Exchange your poker winnings for food at this Texas Hold'em themed restaurant!

Text & Photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

If you’re thinking this is a café or a light meal spot just by looking at the photos, you’re mistaken — it’s a Texas Hold'em gaming restaurant. I have a bunch of friends who are huge fans of Texas Hold'em. They play every time we get together, and even their go-to mobile games are poker-based. After being around them so much, even I, someone who doesn’t usually play cards, downloaded an app and started going all-in every day. Truly, it’s a game that gets addictive fast!

I recently found out that there’s a Texas Hold'em themed restaurant in Taichung. I was expecting a club-like vibe, but it turned out to be a bright, American sports-style eatery. The modern, stylish decor really caught my eye. Right around then, I got an invite from them, so I came to check out 【RAISE Gaming Theme Restaurant】 and see what it’s all about!

There aren’t many restaurants in Taichung that focus on Texas Hold'em gameplay and also serve filling meals. I haven’t been to any others because my poker skills are still only at the online or casual friend-gathering level XD. So visiting 【RAISE Gaming Theme Restaurant】 was actually my first time playing at a real Texas Hold'em table!

I remember the Texas Hold'em scenes in the Matt Damon movie Rounders — they were all set in dark bars XD. But RAISE has a vibe that’s a mix between a bar, an American sports restaurant, and an industrial-style café. Especially on the first floor, there’s a row of eight poker tables extending out, set in a super high-ceilinged industrial space that feels spacious and comfy.

What I originally thought was a casino-like place turned out to be such a healthy, stylish, and bright space with great natural lighting. The colored graffiti on the faux-brick walls has really fine brushstrokes, and the expressions and color tones of the designs are really likable — quite a surprise!

The most unique thing is the opening hours — they’re open until 7 AM ! From 3 PM to 7 AM, the hours are totally made for night owls like us. Aside from internet cafes and KTVs, there’s now another great late-night spot. Heading up to the second floor reveals a somewhat surprising design space — a mix of industrial and loft styles with a minimalist, laid-back vibe.

You can just grab a comfy sofa chair, bring your laptop, order a drink, and hang out all night. But the main highlight here is the Texas Hold'em. If you want to join a game, remember to exchange your membership card for chips first. On weekdays, there are usually two tables open, and you can just join a random game — most players at the tables are members you don’t know.

As for the rules of Texas Hold'em, I’d suggest checking online or downloading a mobile game to get familiar with it first. If you know how to play Big Two, you’ll probably catch on quickly. You can also gather a few friends and play your own table. [For an introduction to Texas Hold'em and game rules, click →https://goo.gl/dDKLs9]

But let me explain how the spending works here. RAISE operates entirely on a ‘membership system.’ Everyone entering the venue needs to provide basic contact info to get a membership card, which costs 300 NT$. But here’s a thoughtful perk — 200 NT$ of that card fee becomes ‘Golden Ore’ that you can use in-store.

The amount you preload stays intact, and RAISE has its own dedicated app. Members can log in to check their ore point balance and even transfer ore to other members. In the future, they plan to develop mini-games where members can earn more ore as rewards for added fun.

The ore has two main uses: one is for purchasing food and drinks, and the other is for exchanging poker chips. So keep your membership card safe — everything you do at RAISE depends on it. (But remember, once you convert cash into Golden Ore, it can’t be converted back!) Every month, they host member tournaments based on card levels, typically on the first Saturday of the month. All members are welcome — it’s a really well-thought-out gaming restaurant!

As for the menu prices, the first glance might shock you XD. Spaghetti for 18,800? What the... And then you see the cheapest chicken skewers are 9,800, not to mention Tieguanyin tea at 7,000. But stay calm — those menu prices are in ‘ore.’ The conversion rate is roughly 1 ore = 1 NT$.

There are lots of food options here — from pasta and risotto to fried snacks, honey toast, and pancakes. I thought the prices would be steep, but when converted to NT$, they’re about the same as regular fusion restaurants. Whether you want a full meal or afternoon tea, you can enjoy tasty dishes here even if you’re not playing cards. The food is pretty good!

The only alcoholic beverage available is STRONG BOW beer — feel free to ask the staff if you’re interested.

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive if you’ve been drinking.

【Fried Items │ L300 Unlimited Party │ Includes crispy fries, popcorn chicken, and mini nuggets │ 30,000 points】
This is probably the most generous fried item platter I’ve seen. There are two types of chicken-based fried items, and both come in decent portions. Whether it’s nuggets or popcorn chicken, they’re all crispy without being greasy. The fries are nice and crunchy too, and the price isn’t bad either!

【Honey Toast │ Chocolate Honey Toast │ 28,000 points】
This brings back memories of the time when everyone in Taiwan was obsessed with honey toast. But here, they stack grilled toast strips — it’s like a compact, cute version of honey toast. There’s a big ball of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce, plus the adorable touch of a chocolate macaron on top. The best part is the texture of the layered toast — each piece is perfectly crispy, not dry, and full of buttery aroma when you bite into it!

A lot of those grilled toast bricks end up being hard rather than crispy, but this one is different. Plus, the ice cream and whipped cream take it to the next level. I went in without high expectations, but this dish ended up being surprisingly delicious!

【Fried Items │ Signature King Onion Rings │ 19,000 points】
I always thought onion rings were small, cute, bite-sized things — but these are like donut-sized behemoths XD. They actually have layers of onion ring texture inside, but it’s all sweet flavor after preprocessing, and each slice of onion still has some thickness — something you rarely get outside.

【Drinks │ REDBULL Special Fizzy Drink │ Blue Citrus + Passion Fruit Flavors】
This is pretty unique. REDBULL is usually just a stimulant drink, but RAISE has partnered to create special drinks with it. You can pour however much you want, but filling the cup to the top with one bottle is just about right. It tastes like a fruity fizzy drink you’d get at a Western restaurant. I really like the passion fruit flavor — sweet and tangy juice mixed with the fizz of REDBULL. A must-order while playing cards!

【Drink │ Xiao Wei Latte Coffee │ 12,000 points】
I asked around and found out why it's called that—because the staff here are involved in designing and developing the dishes themselves. Any item that makes it onto the menu is named after the employee who created it, and when a customer orders it, that employee gets a bonus. It’s a really fun concept that encourages the team to put more thought and care into both the dishes and their descriptions. It’s quite a rare model. Oh, and this latte is pretty good too—but it has a higher milk ratio and is slightly sweeter, with a hint of cocoa bitterness on the finish. I think the flavor is quite appealing. If you’re into lattes, definitely give it a try!

⟦Italian Pasta│Classic Italian Meat Sauce Pasta│18,800 points⟧
Meat sauce pasta has never been my go-to, since I’m not a big fan of overly sweet-and-sour red sauces. But RAISE’s pasta is pretty unique—the noodles aren’t those long, tangled strands that are hard to manage. Instead, they’re kind of segmented, which actually makes them easier to eat. The acidity of the sauce is well-balanced, not overbearing, and I actually prefer the aroma and texture of the meat sauce.

⟦Italian Pasta│Truffle & Porcini Mushroom Pasta│18,800 points⟧
If you’re not a big fan of red sauce like me, this dish—with its rich, robust mushroom aroma—is definitely a great choice. What I love most is that the sauce is cooked down to a fairly dry consistency!

⟦Fried Food│Skin-On Fries│13,000 points⟧
Using quality ingredients seems to be their cooking philosophy—even the skin-on fries are bigger than those at most restaurants. Topped with fried garlic slices and some kind of spice (I’m not sure what), but mainly, the fries themselves are delicious. The skin-on ones let you enjoy the soft, fluffy starchiness of the potato, which I really like!

⟦Appetizer│Peelable Chili Tender Meat Skewers 15,800 points│Nickel Pineapple Sausage Skewers 15,800 points│Two per skewer⟧
These seem a bit pricey, but they’re actually quite interesting flavor combinations. My favorite is the latter—sausage, cheese, crispy sausage, and pineapple. I was worried the meats and cheese would be too salty, but the pineapple plays a clever role, balancing the saltiness with its juiciness and sweetness. It’s flavorful yet refreshing and leaves you wanting more. Also, the thick bacon paired with pickled peelable chili gives an interesting tangy twist—nice balance of salty and sour flavors!

⟦Creative Appetizers│Norwegian Smoked Salmon Roll 15,800 points│Pan-Fried Scallops 15,800 points⟧
The smoked salmon has a fragrant but not overpowering smokiness, and you can still taste the fresh tenderness of the fish. As for the scallops, no need to say much—they’re large, tender, and have a natural slight sweetness that shines even without heavy sauces.

⟦Creative Appetizers│Bacon QQ Rolls 12,800 points⟧
I thought these were just thick bacon wrapped around something chewy, but I was pleasantly surprised. There's also a sweet element inside—it’s soft and flavorful. The chewiness isn't excessive, and the overall texture is well-balanced. The combination of the savory bacon with the sweet interior is unexpectedly satisfying!

⟦Before I came here, I never expected a poker game venue to put so much effort into its food menu. It’s not just drinks or simple fried snacks (in fact, I was half-expecting instant noodles with egg like at an internet café). The whole space is perfect for dating, dining, playing cards, or even just watching others play. They have air conditioning and free Wi-Fi, it’s a non-smoking area, and there’s no heavy alcohol—completely different from the usual stereotype of poker game rooms. What you get instead is a modern, healthy, and refreshing dining and entertainment space. It was truly a pleasant surprise!

⟦By the way, Texas Hold’em is such a great group activity these days—you could even consider it a type of board game XD. It’s rare to find such a professional gaming space, so I highly recommend coming here to explore the fun world of Texas Hold’em!

⟦[RAISE Texas Poker Game Theme Restaurant│Beitun District]⟧
◎ Address: No. 210-8, Section 4, Wenhua Road, North District, Taichung City
◎ Phone: 04-22988050
◎ Business Hours: 3:00 PM – 7:00 AM
◎ Reminder: Open until 2:45 AM on holidays; parking available at the entrance

⟦Orange Dog Loves Candy Blog⟧　⟦Orange Dog Loves Candy Facebook Fan Page⟧