TAO Chicago

"River North restaurant TAO Chicago provides luxurious spins on Pan-Asian favorites like beef and broccoli with aged New York strip and crispy orange chicken with steamed bok choy. Its signature giant fortune cookie is stuffed with white and dark chocolate mousse, lined with chocolate and almonds, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served atop a bed of fruit. Make a reservation through OpenTable." - Serena Maria Daniels

"Set inside a lavishly decked-out multistoried historic building, TAO offers plenty to see and do for its NYE celebration, which includes access to its restaurant and nightclub floors with a variety of DJ sets. Generous passed hors d’oeuvres and a four-hour premium cocktail reception are included in the $175 ticket. Enjoy a midnight Champagne toast at this black-tie optional party." - Lisa Shames, Eater Staff

"Decadent dance club Tao never shies away from a party, so it should come as no surprise that its Halloween plans include over-the-top decorations plus aerialist performers, contortionists, and creative cocktails featuring classic fall flavors and add-ons like cotton candy. The party will also feature DJ sets from Lil John in the nightclub and reality fave James Kennedy in the restaurant. Tickets ($30) and more details are here." - Lisa Shames, Eater Staff

"The Chicago outpost of Asian-inspired restaurant and club Tao is perhaps most notable for its nightlife action, but the food certainly shouldn’t be overlooked. The sprawling 275-seat dining room has stunning features, such as a 16-foot statue of Buddhist deity Quan Yin, and also houses a sushi bar. Patrons can savor a la carte pieces of fatty tuna, shrimp, scallop, Alaskan king crab, freshwater eel, uni, and more. Or they can leave it in the hands of the experts by going the omakase route." - Naomi Waxman, Eater Staff

"What To Expect: Even if you’ve never stepped foot in a clubstaurant in your life, chances are you’ve heard of Tao. The sprawling, multi-level Asian-themed behemoth in River North has locations in NYC, Vegas, LA, and (inexplicably) central Connecticut.  What’s Up With The Food: Most dishes are expensive and lean overly sweet or oily, and are slightly worse than what you’d get at a chain. The fruity, watery cocktails aren’t much better. And thanks to the work dinner that decided to do bottle service on a Wednesday at 7:30pm, you’ll probably have to wait a while for a refill as the staff halfheartedly parades around with sparklers and an LED sign.  Verdict: A weekend visit to the club is perfectly fine, but dinner in the completely separate dining room isn’t good enough for a dedicated visit (and doesn’t guarantee entry into the main club anyway)." - veda kilaru, adrian kane