La Tache? No, La Terrible.

Tried to go to brunch at La Tache on Sunday. I say tried, because I went to the restaurant, was seated, waited 20 minutes, received a menu and water, waited another twenty minutes, ordered coffee, and left after another 20 minutes and no coffee. There were 6 tables filled in the place and 2 waiters. No one was getting service of any kind. I don't know what was going on, but we just left and no one even said anything. I think they forgot that they were running a restaurant. The morning was salvaged somewhat by a decent bruch at M Henry (although it was a low hurdle for them to clear). I will not be wasting my time there again, when there are other french places that serve good food AND can manage to take your order. Something La Tache should try and strive for....

La Tache
1475 W Balmoral Ave
Chicago, IL 60640
773-334-7168

Went for our second visit last night. Lovely Dining Companion and I were accompanied by my folks, in town for a few days. We ate here several years ago and, although the food was reasonably good, the service was not. There was no sense of warmth, welcome, or interest. I had resisted returning but we received a large gift certificate and since it's a ten minute walk from the house, we went.
We won't be returning.
I will be happy to recount the evening dish-by-dish for those who are interested, but suffice to say that the food was good (no better) and the service, once again, mediocre. We went early, 6:30, and with only a handful of tables occupied, were seated cheek-by-jowl to two of them right near the front window. Is this to make the place look busy? Why is it necessary when 90+% of the place is empty?
The server was friendly enough, in a very perfunctory way. No enthusiasm, warmth, or personality. When the woman we have encountered before (manager, owner? short, heavy-set, dark hair) brought the single appetizer we ordered to the table, you would think she would have bothered to find out who ordered it before delivering it to the table. It's precisely that kind of "I-don't-care" attitude that puts me off this place. The prices are reasonable, the selections interesting, the food okay, but given the virtually total lack of enthusiasm or more than minimal interest in the customers, gives me no reason to return or to recommend this place.

Brunched at La Tache last week and compared to the mad houses of M.Henry or Paulines or the Bongo Room it's better than fine. The food was good, the waitstaff didn't dote but didn't drop the check before the plate was cleared either. You could easily stay as long as you want. I'd go back...

Gypsy Boy wrote:The server was friendly enough, in a very perfunctory way. No enthusiasm, warmth, or personality. When the woman we have encountered before (manager, owner? short, heavy-set, dark hair)

I believe I met this woman upon entering tonight. Grabbing some menus, she walked into the dining room before us, with the directive, "C'mon." It was oddly dismissive.

Two of our party of four ordered the steak frites and found them inedible, just astoundingly thick and leathery. The prices are fair, but the food is no better than fair, if that. Disappointing.