4. Restaurants

Townhouse Restaurant & Wine Bar

111 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, 60606
  • (312) 726-3676
  • Store is closed

Townhouse Restaurant & Wine Bar Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Alex R.

    Reading over some of the other reviews, it seems that nobody really likes Townhouse at all. I was definitely impressed with the decor, particularly the all-glass wall. The food is decent. Respectable prices, considering it's downtown, and it's a sit-down restaurant. I think I would stick to the salads, because everyone who was here, had spectacular-looking salads. Some important tips: make a reservation if you are planning on going. If not, you have to show up *early*, like 11:30. By 11:45, this place is packed, and there are no available tables.

    (4)

  • Doug H.

    This is one of the few restaurants that takes reservations for lunch in the area. It can be a little loud, but this is a great place for groups and the food is usually top notch.

    (4)

  • Julie H.

    The stars were aligned for me to enjoy my lunch at Townhouse: It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon, I was done with work for the day (gotta love those summer hours), and I was with great company. Plus the restaurant is very cool and chic, and the Joshua Jackson-look alike server was a welcome surprise, too! Everything on the menu sounded amazing (note: I was hungry enough to start gnawing on my left arm). The crispy flatbread stuff in the bread basket was highly delectable, and the fountain diet Coke was free-flowing. All these things add up to a great lunch, right? Well, not really. The food came out and it just didn't look that great. I mean, the lettuce in my chopped salad was not fresh-looking (and also not chopped, might I add)! My friend's salad was equally dull. My other friend had a turkey burger, which looked like a better way to go. Are all lunches in the loop this uninspiring? If so, I think I'll stick to River North, closer to my office.

    (3)

  • Cherie E.

    I enjoyed Townhouse. I work in the next building, and my coworkers took me here on my first day. It's a good business lunch spot - sit down, but less than a 5 minute wait. Nice & open (although a little loud); not at all stuffy. I can't speak for any of the warm food b/c everyone in our party got salads. Mine was delicious (something w/ apples, I can't remember exactly). I think the others liked theirs as well. Good spot for after-work drinks too, from what I hear.

    (4)

  • S H.

    It's just an okay in a sea of okays in the area. I've been here quite a few times for business lunches or cocktails/apps after work. The food is fine (in my experience, better than River's or Lloyd's), and the atmosphere is better than River's or Lloyd's (which I find outdated, dark and somewhat dingy). However, the hostess we had today was AWFUL. Aside from the fact that she wasn't paying any attention when we walked in, and had to be prompted to turn around by another employee, she sat us at a table without silverware. When, after the rolls came, I flagged her down to ask for silverware, she said "sure" and then disappeared, never to return. I ended up asking a server other than our own for silverware. Last thing on the hostess--her hair looked like she had dipped it in the fryer and then the grease congealed in her uncombed hair. Uber-gross. Not what you want to see in a restaurant. Ugh. That said, our waitress was actually great, and like I said, the food is fine, and better than other places nearby. If only someone would open something GOOD around here.... I'm sick of okay.

    (3)

  • Pat B.

    My friend and I came in the other day for lunch and sat at a small table near the kitchen. We were capably waited on by a very nice server. We only had drinks, appetizers and dessert. When the dessert was brought to the table, a female employee came and sat with her back to us on a bar stool. Unfortunately, her shirt didn't cover her backside and we were treated, if you want to call it that, to 'plumber's crack.' Turned a very nice experience into a not very tasteful one. We decided to pay the bill and leave rather than watch the site.

    (2)

  • Jeffrey M.

    Nice atmosphere, food is good - my favorite is the Ahi tuna wrap, service is quick although they are very busy during lunch. I like their wine selection and found a Pino that I really liked,. My only complaint is I thought their wine prices were pretty high, $14 per glass for what I was drinking seemed a bit much.

    (3)

  • Clare K.

    I am reviewing Townhouse in regards to their special events they are available to host on the weekends. AWESOME. Seriously. The food was fantastic, the service was great, the drinks were strong, and the prices were affordable. I was really pleased with every aspect of my event and I am not super easy to please. I really felt like they worked with me to make my event great.

    (5)

  • Robyn M.

    I liked it. Went with work folks yesterday and I think everyone liked their food. We are need for some good sit down places for a work lunch in the neighborhood since the Levy resturants closed in the sears tower. I had a chicken sandwich and thought is was good and I loved the fries. Maybe becasue I don't usually eat fries - but they came with the sandwich and who am I to tell them not to bring them. Good cook just to a bit of crisp! fries.

    (3)

  • Gino D.

    Townhouse is a decent place for lunch but not a very good place to lunch with clients. The open floor and acoustics make it difficult to hear. The menu is decent, food is good and the staff is nice. Nothing thrilling but good.

    (3)

  • Jeff W.

    I am getting kind of tired with mediocre meals at decently high prices-needed to venture outside of Lloyd's area and have always wanted to try TH located in Deloitte building and got the seared Tuna with the softest rice ever-maybe even like mashed potato's was average-maitre d was a novice...ambience is 5 stars-wanted to sit outside but said it was full even though walking to our table we noticed 2 open tables..in conclusion, LLoyds is better but willing to try one of TH special nights in the future.

    (2)

  • Andrew T.

    Not very impressive. Good location is about it. Mediocre food considering the decor and prices (its not that thaat expensive, but i'd rather pay a bit more and eat somewhere like ruth's chris.. heck, i'd rather eat at cheesecake for the price.)

    (3)

  • Tony G.

    Consistently well-prepared food and good service . Plus, even without a reservation, it's not difficult to get a table here during lunch if you're willing to wait just a few minutes. The menu is fairly limited, but everything that I've had has been very good. One thing I like about the servers is that they really do seem to be interested in providing good service and they seem to generally know when to come around and when you don't want to be interrupted. It's not cheap, but I'd still consider it a good value.

    (4)

  • Teri G.

    Nice newcomer to the Loop for lunch. Interesting menu, if a little weird. Big emphasis on small plates, although the sandwiches, salads and entrees are good too. Liked the seared tuna tacos which are served on teeny soft tortillas, 4 to an order, shared with my dining companion. We split two different sandwiches - one a turkey burger and the other a grilled veggie sandwich. Both yummy and large. On another occasion I had the fish special, a red snapper on a bed of absolutely to die for cheese polenta. One bummer, no reservations for small parties, and much of the seating is communal so you can end up sitting next to total strangers, at your elbow, which can make sensitive conversations impossible.

    (3)

  • Kiks A.

    This place reeks like fish. It's just weird. That's the first thing that greets you when you walk in. They have a hostess podium-esque thing stationed by the door, but other than lunch time, I think it's sort of seat-yourself. And then you wait. And wait. And wait. We generally order our second drink when we order our first because we know it will take that long. It's just a really bizarre place. I thought they would go under pretty soon but maybe because location is convenient, they don't.

    (1)

  • Foodie A.

    The restaurant is located in the Deloitte building. Ideal for business lunch or after work. Very business chic. I was excited when I entered the place and couldn't wait to eat. Promptly seated. Noticed that they have an open kitchen. Menu looks appetizing. Disappointed with the food however, totally sub-par. The pasta was ok. The crispy short ribs was not worth it! I was expecting a different kind of preparation and taste as well. Needs work on the flavor. Service was ok. I'm not sure if I would go back to this one, but I might try their other restaurants only because I love chic and trendy.

    (2)

  • Madelyn H.

    kind of good for business lunches given the other options in this area, but the food is not great. my coworker told me that when it opened, they said they were going to change the menu seasonally but it's never changed since then. there seem to be a lot of people who look like some sort of professional in townhouse, but everytime i go, i wonder if it's because it's one of the only nice-ish options. if people are willing to pay a little more for a nice lunch, then why not give them something great to eat. the good thing is that if you're hungry the portion sizes are pretty big. i haven't had anything bad here, just wish it was a little better.

    (2)

  • Cristin M.

    I came to Townhouse on a business lunch. We arrived around 11:45, without reservations, and were seated right away (party of 4). Shortly afterwards, the place really filled up, and by the time we left, the only open seats were at the bar. It's a nice open space, with high ceilings and a wall of windows, but it gets really noisy. I could barely hear the person next to me while they were talking. The prices are on the high side for lunch, and the food is a bit of a let down. The salads are enormous, but my boss's chopped salad contained a ton of iceberg lettuce at the end. I ordered tilapia with gnocchi, and it wanted to taste good, but it didn't. The butter sauce that was on top and bottom of the food was overwhelmingly salty. It was well cooked, but I just couldn't get past the saltiness. Oh well. It took a really long time to receive our orders, and I started to wonder if they had forgotten about our ticket. The service was friendly, but not too prompt.

    (2)

  • K G.

    Convenient, cool, atmosphere, yes. But the food was just average and the prices were very not average. I went there once with a friend and just ordered some pasta, which was too cold. I thought I would give it one more try and took a client there, was disappointed again. The service was exceptionally slow for a 1pm lunch. Took forever to get our drinks and the bread, and the food was just very average, not even all that nicely presented. I won't go there again, I'll stick with Lloyds for the loop.

    (2)

  • Felicia B.

    townhouse's menu excited me... it has some different combinations and interesting dishes. however, for the price, i just wasnt impressed with the quality. my food was WAY over-salted-- i could barely even eat it. i wouldnt go out of my way to go back.

    (1)

  • Kimberly F.

    I wish I could give half stars; this would be a 3.5, but I rounded up for the sole reason that the food is better than most places in the loop. I've been here a couple times for business lunches and the food is consistently great and well prepared. The service, however, is a bit slow, yet we always seem to feel rushed once we get our food. They have good desserts as well, but it's a matter of making sure you ask for a dessert menu even if the server has already brought your check. It's pretty loud, which makes it difficult to actually conduct business, but if you're there with coworkers for a more casual lunch, it's just fine. Either way, I enjoy coming here and I'm sure I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Leigh R.

    Another Loop lunch spot. *Sigh* I was super excited when I heard that there was a wine bar right near my office. My first step was to check it out for lunch - unfortunately, it is a standard Loop lunch at standard Loop lunch prices. My burger was good, no complaints and I thought the fries were super. I'm a sucker for a good seasoned fry and these were tasty. (Not as tasty as the Four Corners Group seasoned fries, though - Schoolyard, Kirkwood, etc.) While I am not sure I would rush back for lunch as I rarely eat lunch out to begin with, I would rush back for the advertised Tuesday evening wine tastings, based on location, convenience and a promising way to blow off some steam early in the week. Stay tuned for that review.

    (3)

  • Tracey M.

    I haven't had a meal at Townhouse that I didn't enjoy. The food is consistently well-prepared, the service is very good and the atmosphere is very nice. I like the modern decor and the glass windows that surround the restaurant. I would agree with Karen T that it can get loud inside during the lunch rush however I take that observation with a grain of salt as what loop restaurant doesn't at that hour!? It's a good choice for business lunches however if you are planning for the first lunch shift I would suggest you arrive around 11:45ish if you are a smaller party (4 or less) as they only take reservations for parties of 5 or more - otherwise expect a wait. All in all, Townhouse gets two thumbs ups (and four stars) from me.

    (4)

  • It's The F.

    Okay so me and my coworkers went here under my suggestion I figured why not, plus it was snowing and cold and within a "safe" distance to our office. The food was delicious...I had the Turkey Club this time and let me tell you it was HUGE~! served with a side of fries which were also delicious. The price of course a bit steep for my pockets (just cause I work for a bank doesn't mean I am the bank) @ 12.00 for that meal but I will admit worth the price as I was able to eat the other half of the sandwich the next day. Our waiter was very helpful and accomodating :)

    (4)

  • Alison M.

    Every time I go to Townhouse, I'm a little let down. I think the reason that Townhouse disappoints me so much is that it could be really great-- it's pretty, sleek, and so convenient. Sadly, it's all style, no substance. Today I went for lunch at 11:45. They said there would be a wait for a table for two, but we were welcome to sit at the bar or at the end of a communal table. Ummm... where are we Benihana? No, thanks, I don't want to sit with strangers. Once we got our table, we ordered some appetizers, the ahi tacos and townhouse share plate (calamari, jalapeno shrimp and crab cakes). The ahi tacos were tasty, but the four tacos each only had a 1 inch square piece of fish on it... not really worth $11. The share plate was a little disappointing too-- the shrimp was tasty, but the calamari was too greasy and after eating a few pieces I could feel the oil coating my mouth...yuck. After we finished our appetizers, we were hoping to get some dessert, so we waited for the waiter to return... and waited and waited. By the time he came back, we needed to get back to work. None of the desserts sounded like they were worth being late for.

    (2)

  • Jeff K.

    Went there for dinner on a Tuesday evening around 7:00pm. The place was a little more than half full. The hostess was friendly and seated me right away. Apparently Tuesday is a special night at the Townhouse, and they do a thing called "A Taste of Tuesday". I was given a complimentary taste of Covey Run Riesling (which wasn't the best Riesling ever, but was sill nice enough) and a sample of their chicken salad on a small piece of toast (damn them, now I have to go there and have the chicken salad for lunch, it was delicious!). So, on to dinner. I ordered the Peppered Ahi Tuna, which arrived perfectly seared and cool in the center - the ONLY way to eat Ahi! It came with a really nice mushroom risotto, and asparagus which was steamed to crisp perfection. The tuna was very slightly under-seasoned but still quite good. Service was prompt and friendly without being annoyingly over-attentive and the meal came to just over $30.00 including an 18% tip. The only disappointment of the evening was the Brazin Zinfandel, which I didn't really care for. Maybe I'll go for the Malbec next time...

    (3)

  • Ben B.

    Great decor, good service, and a strong selection of bottled beer. All things considered, a solid choice for a drink after work with a few coworkers. It gets crowded shortly after work, so I wouldn't recommend bringing a crowd.

    (4)

  • Jen A.

    The ladies in my department at work went to Townhouse for lunch today. We called to make a noon reservation, and were told that it was totally unlikely that we'd get squeezed in. A walk-in at 11:40, though? Perfect. We arrived just in time to snag a table, and within minutes of sitting down, we noticed that the place filled up completely. This is not the place for an impromptu lunch (unless you happen to have your impromptu lunches before noon or after two). The blackened ahi tuna was perfectly seared rare, and I thought the sauce was amazing. When I first ordered, the server warned me that they had run out of arugula, and I didn't think anything of it. Lucky for me, they had just enough arugula left, because it tastes perfect with that sauce. The slight bitterness goes really well with the ginger soy butter, and I think I might have been disappointed if there had just been mushrooms on the side. I didn't have any room for dessert, but the tiramisu (described as heavier on the custard than most tira) sounded amazing. If I manage to squeeze in lunch here before the business-lunch crowd pours in, I'll have to remember to try it. There are $5 appetizers from 4pm-7pm. Helloooo, happy hour.

    (4)

  • George L.

    I have been here on several occasions for lunch and my experience here is similar to the other reviewers. Its a fine place, if you don't care too much about eating. The decor, atmosphere and service prepare you for something good. The outdoor dining is nice as it is away from the street without being stuck in the back. Then the food comes and its underwhelming and noticeably unappealing, dry sandwiches, iffy looking salads. Some of the appetizer small plates (ribs) are decent so you can stick to those. The only reason I have gone back is because the place is light and pleasant with outdoor seating.

    (2)

  • Bill M.

    I did not have great expectations about a dinner at Townhouse, but recently I was pleasantly surprised. Townhouse has a public entrance off Wacker Drive between Monroe and Adams, and an entrance from the lobby of the Deloitte building where this establishment is situated. The interior is fairly pleasant, and look up at the ceiling to see the "upside down staircase" that is part of the structural system of the building (spiraling parking ramps are above the restaurant, and the building lobby). Or look at the TV by the bar for some sports action. Although "Wine Bar" is in the name of the place, my gal pal and I each enjoyed Goose Island brand beers. I ordered BBQ chicken tacos. Again I had zero expectations (I actually thought about selecting a burger until ordering time!), but this platter of four mini tacos with rice and bean puree was pretty tasty and not too filling. She enjoyed a special quinoa bowl, and we each had room for some yummy nutella gelato for dessert. Townhouse also has daily happy hour specials, and a popular outdoor seating area that does not stick too far out onto the sidewalk.

    (4)

  • Allison G.

    Took a party of 5 for a business dinner. This location was chosen because of it's proximity to the train station. Upon arriving we were sat missing two from our party, nice. The service was terrible. It took over 15 minutes for the server to greet and take the drink order for the 2 latecomers. The restaurant was about 30% occupied. The appetizers are not share size portions. Charcuterie plate was ok - server referred to goat cheese as cream cheese but we were pleased to find it was a nice goat. Cocktails came - I ordered a paloma (grapefruit & tequila) tasted strong of sour mix. 4 of 5 meals were terrible. The scallops were good and the polenta with mushrooms that came with were tasty as well. As far as the turkey burger (came w/out toppings listed on the menu?), chicken entree (over cooked to the point of inedible), jambalaya (very water-y broth), and fish tacos (ice cold tortillas, flavorless white rice). It was embarrassing to bring a work group here and will not happen again. I do not recommend this restaurant.

    (2)

  • Phil A.

    Walked in and went to the hostess station and tried to find a hostess.... and waited... waiter came by.... and came by again... I can just hear his thought process... Don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact. Bus boy comes by and nods at me.. After a lengthy wait a hostess comes up and seats us. So its a wine bar.. so they have a wine I happen to know and like... the price for a glass is $2 more than the current sale price of a full bottle at Binnys... thats what a 500% markup? Seriously- go price out the Estancia or Coppola Claret and check for yourself. The place has a nice layout, but its food and wine are overpriced for what they deliver.

    (2)

  • Ryan S.

    Good food and fun drink specials. They had a beer + shot special the other night for $6.

    (4)

  • Jason H.

    #No. Food: I had the chicken club and it was alright. The fried jalapeños appetizer is dreadful. Tempura battered which is not good for this at all and the jalapeños themselves are not fresh. I had three and still have heartburn hours later. Service: our server (group of 10 from work) chided me for ordering a strawberry lemonade because it's a "kids drink" (?????). My birthday happens to be tomorrow so my boss ribbed her for ripping on me...her response was "oh are you turning 13?" Wtf? Some places have the rude waitstaff as a gimmick. But I am at what is clearly a business lunch so I'm not sure why she decided to practice her Mickey Rooney schtick. I wasn't hurt or offended or anything of that nature, but it was such an uncomfortable situation. Won't return, won't recommend. Simple as that.

    (1)

  • Jessica C.

    Let's be clear - I'm just reviewing the ambiance and bar. If you're looking for a lovely space with a large bar and an nice look and feel after work - go ahead, stop by have a drink. I had a pinot noir that wasn't particularly spectacular, but the pours were fine, and 2 served me well. I haven't eaten here, can't comments, but thought I should at least put in a plug as a good choice for a drink or two on the way home.

    (4)

  • Samantha H.

    I'm surprised I haven't reviewed before since I've been here a ton of times. It's a trusty lunch spot in the area. I've worked within like 3 blocks for the last 15 years or so so I've been to pretty much every spot in the area. This is really a 3.5 star as I'd say it's above average for the area. Notching down only cause service is inconsistent and for the loop, their drink and wine selection is not great in comparison. If you go for lunch, their salads are large and solid. I've had the lamb sliders and scallops as well. All are good. If you go for happy hour, cheese curds are really good. Chicken nachos are very good as well. Overall it's a solid lunch spot and good happy hour, although be prepared because they are always packed! Reservations for lunch are a given.

    (3)

  • Dustin D.

    Great service, food & drink. My bartender Kate was great company while I waited for the train. Highly recommended if you have a minute to stop by!

    (5)

  • Sandra J.

    Newly added happy hour menu, this place is a quaint little spot inside the Deloitte building. The bartenders are great and it's a good after work spot.

    (4)

  • Ryan S.

    Wow!! Let me do you a favor and tell you not to waste you time here. Go across the street to South Branch. This place has horrible service, shit food and high prices. Don't waste your time.

    (1)

  • Charlie G.

    Yesterday I was there for a business meeting-not my idea! The meeting host apologized for the food and service. From the hostess (who thinks her job is as stressful as launching rockets) to the waiter (who kept calling me bud) are too casual and unimpressive in their service. The food is no longer average it is now unacceptable. Should be closed by the Fall 2015.

    (1)

  • Jamie H.

    I'd say this was a solid OK place. I met my dad down here when he was in town for a meeting. It's close to the train station, so it was nice and easy. When I got there about 5:00 there were only a few open tables. By 7:00 when I left, the place was pretty full. The waitress was nice and the food was pretty quick. It was honestly nothing to write home about. The prices were pretty high for "regular" food. However, they did have some "Happy Hour" snacks and at $5, I was expecting just a few jalapeno coins, but there was a full plate! The cheese was on the outside to dip fried jalapenos in; that was a fun twist on jalapeno poppers!

    (3)

  • Adrienne T.

    Is Townhouse anything special? No. The service was a bit spotty and the food was overpriced for bar food. My friend's burger was 16 dollars - the same quantity and quality I've received elsewhere for only 9 dollars. And yes, it was in Chicago. We order the cheese curds to start - skip them. For dinner, I ordered the cobb salad. The ingredients were fresh, but yet again, way too expensive. Townhouse in a nutshell: - Hip, modern atmosphere for after-work drinks. - Overpriced. I ordered a bottled beer - 5 rabbits for 7.50 !!!! What?! Um no. - Slow service - Outdoor seating

    (3)

  • Kyle H.

    Ate lunch at Townhouse recently with my boss and co-workers. First thought: "damn, this place is loud!" Second thought: "Oh, so this is where the high-powered coked up deals are made..." Service was okay, and the menu definitely had something for everyone in our group. I was glad work was paying, because I don't roll like this on my own dime. I had the Salmon special of the day, and it was good. It was probably way healthier than a lot of the menu. The thing is, I hate having to shout across the table just to have a conversation- so this is not my type of place. My lunch bumps this 2 star joint up to 3 stars, but a return seems highly unlikely.

    (3)

  • Kyle D.

    Lunch Review: The good: Good atmosphere and service, great tasting food, good sized portions, lots of options that are unique. Pretty decent prices for a sit-down lunch downtown. Good drink options if you are looking for that. Outdoor seating. The bad: No real complaints, but just not worthy of a 5 star rating Overall: Great option for a sit down lunch in the downtown loop area. Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Food: 8/10

    (4)

  • Kellie M.

    Came here for lunch with co-workers on 4/15. We were there from 12 to 1:30. I was completely underwhelmed and totally unimpressed. $12 for 6 sticks of polenta appetizer. Their menu has phrases like, "grass-fed beef" and "gluten-free pasta" and "soy-braised pork". The food was good but not exceptional. The space itself was cold - like a giant cafeteria. No acoustic dampering so sound bounces off of everything - read: Extremely loud. Do not expect to be able to hear anyone at your table.

    (2)

  • Mary Ellen M.

    I was excited to try this spot just two blocks from my office, hoping that I might be able to add it to my Rolodex of happy hour venues. I'm sad to say I was pretty disappointed and I'm not likely to return. The one thing I did enjoy was the atmosphere. It's a beautiful space that is somehow grand, chic, and cozy all at the same time. My excitement ended there. The beer special was a flight for $10.50(?!). What beers are in this flight, you ask? Dale's Pale Ale, Crooked Tree IPA, and MILLER LITE. Yup. The waiter literally apologized in the same breath as Miller Lite. I ordered the red wine flight, which was fine, save for the first glass tasting like the bottle had been open a day too long. When it came time to order food, my patience began wearing away. "I'll have the shrimp tacos," I said. "Well, we're actually in the process of changing around our menu, so we don't have those any more." Mmmm. I *love* that response when I'm at a chic downtown spot paying an arm and a leg for mediocrity. Now if you're running a special and the restaurant is packed and you've run out of it, I understand. But if you've updated your menu, print new menus! Then, my favorite part of the whole night: "We are offering the fish tacos from our regular menu at the same price, though. The fish is grilled and is topped with APPLESAUCE." That's right, ladies and gentlemen: applesauce. In my state of disbelief I looked at the regular menu and saw that it is actually apple SLAW, thank God. But, at the end of the day, I didn't want those tacos so I ordered the mini lobster rolls. My happy hour partner ordered the chicken sliders. We then asked how big the portions were in order to decide if we wanted to add the charcuterie small plate. He said the portions weren't that big, so he tried to up sell us the charcuterie on the main menu, which was $12 more expensive. We said no because I will not be made a fool! The "chicken" sliders were actually chicken salad sliders. How do you not indicate that on the menu?! I would have sent it back. There were two mini lobster rolls and each had about a teaspoon of lobster salad on them. The bread to lobster ratio was easily 10 to 1, although I must say the mini little sandwich rolls were precious and tasty. The goat cheese on the charcuterie board had a label on the rind, which can be charming, except when the label WON'T COME OFF because the cheese appears to have been sitting out for days because it's so hard. (There were also beads of sweat on the cheese and it was turning into that plastic translucent substance.) The prosciutto was fine, as was the blueberry compote. There was also a "chickpea spread" which, you know, is HUMMUS. In my humble opinion hummus does not belong on a charcuterie board, because #wrongcuisine. I really wish I liked this place because the atmosphere was lively and warm. It really didn't get crowded until about 6:30, and even then there are so many tables that it wouldn't be a long wait. There's a slight chance I would try it for lunch some day, but probably not until visions of old, sweaty cheese dance out of my head. Next!

    (2)

  • Kristy D.

    Well, after not having been here for over 5 years, I returned for lunch with some colleagues and was kind of disappointed. Everything on the menu sounds really great but nothing seemed to live up to the hype. Two of the people ordered salads at our table and those were probably the best option but over-priced. I ordered a quinoa bowl which was majorly lacking in flavor and veggies. I wouldn't say this place anything special and it's over-priced.

    (2)

  • Kevin C.

    I preface this review by saying Townhouse visits are either when I'm feeling spending for lunch or post-work drinks. This location at Wacker & Monroe doubles as my office so I don't have to leave the building. I've dined in for lunch, tasted a few apps, and belly'd up to the bar quite a few times. The food is elevated beyond average bar fare which is reflected in the quality and price so it's more of a restaurant. Good for an occasional lunch treat when you are feeling spendy or perhaps a nap afterwards. Scallops with risotto & blue cheese are a treat. The fried calamari app was a hit the first time I tried it. Very crisp and sauced perfectly but the subsequent occasion failed; lumped together and soggy which is not ideal. You get what you pay for and the sandwiches/salads are solid lunch options. The bar has limited seating and fills up quickly. The crowd is majority working professionals with obvious after work gatherings for happy hour. Which brings me to my next point. Promotions. They run a special every weekday, always have a $4 beer of the month, and a discounted small plate menu from 3-6pm. It's a nice setup minus the fact they have no draft beers - bottles only! The $8 burger and PBR tallboy on Monday is hard to walk past. Townhouse has won me over in comparison to similar establishments in the surrounding area. The bar keeps have a positive energy, a wide variety in the menu, and specials at the bar. A perfect place to kick off your happy hour or grab a nice sit down lunch.

    (4)

  • Lauren B.

    Don't make a trip for it, but if you work on this side of the loop, it should be one of your go-to lunch places for "goodbye" or "welcome to the team" lunches. Townhouse is a great staple for a business sit-down lunch. The food is good, but nothing to write home about. The menu is pretty small, but makes for a very consistent lunch situation - you know what to expect here. Warning - it is typically VERY loud and VERY crowded. And you almost always need a reservation.

    (3)

  • Zachary R.

    Service was slow but not busy. Waiter seemed disengaged. Calamari was stale. Cheese curds were great. Salmon salad and striped bass were ok. Food took forever to come out. Hard to get refills as well. Not a horrible experience but there are better restaurants in the area. Probably will not be back.

    (3)

  • Jeannie A.

    Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang......the sound of the jackhammer pounding away as we sat outside for drinks after work. They finally stopped at 4:30, but it made for awful background noise. Once the construction is done, this would be a decent place to stop for a drink. Cocktails were a bit weak for $10 - mostly tasted like fruit juices. We were a group of 14 and a bunch of appetizers were ordered to share. I only tried the tuna taco and it was just 'meh'. Not sure if anything was stellar. Close to work, good location, nice outdoor seating, attentive servers - all pros. Weak drinks and average food puts it at 3 stars.

    (3)

  • City G.

    My review is for the frequent dining "program". Initially Brianna returned my phone calls and email, but now that I am owed points that would equal a couple of hundred dollars she no longer returns my calls. Apparently she doesn't have anyone above her that can assist either. I've spend quite a bit of money with this restaurant group over the years and clearly they don't value their customers. The service however has always been great from the bartenders and servers.

    (1)

  • Duffy K.

    Kathryn is the best bar tender in town. She takes care of her regulars and makes the others feel the same. It's a great place with great food and even better staff. If you find yourself in the area don't hesitate to stop by.

    (5)

  • Megan F.

    I'm not sure where to start, with the food, the service, or the atmosphere... It was all great! It's such a cute little place with floor to ceiling windows all along one side. In the summer, I'm sure it's beautiful when they take the semi transparent curtain down and you can see outside! Even with the screen, it was very lovely. A little chilly if you sit next to the window, but that's to be expected in the winter! Our waiter, Ulysess, was amazing! He was very attentive to our party of 8, but he totally didn't hover which is so nice. I hate when the waiters are super clingy. The food.. Oh my. I had a bottle of the moscato, which I shared with a friend and it was wonderful! Appetizers were cheese curds and jalapeño coins. DROOL. I'd never had cheese curds before- WHAT HAVE I BEEN MISSING??!!?! Wow. My dinner was the pulled pork sandwich. Yum! Next time I go I'm going to try the Ramen! My friend had their quinoa specialty and that was delicious too! All in all, it was a great place to go for an early dinner on a Wednesday evening. A lot of people have complained about noise. I didn't find it noisy at all! I wish they were open weekends!

    (5)

  • Kristin M.

    Because we needed to be close to Union Station for my friend to catch a train, we selected Townhouse for a catch-up dinner & drinks. It was adjacent to the Deloitte building and felt like a standard after-work spot to grab a drink. The majority of the crowd looked like they were consultants who worked in the area (suits, etc.). Nothing super memorable about the space, and it was pretty loud due to the acoustics. Our server was nice but forgot my friend's beer after a 10-15 min. lapse, and didn't really try to recover the situation. Most places would at least try to insist on bringing it out still--was just a little odd. We also had a hard time tracking down our check and having our cards run. My friend actually ended up missing her train because of the situation, so it was a bummer to say the least. I think if you work in the Deloitte building and must grab a drink after work (wouldn't recommend the food), Townhouse is a convenient spot.

    (2)

  • Lucas W.

    I have to say, I was impressed by the food I had, the food alone is worth 4 stars. But Townhouse loses a star for service/atmosphere. My expectations were low after reading other yelp reviews, and while I would say those reviews are for the most part accurate, they underweight the quality of the food because the food is good. I had a pulled pork sandwich with avocado and chipotle aioli which was very tasty and I got sweet potato fries which were perfectly done. The problem is the service is awful. Simply awful. We were waiting for a good 10 minutes without seeing a waiter except for the water person. We had to ask for our waitress to stop by so we could order our foods. Food was then a little slow coming out of the kitchen and we never saw our waitress again until it came time to pay the bill. On top of that, they have music going from speakers right above most of the tables. Why would you do that, most people are there for business lunches and are there to talk with their fellow diners, why make it difficult to hear each other by adding distracting music?

    (3)

  • Seth S.

    We choose this establishment for our office's monthly lunch outing. I was surprise by the location, there was not a lot of ambience or character to the restaurant. The natural light was great but the space was loud during the midst of lunch service. We were greeted with a smile and seated very promptly, but unfortunately that is where the good service ended. After being seated we ordered drinks, a couple of us ordered water the others cokes. We sat near the bar which turned out to be handy as one 2 occasions I had to go to the bar to get a refill, the other 3 times at our table we had to beckon the waitress over to refill the empty drink glasses. We ordered lunch and it was delivered within about 15 minutes, which was good for a busy lunch setting. The meals were brought out by a couple of food expediters. I find this to acceptable for a busy lunch time setting, but always expect the server to follow up to at least ensure that the meals were correct or everything tasted good, our server never came back once to inquire with us the rest of the meal. I understand that many people use their work places as social hour to catch with friends and colleagues, our server was clearly of this mind set. She was more interesting in chatting and laughing with her work colleagues that I really feel she forgot she was actually at work. After I brought this to the person on the floor who was clearly the manager, she dismissed my comments as if I was out of line to expect our drinks to be refilled or the server to check on the food. With the average price at the table to be around $23 for a sandwich, coke and tip, I believe that we all left knowing that with the multitude of choice in the area that we would not be coming back to Townhouse Restaurant & Wine Bar.

    (1)

  • Travis W.

    Popped in here with a co-worker for lunch as it was recommended to me while visiting Chicago. I was first off a little worried when I rolled up and it was packed out! Fortunately a couple spots at the bar opened up and that was enough for me. I ended up going with a special salad, kale greens (and purple) and grilled shrimp atop. It was fantastic although I would have like to have seen a few more shrimp in it. Still delicious. I wasn't able to really see the beer bottle selection but I don't think they have ANY draft beer so keep that in mind. That's a bummer for me.

    (3)

  • Susie R.

    Went here for lunch on a Monday, 11:30 am and were asked if we had a reservation. We sat at a bar table and were quite comfortable. Quick service, fast replacement when an error was made on our order. Our salads were good other than the medium rare roast beef being chewy. It did full up quickly and was very loud but not unexpected for a bar lunch. We probably won't come here again, nothing to really recommend it.

    (3)

  • Swati B.

    Tuesdays are $8 wine flights...so that was enticing... went around 6:30 and this place was pretty quiet, I'm assuming this is more of a happy hour/lunch place due to the location... decent drink menu...wine flights were ok..nothing amazing the food was just ok. nothing amazing..nothing terrible. service was also just ok..nothing stellar... i really like the decor of this place, and maybe it'd be better in the summer when the outside is open and a bit more scenic. they seem to have some pretty decent happy hour specials M-F from 3-6, that would probably be the best time to come here...

    (3)

  • Mike B.

    Food was good and service was good. But the dining area is so loud that it is hard to hear the person sitting next to you.

    (3)

  • Nico s.

    this place was really awesome from the wait staff to the food . take a date take your time and enjoy the food.

    (4)

  • Leah S.

    The waiter spilled an entire glass of chilled sparkling wine on me and my work bag which contains my laptop. But they took $10 off the bill so... two stars. Happily I was going straight home to my apartment afterwards anyway. Unhappily, I was wearing my Michael Kors moccasins that aren't supposed to get wet and certainly not wet with sticky wine.

    (2)

  • Andrew B.

    Loud. This place needs something to soften and absorb noise. Love the look, but the steel, glass and high ceiling do nothing to make conversation easy. It's almost as bad as being in a club. Interesting variety to the menu. Decent specials. Steak on my Thai salad was on the very rare side of medium rare. OK by me, but good to know. On a salad, I don't want red and cool, I want pink and warm. Wasn't otherwise impressed by the salad. Could have used more dressing and more ingredients expressing Thai flavor, didn't detect anything even vaguely Asian to the salad. Service was polite, reasonably fast and attentive. The table and chair layout is a bit awkward, with waitstaff dodging patrons on the "inside track" of the layout near the glass exterior wall.

    (3)

  • FoodLover Z.

    I work in the same building as Townhouse, and have been here many times for work events. Townhouse has a good ambiance, which is the main reason for its three stars. The drinks are pretty good too. But the food leaves much to be desired. Most of the appetizers and main course are very average. All-in-all, decent places for a work drinks, but not much else.

    (3)

  • Robert D.

    I love this place this review is way overdue as I frequent townhouse often and always forget to actually write the review! Better late then never where do I start great food - wonderful service very attentive and this place gets busy yet they make you feel like you are the only guest. Hip atmosphere a wonderful patio too I've been here more times and finally got around to writing a review try it out you wont be disappointed also I've used they are great for corporate events too their events manager Jude is truly the best out there for planning an event

    (5)

  • Dianne S.

    Met up my husband and his coworkers for happy hour on a Friday night. Al fresco seating. Low calorie vodka pink lemonade ($6)-a bit tart. Half off of Chicago brewed beers on Fridays (Matilda for $3.50!!!). Service is slow, forgetful, and inattentive. But that Friday special is unbeatable.

    (3)

  • Mari Y.

    I've been here three times and each time my experience isn't as good as the previous one. This place is the perfect spot for anything to do with your job. It's easy to get a table, service is quick and it's nice without being fancy. The host has always been kind. When the weather is warm enough, there are a bunch of outside tables although there is a big AC unit or something that makes a loud noise if you're seated further away from the sidewalk. The first time I met friends for apps and drinks. Tequila gimlet was so-so and we ordered a job of the tomato confit which was excellent. Tuna tacos were good. Second time, I had the baja fish tacos which to my surprise were fried. That was my bad since they were beer battered in the description. I dunno what I was thinking. The tacos were ok. I wasn't particularly blown away by them. For that price, Antique Taco serves better tacos. Third time went there for work again and ordered the lobster mac and cheese. I only ate half of it and felt sick for the rest of the afternoon. The noodles were overcooked and although the dish looked very yellow and cheesy it did not taste cheesy. I think I got a bad batch. Townhouse is around the corner from my work so I'm sure I'll be back. I won't be totally enthused but given the wide variety on the menu, I expect that I'll have several opportunities to find a winner.

    (2)

  • Jordan P.

    Solid lunch spot. Definitely not my favorite spot, but a good place to go for a sitdown work lunch. The grilled salmon salad is amazing. It comes with a huge 6 oz piece of salmon on top of baby spinach and sliced almonds. It's served with a honey mustard vinaigrette that's delicious. The sweet potato fries are also really good. The other salads I've had here have been good, but nothing special. The service is a little lack luster. The servers are nice, but not particularly attentive. I like the decor, but I'm always freezing in there in the winter thanks to the huge glass wall lining the restaurant. Not my favorite lunch spot, but not the worst.

    (3)

  • Nina P.

    Went here today for a business lunch so I wasn't expecting a culinary masterpiece but at least something edible. I ordered the lobster mac & cheese and this is something that I was so excited to eat...I mean who doesn't love mac n cheese or lobster? Sadly this dish was very bland, the noodles were mushy (I actually couldn't make out the shape of them) and the lobster was tough and overcooked and had no flavor at all. Overall it looked like a plate of dressed up baby food. I normally don't salt food because I don't really love salt like that but I just had to add some in order to muscle it down. Since I was conducting business I didn't want to make a scene but if I had been there on pleasure I would have sent this dish back in a heartbeat.

    (2)

  • Amanda M.

    Would have given this a 3 but for the price and mediocre food, a 2 is well deserved. Luckily, we were in time for happy hour so half off on appetizers. We had the buffalo duck wings, ancho chile crusted tuna tacos, and the chicago fries. The duck wings were the highlight of the night, as they were flavorful and juicy and fell off the bone. The tuna tacos where forgettable, as it was bland, though the tuna was fresh. The fries were ordinary and the only thing worth it was its abundance. Next to the duck wings, my $5 wine special was also noteworthy. Had the duck meatloaf for the entree. The menu was confusing as it noted mashed sweet potatoes in its description, so my friend (who ordered the same) and I were expecting a nice heap of sweet mashed potatoes. Instead, the meatloaf had a spread of sweet mashed potatoes on it, accompanied by fries (which was not noted in the menu, which would have eased the confusion of the sweet mashed potatoes). We asked our waiter that we thought there would be a side of sweet mashed potatoes instead of fries, as the menu doesn't mention, and our waiter (who up until this point provided great service) made us seem like dumb assholes for not knowing, instead of just clarifying it. While the thin layer of sweet mashed potatoes were good, the meatloaf was overcooked and dry and very bland and under seasoned. Was it seasoned at all? My boyfriend had the broccolini risotto and it was better than I thought it would be. There actually was enough broccoli flavor to combat the creaminess, but it was very two-dimensional. It needed a kick. As mentioned in other reviews, it was indeed very loud in there, as every noise echoed. Would only slightly consider coming back for happy hour, and even that probably is a no. Bland and over-priced food. No thanks. You can go to much nicer restaurants for about the same prices and get much tastier and overall better food.

    (2)

  • Erin M.

    Roasted Mushrooms - awful awful awful. Do not get them. One of the worst things I have ever tried. The rest of the food was nothing to write home about. I had the chili quinoa bowl which was very bland and did not have a lot of flavor. I tried my coworkers turkey sandwich which was also very plain. We both left disappointed.

    (1)

  • Jackie S.

    Service was terrible, super slow and you think they would want us to order more drinks. Place was super loud. Wish I had read the reviews prior to going. Food was actually good. Prob won't go again or recommend the place either.

    (2)

  • Kaitlin M.

    This place is a perfect slice of peace in the middle of a crazy, high strung business district. I have never eaten here but they have good beer, good wine and tastings. I love their new-age and clean atmosphere that somehow provides some comforting calmness. The service is always attentive and happy to provide great drink recommendations off of "your feelings at the moment." It is in an area that is not on the main street so it never gets too busy or loud, as to interrupt conversation with friends. This is the type of bar that does not have their one TV on all the time.. they want it to be more of an intimate, relaxed atmosphere. Grab a friend, a drink, possibly some upper-scale munchies and start up some fun conversation!

    (4)

  • Caroline P.

    Convenient location for post-work drinks/dinner. Wednesdays are $5 glasses of wine, though we were surprised to find that there was only one red (pinot noir) and one white (chardonnay) offered at $5... hope you're into either of those if you want to take advantage of the $5 wine. The waitress was very attentive and it was crowded, but not so crowded that we didn't get a table right away. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and it was great! Very flavorful and came with some delicious not-too-crispy not-too-soggy fries. My friend ordered the black bean burger and loved it (which is a big deal, this was her first bean burger and she can be picky). I'd probably go back, but I wasn't in any way "wowed" by the place. Take it for what it is.

    (3)

  • Carol K.

    Looking for a place to chill with a glass of wine or signature cocktail (try the Shady Lady) in the hustle and bustle of the Loop? Then look no further than Townhouse Wine Bar. While I have never eaten here- I have imbibed many a drink at their bar and even more on their outdoor patio. The patio is great during the Summer months. Cool breezes come between the buildings and you can sit and watch the world go by. If you chose to drink inside- the ambiance is modern and nice with plenty of TV's around to watch whatever you are a fan of (not always sports, either. Saw a series premiere the last time I was here!). Love the hardwood floors,the paneling on the walls, and those panoramic floor to ceiling windows. Service is spot on and the last two servers I have had there actually acted like they like where they work! Hard to believe this place is owned by the same people who own Bar Louie where service is usually non existent. Check out this drink oasis in the middle of the canyons of buildings that surround it. It's convenient for after work libations, a bite before the Opera, or just hanging with friends.

    (4)

  • julie q.

    I like Townhouse. A Lot. It's in the same group as One North, Lloyds, Primebar, Rivers. Their food is good, drinks are nice. Atmosphere is small but fun. I've been sending my colleagues here lately for lunch. I've never had a bad thing to eat here... UPDATE - They have happy hour. Good happy hour. And, they're currently running a promo that if you checkin on FB while there, they give you 2 prime rib sliders w/fries for....wait for it...FREE!!!! Yeah, just go here and get free stuff!

    (3)

  • Tyler B.

    I work right next door so I do come here a lot. I would say that everything is OK nothing that will blow you away. The bartenders are cool, drinks are good. Calimari was terrible one time I went there. I would bring a client here or have a business meeting here.

    (3)

  • Tanvir H.

    Decent place to grab some drinks, but I was really dissapointed with the food selection. Just another place that charges $20 for a sandwich that is definitely sub-par. Fries were no good and the burger I ordered was just nothing out of the ordinary. My friend had a chicken sandwich and he didn't like it too much either. Was there on a thursday night and they didn't even have thursday night football. It seems like the type of place I might grab a drink after work, but would probably avoid it again for dinner at all costs.

    (1)

  • Crystal S.

    Townhouse is a glass fishbowl esc lunch / happy hour hotspot in the loop. The good: Pretty healthy and top notch food options Location is good for me (Willis Tower) Have yet to not get a seat The bad: Loud Loud LOUD - This place needs something fiborous to absorb some of the noise. So, plan to shout at your lunch mate in order to carry on a conversation. Small, so reservations are HIGHLY recommended even just for lunch! The Ugly: It has never gotten ugly there....so that is why I am A-OK with this place!

    (3)

  • Kyndal G.

    Food was terrible. Lettuce leaves were brown and should've been considered unservable! The fish was tiny and extremely over cooked. Everything needed salt! Try another restaurant.

    (2)

  • Stephanie S.

    A hip place to grab lunch in the loop! I love their menu, I think it is different and has a lot of options. I also like the atmosphere here. It is really loud though and get super packed at lunch. I wouldn't go without a reservation. I have had the Ahi tacos and they were great. I also think it is a great spot for happy hour with coworkers or friends, overall I would definitely go back and recommend it to everyone looking for a nice, modern place to grab a drink or a meal

    (4)

  • Laila C.

    Good place for lunch but the acoustics are terrible. Don't plan on wooing any clients here unless you're into screaming prices in their ears and making deals in sign language. The ahi tuna tacos are delicious but I'd skip the surf n' turf sliders. My steak salad was good and pleasantly surprised that even though I forgot to ask for dressing on the side, it wasn't drenched in 2,000 calories of high-fat goop.

    (3)

  • Emily T.

    3 stars describes you perfectly, townhouse. I've been here once- I met my cousin out for drinks after work. It was one of the few places after 5:30 on a Thursday in the summer that wasn't packed to the gills, so off we went. They had a $5 martini special that night- YES! and appetizers were half off before 6pm- YES!, so we ordered the chiorzo empanadas and the crab cakes. Hmm.. The empanadas were DRIPPING with grease. I should have sent them back, but I didn't. The crab cakes were delicious, but 2 little crab cakes were inexplicably served on this long, white dish, which only served to take up a ton of space on our teeny table, but also made the crab cakes seem quite small. I'll echo everyone else on the acoustics of this restaurant- they are terrible. They need to install carpet or do something here. This place is LOUD. But, the martinis were delicious, a great bargain, and it wasn't packed with people. Solid 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Tio S.

    Townhouse is a great place in the loop to go for group lunch or happy hour. However - on a recent visit for lunch, we waited waayyyyyy to long for everything. Our group was a party of five, and we were having a few drinks, one appetizer and splitting two sandwiches. Pretty easy, reasonable lunch. But we were there for almost two hours? I'll be back for happy hour and will write a more complete review after my next visit. Until then...your rating remains 3 stars, A-Ok.

    (3)

  • Kori E.

    I came here for a work event and wasn't all that impressed. We showed up a bit before dinner to have some drinks and there were no complaints there. They had $6 glasses of Pinot Grigio, which is unheard of downtown at a work happy hour joint. That was about the only thing that made me happy. We moved on to dinner and the food was not good...at all. We started off with the calamari, popcorn shrimp and spinach dip. All three were typical bar food. Nothing special or great about any of them. The popcorn shrimp WAS buffalo flavored so that was a tiny saving grace. For my main, I had the seared Tuna with rice. It was GROSS. Heavily over salted, I couldnt even eat it. The rice was bland and the chunk of wasabi and ginger were just weird on the plate. I definitely wont be coming back here for the food, but I would stop in for a $6 glass of pinot grigio :)

    (2)

  • Stef M.

    The food is very average. They have good choices of flavored iced tea and their fresh salads are tasty. I don't like the quesadilla. I think portion sizes depend on what you order - the quesadilla and salads are "correct" servings sizes, you won't have much if any leftover. Kinda pricey but kinda good, a solid 3 star joint.

    (3)

  • RD E.

    Ate the burger w/ ice cold sweet potato fries. Got food poisoning for 36 hrs from the burger.

    (1)

  • Angie M.

    Remember that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie and Samantha went to that new, trendy restaurant Balzak and could never get seated and the hostess was some evil woman on a power trip? And then Carrie loaned the evil hostess a tampon and she never had trouble getting a table at Balzak again? Yeah. I wish I could have loaned the hostess at Townhouse a tampon so my party would have been seated sometimes this century. Townhouse certainly isn't the newest or trendiest restaurant in town, but when options for a nicer lunch are limited (and we all know they are in the Loop), you take what you can get. And there are A LOT of Loopers who want to eat lunch at Townhouse. Yeah, I get it. If you want a table, you either get there really early or take a late lunch. I thought that my 11:40 am arrival time would secure me a three top, but I was sorely mistaken. Upon walking in to Townhouse, I kid not, of the restaurant was empty. EMPTY. So I approach the (evil) hostess and request a 3 top. "That'll be a 15 minute wait." What? Lady, there is NO ONE in your restaurant. "Oh... these tables are all for reservations." Okay, whatever. I'll wait it out. So I wait. And wait. And wait some more. Until 50 minutes has passed, lunchers have come and gone and I still have no table. WTF? (Evil) hostess finally deigns to seat us after an infuriating nearly hour long wait. All I could think was that this food damn well better be worth the wait. If I'm being honest? Eh. My blackened red snapper was good, certainly not great, but at that point I was so hungry I would have ripped off my arm and eaten it if it was a possibility, so anything they served me was satisfactory. Moral of the story: MAKE A RESERVATION. Or prepare to have your lunch hour sucked up while you awkwardly wait in the non-existent bar area of Townhouse hoping that the (evil) hostess needs some lady protection so you'll get a table.

    (2)

  • Lindsay C.

    Aside from some decent wines, my experience here was terrible. First of all, we chose this restaurant for a business dinner for 20 people. BIG MISTAKE. When we asked to expand our reservation the weekend prior, we were answered with no possible way to make that happen. It wasn't until 2 PM the day of that they finally were able to accommodate our larger party. At the time we were extremely relieved and happy that this restaurant moved mountains for our critical business dinner. However, that feeling of appreciation came to screeching halt when we showed up the restaurant was EMPTY. Literally empty....so my initial impression left a bad taste knowing that we had such a hard time getting a larger table for a restaurant that claimed to be completely full. Whoever manages their reservations clearly has a problem and even their management needs to get a grip on what is reality vs some perception they were obviously trying to achieve. Secondly, the food was terrible. I ordered the scallop dish and it appeared that my dinner was sitting under a food lamp for hours. It didn't look appealing and the taste did nothing to change that. I also ordered a Casar salad....apparently it comes with wilted lettuce. Terrible. The only dish that people seemed to enjoy was the steak frites. So if you decide for a sub par experience, at least get the steak. Lastly, the service. We were there for a business dinner for a large party, which means big paycheck and big tips for the restaurant. Our reservation was at 8:00 pm. You would have thought from the way our waiter pushed us to order right away, gave us 15 minute warnings on the "kitchen" closing, and didn't offer us dessert or coffee at the end of the meal that the restaurant closed before 9 pm. I can't find what time they do close on their website...but I can't imagine it is before 10 pm. And even if they close at 10, their obsessive pushing by forcing us through our dinner was unprofessional and completely uncalled for. The icing on the cake for my experience was watching the bar stools get stacked on the bar top...DURING OUR DINNER....and well before 10 PM. Are you kidding me? You couldn't wait for us to finish our meal before stacking your chairs on the bar? This is a WINE BAR right???? And the 20 people we had at the restaurant were the only income you were getting. At least appreciate it. Overall I couldn't be more disappointed by a restaurant and the experience. The people, the food were an abysmal failure.

    (1)

  • Ayako M.

    Part of the Primebar, Midtown chain...oh, wait, as the server explained to me last I was there, it's not a chain, "it's a concept." The food is meh. The service is decent. The space is pretty nice and they've always been able to accommodate a large group with short notice (unlike Primebar...hisss) The wine list has a good selection and variety and the you can get a mid-level champagne for around $40. Definitely a happy hour type place and they don't spit in your face when you ask to split the check on four cards (I know that's annoying). The best of the Restaurants-America "concept"

    (3)

  • Gina G.

    I went with a group from work, having made lunch reservations. They took forever to seat us - I had to ask what the hold up was. Turns out they were waiting for the other two people since our res was for 6. Reasonable, I guess - but better if they had communicated that. So, we get seated, and we are 5. We get a bar area table, not great. The bartender is our waiter. He is friendly enough, but not adept at getting our order in front of the cook - we wait 30 minutes for our food. So it's now 12:50, we have ten minutes left, and the food shows. It's pretty good, actually, but nothing special - all the sandwiches come with big piles of thin greasy fries. Overall? This is a slightly classy version of a greasy burger joint. What saves it is the decor, and the variation of sauces. Food does not look like the fancy pictures.

    (2)

  • Abhay S.

    I really don't like the 'business' dining options in the West Loop. I always seem to find myself at Lloyds or Rivers. I've been to Townhouse once and found it very loud and pretty much promised myself that I wouldn't return. Well, Lloyds and Rivers beat me down and I was back today at Townhouse. The acoustics just flat out stink. If you're going to be there with more than one other person, you're NOT going to have a conversation with them. Flat out forget it. Our food and service was decent - I thought it took a little longer than normal to close out our check, but overall, everything else was great. I had a huevos rancheros and my client had some sort of chicken sandwich. He was really happy with it and said it was good, but couldn't eat it with his hands since he was afraid of making a mess.

    (3)

  • Aaron N.

    So I never said I was classy, but by going to spots like Townhouse, I can at least pretend like it. Townhouse is a real nice spot to grab a couple of drinks after work and enjoy a good chill atmosphere. Do they play the hits? No. Are there dance offs and fist pumping contests? No. But sometimes you need to just get a solid happy hour in and this is the place to do it. If you have a chance and it's not raining, snowing, or hailing, definitely get outside on the patio and enjoy. I haven't tried the food, but I've heard good things. Townhouse is definitely a couple beers and appetizer type of spot. Boom (in a classy tone)

    (4)

  • Lynn W.

    This would noramally be a great after work spot because of its location in the Loop and proximity to the trains. I have been here twice. The first time my chicken arrived raw. As in cold, translucent, and completely uncooked. The second time my co-workers and I went for the $5 Martini special advertised by the giant sign out front only to be charged full price for every cocktail and were then told by the manager that it is only for select drinks and it was our responsibility to ask. Then we were presented with a bill that was higher than the original!!! We found out our poor server had taken some of our drinks off because he felt guilty that he knew we were ordering martinis because of the special (then why wouldn't you tell us at the time we were ordering), but was then was instructed by the manager to reverse the bill and charge us for everything. Needless to say neither myself or any of my co-workers will ever visit this place again. Does not even deserve one star, but I like the windows.

    (1)

  • Abby T.

    Been to this Loop restaurant a few times. I will say that Townhouse offers a VERY flavorful chicken breast! In my opinion, if I can be impressed merely by a breast of chicken, the place is a go. The buffalo shrimp is a tasty appetizer. This place can get pretty busy during the lunch rush so don't expect amazing service and it can get a little loud. I wish I could remember other things I have ordered here, but I know I am definitely not opposed to going back....perhaps for happy hour!

    (4)

  • Chirag P.

    Had the thai steak salad, pretty good, but the plate of fries were cold. The decor is pretty nice, contemporary, they have 1/2 apps and $3 beer specials, so it's nice to see that for a post work drink place in the loop. Also, a co-worker and I got them to create a new menu item... buffalo fries w/ bleu cheese... we claimed ownership of it, so if anyone goes there and sees it on the menu, let me know so I can get some kind of commission. Service was decent enough, but as the place died down, so did the amount of times we saw our server.

    (3)

  • Karen T.

    *Tip: come on Tuesday evenings - they do free "tastes" of drink/food, which is always fun. Townhouse is the fallback for business lunches for all companies in the building - especially in the winter. If it's freezing outside or raining heavily, this place is just fine for a quick lunch/drink. The ceiling is extremely high, the floor is wood and the outer wall is glass, which is why it can get ridiculously loud in here - there's no material to muffle noise. And since Townhouse is so convenient to so many people in the Financial District, the place is always crowded from 12-1 and 4-5. It's amazing how quickly the crowd forms and dissipates. The salad portions are generous, their appetizers are not, and their burgers are decent. Everything is decently tasty. It may not be a Zagat rave and it's no Rivers, but that's not what it's going for. It achieves what it strives for: predictability/reliability. Plus it's fairly reasonable in terms of sit-down restaurants on Wacker - you can get a burger/sandwich for ~$10, which is more than most places can say in the Loop. Their happy hours are nothing to brag about, but not terrible, either. The popularity of Townhouse increases greatly with the advent of snow - and cold.

    (2)

  • Emann B.

    Went for a celebratory lunch with co-worker bees. Had a nice bottle of tempranillo and shared the artichoke dip and ahi tacos. Amazing chopped salad, big enough for two topped with three yummy crab cakes with two dipping sauces. Great service, despite the height of the lunch rush. Nice that they sat us even though all of our party did not arrive there at once.

    (4)

  • Santi D.

    It's a nice place to see, the monthly drink special is cool for $3, and hey! you get the gorgeous view of a fire escape and a workout room in the adjacent building. The grilled asparagus was good enough to get again. The Halibut Piccata was very lemon-y, with quite salty artichokes and capers; all on a bed of what might be too many potatoes.

    (3)

  • chris t.

    Great food in the loop. A good place for client lunches. Fast service too.

    (4)

  • Jordan U.

    Had a business lunch today so I can't say that we went crazy on the menu, but I would definitely like to go back for dinner at night to see if this place can get up to 4 stars. Its a great space. Really well done and attractive. It does get loud but that's to be expected. Menu really looks interesting but I have to say I was pretty tame with the California Club Wrap and fries. It was well done with fresh ingredients and the jalepeno mayo gave it a little bit of a kick that separates it from most other standard run of the mill lunch wraps. Fries were cooked perfectly. I think maybe they could add something other than ketchup for the fries though to just add that little something extra. I've been to some restaurants that are doing like a chipotle ketchup or barbeque sauce...just something to add that little finishing touch. Service was friendly but our server was unsure if we were actually his table or not. No big deal except that I think he forgot about us toward the tail end of our lunch. All in all, I'm only giving it three stars but I can easily go back because the menu has alot of items I'd like to try that look really good.

    (3)

  • Lindsey A.

    Never should a place adorned with 30-foot tall windows that look out to 111 S. Wacker and have the guts to charge $9 for a bottled saison beer be clouded with greasy, smoke-filled, diner air. Invest in better ventilation. Until then, I'd stay away from this place unless you like your suits and wool coats to smell like fried food.

    (1)

  • Ellie Q.

    Coworkers and I decided to stop by after work for a couple drinks. However, we got hungry and decided to order some food. They had a couple specials with the martinis but the flavors were not very appealing so we ordered wine. Red wine was good, crab cakes were delicious though I believe portions were too small. I got crowded and loud in a short time. We had a good time.

    (3)

  • Tal C.

    Came here for happy hour and had an overall OK experience. We got here at about 5:30pm and the place was about 3/4 full. I told the hostess we were a party of 3, she looked straight at me, and then walked away (... should I follow you? Did you hear me?) It was really awkward as I just stood there, and then somebody else came by, asked how big my party was, and seated me. Really really bizarre. We got seated and it was about 10 minutes before anybody came by to bring us water and menus. About 10 minutes later, our waitress came. It took us about 20 minutes to get our beers, so when we wanted a second round, we ordered it when we were still drinking the first. We also shared the lamb sliders because they were half off, and those were pretty good. Basically, it's a fine place to go to happy hour, especially in that area of the loop, but don't expect it to be quick. It's also VERY loud.

    (3)

  • Erin J.

    I used to work within two blocks of Townhouse at two different places for years and never managed to go until my brother was in town and we were going to meet up with my boyfriend after work. I ordered a pinot noir and my brother got a 312 while we waited for my boyfriend, who got pulled into a meeting and couldn't end up coming. We were there at a particularly slow time of day - around 4:00 on the Wednesday after New Year's - so there wasn't that crazy amount of people I see packed in there some nights when I go to the side door outside the restaurant to get into the parking garage. The service was good, the selections was also good, prices were de rigeur for the Loop and the setup and location was great. If I find myself in the area again I'll be happy to swing in.

    (3)

  • JJ Z.

    I work in the building, so the location is awesome. That being said, when I walk past it everyday on my way in and out...it smells. It smells like your 2 day old hangover food warmed up in the microwave. The drink selection is solid, but in the winter it's freezing, and it's ALWAYS way too loud and crowded. Put in some carpet and a better seating arrangement, get rid of the rank gas-station microwave food smell and it could achieve another 1-2 stars.

    (2)

  • Michelle S.

    First off: don't come here if you need to carry on a conversation. This place is packed at lunchtime and for cocktail hour, and VERY loud, probably due to the high ceilings. The set up is crowded. It's the best way for me to describe it. I know they want to get as many people in at one point as they can, but when you sit you can hear EVERY conversation being had around you, and at some tables you're very back-to-back with the next chair. Uncomfortable seating if you're a larger person. That being said, the food is good. I had a great Caesar salad. I know, it sounds silly, but do you know how many "ok" Caesar salads I've eaten? A lot. This one was different, with a great roasted (?) tomato on the side. I wish I could have had a few more of those. Dressing was nice, not too plentiful. Definitely felt like I got my money's worth. Drinks are reasonably priced for being downtown. Wine selection is great (as it is a wine bar!).

    (3)

  • Ben K.

    The decor and ambiance are nice. Not amazing, but nice. The menu and wine list have a bunch of reasonable options. They are maybe a little over priced, but hey, you know what you're getting when you go to a swanky cocktail bar/restaurant in this area. The only thing that got to me was that the ahi tuna taco appetizer we ordered. Mini corn tortillas, heated to greasy perfection with a small piece of seared tuna, diced red onion, fresh squeezed citrus and a dollop of guacamole. This combination sounds pretty awesome, and to be honest the presentation and cohesiveness of the dish was fantastic. The only problem was, the tuna itself was cooked all the way through. Anybody who's ever accidentally taken a piece of tuna and seared/grilled away the raw red/purple deliciousness in the middle by overcooking it knows that even legit tuna tastes like cat food when its cooked all the way through. So come on Townhouse, play the part. Either you're not paying enough attention to this dish to serve me up 4 tiny tacos for $11, or you're trying to cover up the use of poor quality tuna. Get your act together.

    (3)

  • Andrew B.

    I went here for lunch on a weekday and was able to walk in to a packed restaurant. The decor is updated, yet formal and the bar makes you feel at ease. It is a little loud during lunchtime, but you can carry on a conversation if everyone has good hearing. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich which is topped with goat cheese, artichokes, and tomatoes. It was large and had an underwhelming taste since I had high expectations after reading the menu description. It comes with fries which were topped with a slightly spicy salt. The prices are very reasonable and I would definitely go back for a sit-down lunch.

    (3)

  • Allyson S.

    I was under whelmed when I stopped in for dinner. I was in Chicago for work and found this bar not far from where I was staying. The decor was modern and hip and had a decent crowd during happy hour. I sat at the bar... maybe I am use to the bars in Cleveland where the bartenders strike up conversation with you but they weren't very attentive or friendly. The food was decent- ordered the veal parm. Tasted like veal I could get anywhere. I also got dessert to go- chocolate mousse pie. It hit the spot for a snack while watching Real Houswives on BRAVO. I think the food lacked uniqueness.. it was typical. When I am back in Chicago I would rather find a hole in the wall and take in the city that way.

    (2)

  • Helena B.

    You could call me the office social coordinator. I'm the one always trying to get people to go out for drinks to celebrate our every minor achievement. Over the years, I've learned that proximity to the office has a very strong correlation to actual coworker attendance. In that regard, Townhouse is always a winner as it is in my building! The wine selection is decent, but not as far-reaching as you may expect from a place with "wine bar" it its name. Beer selection is pretty standard as well. However, they do have a pretty decent list of cocktails and are rather willing to make any other drink your little heart desires. The appetizers are good to share while enjoying your drinks, but most are fancier (read: require a fork; not finger-food). Townhouse has two structural issues which I will now address: Problem: One of the walls is made of glass, and thus, not heat-retaining, so it is REALLY FARKING COLD IN HERE IN THE WINTER. Solution: Bring a sweater and never let them seat you by the wall. Problem: One of the walls is made of glass, and thus, not noise-absorbent, so it is REALLY FARKING LOUD IN HERE ALL THE TIME. Solution: Another round. At that point, you probably won't care what your coworkers are saying.

    (3)

  • Ang R.

    Two and a half stars. We knew what we were getting into: After work finance happy hour hellhole. And you know, it was loud. It definitely cleared out around 7, though, and it was a pleasant enough atmosphere. The food was meh. I literally can't think of a better way to describe it. The portion sizes are MASSIVE, but the flavors just aren't great. The quality isn't terrible, in terms of the ingredients, but they're not great, either. Three of us only kinda enjoyed our meal, although the one of us who got the spicy pasta liked her meal more. If you're in the area, it's not a bad option for a quick bite; it's not expensive, and it's edible.

    (2)

  • Patricia R.

    A pre Opera dinner at this convenient location was acceptable but nothing worth repeating. Its biggest asset is the location. Its an attractive restaurant, modern feel and shiny surfaces with cool windows and attractive , but feels a bit like a sports bar/BAR. The noise level is challenging. The $ was a good value. we happened to be there on a Wednesday night and the sparkling wine by the glass was $5 and the the other $7. A deal. Also, the meals seemed inexpensive. No parking associated with the place and no validation The wait people were marvelous, although someone dropped the ball on our order, and no food for a long time. We were comped a gigantic platter of "Chicago fries" while we waited..Really? someone actually eats those - yuck. So now - the bug under the chip : why only 2 stars? the food is awful. I had the miso soup and it tasted like it came from a packet. I ordered the duck breast dinner and found it inedible. It was fatty- NOT crispy, and very tough. maybe I didn't choose the right thing on the menu we were out in time for the opera and it IS right across the street..so I may have to go back. Next time I'm getting bar food.

    (2)

  • Jeanie P.

    Opera night! So we decided to eat conveniently close @ Townhouse. The food was not bad! I had the grilled chicken sandwich ($12) on multigrain bread with goat cheese, greens, roasted tomato + sweet potato fries (always delicious). It wasn't mindblowing, just standard fare, but I like the fact that they are moderately priced in their location with nice decor. And even though we got the cheapest bottle of wine (cab $27), it was yummy~! I also had a wonderful time here with my friends. So I'd say 3.5 stars. I definitely want to come back to try some of their mixed drinks. Also our waiter was really nice and brought us a free cheese plate (huge piles of brie, cheddar, swiss, blue cheese etc) with our bottle of wine (wednesday special) even though it was past 6 p.m. MmmMm cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese......

    (3)

  • Karyn K.

    Went here for dinner with the girls. Service was awkward, but good. Bruschetta is a must--it was probably the best I've ever had. Had the Kobe Burger, which was good, but nothing out of this world. Lots of good sounding sandwiches, it was hard to decide. One friend had the salmon and said the sauce was too buttery.

    (3)

  • Chuck H.

    Excellent place for a business lunch. Vibrant, active and the food will never embarrass you. The Jambalaya is one of my favorites. Very attentive servers that get you through lunch and back at your desk in good time.

    (4)

  • Brey R.

    Came here for half off appetizers from 3-6pm. Can't complain. Got 2 beers, a shrimp quesadilla, spinach dip with pita chips and sliders with sweet potato fries. Food was good, service a little slow considering it was empty, but hey, it was a good deal and I def would come back again for half price apps!

    (3)

  • Bridget L.

    Very nice decor and if you can sit outside, although the people who work in the building sit adjacent to the dining patio to sneak their spud breaks...Anyhoo, lunch was expensed so I ordered a steak and it was good, but not great. I ordered it medium rare and it was well done. Not a big deal, but if I had paid for it myself, I would've sent it back. Especially for $30. Portions are big and the food is average. They had a nice wine list too. All in all, not shabby but a little pricey for the quality.

    (3)

  • Rachel W.

    This place has the unfortunate reputation of smelling like an extra fishy fish fry....without actually having any cooked fish on the menu. It is, simply put, 'not so fresh'. Why do I know this? Because I work in the building, and have to walk past the entrance on a regular basis to get from point a to point b. There are also frequent happy hours here, and I always find the menu a little pricey, both in terms of food and the drinks. Speaking of the drinks- I found their martinis and 'specialty' drinks to either taste like cough syrup or corn syrup...both of which are not good syrups. To play it safe, I always get a glass of wine. Their nosh is "meh", and certainly nothing to rave about. Oh, and you leave smelling of fish. Which you didn't eat. But you smell like. Gross.

    (2)

  • Lara T.

    I went here for a work lunch today. In a nutshell: 1. Make a reservation for lunch. We did. Glad we did it. 2. Ambiance is really cool. Love the floor to ceiling glass, the architecture of the space, open floor plan and color palette. 3. Best for lunch. Why? Everything is RUSHED. That's probably my only beef. My biggest pet peeve is receiving your main course while your appetizer is not even half eaten. We barely received our appetizer and the main dishes arrived. Booooooo. I mean, we ordered a bottle of wine, so the servers knew we were not in a hurry to go anywhere soon. 4. Wine list? Very good. 5. Food? Hit or miss. Foodwise, the veggie burger was a big hit, as were the sweet potato fries. I had a pasta dish with spinach, red peppers in a vodka sauce. Very good. Our calamari appetizer? Very bad. It was very greasy and over fried. 6. Service? Good enough. The bussers are way too quick to pick up our dishes, wine glasses, and entrees, even if we were not prepared to have them moved. This added to the RUSHED factor. Will I go back? Perhaps for a happy hour, but not for lunch or dinner. Those sweet potato fries were pretty darn good.

    (2)

  • Yvonne O.

    I'e got to agree with a lot of the other reviews on this one. The food is pretty good, and the service is good, but I wouldn't be coming here weekly. I went here with a group today (reservations are a must) and had the grilled chicken sandwich with apples, onions, brie, spinach, cranberries, and sprouts on whole wheat. It came with sweet potato fries, which were excellent. Our waiter was great and refiled our drinks timely and made recommendations for another person at our table who couldn't choose between two things. One thing- not the place to go to have private or quiet conversation - the room is extremely loud and you have to shout to your tablemates and the waiters to be heard! (probably less so after the lunch rush!)

    (3)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Garage
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Upscale
    Noise Level : Average
    Music : Background
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Fri
    Coat Check : Yes
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Townhouse Restaurant & Wine Bar

Share with your social network

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.