1 word. Phenomenal…read more Wow. I loved this place. Their fries are fantastic. They had a nice seasoning to them. The drink was great. Next time I need to try the sharable drinks.

amazing tiki themed bar located in an alley!! for big groups…read morei recommend reserving a table in advance because it gets super packed! our group of 5 people were seated promptly after ID check & checking in with the host. you get teleported to 2 flights down stairs into a cool, dimly lit tiki bar. FOOD: -firecracker popcorn chicken: great snack to munch on & it came with a sweet tangy sauce. -golden waffle fries: my favorite snack we got for the night to munch on - it came with 3 sauces & a bigger portion than expected!! this with the popcorn chicken was the perfect amount of food for our group of 5 for light snacking with our cocktails COCKTAILS: -mystic lamp: i got the mystic lamp & it was really tasty! despite being 2 skull signs on the menu (which indicates how strong the alcohol is) - i didn't feel like the liquor taste was strong at all. -black magic: this one was 2 skull signs for alcohol strength too & i tasted the liquor WAYY more than mystic lamp. -strawberry junglebird: interestingly enough, this was the least strong according to the menu but the rum taste definitely lingered after.

carley was fantastic! she gave us such marvelous service and everything she recommended was a…read more100/10. the vibes were immaculate and even though it was packed, food came out quick. if you are downtown in chicago, this is the place to be.

Gorgeous aesthetic and a standout spot for Southeast Asian inspired cuisine. I came specifically…read morefor the variety, and it did not disappoint. We ordered the scallops, crab noodles, sinigang sour, and a lychee martini, and finished with the chocolate molten lava cake with vanilla ice cream. The scallops were cooked to perfection and buttery. My personal favorite, though, was the sinigang sour cocktail. While it wasn't as tangy as traditional sinigang, it was a creative and well-balanced interpretation. Service truly elevated the experience. Our server was attentive and welcoming, and the staff member refilling our waters was just as on point A+ all around. Looking forward to stopping by again the next time we're in Chicago.

Serai is now at Kapitan. The shared space has plenty of seating. The staff is nice…read more I had their Roti Canai and Nasi Lamak. Both dishes were super flavorful and had such depth. They probably have the best Malaysian food in the city. I highly recommend you give them a try!

We've been regulars at the old and new Serai locations for years. A few weeks ago we ordered our…read morefavorite dish - multiple orders of Roti Prata. The quantity thatwas delivered was less than half what it should be (has been over the years.. and we've ordered this maybe a hundred times so we know the quantity well). .. The order was delivered by the restaurants own delivery. While we've seen inconsistent quantity before but never before was it anywhere near this little so never called to complain... we ignored it becasue we liked the dish. Called to tell the restaurant about it this time and the person who answered the call was apologetic but had me email the restaurant's official email. Two emails and a month later theres still no response. The true quality of an establishment is seen in how they handle problems. Wont ignore it any longer, this restaurant is off our places to go to.

This place cured my Chinese food depression after moving down south…read more Hot take: all the videos told us to order the dry chili chicken and spicy wontons. They were good, but the honey black pepper short ribs and beef shumai were better by a MILE. The crab rangoon were also excellent - fresh, made with real crab, and packed with chunks of onion. Delicious. Service was decent. The space is small, but we had no problem walking in on a weekday. Highly recommend!

Went for Sunday lunch, quite a lot people lined up way before it opened at 12pm. Even though it got…read moreMichelin awards several years in a row, but I think there's a gap. 4 adults ordered below dishes. Apple wood charcoal grill ribeye steak 大蒜蘋果木炭烤肉眼牛排 $40. It was delicious, it waked up my taste buds. Sour pickle & fish fillet soup 酸菜魚片湯 $13. Very good, the level sourness was just right. Plenty of fish in the soup. String bean 四季豆 $14, it's okay. Wood ear mushroom salad 凉拌黑木耳 $8. It was not close to the expectation, it's salty for some portion, and not much flavor on other portions. There should be vinegar added to improve the flavor. Cheng du spicy wonton 紅油抄手 $10.5. Not meeting our expectations, the sauce was not close, need to add vinegar. Signature dry chili fantail shrimp 香辣鳳尾蝦 $11. Not sure why it was a signature dish, not impressed.

Expensive considering the portions but yummy food! Got the dinner for 2 and minced beef noodles…read more The best part were the dumplings. I could taste that they were handmade and very flavorful. Second was the charcoal half chicken. The coconut rice was had a light coconut flavor which was good bc it didnt alter the taste of the chicken. I'd skip on the salad and minced beef noodles next time. The noodles were a lil too thick n chewy for me. Salad was nothings special, just eating large chunks of cabbage. The Sparrow Mallorc was also really good and refreshing, not overly sweet. The egg tarts had a creamy delicious custard and the dough was fluffy like a croissant, not crisp like pie. I prefer crisp but would still recommend. I also got the chai carrot cake which is really good. The chai spice compliments the sweetness well and walnut chunks add nice texture . I want to try all their desserts at Bird Bird Bakery bc the flavors are so unique and actually really good, unlike other bakeries that try to use interesting flavors but make it overly sweet. The staff were chill and kind. Pretty laid back, you have to get your own utensils and water. I do love that they have their own hot sauces. The brown one with tamarind was my favorite. Nice decos, not overly showy or fancy. Still family friendly n chill. The bench had nice comfy cushions.

Noodle Bird is a neighborhood favorite for a reason solid and consistent. Went with the heritage…read morepork and it was tender and flavorful throughout. Small space but well put together, good service and a good range of house drinks to choose from. Worth the visit. -Mr.

The food was amazing, I got the beef noodle soup and omg it was delicious! the service was great…read moreand the waitress was so so so kind the wait was not that long. The environment was perfect, it was clean and really pretty. If I could I would definitely give this 5.5 stars. And I would definitely recommend going here at least once!

As an avid Stephanie Izard fan, Duck Duck Goat has been on my Chicago must-try list for a long…read moretime! Finally my schedule, bank account, and the weather all lined up to try brunch at this West Loop spot. Like everywhere else at Fulton Market, be prepared for parking to be what parking is going to be here! There are some paid street spots, I also think there is a garage somewhere, and it is noted that Duck Duck Goat does not offer valet. The restaurant is in a super chic corner spot in Fulton Market, with a very picturesque little patio dining space out front. I had a reservation and arrived just a couple minutes early; we were greeted as soon as we walked in and taken to a table without any wait. I absolutely love the inside of this restaurant. Our table was a half booth/half chair two-top in the front window. There is so much rich color and decoration, and it really feels pretty intimate - I think this is a great date spot. The brunch menu has some amazing food options, and the service was very friendly but not overbearing. We started with an order of the crab rangoon to share between both of us, and then the pork fried rice omelette and the bacon and egg moo shu as brunch entrees. This is a dim sum restaurant and the plates are more of a style to be small bites and/or shared plates, and portion size definitely reflects such! Also because of this style, the dishes came out as they were ready, not all together "as entrees". The crab rangoons were incredible - the mascarpone filling is tart and bright to counter the briny crab and the pineapple sweet and sour is incredibly craveable. I will dream about this omelette for the rest of my life. The richness of the pork and the savoryness of the fried rice paired with fluffy egg, piled high with a texture bomb of accoutrements like crispy fried onions, (fresno?) chilis, and picked red onions. This is one of the best bites in the city. The moo shu had perfectly made sunny side up eggs with the richest egg yolks. All the veggies were cooked perfect, I loved the lotus root in the veggie mix. I love that our reservation wasn't rushed, and the service was really nice. We both said before even finishing our brunch that we wanted to come back and try dinner. Also a super cute touch, we were given complimentary little almond cookies after we were done. Thank you so much, Duck Duck Goat, for a wonderful brunch date! We will see you soon for dinner!

Food was SO yum! Fav was definitely the burger and the cauliflower was UNREAL. Short Rib was a…read morelittle fatty but flavor was still great. Our other dishes definitely stood out more than the short rib in our experience. Service was wonderful as well, will definitely be back!

Came back after 5 years to try the brunch here! I loved…read moredinner here the first time, but I've heard great things about their day time menu! They serve the special burger for brunch as well as limited timing at night, so obviously we had to order that. Honestly, there were at least 4 mains that we were interested in, but ended up getting the avocado three layer dip and the kalbi steak & eggs as well. The avocado dip was so interesting, but I liked a new twist on your average avo toast. I appreciated the toasted bread for being crispy enough without being too hard that it cuts up your mouth. The kalbi was so tender and juicy and a pretty decent portion for the price! I wish the kimchi breakfast potatoes had more kimchi flavor! We made the mistake of eating the burger last. It was still delicious, but I know it would've been 10 times better if we ate it while it was hot. Beware of those jalapeños though! The burger had every flavor: sweet, salty, spicy, tangy, creamy. Basically something for everyone. Service was prompt and friendly despite it being totally packed in there! Reservations are definitely a MUST. Free parking all down the street was also a plus!

We walked in late on a Saturday afternoon and seated right away. The vibe is super cute. I really…read morelike the decor in there. We got the soup dumplings, the fried eggplant, and the shrimp fried rice to share because we were having dinner in a couple hours so we didn't want to fill up and it was the perfect amount of food and actually super tasty. Highly recommend!

Pictures matter. I was looking for a great date-night spot…read morein the Chicago, Wicker Park/Milwaukee area, somewhere close to entertainment, and after walking past the "soup dumplings" sign a few times, I finally decided to try Bigsuda at 1362 N. Milwaukee Ave. The green awning and outdoor seating had always caught my eye, so I was excited to finally go in. The interior is beautiful, warm greens, gold accents, and comfortable booth-style seating that makes it easy to settle in and stay awhile. The staff was attentive, friendly, and consistently checked in throughout the night. Bigsuda is a Korean fusion restaurant. I love Korean food and have even spent time living in Korea, so I was curious to see their take. The menu is descriptive and does include some illustrations, and I later noticed there are more photos available online, which can be helpful when deciding what to order. One thing to note: the menu leans heavily on pork, and vegetarian options are somewhat limited. Some dishes can be modified (like ordering fried rice without shrimp), but several broths and signature items, including the soup dumplings, are pork-based. As someone who doesn't eat pork, I wasn't able to try one of the main dishes I came in for, which was a bit disappointing. Expanding options here could make the experience more inclusive. Here's what we ordered: Cabbage Tofu Pocket - Fresh, earthy, and clean. The cabbage had a nice juiciness, and the sauce tied everything together well. It's served cold, which was unexpected, but still enjoyable. Pan-Seared Veggie Mandoo - A fun presentation, served upside down with a crisp, pancake-like crust. Breaking into it was part of the experience, and the sauce complemented it nicely. Wok-Fired Steak Saltado - The standout of the night. The steak and rice paired really well and leaned into that Korean-fusion flavor. It was hearty, flavorful, and great for sharing. My friend also tried the shrimp dumplings and crab with chili sauce, which she felt were just okay. One highlight for both of us was the Peach Mong (a non-alcoholic drink with peach, citrus, and tonic), definitely worth trying. Overall, Bigsuda really shines in its atmosphere. It's a great place to sit, talk, and enjoy the ambiance, and the service adds to that experience. While the food didn't completely wow us across the board, there were definitely some strong moments. I had a great time overall, and with a few more inclusive menu options, this place could easily level up even more. 3 out of 5 stars.

food was SO good. we got the wings, the shrimp banh mi, the steamed dumplings, and some of the…read moretacos. I would reccomend everything. Will definitely be back.

4.5 stars in reality…read more Tried the vegan/vegetarian mushroom japchae. The portion size was gigantic, but the japchae itself consisted mostly of vegetables (carrots, onions, bokchoy, and of course mushrooms) so it was easy enough to finish the portion in one sitting. Despite its size, the dish was extremely light and flavourful and I had enough room for cheesecake at a neighbouring establishment. My friend ordered the pork bento box, and though I don't eat meat, the arrangement and plating of the food was a beautiful visual spectacle. We shared the spiced fries that came with a creamy aioli dip - the fries were perfectly spiced but perhaps not unique to this restaurant in terms of quality and flavour. There were many dishes on the menu that looked like they were veganizable, so I will definitely try them when I return. The ambience was unremarkable, though the restaurant was very clean. You need to order at the counter and the food is brought to your table. The servers were very polite. The food is on the pricier end in the context of a somewhat characterless ambience and the fact that you need to order at the counter. My friend and I travelled for nearly an hour to get to this restaurant, and were quite pleased on the whole. We will definitely be back, and I look forward to trying more vegan/vegetarian options!

The service here was absolutely incredible the interior looks super detailed as well and it was…read moreoverall a great vibe. The food was some of the best yet unique type of food I've ever had. Yakisoba and Osaka style okonomiyaki was probably the best thing (besides deep dish) that I've had in Chicago while visiting. 100% recommend here please come!

Wow! My friends took us to this restaurant while we were visiting Chicago, and it was amazing. We…read morehad a reservation and did show up about 15 minutes late. The hostess said we could still be seated but another reservation was coming an hour later. I had never had okonomiyaki before, but I got to try three different kinds plus some yakisoba. We ordered four dishes and shared them among the four of us. We got the pork belly yakisoba, pork osaka style okonomiyaki, shrimp osaka style okonomiyaki, and the mushroom and yuba Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. My favorite dishes were probably the pork ones, but I really liked trying all of them! When our waiter asked if we wanted dessert, we said how the hostess told us we would need to leave by a certain time for the next reservation. However, he said we could order dessert anyway. I thought it was weird the hostess was being so finicky about the time, since usually 15 min late is within reason. We did get the red panda. It's mostly ice and a little ice cream, but it was very good and so cute! I would definitely come here again! It is a bit loud if you have anyone in your party who has trouble hearing. You are also quite close to other people in the restaurant.