Tabū Bistro Lounge — Restaurant in McAllen

The coolest ceiling screen ever, but the music is way too loud. It has a good ambience, but if the music wasn't so pumping it would be more relaxing. We went to celebrate our anniversary & was glad when they asked. They asked if we wanted a celebration & we happily said yes. There was a guy in a suit that asked if we wanted water to drink & I thought that was the beginning of a good evening. I wish I would've listened to the Yelp rating. All we got was water & the drink order was never asked again. There was a waiter that kept hovering around constantly asking if we were ready to order. Didn't even give us a chance to read the menu. My husband finally ordered the beet salad appetizer, which I thought was tasty. Before the beet salad arrived, he brought rolls with 3 bowls, without even introducing what he was bringing, which were cinnamon butter with 2 salsas. ? Asked again if we were ready to order. Told him I wanted our appetizer first. Then the appetizer came (beets). Asked again if we were ready to order. Told him I wanted to enjoy the appetizer. Finally I signaled I was ready to order. Ordered the skirt steak with a show & my husband ordered the salmon. We didn't see the waiter for a while after that--- just a lot of employees standing around. The show was one guy lighting up liquor to pour on my fajitas; no intro or nothing & gave it to me burning; the 8 fajita strips they gave me had absolutely no seasoning. The only tasty item on my plate were the papas locas. While eating the bread, or, appetizer, or meal, they kept wanting to remove my husband's plate so many times, it was too funny. Anyway, behind me I think one of the owner's came in because, first he went to the kitchen, said hi to a bunch of employees just standing around, then sat behind me. As soon as he sat, the whole staff was just waiting on that table completely ignoring us & other tables. We had ran out of water & I asked a guy passing by if he had a pitcher with cold water & if he could fill my cup. He said no, they didn't have water except in water bottles; seriously? After we finished our dinner I asked for the dessert menu. Guy with the suit passing by dropped it off as he was going to the table behind me. As he was passing by, he was about to take the menu & asked if anything interested me. I asked for the mostachon. It was very hard to cut & was very dense. We never got our celebration so we asked for the tab. Finally the waiter showed up again & hands me a $192 tab that included an additional 4% fee & an 18% tip (we usually tip 20%, even if the service is sub-par). For what we paid, it should have been an exceptional meal & better service. Owners...train your staff... teach your employees that customers come first since they...

I’m going to start by saying that if there was an option for zero stars I would choose it. I never write reviews but I felt so strongly about this place that I had to do so, so here we go.

My gf and I made reservations on a Saturday night at 9:30 pm. As many of you know now (I didn’t back then), they will not honor your rsvp time. They gave us the run around and told us to sit at the bar until they were ready to seat us. We waited about an hour until I brought it up to one of their managers (Angel who made the rsvp for us the week before). Mind you, I texted Angel time after time leading up to that day to confirm rsvp and he was very unresponsive). Anyway, Angel told us he would bring drinks to us at the bar for the long wait and they never came. Finally, they sat us down at 11:45 pm. After they told me they didn’t have the dish I wanted, I ordered something else. Of course, what came out was not what we expected. My gfs food was cold and they brought out a completely different dish than what I had ordered. Finally, they ended up getting it right (12:30 am). I had the owner (Leticia) come out and explained everything that had happened. She was very nice and comped our meal and offered to bring us back for the trouble (we were promised no wait and a comped meal). Angel finally brought out the shots that were promised two hours ago as well.

Two Saturdays later, I texted ANGEL during the afternoon to make sure we were going to be ok. No response. So I call the venue and make sure everything is going to be ready with no surprises. They reassured me that my rsvp was good. We get there thinking we were going to have a better experience this time. WROOOOONG. We get there at 9:45pm (rsvp was for 10pm) and they tell us that they have no room and that we had to wait. What??????? The reason why I came back in the first place was because we were told this wouldn’t happen. We decided to go to the bar and have a drink and give them YET ANOTHER chance. After an hour, I decided to ask for Leticia and was told she wasn’t there. This goes without saying, but we closed out and left in disbelieve. How can a place be so disorganized? Anyway, I hope whoever reads this knows that even though the vibes are awesome, the service itself is trash and I don’t see this place staying open...

Ambiance: Tabū Bistro Lounge in McAllen, Texas, gives off a chic, Miami-like vibe with its sophisticated decor, warm lighting, and lush greenery. The atmosphere is energetic yet inviting, with a sense of exclusivity.

Service: The staff is friendly and attentive, making you feel like part of the family. However, when the place gets crowded, it can be difficult to catch the waiters’ attention. Just be patient if you visit during busy times.

Food and Drinks: The menu features Mediterranean-inspired dishes with modern flair. I ordered the Potato Truffles ($18), which were decent but a bit salty with a truffle sauce that didn’t wow me—6.5/10. The Filet Mignon ($35) was a standout, cooked perfectly and melting in my mouth—8.5/10. For dessert, I tried the Masterpiece Cake, and the carrot cake in particular was absolutely delicious—10/10. As for drinks, the Strawberry Margarita ($18) was refreshing, almost like a lemonade, and very drinkable. The Vampiro ($12) was my favorite drink of the night, satisfying my sweet tooth. Unfortunately, the Bloody Mary ($10) wasn’t great—it didn’t have the flavor I was expecting.

Rocket Shot Service: One of the highlights of the night was the Rocket Shot Service, where over 20 shots are presented in a rocket-shaped vessel, complete with candles and personalized signage. It’s definitely a fun spectacle, though the shots were a bit watered down.

Value and Overall Experience: Tabū is on the pricier side, and the bill can quickly add up, especially if you’re ordering bottle service or the rocket shots. My total for the evening was among the lower ones, at about $148, but I saw some tabs running from $200 to $1,300. While the environment and service are top-notch, the food and drinks are priced high for what you get. You’re definitely paying for the experience.

Final Thoughts: Tabū offers a unique blend of upscale dining and entertainment, making it a great place for a night out with friends. The lively atmosphere, excellent service, and fun entertainment options make it worth visiting—just be prepared for the...