Taipei Cafe

“Quick service and kind staff.”

Quick service and kind staff. Not crazy busy either so there was a spot to sit down and rest. Bathroom is not available for non costumers.

Dom C

Dec 2025

“Five stars because the popcorn chicken (not pictured) was amazingly seasoned and fried.”

Five stars because the popcorn chicken (not pictured) was amazingly seasoned and fried. Beef noodle soup was just mid - noodles and broth were nothing special, but the shank was tender.

Bela Le

Dec 2025

“it has real Taiwanse food ,maybe the best beef noodle soup I came across in US , soup was delicious...”

it has real Taiwanse food ,maybe the best beef noodle soup I came across in US , soup was delicious ,hot soup taste a lot better when outside was 1F /-17C . Very cool building and interior decoration . Most customers ordered boba teas and carry out . They didn't play Chinese nor Taiwanse music in the background was little strange , I guess it was Japanese music.

N Wang

Jan 2025

“Tiny corner restaurant with decent boba and Taiwanese food.”

Tiny corner restaurant with decent boba and Taiwanese food. Sitting options are a little bit ascetic, so I wouldn't plan to spend much time here. The signature beef bao-wich was stuffed with meat and onions, while sauce was dipping everywhere. Quite tasty. French fries with citrus sauce were interesting.

Vsevolod Suschevskiy

Nov 2024

“absolutely love the boba here.”

absolutely love the boba here. i always get the peach oolong passion fruit tea. it’s so refreshing, and it doesn’t just taste like artificial syrup like most places make their fruit teas. i think about this place every time i want boba and i’ve driven out of my way to stop here for boba multiple times. i’m excited for the day i actually sit down for a meal here, but there’s not much seating available here, so i always forego that option when i visit update: i got to try the popcorn chicken when i went back and it was so delicious. perfectly crunchy and seasoned on the outside and flavorful and not dry on the inside. i am so excited to come back again

kayleigh

Sep 2024

“we were walking around the area and looking for food to eat, and we settled on this since it looked...”

we were walking around the area and looking for food to eat, and we settled on this since it looked really good, and we were not disappointed. the taiwanese fried chicken was very good, although i do wish there was some sort of sauce. my partner got the noodles with fatty beef which was delicious, i really enjoyed the texture of the noodles. i ordered braised pork with rice, which i was very impressed by! the pork was tender, flavorful and melted in my mouth. however, it was a little salty for my liking, but still very yummy!

N T

Jun 2024

“The food is good with generous portion, but on the salty side.”

The food is good with generous portion, but on the salty side. Although named Taipei Cafe, the food did not remind me of my hometown. Maybe it’s just the dish I ordered. Looking to try out something else next time!

Rebecca Chu

May 2024

“A nice cozy corner eatery.”

A nice cozy corner eatery. Offering foods and assorted drinks. Dishes look appealing. I had the shank tendon noodles soup and matcha drink afterward. It was good. Family had various dishes and drinks. The consensus was good. Price reasonable for the type of food. This was the Belmont location.

Cho Ng

May 2024

“The food at Taipei Cafe was delicious.”

The food at Taipei Cafe was delicious. I would 100% recommend the chicken cutlet, braised pork over rice and noodles in pepper sauce. I also tried the cremebrulee boba, but I wasn't a big fan.

Jenesis A

Apr 2024

“Overall Thoughts: The food here is tasty with very reasonable prices for the portion sizes.”

Overall Thoughts: The food here is tasty with very reasonable prices for the portion sizes. Everything was flavorful, and came out quickly— my favorite order was the fatty beef black pepper noodles; it’s pretty oily but the flavors and textures are impeccable. It’s a small space and seating is limited (just a few hightop tables and bar counter seating). I need to go to their Bridgeport location next, which has a more expansive menu (including hotpot) and seating area! Food I tried: - Fried Egg Tofu Bento (4.4/5): The Japanese egg tofu is great here: crispy and well-seasoned exterior with a soft, scalding interior. The other sides were solid too— it’s an overall well-balanced, filling meal option. - Fatty Beef Black Pepper Noodles (4.7/5): I especially enjoyed this dish: the beef and noodles were packed with flavor (the black pepper flavor is very distinct) and the soft textures paired perfectly together. - Popcorn Chicken (4.2/5): A Taiwanese classic; this was good with a crispy exterior and juicy interior— no “wow” factor but very solid! It didn’t come with any sauce, but dipping it in the egg tofu bento chili sauce was pretty good. - Matcha Belgian Waffle (4.2/5): This is a huge, filling dessert that tasted good but quickly became a bit monotonous/tedious to consume (especially since we were already so full by then). The waffle is soft, warm, dusted with detectable matcha powder, and topped with matcha Pocky sticks and vanilla ice cream. — Price (relative to peers): 4.5/5 Food: 4.4/5 Ambience: 4.7/5 Service: 4.8/5 Overall Value: 4.5/5

Mona

Mar 2024

“I lived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan for a year and was so excited to try this Taiwanese cafe in Chicago...”

I lived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan for a year and was so excited to try this Taiwanese cafe in Chicago because I miss the food and culture so much! It was really cute inside, but I found the spicy beef noodle soup lacking in spice. The noodles were awesome, I just wish there was chili oil to put on top. The teriyaki bento box was good, I love the tea eggs. The taro milk tea was incredible! I will still come back to try again.

Graham

Feb 2024

“A simple cafe serving Taiwanese eats in Lakeview.”

A simple cafe serving Taiwanese eats in Lakeview. While the menu selection is more limited compared to the Chinatown location, the quality remains great. The Taiwanese Noodles are consistently good for their hearty portions of beef and flavorful broth. The bento boxes offer a variety of flavors, and our favorites include the braised pork and grilled prawn. There is also a wide selection of boba available. We tried the roasted oolong and found it to be of decent quality. Note the seating is somewhat limited, though we have always managed to secure a spot easily during our visits.

Bill

Feb 2024