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    Kapitan

    4.3 (163 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Kapitan Reservations

    Order Kapitan Takeout or Delivery

    Kapitan Photos

    Business Info

    KAPITAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Kapitan

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    Reviews With Photos

    Teh Tarik
    Jay S.

    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.

    Sarina Z.

    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.

    Kaya toast
    Matthew H.

    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 :)

    Cendol
    Shannon W.

    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.

    Roti - Curry Chicken
    Shu O.

    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!

    Kids' play area

    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.

    Jason H.

    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!

    Kapitan chicken
    Soup B.

    Everything was amazing. Large portions for entrees and delicious all around. Will be returning soon!

    Curry Vegetables
    Rahima J.

    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!

    Mango sticky rice
    Jennifer D.

    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.

    Roti canai
    Jay D.

    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.

    Penang cendol
    Nicmas C.

    Super nice Malaysian food, it is better than in Malaysia. Boss also friendly, must come again!

    Chong S.

    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 !

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Kapitan

    Are walk ins allowed or are reservations necessary?

    Walk ins are welcome too

    Do they have any gluten free options for celiacs?

    Yes - we have a gluten free menu

    Is the restaurant byob?

    Hi. We have a full bar

    Do they have any halal items?

    View All 6 Questions

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    Penang Malaysian Cuisine

    Penang Malaysian Cuisine

    3.8
    (451 reviews)
    19.9 mi
    $$

    I have been to Penang many times, and it has always been for a special occasion. Today, I missed…read morethe taste of Malaysia so I came to dinner by myself. I ordered enough for two, which means I would have something for the next two meals. The restaurant has been around for a while, and it is a stand alone building. The menu, like what you will find in Malaysia - a mixed of Chinese, Malay, and Indian. The service is always prompt. Here's what I ordered: 1) Roti Canai served with Malaysian chicken curry - the curry is unlike Indian curry. This is a typical Malaysian style curry. You take a piece of the crispy yet a little chewy pan fried dough and dipped in this curry broth. That combination will kick off your appetite. 2) Seafood and Tofu clay pot - a mix of fish fillet, squid, shrimp, vegetables and homemade tofu served in a clay pot. The tofu is delicious - crispy outside with soft and silky center - chef's kiss! 3) String bean mixed with balacan - balacan is a Malaysian sambal sauce made with shrimp paste and chili. It has this savory, sweet and lightly spicy flavor mixed with crispy string beans. It was a delightful dinner! There are many other dishes that I'll come back for, especially other dishes with their homemade tofu.

    Best Malaysian food is all of Chicago!!! The chicken satay is the best!…read more Delicious!!!!

    Photos
    A very clean and nice decorated place.
    A very clean and nice decorated place.
    Roti Canai Satay Chicken
    Roti Canai Satay Chicken
    Amazing chili sauce to spice it up!

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    Amazing chili sauce to spice it up!
    HD Cuisine

    HD Cuisine

    4.7
    (240 reviews)
    21.3 mi
    $$

    I wanted to give a proper review. Don't believe some of the low rated reviews. If you look at their…read moreprofiles, they give every place a bad review. To clear things up about their dining area, they have 2 small tables outside and 1 small and 2 big tables inside. Small tables - 2 chairs. Big tables - 4 chairs. On weekdays, you don't need to make a reservation. On the weekends due to their limited dine in area, I would recommend a reservation to be safe. You can make a reservation through Google/Yelp or phone call. Parking is easy since it's in a strip mall. There is also a 3% charge if you use plastic. Just a note, I tried looking at their food pictures on their website, but it kind of runs slow. Sometimes it would freeze. I think they need to fix it. I would return here to try other items. I would highly recommend ordering off their Malaysian menu instead of the miscellaneous. Don't order orange chicken or General Tao's chicken. Very cringe because you can get that literally anywhere. Get the Malaysian food because it's hard to find in Illinois. The owner is very sweet and the service is attentive. We ordered lor bak, nasi lemak, Hainanese chicken rice, hokkien mee, and kuih talam. Just a FYI, the portions are very generous. For 2 people, I would recommend ordering 2 dishes. Prices are reasonable for what you get. A pot of tea is $6. -lor bak 5 - I highly recommend this appetizer. It has crispy pork sausage with shrimp fritters, beancurd, and cucumber. It comes with two sauces. Everything was delicious. -nasi lemak 5 - I love the chicken rendang. The meat is very tender and it has a deep flavor. You can taste the spices that went into it. -Hainanese chicken rice 3.5 - I gave Penang Malaysian Cuisine a 4 because the rice was delicious. HD's version, the rice was not as moist and flavorful. The chicken was not bad, it's about the same as Penang's. It could be a bit more succulent without the sauces. -hokkien mee 4 - this won't be as tasty as in Malaysia. I liked the big pieces of shrimp, an adequate amount of sliced pork and hard boiled egg. The broth is still very good. If it's your first time having this, I still recommend it. -kuih talam 5 - I would suggest this if you like pandan. It's not sweet. It has a soft and bouncy texture.

    Malaysian food has been my all time favourite!…read more The food here reminds me of Malaysian home food!! Yummmmm... Service is fast and everything is cooked by Chef Tony. Ambience is decent- nothing fancy. Food ordered : nasi lemak, curry puff, roti pratha, chicken satay

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    HD Cuisine
    Hainan Chicken Rice
    Hainan Chicken Rice
    Malaysia National Dish, Nyonya Nasi Lemak Biru with Chicken Rendang

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    Joy Yee Noodle

    Joy Yee Noodle

    3.6
    (2k reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$

    I recently went back to Joy Yee Noodles in Chinatown after previously only trying their…read moresmoothies/boba drinks. This time, I sat down for a full meal, and overall I enjoyed the experience and would definitely return. This place gets packed, especially for the smoothies. The restaurant itself is a decent size, but the tables are very close together, so seating can feel a little tight. The ambiance is pretty simple and nothing overly memorable. They have a faux greenery wall with the restaurant's name on it and the smoothie counter area when you first walk through the doors. One thing I will say is the menu is HUGE. They have an overwhelming amount of options, which can honestly make it hard to choose, but at the same time I do appreciate that there's something for everybody, especially for picky eaters or people craving different kinds of dishes. I ordered the Thai curry shrimp, and it was honestly delicious. The shrimp were large, flavorful, and they gave a good amount. I didn't expect the green beans in the curry, but it actually worked well with the dish. My only complaint was that they should give more white rice with it because I ran out of rice quickly and still had a lot of curry left over. My boyfriend ordered the orange chicken. I personally thought it tasted really good, but he felt it was just okay..nothing to rave about. His brother got a Pad Thai dish and cleaned the entire bowl, so I'm assuming he really enjoyed it. After dinner, we ordered smoothies, and they were pretty good as well. One thing I found interesting was the service style. You order directly with your server, and there are staff members standing around if you need anything..you can literally raise your hand and someone comes over quickly, which I appreciated. However, the food delivery itself was a little impersonal. Workers push carts around with multiple tables dishes on them and stop from table to table dropping food off. I'm assuming this is common in Chinatown restaurants because I've seen it before, and while it's efficient, I'm not sure how I feel about it service wise. It felt less personal, and I did notice food sitting open on the cart while stopping at different tables before finally arriving at ours. Overall though, the food was good, the portions were solid, and I'd definitely come back again.

    We went to sit inside. We got seated immediately we went during lunchtime it wasn't that crowded…read more We ordered the beef short rib soup and kimchi fried rice. As you can see in my picture there's no sign of a soup it's just noodles but in their menu it's called a soup. The noodles were garlic soy sauce noodle noodles. It was good! I had no complaints. The kimchi fried rice was very good as well too. The beef short rib is sweet and slightly lemongrass flavored. This whole meal is for the sweet and slightly savory palette. The garlic noodles honestly had way too much garlic on them. But once I ate it later in the day it was good. When you sit inside the price that you see on the menu will not be what you're charge you will be charged $23 instead of $16. Definitely clarify if that is the sizing price, we assumed we got dinner portions. You do get more than enough to take home. I will say about this place is if you do try something new you will have an interesting experience!

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Joy Yee Noodle
    Dragon fruit and mango freeze! Very fresh since I had a slight allergic reaction on my lips

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    Dragon fruit and mango freeze! Very fresh since I had a slight allergic reaction on my lips
    JJ Thai Street Food

    JJ Thai Street Food

    4.4
    (565 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Instantly one of my new favorite restaurants in Chicago. And probably one of my favorite Thai…read morerestaurants of all time. As a street food spot that's popular for lunch, you get different offerings here than a lot of your other neighborhood Thai joints. Sat on the outdoor patio so didn't get to see the inside much but I liked our atmosphere and service. Split the papaya salad and the Laab Moo Krob (crispy pork belly salad) with a friend and both were outstanding. From the first crispy bite of the pork belly I was in love with the texture and flavors. We added a side of sticky rice with that which was perfect. I wish I could've tried everything on the menu that day but looks like I'll just have to return as soon as possible.

    We were really impressed by the fast service, homey and flavorful food, and the clean, cozy…read moreatmosphere. It feels like the kind of neighborhood spot that's easy to come back to again and again. We ordered the Thai coffee, Khao Ka Moo (braised pork over rice), Khao Pad Poo (crab fried rice), and the grilled pork salad. The standout for me was the grilled pork salad. It was incredibly refreshing, with bright sweet-and-sour flavors that really wake up your palate - especially on a hot summer day. The grilled pork added a nice smoky element, making it both light and satisfying. The crab fried rice was another favorite. It's one of those dishes that doesn't try too hard, yet delivers exactly what you want: fluffy rice, delicate egg, sweet crab, and comforting flavors. It's the kind of dish that quietly reassures you that everything is going to be okay - a simple, dependable plate that never disappoints. The braised pork was tender and comforting, and the Thai coffee was a great accompaniment to the meal. Overall, a wonderful local find with welcoming service, tasty food, and a comfortable dining environment. We'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu

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    JJ Thai Street Food
    King mushroom
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    Hing Kee Restaurant

    Hing Kee Restaurant

    3.6
    (932 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$

    Best Chinese sit-down spot I've been to in Chicago so far! It has a very mom-and-pop feel. The…read moredecor is a little older, but it fits the casual vibe perfectly. Service was nice overall. The only issue was they probably forgot our salmon nigiri since it didn't come out until after we finished eating and reminded them. The Mongolian beef was the best version I've had in Chicago so far. The texture was perfect, the meat wasn't fatty, and it wasn't oily at all. I just wish the sauce was a little sweeter. 8/10. The scallion pancakes were incredible. Super crispy, flaky, and not greasy. Definitely one of the best I've had. 9.5/10. The chicken soup dumplings were good, but a little inconsistent. Some were packed with soup while others lost most of it. 8/10. The biggest surprise was the egg tofu with enoki mushroom. The tofu was silky, the enoki added great texture, and the flavor was delicious. Easily the best egg tofu I've had. 9/10. The salmon nigiri was fine, but didn't stand out. I did love their ginger though. It was sweet and not overly spicy.

    Really loved this place. It's a great spot for a bigger group or if you want to order a bunch of…read moredishes and share family style. The tables seem to seat around eight people, which worked well for our group. The vibe was calm, and the staff was very friendly and welcoming. The menu is huge and honestly a little overwhelming at first, but nothing our group ordered was bad. Pretty much everything was good, except the General Tso's, which was just kind of mid/too sweet. The prices felt fair for the location, especially because the portion sizes are massive. They also provide to-go containers for soup-style items, which was nice. We did not see any alcohol or sake on the menu, which was a little disappointing. Maybe they had it and we just were not told, but it definitely was not obvious. Overall, I highly recommend this place.

    Photos
    Hing Kee Restaurant
    In love with this Siu Mai !
    In love with this Siu Mai !
    Spicy Garlic Beef Soup (most of the meat is hard fat)

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    Spicy Garlic Beef Soup (most of the meat is hard fat)

    Kapitan - asianfusion - Updated June 2026

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