The Palm Chicago

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Century of Hospitality, Now on Wacker Drive

The story behind The Palm begins with an accident of language. In 1926, two immigrants from Parma, Italy — Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi — opened a restaurant on Second Avenue in New York City. When they registered the name, their thick Italian accents turned "Parma" into "Palm," and so a legend was born. Nearly a hundred years later, that founding spirit — treat guests like family, serve great food, and always exceed expectations — remains the operating philosophy at every location, including the Chicago outpost inside the Swissôtel on East Wacker Drive.

Roots in Italian Generosity

The Palm's Italian DNA runs deeper than its name. From the beginning, Bozzi and Ganzi ran their kitchen with the kind of generous, unpretentious hospitality that recalls a family table rather than a formal dining room. When a customer once asked for a steak, Ganzi reportedly ran up Second Avenue to a butcher to get one and cooked it to order on the spot — and the steakhouse tradition stuck. The next generation added a two-pound lobster to the menu, eventually growing to a signature four-pound whole lobster that became one of the most recognizable dishes in the chain's history. The Surf 'n' Turf combination that followed has been a cornerstone ever since.

A Room That Feels Like a Second Home

Over four generations and nearly a century, The Palm has attracted artists, journalists, business leaders, and working families alike — people who return not just for the food but for the feeling of the place. The Chicago location carries that same character: comfortable enough for a long lunch, polished enough for a meaningful dinner. Private parties, outdoor seating, and valet parking make it a practical choice for both business entertaining and personal celebrations.

Recognized for Its Wine Program

Wine Spectator awarded The Palm its Award of Excellence, a recognition that reflects the seriousness of the wine list — a natural complement to the Italian-American cooking and the prime cuts that anchor the menu.

Four Generations, Still Going

What distinguishes The Palm from newer, trendier steakhouses is precisely its refusal to reinvent itself. The Italian-rooted philosophy that Pio and John brought from Parma has been handed down through four generations of the Bozzi and Ganzi families, each one expanding the footprint while keeping the original warmth intact. In Chicago, that means a room where regulars are greeted by name, deals get closed over a good bottle, and family milestones find a fitting backdrop — the same promise the founders made on Second Avenue nearly one hundred years ago.