Came in here on a Monday for my birthday. I loved the vibe - decor was perfect and the music was on point (not to date myself but old school like Buddha Lounge). It was pretty busy even for an early res on a Monday but we were seated in 5-10 minutes. We were seated in the back area at a two person table which was very tight, especially considering all the dishes we ordered. Not ideal but whatever. As for food we got the following: - 2 hamachi crudo orders ($44 total) - each comes with 5 pieces. It was flavorful but I'd probably only get one order next time. - 1 green papaya salad ($16) - pretty standard but light and refreshing. - 1 clay pot lobster pad thai ($36) - My husband liked it a lot, there was a solid amount of lobster but personally I don't love peanut flavors in my thai food so I was pleasantly surprised that the peanut flavors were not over powering, but I still felt it could have used more heat. - 1 order of the thai basil chicken ($22) - it was pretty standard but we were happy with it. - 1 order of the crispy duck confit with peanut panang ($32) - Again husband liked it more than me but I was still pleased that the peanut flavors were subtle, but again could have used more heat. - 2 orders of the cumin lamb ($26) - This was my favorite thing we had. We ordered one to start and I got another to go. We love this dish pretty much anywhere we go but what stood out here was that the meat was high quality and it wasn't very oily. Definitely recommend. With drinks, tax, tip, extra 3.5% surcharge, it all came to ~$350. I found most of the food 3.5-4 except for the cumin lamb which was a 5/5 for me. I will say I think it's well suited for people who don't like very spicy meals. Personally I cook my thai food with lots of hot peppers and eat my thai food w a side of red thai chilis so I found that almost everything could have been spicier. Overall, I was pleased, I just don't know how realistic it is for people to spend so much on what is traditionally a very economical cuisine. Either way, I'd go back and I think it's worth checking out! read more

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Highly recommend reservations. I couldn't find a reservation for weeks out and lucked up on a late Sun reservation. I just adore the decor of the place. It makes you feel you are in a tropical environment. The music was great. They played a lot of old school hip hop and r&b. Niya was our waitress and she made great recommendations and very knowledgeable in regards to the menu. We ordered the prawn toast and veggie spring rolls. Honestly, we could've just had that because they both taste great. I was not a fan of the sauce that came with the prawn toast. The prawn toast was oh so delicious. We ordered the crab fried rice, rice noodles, and crab friend rice. The rolled rice noodles actually were good. Didn't know what to expect but the flavor was good. My friend asked for the fried rice to be spicy and it wasn't They threw a few chilis in it but it did nothing. I appreciated them using real crab but they need to work on the seasoning of the rice. It was a bit bland. The curry it's self was exquisite but the short rib was bland. It was tender but they were counting on the curry to flavor the meat and if u eat the meat without the curry it was bland. There was too many crispy noodles for me but I just took them out. So they ran out of their famous banana Foster cake but to our surprise the toasted coconut sundae was a great surprise! read more

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Well this place was a delightful surprise. Out of this world delicious food and service. We really had a great time chatting with our servers. The playlist on the day we came was so great. I would come back so I can further soak in the interior and maybe check out the bar. The drinks are a must. Came with the girls but I want to bring a date here next. read more

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Reddit sent me... among other things they mentioned the pork belly was an 11/10, and among the top 5 dishes they've had in their life. Sold! I went in that same day. On this visit, I kept it light: I ordered the Hamachi Crudo and the pork belly, with a Thai Iced Tea to wash it all down. First, let me tell you about the Crudo: this stuff was top notch! The fish was of fantastic quality, and was allowed to shine without being overpowered by the other elements on the plate. The chilis added the perfect amount of heat, the crispy shallot (I think) just a little bit of crunch and additional savory notes, and the sauce brought everything together with a heavenly intersection of tangy, savory, sweet, and salty. A definite 10/10. Now, let's talk about the pork belly. While this dish was almost fantastic, I wouldn't put it in my top 5, or even my top 10. The pork belly was cooked to perfection, with the meaty part tender as can be, and the fatty part rendered with Michelin level exactitude. Something I personally wasn't sold on was the skin. While I appreciate that it was delectably roasted, it needed work in the mouth before ingestion. Maybe this is just my Type-A personality, which desires inhaling my meals like a Dyson? No worries though, knives exist! To be fair, when I return, I will, 100%, order this again, and will not be cutting the skins off. The accompanying garlic and herbs helped round out the flavors, giving the meat more brightness and a little earthiness. As for the sauce, like with the Hamachi, the Nước chấm brought the flavor! My palate isn't cultured enough to nail the differences between it and the Crudo, only to say it was absolutely fantastic. Let's say this one was a 8.5/10. When it comes to the Thai Iced Tea, this was a mixed bag, but not in the way you think. I appreciate that this was made and mixed fresh, rather than being from a large container (which first came from powder). While the flavors weren't bad, this tea was sweeter than other similar drinks, which worked to overpower the flavor. Also, I found that a considerable amount of volume was taken up by ice. With an alcoholic drink, I know I am getting a certain measure of booze, whereas the math changes with this one. Considering the value, I'd rate this one a 6/10, and can't say I'd order again. Next, let's talk service and vibe: The service was top-notch! It was superbly friendly, perfectly attentive without overdoing it, and the food came out fast and fresh to boot! Where it comes to their vibe, it is a warm, colorful, and inviting space. It is also very unique, as the use of Thai cultural influence is very apparent. At the same time, it doesn't feel overdone, more like one stepped into a storybook restaurant! Final verdict: While I did have some quibbles and I disagree with the Redditor on the pork belly, I still feel Crying Tiger is fantastic! I can't wait to return and try more of their deliciousness, and if they continue to impress (which I am sure they will), bring friends and family here too. read more

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Celebrated a friend's birthday at Crying Tiger after snagging the reservation for an early Sunday dinner. Was running late and they kindly held our table but mentioned 1.5 hour dining window which was perfect with their service. Beautiful restaurant and details in their finishings. Lettuce Entertain You restaurant in the heart of River North. Really enjoyed the glass noodles and both tiger desert and coconut ice cream. As a vegetarian they were able to make the panang curry with tofu but I didn't enjoy the flavors. Was underwhelmed by the crispy eggplant dish, it was salty and oily without any other flavors. Thai is a really easy cuisine to modify to accommodate vegetarian cuisine and I would have loved to see more vegetarian options - particularly entrees. The green curry is made with fish sauce. Drink menu looked good but I couldn't resist a Thai iced tea. Don't miss a trip to the bathroom, it's a beauty! read more

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First of all, YUM! The food was fantastic, the shrimp toast was super flavorful with the sauce and so crispy. They gave us a large portion for an appetizer for two. I also absolutely loved the whole branzino it paired perfectly with the crab fried rice. Even though reservations were super tricky to get, I can 100% understand why. Everything was too good! I can't wait to come back here again! read more

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Had a great time at Crying tiger! The playlist smacks, the food and vibes were all great. Even with reservations, we did have to wait 5-10 minutes. We got sat at the bar area high top. I did try chef Dang's restaurant a few months back that is a Michelin bib gourmand restaurant called Hai Sous that I didn't enjoy very much bc all the dishes tasted the same with heavy use of fish sauce flavor so I was very curious to see how crying tiger would be. We came with zero expectations but left impressed and will come back again. What we ordered: 1. Prawn toast: super crispy and the nam Jim sauce was extremely well executed and reminded me of my travels in Thailand. 2. Papaya salad: not the best papaya salad in the city but still enjoyed it. I wanted it a bit spicier but that is just a personal preference. 3. Chili crunch chicken: delicious and extremely oily with the chili oil if that's your thing. I kept my nam Jim sauce so I can dip my chicken in it to cut through the grease a bit. Ask for side of rice or add side of veggies with this dish. 4. Clay pot pad Thai: initially was disappointed in size to price ratio but it had good chunks of lobster in it! We loved it! 5. Lamb: this was the MVP of the night. I don't even like lamb but husband does so we ordered and I felt like I kept going back for it! It was soooo flavorful and wasn't gamey at all! It was so well executed and delicious. It did come with rice which I so appreciated as we were mixing all the bits and flavor with the rice and this was the only dish along with the appetizers we finished there. MUST ORDER!!! Now onto the dessert. I've been seeing the viral tiger dessert and apparently they put a count on it. So once it sells out for the night, it's out. So of course we had to try it. Although it was beautiful to look at, you must love banana flavor as it was their version of a banana foster. HARD PASS for me but my husband loved it. It was wayyy too sweet for my personal enjoyment. I ordered side of Thai coffee ice cream and it came with 2 scoops. It had flakes of salt that complimented well. We also had cocktails and they were all quite nice. Service was great too! We came on a Saturday and they were slammed but did not feel rushed out at all which we appreciated. Thank you! Party of two our bill with tip was about $250. Get those lettuce points and enjoy! Welcome to River north! We will sure come back! read more

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I think place is a great find. I recently discoverd it, much like Columbus discovered the Americas. Bacially it seems to be a Thai place, though the staff were calling it Southeast Asian. So maybe a bit of a blend of cuisine types. In terms of vegetarian options, they had a few things on the menu, which was nice. To start, we had the veggie spring rolls. Really nice a crispy. In a small twist, the come with these lettuce wraps, which we used to wrap the roll. I guess no roll and just filling would been a healthier option, but it was something different? Next or curries they have one veggie one and that turned out great. I loved the flavor and the squash made it better, and I'm kind of surprised to even say that about squash. We did have the panang curry without the chicken. I'd say it was not that good. Very bland and with the original prices (including the meat), it wasn't worth it and I wouldn't get it next time. The crispy rice noodle dish was interesting. The noodles are like what you'd get for pad kee mao, but they're like rolled up and friend. They were fine. Next time I might try the glass noodle option instead. Lastly, the belle of the ball was the eggplant side. Wow. Never had anything like it. The seasoning was POW and it was just outstanding. Really loved it. I wished they had a couple more veggie options on the menu. That's my only main feedback to them. Service was good and the ambiance is really nice. But win for River North to have this place. Love the exterior look as well. Very fancy and classy. I will definitely be back. read more

Really excited to have a new delicious Asian restaurant in the area! I thought all of the food here was delicious. Some of the service was a bit slow, but it was busy and they are newly opened and just getting their footing so I am sure it will continue to improve. Everyone working was very friendly and helpful. The crab fried rice was the most tasty menu item by far, but all were really great and I would eat anything again. read more

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Crying Tiger! Wow. A mix of Southeast Asia night life clashing with Chicago's industrial edge. These flavors were bold, the spot is energetic and dramatic, the staff was bustling and approachable. Lettuce Entertain You group is on the right track. I will be coming back to experiment the rest of the menu! Thank you Crying Tiger! read more

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Great spot, great vibes, great energy. Snuck in at 11:30 pm for dinner, everything was delicious, service was attentive, east coast hip hop and great decor is definitely my vibe. Tried a lot of food, if I had to redo my visit I really wouldn't need any main courses because eveything else was so delicious I feel like I added $100 to my bill for no reason. Chicken Satay, crudo, green curry prawn are all must haves! read more

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Great experience and great food. The restaurant is beautiful and really well done. The food was great and the service was amazing. Very hard reservation to get but if you have certain Mastercards you can get on priceless.com. The pork belly is a must get appetizer. The chili lamb and wagyu short rib khao soi were really good as well. Our server gave us excellent recommendations. read more

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Crying tiger is a vibe and the restaurant darling of the city at this time. Snagged some resys and was able to get in a bit earlier than that. The front of the restaurant and bar was awesome but we got stuck in a lame corner. Good hip hop music bumpin. Got the thai tea milk punch and it was fine and on the sweet side. Not too much thai tea flavor. Started off with the papaya salad, and it was probably the best papaya salad I have had. It was a nice refreshing way to start up a meal with mint and Thai sauce. Had a slight kick to it. The shrimp toast was phenomenal and the sauce that the accompanied it was divine. It was perfectly crispy and not too heavy, and the shrimp was juicy and succulent. The sauce was nice and citrusy and spicy. You can basically pour the sauce on anything and it would be amazing. Got the green curry, which came with eggplant and a good man. A curry here with really good however had better at other places. I also got the khao soi and the flavor was different than I am used to. It was OK definitely not my favorite. It can pass next time felt very salty and one note. Both curries did not have much coconut flavor to it. The beef was very tender and delicious though. Got a side of roti to dip it with and it was just fine. Of course had to get the viral crying tiger, which was amazing. It was like a bananas, foster and I can eat this for days. Definitely recommend the spot and would be back. I hope to sit at the bar next time too watch them do their work. read more

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They have a fun, spacious, and colorful spot with an eclectic vibe. The food was quite good -- we tried the prawn toast, lobster pad thai, and roasted black cod in tom yum broth. The fish was perfectly cooked and the broth had great depth of flavor. I appreciated that the pad thai wasn't overly sweet, which so many places get wrong. It was a bit disappointing that most of the desserts were unavailable, leaving only the sundae, but overall it was a really good experience. Our server was also incredibly kind and attentive. read more

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I was ready to try this new restaurant as soon as I saw it for the first time on tik tok! The ambiance was beautiful, and they didn't skip out on any details when designing the restaurant. The service was good! They were very attentive and had great suggestions of what to try. The best part was the food. I had the pork belly and shrimp toast to start, and it was amazing. I loved the sauce they paired with both dishes. My friend got the crab fried rice, and she really enjoyed it. I tasted it, and it was delicious. I tried the wagyu beef khao soi. It was delicious and the coconut curry broth was amazing! My only small complaint is that the beef wasn't as tender as they claimed. It wasn't tough, but it wasn't the most tender I've ever had. For dessert, we had the ice cream Sunday and it was 10/10. My meal was accompanied by the milk punch cocktail, and it was so good! Overall, it was a great meal, and I would recommend this place for dates or special occasions. read more

Wow stunning first walking in with all the modern decor and r and b hip hop in the background you cannot deny that this is the place to be for your night out . Firstly , Unfortunately our table was wobbly and host tried to add like a square didn't work . I knew in order to make this a better experience we had to switch tables . Thankful for our waitress Diana we were able to switch tables we were sat in more private area which was nice wasn't too loud so we didn't wanna leave that area . So literally picked up love tables sorry to the table next to us if you had to eat at a wobbly table but no one should enjoy an amazing meal while their table is moving. Getting right to the drinks and food -- everything was truly delicious and I can't wait to try the rest of the menu. Unfortunately the drink I chose pickled plum soda wasn't what I thought it was I thought it was going to be more melon sour flavor with my fave calmansi but it didn't hit . Thankful for Diana our waitress for recommending mango limeade that was gone in minutes . Started off with crispy h.k. pork belly with garlic herb nuoc cham Crispy amazing if you love that tangy fishy chili sauce this is the one . Can't wait to have it again. Next bird's eye chili and hamachi crudo Fresh flavorful could do another order . It just melted in your mouth . Greater cold dish. Wagyu Short Rib Khao Soi with Crispy Noodles Curry was just full of flavor and the noodles just on point and the meat just melted in your mouth the crispy noodles just really rounded that thick rich sauce. Who gets buttered corn we do ! Didn't expect it to be so savory a with a kick . Crispy eggplant banh xeo was so savory it gave me an idea of a Filipino dish called tortang talong which is an eggplant omelet. Just perfect as a side dish with everything we had . Last minute decides was the hong Kong style crab fried rice yum flavorful every bite and adding some of that Panag curry drizzle over was the best decision . Of course we cannot forget the amazing dessert and wow they out did themselves . Crying tiger nothing like it but it is a must have presentation is everything delicious putter chocolate with a warm banana mousse and the sauce around made it worth every bite . Sundae wow ! The size definitely fit for 2-4 people Forsure shareable but no judgement if you can finish the whole thing it's that good . The coconut whip and cream was smooth and creamy the little surprises of salted peanuts reminded me of delicious brittle . With all that being said Crying Tiger you outdid your self . I have a thing about bathrooms and wow let me see even if you don't have to go please check it out . Taking the time for something like that shows you want your diners have an experience and we did . I do give them a 4.8 just the table really and almost three off our meal but we didn't let it . Can't wait I go back and enjoy it the rest of the menu and hopefully no wobbly table . read more

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The leather-wrapped handrails leading to the lower level bathrooms was unexpected. The prawn toast nearly brought me to tears. It's all in the details, and Crying Tiger absolutely understands that. Kudos, LEY. read more

This place is pretty decent. The latest addition to the "Lettuce Entertain You" chain, it says it's focuses on Southeast Asian Cuisine. However, the menu is mainly Thai. Great for those that like spicy food. Don't miss the Wagyu starter of the shrimp toast. For mains we tried the lobster pad Thai, tom yum black cod and chilli crisp chicken. All were done exceedingly well. Tasty and actually pretty authentic. This restaurant has not bowed to the pressure of adding copious amounts of sugar to their dishes to cater to the western palate. Their bananas foster had an interesting twist and their mango and lime sorbet was a very generous serving. Their place was busy and very nicely decorated. It's loud so beware but the service was prompt and courteous and the wait staff was very attentive. read more

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I'm always skeptical that ultra viral places are going to live up to the hype. Rest assured, Crying Tiger is legit! My wife set an 11:59 alarm to scoop up a 7:30 Thursday night reservation. You literally can't miss the timelessly iconic green tile on the outside. You get inside and you feel like you've been transported to a high end Southeast Asian resort. When we check in we had to wait 30 minutes to be seated but after experiencing the food, drinks and service, I would have waited an hour. We got an assortment of items that were all amazing. Let's start with the prawn toast. Simply divine with a sauce that packed flavor and just the right amount of heat. We had the chicken satay with peanut sauce. We also ordered the H.K fried rice, lobster pad Thai and rolled noodles ( added short rib). The crispness of the noodles and the succulent short rib made for an amazing dish. The lobster pad Thai just worked and I can't explain it. The rice was phenomenal. We also ordered the Thai colada and the milk punch.... like Griffey in the 90s this did not miss. The service was outstanding! 11/10 experience. I would recommend to anyone and everyone. Stay up and get those reservations. We'll definitely be back. read more

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My friend and I came for dinner a few weeks ago and were lucky enough to grab a spot at the bar as a couple was leaving. The space inside is really beautiful and chic. I had the iced jasmine tea which was absolutely delicious. For food, we shared the crispy pork belly, grilled wagyu beef, and duck panang curry which were all really delicious. For dessert, we had the mango lime sorbet which was a refreshing ending to the meal. I'd love to come back to try out more of the menu items! read more

Crying Tiger is a must try when you're in Chicago! My coworkers and I came in town for a conference, we were starving and didn't have a reservation. The hostess was amazing and squeezed us in to a table! We must have ordered half the menu and everything we tried was a 10/10. The chicken satays are a MUST get! I also loved the lobster pad Thai and crab fried rice. Almost the entire menu is gluten free (make sure you ask your waitress for the dishes that aren't). Lastly the decor is gorgeous, beautiful lighting and a fun atmosphere (even the bathroom is beautiful!) read more

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Nice vibe. Good service. Valet parking. Interesting menu. We had vegan and no vegan. Veggie spring rolls were good, prawn toast was great. Noodle dishes and fried rice, chicken with basil tasty. Portions good. read more

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This restaurant is beautifully decorated and the staff is extremely attentive despite the packed restaurant. The experience was really great and lived up to the hype. The appetizers we had were especially good: the prawn toast was made using youtiao which was totally unique and nice and crisp. The hamachi crudo was fresh and refreshing and really opened up my appetite. We also got some drinks, the milk punch and the mango one. The mango was super strong but not very mango flavor forward, however the milk punch was incredible and tasty. For mains, we ordered the lobster pad thai and the panang curry. The pad thai was nice and saucy and had ample lobster meat. The flavors were good, however it was a little one note at times. The Panang curry was similar in that way, but the duck confit in the curry was truly a stand out. Our reservation was at 7:30. As soon as our waitress came by, I asked if they still had the Crying Tiger signature dessert since that often sells out fast. Luckily they did and she told me that she'd reserve one for me. Around when we finished our meal at 9PM, she told the newer table next to us that they signature dessert was selling out soon and if they wanted she'd put one on hold for them to which they happily agreed. I really appreciate that kind of care and attention from the staff. She knew that was important to a lot of diners so for her, I give a 10/10. The food itself was 10/10 for appetizers and 8/10 for entrees. Getting a reservation for a Saturday was tough so get it when it opens 1 month ahead. There is bar seating that is first come first serve if you want to take the chance. read more

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From Hub 51 to Crying Tiger! Is Crying Tiger a beautiful restaurant with amazing ambiance? Yes! Will you receive good service? Yep! Is it a culinary wonder? No! I've secured two reservations and have tried about 9 menu items. The first visit was Super-bowl Sunday, it was a much slower night, service was AMAZING, food was great. Recently went for a second visit at 3pm on a Saturday... service was ok, food was good. Had some of the same dishes, they did not live up to the first visit. The Chicago food scene is vast and what makes for staple restaurants is consistency. The flavor profile on many of the dishes are simply lacking, the presentation however is amazing. For me moving forward this leans trendy and a place to note on SM. All that said a beautiful restaurant could get away with 3/5 star dishes, if only the dishes were 5/5 then all the hype would be justified. read more

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Listen, sometimes a place lives up to the hype. Crying Tiger (along with Gus' next door) represent a massive upgrade to the space and a much needed infusion of new life to the area. The physical space is stunning. They really have created a beautiful, swanky restaurant, both the bar side and the main dining area. This is anything but a typical neighborhood Thai joint. The food and the ambience are very elevated. We had several dishes including the shrimp toast, hamachi, chicken satay, duck curry and lobster pad thai. We also have several cocktails (a force carbonated Japanese whiskey cocktail and a white Negroni). Everything was truly top notch and the entire staff were warm and welcoming. As I said, it's not your normal take-out spot and frankly the prices reflect that. But the atmosphere and the food justify it. You may not order pad thai take out of here on a random Tuesday (though actually that sounds great) but you'll have a killer date night here for sure. We were there opening week and it had a huge staff humming around. I suspect the number of staff will shrink over time but it was already operating very efficiently and professionally. This is especially impressive considering how new it is. It's going to be impossible to get reservations here, seriously, so get them while you can! read more

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Ambiance awesome so pretty inside and service good Food was just okay, got lobster pad Thai, rolled rice noodles, fried rice, veggie spring rolls, and coconut thai tea which was excellent read more

Oh! This used to be Hub 51. Remember that! This from Chef Thai Dang who's behind HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen which is in East Pilsen. So this will be his second but first venture on the Near Northside. I had The Crying Tiger which is a dessert. The staff and service are tigeriffic. PS. I was the first to review not Delilah! read more

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Crying Tiger is such a gem -- creative, cozy, and full of flavor. The dishes are beautifully presented, and everything we ordered had such a perfect balance of spice, texture, and freshness. We started with the Garlic Chive Glass Noodles (Woon Sen) with shiitake -- light yet deeply savory, packed with umami and just the right amount of heat. The Roasted Delicata Squash Golden Tom Kha was another standout -- rich, fragrant, and comforting with that perfect sweet-sour coconut base. The Crispy Eggplant Banh Xeo was so unique -- crunchy on the outside, soft inside, and paired beautifully with fresh herbs and dipping sauce. For drinks, we tried the Thai Coconut Water with Sobacha Tea & Pandan, served in a whole coconut -- so refreshing and fun -- and the Fresh Sugarcane Juice with Wild Thai Banana, which was subtly sweet and unlike anything I've had before. Every dish felt thoughtful and balanced, and the overall experience was warm, vibrant, and memorable. Easily one of my favorite Thai-inspired spots in Chicago. Ended the meal with their "Crying Tiger" Wild Thai Banana with Foster Sauce, and it was absolutely amazing. Their take on a caramel banana pudding -- warm, rich, and perfectly sweet without being heavy. The kind of dessert you keep thinking about long after you leave. read more

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I am a fan - hip vibe (we were there on a Saturday night but every night seems to be packed), nice decor, and great food. My wife and I shared the prawn toast, the sugar cane beef, and the pork belly appetizers - and then we shared a shaking beef entree and a side of the Vietnamese street corn. All dishes were excellent and it was too much food for us to finish. We finished with the wild Thai bananas foster style which was fantastic. And the prices were reasonable for Chicago. So good food, great vibe, and good value adds up to a terrific place to add to the list. It is hard to get reservations - but worth the effort read more

Walking around River North all summer, I saw this place being built and KNEW I had to come here! I had reservations on a Friday night and booked them as soon as the restaurant opened, so it wasn't too difficult, but I expect the wait for reservations to be longer now. This place is beautiful! It has a warm, elegant vibe that makes you feel like you've entered a different world. The service is great. I asked whether I should get the plum soda or the sugarcane juice. The server suggested the sugarcane juice, and it was a great recommendation, my friend got the plum soda and we didn't enjoy that one. For drinks, I had the Thai iced tea and the sugarcane juice mocktail (both were amazing, but I DEFINITELY recommend the Thai iced tea). My friend had the mango limeade (great!), the vodka salty dog (also great!), and the tequila with pickled plum (not good, maybe it's better suited for someone with a different taste). We had the chicken satay and highly recommend it! The peanut sauce was amazing, though I didn't find it as spicy as the menu listed. We also had the rice noodles (highly recommend!), the clay pot lobster pad thai (not my favorite, but okay), the basil chicken (whew... don't order this one, the meat tasted a bit odd, and no one at our table enjoyed it), and the Khao Soi (highly recommend, it was delicious!). For dessert, we had the birthday sorbet for my friend's 22nd and the Crying Tiger. I wasn't sure what I was expecting with the dessert, but OMG it was so good!! I wish we had ordered two, lol. The restaurant can split orders, and you pay online with the option to pay in the restaurant. There's a 3% restaurant surcharge. Pricing is reasonable, and you'll definitely get your money's worth if you split meals with friends (this is definitely a restaurant where sharing plates is the way to go). Looking for a cute place to take pictures? The lighting here is perfect! The bathroom is also super cute, and artwork throughout the restaurant is beautiful. Overall, the vibe was amazing and the dessert was fantastic. However, some food items fell short, so my overall rating is a 4.6/5! read more

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Overall everything I tried was tasty, but I came here specifically for the dessert. When it came time to order dessert thy were out. Very disappointed because that was the main reason for going. read more

Amazing!! The ambiance is so nice, and the bathrooms are the prettiest part of the restaurant with tiger murals. Best thing we tried was the crying tiger dessert, a chocolate and banana dish that melts in your mouth. The rest of the food was good, but typical Asian fusion. Service was also extremely fast, but we went right when the restaurant opened. read more

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What an experience. Crying Tiger will be one of the most popular restaurants in Chicago for years IMO. Delicious food, great drinks, the vibes are insane. Truly such a gorgeous interior. The bathrooms are even stunning! Our server made great recommendations. All the food we tried was to do for. The rolled noodles were my favorite, but everything was just fantastic. Can't wait to go back. read more

Great upscale southeast Asian restaurant ! LOVED the rolled rice noodles and crying tiger dessert. Pretty interior and good service. Crab fried rice, lobster pad Thai, and hamachi crudo were all just okay. But it's still good overall read more

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Crying tiger is literally the hottest restaurant in Chicago at this time. The vibe is super sexy is literally like you walked into another place altogether. It really is all in income passing the vibes of air. The food is amazing. The atmosphere is great. The service is great now make sure that you are a Asian cuisine person because their menu is very Asian cuisine heavy as well as everything has a little bit of spice. They also have a lot of drinks that have coconut in it so again be aware of that but 10 out of 10 I absolutely love coming here. I've been there already twice and don't forget to visit the kitty Cosmo lounge in the basement but reservations are highly highly highly recommend recommended. I think they open a reservations 30 days in advance and they are packed. It is rare that you're able to get a walk-in for either the client tiger or the kitty Cosmo lounge but if you can't get a reservation, I would go. The food is not crazy expensive but it's also not cheap but it's so worth it. Check it out if you haven't read more

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This place is phenomenal and a great addition to the downtown food scene. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the perfect place for any occasion. The standouts from our meal was the Sugarcane Beef, Porkbelly and the Lobster Pad Thai. The only downside was that there was WAY too much service staff traffic. It was difficult navigating the restaurant to find the bathroom and the table with 30 food runners and servers. read more

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Only reason I'm giving it a 2 star and not a 1 star is because the Thai tea cocktail was amazing and the lobster pad Thai had a lot of lobster. Otherwise very underwhelming food and service wise. - Had a reservation on Sunday but still had to wait 25 minutes -waiter got drink wrong. fine but when the actual drink order, vodka salty dog, came back, there was salt everywhere on the cup except for the rim?? -they put hard pineapple pieces in the duck curry. It was very fiberous. -pad Thai too salty and fishy. good amount of lobster though. -dessert is way too sweet read more

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Amazing spot! I met my girlfriend here, loved the food! Great vibes!! Will definitely be back again

Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines - hands down! After a whole lot of business trips to the motherland - "Bangkok", I've learned to understand and appreciate this foods idiosyncrasies; mainly, what makes it so damn good! Being a L.A. boy, I immersed myself in the bevy of Thai restaurants my (then) city had to offer; and offer it did, Moving to Chicago four years ago, I was flabbergasted at how this magnificent city was (also) making magnificent Thai food - and I had my favorite restaurants to frequent. But tonight at Crying Tiger, I ate Thai food that was so elevated and so unreal, you could knocked me over with a feather! Now, I was expecting a stellar dinner; after all we were going to a "Lettuce Entertain You" restaurant and this group only does - winners. But what we got tonight was food so extravagant it even made even my snappy wife, thaw! We started off with: * A Betel Leaf Old Raj Gin & Lemongrass Scented Vermouth Blend Freezer Martini With Thai Herb Oil that was eye rolling * Of course we had a large Singa Beer - like always * Chicken Laarb and Fresh Herb Salad that was delicious * Our usual Hong Kong-style crab fried rice with basil and garlic that was a far cry from usual - It was exotic * Clay Pot Lobster Pad Thai half Maine lobster, tamarind, peanuts - this dish Stole The Show! The ambiance was comfortably warm The service was excellent There wasn't an empty seat in the place; and I now know why I wasn't surprised to find out that The Crying Tiger had at its helm - Chef Partner and James Beard Finalist Thai Dang Everything about Crying Tiger and this night, just worked! read more

Had a wonderful experience at crying tiger! The decor is stunning in this restaurant! I really enjoyed the lobster Pad Thai and the chicken satay. Delicious flavors and cannot forget the amazing dessert. read more

Crying Tiger - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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