Extremely disappointed with this establishment. On Thursday, May 14, I made a reservation for 4 on Sunday, May 17, at 7 p.m. and the reservation was confirmed as seen in the photo below. I also called Tabu the night before the reservation on Saturday, May 16, to confirm and it was. I show up yesterday, on Sunday at 6:50 p.m. with my friends and I am rudely told there is a private event till 10 p.m. I tell the security guy and a lady in red who seemed like a manager that I had a reservation and showed them my confirmation on my phone. The lady in red told me to wait a minute. I'm guessing another lady who seemed like a chaperone rudely told me, "tienen una reservación?" to which I told her I have a reservation... she continued trying to tell ask me if I had a reservation and I had to tell her 3 TIMES, "I already spoke to someone." This was none of her business. The lady in red who seemed like a manager comes back out to tell me she's sorry but they have a private event for a MIDDLE SCHOOL graduation... my friends and I are dressed up, make up/hair done, bouquet of flowers in hand and she has the audacity to tell me, "would you like us to schedule your reservation for another day?" Tabu just lost 4 customers. This was my 30th birthday celebration and I CHOSE this establishment to pretty much be kicked away for a MIDDLE SCHOOL graduation private event after my reservation was confirmed not once but TWICE. However everything worked out for the best. Ambra was able to get me a table and whole heartedly apologized when I told them what happened at TABU. I got a free glass of champagne for my birthday, the staff was AMAZING, the food/drinks and my steak were a 12/10. My friends and I now know where to go in the future. So thank you guys for showing me where I should've gone in the first place. read more

Tabu Bistro Lounge - Steakhouses Near Me - McAllen, Texas

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TABU is pure upscale luxury from the moment you walk in. We went for an early dinner at 6. The vibe is modern elite and unapologetically polished. We went to celebrate my graduation and it could not have been a better choice. This place delivers on experience atmosphere and food. The interior feels like an exclusive adventure. Plush velvet seating rich textures and a stunning projector animation moving across the ceiling make the space feel immersive and dramatic. The mirrored wall is absolutely beautiful and a perfect spot for photos. Every detail feels intentional and elevated. Now the food. Amazing spectacular give me 20. I had the wagyu steak with papas bravas and it was incredibly tender perfectly cooked and full of flavor. My husband ordered the lobster which was sweet in the best way and cooked just right. My girls had the salmon and they loved it which says a lot. I ordered a margarita from the libations menu and it was divine balanced smooth and memorable. We finished the night with cheesecake and literal fireworks which made the celebration feel extra special. Special shout out to the cauliflower appetizer. You must try it. TABU is luxury done right and a perfect place for a milestone celebration. read more

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Ambiance was so lovely! The bar was beautiful, they ceiling had stars this night but they change it up. My friends and I had a great time. The food is on the pricier side but it's worth it. We got the Arrachera Wagyu (left) and the Filet Mignon (right). Both were delicious. My friends liked the drinks and the service was alright. read more

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I made a reservation here for my birthday and unfortunately the experience was incredibly disappointing from start to finish. When we arrived, we were first seated at a booth and immediately asked if we could switch tables. They accommodated us, which I appreciated, but after that the service completely fell apart. Our waiter took an extremely long time to attend to us despite the restaurant not being busy at all. When our food finally came out, only 6 out of 10 people at the table received their meals. The other 4 never got their food. After waiting over an hour, I finally asked what happened and was told the kitchen "did not make it." Instead of fixing the issue or prioritizing the missing meals, it felt like they would rather we simply go without the food altogether. The whole interaction made us feel rushed out and unwelcome. To make matters worse, I had to personally go to the kitchen to find our waiter just to ask him to bring out the birthday cake I brought in. I also had to ask both the waiter and the manager multiple times just to have the table cleaned. At several points there were barely any staff members visible on the floor, and guests were awkwardly looking around trying to get assistance. The restaurant was not busy, which made the lack of service even more confusing. Overall, the experience was disorganized, uncomfortable, and honestly made my birthday feel awkward instead of special. Very disappointing. read more

The coolest ceiling screen ever, but the music is way too loud. It has a good ambience, but if the music wasn't so pumping it would be more relaxing. We went to celebrate our anniversary & was glad when they asked. They asked if we wanted a celebration & we happily said yes. There was a guy in a suit that asked if we wanted water to drink & I thought that was the beginning of a good evening. I wish I would've listened to the Yelp rating. All we got was water & the drink order was never asked again. There was a waiter that kept hovering around constantly asking if we were ready to order. Didn't even give us a chance to read the menu. My husband finally ordered the beet salad appetizer, which I thought was tasty. Before the beet salad arrived, he brought rolls with 3 bowls, without even introducing what he was bringing, which were cinnamon butter with 2 salsas. ? Asked again if we were ready to order. Told him I wanted our appetizer first. Then the appetizer came (beets). Asked again if we were ready to order. Told him I wanted to enjoy the appetizer. Finally I signaled I was ready to order. Ordered the skirt steak with a show & my husband ordered the salmon. We didn't see the waiter for a while after that--- just a lot of employees standing around. The show was one guy lighting up liquor to pour on my fajitas; no intro or nothing & gave it to me burning; the 8 fajita strips they gave me had absolutely no seasoning. The only tasty item on my plate were the papas locas. While eating the bread, or, appetizer, or meal, they kept wanting to remove my husband's plate so many times, it was too funny. Anyway, behind me I think one of the owner's came in because, first he went to the kitchen, said hi to a bunch of employees just standing around, then sat behind me. As soon as he sat, the whole staff was just waiting on that table completely ignoring us & other tables. We had ran out of water & I asked a guy passing by if he had a pitcher with cold water & if he could fill my cup. He said no, they didn't have water except in water bottles; seriously? After we finished our dinner I asked for the dessert menu. Guy with the suit passing by dropped it off as he was going to the table behind me. As he was passing by, he was about to take the menu & asked if anything interested me. I asked for the mostachon. It was very hard to cut & was very dense. We never got our celebration so we asked for the tab. Finally the waiter showed up again & hands me a $192 tab that included an additional 4% fee & an 18% tip (we usually tip 20%, even if the service is sub-par). For what we paid, it should have been an exceptional meal & better service. Owners...train your staff... teach your employees that customers come first since they pay your bills. read more

We were really looking forward to this place, especially with how beautiful the interior is. The ambiance is great and the light show on the ceiling is definitely impressive. It feels upscale when you walk in. Unfortunately, the food didn't match the setting. The chairs were extremely uncomfortable, which made it hard to relax during dinner. When the steaks came out, we immediately noticed how tough they were. They were so chewy we honestly needed a sharper knife just to cut through them, and even then they weren't enjoyable to eat. We also ordered two lobsters, one came out undercooked and the other was overcooked and rubbery. For the price point, that was really disappointing. The bill was over $300 per couple, and not one entree was even semi-enjoyable. At that price, you expect consistency and quality. If you're going, I'd recommend going for drinks and enjoying the ambiance, but I personally wouldn't go back for the food. read more

Don't bother...look for somewhere else to have dinner...if this place has a chef, it certainly didn't seem like it. Food was cold as it reached our table.Meat was not cut properly,(had the arachera plate), ie, making hard to bite, chew. Definetly no butchery experiece, and potatoes were under cooked. As i was being seated by hostess, my tables' chairs were on the brink of breaking, wobbly to the point of discartment. So took the liberty of swapping them out with another tables' chairs, meanwhile the manager just looked on and smiled, no guest service at all. And let me add that we were the only customers there, place was empty on a friday(december 5,'25) at 6:30pm. And to complete the evening, our silverware was dirty! Food stains! Horrible....the positive to this place was that its a very nice place decorative, feels like fine dining but definetly not. And our waitress was nice and polite. read more

If you look vertigo inducing light shows with your meal then this is the place for you. Drinks are mediocre at best. Nothing impressive about a parade of waiters bringing out a bottle of Tito's vodka in cardboard cutout AMEX card. Fire dancers are cool but wasted at this place. read more

Ambiance was nice when we first arrived. We felt pressured to order due to having 2-3 waiters hovering over us as we viewed the menu. What I thought was going to be a chill dinner turned into a night club with music thumping unable to have conversations without yelling across the table. Food was good but drinks were mediocre. We ordered drinks from their menu priced $10 and were charged $14. Both, my wife's and I entree was priced at $25 each which was the Angels Pasta w/ choice of chicken, beef, or shrimp. My entree was up charged $25 extra dollars totaling $50 for mine. My sister ordered the fillet mignon which was $35 and she was up charged to $45. There were other fishy fees added that waiter was unsure of on my final bill. After bringing these charges up, the waiter made the corrections needed to get my bill to where it needed to be, well kinda. After reviewing my receipt at home I noticed he reduced my drink $2 which came out to $12 rather than $10. Dollars hat a bummer, I dislike leaving negative comments/reviews, however , really felt this establishment takes advantage by overcharging their customers. Be mindful and double check your final bill. I will not return to this place as it left a very bad taste in my mouth, no pun intended. read more

We had an amazing time. I was hesitant to go after reading the other reviews but my daughter wanted to go for her birthday. I think the key difference may be an early reservation, ours was for 6:30 pm. I called a week ahead and made a reservation for six and asked who I was speaking with. I called to confirm the reservation the day before AND the day of with the same young lady. We were seated right away and were taken care of by several staff. There were only 3 other tables seated while we were there. When we left at 8:30 pm it was just starting to fill in. The drinks were fun and different, with the use of dry ice and the food was yummy but a bit pricey. But for a a birthday dinner, it was all more than worth it! The pasta cooked at the table, the bone marrow tacos and the salmon were our table favorite. read more

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The atmosphere is like no other! Beautiful scenery and tons of places for photo ops! The food was delicious and a great variety of food! The server was very attentive and helpful the entire time! We loved every moment we were there! Definitely recommend it for any kind of special event! read more

Tabu Bistro Lounge - Steakhouses Near Me - McAllen, Texas

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The ambiance at Tabu is so beautiful, perfect for date night or even a cute place to grab brunch/lunch with the girls. We made a dinner reservation and we're seated at the "Jungle" & had a few cocktails. My favorite drink was the Itzae I definitely recommend. The shrimp aguachiles were also a must 10/10. My husband and I spilt a Ribeye which was tasty but a bit fatty but other than that we had a great experience! I even got to take home some of their cheese cake for dessert and it was the perfect night cap. We were so pleased to find this hidden gem in downtown Mcallen. read more

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The service was horrible, reserved a table for 15 people and had to put a deposit down for just that and when we finally all got there we ordered shots because the waiter said the deposit would cover that so why not then we were about to order drinks when the waiter told us we had to buy a bottle to have this table and that wasn't even told to us when we called but we said okay let's do it, got the bottle and the waiter served us once and took off didn't see him for like 15 minutes later then he appeared and I had to chase him to order my drink and he was really rude about it got the drink which was great but when we ordered food he got it all wrong and 3 of us never got it also it took like 30 min and during all that wait we were also trying to order drinks and still waiting I finally got up to speak to a so called manager who doesn't speak English not a problem but he gave me an apology with a pretty picture that he was going to fix it and send us drinks okay we waited and nothing happened, we got frustrated asked for the bill and that also took forever to get...oh yes we got the bill and it was all wrong, they charged us for the 3 orders we never got and charged us for 12 shots that cost $216 and the bottle was $250 oh and on top of that they charged us $30 for the mixers of course I had to get up and try and fix all this but it was so bad I couldn't ruin my night anymore so it kinda got fixed and we paid oh and to eat at that table was so uncomfortable the ones who got their food had to eat of their laps yes that bad One waiter was so nice he tried to fix it but a little to late this restaurant was the worse place I've ever been too will not go back and I highly don't recommend this place The only good thing about it is that it looks so nice again service there is horrible and a rip off! Daniel was not our server btw he was the one who tried really hard to fix it all and felt bad for us. read more

Tabu Bistro Lounge - Receipt - Steakhouses Near Me - McAllen, Texas

It's a bit overpriced for what you get, the aguachiles were ok, I don't understand the BBQ chips (from a bag) served as a side with the shrimp. The atmosphere is enjoyable although the lighting was too dark to see the rareness of the steak or the occasional soggy shrimp I couldn't see only felt once I chewed. The attire seems to be formal/club attire. Overall it was an experience, but not somewhere I'd choose to dine again. Tip for Tabu: if your server isn't going to cut the lettuce head in show of skill combined with a proper toss, don't bother bringing a whole head out to cut on the table, it looked clumsy and lazy. It wasn't impressive. read more

Estuve super incomoda todo el tiempo ahí.. Las mesas incomodas en el área de afuera estaba super caliente y no tenían ni siquiera un ventilador y cuando nos movimos adentro me fastidio tanto show cada 10 minutos y lo peor el humo de los cohetes que prenden .. La comida decorada muy bonita pero almenas mi carne estaba quemada y sin sabor. La verdad no fue lo que yo esperaba y no regresaría al lugar. read more

My husband and I ordered the three cheese pasta and the center cut beef tenderloin. While the pasta was good, the real star was the steak. It was very well seasoned and so tender it practically melted in my mouth. The ambiance is very nice and romantic. They had great drinks. I will definitely go back. It is very pricey though. The wait staff was VERY attentive. read more

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Oh my goodness. Everything was delicious. We started with the ceviche and ribeye aguachile at the recommendation of the manager. My husband had the seafood pasta and I got the Nigerian shrimp. Way too much food for just the two of us, but no regrets. read more

Tabu Bistro Lounge - Steakhouses Near Me - McAllen, Texas

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Amazing! Almost five stars. I was only in town for the weekend and wanted to see what the hype was about. I called and texted and getting a hold of them for reservations is IMPOSSIBLE. We decided to show up and no tables were available. We went to the bar where we met Rocio. I told her about how we were only here for the night and would've loved to been able to experience Tabu but reservations never answered us. She went above and beyond and found a way to get us seated and we were able to eat dinner. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE. I LOVED IT!!!! Tabu has Miami vibes and plays allll types of music. Everywhere you look is a sensory overload and this is definitely the place to be. Thank you so much Rocio! read more

Tabu Bistro Lounge - Steakhouses Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Worst place I have been they'd service took forever. I would think for a hefty bill the service would be better.

Fantastic food, service and ambiance. Celebrated a birthday and it was quite an experience. Liquor is overpriced but you get an exciting experience nonetheless. read more

The environment was great! They had an acrobat, jazz player, fire ring person and lots of bottle sparkles. The Caesar salad was amazing but the actual dish we ordered I think it was called the seafood jungle and it said it was cooked shrimp and scallops and when they brought it out it was raw. I didn't even bother telling our waiter because it would have taken forever for them to bring out a new dish. It was basically ceviche which was upsetting. Service does take forever so expect that going in. read more

Tabu. Was. Terrible. The only star is only earned by the great environment the restaurant provides. It has the potential to be a great upscale restaurant where you have a couple of drinks with your friends, but that's where the positivity ends. The service was absolutely horrible. We had a party of 8 and it took almost 2 hours for us to get our DRINKS. This was even after constantly nagging and letting our server know that we were still missing them....and the drinks were okay at best. The food was absolutely horrendous, especially when you see the prices! $30 for a small portion of three cheese pasta that can be made at home for $4 is an absolute crime. The ribeye was ordered was supposed to be medium and came out well done. Most of it was fat too!! If you love below average food, terrible service, insanely high prices, and have money to blow for gimmicky experiences..then this place is perfect for you! read more

I was very upset with the beginning of the evening. We had a reservation made over a week ago and it was confirmed twice. This was for a bday celebration, party of 6. When we arrived, they did not have our reservation AT ALL. The hostess was not compassionate about the situation and told us we were going to be on the waitlist. There was no apology, nothing on their end to make us feel like they made a mistake and wanted to fix it. They ended up setting up 2 tall round tables together by the restroom hall!!! We were shocked that they thought this would work. We were literally in the walkway of the restrooms in a corner. By this time one hr had passed and we still were not satisfied. We requested to move to a new table and finally they sat us down. Customer service and reservations department need to be worked on. read more

Excellent service and food is amazing and entertainment is awesome.. perfect for birthdays or any celebration

Worst food and drink had the pasta and the shrimp and scallops were grossly over cooked we also had the steak had no seasoning or flavor I would not recommend this place to anyone! read more

Extremely unprofessional and don't care about reservations Made a reservation a week in advance, called and messaged them the day before that it was going to be a birthday celebration and they told us not to worry everything will be ready. Arrived with the group and cake & they told us that they see our reservation but we still had to wait, first come first serve. read more

I love this place, the food is great, specially the salads, service too and it's a fun place to hang out club style but being comfortable in your table. The music is great and service too. read more

This place is a disaster. I don't write many yelps. I've been to Tulum, which is the vibe they are going for. I lived there for 4 months. Inside looks great. Service is SO bad. It's really bad. The owner is just worried about throwing a party and living a life. It's honestly embarrassing how bad the service is. Listen to the other reviews. It's true. read more

They charged $5 for water, the server gave himself a 25% tip, and they charge you for not using cash. They also had an intimate setting with a simultaneous club vibe which was confusing. Food was decent. Won't return here read more

Food is overpriced, service slow and complete rip off for $70 hookah. Took and hour and a half after ordering to get my food.

Great ambience , food was delicious, service could be a bit better there was a confusion with the reservation / and the waiting time was a bit long despite the reservation however the waiter was on point. We ordered elotes as an appetizer and to my taste they could do wayyy better ( it was only chili powder extremely spicy you couldn't eat it and pieces of cheese ) Overall, it was a good experience read more

Where to start?! Service was so bad. Had way too many people taking orders at our table with no coordination of effort. Didn't have any sides that came with the main dish. My side was supposed to be "Hindu rice" which is super culturally insensitive and ignorant, but don't worry - they didn't have it available. Food overall was really subpar - told us all the steaks came out medium well because they couldn't see in the kitchen. Huh?! Took over an hour to get our checks and many were incorrect - we were overcharged for multiple items which weren't able to be corrected since people from our party had already left. They say it's a Mediterranean bistro but there's nothing Mediterranean in the building or on the menu. Unless you count the "Mediterranean platter" that they were out of, but would bring you a plate of hummus and a few crackers for $20 if you really wanted it. Nor is it a bistro. If you're looking to eat dinner in a club with thumping bass that gets progressively louder every 15 minutes, this is your spot. The drinks under the "mixologia" section of the menu were decent, but don't go there expecting them to be able to make any other drinks on their menu (basic things like a manhattan, old fashioned, Moscow mule, etc.). List of liquor selections was also minimal and disappointing, but if sparklers and overpriced bottle service are your jam, party on. Don't waste your time and money on this spot unless they significantly improve the core tenants of operating a food and beverage establishment, which seems highly unlikely. read more

We joined some friends and met up here to see what it was all about. First thing we we told while walking up to the place was, "Tienen reservaciones?" No greeting, no smile, no, "Good evening, welcome, how can we serve you tonight?" Thankfully we did have reservations. Once inside, the hostess says the same thing, "Tienen reservaciones?" Word of advice from someone with plenty of experience in the culinary and entertainment industry, greet people! Ask how you can help or serve, hear out the customer and then ask if they have reservations. Food was subpar, not much I can say about that. Great decor, and vibe. Plenty of good photo ops. If you want a restaurant/club vibe, this is a great option in Mcallen. No doubt it's a "status comes first type of atmosphere" and I get it. Valet parks the exotics up front and the not so exotics hidden away. Haha! Anyhow, don't come for a nice dinner. Instead, come to drink, get loud with friends and drink some more. read more

The vibe is great. Although the food is meant to be gourmet it's not great quality for the price. I do however enjoy the entertainment and the overall look of the venue. It's such a great place to have in the valley. read more

This place may be good, but I'll never know. I called them and no answer; I sent a text, no response; I sent a request on their web site, no response; their web site says to use their book a table - but there is no link. It's been a week since trying to get a reservation - I give up. Not sure how they will be able to stay in business with this type of follow-up. read more

First they lost our reservation and stuck us outside in the cold. Our food came out at seperate times and was cold. It took 4 tries to get one order right. Service was terrible. I will not go back. Literally was the worst service I have had in years. read more

Been talking about going here for awhile! Can't get back fast enough. We came early for an evening out, no reservation and were seated promptly. Took the recommendation of our appetizer and we're not disappointed. Our meals came before we were done with the appetizer which would usually be off putting but they killed it with the entrées. Service was on point and they really want to please. read more

Soooooo I see a 3 star review!!! Thank God I still came!!!' This place is amazing!!! Great food, drinks and most importantly great service!! The vibe is for people that like good music!! I recommend the pork belly to tacos! They are a 10/10!!! read more

Disappointed with the services! Booked my birthday party there at their private garden lounge . During my party they totally forgot about us. As the girls and I walked around the club to look for the manager, we saw all the flare show and music at their main lounge. I never received my birthday cake, they promised with a light/flare show". We got their famous Akashi steak , we ordered medium and received an over cooked dry steak. We payed over $3,000+ for our private event and we were very disappointed. We were totally neglected with the service . read more

Estuvo bien pero no era lo que yo esperaba.. En la parte dr afuera esta super caliente y no tienen ningun ventilador la comida esta pasable