Delicious. The kind of place where there's always a kid doing homework or playing with legos at one of the tables in the back. Built on consistency and neighborhood loyalty. Basically two places in one: * Boba Tea - Grab a drink and walk the park across the street. Fantastic boba texture and flavor. * Restaurant - Focus on the Popcorn Chicken and the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup A easy place to make a regular haunt. read more

The food is amazing! The braised pork rice, the tomato beef noodle soup, popcorn chicken and the spicy beef noodles are my go-to. The quality is consistent every time I go. The service is extremely quick and I usually only wait 10 minutes for dishes to come out. There is a parking lot outside but it is limited and shared with other businesses. read more

Taipei Cafe - Tomato Beef Noodle Soup and Popcorn Chicken - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm told true Taiwanese cuisine is near impossible to find in these parts. Taipei Cafè offers a quaint little dining space. Intimate. But does leave seating limited. Maybe pick off-peak hours to dine in? The ambiance is perfect for two. The hostess was very polite and friendly. An excellent greeting for out-of-town guests. I like that they serve generous portions at a decent price. Both Mrs. E. and I enjoyed the Popcorn Chicken and the Plum flavoured fried Sweet Potato. I was the only fan of the Squid in thick broth. I noticed that all the broths we tasted were very salty. Not being used to eating Taiwanese, I figured this may be typical of this fare. While it was bold of us to venture out and try things on our own, this one didn't go well, probably due to our naivety. 09/25 read more

Got the shrimp omelet and the texture was chewy and a lil crisp on some edges. The sauce on top was really good. Not too oily or heavy. I enjoyed. My friend got a noodle soup and asked for veggies added. They just added a bunch of bok choy, no variety. And the broth n seasoning wasnt special. Inside is chill, family style, hot pot looked good but i wasnt that hungry. The boba smelled great on the way out. Staff was reserved n to the point. If im at Palmisano park, might come by to try their boba. Otherwise, not feeling too inclined to return. read more

My boyfriend and I went here because it was relatively close to the Midway airport. We were surprised by how good the popcorn chicken was - the outside was crispy but the inside was still juicy. It was also seasoned well. The mapo tofu was also flavorful and perfectly saucy. The pickled cucumber was good too. I wouldn't recommend the Taipei milk tea - they use assam tea but the tea flavor was barely there. Their boba was pretty decent though (they use brown sugar boba). The waitress had recommended 30% sweetness because of how sweet the boba is, but I do wonder if the milk tea would've tasted better if it was 50% sweetness instead. I also wouldn't order the beef noodle soup again. The beef was tender but the soup was just okay. But overall, the food exceeded our expectations and would definitely come here again if we were craving Taiwanese food! read more

Taipei Cafe - Mapo Tofu, Popcorn Chicken, Taipei Milk Tea and Spicy Beef Noodle Soup - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The popcorn chicken was really good although the seasoning wasn't evenly distributed. The beef noodle soup was a bit too salty for me. The milk tea was not okinawa in anyway but the pearl was not too bad. I didn't taste much tea fragrance or anything. Service was great. read more

See all

Pretty amazing and authentic Taiwanese cuisine restaurant serving fare like oyster omelettes, beef noodle soups (the herbal soup variety is awesome), hot pot bowls, minced pork rice or lu rou fan, Taiwanese rice rolls (the one with tuna salad is great), many varieties of boba milk tea, herbal/black/green/fruit teas, other beverages and much more! The service is very attentive (they periodically remove used bowls, etc. from your table). Interior dining environs also very spacious, with cool mural designs on the walls. There is also another location located in Chicago's Chinatown. Most highly recommended! read more

See all

My friend and I went to Taipei Cafe for lunch after church on Sunday. The restaurant is located in Bridgeport, about a 7 minute walk from the Orange Line. Their menu offers a wide variety of choices including appetizers, hotpot, rice, and noodles etc... All very traditional Taiwanese dishes. I ordered the tomato noodle soup with beef. The noodles were cooked just right with a satisfying chew. The tomato broth was rich and tangy, with a well-balanced acidity that paired perfectly with the tender, flavorful beef. It arrived about 10 minutes after ordering and was served piping hot, perfect for a chilly day! For the rewards program, you can link your Chowbus account using your phone number. You will receive 5% back in rewards, which can be used toward your next visit. read more

Taipei Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I think this dine-in experience was much better than the takeout we had. The menu is extensive. This time we tried their signature red braised beef noodle soup and the Tomato beef noodle soup. Both were pretty good, noodles were springy, soup base slightly spicy. My oldest and my husband both were impressed with the flavor, but I thought it was a little more muted than I'd like, but maybe I'm having taste bud issues. I liked that they had the "fat beef" which is like the thin cuts you used in hotpot as an option because it's easier for younger kids to eat, and it's less spicy. I really liked their three cup tofu, very flavorful sauce and they were generous with the veggies and tofu. I got the kids a small Luroufan to try, the small one doesn't come with veggies but it's fine, the kids really liked it. Lastly, we got the chocolate bubble waffle. Staff was super helpful in giving us extra plates to split those. The service was really good. They brought extra napkin and utensils without us having to ask. The space is pretty roomy and there parking, which is a huge upside. I think we would def try to come back despite it being a little pricy, although the portion sizes were decent. Glad we decided to try to give it a go again after the pandemic! read more

See all

I'm updating my rating to five stars after returning several times for more excellent food. Love their spicy beef noodle soup!

Parking here is a hit or miss. Very small lot. The service is quick. We came for the Taiwanese popcorn chicken and it didn't disappoint, crispy exterior and juicy interior. The batter was already seasoned well and didn't even need extra dip. The basil pieces were fried to perfection. The pork cheek and tongue were tender. Could be sliced a bit thinner but carried the sauce well. The braised pork over rice was warm and cozy. The adventurous hot pot was okay. A lot of the pieces didn't really absorb any flavor and the sticky tofu wasn't silky/soft, kind of felt more like sour, frozen tofu. The crème brûlée milk tea had a nice thick cream layer but because it was sealed there wasn't a brulee top so it lacked the caramel flavor. I would probably get something besides the hot pot next time. Everything else was yummy and filling. read more

Taipei Cafe - Popcorn chicken Taipei Adventurous Hot Pot Sliced Pork Cheek Meat and Tongue Braised Pork over Rice Creme Brule Milk Tea - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Wow! Absolutely delicious, and such a cozy small Taiwanese restaurant that serves mini hotpot, rice bentos, and noodle soups with a huge assortment of Taiwanese night market snacks. We got the popcorn chicken, which was absolutely huge and so delicious! Probably the biggest portion I've ever seen at a restaurant. Perfectly crispy on the outside with tender dark meat and seasoned super well with five spice. The star of the show was definitely the tomato and fatty beef noodle soups, which came with a generous portion of fatty hotpot beef and a rich tomato flavor with chewy white noodles. The braised pork belly bento came with a nice assortment of sides, including pickled veggies, marinated egg, and bok choy. Our food was delivered to our table very quickly too! So this is perfect for a quick meal. read more

See all

I remember going here when they first opened. They still have popcorn chicken and oyster omelet on the menu! I am so glad they are still open! I finally took my mom here, mainly because she was into the free parking. We are Cantonese but enjoy all kinds of Asian. My mom just can't take a lot of spice. She never built up any tolerance and that's fine because Taipei Cafe had non-spicy options. We went twice in a week span so on a rainy Saturday night and a Tuesday night. There were a couple of tables but as dinner went on, all the seats were filled. They get busy fast! We got their bento boxes. My mom got Crispy bbq pork and I got a braised chicken thigh and a crispy pork chop two different times. I think the braised chicken thigh wins out. It was tender and I could get the meat off the bone. Pork chop was kinda fatty and hard to bite off a piece to chew. I also really like their milk tea. I usually get an oolong milk tea with tapioca. I'd come back for sure. They get a ton of different people and ages so I think it's a good spot. It has been there for years and they built out more of the strip with businesses since it's opened. Hopefully it withstands time! read more

This place is a hidden gem. I liked everything I ordered here and my Taiwanese friends all say this is the most authentic Taiwan place. Popcorn chicken - this is my favorite dish here. They came out hot and crispy. Also, the seasoning the used was fresh. They were also generous with quantities here and the meat was moist. I will be coming back for more. Meat plate - the cooked pork feet was a good combo of fatty and lean meat. Having both at the same time compliments each other well and the sauce adds some saltyness to pair with the savoryness. Oyster/pork intestines noodle soup and the hot pot- tastes great! Lots of diversity in what they give in the pot. Everything is well cooked and savory. The restaurant is a small cozy shop that seems family run. The service is fast too. read more

See all

My friend and I ordered takeout from here on Doordash for our podcast recording. The food was ready pretty quick! We got the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, the Fried Chicken Cutlet Bento, and the Braised Pork Bento. I also got a bubble tea. I LOVE the Braised Pork (which my friend described as "the hamburger of Taiwan" in that it's super common fast food) and would 100% order that every time I'm back. The Fried Chicken Cutlet was also pretty good. The spicy beef noodle soup was not really my thing but my friend likes it a lot! read more

Taipei Cafe - Some of my portion of the braised pork bento (top), fried chicken cutlet bento (bottom), and Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place can quickly fill up, especially on the weekends, but if you come early enough you can easily get seating for a large party. You'll also likely find a spot in the small parking lot in front if you arrive early. Otherwise, budget some time to look for street parking. If you enjoy beef noodle soup, definitely should try the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. There's also a non-spicy tomato version as well, but the original is better. Another favorite is the Taipei Special Hot Pot. We also enjoyed the Braised Pork Belly Box which comes with a side of soup. The popcorn chicken is also good if you're wanting fried, crispy chicken. Lots of options to try that will remind you of Taiwan. Paying in cash is preferred here so be sure to plan ahead to get a discount! read more

See all

Ambiance - cute casual date spot, great for small groups and family Service - speedy & staff was nice Food - their noodles always hit the spot, and Taipei milk tea never disappoints (50% sugar, with boba) read more

Taipei Cafe - Pearl Milk Tea, Winter Melon Lemon w/ Aiyu - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I tried their brown sugar pearl milk with sesame. It was so amazing! Will come here again in the future to try their food! read more

Taipei Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

My sister brought us there with mom to have dinner. It is a small place but cozy. I see all mostly Chinese and Taiwanese there. Great sign there! We wanted the fried tofu as an appetizer, it was sold out We were disappointed but okay, we can order something else. We ordered a bunch of stuffs to share. Most of the dishes were great. Please see the photos with text online. I highly recommend this place! read more

See all

The food really shocked me. We got their hotpot, and it was a nice way to get your hotpot craving without going to all you can eat or breaking the bank. Additionally, we got their popcorn chicken, and it was way more than what we expected. It was even very crunchy - which I love! Lastly, I always get the milk tea trio, and it's been my favorite drink there ever since. The service was okay. They brought out the food and drinks pretty quick though. The ambiance is nice and clean. I wish they had more space at the front when you just want drinks, but I usually wait outside if anything. read more

I had a really good meal at Taipei Cafe for lunch. I ordered the crispy chicken bento, which came with a winter melon soup. For $15, the portions were solid. The chicken was crispy but still juicy, and the side dishes like the gai lan and boiled egg complemented everything well. My husband got the spicy beef and tendon noodle soup, and it was very flavorful and spicy. My husband tried the iced winter melon with passion fruit tea, which was refreshing and not too sweet. 10/10 would recommend and come back again. read more

Taipei Cafe - Spicy Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is a hidden hole in the wall restaurant located in Bridgeport. I come here for the popcorn chicken and Taiwanese spicy noodles soup (yummm). Service: Good, no complaints and food comes out fast. Cleanliness - not as clean as a modern restaurant but as clean as can be for a hole in the wall restaurant. Food Popcorn chicken - the best popcorn chicken I've had! Yumm. It tastes best at the restaurant when it's fresh and hot. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect amount of seasoning! Deciding on an appetizer or something small, order this! Pickled cucumbers: refreshing & crunchy with the amount of sweetness & tart (vinegar). Compliments the beef noodle soup Spicy beef noodle soup: not extremely spicy and the best I've had in the area. Generous on the meat. Perfect for sharing if you aren't too hungry. Nice for a summer day or a rainy day! I'll be back for more when I'm in the area! read more

See all

I already wrote my love letter to Taipei Cafe in my review six years ago, but just popping back to report that this place still stays one of my absolute favorite places in the city. I've come here on a bad day and absolutely come out of this meal cheered up. The staff is always nice and chill, and it's just such a cozy place. On the most recent visit, I was just here for a snack so we got the seafood rice roll (fan tuan) and the plum flavored fried sweet potato. Two favorites, although I love their braised pork with rice and oyster omelet too. read more

Taipei Cafe - Fan tuan (seafood) - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This place serves truly authentic Taiwanese food that hits all the right notes--from the tender, chewy noodles in the rich and flavorful beef noodle soup to the incredibly crispy and juicy popcorn chicken that's as addictive as popcorn itself. The pan-fried dumplings come with a perfect crispy skirt and juicy filling, and the matcha red bean drink is a refreshing, not-too-sweet treat with just the right balance. Service was fast and great, making the experience smooth and pleasant. The ambiance is okay--not fancy, but comfortable enough to enjoy a satisfying, authentic meal. read more

See all

I've been here a few times for a quick dinner and my go to is the braised pork Bento, and the mini hot pot. The popcorn chicken are also delicious. The milk tea is also very refreshing. The service is quick and good come our fast. This is easily becoming a place for me to get a quick bite in the area! read more

I can't believe I haven't posted a review for this place yet because it is consistently one of my go-to spots in Chicago. It has such spectacular Taiwanese food by far the best tasting and quality and portion size in the city. My 3 MUST try's are the beef noodle soup- both spicy and tomato are good, the braised pork over rice, and the popcorn chicken. The broth for the beef noodle soup is absolutely perfect I drink all of it every time. The braised pork over rice is so fatty and tender and decadent- it's definitely a heavy dish but so so good if you feel like indulging. And the popcorn chicken is seasoned to perfection and so tender, definitely worth the price as well it comes in a huge basket! I always find myself coming back here. read more

See all

Do you want to try one of the best beef noodle soups in the city? Are you looking for chicken nuggets, Taiwanese style? Do you want an authentic boba experience? Come to Taipei Cafe. I've ordered the beef noodle soup more than a handful of times and it's perfect every time. The brisket is so flavorful and tender, it almost falls apart. The springy egg noodles bathe in this incredible beefy umami broth that you know has been simmering for hours. A generous sprinkling of green onions and pickled mustard greens cut through the fat and complement the soup's complex flavors. This is the ultimate comfort food, especially on cold Chicago nights. The popcorn chicken is a must-try and always comes out fresh, hot and crispy. The famed 3-cup chicken and the braised pork dishes are also delicious, although the pork comes extra fatty, which may not be everyone's taste. Boba originated from Taiwan and Taipei Cafe offers a wide variety of flavors and toppings that they ship straight from Taiwan. Each drink is made fresh and with great speed. Though Taiwanese restaurants are hard to come by in Chicago, I'm happy to say that it almost doesn't matter because the quality of staple dishes at Taipei Cafe is top-tier. read more

Taipei Cafe - Popcorn chicken with fried basil leaves - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Nice lowkey place if you're struggling to figure out what to eat! I like to come here for their beef noodle soups and braised pork over rice. Their beef is super tender and definitely a good warming bowl. The braised pork over rice is a staple Taiwanese dish and Taipei cafe makes me crave it all the time. The pork just melts in your mouth and the sauce mixed with rice makes it so comforting. I would recommend coming here for their boba as well! read more

Taipei Cafe - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Came here on a Friday night with a group of 12. We had called ahead to make sure we could be seated. Service was prompt and are orders of food and drinks came out fast! We tried 8 different bubble tea drinks, three different bentos, a spicy hot pot, mabo tofu, salt and pepper tofu, tomato shrimp, basil chicken, beef noodle soup, popcorn chicken, along with the pork cheek and tongue, Everything we ordered was amazing and nobody in our group had any complaints. Will come again! read more

Service is pretty bad, food is also mediocre. Service is pretty bad, food is also mediocre. Service is pretty bad, food is also mediocre. read more

Best Taiwanese food that I've had so far in Chicagoland. Popcorn chicken is the star here. I've gotten it all three times I've visited... super crispy and the batter is flavorful. Very affordable for the huge portion size too. The pork cheek/tongue and the oyster & pork intestine vermicelli were great too. The dishes have simple flavors but they're executed very well. The braised pork over rice, adventurous hot pot, and three cup chicken were also pretty good, but I wouldn't order them again. read more

Taipei Cafe - Oyster and pork intestine vermicelli - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Nice Taiwanese spot just outside Chinatown in Bridgeport. Nothing fancy, but cleaner than many Chinese spots, lots of spicy options, good milk teas, and fast friendly service. A few cute decor pieces when you walk in, the servers all wear "Anti Boba Boba Club" shirts which is fun. We got Crispy Pork Chop Rice box and Red Hot Dice Chicken. Perfectly spicy and tasty! I recommend getting takeout and having a picnic in Palmisano Park across the street, great views in natural surroundings. read more

See all

Food was still as good as last year except service wasn't there. The lady pretty much forgot about us while we were waiting to place our order and pay at the end. Parking lot is a hit or miss since it's not very big but I got lucky and found a few right when I got there. Otherwise there is always street parking. Dining area isn't that big so it's best to try and get there before the rush or go in smaller groups to ensure you'll get seated faster. read more

See all

This place is good and doesn't disappoint. We've ordered from here quite a few times. But we have our favorites. The Gua bao was good today however wish the pork belly was a little more tender. It was hard to chew. The flavor was good and they added chopped peanuts with a little sauce. The other go too is the braised pork over rice. It was good and nice flavor. The pork pieces was easy to chew and quite moist with a bit of sauce. The new dish I tried was the crispy pork chop bento box. So many good reviews I had to try it. Given a carry out order, the pork chop was still crispy and was delicious. It had enough rice and the green beans were crunchy. Wish they offered more green beans. So hungry forgot pics. It was a nice serving size that I made it for 2 meals. Will keep coming. read more

See all

We ordered to go. Put in order and picked up within 20 min. The space seemed small and to the business. No frills. Taiwanese sausage with garlic: the garlic was just so slightly cooked. Keeping its crispy texture with a fresh, spicy kick which complimented the sausage nicely. Red Hot diced chicken: was a generous serving of lots of chicken, onion, spicy pepper, and green bell pepper. Crispy Pork Chop on Rice: crispy! With a sweet and tangy dipping sauce served with rice with some seasoning sauce on it and sides of veggies like green bean. It was delicious. It's a must try. Bubble tea tapioca was sweet and chewy. read more

See all

This isn't the best Taiwanese food I've had but for the limited amount of Taiwanese food in Chicago, it is one of the better ones. All the food items we ordered were pretty good. However, it does get pretty salty and sometimes overly sweet. The drinks here are really good! I love the grass jelly !!!!! read more

Taipei Cafe - Braised Pork Belly Rice, Taiwanese Fried Tofu, Pickled Cucumber, Oyster and Pork Intestine Vermicelli, Cold Noodle with Sesame Sauce - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came later on a weekend night. The place was not full and busy which surprised me a bit, I expected them to be busy. This is in a strip mall on Halsted so there was a parking spot there, which was convenient. We ordered a handful of Taiwanese favorites to share in our group of 4. We got the popcorn chicken, the crispy porkchop bento, shrimp omlete, spicy beef noodles soup, traditional rice roll, braised pork over rice, crispy spicy chicken with chilli sauce bento and a mango shaved ice. There was plenty of food for the 4 of us and we even got to take home leftovers. All the fried items were done well and my favorite was the popcorn chicken. Well done and perfectly fried. The shrimp omlete was a favorite too, I usually don't order this at the Taiwanese places. And the braised pork was tasty too with the pickled cabbage and the fatty pork pieces, portion size for this was pretty good as well as the popcorn chicken. The mango shaved ice was a nice finish to the night. The custard that came with it was a good compliment to it. Would come back to try more items! read more

See all

Noodle soup was flavorful and beef was tender, portion sizes for most dishes was big too - good for a quick dinner with friends The wait time for one of the dishes was more than 30 minutes though :( but the other 5 came out relatively quickly read more

Taipei Cafe - Spicy Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

When I crave non-traditional cuisine, this is one of those stops. I've never seen a noodle dish with all of my favorites already there. Perfect is key! Then they have a wide assortment of drinks & additions ... both Asian as well as universal fruit flavors. I believe they opened around 20 years ago. They don't need any redecorating. Interior still looks brand new. Staff was so very competent during my whole experience! From the friendly greeting to my table, ordering & paying the bill ... she deserves a commendation for it all!! She was polite, knowledgeable, and patient. I can appreciate how much of a time saver for them to use the mini-tablet to place orders & check-out. The parking lot was redone, so there's one entrance & one exit ... genius! read more

My husband is extremely picky about Taiwanese food as someone who grew up in Taiwan. The food was not bad, but he felt as though the potstickers, oyster pancake, and braised pork rice wasn't authentic. While they tasted fine he had other expectations. We also got the tomato beef noodle soup. Flavor good to me and I liked that they used beef shank cut into nice and tender thick slices. Wished the tomatoes were cooked down more. The potstickers were quite juicy but we thought they would be long potstickers like Ba Fang Yun Qi (a popular Taiwanese potsticker chain). Oyster pancake could have been crispier. It was really soft. Ingredients were right though. Husband wished the sauce had a greater punch, but it was fine for me. Liked that they used fatty pork belly for the braised pork rice but the sauce itself felt like black pepper beef sauce. Overall wouldn't go out of our way to return but seemed like they had a lot of regulars - perhaps we ordered the wrong things. Liked that there was a free parking lot, always a plus when driving in Chicago. read more

See all