West Town Tavern: User Reviews

Bad Sevice, Snippy Attitude -- No Thanks!
By jeffb4250 from Loop, November 21, 2009

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This place is way over rated and set me back $150 for the two of us in a conversation poor environment, with so-so food, and too many calories and grams of fat to count. When friends invited us to this place they raved about the food and atmosphere. After checking out the menu on the web, we were concerned that the food was going to be too high in calories and fat to enjoy. We called the restaurant and talked to the Chef who indicated that they could prepare anything on the menu to our specifications, hold the fat, sauces on the side, and grill. When we got there it just didn't happen. The waitress adamently refused to take our instructions and told me if I didn't like the way it was prepared, not to eat it. I should have left. The meals were indeed high in fat content, not that well presented, and flavorless, unless you count salty as a flavor. My advice is to try another place. there are so many other restaurants that con serve up a meal that meets your expectations, seve it to you with a smile, and provide an atmosphere where you can carry on a conversation. Life's too short for these over rated places.

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Among our favorite restaurants in the city
By shlk_2000 from East Village, October 31, 2009

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Great atmosphere, upscale without being pretentious. Always great food and service. Great for occasions or a regular night out.

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Great evening!
By valozzio from oak park, October 29, 2009

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Looking for great atmosphere -good food - low noise. Check out West Town Tavern.
I use reviews to decide on a restaurant and it usually works. Very nice waiter and
hostess. Each dish left the table completely empty. I was happy to have choosen this
restaurant. Will go back.

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Great Spot!
By kc4234 from Northwest Suburbs, July 17, 2009

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I visited West Town Tavern recently with a friend. I really enjoyed myself. The space was welcoming and cosy. From the "old world" and "new world" wine list to the great food and atmosphere, I thought this restaurant was spot on. Everyone that worked there was really nice and friendly. Service was great! Definitely a good spot for couples or groups.

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Loved this place!
By hd from Oak Park, July 13, 2009

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I came here with a couple friends last Wednesday and we were very happy with our experience. The place is very cute. Didn't have to wait for a table. The service was very good, our waitress was attentive and made good recommendations, which I like. Food was awesome, I had the scallops which came with this great citrusy risotto, and another friend got the lamb which he devoured. The best thing was the dessert, we shared a lemon pie thing similar to key lime pie that was AMAZING. Our waitress said it won some award and we could see why! Overall the prices were good, the food was great, and I am definitely excited for the chance to come back.

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toldtowaitoutside
By toldtowaitoutside from Irvingwood, June 27, 2009

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While the food was ok, I found this place pretentious and overpriced. Also the name is misleading, it is by no stretch a tavern, but is rather more akin to an upscale bistro. We also had a rather strange experience when arriving; although the website says walk-ins are welcome, we were told by the hostess the wait for a table inside would be 2 hours. Alternatively we could wait for a table outside but it is on a first come first serve basis and we'd have to watch for a table outside to free-up ourselves. So we waited outside watching, until we happened to ask a passing server about the policy, who did not seem to know about it. Then the hostess comes out and says that's not what she meant that we could come in and sit at the bar and she'd let us know when a table outside is available. So we sat at the bar and ordered a drink, in the meantime, another couple comes in, sits at the bar has a drink, and gets seated outside before us. At the same time we counted at least 6 empty tables inside. We will not be going back.

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A FABULOUS experience
By loishobart5388 from Rogers Park, May 10, 2009

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Fortunately, our early (6 p.m. Friday) reservation afforded us some good talking time with our group of 5. As the evening proceeded, the sound level increased. THAT was the only "slight negative" of the evening. Five people, five different menu selections and everything superb. I opted for two of the evening's specials - a grilled calamari appetizer with greens that i shared with my husband and a grilled portabello mushroom with other roasted veggies on a shoestring potato base. The flavors were amazing. We all scarfed down the rosemary and peccorino potato chips and enjoyed some lovely wine pairings. Our tab averaged $50 per person and it was totally worth every cent. Susan Goss, the chef, came by to meet and greet and our server was attentive and delightful.

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Call ahead - this place gets packed!
By Sharon from Gold Coast, March 18, 2009

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I called 2 days ahead to get a reservation for dinner, and they were full. This place is so popular, and I can see why. We still ended up going and had our dinner at the bar instead of at a table, which was perfectly fine with us. The bartender was really friendly, and the food was phenomenal! I got a potato gnocchi dish which was on the specials menu, and it was the best gnocchi I've ever had! My only complaint was that it was a very small portion for an entree. There were several other items on the menu that I wanted to try, so I will definitely be back. West Town Tavern is one of my new favorites.

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Favorite Restaurant in the City
By Kevin from West Loop, July 30, 2008

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This is the type of place I would have if I could ever open a restaurant. Casual with great service, amazing wine and seasonal food at a decent price. I am literally shocked by the reviews stating that this place is overpriced. Do you eat out in Chicago? There are many places where you could say that put West Town is not even close. The freshness is apparent, as is the skilled preparation. Try any of the specials, any of the soups, the burger, the fried chicken, the scallops w/ risotto, and my favorite the bbq lamb shoulder. The wine list is also outstanding with many excellent mid-priced wine (try Stump Jump). I cannot say enough great things about this place. My wife and I love to try new restaurants but this is always our "go to" place with out of town friends or special occasions.

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A West Town treat...
By Patrick from Oak Park, July 5, 2008

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We had a nice dinner early on this Saturday evening. I really admire the thought behind the menus at WTT; both the food and wine menus offer a nice range of choices sure to appeal to any taste or appetite (and at reasonable prices). Since it was early, the room was relatively quiet, too, and the service was attentive (but not at all overbearing).

A fennel salad tossed with white truffle oil got us off to a great start. I then had duck confit over vegetables; it was tasty and nicely presented. My companion’s special steak salad over bulgur was surprisingly light and also delicious. For dessert, we had a banana cream pie that was to die for: its array of flavors and textures were superb. Truly a delightful meal!

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