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    Tastebud Food Tours

    4.5 (126 reviews)
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    Phyllis M.

    One of the best decisions I've ever made traveling & traveling to Chicago is the Tastebud Food Tour!!! We booked our tour a few days before we left LA to go to Chicago. You can only book online & it costs about $50/person. This gets you a tour guide from Tastebud who is fully equipped to tell you about each food location, the food, history & culture. But this tour is not just food! There are so many historical facts built in. Our tour guide was Johnson, yes, that's his first name & not his last. He was AWESOME! The tour is 3hrs long & you get a taste of each food location (for us that includes: Deep dish pizza from Pizano's Pizza, a double fudge brownie from Palmer's Hotel, Italian Beef sandwich from AL's Italian Beef, Red velvet cupcakes from Sugar Bliss, Pixies from Fannie May & Brauts from Berghoff's) & tons of cultural & art references. We went to Millenium Park to see the sculptures & installations & the Chicago Public Library, which we found out is lovingly nicknamed, the People's Palace. There is plenty of time to take in sounds & smells from each site, take pics, ask questions & have an enjoyable time. Be sure to wear layers to add or peel off, depending on the weather. Wear comfortable shoes, because you do walk the whole time. Take cash to buy extras at locations you like (we bought a dozen mini cupcakes at Sugar Bliss & tons of chocolates at Fanny May to take home) & to tip your tour guide. $5-10 is recommended, but my bf tipped him a generous $40 because he was excellent & deserved it!!! If you go to Chicago, you need to do the Tastebud Tours! These tours are also available in New Orleans & San Francisco, I can't wait to do those tours as well!

    Tiffany as Bertha
    Steve A.

    What a wonderful afternoon I had on Tastebud Tour's 1893 World's Fair Tour! We met at the private Cliff Dwellers Club, which offers a spectacular view of The Art Center and surrounding park. I was greeted by the owner of the company, Lynn, who introduced our group of seven to "Bertha Honore Palmer." Well, Bertha has actually been dead for about a hundred years, so the part was played--magnificently--by Tiffany, an actress and 1893 World's Fair expert. For the next three hours she remained completely in character as she shared stories about Bertha's life and accomplishments, and brought the fair to life through the innovations it introduced. These innovations included a lot of food! You definitely need to begin this tour hungry. We started with a relaxing hour long lunch (that newfangled food, the hamburger, was featured) as we learned about the organization of the fair. We finished off four delicious pies and then made our way to many more stops on an approximately 1.5 mile walk that included hot dogs, popcorn, brownies and more. We even visited Bertha's house, which is now the Palmer Hilton. The tour ended at the famous Bergdorf, where we admired the murals of the exposition, sampled their chili con carne and root beer, and said our goodbyes. What a great tour!

    Yelpers enjoy a Tastebud Tour
    Bill M.

    Like Megan G, I was also one of the "guinea pigs" who was on one of the free Tastebud Tours for Yelpers on August 1. I had to kill time because I followed the (erroneous) note to show up an hour early instead of only fifteen minutes early, but it was nice to chat with Yelpers old and new with the down time. Our tour guide was Lynn, who is also the owner of TTC. The goal is for participants to enjoy a walking buffet of "Chicago" foods while also getting a taste of not only the foods but the history and behind-the-scenes anecdotes supporting the dishes. While we stopped mostly at dining establishments, we also walked by and through significant historical places and landmarks (Drake Hotel, Water Tower Pumping Station, John Hancock Center). Yes - this is a WALKING tour so be ready to do a healthy amount of walking, rain or shine. Besides, you can walk off the calories that you will consume on the tour. The first stop of the Magnificent Mile tour is at Pizano's Pizza on State (there is also another parallel tour that covers the Loop and Millennium Park areas). While Pizano's may not be as famous as some of the other Chicago-style pizza establishments, it has a rich family history that gives it "cred" in the deep-dish game. We all tried some thin-crust and deep-dish pizza, and its crackling crust does the trick for me. We spent some quality time at Pizano's, also in part because this is the first stop so there was time needed to set the ground rules and expectations (water provided at most stops! bathroom breaks along the way! pay attention when walking outside!). Next was Sarah's, a chic pastry shop on Oak Street. This was the shortest stop, barely longer than the time needed to inhale the fudgy brownie sample bite provided to us. Next was Downtown Dogs, where most of us ate the "typical" Chicago-style dog with all the standard trimmings. This was a regulation-size hot dog, so it certainly brought my stomach to the point of satisfaction at halftime. This ain't Hot Doug's, but it certainly does well as your typical Chicago dog. Next we went to Heaven on Seven, which in this case is on the second floor (unlike the original location on Wabash, which is actually on the seventh floor). They still have the wall of hot sauce bottles here at this location, along with a see-through kitchen. We enjoyed our beans and rice and jambalaya samples (yes you get shrimp here even in the little samples, no skimping here). A couple of our braver participants tried Da Bomb hot sauce (supposedly the hottest topper amongst their zillions of bottles), and therefore provided a bit of comic relief after a teeny bit of the sauce was consumed. The tour then goes underground to the Billy Goat, a tourist dive if there ever was one. While the half-burger and "gruff service" sideshow may actually put off some people, I actually liked my burger sample. The final stop is at the Purple Pig, a surprising entry when compared with the more typical and touristy places on the list. The Pig may be more trendy than touristy, but it is a hit with our group thanks to the pleasing interiors and the tasty samples of soft gelato (cappuccino) and assorted cookies. If we had not eaten so much already, this would be a great place to linger and eat more food! It was interesting to run into other "rival" tours along the way (pizza, chocolates etc), so one can see Tastebud Tours becoming a long-run success. It's not just an eating tour but also a spirited 3+ hour walking tour featuring history and architecture, so once can justify the $44 cost of the tour when you factor everything into the mix (there are currently online discounts available). Funny thing - after all the food and ice water I consumed I was still not "full", but that's probably due to all of the walking (my exercise for the day!) and the fact that I can seemingly eat food continuously.

    at Heaven on Seven with Tastebud Tours Founder Lynn
    Ena D.

    Highly Recommended to tourists or native Chicagoans! We went on the Gold Coast Tour with Lynn, the owner of Tastebud Tours. It was a fantastic palate experience. Tips: - skip breakfast - wear comfortable shoes (its a walking tour) - you might want to share with someone you're with come the 3rd tasting because the portions given are well more than other tasting tours. we got 1 slice of pizza, 1 whole hotdog sandwich, a brownie slice, a small cup of gumbo, a small plate of jambalaya and a burger (which i asked to be split) we didn't even get to eat at the last restaurant because we had a matinee to catch but we were already sooo stuffed. but it was good food none the less. Next time we visit, we'll definitely try the Millenium Loop Tour. :)

    Great way to celebrate a milestone birthday with the family.  Book a private tour!
    Stacy C.

    For my mom's 60th birthday, I wanted to find something to do that didn't require planning, catering, or cleaning our house to host a bunch of guests. When I learned about the TasteBud Tours and had read several of the online reviews, I knew that this was the perfect choice. My family lives in Arlington Heights and rarely ventures into the city for anything. We chose to do the Chicago Loop tour since it had a little less walking than the Magnificent Mile tour. Our tour guide, Lynn, was absolutely fantastic! He was knowledgeable about all food-related facts from all the places we passed on our Loop tour. The pizza at Pizano's was definitely the best pizza I have tried in years...something about that tomato sauce was so unique and tasty, but none of us could figure out what made it so different. We managed to stuff ourselves over a 3-4 hour period trying pizza, popcorn, hot dogs, gourmet cupcakes, killer gumbo, and bratwurst. Everyone loved the tour! Most of all, my mom was thrilled with spending her birthday with family doing something so different and unique. She has said that her friends still mention what a great time they had on the tour periodically and we went back in early June. So, it was a total success. For $44 per person, the price cannot be beat -- food from 5 or 6 places, entertainment, and a tour wrapped up in one. As a side note, the gumbo at Heaven on Seven was so unbelievably good (and I will say that I am NOT a gumbo fan) that both myself and my sister-in-law went home and bought the cookbook from the restaurant online so that we could make it at home. We have both tried the recipe and loved it a second time!! If you are considering doing this tour for a special occasion, like a birthday, anniversary, or just wanting to get a Taste of Chicago, TasteBud Tours was the PERFECT solution. And, I was able to drag my mom into downtown and get her out of the burbs!!

    Our tour guide was Anna Lynn!!! She was amazing. So down to earth and fun! She really knew her history. I highly recommend the tour with Her. You won't be disappointed. The food and sweets were good too.

    The Drake hotel

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Tastebud Food Tours

    Review Highlights - Tastebud Food Tours

    Our guide, Anna Lynn, met us with a smile despite the weather and the fact that there were only two registered for the tour.

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

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    I worked with Brandon at Chicago Dine Around to plan a dinner and Casino night for my company…read moreouting. Brandon was amazing and incredibly helpful and responsive! At the venue, Genesis was the event coordinator for the evening. She made sure everything flowed seamlessly and helped me enjoy the outing stress free! Both our game dealers (John and Ivan) were very knowledgeable and fun! They helped teach many of us how to play roulette and blackjack and were patient with us throughout the games! I would highly recommend Chicago Dine Around and we will absolutely return to book other events!

    We hosted our Toronto team in Chicago for the first time and used Chicago Dine Around to help plan…read moreour team event. Working with Brandon was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. He made the entire process incredibly easy and stress-free. We chose the Private Architectural Boat Tour, and the Chicago Dine Around team went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect. They even arranged for us to tour the boat beforehand so we could confidently select the right experience for our group. For lunch, they seamlessly accommodated all dietary restrictions and preferences, making coordination effortless. Every detail was handled professionally, allowing us to focus on enjoying the event. The feedback from our team was overwhelmingly positive. Many team members said it was one of the best company events we've had to date. Even our Chicago-based employees, who are very familiar with the city, thoroughly enjoyed the tour and experience. I highly recommend Chicago Dine Around for anyone planning a corporate event or group outing. Their attention to detail, outstanding customer service, and local expertise made our event a huge success.

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    Foodie & the Feast

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    5.0(2 reviews)
    2.8 miThe Loop

    I was visiting some friends in Chicago and we toured the Andersonville part of Chicago with Carey…read more Her guidance was exceptional. She seemed to fit right in with our group and was laid-back but also gave us some really interesting historical facts about the neighborhood throughout the day. + Great way to find hidden jems in a neighborhood; we sampled Middle Eastern, Guatemalan, and Vietnamese cuisine throughout the course of the day. Oh and pie of course! Along with a couple cocktails at a historic speakeasy. + Carey is really easy-going and does a great job of filling you in on the various dishes offered at each restaurant, sharing her personal experiences; also she is an exquisite conversationalist that makes you feel like you've known her for a long time. + The amount of walking, distance covered, and quanitity of food is just right. A perfect activity in a great city. If you're looking for an activity that will get a group out and about, this is an ideal option.

    I just went on this fantastic new tour last Sunday thru Lincoln Park/East Lakeview. Even though…read moreI'm a native of the city, Foodie & the Feast opened the doors to restaurants I've never been to before. Each place was more delicious than the one previous... and affordable too! Our tour guide Carey was energetic and informative. She spoke knowledgeably about each food stop giving interesting background about the owners, the eats and the neighborhood. This is definitely something I would recommend to out-of-towners. There is more to Chicago than the Mag Mile and this is perfect way to get away from the tourist traps and explore the city. Also, local Chicagoans will discover some hidden gems of their own. I actually can't wait to go on the other tours F & the F offer! I've been on other walking food tours and they can't compete with this one. Just as the name suggests, food that you want to feast on is the main attraction of Foodie & the Feast. With the others, it seemed like the food took a back seat to an extensive history lesson. Thanks Foodie & the Feast for keeping my mouth watering and my stomach full. When the tour ended I was completely satisfied!

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    Foodie & the Feast
    Foodie & the Feast
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    Virtual tours are such a cool thing to do right now. I attended a Yelp Elite event that was a…read morevirtual food tour of Chicago. It was incredibly informative and a good balance of history and current trends. Looking forward to attending more virtual tours, like the World's Fair and the Cruise From Your Couch Boat Tour. I loved seeing the pictures of the in-person tours and can't wait to attend some of those too.

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    Secret Food Tours Chicago - Inside Palmer House

    Secret Food Tours Chicago

    4.4(16 reviews)
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    We have enjoyed Secret Food Tours in several cities and we were looking forward to the Chicago…read moreexperience! I have to add that we completely mixed up our travel plans and were only able to join this tour for the first half, so my review is based on this. Our tour guide, Danny, was informative, patient, and determined to share not only the food of Chicago but the history, characters and charm as well. We met at 11:30am for the tour and he waited until all participants had arrived. If you are late, he will text or call to make certain you can join the group. David began the tour with some history of the Harold Washington Library, where the tour began, and a trip to visit the Vietnam Memorial in the 3rd floor and a quick bathroom stop before we made it over to our first stop at noon for a slice of deep dish. It was very good and apparently the recipe for the crust came from the chef who had worked at Uno first. Hmmm. Our next stop was from some Chicago caramel and cheddar popcorn. We had time to duck on for a quick purchase as well! Danny was really helpful in that he rushed a bit to allow us to make it to the Chicago dog stop. Yay! Qe left the tour after this, but can highly recommend Danny and his tour. He not only shares Chicago treats, but history and interesting facts!

    We had a great time eating and exploring Chicago's Loop District while learning about its beautiful…read morearchitecture at the same time. Shout out to our guide, 'Danny', who was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer our questions thoroughly. We walked quite a bit, so I'm glad I had my walking shoes on. Our meeting spot was at the Harold Washington Library Center (we got a tour of this beauty also). Our 1st foodie stop was at 'Gino's', where I had the best deep dish pizza slice with cornbread type crust. Delicious! We then moved on to 'Garrett's', where we tried a sample of their fan favorite, "Garret Mix," which is caramel and cheddar popcorn mix. Then, we went to 'Luke's' where we had their 'Chicago Style All Beef Vienna' dog. I didn't change anything on it because I wanted to have it how it is and I liked it a lot. Another spot was 'Jimmy's Gyros & Grill', we tasted their 'Italian Beef Sub' no dip with sweet peppers on the side. So good! We had a delicious brownie and then went to 'Tortazo' inside the Willis Tower for a "churro." Overall, we had a great time and learned a lot about the "Windy City".

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    Secret Food Tours Chicago - Garrett's popcorn

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    The Social Table - Kitchen downstairs (we used the one upstairs)

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    Excellent evening! We came here on a date (and the where and what were surprises to me). Chef Dom…read morewas warm and welcoming, in addition to being professional and fun. We started out with some hummus and crostini. We were glad to have snacks since it was about an hour and a half until we sat down to eat. By the way, you can bring your own wine! They have nice glasses and a wine opener to us. The also sell some; the Cab we had was only $20 and was quite good. There were only 5 of us, plus chef. It was great since we all got to do more and hear better than with a normal larger group. Our Southern menu consisted of collard greens with pancetta, skillet jalapeno-cheddar cornbread, mustard potatoes with onions, and the most amazing flank steak + tomato chutney. Seriously, I'm still mentally drooling over this chutney! I can't wait to make it again! For dessert, lemon curd mousse. Delicious It was really nice to have our actual meal at a dinner table that was thoughtfully decorated and put together (versus in the kitchen around the stainless steel). We really had an amazing night and loved learning some new skills, recipes, and flavors. Looking forward to going back for a different menu!

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    Tastebud Food Tours - foodtours - Updated June 2026

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