In this town, where you're practically born with vermouth and steak sauce running through your veins, opening a chop house and martini den really is something of a no-brainer.

But that doesn't mean there isn't room for a little mad genius.

Introducing Benny's Chop House, opening next Thursday in River North, with its own ideas about what an evening of booze-and-meat means.

At first, it all feels very classic Chicago chop house, ready for your next night of entertaining clients: aged prime Allen Brothers steaks, plush booths in a dining room where a rolling champagne cart makes frequent stops by your table for refills. (Sadly, they're not giving out rides... yet.) In the lounge, a weekend piano player entertains you while you slurp a few fresh oysters.

Then we come to the drinks: nothing against your usual martini, but when the top mixologist has Alinea-honed sensibilities, options like Prodigal Sum, with boutique gin, handcrafted vermouth and artisanal orange bitters, or the Thai'd Sloe On, with a Thai chili-infused vodka, may forever change your pre-steak cocktail routine.

And before you mercilessly dive into that dry-aged rib eye, you'll find that Maine lobster ravioli, Waygu carpaccio and even Liver and Onions—foie gras with caramelized onions, pork belly and a Meyer lemon chutney—are competing for your attention.

But you've always been good at multitasking.