Ambiance is very unassuming... nothing fancy here. Casual place. Service is straightforward GREAT Chinese food! Love the orange chicken and bubble tea. We will come back. read more

(I visited this spot on 9-22-24). I have tried their fried rice before so I decided to eat in instead of carry out. Their hours are 4pm-2am so I waited about 25 minutes while enjoying the sights. Upon entering a nice guy pointed me and my guest 2 a booth which was we wanted. Nice music playing. Place looked clean until I looked at the wall next to me. It could use some major wiping down though the bathroom was pretty clean. The male server was nice. I ordered ginger honey tea which was overly sweetened. They should give us the honey and u determine how much u want. I ordered the garlic chicken wings - no thanks. No breading, just plain Jane. Plus they were fetus wings for $10. They definitely can remove this from their menu pronto. The crab rangoon was ok. Fried just right. I liked the shrimp fried rice. Decent taste. It took a bit to get a server's attention to pay the bill. Would I come here again?? Hmmmm not sure...that wall was pretty dirty(see pic). read more

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This was some really delicious late night Chinese. We came by really late after our flight landed and got some chicken satay (yum), garlic spinach and general tso's chicken which was piping hot and crispy. The people who work there are definitely working fast and managing a lot of people coming for dinner. It's a relaxing but busy and lively place just like the rest of Chinatown. I also tried an iced lemon ginger honey drink which was super ginger-y and refreshing and would get again. Hope to come back on our next visit! read more

Located in Chinatown on Archer Avenue, this dinner only restaurant is available 4p to almost 2a. The sake soaked sizzling beef or fish dishes are my favorites. The beautifully decorated restaurant has clean tables and friendly service. The staff are not wearing masks. read more

Chi Cafe - Lovely dining area - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Always a hit and reasonably priced Service is great and never a long wait to get seated read more

Chi Cafe - Garlic Chicken Fried Rice Garlic Honey Chicken Wings Strawberry Smoothie Curry Beef Briskets on Rice Spicy Beef Noodle Soup - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a classic spot because it's open late, but I would say that I have other preferences in Chinatown. The beef noodle soup didn't have the thick cut noodles that I prefer and the soup broth didn't have a ton of flavor, a disappointment! The butter melon and stir fried rice cakes were good though and things are priced reasonably for what you get! read more

Chi Cafe - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Always felt the need of leaving a review for this place as the consistency stands firm for all the years that I have been coming here for. Hands down my favorite Chinese restaurant in all of Chicagoland. read more

Chi Cafe - Salt and Pepper Squid & Sizzling Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Saki Sauce - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great spot in china town! Stopped by on a Sunday night around 7 pm and it wasn't too crowded. We shared 4 dishes between 4 people and it was more than enough food, possibly too much! Service was quick and attentive and everything was very delicious. They also stay open very very late! The menu has a ton of options and place looked clean. I snapped a photo of our garlic chicken fried rice and orange chicken but also got the chicken lo mien and Mongolian beef which were also very very good! read more

Chi Cafe - Garlic fried rice, Orange Chicken - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Don't do it! If you are hungry late in Chinatown, you may be tempted to stop here for a bite because most other places are closed, please don't waste your money. The service was terrible. Food was bland and lacking any flavor. Duck unrecognizable in my husbands dish. We did not like our dishes at all and threw it all away and left still hungry. You have been warned. Order door dash or drive somewhere else open late. read more

Chi Cafe - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love late night Chinese food. I wish my home city had places like this because I would go all the time. I'm not surprised the reviews are so low because service isn't great and the workers aren't that nice, but it honestly doesn't matter when the food is good. We randomly decided to get milk tea, which was very authentic-tasting! It won't taste like your milk teas that come from cute boba shops, but I loved how strong the tea flavor was. We also got some string beans, rice rolls with beef, fried rice with Chinese sausage, and chicken corn soup. The chicken corn soup was so yummy! The texture was perfect--the egg was very fluffy and the soup was really thick. I strongly recommend adding white pepper to add a kick. The string beans were really flavorful and seasoned extremely well. The rice rolls came out on a sizzling platter, and the beef melted in your mouth. It was also really well seasoned. The fried rice was my least favorite of all the dishes we ordered. It was a little lacking in terms of flavor, but it still wasn't bad at all. I highly recommend Chi Cafe. Their menu is huge, so you're going to have a hard time deciding what you want to get. It's not the best Chinese food I've ever gotten, but it's cheap, quick, and you'll get more than you paid for.. read more

Chi Cafe - @meganyli.eats on IG for more food content! - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The spicy beef and rice was fire they service was sort of slow but sped up as they got more customers

First time trying this spot and I really wanted to like it. My boyfriend and I came because it was late and not much else was open. We ate a good amount and then decided to take the rest to go. This morning we woke up and were both ridiculously sick! The entire meal came up for both of us. We ate at 11:30 pm and the food came out by 7:30 am the following morning. Appetite did not return until 6 pm. Will not be coming back. read more

We went to Chi Cafe to have dinner yesterday. The place was so dirty we walked out! The windows are filthy. All the light fixtures are covered in dust. And the place is overall dirty. I can only image what the kitchen looks like. No thanks!!! read more

Great Chinese food and even better they are open late! This isn't your cheap Asian American Chinese cuisine - authentic and tasty. Entrance is in china town, the map will probably take you to the back. read more

Late night and Great food. We were looking for something to eat within walking distance of our hotel. Great place but don't walk to it... the area can be pretty rough late night. It's a regular hang out spot based on some of the people there, they knew some of the staff. We had to wait 45 minutes for a table and it was worth the wait. The food was excellent! We ordered a ton of food and with tip we were out the door for $50. We liked it so much that we went back another day over the weekend. read more

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I've been coming to this place for years. It is open late and has always delivered on value and flavor. They usually get to you quickly and are helpful in explaining the menu. Noodles, wings, soups, rice dishes, dumplings, you name it they've probably got it. Options are never a bad thing and like I said the food is always solid. In a weird way it feels like a late night dinner because the playlist has ads and that brings a bit of nostalgia to the feeling of the place. My usual order is salt and pepper wings and wonton soup but I love the brisket and noodle rolls. When you've tied on a few and feeling peckish but it's late at night, this is the perfect spot. read more

Christmas Dinner. We've made it a tradition now. 3 out of the 4 years we choose Chi Cafe. Food is good, service is prompt and professional. The year we couldn't attend we arrived around 7 pm. That is high traffic time and parking is impossible. We will be back next year! read more

So me and my family went here a few days ago . The food was horrible .... I had gotten quite sick after eating here . The staff was incredibly rude and were really inconsiderate . The ambiance was subpar compared to other restaurants in Chinatown . Not only were they rude they were extremely racist to my step mother and two sisters who are African American . When it was time to pay we noticed that the waiter who was not only racist but extremely rude came up to my father and was screaming at my dad telling him if we wasn't going to tip we shouldn't have come out to eat . Mind you when you pay they add a tip to the check ... my father was going to give a cash tip . We were not even close to leaving when he confronted us . He was going off on my father than proceeded to curse my stepmother out and called her a slurs and other asinine comments . Then began making comments to my sisters who are 7 and 14 saying to tell my dad if he is broke don't go out . I had to step in because you are NOT going to talk to a woman or children that way . This business is incredibly unprofessional and deceitful . Please find another restaurant if you are going to be dining in Chicago . read more

Came here with some friends after a sox game that ended late in the night. We were very happy to find somewhere still open at 11pm. I ordered a beef brisket lo mein for the excellent price of $6.95. The noodles were decent, but I wish there was more broth, and the beef was great but it came with a lot of fat and other pieces. I would say I was satisfied with my dish for what I paid. I also tried some of my friends' drinks, and they were so bomb. The milk tea was surprisingly delicious, and the banana smoothie went hard. Overall, this was a great spot for a late night outing, and I loved the drinks. And the prices haha. I would come back. read more

Chi Cafe - Beef Briskets Lo Mein. Comes in a deep plate sitting in the broth. - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TL:DR - Solid take out experience. Easy online ordering and food was ready on time. No leaks or missing items. Menu options and food are better than your average take out spot, but not so high it's weird to order take out. Crispy tofu was delicious. Walnut Shrimp on point. Beef Tongue should be skipper. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Solid take-out experience. Online ordering was super easy. Didn't have pictures of everything (like MingHin), but had the dishes I was looking for. We ordered walnut shrimp, beef tongue in XO sauce, pig intestines, and crispy tofu. We ordered ahead of time, assuming a valentine's day rush. When I got there, food was ready for pick up at the back. Plenty of people in the restaurant, though. Pieces of plastic were hanging from the ceiling separating tables. But I was able to go directly to the back and pick up my food which was waiting. All the food made it home, nothing was missing, nothing leaked. They included two large containers of white rice. Quantity of food was on point for the price. Crispy tofu - delicious, salty with great hits of white pepper, roasted garlic and jalepeno. It was cube shaped and a little softer than what I was anticipating, but still good. Walnut Shrimp - Hit the spot. Nothing else special about it. Is as it should be. Beef Tongue - This was the one miss. The beef tongue was super chewy, which I assume was due to it being over cooked. Light on tongue, heavy on veggies. All in all, a smooth take out experience. More authentic options and better than your average take out joint, but also not a super fancy sit down place either. read more

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Absolutely horrible customer service! Rude manager. charged my family extra for food we didn't order then screamed in our face when we told them we didn't order it. My 2 year old was crying becuase they were screaming so loud in my and my wife's face. I don't recommend. dissapointe. read more

Always great food and open late. Sometimes there is d wait but it's worth it. Try the noodles or beef short ribs

The wait time is quick, and they're open until 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays, which is very cool! The smoothies with tiny pearls are a game-changer--so tasty, and they're generous with the pearls. The only issue is I enjoyed it so much that I finished it too quickly and almost ordered a second one! Every time I go I try something different. This time I got the lamb curry soup and it is good! I've been here several times. Anything you order is done really well, and the prices are very reasonable. Some of my favorite items include Mongolian Beef, Salt and Pepper Japanese Tofu, fish stomach chives, and West Beef Lake Soup. They used to have duck tongue, my favorite, but it hasn't been available the last few times I went--I hope it comes back! Whether with family, friends, or dates, it's sure to be a memorable meal that won't break the bank. Also the congee is simple very good! I love the fish and scallop congee! read more

Chi Cafe - Lamb with Curry Noodle Soup - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you're looking for a late night bite, this place is perfect. It's open far later than other places and the food is good and the prices are excellent. For what you're paying, you get a delicious meal with excellent portion sizes. My go to order is the duck noodle soup and it's always been a hit. The duck is delicious and the soup broth has excellent flavor - you get the savoriness without feeling too overpowered by any one ingredient. You can choose your noodles - and all the noodle options I've tried are excellent and cooked perfectly. This place is a simple, no frills type of restaurant: you're not going to get any fancy decorations and the tables are packed together. I'm not surprised that this place doesn't have an amazing rating on yelp: the service is exactly what you would expect from a restaurant in China, which means that Americans aren't happy. This means they're very efficient but don't have the standard American waitstaff characteristic of constantly checking up on you, making sure you're happy and filling your water/tea for you. The workers are here to serve you food: nothing more. For all the talk of authenticity in food, Americans don't actually like authentic Chinese restaurant experiences - normal Chinese behavior and attitudes are perceived as rude by Americans. I don't think the service staff are rude in the slightest - but they are different from the American norm of catering to every patron hand in foot. As a result, the ratings don't reflect the actual quality of the food. This is a very authentic Chinese place, down to the wait staff - but this does mean that non-Chinese Americans will complain about the service because it's not in alignment with Americans' standards of service. read more

To start this place is insanely cheap. Ambiance is meh a little bit sticky feeling. Mobility friendly but getting to the bathrooms is a bit tight. We had: - tofu with Thai spicy sauce - delicious & not too spicy - crab ragoon - really really good - sizzling sweet & sour beef - yummmmmy!! - fried rice noodles with beef & soy sauce - light and good My favorite was the tofu & sizzling beef. Portions are huge and can be shared by 3-4. I would definitely go back and try some more things. read more

This place is awesome! Excellent food, often late at night, with big portions and good flavor. Great prices and specials. A variety of choices with all the classics: salt and pepper everything, noodle soups, beef stew, stir fry everything. It's the perfect Hong Kong cafe. As others said, don't expect 5-star gourmet service. You're in and you're out so someone else can get your table. Pleasantries cost the waitstaff time. Big disconnect between Hong Kong late night diner etiquette and (wrong in this space) American expectations of a nice Chinese restaurant. It's fast, crowded, busy, loud. read more

So it's hard to find good Chinese food in Chicago. I've been on a mission and unfortunately, haven't yielded Ed any amazing results. The Chi Cafe is probably as good as I've gotten: the service is a bit chaotic, especially if it's late night but the food will definitely keep you filled and satisfied. I think if nothing else, it's a great experience to have! read more

Went here to have dinner with my relative from out of town. Sat down, paid the bill immediately after receiving our food, so they wouldn't think we'd dine and dash. And then toward the end of our dinner, the waiter had the audacity to ask if we were going to tip! We left and as we were walking out the door, the waiter ran up behind us and said "f*$k us and not to come back there to eat." I used to go to this place a lot because I really liked their sizzling beef, but guess I'll have to go without! Sorry but you don't have the right to ask for a tip, and you don't have the right to curse us out after we PAID for our meal! Ridiculous mindset this server had. I'm glad there's a place like Yelp where I can warn others from the terrible experience they might have! read more

Went here with a party of 4 around 10pm on a weekday, and was surprised to see the place packed! We had to wait around 15 minutes for a table, and we got seated very close to the kitchen. Unfortunately, this means we got a closer look at what the back of the place looks like. The kitchen looked really disorganized and dirty, and I was honestly worried about the fact that my food was prepared there. The food tasted pretty good though. If you find yourself in Chinatown late at night with no other options, this place works. The food isn't bad and it will fill you up for a low price. But I can't say I recommend it, just because of the cleanliness/service. read more

By far the best Chinese restaurant in the city of Chicago. If you want authentic Chinese dishes with plenty of options I suggest you make trip here. I come so much they know me by face and name. The shrimp fried rice is so good and it's not that dried up dark brown rice you get from those American Chinese restaurants. The rice is tender and they have large shrimps and are not stingy with the amount. Crab Rangoon is delicious also. They sweet and sour sauce they give with it compliments the Rangoon. The wonton soup is excellent, and if you want to try something different try the hot and sour soup. It never misses. My favorite dish is the lamb with garlic sauce. It's soooooo good over white rice. Lastly, you have to try the honey citrus tea. It's good all year round. The service here is really good. The server are attentive and they take pride in customer service and the cooks produce quality authentic cuisine. The atmosphere of the restaurant is like a diner, but clean. It's like going to an American Diner, but with Asian flare. It's a very social ambiance and the patrons are of many different cultural backgrounds. read more

I went there because Google said it was one of the best in Chinatown. I was not impressed. Everyone knows broccoli on a stalk can't be eaten without first cutting it. I wasn't given a knife. I had to get someone's attention first then asked for it. I ordered beef & broccoli. I wanted the wide flat noodles. I was given noodles but not what I had in mind. Service could be better. The food was just ok. Hopefully not representative of all restaurants in Chinatown as Google suggests. read more

Love eating here as this place never disappoints. The food always tastes fresh, delicious and comes out fast. Not overly greasy and reasonably priced. The ambiance is good and the place can get packed at times. Love that each table has a drawer built in with silverware. I highly recommend as even chinese restaurant owners in the burbs enjoy eating here as well. Definitely one of the go-to spots in new chinatown. read more

Wow. Absolutely disgusting, absolutely 0 stars. Fried rice was plain greasy rice with a side of saucy... something. Hot and sour soup was neither hot nor sour- just watery. Wings have a weird taste and literally the size of my pinkie finger. THE ABSOLUT WORST CHINESE FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD . Tasted but did not eat, ordered from somewhere else. read more

Chi Cafe - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food, fast service, open late. Very chill inside, all the staff is working hard and respectful. I think this may be my favorite casual place in all of Chinatown. read more

grateful for this place being open at 2am for us to have a late dinner! The service was very quick, food came out piping hot, and it was super affordable for our group of 7! It seems they open until 5am on the weekends. read more

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The service was great, when we arrived we where seated right away. The restaurant was not busy at all, and they are able to separate your bill in case you go with friends. I tried the orange chicken spicy. It comes extremely hot and with a side order of steam rice. It was cooked perfectly, and the right amount of sauce. They also add fresh Broccoli. Will be back to talk to you later other dishes.. read more

Chi Cafe - Orange Chicken - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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La actitud de los meseros es muy básica e incoherente teniendo en cuenta que el tip está incluido (no te dicen o hay ningún letrero que lo diga). El servicio es un 2/5 pero la comida es 5/5 read more

We got takeout from here tonight for New Year's Eve and it is so good! It was so easy to order in person and it only took about 25 minutes. The food is more authentic than some other places around here, and it was all flavorful and delicious. And we have plenty of leftovers for the snowstorm tomorrow. read more

Chi Cafe - Kung Pao Shrimp and Vegetable And Tofu Soup - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's probably because they were busy, but the smoothie was a bit confusing it was supposed to be a coconut and pineapple smoothie but wheres the coconut! The Food is FIRE of course buut i order of crab ragoons, why one sauce packet Thank you for staying open till 2am read more

Oh man. I don't even know what to say. We have been coming here a decade. A decade. One of our favorite places ever and a frequent treat. Unfortunately we just had the worst experience and will not be back. I'd say we've dined there well over 100 times in the last 10 years. We miss the days when they wore funny vests and the tables had secret hidden drawers with chopsticks and extra napkins in them. Bad TV was ALWAYS on. Haha! 1) improper mask usage. The waiter kept pulling his mask up and down. Licking his fingers and then flipping through things. Wiping his nose, etc. 2) waiter would grab lots of dirty dishes from other tables with bare hands, then brought us our drinks and handed out our clean silverware. Directly from dirty dishes to our chopsticks, silverware, and plates. Lastly- by far the WOSRT we ate our entire appetizer before we realized the disk was EXTREMELY dirty. In this photo- you can see the caked on dirt in the crevice of the plate. So so so gross. I told them and they merely took the cost of the appetizer off. Never again. Sad sad day and the end of an era for us. :( read more

Chi Cafe - Dirty plate. Look in the crevices. Unfortunately we ate nearly the entire thing before we noticed. - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois