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    Tabaq Restaurant

    3.9 (186 reviews)
    InexpensivePakistani, New American
    Open 10:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Tabaq Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Tabaq Restaurant Photos

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    TABAQ RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Tabaq Restaurant

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    Cynthia H.

    This is definitely a no frills kind of place, but almost too much for my liking. I was a bit unsettled when I saw the staff prepare my food on a plate and then walk directly to the microwave to heat it up. I ordered the tilapia and my friend ordered the chicken curry. We both didn't finish our food. There was some flavor to the meal but not much. However, Tabaq is in a good location in Near North/Cabrini area not far from the Target.

    Chanpreet K.

    Super casual/cabbie spot open 24/7 in Lincoln park serving pretty decent desi food. This is not a place you come to for a date or a proper dinner but if you're craving Indian food after a night out/clubbing in DT or especially for a take out..come right over. Some dishes are made in a buffet style so you can order straightaway, otherwise there's a whole menu like the norm. It's easier to get it off the buffet and I believe it is freshly prepared because its quite a busy place. Chicken curry tastes just like home, mango lassi is alright, paranthas are amazing and piping hot, kulfi is great. My go to is their anda parantha (omlette attached to the bread) and Chai. I don't understand why take out dishes are like a dollar or so more expensive than to dine in..that's a little weird but not the biggest issue. The staff has always been super friendly to me, I've been here so many times that I've made friends with the Uncle behind the counter, sometimes we share our Punjab stories...My Indian Punjab & his Pakistan Punjab. Overall, neat, solid, inexpensive spot!

    mutton curry with rice and a side of dal.
    Eva S.

    We came here for a late dinner after a comedy show at Second City and it was a VERY good decision. Ample helpings, flavorful dishes, and lots of options. I love lamb in general, especially in South Asian cuisine so the mutton curry was naturally my order. The friendly mustachioed man behind the counter scooped a heaping pile of rice on my plate. With the rice almost pouring over the sides, he jokingly asked, "more?" and I seriously replied "yes absolutely." After the mile-high plateful of rice from a huge vat, the gentleman popped it in the microwave. Since Tabaq is open 24/7, I imagine they only cook one vat of rice per day and heat it up for customers as the day goes on. Instead of rice, you can also choose chapatti with your dish, but I wanted something able to soak up all of the sauce. When you approach the counter, you will see all the dishes du jour. My friends ordered the chicken kabob and the spicy frontier chicken. With my mutton curry, I requested a sample of dal which was given for free. You will also get a side salad, which from Yelp pictures can range anywhere from green lettuce and tomatoes, to lettuce/onion/jalapeños (what I had). We had a larger group, so the man behind the counter told us we can close out after we finished eating. I made sure to grab a yogurt drink from the fridge (do it) and my dining companions also grabbed a mango yogurt drink. When you step inside, it's almost like a different world. Male cabbies, college students, men discussing business or individuals taking a break for a quick meal. My friends compared this, endearingly, to a spot you'd easily find in New York. As a bonus: If you need air freshener for your car, a phone charger or perhaps a SIM card, you can also purchase these items from a glass case by their front window. I wouldn't mind eating here again, and I would most likely get take-out next time so I could heat up the food even more. Heating the curry or dal over the stove and served piping hot is my ideal, so having the food barely warm is the only reason for the 4 stars. Otherwise, my highlights here are the mutton curry and the yogurt drink.

    Has updated seating
    Riam P.

    Great restaurants for authentic Indian Pako food. Great for iftar and they have a masjid inside for prayers.

    Nandana N.

    Huge let-down. I ordered a delivery it arrived 20 mins late, so I ended up waiting more than an hour. I got mutton biryani. The portion was huge but the taste was terrible. Can easily tell that there weren't a lot of spices used, the meat tasted bland. Will never order biryani from here again

    Biryani rice with Mutton curry.Salad n Mint chutney
    Harish V.

    "Hole in the wall" are my kind as there is no need to follow dress codes or make reservations,only just showing up when u feel like eating.Simple n Quick. Went around 12.30 am and not too many people. Straight to counter but Mutton Biryani was not available hence ordered Biryani rice and mutton curry that came along with rice.Naan was so fresh and mutton curry was decent and not too spicy.Biryani rice was ok but not great.Friend ordered Gulab Jamun which was hard as it was not fresh.For me Chai is a must when visiting these kind of places.Order at counter and serve yourself.As most places,the quantity is huge.Nothing to talk much on the decor. If you crave for Indian style Food after a pub crawl,this is one nearby option to downtown but if you think you can travel a bit then definitely Devon is the place. Go check out yourself

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    6 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Great atmosphere and hospitality. They also have a masjid so you don't miss prayers if you stop there. Food is affordable and tasty.

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    7 months ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food not freshly cooked, on complaint front desk staff rudely advised speak Urdu name Khalid

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    2 years ago

    Best Home Made Food in Chicago Downtown area .. Love there BBQ and Goat Palou .. Very Friendly Stuff

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    4 years ago

    The real deal! Frontier chicken is the best! We'll be ordering again and again! Delicious

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Phenomenal flavors!! Not the greatest ambiance but tried multiple dishes and everything tasted great.

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    13 years ago

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    8 years ago

    I guess my trip here was uneventful as I don't remember anything good or bad, so I'll split the difference on my ratings.

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    17 years ago

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    Headquarters Beercade River North

    Headquarters Beercade River North

    4.0
    (602 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I haven't been to a barcade where most of the games were free, so that was a really nice surprise…read more We originally just went to kick off a bar crawl, but they had trivia/Jeopardy going on, it was freezing outside (low 20s), and we ended up staying way longer than planned. It was actually a really fun time, and I'll definitely be back. The pizza looked really good too, but I didn't even see a kitchen so I'm very curious how they're making it.

    The Doctor was at an auction at Tamarkin Camera and me and The Queen and BFF #1 were looking for a…read moreplace to hang out to have a drink while waiting on him to wrap up. Unfortunately Machine was not open, which is downstairs from this place, so we went here. Usually there is a bouncer outside, covering both places, but no one was at the door so me and The Queen walked upstairs. The bouncer was upstairs and saw us come in, so he asked for ID. He explained that everyone gets card before they come in, which is not a issue for me. The overall vibe, for me, was definitely a frat hangout vibe. There are arcade games all over the place and cutesy names for beers and cocktails, like the Froot Loops (vodka, coriander honey, oat milk, shochu, saline, milk carton, and froot loops). Man I do not do cocktails and this is the reason why. There is too much going on in that glass for me to deal with. Prices for cocktails range from $14-$15. BFF #1 got a vodka soda for $13, but looking at the size of the glass, it was on the small side. BFF #1 said it was on the weak side. I was happy to hear that there was prosecco, so I got that. The Doctor showed up and got a beer. The selection of beers was limited from what I could see on the wall, maybe there was a list someone else behind the bar. The bartender was a really sweet, she was all smiles and kept calling me baby, which was so funny to me. I tipped her well because she was great on them pours of prosecco. We did not do food as we were heading to Club Lago for dinner and I didn't realize that they had food until I checked into Yelp and saw the online menu. The Queen actually went to a DJ set here with Roosevelt, I believe, and said it was a good event. Not a place I would normally hang out in, but I can see the appeal for folks in their 20s as I would definitely say outside of The Queen, the three of us were the oldest folks in there. Lots of people taking Instagram photos and posing or making short videos with those ring lights. I imagine it can get super loud when it is busy, but that is a vibe for some folks. I would say if that is your thing, this is the place for you.

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    Headquarters Beercade River North
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    Hurricane fries
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    Chalet

    Chalet

    3.7
    (191 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    Stumbled upon this gem on Valentine's Day and I lovedddddd every bit of my experience!…read more For starters, they had cute valentines themed drinks and they were so tasty! They also decorated for Valentine's Day and it was soooooo aesthetically pleasing, great picture props! The music was also a viiiiibe -- whoever was DJing understood the assignment that day! Our server's name was Alon, and she was amazing! Very attentive, sweet, and informative. I told her I needed her name so that people would know who to look for when they visited next lol. She maintained great service, even when it got busy and she had to help others! Now, let's get to the part that matters most: the food! My best friend and I both had their burgers -- so fillingggggggggg and the house made aioli chefs kiss! We already decided we'll be back to try the tacos bc Alon said they're fye and I trust her judgement! The drinkssssssss -- honey listen, the champagne drink was a cute starter bc that margarita definitely didn't come to play! Also -- we didn't have reservations and still were seated in a timely manner with timely service! I'll be revisiting them for sure!

    Amazing service and the food was delicious! I'm so glad they offer a breakfast board filled with a…read morevariety of brunch foods because that was perfect for me and my friends to share. I love how they bring out shots in a cute airplane as well & offer mimosa towers as well. It looks small from the outside but Chalet is actually very spacious and has upstairs seating as well.

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    Chalet
    Crab Cakes
    Crab Cakes
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    Arbella

    Arbella

    4.4
    (697 reviews)
    1.0 mi
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    We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

    (Kari's Rating 8.75/10)…read more Came with a friend late on a Friday night after dinner time We were able to be seated almost immediately at a nice little private Cove table. We ordered a flight of whiskey sours, which contained whiskeys from Japan, Vietnam, and Wisconsin. I also was able to order an amaretto sour, which they made with freshly hand beaten egg whites, which was a nice cherry on the top. As far as the whiskey flights go, I think the best one was the Vietnam flight because it had a slightly lemongrass twang and was a little bit lighter than the other two. The heaviest one was the Wisconsin which came with a little bit of a bite at the end, but it still wasn't bad if you're trying to blackout on a $15 budget. I would definitely come back with a larger group this seems like a great place, but is a little bit loud- so if you be prepared to yell or wear earplugs. The bathroom took my a second to find, which should have been intuitive considering it was on the opposite end of where you come in. I blame the lighting as things are already pretty hard to find in the dark, but eventually I made it there-Pat myself on the back.

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    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    Crab rangoon
    Crab rangoon
    Vietnam Old Fashioned

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    Vietnam Old Fashioned
    Beatrix

    Beatrix

    4.2
    (2.7k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Wow, those fish tacos were incredible! Absolutely packed with flavor and easily the highlight of…read morethe meal. The atmosphere was fun, welcoming, and relaxed, making it a great place to sit down and enjoy a meal. The location is also very convenient, especially if you're visiting the nearby hospital. I would definitely recommend this spot and will be back again.

    Beatrix has multiple locations in the city. I came here for a work dinner, and we had a private…read moreroom on the side, which was actually really nice because it was light and open feeling (versus many of the darker, smaller private spaces I've been in work work events). Drinks: - Pineapple jalapeno margarita: well balanced, good kick, nice presentation Food: - Whipped feta: with black truffle honey and seeded crackers - a great starter with lots of textures and flavors - Straight A salad: all the A letter words - arugula, avocado, Asian pear, asiago, almond - a good combination, not overly dressed - Spicy rigatoni alla vodka: actually fairly spicy, which made it a more interesting dish - Faroe Islands salmon: with honey mustard glaze, warm farro salad, dill yogurt - Chicken Terri D: parmesan crusted chicken breast filets with white wine, roasted asparagus, lemon - Tall, Dark & Handsome Chocolate Cake: chocolate cake and cheesecake in one To be honest, I wasn't expecting much since they have multiple locations, and it was a larger group dinner, but the food was solid, and the busy server kept up with our large group very graciously. The location was also really convenient!

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    Atmosphere
    Atmosphere
    Shakshouka
    Shakshouka
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    Girl & The Goat

    Girl & The Goat

    4.4
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    1.5 mi
    $$$

    This is hands/down one of our favorite restaurants in the U.S. ! You heard that right! IN. THE…read more UNITED STATES! Chef Stephanie Izard is a food genius! The winner of Season 4 of Top Chef and the first female winner in the show's history, she has built a restaurant that continues to impress us every single time we visit Chicagoat. Be sure to make your reservation in advance because you will not be seated without one due to its popularity among both locals and tourists. We come here every time we visit Chicagoat. The food is absolutely amazing. We had the following dishes: 1. Roasted Pig Face Straw fries topped with roasted pork face, a sunny egg, and a collection of magical sauces that somehow transform into pure comfort when mixed together. I don't even know exactly what's in the sauce, but I don't need to know. This dish is divine and an absolute must-order. The crispy fries, rich and tender pork that practically melts apart, silky egg yolk, and savory sauce create a dish that is indulgent, comforting, and ridiculously delicious 2. Green Beans Not featured in the photo because we ate them too fast. Enough said. Get them. 3. Goat Mousse The menu changes periodically, so this was a new dish for us. The goat mousse was creamy, rich, and surprisingly light, served with sweet jam, crumpets, crackers, pickles, and giardiniera. The contrast of sweet, tangy, creamy, crunchy, and savory flavors creates a little flavor party in your mouth. Every bite can be customized differently, which made this dish especially fun to share. 4. Pork Belly & Watermelon Perfectly cooked pork belly with a crisp exterior and rich, savory flavor, balanced beautifully by refreshing watermelon cubes and fresh greens. I don't know how healthy it is, but we aren't here for health. We're here for flavor. We're here for comfort. We're here to be punched in the soul with food that we will never forget! The sweet, juicy watermelon cuts through the richness of the pork belly and creates a combination that sounds unusual but works incredibly well. 5. Halibut with Thai Sprouts A beautifully cooked piece of halibut served with Thai sprouts, miso marcona butter, and blueberry fish sauce. Yes, blueberry fish sauce. And yes, it works. The fish was flaky, buttery, and perfectly cooked. The savory umami from the miso butter paired with the subtle sweetness and acidity from the fish sauce created a combination that was balanced, and memorable yet surprising to me. The restaurant itself has a dark, energetic atmosphere and is always packed. The tables are definitely close together, but given how popular the restaurant is, I understand why they maximize the space. Absolutely recommend coming here. Your tummies won't regret it.

    I had a splendid dinner at Girl & The Goat. Was seated promptly when I arrived for my dinner…read morereservation and my seat had a view of the kitchen. It was so fun to chat with the chefs and watch them prepare dishes. I ordered the roasted "pig face" potatoes and the famous sautéed green beans. While waiting for my food, the chef surprised me with complimentary chickpea fritters to try. All of the dishes tasted incredibly delicious and this was the best restaurant I ate at during my trip. The atmosphere was cozy and romantic. I would definitely dine here again the next time I am in Chicago.

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    Girl & The Goat
    Girl & The Goat
    Girl & The Goat

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    Yardbird Table & Bar

    Yardbird Table & Bar

    3.8
    (452 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Gluten-free friendly

    Dropped into Yardbird in Chicago for their happy hour, and it proved to be a great choice. The…read moreatmosphere was lively, but what really elevated the night was the exceptional service. Our server, Miguel, was phenomenal. She was attentive, fast, and gave us some spot-on recommendations. Per her advice, we ordered the deviled eggs with jalapeño, hands down the highlight of the table. The deviled eggs with paired with that subtle jalapeño kick was absolutely perfect. For the mains, the chicken and waffles were good, carrying that solid comfort food flavor you expect. The waffles were a bit soft for my taste. To drink, the sidecar was mixed perfectly, well-balanced, crisp, and hit the exact right note. Giving it 4 stars only because while the mains were good, the starters and the outstanding service from Miguel were what truly stole the show. I'll definitely be back to hang out at the bar again nest time I am in town!

    Very first time visiting Yardbird's while visiting Chicago since it was on our to- try list. We…read moredidn't have a reservation but were able to be sat immediately. We were greeted by the host in which I believe to be the manager. He was pleasant and welcome. The restaurant itself is aesthetically appealing and it gives an upscale vibe. We sat and didn't have to wait too long for the waitress. She was nice and assisted up accordingly! I ordered the bottle of champagne for mimosas with pineapple and orange juice and was pleasantly surprised by the $35 price since we're used to paying twice that back home. The food came out pretty quick and was hot and ready to eat. All of our food was good well and we all enjoyed our dishes. My only takeaway would be if guests ordered bottled water and/or champagne, the waitress should poor them into the glasses for you. From my experience, this is something that I thought was a norm. Overall, great place to eat!

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    Yardbird Table & Bar
    Yardbird Table & Bar
    Yardbird Table & Bar

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    Tabaq Restaurant - pakistani - Updated June 2026

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