Such a beautiful place. I did not expect the interior to be so decorative & romantic. It has an elegant Asian theme. The parking garage is across the street from the restaurant. The hostess staff were very classy & kind. The waiter was very kind I didn’t catch his name. The menu has a variety of dishes. They have vegan items, seafood, steak & chicken. Everything seems to be freshly made based on the flavor of the appetizers & entrees. I wasn’t a big fan of the way they had the sushi entree come out before my chicken entree; they took about 15 minutes bringing out the chicken entree. My wife had finished her entree before I was able to get mine. Oh well, it was worth the wait. The bathrooms were clean. It’s not wheel chair accessible from what I noticed based on the main entrance. It is pricey, so be prepared to spend at least $150 for two people even if you don’t drink. But the servings are very generous.
From the first moment you know that you are in a very stylish place. The Tao restaurant delights with its decor. And then it only gets better. Very nice service. Great Asian cuisine. You can certainly say everything is fresh and prepared with good ingredients. Absolutely a place worth recommending. See you soon
My girlfriend took me here to celebrate my birthday and we were so impressed. This is an absolutely beautiful restaurant! We felt comfortable, and well taken care of. They kept our tables clean, double checked with us if we had any allergies, if we have been there before…wonderful customer service. The food was delicious! Very flavorful, FRESH, and my birthday dessert (chocolate cake) I will remember forever. Just an amazing experience. Thank you so much! Will make the two hr drive again without question.
I have nothing but great things to say about this beautiful, elegant restaurant ! The ambiance is so chill, dark, romantic, filled with great people & amazing service! Ive came here with my husband so many times for our birthdays and Anniversary & we cannot get enough! The music is poppin’ lol & the fooooood!! OMG! You cant go wrong on the food. We have tried the Gyoza, Honey glazed Salmon, Chilean seabass, chicken fried rice and so many more! Lastly, the drinks!! Sooo tasty and well portioned with the alcohol! This is a place everyone should try at least once! I love Tao! Ps they also have a night club & a lot of famous DJs and artists perform occasionally! It’s an all together fun place!
A completely mesmerizing experience at Tao. The service was really impressive and all food tasted really good. We especially enjoyed the chicken gyoza and Chinese broccoli. The desserts were also fantastic as you can see from the video and photos. I highly recommend Tao for a fun evening and great food! Ryan was consistently checking on us, very friendly and had a great support staff!
The food was awesome for my friends and guests. Even though I have a peanut and shrimp allergy, the staff was accommodating, and I was served the tempura asparagus and avocado not fried in peanut oil. I truly appreciate that I had the chance to experience Tao atmosphere and food and not have my first experience ruined. The waiter for a table was friendly, knowledgeable of the menu, and the red wine was excellent and he went above and beyond. Even though the menu was kinda pricey, its worth placing a reservation.
We came to Chicago for my husbands birthday and this place was exceptional. We did a reservation in order to be able to get a table via OpenTable, then the staff was super friendly in welcoming and accommodating us; the waitress was above and beyond. All the champagne, the appetizers and the food was tasty, and well seasoned. At the end we asked for a giant fortune cookie and we got a blast 🙌 I highly recommend this place to anyone in town or visiting for a special ocassion and you wont be disappointed
Ive been incredibly fortunate to visit Tao Chicago twice, and along with the amazing ambiance, the leadership team defines hospitality. Ive been lucky to actually sit and get to know the executive chef and general manager, and their love to provide a world class culinary experience is impossible to miss. The bartenders are excellent, the food is crave worthy, and the service is truly exceptional. Ive visited many restaurants across the Midwest, and you can tell when a restaurant is operating on all cylinders - and when its not. Tao Chicago has that it factor that leaves you talking about it the next day. No wonder they are frequented by celebrities so often. When in Chicago, definitely book a reservation! If with another person, dont miss out on the Peking Duck experience!!
TAO is for sure a unique experience, the ambiance is amazing and I would consider going back just for that. The food was good but not wowing enough for the place. The dessert were actually good so another reason to go back. Definitely worth a try. The service was a bit slow and the place was so packed on Saturday night which I think it took that whole uniqueness experience. Also something to mention, we made a reservation 8:45 and we didn’t get our table until 9:30 which something I didn’t like that at all. If it wasn’t for my friends, I would’ve left.
Not bad, been to TAO in Vegas and expected something similar. Most of the women in here are just looking for a guy to bring them to a table and if you don’t have that they can tend to disregard you. Bartenders were nice and fast service. Production was good. Felt like less people were here for the music and more were here for the status.
I went to Tao for my birthday & let me tell you, I loved everything about this place, the atmosphere was so romantic, the music was on point, the food was great....Just wish I had experienced the nightclub side, I didnt know they had a nightclub until we were leaving out from dinner.... Nevertheless I plan on going back soon 🎊🥳
I’d rate Tao 4.4/5. The restaurant has a nice vibe to it. Has a typical restaurant/lounge feel. I attended a birthday celebration there. Sake was very good. This place would be good for a girls night out or date night. Nice size restaurant but has an intimate feel because of lighting and decor. Seems more appropriate for an adult crowd.
Came here for restaurant week and was a really good experience. Food was tasty, service was friendly and atmosphere was cool. Service was a tad slow but it was also really busy and it looked like a lot of corporate parties were there so it was understandable and it was definitely a vibe where you didnt mind relaxing and talking with your friends while you wanted for the food to come. And our waiter brought us some shots on the house for the wait. Thanks!
Excellent service. The waiter was great. Food came out fast. We had lobster fried rice, sushi, orange chicken, and banana pudding. Everything was really good. The restaurant was a little dark but a nice relaxing vibe.
Hands down a great experience. Its a sexy, romantic restaurant that is definitely a great date spot. Everything is eye-catching from the decor to the layout. Drinks were good. And dinner was delicious. We had the black miso cod and it was a delight!Honestly its one of my new faves in Chicago and I cant recommend this enough as a date night spot!
What a cool atmosphere! The club area is STELLAR!For dinner: The service was fantastic. The food was good and presentation was beautiful, but nothing exceptional. The drinks were on par with other locations in Chicago. Dining here seemed to be for the well-designed atmosphere of the space and experience, which I appreciated.For the club: my group had a table and the space was phenomenal! It wasn’t overcrowded and the security guard in our area introduced himself by name and was very kind and attentive. The bottle service was also top notch and our server made sure everyone had the drink they wanted. The music was great including the live DJ! Lights and shout-outs for special events were also great.Overall, a great experience for a special event or celebration!
Ive always LOVED Hakasan & Tao for my favorite edm DJs.@steveaoki will be here in Chicago soon at TAOSo you know you can rely on them to have a great time 👍I remember when I lived in Streeterville and Tao JUST opened in 2018. I was so intimidated & skeptical that I just never went to eat.But this meal blew my skepticism away. it was great and we had such a fun date nightBecause highlights were the dim sum, sea bass, crispy snapper, and noodles. Really authenticBut honestly everything was great, dont expect to pay a small amount though :)𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀✅ 100-year old historical building + historical doors✅ seats 800-1000 people✅ Tasty Asian-fusion food✅ Amazing service✅ Intimate decor✅ Tao Chicago has been around for 5years✅ Tao-tini (martini) has been around for 20+ years!𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲in Vegas you can eat and stay for the club. Here, you have to leave the restaurant & circle back to the Tao Club entrance (separate, opens at 11pm)𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩:𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀🥃Cooking dragon $19🥃Mizumi midnight $19🍹Bubbles & berry $19🍸From Shanghai with love $20Didnt get as they are sweeter, but are popular: Tao-tini & Lychee Martini𝗔𝗽𝗽𝘀🐟 Sea bass, miso glaze sauce and side daikon $28🌱Edamame $15🫑Shiseito pepper $15🥟Dimsum sampler $28 with chicken (orange), veg 粉粿 (green), shrimp + caviar 蝦餃 (white), Siu mai pork 燒賣 (yellow + crab roe).Includes sauces hilli sambal, soy vinrgreette, house chilli𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱:🐟 Tuna pringle $23 with Truffle aoli & shiso🦪 Fresh oysters $8 each🍣 Shrimp tempura roll $24🍣 Salmon avocado roll $22Includes a tomato ponzu sauce𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 & 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀🐟Crispy snapper $56 with garlic salt🍜Hong Kong noodles $28 nice and dry🥩Tokyo filet mignon $59 bone marrow on top🥦Chinese broccoli $15𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁:🍊 Mandarin ice cream $19🥠Giant fortune cookie $24𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀📍 Tao Chicago632 Dearborn Street, Chicago IL 60654Book on @opentableOpen 5-10pm (11pm Fri & Sat)@biteswithbessy on Instagram
Taste: 4Quality: 4Quantity: 4Price: 4Service: 4There ambience here was something truly special. After walking in, I thought I was on the set of a John Wick movie. It’s kind of worth the experience in and of itself. The server here was pretty good. I like him a lot at first. After we opted not to go for his recommendations, he got a little salty with us… that or he could’ve gotten stressed from being busy. Anyway, I thought everything were ordered was pretty good. It was more than I’ve ever paid for fried rice, but all things considered, I was happy and would recommend. Such an interesting spot. If you go here, take someone special, go with a group, or celebrate something. It’s good to get a variety of the menu
Formerly, this stood as the Chicago Historical Society Building on the northwest corner of Dearborn and Ontario streets. The society has been around since 1856 to document the citys history, the original headquarters succumbed to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.In 1892, a new headquarters emerged at 632 Dearborn Street, designed by the renowned architect Henry Ives Cobb. Adorned in granite, it resembles a castle. Cobb has crafted several of my favorite Chicago structures like the former Chicago Federal Building and the Palmer Mansion. RIP.In 1920, the society transitioned into a public museum, acquiring Charles F. Gunthers extensive historical collection. It relocated to Lincoln Park in 1932, becoming the Chicago History Museum.Following the societys departure, the building housed various businesses and organizations.Notably, there are persistent tales of hauntings, with patrons and former staff reporting paranormal experiences.The buildings long history is believed to have spirits, including those who perished in the Great Fire.Since 2018, the Tao Group has transformed the location into a signature Hybrid Asian Cuisine/ Nightclub.The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, under the name, Old Chicago Historical Society Building. It was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1997.
Wow!!! What an experience!!! From the moment we walked in until we were about a block away after dinner we were amazed and impressed. We are still talking about it nonstop and telling everyone we know. It was one of the very best dining experiences I have ever had. The manager, James, welcomed us in, was so super friendly, told us about the building, guided us to happy hour then our table. The atmosphere is incredible. Huge open and thoughtful dining space, beautiful surroundings including a massive statue with different images projected on it. Our waitress, Emily was outstanding beyond. Super knowledgeable, friendly, funny, set great expectations, gave excellent suggestions, she is the best and loves her job. The food? Cmon. My wife and I couldn’t even look at each other over those beef skewers…it was a slap your mama moment. So melt in your mouth, I can’t wait to go back good. At the end of our meal we got a private tour of the dance club and everyone was our best friends. Everything is delicious. Staff is so awesome. I wish I could give 100 stars. Great job. We will be back!
We only went to the place for dinner not the nightclub, and it was terrible! It was INCREDIBLY LOUD. My girlfriend and I could not hear a word we were saying to each other sitting across the table since it was so loud. We got up and left after one drink and did not stay for dinner. The interior design of the place is very beautiful and nice, but if you want to have a conversation with anybody, its impossible unfortunately. Service was kinda slow too, but given the big crowd it was understandable.
My husband and I went there when we were in Chicago. The place is super nice and the music and vibe is great. Regarding food we said I was vegan and allergic to spicy food and had to give back 2 plates due to not being able to make it non spicy. That was not great and ruined the vibe. There are some vegan dishes and really good drinks.
I went for a business dinner with kind of low expectations. I was blown away by the atmosphere and food. The service was awesome for a large party in their private upstairs room. The Asian fusion food was wonderful and there was not a dish that wasnt excellent. One of the standouts was the Chow Fun noodles. I literally had chow fun from Minghin, my go-to dimsum place, the night before and Taos was better. The building used to be the Excalibur night club. The only real complaint I had was that it was loud and hard to hear people talking.
I came here for my dinner birthday last month and had a phenomenal experience. The booking process for my medium size party was throughout, quick, and easy. The private table was right where I wanted it, off side of the Buddha with fish swimming beneath it, made for a great scene. The service was top notch and smooth. Of course the food was A1. To top it all off, DJ Madrid definitely came out with the music vibes which made my birthday dinner a 10/10. With great music and food you can’t go wrong! Thank you Tao! I will be back soon.
Everything was delicious.We did not have a reservation and decided to wait but it was worth it. We waited for a table for 45 mins.The place is amazing very pretty and carefully designed and the food is super tasty.I am a vegetarian and i had no trouble finding something to eat.The only “bad” thing was the service, the waiters are not very friendly.
Great atmosphere and decor, and a nice waiting area.Our favorite dish was the short rib, very tender and well marinated. The chicken gyoza had a slight kick of spice.The carrot cake dessert was fun with the whole pot being edible. The white chocolate shell satisfies the sweet tooth while the cake was a milder sweet, very delicious.
Tao is now one of my favorite places to visit! From the moment you open the door until your departure, you’re embraced with a dim inviting atmosphere. It’s so warming and sexy!! Great place for dates or to go out with friends. The food and drinks were all one of a kind and very enjoyable! I came for my birthday and the giant fortune cookie they brung out was everything! Loaded with different fruit around it and filled with white and chocolate mousse, the giant fortune cookie satisfied every sweet desire I had!! I’m telling you, Tao is an experience you wouldn’t want to miss out on. Even the bathroom was decorated so cute! You can even grab a box of chocolate Buddhas! I can’t wait to return!
I had my Birthday dinner in Tao restaurant it was tasty. And we received a great table without a previous reservation. Sushi was tasty.
Ive been to Tao multiple times for their dinner and had an overall enjoyable experience. The quality of food is excellent, there are many good cocktail options, and there is a fun ambience with DJs playing music at night.I would look forward to coming more often if not for the steep price you pay, which sometimes doesnt justify the quality of all the food options. Also service is a bit slow at night, particularly when its packed and busy.
We typically go to Tao a few times a year. Food is great the service is usually awesome and it’s like a party vibe in there while you’re having dinner. I believe on Friday and Saturday nights after 8 PM there’s a DJ so you’re kind of eating and enjoying music. Great place to celebrate anything really.
If youve never heard of TAO before now, be glad you came across it like I did. I was walking the streets of Chicago on my way to another restaurant and fell across this place. What I saw when I walked thru the doors had me ecstatic about dining here. I would rate the service an 8 out of 10. When I was first seated, it took about 15 minutes before my waitress finally got to me to take my drink order. However, once she got there, she was great and gave great recommendations! That honestly is the only complaint I had about the service. Now, to what we are all here for, the food! I started with the Dim Sum Sampler and the Spicy Tuna Tartare on Crispy Rice. Both were very flavorful and more than exceeded my expectations. For the main course, I tried the Hong Kong Noodles. They were full of flavor and had a sauce that gave a little sweetness to the dish. This was one of the better ethnic noodle dishes that Ive ever had. Overall experience, I would rate this an 8.5 out of 10. Also, this restaurant turns into a club late-night on certain nights. Unfortunately, I didnt get to experience that, but I did check out the bar and lounge area, and they were very nice as well.
Tao Chicago is renowned for serving the finest Japanese cuisine in Downtown Chicago. It stands out as one of the top destinations to celebrate birthdays and enjoy memorable gatherings with friends. The delectable food tantalizes your taste buds, and you can savor delightful cocktails alongside. The grand stature of the restaurant, accentuated by the captivating lights, creates an enchanting ambiance that adds to the dining experience.Visiting Tao Chicago is highly recommended, especially for a special date night. You are guaranteed to impress your companion with this exceptional dining choice. However, its worth noting that the restaurant falls on the slightly expensive side. Nevertheless, the remarkable experience is well worth the cost.
Went to Tao for my partners birthday on a Saturday night. We were tickled to see that the restaurant is in the building that used to be Excalibur! The space itself is truly stunning. I would say this is hands-down the most beautiful restaurant I have ever been to.The overall vibe was different. You definitely feel like youre walking into a very poshe downtown restaurant. The staff at the host stand was nice enough, but by no means warm - a bit different feel than what youd typically find at say a high-end Chicago steakhouse. There was an air of pretentiousness, but in a way that was fitting for what I believe this restaurant wants to be, which is a trendy, hip place for young, attractive people to hang out at. That overall feel extended to the clientele as well, as I watched lots of very young patrons in clubbing attire filter in throughout the night.That being said, none of that bothered my partner and I. Were in our 40s and not really concerned with whether or not were cool enough to eat somewhere. It was fun to watch the scene and see what all the beautiful people are doing on Saturday night.Our server was pleasant and efficient. Id say that probably applies to the waitstaff in general . . . very good, but also very unremarkable, service.Now to the food. We ordered the imperial veggie egg rolls, the shrimp lettuce cups, and the crispy bao buns to start. My partner thought all of these were really good, but I have to say I thought each item was just ok. And that remained the theme for everything else we ordered; my partner thought the food was pretty outstanding, but I wasnt as impressed. The $38 rainbow roll was our next dish, and Id say that was one of my favorites of the night. Very expensive? Yes. But come on, they have to pay the rent on this place somehow! Next we tried triple pork fried rice, the filet mignon with marrow topping, Chinese broccoli, and the crispy orange chicken. My favorite of these four items was the filet. Not only was the meat excellent, but the flavor was phenomenal. I didnt care for the other items, but thats really down to my own personal palate. The flavors were all just a bit weird to me.The piece de resistance was the potted carrot cake dessert. The entire dessert, including the pot and dirt, was edible, and it was really good.This place is definitely worth checking out if youre looking for something different. If youre not into the cuisine, stop in for some cocktails at the bar and just enjoy the beautiful space.
Decided to go on a double date with my friend here and it was definitely the perfect choice! Loved everything about this restaurant. This is definitely a unique restaurant. The design starting with the front door was very different and certainly gives you the Asian vibe. The lighting was perfect, the music was relaxing, the server was polite and the food was exceptional. Everything we ordered was delicious! Really enjoyed our night here.
Perfect spot for a birthday or anniversary celebration or when you have out-of-town visitors. The interior is beautifully designed and will wow you. The staff is very professional and friendly, doing all they can to enhance your experience. The food and drinks are fabulous. Their menu is designed to please a foodie and someone who wants to try something different. Also, the best old-fashioned I’ve ever had!
I only got pictures of our drinks because we demolished our food as soon as it was brought to the table 😭 we had some of everything. BBQ duck fried rice, wagyu beef skewers, beef short ribs, lobster pad Thai, Hong Kong noodles and many more dishes I cant remember. But in short, everything was good. Nothing was a miss. Everything was a hit. But! This place is not cheap. Be prepared to drop at least 75 a person to really enjoy yourself. We had a party of 9 people and we spent roughly 120 a person.
What is everyone craving this afternoon? i know what i DONT want and it’s this meal from @taochicago the steak was good, but had a very odd sweetness to it. the crispy rice was wonderful i will say. almost as good as the one at @therealsushisan . the shisedo peppers 🌶 were pretty lovely too. the lobster pad thai was a solid 7/10. it was nice, but definitely NOT worth $40 (??!??!!). the main courses had a very unusual sweetness to it (w the exception of the sushi-esque dishes). for that reason, i would not go back and order these things. i WOULD be very interested in trying more sushi 🍣 dishes from here bc i very much enjoyed the crispy rice bites !! in between courses, they gave us hot towels, which was such a nice touch. the dessert was quite exquisite tbh 😋 i did not think i’d love it but i truly did.•overall, would i recommend ? TBD - for these dishes, definitely not. I will go back and try the sushi and determine if this is a Chicago must-try. as of now, i’m leaning towards a no bc you can find a Tao in any major city. that being said, the dessert was great and i would recommend that for suresies
Such a fun, eclectic restaurant! I loved the Asian fusion cuisine and the elaborate decor of this restaurant! I’ve been to several Southeast Asian countries and visiting Tao Chicago made me feel like I was on a mini vacation for dinner. The food presentation is spectacular! I was so surprised when my shrimp tempura sushi roll was plated with the tempura on top of the rolls instead of inside the rolls! It was SO delicious! Everything we ordered was amazing. The restaurant has a great vibe, perfect for any occasion or celebration. I definitely recommend for a visit!
The ambiance is amazing! Very photo friendly and great energy. The restaurant was just ok. The 8 greens rice has no flavor at all. I didnt even touch mine thats how bad it was. Vegetarian egg rolls were great. Drinks were made very well. I felt bad that the bartender was literally non stop. I didnt go to the club, but I did heard great things.
TAO was a great experience! Service here is amazing, super friendly and helpful with any questions we had. We did had to reserve ahead of time and pay a fee which was used towards our bill. Food was amazing, all of our dishes were freshly prepared. Our drinks were also equally blended right. The music made the whole experience such a great night! Would definitely come back to celebrate life!
Non-forgetting experience we had the best waitress food was very delicious. If you’re looking for eating something Asian, something high and an exclusive, I highly recommend to visit this place.They do not have a valet, so make sure you Uber in here or have somebody drive you don’t forget to try the desert. It is mouth.
The service here was ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS. The food was good but the wait was terrible and they didn’t accommodate us at all. We had reservations and they told us that they weren’t ready… we ended up waiting over an hour and we saw parties that arrived after us being seated. Then we were promised free drinks because of their slow service and we never received anything. On top on that, once we finally got seated, no one approached our table for another 40 mins. We were there to celebrate a birthday and they didn’t even offer to give the birthday girl a dessert as an apology. I would highly suggest that you take your money elsewhere.
Halloween at Tao was okay. It was very busy there. They gave my friend lower grade Henny when she asked for a higher grade one. Had fun with the DJ but waited until 1:30AM for the main act, Lil Jon to come out but by that time I was already tired. So lovely space they have at Tao just didnt like the super packed atmosphere.
I was excited to visits this place. Very nice establishment. A little dark at night and the music is a little too loud. Couldn’t understand our waiter. I went with 6 other people. Had a reservation for 815 and didn’t get seated until 845. I understand that restaurants get busy but our waiter wasn’t very attentive to our table at all. I’ve posted the honey glazed salmon which was good. And the other dish is the Wagyu. Very good dish. Everyone else ordered orange chicken and different types of fried rice dishes and they did not like their meal. I would say this was definitely a one time experience.
My husband and I celebrated our 14th anniversary at TAO. Its our first time here.The atmosphere is gorgeous!!!My husband asked for a booth when he booked, but they didnt accommodate our request even though most of them were empty.However, when we got the food, it wasnt ours, the server put it on the table then took it back, I kept watching if he will put back on the right one, and he did! You should never do that!!!The stake and the shrimp were cold, not even warm, which was disappointing. The dessert was amazing.The bathroom was nasty!
Tao Chicago Asian Bistro delivers flavorful dishes in a jam packed glamorous venue. Their high-end cuisine equals higher than average prices for drinks and small shareable plates.Tao prides itself on serving family style dishes, the highlights of the evening were the Lobster fried rice, chicken wing lollipops and the wagyu rib-eye. The sushi rolls are well portioned as well as the cuts of sashimi. The potted carrot cake is fully edible and the giant fortune cookie has a surprisingly good white and dark chocolate mousse inside. Signature cocktails average 18 bucks on up, we found them very tasty but definitely adds up quickly. Our party of 8 did more damage on drinks than our meals so expect to pay at least $100 a person when dining in. Tao Chicago is an impressive place for dates, business meals or a well planned celebration. The vibe is definitely see and be seen and singles would definitely enjoy the views.
I booked a VIP table in the nightclub on a Saturday night. While Tao itself is beautiful and the music is always spot on, the service was pretty lackluster.I explicitly said I wanted to choose my tip for the bottle girl when I got my tab at the end of the night, and even was told to mark it on the paper at the door while checking in.The bottle girl assigned to my table was gone literally the entire night. Our drinks were constantly empty and she only appeared after one of us from the table was pretty much done pouring everyone’s round, and even still would forget to serve my fiancé almost every time. I honestly wouldn’t really mind it, had I not received a tab at the end of the night with an automatic 18% tip added to a 3k tab. I love to tip well when deserved, and as I mentioned we had a great night all things considered, but it definitely was no thanks to the service we received. I probably would’ve tipped something similar regardless, but it ticked me off after the conversation I had at the door.Also a detail to note: we were charged $200 for 24 plastic mini water bottles (which I might add that as the person paying for the table, I never actually ordered). I get that it’s Tao, and you’re paying for the name and experience but really? $200 for essentially a 12 pack of water is a little absurd.Tao is one of the best places to party, but just details to keep in mind- especially if you’re considering dropping a few thousand.
My first time at TAO and it was a great experience! Everyone on staff were lovely- from the coat check attendant to the receptionist team to our server and waiter, Andrew. I arrived a little later than my reserved time, but the wait for our table wasn’t bad at all. We used that time to visit the bar and take a few pics.Our round booth was located in a prime spot, which will be my preferred spot from now on. We sat in a semi-secluded area that overlooked the rest of the dining area with no other parties nearby. It was off on the side of the first set of stairs going into the dining area– it was absolutely perfect since the energy of the restaurant was extremely high with the music playing loudly and loud chatter from everyone trying to speak over it.Andrew tended to our table in a timely and friendly manner throughout our visit. We received our drinks, small plates, and entrees at great intervals. There was another server who tended to us as well, but I can’t recall his name. He was friendly as well.The food was really tasty and easily shareable. Between all of us we ordered sizzling soy chicken, shishito peppers, Chinese broccoli, lobster and shrimp rolls, triple pork fried rice, lobster fried rice, Thai sweet and spicy shrimp, honey glazed salmon, and the Cantonese cauliflower. My only critique is that the shishito peppers didn’t have any charring on them. It was the only thing we didn’t finish. The drinks were pretty tasty as well. My party either got the TAO-tini or lychee martini. The lychee fruit were so yummy! I was there celebrating my birthday, so Andrew gifted me strawberry sorbet which was absolutely divine with fresh strawberries blended in.Overall, my party and I enjoyed our time here and will visit again at some point. 8/10!
I wish there was a 4.5 rating, because Tao for dinner is a 4.5. We came here for a birthday with a larger group and this place knows how to handle bigger tables. The service was fantastic and the food was incredible. Its definitely expensive, but its on par with many other restaurants of this caliber in Chicago.The reason why I would rate it a 4.5 is really just because it has that machine like feel. They are turning through tables and bring out food so fast. Its an upbeat atmosphere and at times it can be VERY crowded. If you just want incredible sushi, I would probably recommend a different spot. If you want the experience of eating here, then youre obviously not going to get that anywhere else (upbeat atmosphere with incredible food that feels like Vegas.
Overall I liked the place, it has a great ambiance, atmosphere, and beautiful decor. Food we ordered was great as well, and the price on the high end ($15 for a bowl of edamame?) but it is well expected from the venue in downtown Chicago. We had our reservation for 9pm and arrived there at 8:50pm to check in, we had to wait 1hr and 45 min to get seated. In my life I never had to wait that long to get seated with a reservation! The manager offered us two servings of edamame and two servings of shes hi to peppers for a table of 8 people, I think they could have done better. Overall we had a good experience.
Workers/security are the absolute worst. Bad attitudes, and they think they’re untouchable. My first experience seeing this was when I first entered and somebody walked in front of these employees. The employee was visibly bothered. Have you seen inside out when anger starts to get mad? Literally him.Secondly, they will walk in the crowd pushing and shoving everyone, who does that? Walk on the sides if you need to shove everyone on the dance floor.Third, non LGBT friendly. They can’t see a couple without them assuming the worst and trying to kick you out.Worst place in Chicago. There’s way better places to go. Do better.Also just remembered, the bar tenders have the worst attitudes I’ve ever seen. Never coming back here again.
I made a reservation for 6 people and paid $200 in advance, I guess that’s normal in Chicago. My daughter graduated from college and this was her choice for dinner. The restaurant is pretty cool and has a great Asian fusion vibe. I’m a quiet dinner kind of guy and this is not the place to go if you’re looking for a quiet spot for dinner and some good conversation. You’ll have to make an effort to hear the people at your table and more of an effort to talk loud enough for them to hear you over the music. Don’t get me wrong the music was great, I just wasn’t expecting that during dinner. If you can get by the loud atmosphere, the food is very good and the staff are friendly and helpful. The bill was a little over $300 with tip and they reduce it by the amount you pay in advance for the reservation.
The interior decor is very nice and attractive. It is the first thing that impresses you and hence is an ideal location if you are looking for a place to celebrate a special date. I ordered bamboo steamed dumplings and the pad Thai noodles. Both dishes were good.. honestly speaking pad Thai noodles were on a bit sweeter side but I liked it.
If you are coming for the experience Tao gives a great vibe, service and display of beautiful food. If you care about how the food tastes - Tao will probably will be a waste of money.The atmosphere is wonderful. They really did a nice job with the decor.The service was great. The only issue was the the seating - the tables for couples are too close to one another - its like seating on the same table. It was especially uncomfortable when the man next to me start sneezing for a couple of times, or when the waiters backside start rubbing our table while he tried to reach forward.The food looked awesome, but was disappointing. The only good dish in my opinion was the Crispy Snapper. Its not that all the other dishes were bad, but they werent good either (taste wise).Definitely worth it just for feeling the atmosphere, but maybe eat something before coming.
This dinner was truly amazing. The ambiance is an experience all in itself. Everything was perfect. Our waiter, Walter was exceptional. He knew the menu like he wrote it himself. All of his suggestions were on point. The appetizers, entrees, and desserts were all made to perfection. Our absolute favorite was the Chilean Seabass. My family and I had a wonderful time, and cant wait to return!!
My boss was so nice to take my coworkers and I to this beautiful, unique, Up Scale restaurant in downtown Chicago . We went here last Friday night right after work and it was amazing. We work at Allstate Joshua Mercer agency and my boss treated us to dinner. Some of our Foods were , roast beef , steaks , lobster fried rice, oysters, and some delicious appetizer side dishes. However, I ate the lobster and shrimp rolls and the shrimp fried rice. I like how the shrimp fried rice was loaded with shrimp and fresh vegetables in the rice. and was very good. The Shrimp and lobster rolls had a mild but sweet dipping sauce that was a 10 and was so good , even good in my shrimp fried rice. I loved the intimate decor and the lights in this place. This place had amazing food,, service, views and scenery. The atmosphere was entertaining and creative. This was my first time inside of this restaurant, but I highly recommend this place . Rather youre local or visiting Chicago, this is definitely a go to place . I recommend you Bring about $400 to $500 for a date for two, but For a night out with a small group of friends bring atleast $900 to $2000 .
We got the Tomahawk which was on special, lobster fried rice with the kimchi, spicy tuna crispy rice, noodles and more and everything was delicious. Our server Jalen was super cool, accommodating and took care of our large party. If you have been to Tao anywhere, you know the vibes and atmosphere are top tier.
What can I say about TAO??? You must experience the food, ambiance and the restaurant for yourself!! Beautifully decorated with Asian inspired paintings and decor. Service was impeccable!!! But the food is on the next level!!! I visited to celebrate my 52nd birthday and I was enjoyed every minute of my dinner. It is considered an upscale restaurant so be prepared to splurge. You work hard so you must play harder. It is worth every dime!!
Everything about this place was amazing! Got the filet mignon black pepper, chicken sautay , kung pao chicken, and molten cake. All great flavor and taste. Service was top tier and welcoming. Every waiter wished me a happy bday as well which was a nice touch. Definitely definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fancy place togo.
Great interior, very tasty cuisine, but I was unpleasantly surprised that the restaurant manager and waiters were not familiar with the bars assortment. I wanted to order almond liqueur. They took a very long time to check, The manager of the restaurant said that we dont have almond liqueur and we dont know what it is ! …… I went to the bar myself and found this almond liqueur on their shelf. Its important for the waiters and manager to be familiar with the assortment of drinks and dishes offered in the restaurant to ensure a higher level of service for the customers.
Food and service are excellent. The music is unnecessarily loud in the dining area and really kills the whole pleasant dining experience. It’s a nice upscale restaurant that feels like a club.
Very fun and unique experience. I wish I could remember our servers name but he was extremely attentive and patient with us and had great suggestions for food and drink. Out table was also wobbly and he went right fixing it for us so we wouldnt have to worry about spilling anything and could enjoy our dinner. Drinks were great and the food tasted amazing. Its definitely more expensive than I would typically spend but 100% worth it.
Tao is a must while you’re in Chicago. We were in town for a long weekend and decided to stop in for dinner. We had the best meal and service - we’ve talked about it all weekend. Bernice was our server and provided the ultimate experience. She is kind, thoughtful, attentive and extremely knowledgeable and truly a gem of human.The whole staff was amazing! We will definitely be back on our next visit. Thank you, Tao Chicago!
Foods are OK. I dont like the idea that I have to order everything at one time. Server not allowed to order appetizer frist. I would like to see more details at the same I have my appetizer to get started. I dont like.
The ambiance of this place is everything. and the FOOD is STELLAR. there are several very expensive items on the menu ($100 for the duck) but we got more than enough food with 3 dishes and payed $50 each for two people (not incl tip) — so you can make it more reasonable. the black pepper chicken was my favorite. the Szechuan potatoes?! NO NOTES. the cocktails are bright and totally worth it. will def come back
We made reservations ahead of time but had to postpone it couple of hrs and we got the slot we needed. Service is awesome, ambiance is awesome, food is awesome. $120 for old fashioned drink, Vegetable dumplings, shrimp tempura in lettuce cap and hong kong noodles without pork n chicken with egg/veggies and a bit of chili for spicy flavor, lava cake in a box with ice cream.
When I first walked in I was impressed the music was playing, we took pictures, but when we got to the food, it was very salty, and I like sushi the wasbi was even salty, the only thing that was bearable were the drinks, and the fortune cookie, when I asked about the crispy rice I was told they didnt have it, the bill was 380. My daughter ordered the chicken it had more peppers than anything, the lobste rice had no lobster, not a good experience at all, and it was my birthday, and she said they dont sing happy bday 😢
Visits to Tao never disappoint. The service is always good & the food is always delish.Opted for bar seating this time, but wish I would kept my table reservation.I’ve sat everywhere in the restaurant & the booth is the best.I always start w chicken satay, 8 greens fried rice or olive fried rice & some rolls. The salmon entree is delish, but do not recommend the chicken wing lollipops, and don’t forget the fortune cookie!
I reserved a space for my birthday at TAO and the ambiance was absolutely perfect. The staff were respectful and went above and beyond. Every dish that we ordered was amazing, but standouts were the crab fried rice, orange chicken, and snapper. My guests were also impressed with the cocktails. TAO made my birthday celebration a night to remember and I will return.
My family of 4 dined at Tao tonight and the experience definitely did not disappoint. Our waiter, Johnny, was absolutely wonderful. He walked us through the entire menu, made suggestions and answered all of the questions we had. He also was wonderful with our 2 boys and made them feel so comfortable and special!For appetizers, we had the bao buns, lobster wontons, hot & sour soup and edamame. Those bao buns were absolutely phenomenal. The bun itself was soft and the bbq pork inside was so flavorful. For entrees, we had the shrimp tempura sushi, Hong Kong noodles and the Peking duck for two. The boys loved their sushi and noodles! My husband and I did not care for the duck at all. It was kind of dry and did not have a very appetizing flavor. When we return to Chicago and go here again, we will definitely try a different menu item. This definitely in no way will deter me from dining here again.For dessert, we had the giant fortune cookie and the carrot cake. The fortune cookie is definitely up there in my favorite desserts of all time. It was simple yet delicious. Inside the homemade fortune cookie is a chocolate and white chocolate mousse. It was surrounded by fresh fruit. It was a big hit! The carrot cake was so fun! It comes out in “pot” that is actually white chocolate. (Watch video attached to this review) It was delicious if you are a carrot cake fan. I did not partake in eating the white chocolate as I do not care for it.The ambiance of this restaurant is stunning. The decor, theme and vibe can’t be beat! Also, their music selection was fantastic.I can’t wait to come back the next time I visit Chicago!
Went here for a going away party and absolutely loved it! The food was amazing (also like the family style sharing), the service was great, and the atmosphere was incredible. The interior design and figurines really add a special touch. For a party of 10 people the table was still circular and intimate. I would definitely go back in the future. I would like to visit the nightclub sometime too.
Man this place is so majestic and beautiful. No need to say that the food quality was fire! Definitely a perfect date restaurant.We ordered some duck and steak and bunch of sushi and fried chicken plus drinks and ton of desserts and everything was just PERFECT!Our bill was about 450 dollars for all that WORLD CLASS food and desserts.Pricey but very well worth it.
Didnt go for food, went for nightclub experience. Im originally from Northern Europe and was hoping to experience a good nightclub in Chicago, but Ill be honest, it was way to crowded and I swear people in this country doesnt dance, most just stood there acting as if they were cool or something.So conclusion? Place looks nice, good atmosphere, people just absolutely boring though.
Came here for my birthday and I do not regret it. The vibe was great, the food was great, the drinks were great.We ordered the lychee martini and the bangkok minute, which is like a spiked Thai Iced Tea. It was delicious and I highly recommend the latter.For food, we had the five spice short ribs, the dimsum sampler, the BBQ duck fried rice, and black pepper chili chicken (not pictured) Everything was amazing and I highly recommend the BBQ duck fried rice- it was the best fried rice I’ve ever had!The service was up to par and the server was really nice.There was a $70 deposit for making a reservation, which was put into paying for our meal. This place is worth it for its price point.
Food was delicious. I am pescatarian but they had options for me. The ambience was nice however they were very busy and so the service was sped up—understandably so. Love the details with chopsticks holder and the classic glass center wheel to allow a large group to share. (This was during NBA All-Star 2020)
TAO is a total vibe!! We were a party of six celebrating a friends birthday and had absolutely the best time ever. Reservations were made online and we paid $35 per person in advance which was later used against the bill.TAO is an experience one must not miss. From the moment you enter you are faced with grandeur. The decor, vibe, and service is unparalleled. I was in awe of the place. Absolutely LOVED the live music playing.TAO serves high end Asian cuisine. The food and drinks are top class. The menu has great variety and something for everyone. Each dish we ordered was better than the next. We had the chicken gyoza, bamboo steamed vegetable dumplings, chicken satay, olive fried rice, spicy Szechuan potatoes, vegetable roll, angry dragon roll, Cantonese cauliflower, crispy orange chicken, and Hong Kong noodles. Hats off to Chef Michael Armstrong and his team for serving us phenomenal food, drinks, providing top notch service.I can’t wait to go back the next time I visit Chicago.
Our reservation was at 6:30pm but we were seated around 7:30pm. The atmosphere was great. The restaurant looks amazing. The food was just ok. Some cheaper chinese restaurants are better. Lastly, the service was very slow.I won’t come back. It was good to try. If I’m paying this much I expect at least better and faster service.
Honestly the best! I met Rizwan during a dinner here with my girlfriend and spoke with him about setting up a holiday dinner for my staff. Rizwan took my info, set me up with Ellie and followed up all the way through the whole process.Out of the 18 I brought to dinner 16 of them had never been to Tao. Everyone was amazed from the second they walked in. The decor, ambiance, music, food, staff were all perfect. We were stuffed and rolling each out our the door but we can’t wait to come back for more!Thanks for taking care of my staff Tao!!
Went with a party of 10 people and got a round table in the back. Good food but the server was clearly spread too thin and THE MUSIC WAS SO LOUD. You are supposed to talk while you eat. Thats part of the experience, but it sounded like a nightclub in there. As the night went on, it just got louder. Whats the point? Im there to have an experience, not to listen to someones music.
In one word Chaotic. We had a reservation at 8:15, reached at 7:45. No one informed that they were overbooked. No one was hosting. One server in bar area asked drinks. We finally went to Sushi bar. It was extremely cold in the corner. Waitress Bernice came and saw drinks and said I will send water. And went back. We waited for 15 / 20 minutes. No water. She got busy with other guests. Completely ignored us. I asked her to move to side where it was not cold but needed cleanup. She ignored and also I told her I was ready for order at 8:45. After a few minutes, Another gentleman did clean and we got seated. By this time it was already one hour 15 minutes. We kept waiting and at 9:05 she came to ask order. We asked her to bring food as it gets ready and she said she could not do that. All food comes at the same rime. Food came but cold. Tasre was OK, we could not say any better than other places. We were so disappointed with service. 1 star is for the food taste. And Manager coming and listening to us
Can’t tell more about Tao’s service. Always great. Have to make reservations and deposit to keep your spot. Impressive concept, decorations. Food is really culinary asian cuisine, very delicious. This is perfect choice for your date night or even want to have Chicago night life (Tao Nightclub is right next door).
Very nice restaurant. We had the Beijing duck and it is so delicious that it will take you to the moon and back. It has a nice crispy skin that took it on the next level. We were even in luck to have the chef come out and ask how everything was. The carrot cake is a must, it has a very unique representation. They mostly work with reservations, but if you come earlier then the time you have your reservation, you are free to sit in the bar and it is a very nice little area, very cozy. The drinks were very nice too. You would need a mask to get it and get to your table which is normal at this time. All of the staff are wearing face masks so it is safe. I did notice that they dont inforce it to guests though unless you ask the hostesses if it is required. But the overall experience definitely pays off. You will love it!
Great Chicago restaurant week selections! Beautiful display of the dishes. Could have had one less table for more comfortable space. Very interesting decor that is different from other restaurants in Chicago. They have a koi fish pond underneath their 20 ft statue. Staff was very friendly and accommodating! Looking forward to going back again.
Ordered three of fish plates. The Cod was very well balanced but grilled branzinot was overpowering with lemon grass flavor, the crispy snapper was too over-fried with no taste. Cocktails on the other hand were well made.
I loved Tao restaurant, first time we went and the food was very delicious, especially the Pad Thai and Sushi. The place is beautiful. We will definitely come back.The club is nice but not my tasting for music and I should mention its definitely not a dance club, since no one was even dancing nor the DJ played any whatsoever dance music. Plus too crowded. We left the club after two hrs and we are not coming back. The entrance I believe was $20 and sometimes $40 for guys.
DO NOT COME HERE. YOU MAY END UP KILLED.I would NEVER come here again. I have celiac disease and was reassured several times the food was gluten free. We had three different waiters in the span of 90 minutes and I informed all of them I have a gluten allergy and need my food prepared gluten free. It was not. This place should be inspected because they are not safe for anyone with an allergy. I spent the whole night sick to my stomach to the point where I was vomiting blood.They are lucky I do not go into anaphylaxis, or I would have died.UPDATE: They have the WORST customer service I have experienced. They refuse to comp my meal and will not provide compensation for the urgent care visit.
Place looks awesome, priced accordingly. I have no issue with the cost, but when youre paying 200 a person you expect certain things service wise - like pacing out the meal in a reasonable way. 20-30 minutes in between each appetizer, especially when its just prepping a couple rolls or dumplings. The place was half full, so its not even like they were super busy. Forgot one of our appetizers, never apologized, tried gaslighting us about ordering it and convincing us to just go without bringing it out. Sure enough when we asked to still bring it, they were able to get it out it under 10 mins - imagine that. Also the yin and yang thing for the bathrooms, cute idea - but in practice every single person waiting outside gets confused by it
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. They fed my sister gluten when she has celiac disease. She was up all night throwing up 50+ times until her esophagus tore. She ended up in the ER. They will not even comp her bill. Much less pay for her ER visit. TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. Food was less than mediocre.
Got there around 12 and stayed till like 3 am. It was amazing, we all had a lot of fun. The dj was awesome. Loved the lights, the sound and the atmosphere. Great night club!One of the bouncers though didnot let me back into the vip section after i came back from the restroom. Not sure why he wanted to act like a jerk. People like him ruins the fun for everyone. Hope he gets fired.
Through and through the best club Ive been to so far!! Beautiful aesthetics, fun atmosphere. I dont know if it was intentional but the music and the volume of the music was perfect, it started off quieter in the beginning of the night where it was easy to have conversations and then got turned up and was more in party mode which I thought was smooth. Also shout out to all the staff members! They were ALL so pleasant and professional, the host, the security guards, the ladies pouring and the gentleman helping out with our table too seriously great staff! I didnt catch many names but the bartender Michael was awesome and was friendly and quick with the drinks and ordering. One thing I loved and appreciated from the bartenders was they had glasses of water ready to grab. 10/10 recommend this place and its perfect for a GNO!!
Both of my friends phones were stolen here at a ticketed event! We actually saw the people who took it but the bouncers couldn’t do anything to help us. BE CAREFUL! These people will work in groups to distract you or bump into you to take your phone. Bouncers themselves said they couldn’t do anything after my friends’ phones were stolen, and they couldn’t even take us to the lost and found without having to find management (on the very slim chance that it was dropped off).Other than that the venue is cool! Drinks are simple but delicious and the music was so good! Don’t know if I will come back until something is done about security. Maybe start checking peoples bags when they leave too.
I booked a table with a note that it was our anniversary and we would like a booth for privacy. We arrived for our reservation, waited a bit to be seated in a lounge area, and got to appreciate the decor and ambiance. To my surprise, we got the top balcony level booth and they congratulated us on our anniversary. Very nice touch! The view was fantastic and kept us out of the noisy ground floor level of the main dining area. Watching the Buddha with the projections was mesmerizing at times and the decor for the entire area is fantastic. Our service was top-notch! The food was very good, but the service was impeccable. Its like a choreographed dance routine - the waitress/host taking our order and checking in on us then directing a person to bring the water, another to bring utensils, another to bring the drinks, another to bring the food, etc. It was approaching the level of service at the Signature Room on 95th. They made us feel welcome and like we were very important to them. Was a wonderful evening!
I ordered beer and the bartender brought me the beer plus a Cosmopolitan. I said I didn’t order a Cosmo, please take it back. She said maybe she mixed up someone else’s order. After looking around the bar more she came back to me and insisted that I must have ordered it. My wife jumped in and said sweetie my husband has never ordered that drink in his life and doesn’t even know what’s in it, stop being ridiculous. The bartender proceeded to call security and have us kicked out for refusing to pay for a drink we never ordered. Needless to say, I’ll be disputing the credit card charges as we’d just been charged $30 each for entry. I’ve gone to this place for a very long time and I am in absolute shock that it turned into the worst customer service experience I’ve ever had. It also happened to be on my anniversary. Thanks Tao, for showing me someone can have worst customer service than Comcast. Never going back
One of my favorite restaurants ever. Been here for several birthdays and events. Food is always excellent. Satay of Sea bass is melt in your mouth out of this world
At TAO Asian Bistro, the exquisite flavors of the cuisine are unfortunately overshadowed by the overwhelming volume of the music. Despite the exceptional food and attentive service, the relentless noise level severely hampers any chance for meaningful conversation. While TAO might suffice for those willing to prioritize booming music over dialogue, it falls short for those craving both delicious fare and enjoyable interaction. The excessive noise significantly detracts from the overall dining experience.Lowering the volume would grant patrons the opportunity to fully enjoy both the cuisine and the company of their companions without the necessity of shouting across the table to be barely heard.
Tl;dr Asian fetishized restaurant serving overpriced greasy Americanized Chinese foodAverage Chinese/Asian food, but dressed and marked up. Sushi is actually pretty decent and I really enjoyed the quality and freshness of it. However youre going to pay a pretty penny regardless of what you order. Youre here to impress your company and one way is to show how much you will over pay for overcomplicated greasy Asian food.I ordered a drink from the cocktail list which was like 17 bucks.... LOL. And then apparently they were out of some of the ingredients so the server suggested a Manhattan or something because it was similar. Bill came out and there was an upcharge on the drink..... yeah wont come here again.
The food was very tasty, I got the barbecue duck fried rice and some friends got the lollipop chicken. The drinks were perfect and the mock tails were also a favorite. Our server is the only reason I’m giving this a 4, her service was not spectacle and she wasn’t friendly. Overall, ambience and food was a 10
Rolls are rather shy on eel and fish, just rice mostly. Overall feeling- like you are eating really cheap sushi. They do not put any chopsticks in the order even though we clearly asked about it. In general, we do not recommend this place, and will not order there again.
Always great experience at Tao!They even treated me a birthday dessert unprompted based on my Open Table reservation where I checked celebrating a birthday. Nice attention to detail.
Even if the cocktails werent mediocre and were actually worth the price, more than one of the workers went out of their way to be snobbish and rude. Dont get me wrong, there were some incredibly kind workers, like some of the bartenders and the woman manning the bathroom were very sweet, but some of the waitresses and one of the leads(?) were just absolute look-down-their-nose level rude. Am not coming back.
Ofcourse the most awaited place finally covered.One of the most amazing, high-end, expensive and very royal looking restaurant in a royal looking vintage restaurant in downtown.We were party of 10 and they accomodated us very well.Reservations are required for this place.Food was very excellent and really deliciousWe tried oysters, raw fish, orange chicken.Food quantity is for 1 person only.Very fancy cocktails, loved tao old fashioned and yuzu samantha.Tao also has a night club which is 20 per person cover.All in all a very fine and good experience.
This place looks AMAZING. The sound system is top-notch; I can enjoy the music and the dance floor without feeling like I have to scream, and my eardrums are about to burst. The bathroom staff is also top-notch. However, the ladies behind the bar and the ladies on the floor have nasty and belittling attitudes. These young ladies truly made me feel like I shouldn’t have spent so much on a table and bottles of drinks. They didn’t address the rest of the party, only the person paying with their card. When they brought the bottles to the table, I loved seeing them lit up, but these young ladies attitudes were so blah. I could have just spent thousands, and this is how you’re treated, as if it’s just a transaction. No personality, no personalization, just a hey, here’s your bottle. I was trying too hard to enjoy the night, but I couldn’t get over spending so much to have a good time just to be treated like a dollar sign. Then again, I guess that’s all we are to TAO. I’d recommend against going to this place. There are plenty of other places in the city that are less expensive, with more smiles and good vibes. These young ladies will look down their noses at you while swiping your credit card. TAO, please train your employees better; I’m sure their behavior isn’t just a one-off situation. This feels like its embedded in the culture of your establishment.
The club doesn’t seem as luxurious as it used to be. Music was kinda bad. We had a table and girls ran through our section. Me and my friends were already sitting and two girls, in heels, stomped behind us on the couch to get to the other side of the club. Just because they didn’t want to go through the crowd. Security didn’t prevent that, didn’t stop them, and didn’t kick them out by the time they got to the end.
TAO was Impeccable. The service was top notch, the food was amazing and the drinks were well crafted and unique. The historical ambience is unmatched. On my top 3 restaurants in Chicago.
Cool club to go to. DJ was playing nice beats.Bartenders were quick and made a good cocktail.The food available was nice and easy to eat as well
Hype is the word that comes to mind visiting Tao restaurant in Chicago. The restaurant is a museum of elegant artwork imported from China. The upbeat music with your dinner is an old concept, but at Tao, it feels like you are dining at a Chinese museum with some outstanding collection of artifacts. At the time of my dinner visit, the lights went down, and the music volume went up. At times, it was hard to carry a conversation. I saw several customers pulling their phone out and turning the flash on to read the menu. The setting and atmosphere are nice and deserves 5 stars but the food is 4 stars. Plate/food presentation is excellent. The dish I recommend is Beef and Broccoli. Please check out the pictures associated with this review.
TAO is one of my absolute favorite places in Chicago! I love the versatility of having the options of a great dining experience, a cocktail lounge, but then also a club to go dance with the girls. The service is always superior & the crowds are friendly/polite/fun. I’ve seen some great performances here from top DJs which are always a blast. I love the atmosphere & vibes, I always feel safe & at ease. 10/10 experience
We’ve tried this in NYC and the food was very good and the ambience cool. At the Chicago restaurant All the dishes were extra sweet, bland in flavor. The service was horrible. Restrooms were filthy and staff rude. Never ever going back
Very unique setup. We went for a function in the club side. It was a bit over priced for the limited cocktail and hand-passed food amount. Glad we ate first, although what apps we did taste were very good. The music was so loud we couldnt carry on a conversation. This could be an issue with the party planning vs with Tao itself...
Ohh I love this place! The place was brilliant and amazing! The food also taste good! We booked this place 2 days before the day we went. First day we came with no booking, the whole place was booked, and we decided to book in advance and got table the next 2 days. I tried olive fried rice. Taste good! Also brussels sprout, also good! My best friend tried a lot of foods, all of them taste amazing. My cocktail also nice. I heard they also has a nightclub next to the restaurant that start open at 10 pm (I didnt go). Overall, I had a great experience!
We were really looking forward to our stop here. The door staff was extremely friendly when greeted upon entering. Once seated things quickly took a turn with how rude some of the bar lounge staff were and made the experience slightly uncomfortable. We finished our drinks and left for somewhere that was more welcoming. Ill give Tao another chance, but will try the dining room rather than the lounge.
TAO has to be the best nightclub in Chicago. Every time I go, the DJs, performance, atmosphere, and overall entertainment is 10/10! Along with that, the drinks were made so well by my favorite bartender, Michael Thomas Ward. He is always so positive, patient, and has the best drink recommendations!
Excellent ambience and a fantastic menu, both in food and beverage selections. I tried the house version of Old Fashioned which was perfect. All the dishes ordered were also great but fair warning, this place is for slow and patient dining. It took us forever to place our orders!!!Overall very good experience and though we paid quite the buck it was worth it
The aesthetic and atmosphere was very well fine dining with exceptional service.The food was delicious for a premium price as well with many options of Asian cuisine and drinks.However, the seating arrangements are made for groups of 4 or more since the seating for couples is nearby that I was able to hear other couples conversations and vice versa. The seating for couples didn’t feel very intimate and especially during COVID cases rising it was a concern.Would come again with a group setting but for couples, I can’t recommend it.
Made reservations a day ahead for a table of 4. Got there on time and had a wait of less than 5mins. Main course took a little while to be served on a Sunday night after appetizers, but was tasty. Server Eddie was polite, answered all our questions & made sure we were attended to in a timely manner. The ambience was unique. Background music blended in beautifully with the chatter of other diners. Ladies bathroom was exceptionally clean. The clubbing area we were told is open on Thur, Fri & Sat. Valet parking for the night was $17. Had a good time overall.
Tao Chicago masterfully blends fine dining with a vibrant nightlife atmosphere in the bustling River North neighborhood. The venue captivates with its Asian-inspired decor and a dramatic 16-foot statue of Quan Yin anchoring the dining room. Taos menu offers a fusion of Asian flavors, featuring standout dishes like Chilean Sea Bass and Tao Chicken, complemented by inventive cocktails. This multi-level space, encompassing a restaurant, lounge, and nightclub, provides a versatile setting for both dinner outings and late-night experiences.
Tao is a great place to celebrate that special occasion. My wife and I were in the city and made reservations for a 10pm dinner and show after. The prices may be a little much but the experience is very much worth it. The interior is breathtaking (see pictures). The asian food is above average and the service was great. The nightclub is located right next door. Grab a dinner and walk over for a show, you wont be disappointed at all.
Reserved a booth and chocolates for Valentines Day at a cost of $125. Reservations were at 6pm. Arrived on time but they did not have me on the list. I provided my confirmation email. I was told by the host he was going to take care of us and to wait in the lounge. By 6:30pm no one has checked on us. I check back with the host who repeated the same thing...he will take care of us. By 7pm we were still waiting and no one has checked on us. We were starving, our kids were with the babysitter and we had to work the next day. So we told the bar area server, who was fantastic, that we were willing to stay with her, but I wanted to talk to a manager, because the $125 should be applied to the bill and there should be some other compensation for the inconvenience. The manager never came out but the server stated she spoke with the manager and it was fine. The dinner went well without issue and the server Belle was amazing. However, the bill comes out and the $125 was not applied to the bill. I ask to speak to a manager and a young female approaches. This female had walked by our table numerous times throughout the dinner and never once stopped. Her first words to us was, since you decided to stay here. I immediately stopped her and told her what happened and do not imply we decided to stay here. The manager leaves and returns with the host, and the host then asked, what is the problem. I told the host you should know. We waited an hour and you never checked on us and we did not know when if ever we would be seated after you said you would take care of us. He then informed me that he would refund the $125. I told him that was unacceptable and to apply the $125 to the bill, because I will have to check my statement everyday and if the refund never gets processed then I have to call the restaurant and speak with 10 different people who will have no clue what I am talking about. The female manager then brings out free champagne. I told her I already had my drinks and dinner, and I am ready to leave. What do you want me to do with the drinks? Should I down the drinks and then drive? They then leave and a minute later a gentleman walks up to our table and states, I heard you are being rude and made one of my girls cry. I said - how? He repeats himself and I stated, I am sorry, who are you and what are you trying to accomplish with that statement? He then asked what is the problem, and I informed him to go speak to the manager. He repeats himself and I repeat myself. He then states he is the manager... although he looked like security. I then state to him if you are the manager then where were you when I asked long ago and just recently. He then gets upset and starts speaking rudely to me and my wife, which was ludicrous since that is why he approached the table. He then asked us to leave get out of here. So we leave. However, I did ask if I can tip our server, which of course he allowed that. Thankfully I had $40 on me. And that is how the day was ruined. Belle was amazing and needs to find a better establishment to work at. The service and whoever was the manager are not qualified for the job. Chillis has 1000x better service and people skills than this restaurant / night club.
Atmosphere was amazing! The standard was Definitely there. It was a whole dinner club environment. Food was delicious! 10000% would go back. Sexy delicious and tasteful. We sat at bar and ate. Top visit of our stay.
If you are thinking about going to Tao club, please do not waste your time. There have been a series of cellphone robberies. Mine and at least other 3 more people had their phones stolen last night.
Fantastic food and service. We loved everything we ordered, except the Tokyo style filet mignon. Other than the middle of the steak, the filet was just dry for some reason. Everything else was delicious. We had the pork fried rice, tuna poke, shrimp tempura roll, crunchy hamachi roll, Tokyo style filet mignon, and the bread pudding donuts for dessert. It is a small plates style restaurant, so youre supposed to just order multiple plates to share.
Fabulous!!! The food was amazing!! Great experience and the restaurant has a mystical vibe. Really cool and highly recommended. 😎
Food is awesome, first server attention not the best, Sunday evening they werent busy weekend were party of 4 server disappeared never came back or said her shift was up, another awesome server took care of us..lychee martini, avocado sushi w shrimp tempurachocolate lava cake carrot plating so creative
Fantastic 1st experience! The place is very nicely designed with proper lighting. Plenty of seating place but do get there early because the place fills up quick. Highly recommend making a reservation ahead otherwise the wait may be long. Food is great! Deserts are awesome! Drinks are made well! My compliments to the chef and bartender. If you’re in Chicago downtown then you surely won’t be disappointed by going to TAO!
To be fair...this review is for a group event. I have eaten at Tao several times in NYC and have always been pleased. On those experiences, we hosted a team of ~20 in one of the private dining rooms on the balcony. The atmosphere is exceptional...everything I would expect of Tao. We had a fixed menu for the table arranged weeks in advance. We had a single server...who tried their best...but was not up to a table of this size. Drink service was exceptionally slow. We wound up performing our own wine service and in many cases going directly to the bar for drinks. A few dishes stood out (e.g., the black cod, the bao, and the lobster won tons), but unfortunately most of the dishes were pedestrian for the reputation of Tao.
Food okayish for a vegetarian. Slightly oily. Service was great. We got free desert for a friends birthday
This place is absolute magic from the entrance... Beautiful traditional Asian decor with a massive center piece and staircase.It was wow from the minute you enter.The food and service were mixed for our large table of 12. We had almost every appetizer on the menu and they were pretty awesome. The entrees were equally wonderful and so was the sushi.One thing that was challenging, several people at our table ordered sushi as their meal. It came out as one big order. We didnt know who was whos and the server didnt help with naming the fish. And only 1 soy sauce little cup. Three big misses on sushi...If you are going to charge top tier prices, you better give me a plate with my order, take the time to explain the fish, and give us each a soy sauce. We dont want to share...Overall, we enjoyed the night and it was beautiful and had that wow factor. Having said that, it is a been there, done that restaurant. Go once, dont come back.
The ambiance is outrageous! This place is soooo massive inside, yu dont know one from the other. The club vs the restaurant. Today, my review is based on the restaurant. It took 3 weeks to get a reservation on a good day, at a good time. Well worth the wait. Its beyond beautiful inside. Its officially a must in Chicago. Right now, this is the IT spot, so its filled with whos who. But as time goes on, it will eventually be much easier to to get in. Please dont let that discourage yu from going. The food is Thai, but totally different from the norm Thai. It all has a twist to it. The food I would give 4 stars. Hard to notice, since yur in one of the most beautiful places in Chicago. We tried the dumplings, good. The shrimp tempura, great. The hot soup, good. The ribs, good, the grouper, excellent. The steak, good. The kung pao cauliflower, great., and a number of cocktails, fantastic! :p
- Address:632 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
- Site:https://taogroup.com/venues/tao-asian-bistro-chicago/
- Phone:+1 224-888-0388
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:Closed
- Wednesday:5–10 PM
- Thursday:5–10 PM
- Friday:5–11 PM
- Saturday:5–11 PM
- Sunday:5–10 PM
- No-contact delivery:Yes
- Delivery:Yes
- Takeaway:Yes
- Dine-in:Yes
- Great cocktails:Yes
- Great dessert:Yes
- Live music:Yes
- Dinner:Yes
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
- Wheelchair-accessible seating:Yes
- Wheelchair-accessible toilet:Yes
- Alcohol:Yes
- Beer:Yes
- Cocktails:Yes
- Coffee:Yes
- Happy-hour drinks:Yes
- Happy-hour food:Yes
- Late-night food:Yes
- Organic dishes:Yes
- Small plates:Yes
- Spirits:Yes
- Vegan options:Yes
- Vegetarian options:Yes
- Wine:Yes
- Dinner:Yes
- Catering:Yes
- Dessert:Yes
- Seating:Yes
- Bar on site:Yes
- Toilets:Yes
- Wi-Fi:Yes
- Wi-Fi:Yes
- Romantic:Yes
- Trendy:Yes
- Upmarket:Yes
- Groups:Yes
- LGBTQ+ friendly:Yes
- Tourists:Yes
- Reservations required:Yes
- Dinner reservations recommended:Yes
- Accepts reservations:Yes
- Usually a wait:Yes
- Credit cards:Yes
- Debit cards:Yes
- NFC mobile payments:Yes
- Credit cards:Yes
- High chairs:Yes
- Paid parking lot:Yes
- Paid street parking:Yes
- Valet parking:Yes
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