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I can't say enough about the food at this place! The milk tea was so fresh and tasty and didn't have too much sugar. It tasted just like the yummy tea I had while visiting Hong Kong. The curry with roti/paratha was my favorite food and deserves a 10/10. Such a delicious comfort food spot. The bad part of our experience was that our leftovers were all packed up and someone stole them off the table while we went to the bathroom ... the staff didn't say anything about it and suggested we come back and get a discount but didn't follow through. That was annoying.
I absolutely wish the city had more Malaysian food options - one of my friends from Malaysia says she feels she needs to go to the suburbs to eat food that tastes like home. I do respect Kapitan holding it down as probably the only Malaysian restaurant in the city. We went recently and got the mee goreng, murtabak, and chee cheong fun. That's how I would rank what we got, but my boyfriend liked the murtabak best. The chee cheong fun had too strong of a sauce that was overpowering, which is unfortunate because I love cheong fun. The seasoning/flavor of the mee goreng was good.
We had the sambal eggplant, which was our favorite. Really well balanced and paired perfectly with rice. The beef rendang was tender and flavorful, though a couple of pieces were a bit tougher. The roti with curry chicken was also really good. The char kway teow was cooked well and had a nice bit of wok hei. The rice was the only thing that didn't quite match the other dishes and could've used a bit more water. Our server was friendly and gave great recommendations, which made the experience even better. Overall, we were very satisfied, and we can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu.
Huge space, nice decoration, friendly staff. I got the beef rendang nasi lemak and really enjoyed it. All the parts were done well and the flavor was great. Would totally come back!
My friends and I visited here for some good food and good times, and it ended up being just that. The menu contains many traditional Malaysian and Singaporean food items, ranging from nasi lemak to sambal eggplant to chicken satay, and pretty much everything tasted great with good flavor. The sambal flavor defined the eggplant dish and since you can't really go wrong with sambal, the dish was just great. The chicken satay had good sauce that helped enhance its flavor. The nasi goreng was seasoned very well, with all the seasonings infused into the rice. The rendang beef had very tender beef in terms of texture, and the curry lemongrass sauce evidently defined the flavor, making it an overall very enjoyable experience. Finally, the lamb shank that came with the nasi lemak was also very tender because it was slow-cooked, and together with the nasi lemak, the combination worked well. If there was one thing I wanted to see improvement on, then I would've loved it if the roti pratha included even more roti, simply because it'd be common pratice to eat it in relatively larger quantities. Otherwise, everything was just great. Even if the menu was huge, I couldn't see a possibility of choosing a wrong dish, not only because Malaysian food is bomb in general, but also because the dishes all used the correct types and amount of seasoning to provide good flavor. I would gladly recommend this place to those looking for this cuisine type in Chicago.
I've driven by so many times and finally stopped in, so glad I did! The space feels homey and welcoming, and the Malaysian menu has all the comforting classics. The curry laksa was flavorful and packed with a variety of seafood proteins. The beef chow fun hit the spot, and the Hainan chicken was poached to perfection tender and comforting. Service was great too--attentive and genuinely friendly.
It seems Serai closed and reopened, and now shares a location with Kapitan, so I guess this is a review for both restaurants. Interesting. Anyway, my friend and I came last Thursday for dinner -- really big (and no-frills) restaurant and it was not very busy. Our server was friendly and helpful with our questions, and service was prompt and efficient. We ordered the kaya toast and roti canai as appetisers. The kaya toast was yummy (and honestly a bit rare to find in the US), but I think the portion size was definitely a bit small for the price. Roti canai was yummy -- I loved how fluffy and flaky the roti was -- and the curry was delicious, if not a bit too salty. We also ordered the mee goreng, which was a bit more disappointing. The underlying flavour of ketchup was really just too strong and drowned out all the other (sweet or savoury) sauces. The noodles were also too soft / soggy, but I thought the other ingredients (veggies, tofu) were good. Finally we had the curry laksa (the serai recipe - apparently the toppings are different), which I would definitely recommend. The egg noodles were very well-cooked to a great chewiness, and I really liked the variety of tasty toppies it came with (loved the chicken and char siu, and the fish balls were soft and very flavourful). I wish there were more broth because the noodles did get dry very quickly. Overall a pretty good meal -- I'd be keen to come again :)
This is the most authentic Malaysian place I've been to since Malaysia. There are so many street foods to choose from, some I didnt even know about. Truly so amazing and they don't skimp on flavor- the components of coconut, shrimp paste, pandan and sambal are all there. Bring friends so you can try everything. My favorite was the murtabak- the egg flatbread with onions. You can also buy the Kaya toast in a jar to take with you. Definitely try their drink menu both alcoholic and non alcoholic-- those are creative and authentic as well.
Difficult to find a Malaysian restaurant but Kapitan does it well - coming from a Malaysian. We tried the roti canai, beef rendang, char kuey teow, and Hainanese chicken rice. All the dishes are flavorful and authentic, with good portions for the prices. My favorite was the beef rendang, which was super tender. Overall super comforting meal and the service was great!
This place was a hidden gem! We ordered the randang beef, the Panang chicken and the Kapitan chicken. They were all magnificent. Service was friendly and prompt. Very comfortable space! We will be back!
This was my first time trying Malaysian food and it was SO good. This restaurant has so many options for everyone to enjoy. We shared family style and honestly that was the best way to do it. A lot of similar dishes to South Asian and Thai food but such different flavors. My favorite was definitely the Kapitan chicken and the drunken noodles were to die for. Would love to come back and try more things here!
I came here to celebrate graduation with family and were easily accommodated on a weekday. The space is huge, making it a great spot for larger parties. We also happened to catch happy hour and took full advantage! The drinks were Asian-inspired and came out quickly. I'm not too familiar with Malaysian cuisine, but overall, the food had great flavor. The rendang lamb had a nice kick of spice, and we ordered a variety of authentic dishes like nasi lemak and mee goreng, which were both solid choices. There's a wide selection on the menu, and the portion sizes were generous for the price.
Great place and very authentic, according to the singaporean we were eating with! Murtabak and roti received good reviews, although he said the roti seemed a bit sweeter than he was used to. The beef rendang was good, although we got it with nasi lemak and the rice was not cooked in coconut milk, so it was different from what he was used to. I really liked everything else about the nasi lemak though! The hainanese chicken and kang kung belacan were extremely popular and were soo good. The hainanese chicken was so juicy. The kang kung had a nice kick! We also tried the milo! very nice to go with some of the hotter dishes! The hokkien char mee was also great and got a good review from our singaporean. He thought it had a lot more of the shrimp, squid, etc. in it than a usual hokkien char mee would have in Singapore. Overall, he was very pleased and said he would not be unhappy if he received this food in singapore! The restaurant is also huge and has three floors! read more
We came on a Tuesday around 5pm and it seemed pretty empty but our server was really nice. We got their crab Rangoon and it was really good the dipping sauce had a little tangy taste to it. The ambiance inside is so nice. There's an upstairs or downstairs you can sit at. I also got their lychee drink and it was so refreshing. We ordered the spicy eggplant which was filled with so flavors and spicy and paired perfectly with rice. The rice platter with the beef was so good! Highly recommend. It may seem like a small portion but it's enough for one person. read more
This ambiance is so nice here they have an upstairs and downstairs to sit at. Our server was so nice. We ordered their crab rangroon and siu mai and it was so delicious. I would say their entree was really good as well. The beef platter with rice was really good. Filled with so much flavor I would recommend it. Their lychee drink was so refreshing. read more
3 months ago
I can't say enough about the food at this place! The milk tea was so fresh and tasty and didn't have too much sugar. It tasted just like the yummy tea I had while visiting Hong Kong. The curry with roti/paratha was my favorite food and deserves a 10/10. Such a delicious comfort food spot. The bad part of our experience was that our leftovers were all packed up and someone stole them off the table while we went to the bathroom ... the staff didn't say anything about it and suggested we come back and get a discount but didn't follow through. That was annoying. read more
3 months ago
I absolutely wish the city had more Malaysian food options - one of my friends from Malaysia says she feels she needs to go to the suburbs to eat food that tastes like home. I do respect Kapitan holding it down as probably the only Malaysian restaurant in the city. We went recently and got the mee goreng, murtabak, and chee cheong fun. That's how I would rank what we got, but my boyfriend liked the murtabak best. The chee cheong fun had too strong of a sauce that was overpowering, which is unfortunate because I love cheong fun. The seasoning/flavor of the mee goreng was good. read more
We had the sambal eggplant, which was our favorite. Really well balanced and paired perfectly with rice. The beef rendang was tender and flavorful, though a couple of pieces were a bit tougher. The roti with curry chicken was also really good. The char kway teow was cooked well and had a nice bit of wok hei. The rice was the only thing that didn't quite match the other dishes and could've used a bit more water. Our server was friendly and gave great recommendations, which made the experience even better. Overall, we were very satisfied, and we can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu. read more
My friends and I visited here for some good food and good times, and it ended up being just that. The menu contains many traditional Malaysian and Singaporean food items, ranging from nasi lemak to sambal eggplant to chicken satay, and pretty much everything tasted great with good flavor. The sambal flavor defined the eggplant dish and since you can't really go wrong with sambal, the dish was just great. The chicken satay had good sauce that helped enhance its flavor. The nasi goreng was seasoned very well, with all the seasonings infused into the rice. The rendang beef had very tender beef in terms of texture, and the curry lemongrass sauce evidently defined the flavor, making it an overall very enjoyable experience. Finally, the lamb shank that came with the nasi lemak was also very tender because it was slow-cooked, and together with the nasi lemak, the combination worked well. If there was one thing I wanted to see improvement on, then I would've loved it if the roti pratha included even more roti, simply because it'd be common pratice to eat it in relatively larger quantities. Otherwise, everything was just great. Even if the menu was huge, I couldn't see a possibility of choosing a wrong dish, not only because Malaysian food is bomb in general, but also because the dishes all used the correct types and amount of seasoning to provide good flavor. I would gladly recommend this place to those looking for this cuisine type in Chicago. read more
I've driven by so many times and finally stopped in, so glad I did! The space feels homey and welcoming, and the Malaysian menu has all the comforting classics. The curry laksa was flavorful and packed with a variety of seafood proteins. The beef chow fun hit the spot, and the Hainan chicken was poached to perfection tender and comforting. Service was great too--attentive and genuinely friendly. read more
1 year ago
It seems Serai closed and reopened, and now shares a location with Kapitan, so I guess this is a review for both restaurants. Interesting. Anyway, my friend and I came last Thursday for dinner -- really big (and no-frills) restaurant and it was not very busy. Our server was friendly and helpful with our questions, and service was prompt and efficient. We ordered the kaya toast and roti canai as appetisers. The kaya toast was yummy (and honestly a bit rare to find in the US), but I think the portion size was definitely a bit small for the price. Roti canai was yummy -- I loved how fluffy and flaky the roti was -- and the curry was delicious, if not a bit too salty. We also ordered the mee goreng, which was a bit more disappointing. The underlying flavour of ketchup was really just too strong and drowned out all the other (sweet or savoury) sauces. The noodles were also too soft / soggy, but I thought the other ingredients (veggies, tofu) were good. Finally we had the curry laksa (the serai recipe - apparently the toppings are different), which I would definitely recommend. The egg noodles were very well-cooked to a great chewiness, and I really liked the variety of tasty toppies it came with (loved the chicken and char siu, and the fish balls were soft and very flavourful). I wish there were more broth because the noodles did get dry very quickly. Overall a pretty good meal -- I'd be keen to come again :) read more
11 months ago
This is the most authentic Malaysian place I've been to since Malaysia. There are so many street foods to choose from, some I didnt even know about. Truly so amazing and they don't skimp on flavor- the components of coconut, shrimp paste, pandan and sambal are all there. Bring friends so you can try everything. My favorite was the murtabak- the egg flatbread with onions. You can also buy the Kaya toast in a jar to take with you. Definitely try their drink menu both alcoholic and non alcoholic-- those are creative and authentic as well. read more
Difficult to find a Malaysian restaurant but Kapitan does it well - coming from a Malaysian. We tried the roti canai, beef rendang, char kuey teow, and Hainanese chicken rice. All the dishes are flavorful and authentic, with good portions for the prices. My favorite was the beef rendang, which was super tender. Overall super comforting meal and the service was great! read more
4 months ago
The food is delicious.. kids friendly restaurant... definitely coming back again and again... we even ordered take out for next day lunch read more
9 months ago
This place was a hidden gem! We ordered the randang beef, the Panang chicken and the Kapitan chicken. They were all magnificent. Service was friendly and prompt. Very comfortable space! We will be back! read more
This was my first time trying Malaysian food and it was SO good. This restaurant has so many options for everyone to enjoy. We shared family style and honestly that was the best way to do it. A lot of similar dishes to South Asian and Thai food but such different flavors. My favorite was definitely the Kapitan chicken and the drunken noodles were to die for. Would love to come back and try more things here! read more
1 year ago
I came here to celebrate graduation with family and were easily accommodated on a weekday. The space is huge, making it a great spot for larger parties. We also happened to catch happy hour and took full advantage! The drinks were Asian-inspired and came out quickly. I'm not too familiar with Malaysian cuisine, but overall, the food had great flavor. The rendang lamb had a nice kick of spice, and we ordered a variety of authentic dishes like nasi lemak and mee goreng, which were both solid choices. There's a wide selection on the menu, and the portion sizes were generous for the price. read more
10 months ago
Everything was amazing. Large portions for entrees and delicious all around. Will be returning soon! read more
Pretty yummy Malaysian food -- huge 3 story restaurant so seems like there would likely never be a wait and a good place for a group. Not the best I've ever had but solid choice if you want a nice ambiance and easy seating. read more
10 months ago
Super nice Malaysian food, it is better than in Malaysia. Boss also friendly, must come again! read more
10 months ago
As a Malaysian, i really loved their dish, authentic even dish even i am far from home ! i wish i found out this restaurant sooner ! read more
We made a reservation for a birthday brunch, but the place did not open until 10mins after their opening time, which did not seem very professional. The person who opened the door did not apologize on keeping us waiting. The price is colorfully decorated inside, but had a very strong cigarette smell. The waiter was friendly and came back multiple times to check on us. The Roti Chenai curry sauce taste was mild, but the roti portion was very small. The Hokkein Soy Noodle was too salty and too much sauce. The Fried Hainan Chicken was a whole chicken and was crispy on the outside, but the meat was tender and juicy. The Hainan rice that came with the chicken was not a flavorful as expected of Hainan rice. The Rendang Beef taste as expected, but the meat was very dry. The Bechalan String Beans was on the salty side, but goes well with rice. I liked the Singaporean Laksa as it has a good curry flavor without being too overpowering. I was ready to try their Kuih, sweet. Cakes, but they did not have it available. If I have a craving to Malaysian Singaporean food, I might try doing carry out next time. read more
This was first time at Kapitan. I came here for a lunar new year event with a group I'm part of. What I didn't know that this is the sister restaurant of one of favorite but now closed restaurants Serai. This brought back all the memories of my favorites from Serai including Roti and Rendang beef. If you're looking for a great Malaysian meal definitely stop by here. Even though this was a buffet style catered meal, the staff takes care of you! Can't wait to come back read more
The food and drinks were amazing again tonight! I came with a few friends and we ordered a lot of food. We started with some tender and tasty chicken satay. Next, as an appetite enhancer, we had otak otak which tasted very authentic and spiced perfectly. It was wrapped in banana leaf like how it is cooked in Malaysia. Everyone loved it! Next course, noodles! We ordered gluten free version of Nyonya Curry Laksa, Hokkien Mee and Char Kuey Teow. All of the noodle dishes tasted sublime. We were very surprised as how they all tasted so traditional and very good, yet gluten free. We then had lamb rendang with coconut rice. This brought me back to Malaysia, as the lamb was so tender, as it cooked for hours and the stew or gravy was so authentic. Last entree was the cili shrimp that served in a very delectable spicy gravy with huge sized prawns and fried mantou buns that were so crunchy and dipped in the gravy was it so delicious and reminded me of home. We all had teh tarik (tea) which complement all the dishes we ate, to blend with the heat from the spices blended sauces. Nope we didn't stop there, for dessert, we ordered the ais kacang and coconut dessert to cleanse and padded our palate from the wonderful foods we enjoyed. Note: You can ask for their separate gluten free menu where you can choose the same great dishes but as gluten free. We ordered mostly all the dishes as gluten free, so one of our friends can feast with us. With exception to the mantao buns that it came with the cili shrimp dish, everything else was gluten free and so authentically good! Service was so friendly, fast and the space is so harmonious and open. Well done, Kapitan! read more
6 months ago
Loved having all the classic Malaysian dishes I miss -- char koay teow, mee goreng, lamb rendang, satay, and ais kacang. Also, they are set up for young kids really well -- a great play area with toy cars, books, a magnetic wall with gears and letters, and durable colorful plastic cups and bowls. Great experience and we will definitely revisit whenever we're in Chicago. read more
I walk by here pretty much every day and I was curious what it was. I'm so glad that I finally went in and tried it. We came in and were seated right away because there's so many seats and it's not that crowded. The food is amazing. There are so many options and you literally cannot go wrong anywhere. With influences from all over Southeast Asia, flavors are popping off. I had the Mee Goreng and my date had the Singaporean noodles. I got to try them both and would've been happy with either choice. The service could've been better but I'm not going to ding a star off because more people need to go here. It's a super convenient location for me and the food is so good and I don't want anything to happen to it. read more
4 months ago
I read somewhere this was from the same owner as Serai, which I've enjoyed, so I decided to give Kapitan a try. TBH, I still prefer Serai more. The Roti Curry Chicken was the only dish I ordered that I've had at both locations, and it was consistent. Mee Goreng was a bit too sweet for my taste, and the Singapore Noodles were too dry. The Nyonya Curry Laksa Lemak reminded me of a different take on the Thai Khao Soi. This was my favorite dish. Generous portions and ingredients, reasonable pricing. read more
Went here with some coworkers and really enjoyed the food. I had the Kapitan Chicken and it was incredibly flavorful and had a mild spice to it. Im a big fan of any coconut milk based sauce and this did not disappoint. We went at lunch time and were surprised that the restaurant was completely empty except for us. It really deserves more customers in my opinion, I will go here more often to support them! The restaurant itself is huge and has plenty of seating. It's a split level type and has 3-ish half-floors of dining spaces. The service was great and the waiter was nice. I wish they served everyone at the exact same time so people didn't have to sit and wait awkwardly for their dish, but it's not that big of a deal. Overall, I definitely need to come back and try more food! read more
5 months ago
4 years ago
Very spacious space and the service was good. The menu had a lot to offer and I definitely was overwhelmed by all the options! I wish I had a bigger wallet to fulfill my wants, but alas, I can only afford to eat so many things. We ordered the cheong fun to start, 3/5. It wasn't anything special and a little too sweet for my liking. Laksa 4/5, it's been so long since I've had laksa and it hit the spot for me! They added lots of goodies and protein to this bowl and I felt like it was just endless. Hokkien char me, 3/5. I definitely enjoyed my first few bites but after a while, it was incredibly salty. I am not from the area so I am not sure if there are other restaurants like this, but for someone who wants to expose themselves to new foods, this is definitely a good start! read more
Finally, we had a chance to go here. Came on a Sunday around 2 p.m., so it's pretty much empty. We were greeted by this lovely lady who was also our server. She's so nice. Looked at the menu and instantly wanted to order everything, but that's not possible. I mean, who will eat it? One thing that shocked me was the amount of food that came for the price. The nasi kuning with chicken kapitan was pretty much two days' worth of food. Like literally! We had so many leftovers, enough until tomorrow lunchtime Taste wise - everything tastes so good. My personal fave is the roti with curry dip. My kids definitely love the satay. Price - If people complain about the price, honestly, Chinatown price is also the same as this place. Overall, it was an amazing experience and will be back here again. read more
If you're in the area, please check out the food at Kapitan. If you're unfamiliar with the cuisine, the Roti Canai is the perfect dish to start out with. I would also try the Nasi Lemak as it is the national dish of Malaysia. Ambience: we came on a weekday so we were able to be seated right away. The decor of the restaurant was more modern, but still had nice touches of the culture through their mural on the top floor, canvases, and hanging bird cages. There are 3 levels of seating and a bar on the top floor. Roti Canai: must try if you haven't already. This dish really set our expectations as to how the rest of the dishes were going to come out. The roti was soft and flaky, which pairs perfectly with the light curry. If you're worried about the curry being spicy, I'd say that it wouldn't be a problem as Malaysian curry typically has coconut milk in it to reduce the sharpness of the spices. Char Kway Teow: stir-fried flat noodles with soy sauce. There was a good amount of wok-hei (smokiness) in the noodles which makes this a great dish. The dish contains shrimp, bean sprouts, sliced fish cake, and egg. Nasi Lemak: My to go dish if I'm not craving something in particular. The coconut rice was fluffy and fragrant and the peanuts may have been cooked with brown sugar to give the dish an extra crunch with sweetness. This is not common, but I thought it was a creative addition. Curry not shown on the picture was perfect as it wasn't too heavy and the potatoes and chicken were very soft. Overall I had a great experience here at Kapitan and I would consider this my favorite Malaysian restaurant at the moment after experiencing different varieties in New York, California, and Illinois. read more
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More info about Kapitan
2142 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
Sheffield Neighbors, DePaul
Directions
(773) 661-2281
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http://www.kapitanchicago.com
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Ask the Community - Kapitan
Do they have any gluten free options for celiacs?
Yes - we have a gluten free menu
Do they have any halal items?
