TAO Asian Bistro - Chicago

Beautiful place, great food — but poor welcome at the front. The food was amazing, and the ambiance was absolutely stunning. However, the hostess was extremely rude. I arrived alone just hoping to enjoy dinner, and she told me there was nothing available—without even offering me a seat at the bar. I had to walk over myself and kindly ask the bartender if I could dine there. Thankfully, the bartender was exceptional and completely turned the experience around. I’m not giving a lower rating only because of the food and the wonderful service I received from the bartender.

I wish I took more photos so I could share here, but WOW! What a fun experience! I've been to the TAO in Las Vegas, and I have to say this location is much better! Loved the atmosphere and the step down with seating in between for smaller parties. I came in for a business dinner. Everyone ordered a bunch of small plates, rolls, apps, etc to share instead of doing apps and entrees and I found the Xperia de to be much more enjoyable that way! Shared plates, conversation, etc was a great way I spend the evening. Had a few lychee tinis and they were phenomenal, as always. Next time I'm in Chicago I definitely want to return here for dinner!

I've been to the Tao in Vegas and it was nice but the Chicago location is so much better. The atmosphere and service were perfect for a pre-holiday dinner. Our server, Lauren, was amazing and very attentive.

Beautiful establishment! The setting, the decor, the vibe was so cozy yet ornate. Service was fast and superb. Food was beautifully plated yet tasted as good as it looked. Definitely coming back.

I always love Tao in any city. Tao Chicago is a cut above in the way that it feels very welcoming and the staff was very helpful. The food was exquisite, the presentation was artful and precise. Loved the ambiance, the music was loud (as you would imagine) but still at an acceptable volume for a lively business dinner. The filet mignon with shishito peppers was so tender and perfectly seasoned. We had appetizers to share and they were all hits. The cocktails were beautifully presented and tasted great. We ended the dinner with the dessert tower and were so impressed at the beauty, execution and masterful taste of all of the desserts. 5 stars all around! Great job to the management for skillfully placing all the groups around the restaurant; having a business dinner closer to the Buddha statue was a testament to amazing planning. I noticed a family seated in a more quiet area and larger groups celebrating were closer to the center of the restaurant. Hats off to the servers for being prompt and attentive. Will definitely come back to the Chicago location.

Get food, Great location, great service! Gene was my server, he was knowledgeable about the menu, he was attentive and had a great personality! Always a hit and then to the bar for a drink, great service as well, can't remember her name but she is always on point!

I have a peanut allergy and our waiter was very receptive and attentive. he ensured everything was safe for me to eat. additionally, the food was delicious, especially the dessert! the interior is beautiful!

Amazing first experience!! The inside was absolutely beautiful! The low lighting really set a mood. Also just visibly beautiful. I ordered the spicy shrimp, the pad Thai noodles, and the broccoli.. it was ANAZING!!! We also ordered lemon drops with Don Julio and that was also really good! Our waiter was Mark and he was super sweet and knowledgeable with the questions I had about the menu. He did a very good job with checking in and making sure we had everything we ordered! 10/10 for me. Will definitely add this in our date night rotation!

TAO is an experience which i dearly enjoyed. I am not big fan of the Asian cuisine in general but good here was awesome. I loved their non seafood sections. Awesome cocktails and good service. In my opinion,two things they should improve at is the music part and the cleanliness of the restrooms. Overall,awesome place

Another 2026 Restaurant Week Goodie! Years ago I worked at Excalibur and Vision Nightclubs that were where Tao is today, so I was excited to see how they re-did the building. They had valet parking in front for $20, so that was super easy. The big front wooden doors are still there, but that is one of the few things that stayed the same. Upon walking in their lounge area was very nice, and chill. We grabbed a couple of drinks while waiting for our table to open up. We were seated pretty quickly, and began our culinary journey. The ambiance is very nice, and I am a big fan of the over-the-top decorations like the large statue of Quan Yin with the projections over it as well as the beautiful lamps and extra large tassels and curtains. For food we tried all of the appetizers available since there were three of us. They were all delicious, but my favorites went in this order: 1. Tuna tartar with crispy rice 2. Lettuce wraps 3. Chicken satay For our entree all three of us went for the sirloin steak, medium rare, and all three were perfectly cooked and seasoned! The meat literally melts in your mouth, and the sauce that they give for dipping accents the meat perfectly. Dessert we did the same as the appetizers; Try all 3! Favorites in order: 1. Match Creme Brulé - Lightly sweet, not punch-you-in-the-face matcha, but a perfect mix. 2. Banana pudding - Seems straight forward, but they put a caramelized banana on top with fortune cookie crumbles. 3. Chocolate Buddha - The dark chocolate mousse is super rich The DJ kept great music going during our whole meal, but at a perfect volume, so that we could also enjoy conversation at the table. We didn't get to check out the club area.... Only think I'd say Tao is maybe you should bring back the Friday night seances! lol

Food is very good and atmosphere is amazing making for great photos. Very loud so hard to converse but good music with live DJ. Valet parking is available for $20 (over 3 hours $25). Vegetarian friendly with lots of options. Fun place to celebrate!

Kaybree & Creed were absolutely amazing! Had a good night with a group of friends on new years & the two mentioned above made the night memorable as well. Genuinely will come back & recommend this place to others based on these 2 lovely people alone. They were beyond helpful & insightful. Also , i personally applaud them for handling such a crazy huge crowd & still managing to have a smile on their face. Incredible workers.

Nice looking place! Food was good but too many Spicy items on the menu. I’m pregnant and can’t do spicy so it was a bummer not being able to eat exactly what I wanted due to it only coming as a spicy option! Service was great!! I will return after baby comes to fully indulge!

Honestly the place is amazing! A true vibe! But I was let down with the food. It was just average. The cocktails were average too. Didn't feel like anything we had fit the bill. Guess we paid for the ambience which is ok too. I always wanted to try this place! Service was great!

TAO Chicago is more than dinner — it’s an experience. The space is visually striking, the energy is high, and the vibe feels upscale without trying too hard. The food was flavorful and well-presented, especially the sushi and shared plates, and the cocktails were solid. Service was attentive, even with how busy it gets. It’s loud, lively, and perfect for date nights or celebrations when you want great atmosphere with your meal.

Sunday brunch buffet. Good experience, took us early for our reservation and great service. Cool vibe and large selection of food. Enjoyed the nigiri - very fresh and high quality. The shrimp shumai was my favorite out of the dumplings. The bao buns were soft and flavorful. The salmon was excellent. The dessert station had a nice variety with the standouts the raspberry macarons and the chocolate fountain. It’s quite expensive, which may keep me from returning - but overall a positive experience for something new to try!

TAO Chicago is a huge, multi-level Pan-Asian restaurant its artistic decoration, having a large statue, and a menu featuring dishes like Manchurian Gobi,Fried Rice Patatos, Noodles for vegetarian like me. It offers a high-energy dining experience large variety of cocktails. A visually appealing, design Great space with a grand staircase connecting two levels, a large bar,. A tall statue with small pond and live fishes is delight for small children Valet parking is available too Energetic Vibes and "must-stop foodie experience".

We went for the brunch buffet on a Sunday. The food selection and quality was phenomenal. However, the cocktails were not great. We got the Buddha’s brew + bubbles & berries and neither of us could drink them more than a couple sips. The interior and music is great. Overall highly recommend this place and would definitely be back.

I recommend getting a lot of their appetizers instead of their mains since in my friends and my opinion, the appetizers are better. We all got the Chilean sea bass appetizer which was the best dish of the night. We ordered the chocolate brownie and ice cream for dessert which was also a highlight! The noise level is really loud on the restaurant floor so we had to really raise our voice to talk to one another.

Food was alright for pan Asian style. It is definitely westernized Asian food, which my palate is not used to when eating dim sum. Not great but not bad either. I did enjoy the shucked oysters and nigiri though! Cocktails are also fantastic.

The overall experience was decent, but a bit underwhelming given the price point. The food had hits and misses. The shrimp had a noticeably “fishy” essence—not entirely uncommon, but when freshness is paramount and the cost is premium, I expected better. The Pad Thai noodles, however, were excellent and probably the highlight of the meal. I ordered the American Wagyu medium-rare, but the execution was inconsistent. Most of the cut leaned closer to medium, with only the center achieving the requested doneness. Portion was around 10 ounces. Flavor was good, and the sauces were well done. We also tried the vegetarian dim sum, which was solid and enjoyable. In terms of atmosphere, TAO shines more as a social venue than an intimate dining spot. Great for large groups, celebrations, or a night out—but less ideal for a quiet dinner for two, in my opinion. Overall, I’d return with a group to enjoy the vibe and select dishes, but I’d temper expectations for premium entrées given the pricing.

A place where the food is as equal in creativity, quality, and ambiance as the venue. The service is attentive and efficient. There is a reason why this place is so popular. I can't wait to go back.

This is definitely a special occasion place more geared for adults. I do believe it also doubles as a club certain times and days. I went here as a last-minute anniversary dinner. Reservations will have to wait a bit. Which is fine since they have plenty of seating area and bar area. I would say the highlight of this place is definitely the venue itself very unique engaging. we witness and engagement here so definitely call ahead if you like to do any special types of announcements and staff is great and making it a special event. The food itself was really great just limited, definitely very shareable in portion sizes. Drinks were unique. Even the dessert was flashy and bold. Come for the drinks, the atmosphere is awesome. Can’t say that enough. Definitely recommend the duck, not many places have it was definitely a highlight of our meal.

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.

We made a reservation over the phone and were seated within 10 minutes, which was smooth and efficient. The restaurant itself is fancy and luxurious with stylish décor and nice lighting. However, there was no wheelchair- or stroller-accessible entry, which is important to note. The atmosphere on a weekend night was lively with a DJ, but the loud music made it less kid-friendly. Service was average — nothing special, but not terrible either. Unfortunately, the food was a big disappointment. The quality was far below expectations for the price and the restaurant’s reputation. Most of the dishes were overly sweet and lacked balance. Portions were okay and presentation was just average, but the taste did not justify the high cost. The one highlight was dessert — the chai crème brûlée was delicious and the clear standout of the night. The mango sticky rice, however, was just average. We ended up paying about $250 (including tip) for an experience that felt below average overall. Given the quality of the food and the many other dining options in the area, I don’t think I would return.

First time at this place, and our whole group was amazed by the ambiance and atmosphere—it’s really nice! The downside was that many of the drinks we tried to order weren’t available, which was a bit surprising. As for the food, it was just okay; a few dishes were on the salty side. Overall, a pretty average experience.

We had a reservation at 9:00 PM and arrived a bit early, but we weren’t seated until 9:30 PM, even though there were plenty of empty tables downstairs. Once we were finally seated, our server took our drink order and then disappeared for about 15–20 minutes. When he finally came back, we were ready to order appetizers and sushi, but he told us the sushi bar had just closed one minute ago. It was frustrating because he never mentioned earlier that the sushi would be closing soon we definitely would’ve ordered it right away if he had said something. The food was delicious, but the service was disappointing. We were celebrating a birthday, and the slow service and poor communication really took away from what was supposed to be a special night.

Giving this one 3 stars solely for how beautiful the space is. We did the brunch special with a couple of friends. The food was okay. Some of the baos were burned, meat was tough and the sushi tasted like it had sat out for hours. I was expecting a lot more from the food based on their prices.

Beautiful place, great service, but the food is average at best.

I had dinner at TAO Chicago recently and have to say, the food was a bit overrated for me. The place itself is stunning—the decor and the atmosphere are definitely the main attractions. It has a very cool, high-energy vibe, almost like a club with dinner. However, when it came down to the actual food, it was just okay. It was good, but I've honestly had better Asian food at smaller local spots around Chicago for a fraction of the price. Overall, you're paying for the experience and the ambiance more than the cuisine itself. It's worth visiting once for the spectacle, but don't expect it to blow you away with flavor.

Highly over rated place and overpriced. Loud music that gets louder, dark environment, overcrowded seating, service could also be better(maybe they can tuck in shirts so they dont dip into my drink). Worth one time visit to see Buddha and taste the food.

I recently went to Tao for the first time to celebrate a birthday. Upon entering we were met with a VERY rude hostess. Very passive aggressive for absolutely no reason. We had to wait for 15-20 mins for a table when the entire dining room was practically empty. After being seated the experience was much better. Good food. Nice waiter. Great vibe inside. That being said, when you are spending 100s of dollars on food and drink, I would expect a much nicer person to be the hostess. The rest of the staff were very kind including our waiter, Andrew. On a side note, even after having a massive order of food and drinks, Tao did not offer anything special for the birthday we were celebrating, only a candle. At this price point, I can find many restaurants in Chicago with great atmosphere, great food, and even better hostesses (and probably a free dessert).

Busy and too loud … This marks my third visit to Tao, and it has proven to be the most unsatisfactory experience to date. Well, this orange chicken is way too salty, and the meat's super tough. I had to nearly shout for my friends to hear me during our conversation. Their staff members are preoccupied with navigating through the confined workspace. Hopefully for some adjustments.

Food: The food is incredibly mid. Quality is on par with PF Changs, just with nice presentation, service, and language. Im quite certain that the chefs put actual orange in the orange chicken lmao. The family style beef bone marrow fried rice was definitely something you can make at home with some day old rice and a store bought steak. The buns were decent. The szechuan potatoes were not spicy at all and not even cooked ALL the way through but ok. The lollipop chicken was good. The sweet n sour shrimp wasnt bad. Service: Server was nice, but did explain every single thing on the menu which was kinda annoying but i guess its protocol so not on the staff. Our water was never less than half which sounds nice on paper but in reality it felt like the person was coming by after every sip which got annoying. No sense of personality from staff, just felt like robots. Atmosphere: It was a nice vibe, but given we were in the dining section, we were getting house music from the DJ which felt annoying cause we’re not even in the club section lol and it got a little too loud to hear each other at times. Music should be calm/chill and quiet enough to hear each other without screaming across the table. I’m only being critical because this place thinks of itself as fine dining and tries to pass itself off as that. The cost also indicates that they think they deserve fine dining pricing, but I’d argue otherwise.

I selected Tao to celebrate my daughter's 20th birthday because our previous experience was good and they have a great atmosphere. I completely regret it. We were a party of 8 and everyone was disappointed. The service was terrible. The waiter was not attentive or friendly, and the food/drinks took way too long to come out. We waited almost 25 minutes for our order to even be taken. Totally unacceptable. Everything was just off. My local Asian takeout restaurant has better food and service! I was highly disappointed considering it was for my daughter's birthday and the amount of money that was spent. I will never ever go back again.

🛑🛑🛑We were recommended this restaurant for the food, atmosphere, and service. When we arrived, we immediately loved the vibe. We checked in and were told we’d get a call when our table was ready, but we ended up waiting about 45 minutes. After asking, we were told it would be a little longer, and waited another 15 minutes. The DJ was great, but it didn’t make sense that we had a reservation yet were seated so late. Once seated, it took a long time for our server to show up. We ordered everything at once and most of the food came out in a reasonable time — except one person’s dish never arrived. We asked the waitress, but she just said she’d check and never returned with an update. Eventually the water guy came to refill our glasses, and he was the only one who actually tried to help. After about 15 more minutes, he finally brought the missing dish. Overall, the customer service from our waitress was terrible. We had planned to stay afterward for the nightclub experience, but after how things went, we decided to leave and go somewhere else. Unfortunately, we did not enjoy the experience.

While my husband and I enjoyed the atmosphere and decor, the food were really terrible. Didn’t even exaggerate, they were too salty, not Asian style at all, choices are so limited, even the mocktail was not impressed. We ordered duck fried rice (too salty), dim sum sampler (this was ok), five spice short ribs (too salty), black pepper chili chicken (weird taste due to multiple spices not mixing well), and tuna Pringle.

Do not recommend the private room its a money grab!!! Sign a contract had a shell fish allergy they new about but when we got there it wasn't HONORED!!! THIS LONG STORY ABOUT NOTHING THE ACCOMMODATION WAS ON FORN3 PEOPLE , WHAT ABOUT THE SPOUSES WHO HAVE TO GO HOME WITH THE SHELLFISH ALLERGY PERSON! They tried to overcharge us after we made a deposit they couldn't remember about!! Never going again and we spent a hefty AMOUNT OVER RATED

We were traveling from out of town and had heard great things about this place, so we decided to visit. Unfortunately, the experience was absolutely terrible. After being seated, we waited a long time without service. Not even 20 minutes into our visit, the chair I was sitting in completely collapsed. Thank God I wasn’t injured. Even more concerning, my wife’s chair appeared unstable and close to doing the same thing. That was terrifying. This raises serious safety concerns. Who is checking the condition of the furniture in this restaurant? Is this part of a routine inspection? Something like this should never happen. To make matters worse, members of our party ordered food that never came out at all. Between the lack of service, safety hazards, and outdated decor, the experience was unacceptable. Based on what we experienced, I genuinely question how this place has the rating it does. If a restaurant inspector happens to read this, I strongly suggest a visit—because there are clear safety and operational issues that need to be addressed immediately. Very disappointing and frightening experience.

I booked a reservation for two at Tao Chicago to celebrate my 45th birthday, clearly noting the occasion at the time of booking. The reservation was scheduled for February 5, 2026, the day after my birthday. I will already be in Chicago for my milestone birthday celebration attending one of the largest music tours of 2026: New Edition featuring Boyz II Men and Toni Braxtion on February 4th, my actual birthday. I am aware that this will be a busy time for the city. Less than a month before the reservation, the night of sunday January 11th, I received a call informing me that the restaurant had been bought out for February 5th and my reservation was being canceled. While I understand private buyouts happen, I was disappointed by the resolution offered, a complimentary dessert only, provided I reschedule. I rarely eat dessert so this wasn't a comparable option for me. When I clarified that this was a significant birthday celebration there was no response and it was clear that no further accommodation would be made. I booked a 2nd night stay in Chicago specifically to dine at Tao as I have never been to this restaurant. For an establishment positioned as upscale and guest-focused, this response felt dismissive and lacked hospitality, especially given the importance of the occasion and the inconvenience caused. I expected more thoughtful service and accountability from a restaurant of Tao’s reputation. I am hoping to receive a full, complimentary dining experience to include two dinner entrees for two at Tao for a future date.