Photo courtesy of perry's steakhouse & grille. 

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille creates a classic atmosphere with tableside preparations of pork chops (shown above) and Chateaubriand. 

Do people have something against intimate steak houses? Another 24-ounce porterhouse of a beef temple is scheduled to open this fall in the western suburbs. Joining the out-of-town chains III Forks and Del Frisco’s in setting up Chicago arms, the Texas-based Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille plans to open a 350-seat location at Oakbrook Center (100 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, 630-573-0700), adjacent to its fellow Texan Neiman Marcus.

“When people think of steak houses, they think dark woods and animal heads on the walls,” says Chris Perry, the founder and owner. “We’re completely the opposite—very modern, airy. Women adore our steak houses. There is nothing in Chicago like what we have to offer.”

The prime steaks are dry-aged 24 days for bone-in cuts and 32 days for boneless cuts. Sides include traditional steak-house choices such as creamed spinach, baked potatoes, and creamed corn.

Perry’s dates back to a butcher shop Chris’s father opened in Houston in 1979. Aspects of the restaurant date from an even earlier era, such as flaming desserts and tableside preparations of Chateaubriand and pork chops.

That suggests an answer to why-so-big question: Maybe, like just about everything else in the steak-house experience, it’s tradition.