Tavern at the Park: Meh

Or Glutton for Punishment: Foods You Order Even Though You Know They'll Disappoint.

For me, that's chicken pot pie. More on that subject later.

Tavern at the Park is a beautiful restaurant, very NY with the clubby wood paneling and warm brown tones. It's the perfect place for an after-work drink and that's clearly what most of its business is at this point judging by the suits coming in and out. Unfortunately, at this stage, the kitchen appears to be aiming for no more than tourist-approved fare not unlike the infamously touristy Tavern on the Green in NYC.

A flatbread with rotisserie chicken and tomato was serviceable, if unmemorable. On the positive side somewhat were the sliders, which are usually dry as a bone everywhere else, but were moist here, cooked to a gutsy medium rare (which was how they came out). But the restaurant faltered by appearing to mimic McDonald's with the plain, chalky slider buns and the oversalted, 1/2 crispy, 1/2 soggy fries. I hate it when restaurants put out a burger and fries that looks like McDonalds thinking that subconsciously everyone will think it's good. Luckily here the meat was far superior than Mickey D's gristle.

I love a good pot pie, but vastly prefer the type with a real pie crust, top and bottom. Given the rarity of that, these days, I have to settle for a vastly inferior puff pastry top which means I'm always slightly disappointed at the outset. That disappointment is usually assuaged by having a tasty filling - moist chicken, perfectly seasoned (not too salty) cream sauce, well-chosen vegetable cut big enough to hold their shape.

This was hands down the worst pot pie I've ever had. Visually, it was a stunner from the outside as the pastry crust was puffed high and golden brown. But the moment your spoon pierced it, the ugliness was apparent. A wan, greasy, oily inside which was so utterly hot that I may need a skin graft on my tongue. It was tastleless, stodgy and just unpleasant. I don't know WHAT they were doing when they made this but it's as if they put a whole skin-on chicken into the dish and let it sweat off its oils and THAT was the sauce. Thankfully, it was taken off the bill.

Anyhow, this is not by any means a destination place, and if I were to stop in again for drinks, the setting is pleasant (right outside of Millennium Park) and the appetizers are what I'd most likely stick with.

Tavern at the Park
130 E. Randolph Street
Chicago IL 60601
312-552-0070

I totally agree. I would go to Tavern at the Park again for drinks and apps b/c of the location, but that's about it. I went for lunch with a friend and ordered the fish of the day dish, halibut, but was served salmon. It didn't have a ton of flavor...wasn't sure what I was eating, really. Then the server noticed I had the wrong dish and brought me the right one. Neither the salmon nor the halibut had any flavor. The manager was keen to the mishap with the main course and apologized, but it wasn't enough

I agree as well...I had their grilled romaine veggie salad with grilled chicken and it was just okay. The veggies were good, the dressing was pretty plain, and I thought the chicken tasted like it had been sitting somewhere refrigerated forever, not like fresh grilled chicken. My husband liked his burger, and the appetizer of goat cheese and tomato sauce with dipping bread was good, but are those reasons enough to go back? I think they are dealing with an amazing looking restaurant, it's gorgeous inside, but the food is just so-so.