Velvet Taco

My taco choices included: Spicy Tikka Chicken, Chicken & Waffle, and the Slow Roasted Angus Brisket. All three came with their own unique flavor that was delicious. I'm a sauce fan and there was plenty to taste in every bite. The queso blanco & chips were fresh and cheesy. The staff were fun and cheerful. The restaurant vibe was chill and calming with some great music playing while I ate upstairs.

I’ve been wanting to visit this place for a while. I ordered 3 salmon tacos, a Mexi cali bowl with blackened shrimp, queso with tortillas, and a slice of red velvet cake. My order was about 50 bucks before tip. I ordered for pick up. Pros: I really enjoyed the cheese and nachos. The cheese was really creamy and flavorful. My son thought it was a little too salty but he did enjoy it. The Mexi-cali bowl was my absolute favorite. It includes really fresh ingredients, very flavorful, and it’s served with a mix of sauces. I’m not a huge fan of sweets but the red velvet cake was good just a tad too sweet for me. Cons: I ordered to go and didn’t get any napkins or forks. The tacos were okay but not a favorite. The guacamole was okay but needed more flavor.

I ordered the birria duo and a steak bowl to go. Are the birria that night and it was alright. Are the steak bowl the next day. A few spoonfuls in and I was chewing on something hard. Pulled it out of my mouth and rinsed it if. It was a piece of wood… I threw the whole thing out. Waste of like $13.

Velvet Taco is a creative fast‑casual taco concept that leans heavily into global flavor fusions rather than strict Tex‑Mex tradition. Their menu spans everything from Korean and Indian inspired tacos to Mediterranean and Caribbean takes — which gives them a bit of an edge for vegetarians who want more than just “beans and cheese” tacos. I tried all 3 veggie options ~~ Fried Paneer Taco, Beer Battered Cauliflower Taco, Nashville Hot Tofu taco and was impressed with taste and flavour. Must try , if you are flexible you can definitely leave happily full and satisfied with a different interesting vegetarian version of tacos that go beyond the typical “bean & cheese” approach.

Chicken tikka taco was bomb and so was chicken and waffle taco. Although, it’s a bit sweet for my taste. The chicken was crisp and full of flavour. Food is always great at Velvet taco, my interaction with the staff was blunt, they need to communicate better. I had to walk upstairs and down 4 times to get the correct code to use ladies room.

Very good tacos highly recommended if you are in the area Nice clean place close to loop

I will definitely be back. I got the paneer, cauliflower, and shrimp tacos. All of them were delicious with very unique flavors that worked well together. The service was also great!

I was able to get a tasty vegetarian option. This is a cool place. They have different non-traditional options that go in a taco and make it taste good! I have visited this place over the years and they've evolved with time, adding new appealing options to the menu. Try it, you might like it!

I thought this was a fascinating and fun menu. Well executed as well. I was skeptical at first but once you embrace that it's not your normal taco spot, it's smooth sailing. I was just grabbing a quick lunch so I only tried 2 tacos. The chicken and waffle taco was so unique and unlike any chicken and waffles I've had. The shell was reminiscent of a choco taco shell and then the chicken tender was crisp and juicy. The chimichurri steak taco was also very good. That was more of a traditional taco. Was nice to pair a fun taco with a taco with familiar flavors. Would definitely come back to try some of the others!

Great little place to go for some late-night snacks after a night out in West Loop. The tacos are delicious! Very small place and it can get packed, but well worth the wait. Recommend!

Food: Tequila Lime Chicken - 4/10 * Decent, but I've had better tacos at Taco Bell Quesa Birria Duo - 1/10 * Not crispy at all, shell falling apart, didn't even finish. Grilled Steak - 2/10 * Bland & ok at best Service: Friendly, quick, convenient. Ambiance: Not bad. My suggestion: Don't just pile a bunch of toppings on a taco Birria tacos should be crispy - the shell shouldn't be falling apart before you even dip it. *** I might come back again - but for the price I'll likely go elsewhere.

I've wanted to try this place and it did not disappoint. I was in the area shopping with my son and stumbled upon it. We weren't very hungry so I just ordered two tacos to sample ; ) I had the chicken tikka masala taco and the Buffalo chicken taco. The tikka masala one was amazing! It was so unique too as it had crispy chicken with tikka masala sauce and a small rice bed beneath. This is a must try! The buffalo chicken one was also amazing, but didn't stand up to the tikka one. The person at the counter wasn't friendly or welcoming so I give 4/5 stars. We went on Saturday, 8/16, around 3pm. Will return!

No complaints here! I got a rotisserie chicken taco (not pictured) and a chicken tikka taco. Both were delicious and way bigger than I expected. Two definitely hit my late night hunger spot. I also heard good comments about the battered fish taco. They're open still 2am right by the bars so it's a perfect late night meal.

The tacos were delicious. I would definitely come back for the food, but the service wasn't great, and it was very cold inside.

Are you in need of some late night grub after a night of clubbing? If you are, this is the place to go. The line moves fast and the food is cheap and delicious!

Delicious tacos and great spot for vegetarians!! I honestly liked all three of the vegetarian taco options a lot. The tofu one surprised me and is my favorite which I wouldn't expect. Paneer and cauliflower were absolutely delicious too. The prices are def on the more expensive side, but the tacos have a lot of different ingredients and taste delicious! I also think the red velvet cake is prob the best I've had. It is very sweet, but if you're in the mood for dessert, I highly recommend trying it!

As a vegetarian this is a go to dinner spot for me and my family. They have amazing options for tacos that are unique! I highly recommend trying this place out. Also their queso is one of the best I've had, perfect taste and consistency. Try it out!!

I didn't actually know this was a franchise. I've been to the Velvet Taco in Houston and really liked it so I had to visit this one while I'm in the area. It didn't disappoint. My daughter had 3 different tacos, salmon, chicken tikka and another. She let me tasty them and they were very good especially the salmon. Except the taco pretty much fell apart once she picked it up. I got the chicken bowl and it was very tasty. Price was about the same as I remember and was on the more expensive side for tacos and bowl but worth it.

Came here for a quick late night bite after a Saturday night out. Loved the creative approach to tacos. Great vegetarian options and love their variety. Beer Battered Cauliflower Taco (5/5) - Perfectly crispy cauliflower with great sauce. Great flavor Fried Paneer Taco (4/5) - good attempt at an Indian fusion Nashville Hot Tofu Taco (4/5) - Tasty seasoning with a manageable amount of heat Red Curry Coconut Queso (4.5/5) - Salty but addictively good with the chips The portions are pretty generous and each taco feels unique. Quick service despite being busy. The inside has an industrial and quirky vibe which works well. Perfect for late night cravings!

The food came out quickly, and the service was excellent. This was honestly one of the best tacos I've ever had, the shrimp was cooked perfectly, and the ingredients were fresh. The place is small but not too noisy, which made for a pleasant dining experience. I'll definitely try to go back before I leave!

After hearing rave reviews, I finally tried Velvet Taco, and it definitely lived up to the hype! I ordered delivery on a Saturday night, and to my surprise, it arrived quickly--within 20-25 minutes. I tried three tacos: the Spicy Tikka Chicken, Mexi-Cali Shrimp, and Kobe Beef Smash Burger. While all were delicious, the Kobe Beef Smash Burger taco truly stood out. The combination of ground beef, pickles, special sauce, and cheese in a tortilla might sound unconventional, but it works so well! Velvet Taco is more of a specialty taco spot rather than a traditional Mexican taqueria, similar to how some pizzerias focus on unique specialty slices rather than the classic ones. If you're in the mood for something creative and different, Velvet Taco is perfect. The only downside? It's a bit on the pricier side--around $7-8 per taco. That said, I loved my experience and can't wait to try more from their menu next time!

Highly disappointed. They've started skimping out on the paneer sauce so it taste like tofu. Velvet taco used to be so good but now it's average. The service was also slow. Seating is nice with extensive space including upstairs. However, would not recommend going back since they are making the recipes cheaper

Velvet taco is a frequent drop-in whenever in the west loop. Generally the Asada, fish n chips and chicken tikka are solid choices but at times they tend to go overboard with the sauce and it gets somewhat overwhelming. Unfortunately, the last couple of times that was the case and hence the 3 stars. If they can get the balance right again I'm sure they are good enough to be a 4/5 taco option!

Velvet taco has been my go to ever since I went to the first ever velvet taco in Texas. Their food menu items are so creative and so delicious. My absolute favorite is the Nashville hot tofu taco. I love the slight crunch and slight spiciness of the tofu balanced by crunchy pickles. I also love the chicken tikka taco. Never did I think that rice in a taco would taste good. The beer battered cauliflower is yummy too, I like the southern take on fried cauliflower. The service is very fast usually and I love the fact that you can order, grab your table and chat with your friends while they call out your name when you order is ready. The ambience is very texan with open seating, industrial chairs and tables. Love velvet taco and it is a staple for me, especially on weekends when you need yummy food after a night of drinking.

Velvet Taco knows how to bring the flavor! We tried a bunch of tacos: spicy chicken tikka, spicy paneer, Nashville hot tofu, Mexicali shrimp, and roasted cauliflower and every one of them was yum. Super creative flavor combos and the sauces on the side were absolute flavor bombs. The only letdown was the promo: their website said you get free nachos with queso when signing up, but the staff told us we couldn't redeem it. Bit of a bummer and took away from the overall experience. That said, the food was solid and unique enough that I'd still come back. Just hoping for a little more consistency next time!

No complaints! I'll be coming here again for sure. I recommend getting the taco combo (2 tacos + side + drink). I tried the chicken & waffle taco (9/10), quesa birria taco (5/10), chimichurri steak (8/10), and kobe smash burger taco (11/10). I also enjoyed the guac and queso with their blue corn tortilla chips. The interior has two floors with plenty of seating and the whole place was clean. I had a great time at Velvet Taco.

I recommend ordering the say what combo while it's around. It comes with a side, any 2 tacos, and a drink for $15 so you can definetely get a great bang for your buck depending on which tacos you choose. I got the chile shrimp and picnic chicken and really enjoyed it. I also love the Nashville tofu tacos. Though this place isn't super authentic by any means - all the tacos are really fun in terms of combinations and all have been hits to me!

The chicken tikka taco and queso are awesome. Definitely going to come back for it again. Took less than 10 mins to get my food after ordering.

I LOVE these tacos, velvet taco is proof that anything inside a tortilla is going to be fantastic I've tried every single thing in the menu but I think my favorites are the chimichurri steak , regular steak & cali shrimp , buffalo chicken , chicken waffle , chicken tikka & let's not forget about spicy cauliflower . Their dips trio is a must order . I prefer recommend getting delivery rather than dinning in .

Great spot for a quick taco stop! The line moves fast and the tacos are always great portions. The prices seem steep at first until you see the size of the tacos. My personal favorites are the chicken tikka taco, the cauliflower, and the Korean fried rice. They're all flavorful and hit the spot for a quick lunch.

I was craving Velvet Taco and hence decided to order it for lunch. I usually order Nashville Hot Tofu as that is the only vegan option available (although it's not completely vegan as it has sour cream over it) i love the crispy tofu combination with tacos, and the sauces are very flavorful. I have tried their paneer tikka tacos, falafel tacos, beer battered cauliflower tacos and even spicy chicken tikka taco in the past. All their tacos are good, I liked the spicy chicken tikka taco the most where they combined chicken with basmati rice and basil. Hoping they bring a similar combination in one of their vegan options as I've quit meat! Hoping they have more Vegan options in the future! Velvet Taco is in major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Nashville. Dallas is the birthplace of Velvet Taco. Velvet Taco was my first meal in the USA when I moved in 2016 and it will indeed always be special! P.S. If you like spicy food, make sure to ask for their hot sauces as they definitely elevate the taste of this Indo-Mexican fusion tacos. They usually mess up sending these sauces for their take out orders.

Open laaaate! I went around 1:45am and it was packed but they have a really good system/process so the wait wasn't bad. The tacos were fire and untraditional. There's an upstairs dining room as well.

No. They sound amazing but it's basically a bunch of ingredients mix matched by taco to create a new taco item. The chicken tacos sounded amazing on the menu. Chileeeeeee I ordered all FIVE of the flavors. No. Three of them used the same breaded chicken. All of the tortillas were raw. Flimsy and doughy. I had: Spicy tikka chicken it's supposed to be the best. Say what? Buffalo chicken This one was ok. But again the same chicken tenders. You can't mess up a buffalo sauce. Rotisserie chicken queso blanco, roasted corn pico, charred tomato poblano salsa, cilantro, flour tortilla It was so bad I don't remember it at all. Picnic chicken rotisserie chicken with potatoes. It was decent. Chicken & waffle this was the worst of them all. Yuck. Doughy shell. Sweet and yucky. I also had the elote. Soupy corn. No. Service was slow. To order it took forever! I would come to try the beef or seafood tacos IF I was with someone but not making any trips. Don't recommend.

It's like a fast food taco option. I thought this place was OK. It made me miss bar taco. They have tastier tacos. There are also like 3 other taco spots next door/nearby Velvet Taco. They have several different options for tacos. The taco bowl looked good. I ordered the combo dish: 2 tacos + a side + a drink for $14.95. I ordered the Baja fish and steak taco with the elote w/blue tortilla chips. The Baja fish was tastier than the steak taco. I would order the Baja fish again. The tacos are a good size. They messed up my order by not removing the avocado (even though I did tell them upon ordering). The steak taco was a step above taco bell steak. It was kinda chewy and hard. Their layout downstairs is also way too crowded, making it hard to pick up your food order. I may go here again, but I would be open to trying the other spots next door.

One of the signature taco places in Chicago. There is seating on the ground and upper floor with mostly long tables. Bulgogi Walking Taco- nice fusion dish and fun eating out of the bag! Salmon taco was fresh. Steak Chimichurri- it was a little bit greasy, but what good taco isn't? Overall, the food was good but I wouldn't say it was amazing.

Velvet taco is a classic quick bite to eat or drunk spot. There are a variety of tacos and love that there is fusion of flavors. I love that you can sub out most tacos for paneer if you are vegetarian so I like to do the paneer tikka masala. I also love their queso and chips. The service is usually quick and there are two floors so you usually can find seating

Ricardo and George are wonderful. This establishment was so welcoming. They are the kindest employees and deserve a raise.

At this moment wanted a good taco and when I say I had a time. It's a must try. And my server Julian made sure to help me with great choices!

This location has plenty of seating. We were a group of 6 and found some seats on the first floor. As vegetarians we tried the following : Tofu : 5/5. This is by far my favorite. It is the right amount of crispy. Paneer: 2/5. This was just okay. The paneer was rubbery. Cauliflower: 3/5. I found this to be just okay , but my husband liked this the best.

Been hammered at 2AM in Chicago before ? It's better than Taco Bell. Enjoy waiting in a 20 Minute line to get gud tacos. On second thought, Taco Bell is way faster

We love velvet taco. My personal faves are the beer battered cauliflower, nash hot tofu and the paneer. My husband loves the korean fried rice and sweet chili shrimp. You also absolutely cannot come here and not try the elote. Definitely a great late night eats place. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out!

The paneer and tofu tacos were great! Open until pretty late so good spot to grab food after drinking. Elote is really good too. Can be lil slow sometimes coz it can get busy. Basic ambiance.

I have been have a few times. The tacos are alway so unique and very tasty!!! This time around I went with the Cuban pig, very good, and the fish n' chips taco, it was amazing!!! The beer battered cod, curry aioli, french fries, malt vinegar, and napa slaw combo was like a melody on my taste buds.

whenever you see the metal taco tray, you know it's about to be way overpriced tiny tacos doing absolutely way too much. and that's what velvet taco is. and don't let the tacos get cold, good luck warming them up. service is ok sometimes, sometimes it's a bit pretentious. the atmosphere in this place always seems rushed and "hurry up and buy!" kinda feel to it a little bit a lot. been here on drunk nights and sober nights hot nights and cold nights and it's always trash. respectfully.

Went to velvet taco in west loop for a quick bite! It's open late night so it's convenient to grab food from here during late night hours when everything else is closed. You order your food and they announce that it's ready for pick up so you can grab your table while you're waiting. Right off the bat, we had to wait close to 10 minutes to place our order even though we were the only people in line when we were ordering. During the ordering process, the individual taking our order was texting on their phone while we were ordering our food, which was very unprofessional and we had to repeat our order multiple times to them. The bathrooms were not clean, the paper towels were out, the soap dispenser was running out of soap, and the trash bins (in the bathroom and the restaurant) were over flowing. In terms of food, it was quite an average experience - we got the chimichurri steak, fried paneer, cauliflower, and chicken tikka tacos - all of which were good but not as great as I was expecting them to be. The size of the tacos was decent but the filling inside was lacking flavor and vibrance. I had to drown every bite with hot sauce to add more flavor. We also got the classic guac and chips on the side. The guac was probably the best part of the entire meal. It was delicious, and not too crunchy and neither too soft. The seasoning was perfect and went so well with the chips! Honestly, I was quite disappointed with my experience here today, especially given that I have tried velvet taco in the past and absolutely loved it. Not sure if this is something that's specific to this location but I hope that customer service and flavor is something that does see improvement at their locations.

I've heard so much about this place and was finally able to check it out for myself. The food is delicious. Definitely recommend: -Red coconut curry queso -Spicy Tikka chicken tacos -Nashville hot tofu tacos I will definitely go back in the future!

I've been to this location a few times, slowly working my way through their unique taco offerings. For me, it's been hit or miss but my favorite remains the fish 'n chips taco. Whether you're dining in or taking out, they've got some cool containers to make sure your tacos hold together. Every time I've visited this Velvet Taco, I've been met with great service - and the employees all seem to have fun together, which contributes to good vibes all around. Plus they always seem to be bumpin some good tunes. And even when it's busy, food tends to come out in decent time. Prices are on par for west loop, no surprise there. Also on par for west loop is super limited parking but still worth it to check this spot out.

We came here for late night tacos, and got some paneer tacos and some chicken tacos. They're super fast as when we ordered, within 5 minutes our tacos were ready. The restaurant seems small, but there's a whole second floor with a lot more seating which was really nice. The tacos were decently sized and not tiny, so they're decently priced. They are very saucy and full so can be a bit messy to eat, but I prefer that over a dry plain taco. Personally I liked the flavor in the chicken tacos more than the paneer one, but both were pretty decent overall. The menu is pretty big for a small taco shop, so there's lot of options (and other good vegetarian options too).

You walk in and order then your name is called over a speaker. Great location to grab a quick bite to eat. They had a special where you get two tacos and a side. It was quite a bit of food and I was not able to finish it all. They serve booze also which is neat. I had the takki chicken taco and fried rice race both of which were very spicy. I would say it is more of a late night food spot and not a mid afternoon vibe.

good drunk food, get the saucy tacos, get the queso service is fine, gets busy in there Idk about ambiance, I always grab to go

Velvet Taco is always a joy! I appreciated the staff recommendation to try their new combo deal (pictured!). My lunch date and I spent a good two hours enjoying their choice of music and the perfect casual vibes!

Now these are tacos. Yes, not so traditional, but it's a great twist on tacos. Of course if you come, you have to try the spicy chicken tikka, that is going down as one of the best tacos I've ever had. Wasn't a fan of the slow roasted angus brisket, but that's just me, I'm not a pot roast kind of person. Came here in the summer and we sat outside. Great place, can't wait to come back.

Had a chance to try Velvet taco on a late Saturday night and this place was super packed and poppin! If you are looking for a fun casual place to try different fusion flavors of tacos this is a great spot. I wasn't too hungry but I ordered the chicken tikka taco and this was delicious - it was cool as there was also rice in the taco! They did not skimp on the meat and this was the perfect late night snack!

My first time trying velvet taco and i must say presentation was definitely on point. Their tacos are beautiful! When it comes to the taste, I would say they are very Americanized and are okay. The steak tacos i had were the best out of the options. But the team liked them and thought the way they presented it was super cool.

horrible service, horrible security!! don't come, unless you want to be harassed! they kicked our friends out for not buying food, when one person bought food for the whole group. then they joked with the rest of us that they hope our friends were able to use the bathroom before being kicked out? they never needed the restroom.

Gross!! How ppl eat this!! Everything is way too spicy. I do eat spicy but their tacos are way too sour or too spicy. Prep is disgusting too. I found thick black hair mixed and cooked together with one the tacos i ordered. As soon as i found it out and i brought it back and they didn't even say sorry but mad at me.

Ordered the brisket nacho and the Brisket burger, really delicious. Wild place on the weekends. Really wasn't a long wait surprisingly.