Ate here for Valentine's Day last year. It was fantastic. There's a reason it's been around for a while and people make the hike to Lockport, the food is delish! Did a 4 course, had plenty of options. The place is a bit dated but it didn't bother me because the service and quality are top notch. Check it out, will not disappoint. read more

Tallgrass Restaurant - Gnocchi was so good! - New American Near Me - Lockport, Illinois

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If you're looking for the perfect romantic restraunt for that special event or day, this is the perfect place! This resraunt has beautiful Victorian decor and wonderful service. You'll feel special just sitting at the table. The food, made up of a five course meal, is superb, each course gets better and better. And the chocolate souffle is definitely the finishing touch to an enjoyable and very romantic dinner. read more

Tallgrass has a dining experience that is a great mix of the best of downtown dining and small town. You have food with the creativity and quality of a fine downtown restaurant. You also have the comfortable friendly staff and better prices of a suburban restaurant. It is a special experience that was great for my birthday and the half dozen times I have enjoyed Tallgrass. The taster menu with 7 courses is a great choice but wear loose clothes because it will fill you up. read more

AMAZING! Tallgrass Restaurant is hands down the best restaurant I've been to in my life. I wish I could give this a ten star review. Two years ago my now husband proposed during a hike at Starved Rock state park and then surprised me with a celebratory engagement dinner at Tallgrass Restaurant in Lockport. One year ago we were married. This weekend we celebrate our first wedding anniversary and decided to return to Starved Rock and then Tallgrass. We were wowed with the service and menu selection. Our servers, Colleen and Justin, were knowledgeable and professional, yet friendly and approachable. Colleen even remembered us from two years ago and provided us a glass of celebratory champagne. What a nice and unexpected touch! The service at Tallgrass is second to none. The servers really make the dining experience memorable. The menu is filled with interesting and delicious meals with complimenting flavors and unique ingredients. We each chose the four course meal. I can honestly say each course was the best dish I ever tried, until the next course. I HIGHLY recommend Tallgrass Restaurant in Lockport, IL. read more

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My husband took me here for my birthday and all I can say is WOW! Very attentive staff and the food was delicious! My only complaint is that we couldn't try everything on the menu due to the both of us approaching a food coma-like state :). Tasting portions are very generous and enough for you to share with someone else. I would highly recommend this place to anyone if they are looking for a special occasion restaurant. read more

Food was delicious. Service was attentive. Will definitely attempt to come back again. read more

Tallgrass is All Good - the cream of the crop in Lockport. You can't beat the food - it is as beautiful as it is tasty. Decor, ambiance, cleanliness and service are exceptional. Extremely romantic, yet perhaps a tad bit too stuffy for frequent visits. Pricey but worth it for special occasions - either for couples or groups. Everyone I've recommended there has loved it and returned, as will I ~! read more

This place used to be fabulous. We had made a reservation for Mothers Day last year. The person who took the reservation made it for 1:00pm. When we arrived the doors were locked. The owner or manager came out and said they dont open till 4:00pm When we told them we made a reservation for 1:00 and gave him the persons name, they said it was a mistake and literally shut the door in our face. Not even a" SORRY" or "please come in and I can make you a drink and Ill see if I can find you another place to dine" We were there the year before and the food was average. For this kind of money the food should be mouthwatering. Its no wonder no one comes to the south side to eat. With people like this running places who would want to?? read more

Tallgrass! I wish it was closer to home, but well worth the trip. We have had the pleasure of eating there throughout the years. We have even had 13 family members there for Christmas Eve dinner that was to die for. The chef will treat you with little bits of wonderfulness before your actual meal begins. Having some in our family that are vegan/vegetarians, does not deter from them having a truly wonderful foodie experience. What a hidden treasure! read more

Tallgrass is an excellent restaurant. The service is incredible and very friendly. I have never been disappointed by anything I have ordered at Tallgrass. The food is seasoned perfectly and the presentation is beautifully done. We eat here frequently and Tallgrass will always be a go-to restaurant for us. Not sure what the issue is with having to walk downstairs to enter. If you failed to notice, the dinning room is right off the street. If during the winter months you enter from street level the whole dinning room would be flooded with cold air and you would be complaining about that. Just take in the charm of the whole experience and enjoy! read more

We are from the area and frequently dine at Tallgrass, as it is one of the few truly great restaurants in this or any neighboring city. Tonight, we put ourselves in the hands of the Chef who did not disappoint. One of the standouts was a diver scallop with avocado and toasted hazelnuts. I am really not a scallop fan, but it was great! It seemed to melt in your mouth with the avocado, and there was a hint of lime. I would never think of serving these together, but the expert preparation was beyond amazing. Also, we had a dessert trio with 2 chocolate treats (both fabulous), and possibly the best tres leches I've ever had. Tallgrass is great to celebrate an occasion, or just to treat yourself. It's the right mix of personality and friendliness balanced with refined service and upscale cuisine. read more

This amazing restaurant is the reason I opened a yelp account. I LOVE this place! Definitely a great date idea, very charming. The food is always amazing. You have your healthy options and your guilty pleasures. Keep on keeping it real, Tallgrass :) read more

Professional staff that is down to earth. Everything we ordered was excellent. Wine list is reasonably priced!

Just had another wonderful dinner with 4 good friends. Service was spot on and chef Bob was so kind to make our requested short ribs..yummy!

Gourmet food without having to drive to the city. My husband and I dine here once a year, and the food has never disappointed. Save room for a tantalizing dessert. read more

What a delightful anniversay spot. The plates were so artistically presented, we hated to mess them up! Each course was like unwrapping a gastronomic gift! Plus, they had our favorite Napa wine on their list. The Nauvoo blue cheese dish may have been my favorite. Who knew about Nauvoo, IL? read more

Took 10 minutes for someone to answer the door. Our bill was 187.00 and I thought it was mistake because the food wasn't even alright. The ravioli tasted like it was frozen with way to much dill on it. The "pasta" wasn't cooked all the way, the jalapeño taste was too over powering and tasted like vinegar; I sent it back. The entree was suppose to be "steak" it wasn't even a whole steak, it was cut into strips on top of instant potatoes and a sauce with maybe a spoonful of veggies. The dessert was okay, I've had better from ice cream stands. I feel the food isn't any where near what it could be. I have no issue spending good money on good food, but this was just sad. read more

Pricy but AMAZING food, well worth the price you pay for, go here if you want to treat yourself to class ;)

Not bad, but upcharges were not explained. Beware of ordering anything with asterisks next to it. Food was good, but most items were very rich. If you are a couple, order a three course and four course. Split the dessert sampler. Again ask about the upcharges. read more

Finest dining (food quality and service-wise) in all of Chicago and remarkably reasonable pricing. Love the flexibility in scaling the size and contents of your prix fixe from 3 to 7 courses, including or omitting any categories...even in duplicate. The wine list is a bit limited in variety and scale however is a steal in terms of pricing 1.5x or 2x retail tops. This destination is so worth the long drive out. What a treat! read more

Adore Tallgrass! A chef's dinner with the wine pairing is a treat. If you have a special occasion or a little extra money, splurge on yourself with a dinner at Tallgrass. My friend and I have never been disappointed. read more

What a wonderful establishment. We enjoyed our 31st anniversary while dining here. The "appetizer-size" portions are quite large in their own right, so we ended up taking home quite a bit of food from our five-course meal. Nice problem to have! Three courses would have been quite sufficient. The pork loin with prosciutto, pear, and stilton polenta was sublime, as was the must-order assortment that includes lobster lasagna, crab beignet, and several other delicacies. Servers were very astute -- helpful and without a trace of the condensation one might expect from such a refined restaurant. The recommended Merry Edwards sauvignon blanc was perfect, too. Cannot wait to go again. read more

I come here at least 2X per year. This is my favorite place reserved for special occasions as my parents used to take us when we were kids. The food is beautifully presented and tastes devine! I have NEVER been disappointed in the 20 plus years I have been coming! A stunning experience. read more

I was very disappointed with the dinner - as we were celebrating my birthday. I had been there about 20 years ago, and was very excited about introducing the restaurant to my family. For $800, the food was 'okay' and the service was terrible. At this price point, every detail needs to be right on point. The butter on the butternut squash was running all over the plate, the scallops were undercooked, etc. You want the servers to be stealthy - get what you want without constantly interrupting you. Due to the 'tight' space, servers were alway reaching over me and the other guests (there were 6 of us) to refill water glasses, etc. At the end of the dinner, one server reached over my son, and ended up spilling a glass of water. When they went to clean up the mess, the server threw the water on the floor, splattering all the guests. Will never return. read more

Absolutely delicious! A wonderful dining experience. We were a party of 6 and we each did the 5 couse dinner. Most of the restaurants that offer these multi-course meals serve tiny courses -- but not at Tallgrass. Even the appetizer-sized portions are extremley plentiful. Here you are getting much more than "just a bite" -- which is a good thing because you will want many bites of thid delicious food. Another great thing is that you get to pick what you want -- not like many of the tasting menus in the Chicago-area. So everyone got exactly what they wanted in our party of 6. I wish I could remember everything -- but standouts including the pasta with mushrooms and bacon; the plate with the lobster lasagna and 4 other things; anything served in a hollowed-out eggshelll; grouper; prawns -- really, almost everything we had we loved (and we are tough crowd). The dessert assortment was sooooo delicious. I can't say enough good things about the portion sizes, ability to choose exactly the courses you want and the taste/presentation. Wine list is reasonably priced compared to other high-end dining experiences. Food also well-priced. Cannot wait to go back! A fine dining experience does NOT have to be overly pretentious and slightly silly -- this is the real deal and has restored my faith in fine dining (after some awful experiences at places like L2O). read more

I've been here a number of times the past few years and unfortunately this last experience was very poor. I always opt for the 7 course (chefs choice) with wine flight and have always been pleased! Unfortunately, this last visit was an exceptionally poor showing by the chef. I always enjoy the service at Tall Grass and the servers go out of their way to make sure you always have a sufficient amount of bread, water and/or other drink. They also even remember me (even though I only go a couple of times a year). This experience started out poorly --- one of the selections (they always have a variety of 4 or 5) of bread was clearly burnt - not just the outer crust, but a good inch into the bread. This turned out to be a harbinger of things to come. 3 of the 4 courses were tasty although, were repetitive of previous dishes that I had almost a year ago. The remaining 4 dishes were poorly executed and should likely have never made it out to the table. 1) The scallops that were served were over cooked on one side and still a milky white on the other side. 2) The sweetbreads were actually burnt on one side (although nicely cooked on the other). Interestingly enough, they were served burnt side down - my assumption is to hide the mistake. Additionally, I heard the server mention to the table next to me that the chef was not happy with the way their order of sweetbreads had turned out and offered them a replacement course. 3) The soup had over cooked mussels (and a broken shell) -- this can happen, but I would expect more from this establishment. 4) The final issue was the radically old? and/or overcooked duck. I couldn't even cut several areas of the duck as it had either been reheated to death, sitting out for an extended period and/or just cooked improperly. The duck course was enough for me to actually make note to the server to advise the chef of the issue. I likely should have just sent back all 4 of the courses, but I figured (since I was having 7 courses) that I would settle for a couple of less than stellar courses. The server was very apologetic and even treated me to a free espresso and extra glass of champagne. She even refused an extra tip when she retrieved our coats for us at the end of the evening. So, despite a very positive experience with the service staff I have to say the food (which is why I come here at least once or twice a year) - was subpar at best. My final issue with the restaurant during this trip was how the bill was processed. I absolutely did not expect an adjustment on the bill (which, as expected, was in excess of $350 including tip) however, I did expect it to be processed promptly. My dinner at Tall Grass (to celebrate my Anniversary) was on January 2nd. However, they didn't put the charge through on my American Express card until February 1st. While, I guess it isn't a big deal - it is just another annoyance with this most recent visit. I am unsure if I will return in the near future; however, given that this is my only poor experience here --- I will likely give it another chance in a year or so. read more

Great French cuisine and very filling. Been going here for over 8 years. Last visit was mediocre for Tallgrass in comparison to our experiences in the past. Menu wasn't as enticing as it had been. I'm a huge seafood fan and there wasn't as many options. Lobster lasagna as always just melts in your mouth. Should have had the tuna back on the menu although it may be due to the season. Other choices were sub par compared to before. read more

Being from Joliet, we are all very lucky to have a restaurant like this so close to home. This restaurant is food forward. I didn't feel that it was overly expensive. I felt like I was at a supper club. It was a small romantic little restaurant with great food and ingredients and main courses not seen often. I will be back again read more

just brilliant... we were a party of three, two of us ordered the five course dinner and the other ordered the four course, which were reasonably priced. The food was just heaven,...innovative, fresh, exciting, and masterfully choreographed. Tallgrass, Courtright's and Vie are my favorite restaurants...the veritable holy trinity of cuisine in the western suburbs. - Nevada Dan read more

Our first visit in a few years to celebrate our 35th anniversary. Tallgrass is one of the top restaurants in the area. The adaptable menu allows diners to enjoy an exquisite experience catered to their personal tastes. You will not find better service with a special note of thanks to Colleen! Chef Robert continues to deliver an incredible, innovative evening of fine dining. read more

Flat out fabulous. My wife and I have come here sporadically for many years and always have had had great food. It's location has precluded more frequent visits but we came to celebrate a birhtday and the food was amazing, the service outstanding, the wine list not large but nicely priced and very good. The quality of the food was simply outstanding. My wife had the pork tenderloin and I had the rack of lamb. We could not decide who had the better main course. Bruschetta salad, asparagus, seafood combination courses were out of this world. Desserts included an interesting take on strawberry creme brulee and a sampler of multiple items-excellent. This has always been a really good fine dining restaurant but they seem to have stepped up to another level. Simply outstanding food complimented by an unusually flexible menu and fine service. Go there! read more

Tallgrass is the crown jewel of the fairly limited Lockport restaurant selection. It really is surprisingly high end for the setting. It's worth noting, you need to make reservations well in advance. The dining room is quite small, and they only do two seatings per day (5pm and 8pm I believe). The ambiance is old and refined, without the polished glitz of a newer city restaurant. The food was all very well prepared and ranged from good to outstanding. We were a party of 4 and each got a the 4 course option, so we got to try a lot of the menu. It was my first time trying foie gras which I thought was delicious. Ravioli was particularly good too. The 3rd course entrees were a bit of a mixed bag, some a fair bit better than others, but all well done. The desserts too, were all finely made, but a few were a shy of delicious. That said, it's a top class restaurant, and worth the price if you're in the area and looking for something upscale. read more

My wife and I consider ourselves "foodies." We have been to Tallgrass about 7 times. The food is consistently awesome. Rich? Yes, but it's based on French cuisine! Pricey? Yes, but it's worth it. We've been there all different times of the year for all sorts of special occasions and sometimes -- just because. I would definitely recommend it. Two suggestions: 1) Request to eat upstairs. The downstairs has a bit of a basement feel to it and 2) If you go on a special occassion, like Valentine's Day, make sure you ask them if they have a special menu and the cost of that menu. Once we were surprised with a $100 per person "special" menu. It was a bit shocking. read more

We've been going there since it has been open. The absolute best restaurant in southwest suburbs and worth a visit. Chef amazing, great food and affordable wine list. A treat every time we dine there. read more

Definitely one of my favorite restaurants! Food, sevice, and ambiance are top-notch. My husband and I have been patrons to this restaurant since it opened over 25 years ago. Its so nice to have this caliber of a restaurant so close to our home. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys fine dining. read more

Last night was our anniversary and we are so glad we decided to spend it at Tallgrass. The service was great from the moment we rang the door bell to the last bite of dessert. They were attentive, but not pretentious or overbearing. They took good care of us. Now for the food. Every dish we ordered was a work of art filled with layers of flavor and complexity. As a couple that used to live in NYC, and now frequents Chicago restaurants, this was, by far, one of the best meals we have had yet. It was an amazing experience, and we have already started saving for our next visit. Highly recommended. read more

This is easily my favorite restaurant in the suburbs. several times a year I will drive down from the city just to get an amazing meal! While the menu changes seasonally the Lobster Lasagna that I had was excellent. read more

Simply one of the finest meals I have ever enjoyed. The atmosphere is quintessential French Bistro and the wine list is impressive. The service is conducive to the patron who enjoys quiet space or pithy banter. The whole package is worth the visit! read more

Several features of this restaurant are admirable. The setting is calm and does not distract one from the purpose of the place---to dine. The serving staff is attentive and polite, although the service is a bit pretentious. The food is very good, although not exceptional if judged by international (Swiss or French)standards. A slight heaviness was noted by three of the four in our party; the polenta lacked the quality one expects; there was a lack of even decorative vegetables. Soups were excellent and deserts were very good. Proper consumer relations were deficient: The website advertises a special three course menu for $30 on Wednesday evenings but does not mention that this is presented on a separate list of courses which is shorter than the main menu, although quite adequate; and the server in charge did not offer this "special". Having read the web page, we assumed that all items were included and were surprised when the bill arrived. All in our group believe that the responsibility for presenting "Specials" belong to the personnel and not to the guest. Therefore, my rating will reflect this deficiency. read more

This was our 4th visit to Tallgrass over the past few years and very likely our last. This is a special occasion restaurant and they clearly have lost sight of taking care of customers. Given their very limited wine list (about a half page of red wines), I brought two bottles of very special wine for our party of 4 fully having to pay a corkage fee which i have done at this restaurant in the past as well. Upon being seated, we were told there was a 1 bottle limit per table (no mention of size which suggests we may have been better off having each couple sit separately). I politely asked if they could open the second one and was promptly told it was against the restaurant's policy even though I was more than happy to pay the $20 corkage fee. In fact, the manager/owner "Tom" who was referenced by the staff did not extend the courtesy of coming out to speak to us. The food, while still good has also dropped in quality ranging from a dry lemon cake to several items which now carry a surcharge on top of the prix fixe tariff. I suggest thinking twice before visiting. read more