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Such a fun spot to pick up some grab and go goodies before heading to Montrose Beach!! Bonus points for having free street parking surrounding the neighborhood!! The owner was welcoming people into the store - it was so cool and vibey! This small store (reminds me of a bodega) is owned by a Filipino guy that was raised in Hawaii, so the food is Filipino-Hawaii fusion. You truly get the best of both worlds here!! We tried the longanisa and egg musubi, which I surprisingly did not love which was sooo awesome!! Just so fatty and delicious!! Also tried the tomato jam and egg musubi, which has incredibly subtle flavors of garlic and furikake, a small dollop of tomato jam spread, and the tamago. I really enjoyed this subtle bite and thought the rice to ingredient ratio was perfect!! Finally, I've been so jealous of the influencers filming themselves eating at the beach!! Anyways, got a 2 scoop poke bowl with spicy ahi and shoyu ahi. Both my friend and I thought the spicy ahi with the spicy mayo and sesame oil hit harder!! Poke was super fresh, and while the bowl itself is small, the actual poke portion is incredibly generous. I found myself not having enough rice for the amount of poke!!
Looking like a corner bodega, Kanin offers tasty Hawaiian food in Lincoln Square. You can grab something quick like their musubi or salads or wait a few minutes and get their bento boxes. Loved the roast pork bento over rice. The musubi's are hefty and really enjoyed the breakfast one with bacon jam and a hash brown. Limited seating inside, but it's right by Winnemac Parm so you can grab & find a place to sit outside on a nice day too.
Kanin is the perfect pit stop if you want a lighter lunch and a fun hand held snack to eat outside. My friend and I each ordered the tomato jam and egg musubi as well as the sinigang shrimp musubi. My personal favorite was the tomato jam and egg musubi- the tomato jam is savory and flavorful and you can't go wrong with tamago. The shrimp musubi was good just not as flavorful. Would recommend sitting on the bench outside and eating your food while people watching.
I love, love, love this place. Let's start with the masubis-- you can't just have one. Buy at least 3 for yourself. Save room for the ube banana pudding though. That dessert is perfection in a small white container. Don't worry avoid trying to finish it. Save some for later like a snack in a hamster's cheek. Finally, don't sleep on the poke. As a frequent Hawaiian visitor, this bowl takes me back to the local spots on the North Shore soaking in the sun and inhaling the eats.
This is a small bodega/restaurant. There's 3 tables inside for 2 people each. There's 2 benches outside. They sell some snacks, drinks and merch. They have rice bowl, poke bowls, musubis and 2 desserts. The ube banana pudding is out of this world. As is there pork belly!! So tender and moist. Can't wait to keep coming back for lunch!
Kanin was such a great find. The Filipino-Hawaiian flavors were unique, comforting, and full of character. I really enjoyed the casual neighborhood feel and the grab-and-go style menu with musubi, bento boxes, sides, and desserts. The food was flavorful, satisfying, and different in the best way. Definitely a spot worth checking out, especially if you want something quick, creative, and delicious in Chicago.
Yall do I have a lot of regret for not grabbing an extra ube banana pudding. It's light, fluffy, not sweet, and quite like biting into a cloud (or what I would imagine a cloud could be if it wasn't truly what it's actually made out of..). I also regret not grabbing the Milo Coconut pudding too. The cookies were nice a soft and the banana slices were a nice touch The place was packed on a Sunday 11am, but that'd to be expected! The line moved pretty quickly. I got a longanisa egg musubi and so sorry, I inhaled it before I grabbed a pic.
We love supporting family owned businesses and this is one of our favorites. We got the garlic Shrimp over rice. The workers are very friendly and always so willing to give suggestions. It's a small shop and only a handful of seats and a bench outside giving it and island feel. Not only do they have ready to-go foods but also made to order plates. If you've never been to this spot I highly recommend it.
Obsessed with the bruleed brown butter mochi, perfectly chewy and crispy. Yummy grilled chicken bento box. Not a ton of non-pork options, just to keep in mind. Not a ton of seating either but good for takeout and Side Practice Coffee next door. Very vibey inside and homey.
It may be cold in Chicago (at the time of this review), but inside Kanin is like a warm hug and being in Hawaii. After hearing the buzz about this place I had to check it out. Went on a weekday and so there was no lines or not much of a wait. Super friendly staff and the food is made to order. As for the food it's made to order. I had the chicken which is super tender and juicy as well as the pork belly dish that has a special sauce original to Kanin. Also picked up a bunch of Musubis. They have quite the variety! So far my favorite is the classic (spam!) and the one with Longanisa. Ube banana pudding is a must. I wanted to try the mochi but they didn't have it available the day I was there. Sad. But I'll be back!!! MAHALO!!!
My husband always gets like 10 or 12 musubis here whenever he is in Chicago and has the chance to visit the neighborhood haha. They are fresh and delicious without being not much or too heavy.
LOVED THIS PLACE. I wish it was closer to me!!! Ever since my recent trip to Hawaii, I've been looking for a musubi spot because I got my husband obsessed with them. This spot is right next to Side Practice Coffee! Both spots have similar vibes inside. I also know they collaborate with each other alot. They have lots of different musubis to choose from! I ended up trying the sinigang shrimp, tomato jam & egg, and the longanisa and egg. All fire! Can't wait to go back and try more. The star of the show for me was the strawberry matcha pudding. I could eat pounds of it. It's literally amazing.
$6 for a tiny spam musubi is just ridiculous. This is gas station food in Hawaii (where they are also much larger). I wouldn't waste your time going to Kanin if this what you want. Just make it at home.
1 year ago
Visited this spot for the first time over the weekend while in Chicago. I went two days in a row because I couldn't get enough. I tried to talk the owner into opening a second location where I live. He was almost convinced, I'll keep working on him haha. Each item I tried was flavorful, texturally diverse, fresh, and comforting. I've not been to Hawaii but if this is what I've been missing I need to book a trip, stat! The shop isn't large but the vibe was chill and everyone I talked to was super welcoming and helpful. The Ube banana pudding is killer I'll be back for sure. read more
Delicious and amazing food tucked away off Damen Avenue. We ordered the sinigana shrimp musubi, tomato jam and egg musubi, spam and egg musubi, and the longanisa musubi. All of them were a 5/5, so fresh and warm. At the end we split the ube banana pudding (grab from the fridge) which was excellent and honestly better than the banana pudding downtown at magnolia bakery. There are three small tables inside but you can take everything to go. Line moves very quickly and interior is adorable. Will be coming back to try even more! read more
Lovely new Filipino and Hawaiian joint in the neighborhood. The various musubis are a nice snack and they have quite a selection of imported goods. The folks behind the counter were very helpful and had a nice chat with them. Fun interior and a few tables if you want to try your snacks right there. Worth trying out! read more
1 year ago
Been on my radar for a bit, got to grab a quick weekday lunch. Must get: Chicken Bento: smoky/grilled and the pickled radish, ginger, and furikake are a great touch. Ube Pudding: Wow, super fragrant and totally addictive! Classic Musubi: Always a winner, though others are tasty too. Definitely coming back to try pork bento! read more
1 year ago
2 months ago
My first time in Kanin today, and I love the space and location. This spot is just what the city needs! I had to try the popular Ube Banana Pudding and it was out of this WORLD. I should've purchased two because the carton is almost gone. I also picked up some sylvies (assortment pack) made by CrumbsndCreams. I can't wait to try all of the flavors! Kanin sells musubi, skewers, and a variety of snacks and candies. Go check it out! Stock up! read more
4 months ago
great spot to stop for a bite. Their brûlée brown butter mochi was delicious, and only a few dollars too! Very aptly priced, with a great ambience. The cashier was very friendly as well. read more
Yet another establishment with fire longanisa. The fact that it's this cheap & this good in this day and age is mind blowing. We know other comparable places are costly & the lines are horrific however when I arrived which was around opening there was literally no one in the restaurant. The musubi is akin to akin to a sushi roll & although merely wrapped in plastic the thing was a flavor bomb. It as well as the Ube banana pudding are a must if coming here although they have other options. I'll be a regular here in no time. Parking can be tricky because it's adjacent to a school so be careful. read more
2 years ago
The service is amazing here. Really enjoyed the longanisa musubi I got but it is a bit pricey considering how small it was. Street parking only. It's located in front of Amundsen high school. The ube banana pudding was what I really wanted to try. Overall, I enjoyed everything I got. read more
1 year ago
I loved the vibe and interior of Kanin, it feels cozy and fun. We dropped by at 11am on Saturday, and they were already sold out of some of their musubis, so definitely try to stop by early if you're looking to try out a wide range of items! The tamarind shrimp musubi was my favorite and had a good ratio of sauce:protein:rice, but the spam musubi was a bit dry and had too much rice for me. The chicken skewer was alright, but nothing to write home about. The ube banana pudding was a delightful treat. Overall I think this is a great addition to the neighborhood. read more
2 years ago
I had the incredible opportunity to check them out before their grand opening to try some goodies. My favorite bites were the inari bombs, longanisa and egg musubi and ube banana pudding. I kid you not, I finished the pudding in 2.5 days and it probably feeds like 4 people. The pork skewer was a bit dry and I noticed the ratios on some musbis were a bit off but overall I enjoyed most things I tried. The staff are all so welcoming and kind, plus the interior and decor are so cool. It's very small inside though and you will have to go early to wait in line because they run out of stock quick. read more
2 years ago
I tried to hit up Kanin on opening day, but the line was down the block. I waited a week, and trekked out the following Saturday, and arrived at 8:30am. There was a line that went about 5 people out the door, but it was MUCH shorter, and moved super quick, so no problem. Parking is not what I would call plentiful in the area, but it's available if you are up for a little walk (1-2 blocks). The inside has that bodega feel, for sure, and in addition to their regular menu items they offer a plethora of snacks that you can't find in your regular stores. They have a variety of Oreo and Kit Kats in flavors that you can't typically find in the U.S. The fridge has their iconic Ube Banana Pudding, cucumber salad, pasta salad, and a ton of varieties of Hawaiian Sun soda. The one bummer about coming so early is that they didn't have the Umami bombs or the skewers available until 11am, but that just gives me a reason to come back. I had the Tamarind Shrimp musubi, which still retained a nice crisp even thought it was wrapped with warm rice. The tamarind sauce reminded me of a sweet & sour type sauce. The Longanisa and egg were a great combination, but my favorite was the classic Spam musubi. I wasn't a big fan of the pasta salad (It wasn't bad, I just have my own preferences). The highlight of the the menu for me is the Ube Banana Pudding. A great meld of flavors, without one overpowering the other. The price tag is over $8, but it is enough for two people (maybe one BIG portion if you're feeling hungry.... no judgement on my part). I will definitely be back to check out their Inari bombs, skewers, and to get another fix of ube banana pudding. The place was busy, but that's to be expected right after opening. Even thought they were busy, the staff were very nice and happy to answer questions about the menu. Not a lot of seats (maybe 6-8), but this will be a perfect place to stop and grab a bite before going to play at Admundsen Park once it starts to warm up. read more
1 year ago
It's okay, confusing hours didn't know there's two buildings. Gave this place two opportunities. More of a to go order. read more
1 year ago
Finally got in to try authentic comfort food...open on a rainy Sunday. The 2 longanisa/egg and sinigang shrimp options were delicious! The bento boxes were not available until 11:00am...so may need to go back. read more
1 year ago
This place just opened up, but nonetheless the quality is immaculate! The spam musubi and longinisa + egg is soooo fire and yummy I highly highly recommend. Don't even get me started on the BBQ Chicken bowl... Essentially Kanin is similar to a Sari-Sari which is sooo cozy and vibes. Tri and Coral were so sweet helping me decide what to get, even during peak service hours If you get the chance please stop by,!! LIFE HACK: Get the Mac Salad and put it in your bowl it's soooo goated.. read more
7 months ago
WOWWWW great vibes all around. Staff was super kind and friendly and the decor in there is top tier. Loved the flavors and definitely want to make it a frequent stop. read more
4 months ago
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1 year ago
Service is wonderful! I love the decorative interior. The musubis and ube banana pudding are great. I appreciate that they have a vegetarian option for their musubis, its so hard to find from restaurants! read more
1 year ago
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1 year ago
Super duper delicious & friendly people!! We got our food later around 4 from the warmer at the counter and it tasted fresh and toasty! read more
6 months ago
service was amazing and food was even better. will be coming back daily and the little environment is really nice as well read more
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