Erie Street East is Windsor's Via Italia, the stretch the city files under red sauce and espresso. Take Five Bistro opened there as a steakhouse, and that choice still sets it apart from its neighbours. The founding idea was a Chicago-and-New-York chophouse — Canadian beef aged twenty-eight days, a fully licensed bar, a dining room in dark wood and low light — dropped onto a block better known for pasta than for porterhouse. Windsor, as it turned out, had appetite for both.
The steak list is where the kitchen makes its argument. The Ribeye is the straight read on the room, beef-forward and seared to a deep crust; the White Cheddar & Bacon Filet Mignon is the richer move, a centre-cut filet layered with sharp cheddar and bacon. Tenderloin Neptune bridges the steak and seafood sides for the table that cannot choose. Around the beef sits a spread of classics that keeps the place from reading as steak and nothing else — Mini Beef Wellingtons in flaky pastry, escargot, Cajun calamari, a Chicken Oscar, French onion, the house Take Five Steak Soup. Seafood holds its own corner, with Lake Erie pickerel pulled from the water down the road, crusted salmon, and a surf and turf for the full occasion.
The restaurant ties classic steak cuts and chophouse starters to Ontario meat, produce, and local supplier relationships.
Named chef-owners Cody Northgrave and Paul Sauve give the intimate room a clear hospitality and kitchen identity.
The Sunday-through-Thursday prix fixe connects value to recognizable dishes rather than a separate discount-only offer.
Take Five works best when the meal needs to feel deliberate: polished steak cuts, classic starters, desserts, and a cozy dining room give anniversaries, birthdays, and quiet celebrations enough structure without turning the night stiff.
The room leans intimate rather than loud, and the menu gives couples an easy path from Mini Beef Wellingtons or escargot into steak, seafood, and dessert. It suits diners who want a planned night out over a quick bite.
Chef co-owners Cody Northgrave and Paul Sauve give the restaurant a clear identity: steakhouse classics, Ontario sourcing, and a compact menu that reads like a kitchen with named ownership behind it.
The restaurant positions Ontario meat and produce as part of the dining experience, tying its steakhouse identity to local suppliers and the broader Windsor food community without making the menu feel preachy.
Reservations, a licensed bar, and a classic steakhouse menu make this a practical choice for client dinners or small team meals where the group needs reliable entrees, shared starters, and a polished room.
Share the nuances of your visit to Take Five Bistro in Windsor — the standout dishes, the room, the service.
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