin-recommended steakhouse, Guard & Grace, is scheduled to open this fall in Chicago.
• The restaurant will occupy a 10th-floor space featuring a 2,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, aiming to attract an upscale clientele.

Sources

• is scheduled to open
• This is the third location
• The original, a 9,000-square-foot
• The restaurant is named
• Chef Troy Guard, a Hawaiian
• His Denver-based TAG
• Guard and Grace positions
• 47 on the World's 101
• The menu emphasizes wood-fired
• The Chicago restaurant
• Guard & Grace enters
• Recent rankings for the

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