Jeff Mauro Loves Chicago's Trivoli Tavern, But Can't Always Get a Reservation

The celebrity chef says the restaurant is notoriously hard to book, even for him.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Emmy-nominated Food Network host and celebrity chef Jeff Mauro has named Trivoli Tavern in Chicago as his current favorite restaurant, despite the fact that it's notoriously difficult to get a reservation there. Mauro, who co-hosts "The Kitchen" and "Sandwich King," says the Hogsalt restaurant group that owns Trivoli Tavern is one of the hardest to get into in the city, even for a local like himself. However, Mauro says the wait is worth it, as the food and service at Trivoli Tavern are outstanding.

Why it matters

Trivoli Tavern's popularity and difficulty to book a table highlights the challenge many top restaurants face in meeting high demand, even from well-connected diners like celebrity chefs. This speaks to the broader trend of certain restaurants becoming so sought-after that they can be nearly impossible for average customers to access, raising questions about equitable access to fine dining experiences.

The details

According to Mauro, prime-time tables at Trivoli Tavern get booked within 48 hours of becoming available. Despite his status as a celebrity chef, Mauro says he has "zero pull" with the Hogsalt restaurant group that owns Trivoli Tavern. To get a seat, Mauro says he and his wife often have to show up at 5:30 pm and hope to snag a spot at the bar. Mauro praises Trivoli Tavern's food, calling the steak, burger, salads, and Greek-style lamb chops all outstanding. He says the restaurant feels both accessible and comfortable, despite its fine dining reputation.

  • Prime-time tables at Trivoli Tavern get booked within 48 hours of becoming available.

The players

Jeff Mauro

An Emmy-nominated Food Network host and celebrity chef who co-hosts "The Kitchen" and "Sandwich King." Mauro considers Trivoli Tavern his current favorite restaurant in Chicago.

Trivoli Tavern

A highly popular restaurant in Chicago that is part of the Hogsalt restaurant group, which Mauro says is notoriously difficult to get reservations at, even for him as a local celebrity chef.

Hogsalt

The restaurant group that owns Trivoli Tavern and several other top restaurants in Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, and Paris that are known for being very hard to book.

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What they’re saying

“My current favorite is Trivoli Tavern. It is part of the Hogsalt restaurant group, which, it's notoriously hard to get into all of them. It's the one restaurant group in Chicago that I have zero pull with, even though I'm a lifelong [Chicagoan] who lives there and tries to uplift the food.”

— Jeff Mauro, Celebrity Chef (Chowhound)

“I like that it's hard [for me] to get. And now I'll just walk in with my wife at 5:30 and hopefully sit at the bar. They always seat me and it's great.”

— Jeff Mauro, Celebrity Chef (Chowhound)

“The steak is unbelievable. Their burger is very good, the salads. I mean, everything's good.”

— Jeff Mauro, Celebrity Chef (Chowhound)

The takeaway

Trivoli Tavern's immense popularity and difficulty to book a table, even for a well-connected celebrity chef like Jeff Mauro, highlights the growing challenge many top restaurants face in meeting high demand from diners. This trend raises questions about equitable access to exclusive dining experiences and the role celebrity status plays in securing hard-to-get reservations.