Best place for late night Chinese food after a night out! I also find myself ordering from here time to time when I want a quick Chinese food kick. I like all the over rice dishes. Prices are low and portions are big. But I did notice that they may skimp on the meat here and there. This is more of a Hong Kong style restaurant so it's not your typical Cantonese style place. Shares a lot of food, but they do have some Chinese western style dishes found in Hong Kong. read more

It's a cold, snowy day in Chicago so nobody wants to leave the house so "Take out" becomes the dinner option. I've been looking for a good Chinese take out place for a while and Chi Cafe is the best that I have found so far. Now, I must say I've never been to the actual restaurant, but we've ordered about three times from them. First, you can order online. Second, good food and a ton of it. We've tried the orange chicken, one of their soups, a semi-spicy beef dish, and the beef fried rice. I really like the orange chicken - it is tasty without the "over-fried" taste. The beef fried rice was delicious. The one soup was too hot for my taste. Third, even though it was delivery, it was quick and our food was really hot. Finally, they are pretty consistent thus far. When we want Chinese in, Chi Cafe it is. read more

Favorite quick, cheap spot in Chinatown. The spicy vegetable noodle soup is my go to...the broth is rich and delicious and they don't skimp on the veggies. Stir fried string beans and the beef tenderloin in saki sauce are also great. My boyfriend loves the lemongrass pork noodle soup but I'm not into it. Their flavored green teas are a little too sweet for me but the smoothies are fresh and yummy. Service is always quick. It can get loud and crowded on the weekends but I've never been too annoyed by it. read more

Chi Cafe - Spicy vegetable noodle soup, stir fried string beans and a passion fruit green tea - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My quest for a good late night place has finally come to and end. I love this place and the fact that it's open until 2am! We always seem to get the same thing (as pictured) - salt and pepper wings, sizzling beef tenderloin in black pepper sauce and seafood fried rice. I tried the hot and sour soup once and it was also really good. The fried rice here is very unique with a hint of curry and coconut. I love that! The beef is always on point and goes well with the rice. Wings are delicious! I'll have to try new dishes here and their menu is huge!! The price is really good for the food as well. read more

Chi Cafe - Seafood fried rice, salt and pepper wings and sizzling beef in black pepper sauce - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

3.5 stars. Came here yesterday for a late lunch and, being slightly less than sober, made the executive decision to order 5 dishes for two people. Seemed like a popular spot to check out, and while it's open almost 24/7, we didn't really want to wait until midnight to make the most of Chi Café. What we got: Garlic Honey Chicken Wings: 12 wings for $6.50. Wings themselves were actually on the small side, and they were very heavy-handed with the honey. While I do like honey and garlic together, the ratio here seemed to be opposite(aka should be more garlic less honey), and I may opt for the crunchy garlic wings next time. Deep Fried Pork Intestines: Crispy and delicious as always. Two thumbs up. Spicy Beef Noodle Soup: Just over $5 for a decent sized bowl of some very flavorful and spicy(though not really that spicy) broth w/noodles and tender beef. I'd order this again. Fish Fillet in Sichuan Spicy Sauce: So the sauce wasn't as heavy or as spicy as I expected it to be(I was anticipating a lot more chili oil and peppercorns). As for the composition of the dish itself, while it was cheap($8.50), I do wish they cut back a little bit on the vegetables to put in more actual fish. Sizzling Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Saki Sauce: Was between this and the black pepper steak. The sweet saki sauce was...well...sweet, so that was my mistake. Beef and onion were cooked well though and It was served sizzling as promised. That said, the portion size is smaller than expected, there were a lot of onions and it was spread out to fill out the entire plate so in the end there actually wasn't all that much beef in it. Final Verdict? Extensive menu, stays open super late, has pretty cool tables(with the utensils inside so you can just pull out the drawers and get more). Can be heavy handed with the sugar(Garlic Honey wings and beef tenderloin w/saki sauce, I'm looking at you), and some of the meat dishes could certainly use more meat(sizzling beef and Sichuan fish, again looking at you). Otherwise food is good and affordable so you won't break your budget. I may just find myself coming back here some late late night. read more

I enjoy my lunch here. The restaurant's ambience and services are satisfying. The food is cooked in the Cantonese style, my favorite cuisine. I will come back for my lunch and dinner. read more

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Hot & Sour soup is perfect. The delivery was efficient and even a bit early. The crab & corn soup is creamy with a nice buttery taste. It was perfect for our after New Year's light supper at home. read more

What a great concept for Chinatown: cheap, clean, hip, and with good service. Very, very non-ghetto (which too many of the other places nearby are). The menu was a little too big, but everything we got was ultra-tasty. They deep fry ANYTHING to perfection. Get whatever meat you want with that sweet saki sauce - fantastic. Great for young people. You old people - stay away. You'll ruin the vibe. read more

Chi Cafe, has a really nice modern and clean atmosphere. Great assorted hong kong style dishes, fresh feel, a nice young crowd which makes for great people watching. Does the food and people seem kind of familiar? They should, since if you ever eaten at Ken Kee restauant the taste is extremely similiar. The new owners are partly made of the chefs from ken kee, and even the at least one of the waiters. So for you ken kee fans, the love is still there read more

As we were walking through Chinatown looking for a place to eat for lunch, we walked by Chi Cafe and looked at their ginormous menu! It was like a never ending novel! Plus, the place was packed, so my sister decided we should try it. If it's crawling with people, it's got to be good, right? Sitting in our booth, you could feel the chaos with the waiters running around feeding the hungry tables. We ordered 6 dishes for just 5 of us but there were so many items to choose from in their menu that we had to try as much as we could. While we waited for our food, I looked around at the decor. It was very modern with bright splashes of mosaic tiles all around the restaurant. A couple of big screens to keep you entertained while you wait for your food. At the tables themselves, they had these drawers where your napkins and silverware sat in. Nice touch since these waiters are always busy running around so it's a good idea that you might need those items sitting at your table already. Not too long after, the food started to filter down to our table. After 6 entrees, we all agreed that the chef had a slightly heavy hand on the salt or nothing at all. The food was a bit on the salty side or on the bland side. While they work at a good pace, there should be more consideration on the taste. The one thing that we agreed on was that the price for 6 entrees wasn't bad! An affordable place that definitely fills you up! Note to self, do not eat heavy Chinese food before driving 6.5 hours home....you get a good case of food-coma! Had to stop for coffee to dilute the food-coma buzz! read more

Late Night Delivery. It's places like this that makes Chicago freaking awesome. After a long day of bumming around with old friends and maybe trying a new place or two, there's nothing quite like ordering in and... well... bumming around some more. The food is pretty good. It is definitely not spectacular, but let me tell you, Salt and Pepper seafood delivered to your home, though most likely soggy, is perhaps one of the best things a guy could ask for. I'm all over the crap like white on rice. read more

Good place for late night food! We ordered the seafood rice cake, chicken fried rice, string beans, and fresh mango with small tapioca. The seafood rice cake was okay, I was hoping that it would be spicy but it was kind pretty mild. The rice cakes were sticky and chewy, which was really good. There were scallops, shrimp, and squid inside as well. The string beans are pretty spicy and extremely good with the sauce on rice. I ended up dipping the rice cakes in the sauce since it was so savory and spicy. The mango drink was extremely good! It was a little sweet, and the mango mixed with milk (condensed milk?) was balanced really well. read more

Perfect delivery, I have it very day. Good food, clean, fast and safe. I really love it. My fav dish is egg tofu with mushrooms, very good.

Recently renovated with a contemporary Epic Chinese ambiance. It appears more spacious with the open communal table in the middle of the dining room. I ordered the usual comfort food beef brisket rice flat noodle soup. The chicken with abalone congee was quite hearty and tasty. Will definitely return for quick bite and fast service. read more

Chi Cafe - Beef brisket noodle soup - comfort food - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You can read the other reviews about the food. I just found out they deliver to my house in Pilsen. They don't just deliver, they Jimmy John delivery the stuff. 20 minutes from call to eating. That's ridiculous. No more trying to find parking in Chinatown. ***UPDATED 07/02/12*** Chi Cafe now warrants 5 stars. Everything about it is incredible: -When I call in, they already have my address and credit card on file. Love it. -Food delivered within 15-20 mins. -Quality is still good. -Friendly service all around from order taker to delivery person. -Small personalized napkins packs! It quickly and efficiently moved into my default delivery restaurant when I'm lazy. read more

Besides MingHin, I order here all the time for carryout. Here are some recommedations: dinner/fourth meal Beef Brisket with Steamed noodle roll beef Chow Mein Japanese Style Fish Fillets Seafood Udon drinks/dessert lemon ice tea - tastes just like ones in hong Kong red bean ice cream We love this place! I could eat at this place everyday and reminds me of eating in Hong Kong read more

Always a great place to go to for food when your getting up in the morning for breakfast or late into the night after leaving the club because they are open very late into the night. They remodeled the place a couple of months back making it more of a modern location for Chinese food in Chinatown. Early in the morning they have breakfast deal that i enjoy getting because its a deal and i enjoy eating noodles in the morning. Usually after the bars I would come here as well considering the location allows for being able to sit and relax, but try to come a bit earlier because it will become packed soon. read more

Chi Cafe - FAVORITE MORNING WONTON AND BEEF BRISKET OVER VERMICELLI NOODLES - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great little place - especially if you're a late night owl. Their late night hours is what first made them a staple in Chinatown. Their new renovations have definitely made the environment more hip and appeals to the younger crowd with the art and light interior design decor. From there, the food is great. I love the Satay Beef Instant Noodle Soup, Fish Fillet in Sake Sauce, and Beef Tenderloin in Black Pepper or Sake depending on the mood. Their dishes are not too expensive and can fit the budget. The food is a decent portion and sure to fill you - more likely than not. Their service is for the most part pretty quick. You can sit down and be out within 10-15 if need be. Their menu is spread across a TON of options. Dont spend too much time on it! read more

Went there again tonight and wanted to get a little more specific on the must try dishes: Do try: -Fried Fish Fillet with Sweet Sake Sauce -Stir Fried String Beans -Salt and Pepper Tofu -Salt and Pepper Pork -Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings -Basically anything Salt and Pepper -Chow Fun (ask them to make it crispy) Don't bother -Curry Chicken read more

YUM! I went here yesterday with my family in lieu of Joy Yee because we came as a group of 8 and didn't want to spend too much money on food. A lot of the dishes are cheap -- $4.50 - $10.00 -- so it's not bad at all. It's located directly across from Joy Yee Plus and had enticing looking soup on display by the window so we went in. They serve a lot of different Chinese dishes, but I think their specialty was more of their soups and noodles. I ordered the sliced beef congee and it was delicious. I would have have liked a little more beef though... it seemed like it was just one little slab of beef cut up into portions. I also tried their iced milk tea and I didn't like it too much; I've had better. The interior is very nice and modern. The service is quick. And it seems to be a popular place because every time I pass by it there's a good amount of people inside. I'd definitely go again. read more

The flavor was ok but I couldn't chew the chicken. It was so tough I had to toss most of it out.

I love how Chi Cafe has a clean, sleek, and vibrant vibe when you walk in. Service is generally fast (I've been a zillion times, so there are times when servers have been off their game, but generally that's not the case). Their menu is extensive and has a ton of nice little gems. To cut through all the pictures, here is my top list of dependable dishes: - Spicy Taiwanese beef noodle soup (a little salty but SO GOOD on a cold day or when you're craving a rich, savory noodle soup) - Sizzling beef tenderloin in sweet saki sauce - Stir fried string bean (beware, it is NOT vegetarian and has minced meat bits in it) - Fillet with salt & pepper ALSO, between 2:30-6pm they have a specially priced Happy Hour menu where it's $3.95-$4.95 per dish and each dish includes a drink. My fiance and I feasted on 3 dishes and 3 drinks for less than $15. If you can get out of work early enough, this is a must try! read more

(+) Open super late (+) Cheap (+) Extensive menu (+) Fast and friendly service (+) Near the red line (-) The food is just mediocre I would come back to Chi Cafe for its convenience-when it's late and you're looking to grab a cheap bite while just hanging out for awhile, this place is worth it. But if I was craving some good Chinese, I don't think I'd come here first. read more

Late Monday night and the place is busy, you know you have a picked a winner. The food was exceptional, large servings and very well priced, clean and tidy. 5 stars I don't think you can get any better Chinese in Chicago for the price, quality and serving size. You know the food will taste amazing when you can see the elder Asian ladies in the back cooking up a storm. read more

This place is now officially "DECLARED AS ANOTHER OVERLY HYPED ESTABLISHMENT" in Chinatown! What happened Chi Cafe (ownership)... Did the busy restaurant and success get to you're head? This visit to Chi Cafe was an utter fail. This restaurant is not recommended to anyone bringing a group or visitors to the area - Don't be overshadowed by the decor or by locals eating there... It got this Yelper! The server "Chun" seems to act as if he hates dealing with questions and people. A "hurry up" bothered (insecure) type of attitude, language barrier is not a valid excuse. The servers and kitchen staff now get use to just placing the food on the very edge of the table and running as if they are serving prison food. It doesn't work. Some people aren't stupid to the realization when a group of servers don't care. Humble yourselves, you are fortunate to have a job and business. Without the customers you have nothing of the sort. Not one mention of, "How is everything or would the group like anything else?" Cold, cold, service. They probably wouldn't even act this "in and out" in busy China. "Just eat and you leave", type of attitude. The check came without a mention of the group being finished with their orders. What "stank face" service. Now, to the food... - The Shrimp fried rice is always excellent here. The hot wok gives it a browned buttered taste and the shrimps are plump. - The egg rolls are horrible. Wow... Taste like the smell of the inside of a Chinatown aged herbal shop. (Doesn't belong in an egg roll) - The garlic wings are not tasty at all. Don't fall for the hype. They had a strange sweet taste and were almost meatless. - Soups are a FAIL. - The Peppered Steak was excellent. Nice black pepper taste with a hint of what seems to be oyster and soy sauce. - The crab rangoon is very tasty but a slight bit mushy. This place disappointed. They seem to need to humble themselves and work on service. It's as if someone thought saying, "This is our style" would make it work but it doesn't. Seems like business is only good for them because it's always been a trendy spot but, in due time, if it doesn't work on certain areas of the business than I could see many people shifting towards the new establishments in the area. Hope you make the proper changes, the egg roll and service has to go. Sharpen up! read more

This is where the Asian go for their midnight/morning cravings or after club food.They are open 24/7. They have a huge variety of food for cheap price. If you're Asian, you will probably recognize someone. Food: is 4.0 out of 5. Recommendation: Stay away from those combination special like the brisket and rice because they're mostly fat &tendons than briskets. I recommend Congee/Porridge, Salt & pepper fish/shrimp and fried rice (ask for it to be cooked dry because they cook it a little wet). Service: It varies throughout the night. As the night comes to an end the lesser they care about service. They just want people to eat and leave. However, who cares??? They've been dealing with drunks all night. Atmosphere: Loud throughout the night on the weekends. Drunk girls talking loud. Drunk guys passed out, BUT dont worry they dont bother you in your booth. Quieter on weekdays night. Hipsters. read more

I go here so often with my friends since it's open late and has so much variety. The interior is very modern and cute, and the tables have pull-out drawers with napkins/utensils/chopsticks. The waiters will serve you with tea but we usually have to ask for water. Every time I come here I order something different. I still have so much left to try! They even have a cheap early-bird special or happy-hour special menu to order off of. They also have a beverage list of different kinds of tea, coffee, shakes, etc. My friends and I love the beef with sweet sake sauce and we'll usually order a bowl of congee too. They're usually pretty quick with their service and they give you a lot of food for the price. read more

Seriously. Really. Why hasn't anyone told me about this place before now? It is truly a masterpiece. Any restaurant that can make ME like any version of Chinese food is a miracle worker. First, the menu is gigantic. And, even if you think you know what is on the menu, you don't. They have their own version of SPAGHETTI. Yes, you have to see for yourself. Take your time reading the menu. Read all of the menu. READ all of the menu...... I had something called a noodle roll which is kinda what it sounds like but imagine a wide rice noodle rolled up into a swirl and then topped with a tender beef brisket and the broth......yeah, mmmmmmm is what I thought too. 24 hours a day they serve this yummy. I can't even wait to begin another food adventure there. The menu is so vast I can't ever imagine tiring of it. read more

I really didn't want to like this place, in fact I have been here before and thought nothing of it but after reading so many reviews about the food and service I thought I give it another taste (test). Growing up in a restaurant I am a really big fan of the mom and pop establishments and was really rooting for it's competitor (S.S) located at the other end of the mall. In the name of research we ordered the same food that we had earlier in the week at (S.S.) Sweet Sake Beef (boneless), Japanese mushroom with tofu and noodle soup with fish balls. Sweet Sake beef-easier to eat without the bones but missing the char due to the difference in cooking technique-same great taste Japanese mushroom and tofu-more of an au jus consistancy vs thicker gravy Noodle soup with fishball-arrived steaming hot with lettuce, tasty Verdict- TIE!!!! for taste Service is really attentive, if you so much as shift in your seat, the server will appear and ask you if you need anything!!! read more

I LOVE CHI! This place rocks! It's the place to go after a late night out from the bars. Me and my partner love it here. Everything on the menu is practically $5-$8. They are known for their rice noodle dishes, and they have a big selection of drinks which includes tea, coffee, bubble tea, etc. I definitely recommend their Milk Tea over ice, it's very popular in Hong Kong and this place somewhat reminds me of that time when I was there. I forgot to mention the inside is decorated pretty retro, it's like a hipster Asian restaurant. When I came here I ordered the Shrimp Dumpling Soup over Egg Noodles and the Beef Chow Mien. They both tasted like typical Chinese food, but you can't go wrong with it being super inexpensive, and they serve you pretty fast which I like. read more

This place is the trifecta of dining for me: 1. Good; 2. Cheap; 3. Late Late Night! This is just like one of those cool cafes in Hong Kong, Tokyo or Shanghai. The decor is very sleek with some weird touches (like the Italian pizza chef statute greeting you in the front entrance), but the space is very inviting and clean! Also, all the utensils and napkins are located in hidden draws under the table. The service is swift, efficient, and attentive. The food is excellent! The green bean dish, the salt and pepper pork, and the delicious spicy beef noodle soup make me drool! The now ubiquitous Chinatown fruity smoothy bubble tea type drinks are done very well here. Plus they also have some fun fruity shaved ice desserts. So refreshing and delicious. read more

This is one of the restaurants I've tried during my trip to Chicago. It's your classic Cantonese cafe. I was here for lunch and this place was packed. I had the wonton egg noodle soup, stir fry rice roll, and garlic spinach. The food was really good and inexpensive. I highly recommend this place if you are visiting Chicago. read more

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Fast service and open all night on the weekends, super late on weekdays. Food's decent. HUGE menu so you'll find something you like. The fish in sake sauce is great! read more

I am so surprised I have not reviewed this place yet considering how much I go here. Well, here is my long overdue review. This place is never not open (it's always open and I'm pretty sure I've been there past 2am before). No matter what time it is when I'm in the city and feeling chilly, I can always count on a bowl of hot sauteed beef ramen. I kind of view this place as a Denny's except the food is actually good here and the service isn't painfully slow. You may need to do some pointing at the pictures to express your dish choice to the waiter. They all know both Mandarin and Cantonese but their English can be lacking sometimes which makes it all the more authentic, eh? I recommend eating family style rather than hording the dish to yourself. Allows you to get a taste of multiple dishes instead of gorging on one and becoming sick of it. This place as great Chinese food for a good price. Definitely a go go! Concluding Haiku: Always open NOW Sautee ou-youk gong-zhai mein (sauteed beef ramen in Cantonese) It's Chi Cafe Time! read more

Today is a wonderful day and my life has been completely changed because I finally ate at Chi Cafe. Very cheap for the general portions and the yummy factor. Cantonese me certifies its authenticity. Sizzling beef tenderloin with sweet saki sauce - nuf said. Nothing fancy, just juicy tender beef with sauteed onions, cooked to perfection. Sizzling salty fish eggplants - this is a variation of my all time favorite salty fish & chicken fried rice. Very flavorful. In cantonese it can be summed up as two words meaning "it's so flavorful it attracts you". I am oh so attracted. Young Mannosidase - it's basically chilled grapefruit and mango with sweet sago creme and coconut milk. I found this pretty light but the grapefruit was a bit tangy. But it was still pretty good. A definitely plus being that it's a very clean restaurant. I accepted the challenge to go back to try everything on the menu =) read more

The food is ok here, nothing too memorable or stands out. My favorites about this place are the chicken wings, lychee iced tea and their table setup. At every table, there's a drawer filled with utensils and napkins which is super convenient (and cute!) if your server gets too busy. The food is average and sometimes a little bland. It's good for a quick and cheap bite. They could use a bit of work on their signage as it's easy to pass up this place if you're not paying close attention. read more

For those of you from or have visited Hong Kong, and are looking for a good cha chan tang (HK style diner), well then this is the Midwest, and possibly all of the States. Pros: -A endless selection of entree choices, just like an HK cha chan tang. We got the Stir-fry special #1, which was quite delicious. -Lai cha (HK-style milk tea)! Yes it isn't that great compared to HK cha chan tangs, but good enough to make me happy -Combination meals that combine an entree (during the meal times) or a noodle soup (during the in-between times) and your choice of drink. If you haven't been to a HK cha chan tang, this doesn't seem that great, but if you have, you know why this is cool. Cons -The decor is too nice to be considered "authentic" -Prices are higher than Hong Kong (inevitable), but still cheap by US standards So whether you're looking for a cha chan tang, or a cheap, good and fast Chinese place that is open late, Chi Cafe is the place to go. read more

If LA is my home away from home, then this place is kinda like my LA-Late-Night-Asian-Food away from LA. As a visitor to Chicago, having just stepped off an airplane at midnight and tired from a 5 hour flight, 3AM Chinese food from Chi Cafe was the PERFECT late night snack. I know... out of all the unique Chicago cuisines I could have picked from, I decided to pick the one most plentiful back in LA. Whatever... desperate times call for lazy measures. Don't be fooled by the rest of Chinatown (or China...Strip Mall. Seriously, the place is tiny). While the rest of the stores have their lights turned off and "Closed" signs flashing, this place is like an oasis in the desert of closed businesses. Good food, clean tables, and attentive service, especially when there's only a few people there at 4 AM. The Salt and Pepper pork chops was so damn good. Salty and juicy deliciousness, the portion came with tons of pork chops. My friend's Lamb with Curry noodle soup was delicious as well, with big pieces of fried tofu and good noodles. We also got a chicken chow mein, which was good enough. Quite a large portion at a great price. In short, I wish I could find more restaurants like this. Open until 4, serving delicious Chinese comfort food, at a cheap price. Can't beat it. read more

I'm comparing this Chinese to my casual Chinese food experience that I've had in Chicago Chinatown and other city Chinatowns. Goods: Sat quickly Modern space Accommodate special requests Price Good size portion Decent service Areas for improvement: No potstickers / dumplings that aren't deep fried Bland dishes - real kicker With Chinese food I try hard to compare the food and in this case although there were some good things, I would explore other spots in Chinatown. For example, Lao Shanghai (sadly under construction right now), across the courtyard has been pretty good consistently in person, pick up and delivery. Plus, they have soup dumplings! read more

They just re-did their menus. Very fancy stuff. I just wanted to write an update because I didn't feel like I was specific enough as to which dishes I really enjoy a lot from here. First off, I always get the tangerine iced tea, specifically the red tea. So yummy and refreshing. The wok dishes here are so good...my faves are the sizzling spicy beef (sitting in this spicy sate oil) and the oxtail western style (which is basically in a tomato sauce with hints of curry). They're sate noodle beef soup is always good, pretty mild. The pig intestines and sweet and sour sauce on the side is not as good as Ken Kee but will suffice. I really like the chicken wings in garlic or sake sauce and the fish fillets in sake sauce. Most of the stir-fry instant noodle dishes are very good. Gotta eat it hot though! Check out their happy hour specials and breakfast specials. Cheap eats! read more