At the Taiwanese, I was very excited to try this restaurant since there aren't many Taiwanese places in Chicago. Taipei Cafe is a small restaurant in Lakeview. There aren't many seats available so it feels like a semi boba shop as well. To sum it up, I would say it is ~70 to 80% authentic, which is not bad in my opinion. Braised Pork Over Rice 招牌滷肉飯: The presentation was beautiful and the flavor was actually pretty good. In Taiwan, this dish is usually more on the sweeter side, due to the sugar and shallots added. Here, it is more peppery and savory, and the flavor was actually really good. The beans and the mustard greens were very delicious as well. Even though the flavor profile is slightly different, this was well made and something I would come back for. Noodles with black pepper sauce 胡椒鐵板麵: traditionally this dish is called蘑菇鐵板麵, which uses mushrooms, black pepper and other sauces as a base. The flavor was good, but I wish that there were more mushroom and sauce to balance the black pepper. In my opinion, this dish tasted very different from what I used to eat, but it is not bad on its own. 2/4 Fried pork chops: the meat was fried very well, and it was pretty peppery and crispy. However, I think there are different spices and flavor missing, including white pepper, msg, garlic, Thai basil, cayenne pepper, and more. I wished that the savoriness and spiciness popped up more, and I thought the spice blend and the marinade could definitely use some improvement. 3/4 Beef noodle soup 牛肉麵: I thought the bone broth was pretty good, but I believe the flavor profile should be wider, like tomatoes, five spice, 豆瓣醬, soy sauce, and more. It was a stripped down version, and I wished that is reflected in the name of the item (renaming it "clear soup" etc). Also, the amount of meat they gave us was a little bit pitiful (there were like four pieces), and there were two pieces of bok choy. When Taiwanese people eat beef noodle soup, we definitely expect more. 2/4 Additionally, I wish the drinks were made with some fresh ingredients (not just syrup or creamer), as standard/good quality boba shops from Taiwan try to make drinks as fresh as possible. That is high ask, but I just wanted to note that as a suggestion for improvement. Overall, I thought the food was pretty decent. Would I say it is the most representative Taiwanese restaurant in Chicago? No. The staff was actually Chinese loll. But I do think it reminds me of some flavors and food I grew up eating in Taiwan. If you like popcorn chicken and pork, it is likely a good place for you. read more

Solid, tasty taiwanese food! We enjoyed a mix of dishes (chicken bento box for me, beef noodle soup for my boyfriend, as well as fries with Thai seasoning and a boba tea for me). The green beans came as a side with my bento box and were amazing. The ordering system is a little clunky and annoying but we got through it. Vibes in the space are fine, it's an efficient little cafe The biggest thing is that there's really an opportunity for more sauces! For the fries, for the popcorn chicken, for example, a sauce would make a big difference to dip it in. I like this place and expect to be back read more

Taipei Cafe - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really excellent dining in experience at Taipei. The bento boxes are LOADED with protein and sides. Easily enough for 2 meals for me! Their teas were delicious as well. We ordered via a tablet and received our order within 10 minutes. There were folks coming in and out during our dining. Very popular spot on Belmont! Limited seating, but turns over fast! read more

Taipei Cafe - Katsu Chicken - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had heard of this place a lot but never really got around to making a plan to head over. And on Halloween on Halsted we realised this was right there! The place is warm and cozy and the smell of sumptuous food hits you square on the face. It was pretty busy and we quickly ordered the fried chicken bento box to share and a creme brûlée milk tea. The friend chicken is the most popular item on the menu and it did not disappoint. The flavours were spot on and the chicken was extremely juicy! The creme brûlée was very creamy and yum. Highly recommended and definitely plan to make another trip soon to explore more of their menu! read more

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Stopped by Taipei Cafe and got the mango smoothie, which was very fresh! The service was quick, and I appreciated that they had some seating available so I could sit down and catch up with a friend over drinks. It's a solid spot for a casual meet-up with quality beverages and a relaxed vibe. read more

Taipei Cafe - Mango Smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Everything here made me so happy. It's a cute little place with a humble but approachable ambiance. Fabulous mural in the far wall. We ordered a variety of stuff, but the popcorn chicken, beef noodle soup, plum powder sweet potatoes, and oyster omelette were so yummy. I was really happy with the prices and the service overall as well. I would love to come back here, it'll live on in my dreams! read more

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Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken and more! Cute intimate Taiwanese cafe serving comforts and delights. Seating is a bit limited, but if you're down to take the goodies to the Harbour, it's a short walk away. I live in the area so it's a quick skip off the red line. If you decide to drive, paid parking is plentiful along Clark or Halsted. Neighborhood parking is free before 6pm. Popcorn Chicken: fantastic crunch and juicy moist chicken. The flavor is savory goodness and they even fried some basil for additional flare. Plenty to share for 2 to snack on while sipping on a potable. read more

Taipei Cafe - Ordering area - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A little bit of Taiwan here in Chicago. They're known for their bento boxes and beef noodle soup. Both tasted good, but nothing overly special. I wish they had cut the bok choy into smaller pieces for the beef noodle soup and at times, the popcorn chicken can be a little salty. The food comes out relatively fast (10-15 minutes). They do have quality boba and teas. There is limited seating inside, so to go orders are common. There is a restroom inside. read more

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Super friendly service and food came out very quickly! I came during a not so busy time, around 1-2pm. I was helped very quickly and ordered their beef noodle soup. It came out in less than 5 minutes and I also got boba. The beef noodle was exceptional. The beef was tender, soup was flavorful and rich, but not too oily, the noodles were al dente and chewy. A very lovely lunch! The jasmine milk tea was also delicious and a perfect pair with the beef noodle soup! Give them a try! read more

Taipei Cafe - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I called in an order for takeout rather than online from here. It seems like the online prices are about $1 more per item. The lady that answered the phone was very kind on the phone and my order was ready before the time promised. I ordered their Short Rib Noodle w/ black pepper sauce and their spicy Beef Noodle Soup. The packaging was very organized and I was able to finish my soup very easily. Both dishes were really delicious. The spicy soup had just the perfect amount of spice and the beef was very tender. The short ribs from the other noodle dish were perfectly cooked and a very delicious marinade. The noodles came with a fried egg and tasted phenomenal. I can definitely see myself returning. read more

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One of my favorite places, but today the flavor seemed a little muted. I did try a Black Sesame Crème Latte which was really good. Our other orders: - Popcorn Chicken 9/10 - Taipei Beef Noodle Soup 7.5/10 - Spicy Beef Noodle Soup 8/10 Like I said, I today it didn't seem as flavorful otherwise I would rated it a 5/5. The place is kept very clean and they do have a bathroom. If you can find a spot, there is street parking. read more

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I came to Chicago to visit a friend and I did not expect to leave the city trying the BEST Taiwanese fried chicken I EVER HAD!!!!!! I still think about this fried chicken to this day. It was perfectly crispy, savory, and tender. I was full but the flavor was kinda addicting that I kept eating more. When I come back, this place is definitely a must visit and I would also try the drinks as well! read more

Taipei Cafe - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent coffee and tea beverage selections. Haven't yet tried the food offerings but they look and sound delicious.

When I placed my order, I asked if my meat could be cooked well-done. The woman with long hair and glasses--I'm not sure if she was an employee or the owner--gave a vague, dismissive response and seemed to ignore what we were saying. While making drinks, she suddenly started throwing the ladle, cups, and other utensils into the sink. I couldn't tell if she was upset with me or if that's just her working style, but it made me very uncomfortable the entire time I was waiting for the food. Even while we were eating, the loud banging noises continued. The service was terrible. I won't be coming back, and unless this place improves these issues, I think it will struggle to stay in business. If you don't want your mood ruined, I recommend going somewhere else. If she is not the owner, letting that employee go would likely benefit the business. And if that employee happens to be reading this, that's not an acceptable way to do your job. You clearly looked like you didn't want to be there--if that's the case, you should consider leaving. read more

Overall Thoughts: The food here is tasty with very reasonable prices for the portion sizes. Everything was flavorful, and came out quickly-- my favorite order was the fatty beef black pepper noodles; it's pretty oily but the flavors and textures are impeccable. It's a small space and seating is limited (just a few hightop tables and bar counter seating). I need to go to their Bridgeport location next, which has a more expansive menu (including hotpot) and seating area! Food I tried: - Fried Egg Tofu Bento (4.4/5): The Japanese egg tofu is great here: crispy and well-seasoned exterior with a soft, scalding interior. The other sides were solid too-- it's an overall well-balanced, filling meal option. - Fatty Beef Black Pepper Noodles (4.7/5): I especially enjoyed this dish: the beef and noodles were packed with flavor (the black pepper flavor is very distinct) and the soft textures paired perfectly together. - Popcorn Chicken (4.2/5): A Taiwanese classic; this was good with a crispy exterior and juicy interior-- no "wow" factor but very solid! It didn't come with any sauce, but dipping it in the egg tofu bento chili sauce was pretty good. - Matcha Belgian Waffle (4.2/5): This is a huge, filling dessert that tasted good but quickly became a bit monotonous/tedious to consume (especially since we were already so full by then). The waffle is soft, warm, dusted with detectable matcha powder, and topped with matcha Pocky sticks and vanilla ice cream. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.5/5 Food: 4.4/5 Ambience: 4.7/5 Service: 4.8/5 Overall Value: 4.5/5 read more

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Food: authentic Taiwanese food, very flavorful, not too spicy. Veggies on the side makes this a relatively healthy meal. Good portion size. On other occasions I have tried boba, which is as true to origin as they get. They might not have the biggest variety of boba tea but it is truly Taiwanese (origin of boba) Service: adequate Ambience: small cafe, better suited for pick me up. read more

Taipei Cafe - Grilled Prawn Bento - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The popcorn chicken here is tasty. It was made fresh to order, so we had to wait for a little bit, but it came out very hot and crispy without being too greasy. The portion size is also pretty good, although do note that in the picture, they gave it to us with one of the box flaps folded down, which makes the volume seem bigger than it actually is by making empty space in the box (sneaky tricky marketing strategy perhaps). Still a good amount though. The seasoning was a bit uneven in places. The chicken lacks a certain "sparkle" or "oomph", but it's a good snack to share with 1-2 other people, depending on how hungry you are. The mango smoothie is good as well, very tropical syrup flavor vibes. Smoothie has a smooth consistency. (Disclaimer, I don't like mango, my boyfriend reviewed this part.) This is a small restaurant and boba tea place with 3 small tables and counter seating along the window, so take out would probably be the wiser option if you're going during a popular time. Counter seating is good for people watching. Nice vibes, plus there's free wifi. read more

Taipei Cafe - Mango Smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent bubble milk tea! I'd come again just for this. Group of shares multiple dishes: Pork belly bao bun Beef bao bun Popcorn chicken Chicken wings with spicy sweet and sour sauce Bok choy Beef tendon noodle soup Spicy beef shank and tendon noodle soup Group favorites were the wings and baos. The noodles were overcooked and soup flavor was a bit thin and lacked character, but it doesn't seem to be much different than other Taiwanese Beef noodle soups I've had in the city. The staff was very friendly and the food & drinks came out quick. There's not a whole lot of sitting space (2 tables of 4, 1 tiny table for 2, and counter seating for up to 6 people total). So either come during off peak hours for a seat or get carry out and eat by the parks. Street parking is aplenty. If you're willing to walk a few blocks. You might even find free parking! read more

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This is a great little place for filling food and fun drinks!! I think everything is fairly priced and comes out quickly. I got a crème brûlée milk tea with boba, and it's so sweet and good! I thought the beef noodle soup was a bit plain. The popcorn chicken is scrumptious though! Their menu is extensive so I want to come back to try more. read more

Taipei Cafe - Taipei Beef Noodle Soup - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've only been to the Chinatown location and while the food and the service were great, the price was a little high. I tried to order takeout from both the Belmont and the Chinatown location several times now, but nobody from the restaurant ever picks up. You must order through a third party service, and they charge a very hefty fee. That is a deterrent. read more

The food is okay. I grew up in Taipei and was craving Taipei food, however, not authentic Taipei food. It's definitely been americanized and made to suit the American culture better. read more

Ordered take out Beef Tendon noodle soup with fatty beef and the black pepper noodles with fatty beef. Both were, delicious & decent portions. Will be a repeat customer! read more

The workers are never pleasant. Additionally, the drinks are bad and overpriced. I literally had plastic in my drink on my last visit.

Pretty tasty and authentic Taiwanese spot! Service super friendly and nice. Came on a Sunday to grab take out for dinner and it was pretty busy, parking was horrid but where is it not in Chicago? We ordered the beef noodle soup, braised pork rice, jasmine milk tea, and taro milk tea. The food was flavorful and authentic. Beef super tender and noodles good. After I ordered I got a late text for my husband requesting spicy noodle soup, and they were able to change that for me. Loved that it came with pickled veg. The rice was a little too mushy but flavors were right for the braised pork. Husband really liked his jasmine milk tea. I felt my taro milk tea could have more taro flavor with well blended taro paste, this taro was more grainy with smaller harder pieces of taro. read more

Taipei Cafe - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We visited the area for the cat cafe and were craving Taiwanese food. This small restaurant is very clean, with friendly and accommodating staff. We tried the Braised Pork over Rice, which came with pickled vegetables and string beans. The dish was full of flavor, and the pork was incredibly tender. The price was a bit steep at $15 after taxes. We would recommend this spot if you're in the area. read more

Taipei Cafe - Braised Pork over Rice - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Taipei Cafe on Belmont is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT VIBE from their Halsted location- It's a lot smaller and there's only a few four seater tables. From what I've heard, the recipes are the same. The Chicken Cutlet is honestly soo good, would recommend read more

Taipei Cafe - Crispy Chicken Cutlet Bento - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best taiwanese beef noodle soup and yummy taiwanese fried chicken!!! Really good rou zou too! Love the authentic food and simple delicious ingredients! read more

Taipei Cafe - Braised Pork over Rice - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was incredible!!! One of the best meals I've had in Chicago (and I've had a lot of great meals!). I highly recommend the tofu basil bento. The staff were extremely kind. read more

We ordered online and got it to go. Popcorn chicken was pretty good, as well as the Taiwanese sausage with garlic. Also tried the brown sugar boba with sesame cream which had a solid black sesame flavor and well cooked boba. Everything was pretty good. read more

Taipei Cafe - Brown sugar boba with sesame cream - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good ambiance, and a great place to either grab and go or to pass some time. Orders are quick and the quality is nice as well. I ordered the Taipei Fruit Tea, which was very refreshing. Would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking to try something different from the usual coffee shop. read more

Taipei Cafe - Taipei Fruit Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm happy this location opened up in the Boystown/Lakeview area although figures it's once I move out of Lakeview (just my luck!). I finally got to try this place around lunch time on a Sunday and it was already somewhat busy inside. I opted for the popcorn chicken and a mango jasmine milk tea with boba added. They came out fairly quick and I was excited to devour them both. The popcorn chicken in my opinion was like too juicy. It felt that it needed to be a bit crispier. I was a bit dissatisfied with it. Also, typically Thai chili sauce or something similar comes with popcorn chicken from my experience, but this one didn't. I asked if they had sauce for it and they said they don't. *sad face* I also was hoping that there was heat levels for them like what Hello Jasmine does but I didn't see it anywhere. Anyways, besides the popcorn chicken, I really enjoyed my milk tea drink. I'd come back for sure when I want boba, but I would avoid the popcorn chicken next time. They have a decent amount of other food options including bento boxes so I'll have to try that next time. read more

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The place is small with limited seating and the round tables are small (for 2 people). We ordered a few items to share 1. spicy beef noodle soup with tendon - not too spicy at all; the noodles were thinner than what I prefer so they weren't al dente. The broth was pretty good 2. pork chop bento which came with a salad and some braised pork belly 3. braised pork belly over rice 4. taro drink My favorite was the pork chop bento though I like the sides better at another place in Chicago. I liked that they cut up the meat so it was easy to eat here. Overall, pretty decent for Taiwanese food (I'm Taiwanese). There aren't too many options in Chicago. read more

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Always so yummy. Best Taiwanese food in the area. Their boba is pretty good too despite having such an extensive food menu. Usually when it's more of a restaurant, their boba will be kinda mid, but that is not the case here at all. My Taiwanese fiancé can confirm! :) read more

Came here with some friends and we all got the traditional fan tuan (rice roll). The rice roll was a bit different than what I'm used to, but it was very filling and delicious. I like that they use purple rice and include all the add ins (pork floss, pickled vegetables, egg and fried dough pieces) without extra charge. Their other entrees also looked good so I'll definitely be back to try more. read more

Fresh brewed tea boba! Highly recommend. We ordered 7 drinks and really liked all of them. Tea is freshly brewed and toppings are as well. Able to adjust sweetness level. Love that. Took about less than 10 minutes to get our drinks. Space is cute with 4 high top tables of 4 and window seating. Parking can be a challenge. Located kitty corner to the Starbucks on Belmont/ Clark. Definitely will be back if in area. Walked to this place after having dinner at Pennys. read more

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I made several attempts to call in an order. The phone never worked. I arrive and ask the employee they did not care.

Pork over rice: I love the flavor. A bit on the too salty side but goes great with the rice. Right amount of fat and lean meat Popcorn chicken: crispy and not too much dough. Some bits have too much salt but generally good Pork belly bao: a bit too sweet for my taste. Texture's good Fried egg tofu: I love how smooth this is. Also the thin crispy shell just made it even better Brown sugar Boba with sesame: I personally don't like the sesame flavor but other people said it's great Black tea latte: pretty bland and boring Price in the middle range read more

YAY - I'm so happy that my favorite Taiwanese restaurant in Chicago opened a new location!! The menu items here are slightly different than the one in Bridgeport. The atmosphere is very chill and it feels like a grab and go spot Highly recommend the Fried Beef Bao-wich. SO unique and flavorful, the beef was super juicy and it was wrapped in a warm fried bun. It's a must try Bonus points for the extremely friendly staff. I'm a huge fan read more

Taipei Cafe - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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They mixed my orders and their foods taste absolutely bad. The portion is very dinky and the beef barbeque ribs come with bones only. All my friends hated it. They mixed and confused our orders, but they asked me to bring the food that was mixed to bring back to trade on the following day. Really not good, at all. Never, never, never. read more

Great little café with quality stuff. Service is pretty quick same as like Starbucks or whatever. I'll be a little bit more laid-back. Next time. I'm gonna try one of their Pastries. read more