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    Taureaux Tavern

    4.0 (119 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Taureaux Tavern Photos

    Business Info

    TAUREAUX TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Taureaux Tavern

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    Ashley A.

    If you're looking for that perfect "downtown Chicago moment" -- the one that feels classy yet welcoming, with food that makes you pause mid-bite -- Taureaux Tavern nails it. I stopped in for lunch and instantly loved the ambiance. It's elegant but not pretentious -- think upscale brasserie vibes with warm lighting, cozy booths, and the kind of soundtrack that makes you want to linger over another cocktail. Let's talk food. The steak frites? Perfectly cooked and seasoned like they care about every bite. The French onion soup had a golden, bubbling layer of cheese that honestly could win awards. And if you're a cocktail person, don't skip the Lavender 75 -- floral, balanced, and very "main character energy." Service was exceptional -- attentive without hovering, and our server had spot-on recommendations (including convincing me to try the truffle fries, zero regrets). It's also surprisingly versatile: great for date night, girls' brunch, or a post-work drink that somehow turns into a full dinner. Pro tip: Grab a seat on the patio when the weather's nice -- it's one of the best people-watching spots in the Loop. Location: 155 W. Van Buren Must-Try: Steak Frites, French Onion Soup, Lavender 75 Vibe: Paris meets Chicago

    French Onion Soup
    Victoria G.

    Stopped by the tavern for dinner with a group of friends and had a great experience. The steak and frites lived up to expectations--cooked just right--and the French onion soup was rich, flavorful, and clearly well made. Service was friendly and attentive, even with a group of us, and the overall vibe was relaxed and enjoyable. Given the quality of the food, the service, and the atmosphere, everything felt very reasonably priced--great value for the experience. A solid spot for good food, good company, and a comfortable atmosphere.

    Burger and fries
    Anna M.

    3.5 stars I was surprised how big the restaurant was! It looks like a pretty grand space, but it's slightly disjointed and it felt hodgepodge. Like there's an unused dining area upstairs, another one to the left, a well lit bar area that you could hear bros howling from while you're eating dinner in the dining area, and a tented in outdoor area. It took the wait staff to get to us to start the visit, but maybe it was a shift change. Everyone was friendly otherwise. They don't have a non-alcoholic drink on their cocktail menu. If you don't drink, plan on having one in your pocket to know to ask for, or soft drinks. There is a happy hour- we didn't partake, but considering the location, this might be a place to consider for food/ drinks after work before heading home on the CTA. The food: Shrimp cocktail: 4/5 Huge shrimp and they give you 5. The shrimp themselves aren't cooked in a way that retains the bright flavor that shrimp cocktail usually has, but with the cocktail sauce it's good. Wings- 3/5 They were not caramelized like the menu states. Good portions. They're fine. We had a promotion so they were free Burger: 3.5, fries 5/5 Ordered medium rare, came medium well. Was pretty average flavor Fries were the best part of the meal. Great seasoning and crispy! Salmon: 4/5 Cooked to my preference- and tasty peppery crust. Sautéed spinach was not seasoned and kinda sad. Beurre blanc was good, but sauce was broken.

    Lobster roll
    Molly C.

    Great spot to meet for drinks after work, if you need to catch the metra it's right next to the restaurant. Good drinks, mediocre food and somewhat slow service. Large nicely heated patio.

    The wine to accompany our Steak Diane....... only we had finished it LONG before it came.
    Philippe C.

    We had high expectations as we went there right before the Ina Garten Show at the Auditorium. First the menu was really unimpressive. That being said the lobster bites appetizers was fantastic but the onion gratinées only so so. Just before our main courses arrived we all ordered wine (glass or caraffe) and/or refills. Dinner came and no wine..... after 3 requests our wine and drinks FINALY came once we had ALL finished our meals. No apologies, NOTHING...... we were not even asked if we wanted dessert. SHOCKINGLY BAD FOR THAT PRICE

    Prime Steak Frites
    Jonathan F.

    Food 3/5 The menu features a limited collection of French staples, mixed in with a few continental dishes. Food was ok. Everyone in my group ordered steak frites and none of them came out right. A medium rare came out very, very rare and a medium came out medium rare. Also, the dish description touted Bernaise sauce, which was noticeable absent and replaced with some type of aioli. Atmosphere and Decor 3/5 The tavern, and coziness that comes with the moniker, is nowhere to be found. Instead, the restaurant serves vibes of a corporate-style dining room or one of those restaurants in the lobby of a city hotel. Largely devoid of personality. Service 4/5 Seating was prompt and our server was very friendly. She expedited our meal to ensure we wrapped in time to make it to the theater. Halfway through the meal, I asked another server for more sauce, which arrived after I had finished my meal

    Love steak tartare but this was ok.
    Chris V.

    Came in after work for drinks. Hostess and bartender were nice and attentive. Most of diners were on the patio. Drinks were normal price for the area and good. If you are on a budget, they don't have HH. Snacked on steak tartare but it's lacking a kick of fresh black pepper. For now, 3 stars. Will have to come back try other items.

    Cesar salad with tiny salmon
    Olga G.

    Decent, but not outstanding in any category. For some reason I recall this place being much better first time around. My salad was worse than regular salad joint you'd go for lunch. Overall an ok place but I won't be returning: the service was slow and inattentive (even though the place was empty), and ambiance is not warm.

    Old fashioned no
    Mayank M.

    Came for lunch and a drink, as were showing as open on yelp, but had a private event planned so kitchen was closed during business hours so no lunch without reservations! Bummer. no comments about food or service, it was fairly empty when I went at 2pm Ambience was great, wished I had tasted their food, walked several blocks after reading reviews to try it! Drinks- I had old fashioned, templeton rye, average at best but they do have good whiskey selection.

    Drink Menu
    Antwone C.

    Came in on a weeknight and was seated right away. It has a great ambiance with a classic feel to this restaurant. There is plenty of seating and a nice sized bar area. Food and drinks were reasonably priced. I would recommend for a nice date night!

    Dinner menu

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    4 years ago

    Very lovely and the food was amazing. Best calamari I have ever had. I definitely recommend and the service was awesome too

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    Page 2 of 3

    Ask the Community - Taureaux Tavern

    Does this place have happy hour deals?

    They do not as that time tends to be their busiest They have really tasty appetizers but no discounts

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    Bisous

    Bisous

    4.4
    (119 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    The Chicago food tour commences... First stop, drinks at Bisous! This cocktail bar was listed no…read more 39 on the top 50 bars in North America for 2025. It was no wonder when we arrived that there was a line out the door. We waited around 45 minutes, and the bouncer was a really nice fellow who kept track of the numbers and people at the door. Upon entering, we were immersed in a dimly lit retro-style lounge. It was quite loud inside and packed as we walked to our seats. The server was great at taking our orders and offering suggestions. I opted for the French 75, which featured sparkling wine and mixed gin, brandies, and citrus. The drink was delicious, but STRONG. I don't know what they put in the cocktails in America, but I am always finished after one drink. Needless to say, we were all struggling to finish our own drinks. My favourite touch was the coasters, I ended up keeping all of them so that I can reuse them at my galentines event next year. The 'bisous' with the kiss on the other side is a perfect touch! I think the drinks are fairly priced for USD. I would love to return someday to try other drinks and bar bites, and also try their sister bar, Sparrow.

    My boyfriend and I were visiting Chicago (from Las Vegas) 2 weeks ago, and were very excited to…read morecheck out Bisous, as it looked nice inside and had good reviews. Imagine my shock when we didn't even make it past the bouncer because he was so rude, AS OTHER RECENT REVIEWS HAVE MENTIONED AS WELL! We had dinner nearby and walked to Bisous after, and saw there was a line of 5 or 6 people outside. We expected this as we knew Bisous is a first come, first serve bar. We were curious what the wait time would look like, so we approached the front door to ask a host or employee inside (we assumed there'd be a desk with an employee working it who could give us a wait time). We had no problem waiting, just wanted to see how long they estimated it would be! Before we could even fully open the door, the bouncer swung the door open from the other side and hit me with the door. I stumbled back a few steps and he looked at us and said, and I quote, "What do you want?". I laughed at first because I thought he was joking and putting on a tough guy act. He was not. We quickly explained we just wanted to see what the wait time was, and he said "don't you see there's a line outside?" We said yes, and explained we just wanted to know a rough estimated wait time. He just blankly stared at us while ushering us out. Both my boyfriend and I have worked in customer-service roles for a very, very long time. This encounter was not only extremely rude and unprofessional, but he also hit me hard enough with the door to send me stumbling back, and then said nothing about it and continued to address us in a tone that was nothing less than annoyed and irritated. We didn't end up going inside because that encounter left such a bad taste in our mouths. I don't believe in spending my money at establishments that don't treat their customers with the bare minimum respect they deserve! Bummed we didn't get to experience it, as I'm sure it was lovely inside and I can only hope the rest of the employees were much more kind and accommodating, or at least able to answer a simple question. Fire your "bouncer" (??) and hire someone with some basic customer service and communication skills!!

    Photos
    Interior bar
    Interior bar
    Inside
    Inside
    Interior

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    Interior
    Lazy Bird

    Lazy Bird

    4.2
    (255 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$

    I stopped by Lazy Bird on a Wednesday night after dinner, and it ended up being such a great…read morechoice. We made a reservation ahead of time, which I'd definitely recommend, but it wasn't overly packed and we were seated without any issues. The vibe in there is top tier. Dim lighting, live music energy, and just the right mix of chill and upscale. It's the kind of place where you can actually enjoy the atmosphere without feeling rushed. This was my second time here and I remember it being just as good back in 2022. The drinks were immaculate. I had two mocktails that were both well-balanced (not overly sweet, which I appreciate), and he ordered an old fashioned. You can tell they take their bar program seriously and can go beyond a gin & tonic. Overall, it was a really good time. It can give you a great midweek outing or a laid-back night with a little something.

    Lazy Bird is a cute Chicago speakeasy but let me tell you something -- this place is CROWDED. I…read morecame early in the evening and got the last spot at the bar (I was by myself), and within 30 mins while I was having my drink I looked around and noticed that the room was near totally full, and the majority of people were standing in the open because all the tables were full, as was the bar. People were standing right behind me to order drinks; I didn't feel overly crowded by any means but some who aren't used to that kind of bar/clubby vibe might feel that way. The music was a little loud to be heard over all the folks there, but I wasn't talking to anyone so it didn't bother me (was just sitting and reading a book). The bartender was really nice and attentive despite the fact that the place was so packed. I had a drink called the "Gentle Fish" which the bartender rec'd as a sweeter/more floral drink. Admittedly it was a little strong, but the flavor was nice! It was different from most other drinks I've had, and I enjoyed it. Was strong enough I definitely did not need another though. Of note, this place is downstairs under "The Hoxton" hotel, there's no entrance directly to the bar from the sidewalk/street (you have to enter the hotel lobby, then follow the signs toward the back and go down the elevator and/or stairs). There is a person who checks your ID when you enter and seats you if seats are available. The bathrooms were very clean. Not sure about parking but street parking is definitely very limited; I imagine a paid lot would probably be the easiest thing or taking the train from wherever you're staying if you can (which is what I did).

    Photos
    Lazy Bird
    Lazy Bird
    Lazy Bird

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    Three Dots and A Dash

    Three Dots and A Dash

    4.1
    (4.2k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$

    This place is a yes, yes, and yes! I have a buddy that loves Tiki bars and found this place/made a…read morereservation, so our group came to visit on a Sunday night. The vibe is speakeasy-ish; the entrance is off the street in an alleyway but the interior is very nice, low light, and would be fun for a date night! The staff were attentive and very friendly. My friend got some shots, which were surprisingly good given they were kind of sweet, and I ordered the "mystic lamp" cocktail ($16) which was VERY memorable to me as someone that loves floral drinks -- it was very floral, slightly fruity, and had a lovely chunk of lychee it came with which was delicious! The drink was decent sized too; I've been charged a lot more for much less drink at other speakeasies (those of which I don't plan to visit again any time soon haha). In my opinion, this spot has the perfect combo of great drinks, nice ambiance, cool speakeasy-vibes, but also cheerfulness given the tiki-theme inside. Would definitely rec a visit to anyone visiting Chicago who likes cool bars!

    I can't understand what the fuss is all about here. I couldn't wait to leave…read more This place represents itself as a tiki bar but is the most half-hearted attempt I have ever seen. I was excited for the experience having heard how busy it gets, blah blah. These positive reviewers need to seek out other tiki bars. After you negotiate the alley entrance and go down dangerously dark stairs, you are met with crazy boring decor. I kept thinking there had to be more right? The whole point of a tiki bar is to strike a mood, but hanging a very few polynesian masks on the wall, putting up a grass facade over the bar and dressing the servers in vaguely polynesian outfits is sad. I've seen private tiki bars at people's homes that are more exciting. Add to this a comparably boring music selection played far too loud over boomy lo-fi speakers and you'll wonder what's going on here. So what about the food and drink? Completely uninspired for anyone who's had more than a mai tai before in their life. About a dozen extremely common drink choices is all you get!! No specials, that's it. When I asked if this was the whole cocktail menu, the server said it was but they have a full bar so you can get anything you want. Well, I could get that service at just about any bar in the world, so big deal. Maybe it would be better if you sat at the bar and chatted up the bartender. One could also go taste their rum selections and other cocktails in the Bamboo Room, but I hate that kind of elitist nonsense. That's never been what tiki bars were about. The drinks we sampled were okay at best. Even the namesake 3 Dots and A Dash cocktail was lackluster and used cheap cherries for the dots instead of classic Luxardos. (If you know, you know) The appetizers were okay, but way overpriced. 5 tiny spring rolls for $18. Come on guys, enough already. I'd rather go to the bar at the Polynesian Hotel at Disney than return here. This place is a hard pass.

    Photos
    Interior Entrance
    Interior Entrance
    These Loaded Luau Cheese Fries
    These Loaded Luau Cheese Fries
    Tiki gift shop.

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    Tiki gift shop.
    Machine Cocktail Bar

    Machine Cocktail Bar

    4.8
    (39 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Machine Cocktail bar was an incredible spot to go and test out a bunch of new cocktails with…read morefriends. They are known for their innovative cocktails, bold flavours and unique glassware and decor on the drinks to enhance the experience even further. I would recommend going in a group so that you can try many! They also have a happy hour that is worth checking out. We tried these cocktails: 1. Heart of the Ocean - spoiler alert - it's the blue heart image I've attached haha. I loved this, looks beautiful and was tasty 2. Savage Garden - interesting mix of spices 3. Pistachio Affogate - I had more expectations on this one. It was alright, tasty but nothing crazy. 4. Devil's Cup - maybe the best one we had. The chili chocolate is YUM 5. Love is a fog - strong and classy We really enjoyed our experience here. The only thing that was frustrating was that they were trying to kick us out towards the end of the night to close out early and we were having a great time and didn't want to leave. But highly recommend!

    Went here with a group of six friends after dinner for cocktails and absolutely loved the vibe! The…read morepresentation of the mocktails was so creative and beautiful. While the mocktail options were limited, they had a great variety of cocktails to choose from. Since it was Valentine's week, there was a violinist going table to table playing songs, which added such a romantic and classy touch to the evening. The ambiance overall was amazing -- stylish, fun, and perfect for pictures. Even the ladies' room and certain corners of the bar were great for photos! Definitely a spot I would go back to again. Service was good, well served

    Photos
    Before pouring Duck Duck Goose
    Before pouring Duck Duck Goose
    Machine Cocktail Bar
    Fowl Woodsman

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    Fowl Woodsman

    Taureaux Tavern - french - Updated July 2026

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