Relatively new with an unassuming storefront, Kathmandu is easy to miss if you're not looking for it. I'm always on the lookout for a fast, casual, affordable neighborhood staple though, and this will definitely be a new go-to! We arrived around dinner time on a weeknight and it was pretty empty, as most folks seemed to take their food to go. We split the fried beef momo and the steamed butter chicken momo. The fried beef was super crispy with tender meat and served alongside a delicious, spicy tikka masala sauce for dipping. My favorite, however, was the steamed butter chicken- it was super fresh and flavorful and absolutely smothered in the delicious, creamy sauce. It was so good that we used it for the beef as well to make sure there was none left behind. We left full and felt that the prices were definitely worth the portions and quality. I highly recommend paying a visit if you're in the area, and am looking forward to returning! read more

Kathmandu Cafe - Fried beef momo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Soooo glad we finally tried it!! The food is incredible. So many amazing flavors, and so many options to check out. The Chicken Steamed MoMo, Kathmandu Wings, Butter Chicken, and Chicken Chow Mein are all wonderful. The wings were a little overcooked, but tasted great. The chicken in the chow mein was also a bit tough, but incredibly flavorful. The potato samosas were also nicely done. Not the best I've ever had, but they were really wonderful. Most of the time I drive or walk by, the open sign is off, but we saw someone inside this time and went in. Quiet and calm dining room, and the staff were pretty busy. I'll happily eat there many more times. The wings and chow mein are addictive. read more

I won't say too much about the business that was here before, but let's just say I'm not surprised they went under. Kathmandu, meanwhile, shows some promise. However, they are not without their kinks that need to be worked out - growing pains, if you will. I ordered the Butter Chicken with rice. Getting the food took somewhere between 10-15 minutes. I am going to assume it was made fresh, but considering it was just rice, chicken in sauce, and a couple veggie slices, I couldn't tell you for sure. With the veggie slices, I am left wondering "why?" It was a couple slices of carrot and cucumber. They lacked any kind of preparation or seasoning (not even salt), and took up half the tray. Again, why? The rice, meanwhile, was cooked perfectly. It wasn't at all sticky, and each grain could be seperated. The issue here is with portion size. Rice not only serves as a carb/starch element, but also works to absorb sauce. While I don't like it, I understand why a business would skimp on proteins... but skimping on rice seems, for lack of a better term, inappropriate. Then we come to the protein. There was an ample amount of chicken. The meat itself was tender, and the sauce had good flavor. While not mind-blowing, it had a mild heat, and light tomato, cream, and spice notes. While I would have liked the flavors to be bolder, I cannot in good conscious call the dish bland. Finally, there is the matter of price. After tax, the Butter Chicken came to just over $14. Even though I appreciate that nothing is cheap anymore, this felt a little excessive considering the quality and quantity of food I received. Final verdict: While Kathmandu Cafe had great potential, andn I am especially looking forward to trying their momo, as well as their Tibetan menu, where it comes to the Indian side of their menu, I do not feel a draw to return and order more. read more

Kathmandu Cafe - Butter Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here shortly after they opened and finally got back around to visiting again. It was delicious! I had the Shapta. Unfortunately they were out of the tingmo, so I got the garlic naan instead. My partner got the chow mein with chicken (fair warning, the chow mein noodles are spicy!) I also got the masala tea and it was prepared the traditional way, you can tell because as it cools it forms a skin on the top. Our order was slightly delayed, so they gave us a complimentary dessert. I won't wait as long to come back next time. read more

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From the moment we walked into Kathmandu Cafe, we were warmly welcomed by the owner. He took the time to recommend a few of his favorite dishes, and every one of his suggestions was excellent. It's clear he takes great pride in bringing authentic Himalayan cuisine to the neighborhood. The restaurant was clean, inviting, and made for a great dining experience. We ordered the Butter Chicken Momo dumplings, and they were outstanding. The butter chicken sauce was delicious with a light, creamy texture that wasn't overly rich but was packed with flavor. We also tried the Nepalese Boneless Chicken Curry, and the chicken was incredibly tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. To finish our meal, we had our very first Mango Lassi, and it did not disappoint. It was fresh, thick, smooth, and perfectly balanced--not too sweet or sour. If you've never tried a Mango Lassi before, this is definitely the place to have your first one. We'll definitely be back! read more

Kathmandu Cafe - Butter Chicken Momo and Nepalese boneless Chicken Curry. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this place. Yummy food and friendly staff. I am obsessed with their masala tea!!!

I randomly spotted this place while looking for a quick South Asian snack, and let me tell you -- it did not disappoint. I ordered the chicken chow mein, and it was absolutely perfect. The fresh spices, the wok hei, and even the chickpeas thrown in were spot on. I wish I had ordered the momo too, though the price felt a bit high (still better than some of the other Nepali spots on the North Side). Regardless, I'll definitely be ordering more from here. I do hope they expand the menu a bit -- maybe add some sukuti, choila, sel roti, or even a Nepali thali. read more

Kathmandu Cafe - Chicken Chowmein - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lots of very delicious food at a reasonable price. I'd show pictures but there's nothing left. We got the chili chicken, the butter, chicken, and vegetarian Momo's. Just the right amount of heat and savory, buttery chicken. Will definitely be a staple for us in the future! read more

I've been to Kathmandu Cafe a half-dozen times, usually for dine-in. The staff is always friendly and welcoming. They are eager to help newbies to the Nepal/Himalayan cuisine navigate the menu. The services is quick. The dining area and bathroom are spotless. The decor is stylish and comfortable. So far, I have mostly had the mo-mos (a kind of dumpling). The fried versions with meat are my favorite, but all are good. The chicken chowmein is also a stand-out. Plenty of vegetarian offerings. Portions are ample -- I usually take a box home. Multiple restaurants have failed in this location. I hope Kathmandu settles in for a long run in the neighborhood! read more

I've been here a few times now and am reviewing them based on different menu items and both the dine-in and take out experience. I've now had every style of momo and they are all good: Steamed veggie and fried veggie - I'll say these together, they're both good and it probably comes down to your preference. They come with a mild spiced dipping sauce which is just fantastic though Chili veggie - I was excited for and they deliver. It's not an overwhelming spice at all but it builds up so by the end of the meal you notice. The flavors are great Jhol veggie - was not really what I expected. It read like dumplings in broth but it was presented as a tray of steamed dumplings and a container of a thinner, chilled soup. While I was expecting a soaked in liquid kind of dish the flavor of them was still really nice. This one might be a victim of takeout though and needing to transport the components separately. I'd try it in person for a real soup experience. Butter chicken momo - is a lot more of what I was expecting from the jhol, and while I liked the jhol this has a very satisfying "steeping in sauce" flavor and feel. I'm gonna praise the butter sauce on it's own with the curries section but it has great flavor. non-momo dishes: butter paneer - Ok so the butter sauce is just fantastic. I think a lot of places give a pretty generic version of this but here it has a rich tomato flavor and a tangy mild spice to it that just makes it so much more. It's good with the paneer and they have a few other items in this sauce and I'd give any of them a try (I have not had the chicken yet). chana masala - This was good but I think it's overshadowed by the butter sauce curry. I'd say it's comparable to other restaurant versions so definitely not bad, just not my favorite. The service has been great when I've come in. Seems like a really small team and I like that they are starting with a small menu that seems high quality and they are expanding slowly as they "get things right." The first time I went in they had just added veggie dumplings. The most recent time the butter chicken momo was new. I feel like the consistent quality so far has earned getting me to try whatever gets added next. I would love for this place to succeed because their location is not great and has been an issue with previous businesses there. There's no real parking and it's not a huge foot traffic area so it's a place that I am intentionally going to to support on the strength of their food. It's obviously better fresh and eaten there, but the momos and curries have carried home and still been delicious. read more

So many good flavors here! It's new and we're so glad we hiked up from Lakeview to try! We tried the vegetable samosa, butter chicken rice box, chili paneer, and chicken momo. Stand outs were the veg samosa and chili paneer! We also really enjoyed the rose lassi. Staff were very kind and everything was super clean inside read more

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Fantastic food and great service. The chili chicken and veggies samosas are incredible!