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Almost everything at J's Kitchen could improve! The only reason I gave it two stars is for the sub-par but acceptable service. This was our first time here. Our first choice was House of Emporer, but quite fairly their prices are higher (see review and photos). We walked in and the restaurant was totally empty. We were walked to the seat the server assigned, but it was right by the window with glare. We asked for a table towards the back, and he said no, because he needed to stay up front. So we sat there. The menus were so stained and filthy that I would not touch them. My husband had to read me their very limited vegetarian options, which at other place is easily made vegan by the omission of eggs. I wanted a simple fried rice, with mushrooms and bean sprouts, and was willing to pay an upcharge. Now, the part that no Chinese food lover will believe. THEY HAVE NO MUSHROOMS OR BEAN SPROUTS! I was in disbelief and we got up and left.
It's not a pretty joint. There were boxes stacked near the entrance, the tables and chairs were pedestrian at best, and the decor wasn't (if you get my drift). In my experience, this signifies either the place was going to be a shithole to pass up, or it was a serious place to eat, then get out and go somewhere with an atmosphere. Happy to say J's (IMHO) is a serious place to eat. No-nonsense, direct and to the point. When I walked in, all those common chairs I mentioned were stacked upside down on the tables in the way that places do when they are closed. The taciturn fellow who worked there assured me they were indeed open, and explained they had just finish washing the floor. Please dont read any of this as negative-the best Chinese places I've ever been have looked like this-and if you've paid attention to the Travel/Food shows on the TeeVee, the joints in China itself are pretty much the same. On to the food, know this place is a Serious REAL-DEAL Chinese resto. I didn't notice if there were "Occidental" Chinese-type dishes on the carte, (primarily 'cos I wasn't looking for them). What I saw looked yum, and had a hard time making choices, even though I had read the menu multiple times and thought I know what I was going to order in advance. Confessionately, this is a chief feature for my tortured dining self-It's a wonder I even get fed in restaurants (especially the great ethnic ones), due to option anxiety. I zeroed in on "Street Noodles" for starters-wouldn't you? Then went to "Cold Beef Shank" for entreé. The Noodles were fab as was the Shank. The noodles were in a broth. with some hunks of bok choy and ground meat on top. Hearty, still light. The shank had a thin sauce complimenting but not obscuring the beefiness. One bugaboo: the Shank needed a bit of seasoning, and I wasn't going to use soy sauce, as I believed that would have marred the subtle flavors of the Beef. I asked for a salt shaker. It arrived, and I was a little taken back, 'cos it appeared it hadn't been washed in a while, and the salt inside was caked. It occurred to me this condition was present due to the non-use of said shaker. I don't think I've ever asked for a salt shaker in a Chinese resto. I pulled a toothpick out of my "Murse" and broke up the caked NaCl. Applying same to the pieces of Shank, the flavor bloomed and I was a happy boy. Bring some salt packets along when you visit "J's", maybe. The fellow who was waiter and cashier was a "western" fellow, whom I engaged and turned out to be quite an experienced foodie. some pleasant conversation indeed. Throwing 4 for this excellent establishment, with a few grains of salt separating it from 5...
I'd give this place 10 stars if I could - I can't believe it's taken me THIS long to eat at this joint! We ordered SO much food because I just could not decide what I wanted. So here are all the things we ordered: Lamb Soup with Handmade Bun - the broth is clear, and mildly flavored. This is NOT for the folks who are looking for the fiery sichuan peppers. This is a comforting, homey type lamb soup that shines in its simplicity. The radishes in it add a nice bite, and the herbs it's garnished with add a fresh pop of flavor. The handmade bun is bland, but soft and chewy, and what you're really supposed to do is pull the meat off the bones, stick them inside the bun with the chilli crisp provided and you have a xian bing!!!! It was DELICIOUS! Chicken in Sichuan Sauce - for those looking for the fiery kick of sichuan peppers, this one is for you. Even then, it's relatively mild. But EXTREMELY flavorful. The sauce is not so much a sauce as it is a poaching liquid that pairs REALLLLLLY well with white rice. This was a delight to the mouth. Pepper Chicken Fry - this is more along the lines of the commercial Chinese food we ordered in its look and consistency, but the flavor was amazing and unique. My husband I absolutely loved it. The egg fried rice we ordered with it was simply divine! We also ordered the chicken dumplings, the filling is very plain but flavorful. And we also ordered the crab rangoons - the filling is delicious, not too sweet just perfect! The BEST part of the meal, for me, was the pot of green tea we ordered. It was the PERFECT accompaniment to our meal. Our server was super helpful, and answered all our questions with a smile! Please keep in mind that this is a Northern Chinese joint, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), and the food is meant to be flavorful, not overly salty and spicy. This is exactly what I would expect out of a northern Chinese restaurant! Loved it! Definitely coming back over and over again!
The food here is so good, highly recommend trying this restaurant. The beef lo mein was our favorite, we also tried the stir fry pepper chicken and the meat was so tender and soft. We had the general tso chicken that just tasted okay but wasn't bad. The lunch special is only $15 for a huge amount of food, drink, and a starter (half size of a normal starter). Food came out super quickly. The restaurant is clean, spacious, casual, and they have high chairs available too.
Affordable lunch special at this location made it a good place for office team lunch. Clean with open kitchen concept. I got chicken lo mein with crab Rangoon and peach ice tea. The peach ice tea is the reason for an extra star in this review as it was extremely refreshing with lychee jellies on a hot summer day! The Lo Main was okay as the noodles could have done better with a little extra seasoning. The crab Rangoon had a soft center and crispy cover as expected.
Not much going on interior wise but don't let that stop you from having a delicious meal. We stopped by after a soccer tourney and wanted something warm and spicy. We started off with the cucumbers and spicy wontons. The cucumbers were topped with a delicious savory garlic sauce. The wontons were yummy as well not super spicy but nonetheless delicious. My husband got the spicy beef noodles. The broth was so good. I can't remember what I got but it was beef on a bed of stir fry noodles and veggies. The beef was so good and tender. The noodles weren't that great. I stole some of my husbands broth and it helped. My daughter got the noodles with beef broth and it came with a spring roll and a side. She really enjoyed her meal. Overall it's definitely worth a stop.
The spicy beef noodles is my favorite and it's the best beef ever. I come for this noodle at least once a week. Highly recommended!
It's so nice to have a place where I can get spicy beef noodle soup not too far from home. Their noodles taste very fresh. I was impressed by the level of spice. It was hot enough to keep the dish interesting but not so spicy that my nose ran. We also had wings and some dumplings, which were tasty as well. The restaurant was clean and inviting. The staff was attentive. I am looking forward to going back. I would say I would try something different next time, but I'm a realist. I'll be going back for the soup.
Family drove like 40min here to try the noodles - J's Kitchen is easy-to-find and park in a small cluster of stores. Upon entry, there's a sign of 5% off using cash. Service-wise - J's is excellent. They offered hot and cold water and were amazing at refilling it throughout the meal without interruption. They explained anything we asked, and honestly, they're ridiculously efficient and professional. Food-wise: Mom got the spring roll and tofu noodle soup. I couldn't try because I didn't want to chance her getting sick, but she said she liked it. My brother and I got the classic Spicy Beef Noodle soup - and it was pretty dang good. Mom remarked that it seemed like a small portion, and it kinda was but it was still enough. The noodles were thick and had the perfect chew - amazing! We wished there was more, but there was an adequate amount for what it was. The spicy beef noodle soup came with two pieces of beef - they're a little smallish but still adequate. One of my pieces was really good - tenderized and delicious. The other was a little too fatty (but honestly expected). The broth itself looked a little oily, but I didn't mind. And the spice level was good enough for me - nothing crazy if you like your throat on fire but definitely approachable by anyone who likes spice. We also tried the seasonal taro duck buns. I honestly didn't see that there was taro in the description so I was surprised to bite into the potatoe-y texture. So the outside bun is gorgeous - slightly sweet and crispy. The taro though, I think was good but doesn't work well with the duck. It makes the dish half-dessert/half-entree, and it's confusing to the tastebuds (at least mine). I would have definitely preferred just duck and buns even if it was smaller - and if they could alternate-layer the duck and dough, that would just be amazing. I can't fault them though as the quality of the food was good, and the value is also good. Just the concept itself may not be for me. Overall, really like J's Kitchen! It's far for us to come more often, but glad we got to try. The lunch special looks realllllly good, but yeah, we live too far to take advantage (lucky for you folks who do!). We realllly appreciate the service again, and hope everyone gets to try the spicy beef noodle soup!
It was pretty inside, but we were able to be seated right away for 2 ppl. Got the fried dumplings with chili oil sauce to dip. The chicken was more like mince chicken, so it had a smooth texture like paste. It was a bit bland by itself, so definitely need to dip in that chili oil, which wasn't that spicy. The beef fried rice was really good and was stir fried well. Wasn't soggy or overcooked. Had great flavors. Had the N2. Signature beef noodle. At first it seemed like there isn't enough noodles, but there was a good amount. I think you can request for extra noodles. Flavors were great and I actually dipped the beef in the chili oil for the flavor. Noodles had that handmade texture and a bit of chewiness. It is a bit hidden and never knew it existed, until I was searching online for asian food in Naperville. Also there are plenty of parking spots.
I thought this place was good. Signature beef noodle didn't disappoint. Nice flavors and fresh made noodles. Beef was tender and easily pulled apart. Also tried the Traditional Chongqing noodle which used very fine and thin noodles which I didn't care much for. For the little one, we did an order of the chicken lo mein, which was very good and I also enjoyed as they use fresh noodles. Probably the biggest disappointment was the smashed cucumber salad. Essentially just chopped raw cucumbers topped with a garlic-y sauce. I love garlic but it'd be nice if the cucumbers were marinated for a bit opposed to being served raw. Anyways, come for the beef noodle. It won't disappoint. 'Til next time, cheers!
Ordered Chicken Fried Rice Spicy... Got the order see lots of Chilli Oil but it was Bland... Pinch of Salt would have made it better... Chicken was burnt and food was too oily
11 months ago
Js kitchen is a quaint little restaurant with an authentic feel. I can't say the ambiance is anything extremely special, but still a very comfortable and clean atmosphere. The spicy beef noodle soup was filled with great flavor, it was delicious. The curry was also really good. Service was extremely fast and attentive and they were really pleasant to talk to. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
This place was really good. Very authentic. Wish I lived near here. I drove an extra 30 minutes out-of-the-way to try this place and it was well worth it read more
4 years ago
Warm soup noodles are best for cold Chicago winters! Came here and ordered two soup noodle dishes and one rice dish. All turned out to be delicious. Beef soup noodles and chongqing street noodles are very well done with flavorful broth. Pork burger, however, is far from the authentic Chinese version. The meat has lots of sauce and salty. Overall happy with our experience - five stars for the noodles and rice and minus one because of the burger. Tip: you save 5% by paying cash! read more
4 years ago
J's kitchen has the best lunch deal! For $15, you get an entree, starter and soft drink. Usually with such a "deal" you would expect to find a smaller than usual entree but it is a full sized entree here! I tried something I never had before today, a Lamb Soup with Homemade Bun. It was a unique experience, the broth was clean and delicious. I was told that people in China usually break the bun and dump it in the soup. I expected it to break apart but it held together and it goes well with the soup. read more
A new Asian food restaurant! They had an opening month special of a free dessert with each entree order. Pros: - Very clean and clear tasting, like the broths! You don't feel heavy after eating, and the portion sizes are not too big. - Really good noodles! Bouncy texture and fresh taste. Rice is good too. - Inside is clean, decor is modern. I like how the menu was small but everything sounded good! Cons: - Portions is a bit too small imo for the price. We got the garlic pork ribs over rice and the ribs were 80% bones! The desserts tastes good but don't know if I'd spend $6 on it. - Just a pet peeve but the menu had a lot of spelling mistakes, no biggie though :) I liked the Signature Beef Noodle Soup and also the Sliced Pork! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Amazing halal food!! Great service and ambiance. Would go here again 100%. The wontons were 7/10, cucumber salad 7/10 and both the mains were 10/10!! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
I was looking for a Friday night dinner spot and was surprised to see J's Kitchen show up in my search for halal restaurants! I hurried on over and confirmed they have a whole separate halal menu. The interior is okay, but I would have liked more Chinese decor. I have to say, the kitchen is rather loud. I suppose all restaurant kitchens are loud, but this one is not closed in, so the noise emanates to the dining area. Service was friendly. Anyway, we ordered the Sichuan beef burger starter, Spicy beef noodle soup, and stir-fry pepper chicken over rice. The burgers were not really burgers. It was meat chunks stuffed inside something like an English muffin. They were dry and had a familiar flavor of Indian food, so I doubt it was authentic. Not bad, though. The beef soup was excellent. The noodles were thick and hearty, and there was a generous amount of beef. This would be perfect for a cold winter night. The stir-fry chicken was pretty good. It had some kick to it thanks to the peppers, but not overly spicy. We enjoyed the food overall and didn't feel like it was overly greasy or heavy. read more
3 years ago
Js is halal certified! Finally an authentic halal certified Chinese restaurant. Food tasted really good and service was quick. The staff was welcoming and accommodating. We ordered General Tso chicken (not on the menu), Spicy beef noodle soup, and chicken dumplings. Tso chicken and spicy beef were really really good! Dumplings were bland, the dipping sauce helped a little. Restaurant is clean and spacious. Would definitely go again! read more
1 year ago
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2 years ago
Great food. My son ate a whole bowl of beef noodles by himself. We just arrived to town today and he is already asking to come again before we leave. read more
Great Chinese restaurant that seems up and coming in an unlikely strip mall. I am very glad that J's Kitchen opened up close to downtown Naperville. FYI you need to pay at the front. They're not very informative or nice about it. The last time we dined in we were brought the check at our table. This time around...we sat around for maybe 15+ minutes waiting and trying to get the attention of someone but I guess the server was busy or didn't care to check up on us. While waiting, we got stared at by the other customers - which being Chinese myself I can take as both common and rude at the same time. I tried a bunch of dishes here but I do think they are more better at their noodle dishes. The rice bowls are a good starter into this type of cuisine if you are new to it. I like how you are able to get veggies with your meal too. If your dish does not include them, I highly recommend getting the smashed cucumbers. It's really good and garlicky. When J's Kitchen first opened, they were also providing complimentary dessert. It was different! I've never had mashed taro before and although it wasn't my favorite I was glad I got to try something I would have never wanted to order myself. This place is a good option for lunch or dinner. There are quite a few of their other, more unique dishes that I have in my notes to try next. read more
Business owner information
Feiran L.
Thank you Susan for your honest feedback. It was a little hard to be…
Loved the spicy beef noodle soup here...honestly the best in the area! The noodles are freshly homemade and hand-pulled, which give them that extra bite that makes them so much better than regular store-bought noodles. The broth is incredibly flavorful and doesn't go overboard with the spice - the spiciness level is just right. My bowl had three large pieces of beef, which was a good portion size - although I would have liked more accompanying vegetables, especially mushrooms since there weren't many in my bowl. The smashed cucumber salad with garlic sauce had decent flavor, but more garlic sauce was definitely needed compared to the amount of cucumber that was given. Overall, the spicy beef noodle soup was great and I can't wait to come back to try some of the other dishes on the menu! read more
Business owner information
Feiran L.
Thank you Claire for your honest feedback. We really appreciate them…
J's Kitchen is a nice, new casual strip mall eatery with a quality Sichuan style (Northern Chinese) menu. You order with and pay the receptionist, find a table, and they bring the food to you when ready. They currently have a very attractive $15 lunch special deal (11am - 3pm) which includes a starter, a main dish, and a drink. It's a great deal firstly because there's plenty of authentic and delicious food, and secondly starters alone can range from $5-$9 and main dishes from $12-$13. We both also had their plum juice for the drink which alone goes for $3. The starter with the lunch special is a smaller serving than the regular starter, but it's still a deal. So, the wife ordered their braised beef shank slices and garlic pork ribs over rice. I ordered their signature Sichuan style beef burger and signature spicy beef noodle soup (but easy on the spice level). All of the meats were tasty and flavorful and the thick noodles in the soup were well made with a good fresh texture. The lunch special was also a particularly nice way for us to try a variety of their dishes. You can tell the dishes are fresh and made to order as there was a little bit of a wait and they came out piping hot. We were the only ones dining in at this weekday lunch time, but we did see several carryout orders (not surprising given that they're located in a strip mall with a Jewel). The server/receptionist was friendly and the ladies working the open kitchen were visible at times. Their space is clean and airy. Thanks to their biggest fan for sending us here with her glowing Yelp reviews. We would never have heard of this hidden gem place otherwise, and there's tons of eatery competition in Naperville. Check 'em out if you're having a hankering for good Sichuan style servings! read more
A great spot for authentic Chinese! Also loved how accommodating they were for Ramadan and ensuring the food came out on time. The peppered chicken and sichuan beef were my favorites! Also love that they have a separate halal friendly menu! read more
Food was not bad the beef was very tender and chicken wings crispy. Went with my sister and she was a little miffed that shrimp was not in the menu. Worked well for me with what was offered the tea was delicious not to sweet flavorful and the tart did not go it fit me it was a chestnut tart and was not very sweet. The beef soup was spicy but not so spicy I could not enjoy it-but I like spicy and hot is not hot to me-also let me say that if you go to the jewel lot you may go to far-pill in the lot to the back it's right there!!! read more
5 years ago
Clean restaurant. Very fresh tasting noodles! They're currently offering free dessert with any entree. read more
2 years ago
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3 years ago
Food is soo good here! I love the street noodles that comes with peanuts! Will keep coming back! read more
3 years ago
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4 years ago
Every time I come here it's on point, the dry, wet noodles & dumplings are my go to. The service was on point each time with the staff answering my many questions & not getting frustrated. Most of the menu is halal so there's a bunch of items to try. I definitely wouldn't recommend the teriyaki chicken though it's dry and served with pain rice. The ambience is great for a lunch or casual dinner. read more
I wanted to try a new place and stumbled upon J's Kitchen. The menu really reminded me of a place I liked a lot back home, so I was pretty excited. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. Nothing was wrong, but the food was bland. Nothing really stuck out and I could have done without it. I left full, but definitely was not satisfied. read more
More info about J's Kitchen
115 E Ogden Ave
Ste 117
Naperville, IL 60563
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(331) 261-5726
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https://www.chihuojskitchen.com
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Do they have a full bar?
Sorry we don’t offer alcohol beverages but feel free to bring your own bottle
