Very cozy restaurant with a great buzz. Crab rangoons and sizzling beef are just alright, the combination fried rice and the beef crispy noodle and great. I was not a big fan of salt and pepper fried squid, it was a bit rough for my liking. I like the new decoration, the service is quick, servers are medium friendly. They gotta clean up the entrance area though, between the outside door and the inside door there are bunches of cleaning buckets, stacked canned drinks etc. They even had a sign that said “umbrellas here” and there was another used cleaning bucket under that sign which was kinda funny. But yeah the entrance isn’t very welcoming and makes you question the cleanliness of the kitchen and other back rooms. The dining area is pretty clean though. Overall a good choice to eat in chinatown. They are only open for dinner no lunch service, it opens at 4pm.
This restaurant was phenomenal. Our friends brought us here for dinner while we were in town. The service was excellent and the food was as well. Couldn't have asked for a better place to stop for dinner. The crab Rangoon, wanton soup, orange chicken, and chicken fried rice were incredible and I would love to visit again!
Chi Cafe is one of the latest scheduled places in Chinatown. The late times are the main reason I go. They have a pretty good variety of dishes, some better than others. I will compliment them on their efficiency. Just be prepared to wait for a table the larger your party is. Space is kind of compact for a restaurant that serves a lot of people on any given day or night.
Wish I knew about this restaurant sooner. Fast seating and speedy food delivery with no compromising on taste. I ordered the XO turnip, string beans, fish balls and chicken wings. Fairly simple food, but the taste was absolutely fantastic. All priced accordingly. The place is small with limited in seatings. But, the table availability turns quick.
Place was bustling even past midnight. Totally worth the 45 minute train ride to Chinatown though for the good food and vibes! (Please try the honey citron tea if you're feeling a bit chilly – highly recommend!)
The place is located where most of the Asian restaurants are in China town. It is by far the best Chinese food in Chicagoland!
The food is always fresh and the portions are massive! They prepare the food fast especially considering how busy they get. The service also excellent! The prices are also very reasonable. It’s also a hidden gem considering how late it stays open (especially after a long night out).
I have been coming here for years and always recommend this place. They never disappoint!
Very extensive menu (without descriptions) which made it hard to choose what to order. We went with the popular sizzling beef tenderloin with sweet saki sauce and the salty fish & chicken with eggplant on rice. Beef dish was a little too sweet for our liking but otherwise good. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize that salty fish was cured fish so this dish was very fishy similar to sardines. Would not have ordered had we known. Looking back at other reviews, they definitely skimped on our portion. Not sure if it’s because we went late at night on a weekend. Overall pretty average but might return to try other dishes.
Honestly, this place is a sleeper. All of the food was fire. The sizzling beef with the sweet sauce was soooooo good. The chow neon is crunchy which is different but I really enjoyed! Also, definitely get a honey ginger tea while you’re at it. 😝😝😝
My new favorite late night cafe for heartwarming chinese food and delicious drinks. We ordered a lot of food:
- wonton noodle with shrimp wonton (noodle is good, broth is warming, but shrimp wonton is ok)
- chiu chow style bokchoy (delicious, would love to try other veggie dishes too)
- fish stomach with chives (absolutely delicious and addictive)
- beef satay (good)
- lemon tea (best lemon tea in chinatown)
They were out on some smoothie and some dishes so I wanna come back and try them some time. The line can be quite long during dinner time.
For years this restaurant has been my go to spot in Chinatown for late night eats. They have an extensive and varied menu that includes classic Chinese American dishes to more unique items, such as the XO Sauce Turnips or rolled noodles in a savory and smokey sauce. I highly recommend getting their Thousands Island shrimp, the crunchy walnut shrimp, or the salted fish. The foods have strong flavors and excellent textures and always arrive piping hot.
I've been going here for years since it first opened. My go-to's are the abalone and shredded chicken congee (especially when it's so cold out), salt and pepper pork chop, jellyfish and spicy beef. I know I've had more and I'm never disappointed. Thank you!!🥰
The food is fantastic. Love their sizzling beef dish, I always get it each time I go.
One of my "go to" places in Chicago's Chinatown. The menu is extensive almost to the point of being overwhelming but no matter what you order, you will have ordered something good.
My friend ordered braised tofu with mushrooms and scallion noodle soup. (Word to the wise: Portions are pretty large here.) I had spicy tofu (mapao daufu) over rice. It was all absolutely fabulous.
When we were done, the staff packed the leftovers for us and we had at least one more meal already lined up. The prices were pretty standard for Chicago Chinatown.
We visited on a Friday evening and not surprisingly, the place was packed. The wait staff made us feel a bit rushed. Also, in authentic Cantonese style, the restaurant was very noisy!
I would recommend this as a fun, delicious and authentic Chinese restaurant
Pro Tip: There is no restroom in this restaurant so be prepared.
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