Tavern on Rush

Hubby and I popped in for an early dinner on a Saturday...knew the dining room was full but were ok with sitting in the lounge-found a table in the corner. With the drinks, bread, and salads on the table it was a good fit-when the food came, it was cramped. I understand lounge tables are meant to be small, so this is a tiny gripe. I had the jumbo shrimp with the square pasta in a pink cream sauce and found it delicious, good portion. Husband had the NY strip, which he said was good, and the garlic mashed which I can also attest to being FANTASTIC. Hubby is a steak expert so steak was just an '8', but he did enjoy it and it was cooked as ordered. Waittress and staff were friendly and attentive. Would return to this restaurant if in the area again.

Pros: Food was very good-garlic mashed potatoes to die for!

Cons: Table was really tiny in lounge-that's all!

Posted 10/05/09

My husband and I were so excited to come back to Chicago and have a special meal at Tavern on Rush. We had eaten there 5 years ago and loved it. From the moment we got upstairs the restaurant was freezing cold and only a few tables had customers. Our waiter came right over took our drink order and we told him to give us 5 minutes and he disappeared. for 25 minutes. Apparently the owner had come in and he was now on his table. Someone else finally took our order and when it was delivered he showed up but never check on us again. The steak was undercooked, the crab cake was black on the top and the crouton in out tomato soup was burned. The kitchen was having quality control issues to which most of our issues could have been resolved if he had checked on us after the food was served. Such a bummmer! Will try one of the many other great steak houses in Chicago next time.

Cons: bad service and average food

Posted 06/08/09

The Tavern is the social hang out on the Gold Coast. Here's the ironic part - the food is actually good. While the purist may not consider The Tavern's steaks as good as Gibson's - the hopping bar scene plus the delectable food makes up for it.

French Fried Lobster to start things off is a must have appetizer. Depending on the season - the oysters on the half shell are wonderfully fresh and a gastronomical treat.

A fantastic selection of wines and beers - and the classic bone in rib eye is very well aged and seasoned. Heaven knows they drowned this is a vat of pure butter for weeks to give it the flavor but it is simply done right.

Dessert selections - their chocolate cake is very decadent - if the meal hasn't blown your caloric budget the cake will definitely do it. Surprising the key lime pie, while not as good as I have had in Florida, is a tart treat as well.

And of course half the fun of dining at the Tavern is who you see there - politicians, athletes, movie stars - there always is someone famous dining at the Tavern.

Pros: Location, Location, Location

Cons: It's Not Free :)

Posted 12/06/08

This is an excellent place to come during the middle of your work day due to the quick and friendly service. Not to mention the food is excellent and quite a reasonable price.

Posted 09/01/08

Anyone who thinks tavern on rush serves good food needs an education in cuisine. Tavern on Rush gets by on the fact that most people don't know much about cuisine and lack sophistication. The location keeps this place thriving as well. but the fact of the matter, is the food is nothing special.

Pros: Great Location

Cons: Lousy Food

Posted 07/24/08

It's a fine location if you want to sit outside to people watch, but if you expect decent food and professional service from the staff, consider another restaurant. During a recent visit, my meal was improperly prepared; when I tried to resolve the matter with my waiter, he got upset and practically yelled at me. It was a horrible experience, and I'll never return to this place.

Pros: Outdoor seating area

Cons: Lousy service

Posted 06/29/08

I had some friends in town and I took them here for an early dinner. The food was GREAT and a nice place to go to people watch. If you are in town or even live in Chicago, Tavern on Rush is a must!!

Posted 06/10/08

I go to Tavern on Rush every time I visit Chicago. Great location for people watching and the bar is always filled with nice looking people. Nice atmosphere as well. After several visits for drinks only, my fiance and I decided to eat there. The upstairs dining room was fine. Nice view of the people on the street. I ordered filet mignon, medium-well. It arrived and and the outside was pretty much burnt. I decided to try to eat it anyway but the burnt taste was too much to overcome. I sent it back. My fiance started eating. After my fiance was through eating, they brought me another filet. It looked slightly charred on the outside. I cut into it and it was ice cold and red in the center. No kidding, ice cold. They had to have taken this thing straight from the freezer to a grill that was really flaming and way too hot. I order filet nearly every nice place I eat. This place had two tries and both times served me the worst filets I've ever encountered.

Pros: atmosphere, people watching.

Cons: food

Posted 06/05/08

See and be seen at this Rush location. I made the mistake of coming here to have steak w/ my sister. The food was blasphemously bland. I couldn't resist adding salt to my side dishes and even worcestershire sauce to my steak to make the food more palatable. I could imagine a fun singles or even after work scene but do not come here for the food. Maybe the drinks since there is a big bar in the middle.
Ambience is fine otherwise. Saves itself w/ 3 stars!

Pros: Rush street = people watching

Cons: The steaks, the service is slooooooow

Posted 11/01/07

This place seems to be designed for suburbanites seeking the hope of downtown upscale. The food falls short of average, the bartenders are rude and un-attentive, and the management is creepy. As with all other Stefani restaurants, this one caters to the tourists and suburbanites. The valet parking staff keep the upscale cars in front to give the impression of an upscale environment, but since I live n the neighborhood, I'm here to tell you it's the same people each week showing off their cars. Cheesy older men leer at scantily clad women from Schaumberg. Pass this place by.

Pros: Outdoor seating

Cons: Everything else

Posted 03/22/07

I went to Tavern with a friend on a Saturday night and it was a perfect place to start an evening. Though it was pricey, we all had amazing steaks and to-die-for twice baked potatoes. The staff was very attentive and very helpful with their knowledge of the wine list. Though I know there are other steak houses in the immediate area that are also very good, I think that Tavern is as good as any for both food and people watching.

Pros: Location; Service

Cons: Price of wines

Posted 01/14/07

Tavern is known for being clubby and trendy at night, but the real secret is breakfast/lunch. They have great omlettes and sandwiches, and everything is relatively affordable. Go on a Sunday morning in the summer and sit outside enjoying the people walking by.

Posted 11/21/06

Tavern is a pretentious place. For the well-traveled and well-dined, the disparity in terms of quality is apparent. Unfortunately, Tavern fails to master the saving grace of having a polite and attentive staff. All is said, the restaurant is well-placed but that one hopes a better managed establishment should take Tavern's place.

Pros: Location

Cons: Food, Waitstaff

Posted 10/06/06

Tavern on Rush is truly a local treasure. My wife and I took a chance and showed up without reservations and we were seated right away. The service was excellent and the food was fantastic. I would refer anyone to this restaurant.

Posted 02/12/06

The petite filet with hollandaise sauce was to die for. A little expensive, but some of the best steak I've had since Mortons (and not as expensive). The ambiance is nice, very "steak house" but a little loud and cramped especially on busy weekend nights. Definitely worth a shot, go hungry!

Pros: Great steak

Cons: Crowded, Noisy

Posted 05/08/05

This is defenitely a place to see and be seen. You can run into a number of members of the Blackhawks in this bar. They are friendly, and willing to converse. The employees are there to serve you and do a wonderful job of it. THe service is prompt and the food is defenitely worth the wait. The atmosphere is relaxed, but intimate enough to have a good conversation.

Pros: setting, crowd

Cons: price

Posted 05/11/03

I travel a lot and it is rare that I find a restaurant/bar that I wish was in my hometown (Los Angeles). Taveren is one such place.
From the moment we were greated by a manager and hostess the night was a winner. The dining room was inviting and our table had a pleasent view over looking Rush street. My steak was better then the amazing steak I had at Gibsons (across the street) the night before. After dinner the fun started. The bar was filled with Chicago's beautiful crowd. We had a great time. Next time I am back in the windy city, first stop, Tavern on Rush.

Posted 02/26/03