Custom House Tavern

Service was good. Main entrée was average, but dessert was below par. Sat us down in an oversized table that we need to yell to talk to each other.

Great meal, the ceasar with cornbread crusted smelts was top notch and scallops with pickled raisins was a perfect dish.

Overall, very impressed with this place. A friend of mine asked where a good place to eat. This place would need to have a decent menu, more revolving around steak and potatoes) that all would be able to enjoy. So, after providing at least 5 options, CHT was chosen.
The décor was very nice. Location was great (Printers Row) and close to the EL. Service was excellent. Food was delicious (main course). The desert was ok. We tried a few things but nothing was orgasmic.
Unfortunately, a friend sent me an article indicating this restaurant will be closing effective 10÷31÷12.
Really unfortunate. There were a few more items I would have loved to try from the menu. Sorry for not listing what we ate but since they’ve closed it doesn’t matter anyways. :-(

What a find!!! Visited this place randomly when I was on business in Chicago and EVERYTHING was excellent — food, wine, service.
As they feature local wholesome ingredients and unprocessed foods, the menu had a wide array of gluten free options, which were ALL delicious. I opted for sampling three of their sides in lieu of an entrée and was in heaven. Then they offered a Fig and Marzipan clafoutis (with a touch of thyme) for dessert and it pushed me over the edge. Yum! Foodie delight.
My server, «David K,» was excellent as well. He was serving the entire dining room by himself in an effortless and extremely personable way. It was all good.

The half pound burger will melt in your mouth! The fries will not! Unfortunately the fries were mostly soggy with only a few slightly crispy pieces and was just a bit sad. My friend’s steak was nicely done but she expected a bit more umph for the price. The desserts were petite and interesting. There was actually a sprinkle of salt on the olive oil ice cream! Which made my friend happy but myself quite sad.
The service was very good and ambiance was quiet, dark, and romantic. I really liked the tall booths– it makes you feel like you and your company are in your own private room. The restrooms are actually outside of the dining/​bar area and you must go through the doors you entered and down the hall on the right.

Delicious food, great ambiance. I loved that they had a bunch of choices for pescatarians. Good for a work related dinner or date night.

I found Custom House because they were listed at one of the best burgers in the US. I ordered mine Medium rare and it was awesome! Granted, it wasn’t the best burger I’ve ever eaten, but it came pretty damn close.
The BBQ octopus was really good and I also got an oyster from the East Coast, I felt like they could have done a little more with their mignonette, it just tasted like standard relish mixed with vinegar.

This place is really solid. The food is good — I had oysters for an appetizer and whitefish as my entrée. The wine list is reasonable and complete — we had a really wonderful burgundy. Prices are correct. The ambience is good too. It’s comfortable for a date night or a business dinner (which was my purpose).
The one thing I’ll note is that when we arrived, they made us wait at the bar, because we were about 30 minutes early for our reservation. When finally seated, though, it didn’t seem like there was a shortage of tables. I hate that move — I’m going to spend money, don’t try to suck an extra $ 10 out of me for a drink.

I’ve dined at Custom House twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. Despite appearing on my burger list, the food (which was a burger… try to keep up) and service for lunch were less memorable than the environment or the company (a certain food-​loving Unilocaltern). It’s a pretty chic place, and I think the contrast between it and its surroundings (it’s an odd place for a nice restaurant) only magnifies that. Despite the name including the word «Tavern» it’s nothing like any actual tavern I’ve been to.
When I went for dinner, the food and drink were plenty memorable, as was the service, but for opposite reasons. My food was excellent. The Short Rib Pot Roast was really good, like one of the best entrees I’ve had so far this year. The meat was tender and everything was well-​flavored. The drink (I don’t know what it was called, but it was pink. My drink menu didn’t have the cocktail page so I just for what my friend was drinking.) was also sweet and gingery (just gingery enough).
The service on the other hand, was polite but slooow. We only had one course and we barely made it out of there in under an hour and a half and we had a Show! To Catch! (It was. Shatner.) It didn’t help that they made a mistake processing one of the credits cards and had to do it all over.
The menu here is pretty small. There’s one chicken item, one veggie entrée, two beef (plus the burger), a pork and a couple seafood items. The appetizer menu isn’t very appealing to me. It’s also a little pricey. Still, I would totally go back for more of that pot roast!

Divine. Interesting. Delightful. (You can read other reviews for the wonderful service and atmosphere. This one will be about the food.)
I came here for my last night with friends I went to college at Purdue with. Mind you, I’m not a red wine kind of person. But I was willing to have it as part of a fine meal. My friend ordered…
2009 PINOT NOIR EMERITUS 69
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
…it was perfect.
There were five of us total and we decided to have the following:
* Appetizers:
1) Grilled Octopus with a light fennel slaw.
2) Hard Cider Steamed Clams — tiny little cockles that barely have any meat, but the broth was very good, especially with their warm bread for dipping.
3) Handmade Pork Sausage (with potatoes instead sea island red peas) — the cranberry mustard was the perfect condiment.
* Entrees:
1) Sea Scallop & Veal Sweetbread — Out of the different entrees. My other friend and I knew we both had to get scallops in order to have enough to share. The scallops had a perfect sear, though my preference is to have them with a risotto. The tangy cabbage was a nice touch though.
2) Tavern Steak — A perfect medium-​rare. I don’t know why I’m always impressed when steak actually comes out cooked like you ordered.
3) Grilled Pork Loin Chop — Finally! A place that doesn’t overcook pork to where it’s still moist and tender. My friend ordered this medium. Perfect because it will still pink in the middle. Worried? Don’t be… the FDA said it was ok. The spiced peanuts encrusting it were very flavorful.
4) Lake Superior Whitefish — Didn’t try this one, but my friend finished his plate.
* Sides:
1) Roasted Beet Risotto — Odd color that may have been off putting, but it was unique and had nice flavor. I’m just a fan of «normal» risotto with mushrooms or asparagus, not red beets and walnuts.
2) Wild Mushrooms (Lemon & Herbs) — I could this as an entire meal.
* Desserts:
1) Brown Butter Medjool Date Tart — Who knew dates in tart would be so good? Not to mention the spiced caramel/​pistachio ice cream was great too. It was wonderful to have the spiciness of the tart to still linger after the bite.
2) Chocolate Caramel Ganache — Now normally I’m not heavy on the chocolate for dessert, but this ganache was velvety and smooth. The best part was the salty ice cream. It was the most unique.
There you have it.

I had a great meal at Custom House, here’s the rundown:
«Custom house» cocktail — vodka, ginger syrup, and something else I can’t recall. This was probably the least impressive part of the meal. It wasn’t bad but not at all memorable or worth the $ 12 price tag.
Sweet potato soup — excellent, I would have licked the bowl but I was in public.
Burger — I’m not that easily impressed, but folks, the hype is real on this burger. It was flavorful and delicious and worth $ 15 in my view.
Ginger spice cake — while I was eating it, I thought it was good but not great. But it leaves a really pleasant aftertaste.
All in all, it was really good.

I would give this five stars if the meals were a little less expensive. The food was excellent but a tad overpriced for what you got. The restaurant was incredibly empty when we arrived at 7:30 on a Friday evening which explains why we were able to get a reservation. I was a little concerned at first that it was so empty but the food and service were great so I’m not sure why they don’t get a better turnout.
We started the night with the tuna and scallop appetizers. They were both very tasty and flavorful but very, very tiny for the $ 14 or $ 15 dollars they were charging. For dinner, I had the wild sockey salmon with a roasted red pepper sauce, fresh tomatoes and a squash casserole and the table split a side of mashed potatoes. The squash casserole was the best part of the meal. Fresh and cheesy! Everything was very tasty. The waiter also recommended that we try the Gewerstemeiner with dinner and it was sweet and refreshing and a great recommendation for my sweet wine request.

More a 3.5 rating, but certainly not 4 stars.
Outrageously expensive, but great service and interesting and unusual menu offerings along with standard items. Look for specials, like their summer $ 25 dinner choices of fried chicken, grilled steak or pork. Other entres are at $ 30+.
Wanted oysters so ordered 6… AT $ 3 EACH! Ahhhhhhhhhhh: $ 18 and I was just starting.
Drinks were $ 10 each… good pours, but not a place to regularly inbibe.
One of their specials is their burger, which people rave over, and the other is mussels, chorizo and fries, offered in two sizes. I opted for the appetizer size and was glad I did as the regular portion was huge and more than I could handle.
The mussels were done in beer and along with spices had small squares of minced sausage. Scooping a spoon-​full of mussel, sausage, beer sauce, along with a soggy fry or a hunk of bread was very flavorful and heavenly. Not as good as mussels at Alexandria, VA’s Magestic, but almost.
The fries were pretty worthless: soggy and oily. I ate a few but left the rest preferring the fresh, soft bread for sopping.
Two drinks, 6 oysters and appetizer portion of mussels was $ 57. If you were with a friend and had main courses you would be well over $ 100 even sharing an appetizer and having a glass or wine or a couple of drinks between you both.
Service was excellent, the menu interesting and the food good, but a little too rich, price-​wise, for me to fully enjoy it. For what they charge I would rather go to one of the main-​line upscale steak houses.

Came off a whim with a group of friends and was blown away. The service was impeccable. Our waiter was sincere and helpful, and attentive to all our needs. Presentation was lovely, the food was cooked perfectly, and there was a great variety offered on the menu — from chef specialties to classic tavern fare, there’s something to please everybody.
I had the duck breast and it was cooked to perfection; it literally melted in my mouth… I had no idea duck could do such a thing. And the sauce and red currants that came with… paired perfectly! I also had some of my friend’s mussels & fries. The mussels we’re cooked in a great and flavorful broth that really helped to enhance the dish; and the fries, with the sea salt seasoning, were easily some of the best fries I’ve ever had!
There wasn’t a single thing I disliked about this place… Only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because for what it offered, it was slightly expensive — just by a few dollars. Regardless, I would recommend this place to my friends for any special occasion or to anyone looking for a good solid meal.

As a quick lunch spot, this probably isn’t a bad option. I went with two other coworkers and while two of us got the burger, I got the shrimp roll, after being told that they didn’t have the pulled pork sandwich. Unfortunate, as that guy sounded really good.
The shrimp roll was decent — in a light mayo and lemon dressing with some chopped chives (not too many) and decent shrimp flavor. It was in an odd… brioche roll… almost like a piece of cornbread cut in half and the crack filled up with shrimp. A little messy, but tasty. Fries were excellent, and served in a cute little cast iron crock.
I’d go back, as the price wasn’t crazy for a sit down lunch if I ever wanted one. The place was empty the Monday we visited, so I don’t know if reservations would be needed — we did have them. One thing I will point out, the ultra cool ambiance and background light techno made me think I was eating lunch in a Banana Republic. A bit… silly, honestly.

If you’re into foo foo shi shi, then this is the place for you.
It’s a beautifully designed restaurant with beautiful tables and a nice layout.
We had a round table to fit 8 people. Four had chairs and the other four shared a semi round booth. Very nice.
Our server was midwestern nice, the kind of guy who was taking his time so he could be attentive. Problem is, in a place like this he was just taking too long. My husband, being the short tempered guy from
LA wanted everything 15 minutes ago. But I thought the guy was super nice.
The food?
I’ll summarize by saying this. My brother in law, A.K.A. the human vacuum cleaner, for as long as I’ve known him licks his plate clean… And then he’ll lick everyone else’s too.
This time he actually left his half his duck on his plate saying he was full.
Shocking? No, the reason… Food wasn’t that good.
My braised beef was the house specialty. I thought it was rather bland, sort of like moist beef jerky with no flavor.
But we sucked it up for our niece’s graduation dinner.
Let’s just say we were ECSTATIC that we didn’t foot the bill…

I went here with a friend for lunch last Sunday. I made reservations for 1:15pm at about 12:30pm that same day… which seemed odd that they would even recommend that, considering it was almost completely empty when we got there. I guess I can understand why they would do that considering they’re in a hotel, but still. It was completely unnecessary.
My friend had the french toast, which wasn’t your standard french toast. The center was almost a the consistency of custard. I tried a bite and it was really good. I was a bit distracted by what I ordered though to care too much about what he was eating.
I had the crunchy lady sandwich… it was amazing. I still can’t get over it. It was like the cool posh second cousin of eggs benedict. The name is a little misleading though, since you would make a complete mess of yourself if you tried to eat this like a normal sandwich.
From top to bottom: perfectly fried egg, a little bit of hollandaise sauce (I think?), beautiful bread that the most amazing texture that I can’t properly describe, slices of shaved ham, cheese and another slice of that amazing bread. It was served with lettuce that was dressed in a light vinaigrette. I don’t know what it was made of, but it went really well with the sandwich.
The service was decent, the price wasn’t too bad for brunch in the south loop and the restaurant had a nice feel to it.

I had lunch here twice during my stay in Chicago.
The first time I came here I had the Custom House Burger. The burger was very good. The second time I came here I had the Onion soup. It was very good too.
The ambiance here is contemporary and stylish. Service was pretty good.

As much as I loved my omakase experience at Takashi, there’s a new player in town, and the entity in the once (and still) downtrodden South Loop. Yes — there is the Blake hotel on one side of Custom House, and Congress Parkway on the other. Depending on where you sit, you can get a great view of the BP station. Categorically:
Location: 5 out of 5
Easy walking distance for me. Public transportation facile with the Red Line Harrison stop, the Blue Line LaSalle Stop, and the 22 Clark Bus. Should you need to park, there does exist some street parking, but if you know your away around the neighborhood, you can probably find a public pay lot for cheaper.
Service: 5 out of 5
Just as trained as Takashi’s, just as friendly, but with an extra bit of charisma. Everyone from the nice redheaded gal who took our coats to our actual server, to the people who cleared the plates and refilled bread/​water were spot on. Super attentive and quick to notice when things were amiss, but not overbearing. I have no greater example of their attention to detail than the fact that while I was in the restroom, they did NOT clear my empty plate from the table, but instead waited until I returned to ask if it would be ok.
Quality: 5 out of 5
As Heather D alluded on her 1÷20÷11 review, the bartender was was an older woman wearing, gasp — of all things, a plain gray turtleneck. To others’ credit and heads up, the tequila old fashioned with home made vermouth was astounding. Sweet but with a kick of spice, it went down smooth and cozy. As countless others did, we went with our Groupons in hand, and were treated to a very well arranged 4 course meal.
The amuse bouche was in essence, a very light spring salad with vinaigrette and anchovy, on top of a toast. Nothing terrible to say about that, but nothing that would really jump out at me either.
Course 1 was a grilled squash with bacon and greens, accompanied by a sweet mayo’ish sauce. The grilled squash was actually quite the pairing with the mayo sauce, and I thought that the two fit quite well.
Course 2 consisted of scallops on pork belly, all on top of lemon flavored polenta. Gastronomical orgasm was the best way to describe the pork belly. I’ve had the best of pork belly dishes at Tony Hu’s empire, and even Takashi did an impressive pork belly, but this one… absolutely transcendental. I mean — the scallops were cooked perfectly, and had I not been whisked off to pig belly heaven, I would have said, «these scallops are phenomenal.» Well, I’m still saying that, but they were overshadowed by the pork belly.
Course 3 was a decadent, well-​seared but incredibly rare and tender steak with onion and lightly sauteed spinach. I made the off-​comment half-​jokingly that the steak I had at Custom House was better than Gibson’s, and as I took every bite, I realized more and more that perhaps I was onto something there. The only complaint I had of the evening also also attributed to the steak, however. I had a little strand of sinew that just wouldn’t cut easily. But small complaints compared to how good it tasted.
Course 4 was dessert: a semi sweet (I would almost say bittersweet) chocolate ganache with some type of ice cream and a fruity reduction on the side. The ganache was lightly rolled in what looked like white chocolate/​nutty nougat. I love dark chocolate, what can I say. I had no complaints here.
What I thought Custom House did better than Takashi, however — was the wine pairing. Yes, I realize that it’s easy to pair a dessert moscat with dark chocolate, and it’s probably not terribly difficult to find a robust red wine that goes with steak. But I would mention that the one of the only food-​related complaints I had at Takashi was with one of the wine pairings, whereas Custom House executed each wine pairing flawlessly.
Portion Size: 3 out of 5
Not the biggest, but come on — it’s a tasting menu, not a buffet.
Pricing: 3 out of 5
Subjective, I guess. Since my girly friendy paid for the groupons and thus my meal, and paid for my drink and the tip, it was free for me (hell yeah). But if I were paying out of pocket, I would rate 30 $ as being reasonable for the tasting menu and 60 $ as being somewhat on the high end. The 30 $ wine flight I thought was commensurate with others, and had added value because of the excellent execution with food pairings.
Décor: 4 out of 5
They got what they were looking for — an upscale «lodge» looking experience with the layered stones next to the kitchen, almost resembling a fireplace. Whereas some restaurants will go with frosted glass for the kitchen viewing area, Custom House was completely transparent (haha pun intended) with their viewing area. Might I compliment the chef on his excellent ink, too. Seating was on comfortable microfibre chaises, with larger «booth» areas in the back for bigger parties.
Overall: 5 out of 5. Out of space now. Peace.

Ooh — fancy, fancy. I’ve always walked by this place since I couldn’t justify their lunch prices. Luckily, they revamped their menu and it’s now semi-​affordable for my cheap butt. As always, I ventured far into the menu and ordered the burger and fries which were super tasty, but the gorgeous room and amazingly attentive service made this place worth the stop.
I also planned a retirement party here, so I was able to experience their private dining menu and room. First of all, I’ve planned quite a few office parties and after working w/​Sue and Clayton this was the most professional party planning experience from start to finish. The party boy and I were given a tour of the place, had all our questions answered, and their willingness to work with us and our budget made things so much easier. The day of Clatyon was there the entire step of the way. He periodically checked to make sure everything was running smoothly and was there whenever we needed him — making him there in the helpful sense, not the stalkerish one.
There were a few bumps in the road — their menu changes with the seasons and was in flux during the planning process. Although we said we’d arrive by noon, the room wasn’t ready, and they ran out of one type of beer early on. Also, a number of people who had the wagyu beef sirloin wished they were given a decision as to how it was cooked, but those who asked to have theirs cooked further were able to do so with no problems. Our dessert, the dark chocolate cremeux, was chocolately heaven at first bite. Then came bites two and three, accompanied by some big balls of salt, and I realized why the dessert wasn’t a hit with the rest of the crowd. Of course, all these things are super easy to solve, and I wouldn’t hesitate booking there again. So who wants me to throw them a party?