Infatuation Chicago said this was their most frequented restaurant in 2025!! And the owner was a contestant on Top Chef, so I was excited! And I loveeee fusion food!! Started with the vada pav which are these Indian inspired potato croquette sliders with sesame tomato achar (which was really just a slice of tomato). This was actually delicious, and that brioche bun was some of the best fluffy and soft texture I've ever had!! Next is the tandoori hot chicken - as seen on Top Chef! This was with a scallion corn pancake like the texture of a hardened polenta but also kinda waffley textured? Not sure how to describe. The chicken was fried to perfection and very juicy inside, and I did enjoy the crunchy pickled daikon and onions. The black pepper crab noodle had the potential to be stellar!! Who doesn't love udon noodles and Brussels sprouts?? They were very generous with the crab, as every bite was coated with crab bits! I think making this more curry forward would've made it even better! Service is awesome, and this is such an eclectic and vibey store! Be prepared for loud music and a vibe!! read more

See all

Absolutely 5 stars . Went on a Wednesday around 5:20 pm for happy hour. Restaurant only had a few other tables of people so no problem being seated. I love the decor and general atmosphere although I agree with other reviews that the music is too loud. Special Martinee was good and very strong and not sweet at all. Almost tasted a bit like Malort. I love Malort but most people don't. The spicy margarita was better in my opinion. The paneer dip was good but nothing too exotic or unique. The ferrano chicken nuggets were absolutely amazing . You must order. So crispy and crunchy and spicy. We could have ordered 3 . The crab noodles were good but I'd try something else next time. I will dream about the paneer masala. It was absolutely amazing and so unique. There's not cubes of paneer but a layer of creamy paneer. Very unique and one of the best things to order . I also liked the hush puppies , great depth of flavor and loved the dip . I'd order again for sure. This place is best for parties of 1-4. They can fit 6 easily on a weekday but probably hard on weekends. read more

Recently met a friend at Lilac Tiger before heading to a show downtown. The room is stylish and a little cramped. It was truly packed and people were grouped around waiting for tables. We were sat and ordered drinks and waited about 15 minutes before we saw them as the bar was pretty backed up. A great problem for a restaurant to have, but a little concerning when you have plans following your meal. We still hadn't been able to order any food 20 minutes after receiving our drinks, and we were starting to contemplate jumping ship when our waiter was able to come by. We asked about the kitchen timing this time of night and were assured they were moving quickly and our timeline shouldn't be an issue. We ordered the cucumber salad, the hush puppies, the Ferrani Special, and the whipped paneer. The food was dropped off within about 10 minutes and was SO WORTH staying! So, I recommend coming here on nights when you have nothing but time! Food and drinks are both delicious but it's a busy place and service can be slow. read more

Always a good vibe! I've been here 2-3 times now for drinks and bites and it consistently delivers tasty and unique cocktails and food offerings. I love the South Asian flavors. They recently changed their menu, which was pink and fairytale themed I believe. Recently I ordered a Sang Kancil cocktail, which had exciting flavors (including pandan jackfruit meringue) and a nice balance of sweetness. My friends ordered some bites and said they were good, though an incorrect dish was brought out. We let them know and they brought the correct one. However they ended up charging us for the wrong one, which we didn't notice until later. The ambience is perfect for a night out with friends. I love that this is a place where you could dress up for a night out or come casual or as you are, and feel like you fit in. The interior is small with limited seating but it's intimate and moody with the dim lighting and colorful walls. The music is loud enough to have a good time but not too loud that you feel like you're straining your voice yelling. They played some great throwback songs for the millennials. Outside they have a moderately sized patio which is also colorfully decorated. Overall a very fun bar and perfect location on Division in wicker park! read more

Lilac Tiger - Kancil sang cocktail - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This little place packs a big punch! We had a memorable evening at Lilac Tiger due to its fun vibe, friendly service, creative cocktails, and flavor-bomb food. Service was great start to finish, from our initial welcome at the door to our server, Noah, who gave us awesome recommendations. We ordered the tandoori honey chicken and beef chapati kabob, plus a pink is the new pink cocktail to start. Both entrees were excellent, but the kabob was a revelation: packed with herbs and accompanied by mint chutney, raita, and a crispy, delicious roti, they were bursting with flavor and my favorite dish of the night. The cocktail was pretty and potent, complex and fruity without being overly sweet. The chicken was amazingly crispy, and the dish was sweeter than I expected but still great. We were stuffed but couldn't resist the Thai tea tiramisu for dessert. The tiramisu was a very close second as best dish of the evening, and I loved the flavor of the Thai tea balanced with coffee. I find it tricky to capture the atmosphere in words. Maybe cool, urban tiki bar? Plenty of purple, including some neon, but still a place you can chill. I liked it. The music was prominent but you can carry on a conversation with raising your voice. I thought Lilac Tiger was the whole package. It's a hole-in-the-wall gem that you might miss if you walk by too quickly. I recommend slowing down and stopping in for a great time. read more

See all

My friends and I came to Lilac Tiger for happy hour and had such a good time. We particularly loved their happy hour food deals, including the vada pav, tiger fries, and chicken dish. I thought it was great, yummy snacking food for drinks but probably wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again. A good spot for drinks especially in the summer - although I personally am glad we were able to eat outdoors because the music was So Loud inside, like lose your hearing without ear protection loud and not good for catching up. read more

Lilac Tiger - Vada Pav - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I had recently dined at lilac tiger. Such a great experience. Food and drinks were phenomenal! Sheila was my server and was really helpful and a lot of fun . Thank you so much and I will be back soon . read more

I love this place, we went when we were visiting . They have some amazing fusion dishes. I really enjoyed my crab noodles and honey tandoori fried chicken. I would definitely recommend they also have outside seating, which is nice on a good weather day. read more

See all

Pleasantly surprised to grab a walk in on a Saturday night. Service was good. Had the P.S. I kinda like you drink, their version of a porn star martini, it was my favorite thing of the night by far! read more

Lilac Tiger - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

While I admit Indian cuisines aren't my favorite, Lilac Tiger was disappointing. I found the dishes lacking in flavor across the board. Wild I know for Indian dishes known for the heavy use of spices. Perhaps they've watered down the flavors to better appeal to the American palette. I wouldn't decline an invite from a friend, but I also wouldn't suggest again if I'm making the plans. 3.3 stars. read more

See all

Found this nook and let me tell you: wow! Had such a wonderful experience with my friends dining and imbibing here. Our server was awesome and the food was superb. The place was eerily empty for a saturday evening, but that didn't bother us. We got sichuan calamari and the thc sando. I was licking both plates (figuratively, I'm no heathen). The calamari was crispy and the sichuan topping was so incredible. Spicy, slightly sweet, and packed with umami. The thc sando was also superb. Super crispy chicken was dripping with the hot honey. So smooth, sweet, and just a bit of kick. We also had some cocktails which were solid. Overall, I think the intimate vibes with slightly eclectic decor make this place so beautiful. It is really small, dimly lit, and an absolute dream of a space. Everything was dope and the menu was very sabrina carpenter themed which I did not notice but my friend did, I thought that was cool as well. I would go back everyday for the sichuan calamari if I lived locally, lol read more

See all

Cute little intimate spot for really good drinks. Great service! And everything I've tried off the food menu is delicious! Highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

Lilac Tiger - A Jungle Bird All Grown Up - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Came for happy hour and specials are pretty decent. Spicy marg was bomb and only $10 for happy hour. Food was a bit hit or miss, some items were great and some were just okay. Highly recommend the chicken ferrani. Fries and vada pav were misses for me. The whole restaurant is about 6 tables so it's pretty tight and gets incredibly loud. Will be great once the patio opens! read more

Lilac Tiger - Ferrani and fries - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Called for a reservation on 2/26 at 5pm and was put on hold. Stayed on the line for 7 minutes with no response. Hung up, called back to find they had disconnected the phone line. Have been here several times and will never go back. read more

Lilac Tiger is amazing. We stumbled through for cocktails one weekend (incredible) and even though we had just eaten couldn't get over how good the food looked so we came back a few weeks later for dinner. The food absolutely lives up to the hype as well. Quick service, great drinks, open late... what more do you want?! read more

Lilac Tiger - THC sammy - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The decor and vibe here are unique and fun, which is how the drinks are, too. You can tell they put a lot of effort into their drinks. However, I cannot justify paying $80 for four drinks... we will not be returning which truly is unfortunate because we loved our visit. read more

Lilac Tiger - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Overall Thoughts: I was excited to try this spot as I've heard good things about it, but it fell a bit flat for me-- especially in its flavors. The poutine and THC sando we ordered sounded flavorful in theory but lacked flavor in practice-- and neither really hit the spot. Nonetheless, the menu is diverse and creative, a fusion of elements from multiple Asian cuisines from Indian to Thai to Korean. The vibes were chill and the service was friendly. They were busy on a Thursday night, but were able to seat me and my partner at the seats by the wall. Despite wishing the food packed more flavor, I'm still giving 4 stars because I enjoyed the dining experience overall-- the vibes, the service, the creativity-- and am hoping it was just an off day as there are other items on the menu I'd still be interested in trying. Prices are a bit high but quite standard for restaurants on Division. Food I tried: - Tiger Poutine (3.5/5): The house-made kimchi was really good and flavorful, but besides that the dish lacked flavor despite the lengthy array of ingredients. I wish the fries were crispier too. - THC Sando (3.3/5): They're known for this sandwich, but I was disappointed by its lack of flavor and content. It was just a hunk of glazed chicken inbetween bread with little sauce or other ingredients. The chicken exterior was flavorful from the honey sauce, but it wasn't marinated well so the remaining interior tasted bland. Adding more sauces or ingredients would've really elevated this sandwich which has potential. - Pawpaw drink special (4.4/5) ($10): This was just a mix of Thai Singha beer (my fav beer) and a shot of sake, which was an interesting and welcomed combo. -- Price (relative to peers): 4/5 Food: 3.4/5 Ambience: 4.6/5 Service: 4.8/5 Overall Value: 3.9/5 read more

See all

TLDR: So. Much. Yes. Will be back x500. Indian food has always been my favorites but I'm adding Indian fusion to the list! Who knew Indian/Korean cuisine was just what I was looking for? I've been here twice and both times I ordered the Cucumber Salad bc it's so light and refreshing but packs a punch with the Korean chilli flakes. There's also a nice cronch to the cucumber but also the chilli crisps and peanut powder texture enhanced the mouthfeel. The Ferrani Special is also my favorite dish! The Tandoori Honey Chicken (THC) nuggets tossed in spicy honey pairs so remarkably well with the gochujan aioli!! And it pairs so well with a bottle of Singha! Mmmmm... We were already starting to feel pretty full after that but couldn't not order the prawn fried rice!! Literally fire. Spicy? Yes, but delightfully so. It packs in so much good umami from the crab paste. It's like a fragrant upscale fried rice! Highly recommend it. And don't snooze on the cocktails either! Bring Back Spring was such a well-balanced cocktail! Some sweet and savory flavors and the refreshing yuzu sake pairs so well with all the dishes. Will be back for sure!! I only remembered to take pics of the cocktail and nuggets bc after that, I just couldn't wait to eat the subsequent dishes... oops. read more

Lilac Tiger - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Lilac Tiger is a small restaurant, ideal for groups of 2-3. The ambiance is hip, and I enjoyed the hits by Usher that was playing in the background. We ordered the calamari off the happy hour menu and this dish was SOLID. So hot and crispy and crunchy from the chili oil. Super flavorful - I loved this rendition of calamari and think that it definitely took a simple fried appetizer up a notch. We also ordered the tiger poutine and this was also a stellar comfort dish. The proportions of each of the components (kimchi, curry sauce, paneer) were perfect and I loved the intermix of curry and kimchi flavors. I also liked that the dish wasn't drowning in cheese. The last dish, that we got was the chicken masala. While the dish was overall flavorful, I thought it was overly salty and that this somehow overwhelmed the other flavors. Out of all three dishes, the masala was by far the spiciest as well. Overall, Lilac Tiger is a vibe and a fun place to come for happy hour and/or dinner. I also love that the business sets aside a certain % of the bill to provide healthcare to its employees. If you're looking for some good Indian-Korean fusion, this is the place for you. read more

See all

I came soon after they opened at 4:30pm on a Sunday. I was the only person there for almost 30 minutes and then more people trickled in. This restaurant is on the smaller side. There are a few tables and some bar seats. This place doesn't seem ideal for larger groups. Easier seating for groups of 1-4. Unless you arrive soon after they open, I would expect a wait. Thankfully, there are also other bars and shops around if you have to wait for a table. I was torn between 3 different cocktails. I ultimately settled on the Lilac Colada. This cocktail is inspired by a traditional pina colada and features ingredients like ube and sesame. The drink had a light sweetness and was well-balanced. I didn't try any of the appetizers and went straight for the THC Sando. I really loved this fried chicken sandwich. I enjoyed the flavor. I had a very positive service and food experience here. I came solo during this visit, but looking forward to introducing other people I know to this restaurant. read more

Lilac Tiger - Lilac Colada - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This spot is tiny--like 6-8 tables, so be prepared to wait. Overall decent--but the menu and experience promised more than it delivered. Engaging and friendly staff, tho very busy so not the most attentive. This spot has been a bit buzzy, and I particularly was drawn to the collab from the chef that did Kimski in Bridgeport - the inventive korean-polish fusion pub food spot that I used to be a regular at. Some of the same fusion vibes here with outrageously tasty poutine with indian cheese and korean curry. Wanted to suck it in faster than my mouth would work. 5/5 Unfortunately the menu description was more impressive than the reality for the other dishes we tried. The momo were tasty, but a tepid temperature on delivery. And despite the website warning about how spicy this spot is, these had almost no trace of simmering chili oil the sichuan peppercorn numbing spice which I LOVE. Find much better examples of these kind of momo throughout chinatown. We had seen a burger in photos, but alas, that apparently was temporary and not part of the regular menu. So went for the Chicken Sando with promises of tandori honey chicken and gochujang aioli. Unfortunately, the sandwich was smaller than hoped for, just barely fitting under it's bun, but worse: was overcooked crispy dark, approaching burnt. French roast chicken, you know? Tried to flag down some very busy servers to ask about it, but... they were very busy. It was edible, I and was hungry and went for it, but it was a bit dry and complex flavorful heat i hoped for just wasn't there. Marz did a collaboration beer for this spot--the Lilac Tiger Ale! Pink tiger art on the can was awesome. But I'm sorry, I'm bougie when i want to be, but $12 for one can of beer is just... nope. Tried it just to see if there was an amazing secret here... but while it was nice example of a pale wheat--very similar profile to Jungle Boogie (if not the same thing just re-branded)-- it was not worth that price tag. Market price for this in Chicago would be $8. read more

See all

Lilac Tiger checked all the boxes for a perfect girl's night out! I loved the ambiance, music, and attention to detail. The staff made excellent recommendations and the appetizers and cocktails hit the mark! My friend's ordered craft beers and cocktails. I made an excellent choice with a refreshing nannari highball. The appetizers were tantalizing.. they included the Vada, Nihari -beef momos, Poutine with duck, the prized wazwanimal sliders and of course the legendary ;THC SANDO. The aromas and flavors and accompaniments to each dish had us happy and full in no time! Wazwan changed the south Indian food game and continues to keep surpassing expectations! I love that they are expanding, reinventing, and collaborating. I'm in awe of the magic you create with food. I will always compliment you and your wonderful staff ; Chef Zubair!! Keep on rocking and surpassing limits!!! So Chicago foodies do yourself a favor and get here ASAP!!!! read more

See all

Great place to meet up with friends, grab a late night dinner or some drinks. The space inside is pretty small and dark, but that adds to the ambiance. The music is always great (mostly R&B) and is loud. Servers are friendly and attentive. The majority of the food is spicy, so come prepared for that! My favorite is the fried chicken sandwich (THC sando) and kati roll with paneer. read more

I'd like to start off and say the service was impeccable. Our waiter was super knowledgeable and provided us with great recommendations for a party of 6. We went in the middle week, so the restaurant wasn't too packed. The music was great, definitely not a place for quiet conversations. We got an array of things, but the stand outs were definitely the THC nuggets, vada pav, and the chettinad masala. I would love to come back for happy hour! read more

See all

Lilac Tiger is amazing! The atmosphere, service, and food was all excellent!! We ordered three different dishes and we thought it would be too much food but it was perfect. Our server was fun and friendly. In addition, the music choices were epic. The flavors of our dishes were vibrant and I could have eaten more if I wasn't so full. It's a small establishment but it reminded me of being in Europe which made it an even better experience. My husband and I both agreed we need to come back and try the rest of the menu. read more

Last-minute date night and I totally love this place! All the food was great and the service was perfect! My favorite was the Branzino, so good. We also had the squash, broccoli, and prawns. Finished with the cheesecake. Great dinner and a super cute space in Wicker Park! Everything is uniquely flavorful and the staff is delightful and so friendly. Good vibes on a snowy Chicago evening! Thank you for the hospitality. See you all soon for some of those delightful cocktails. Note to self - Try the steak or chicken sando next! Happy New Year! Cheers~ read more

Lilac Tiger - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Formerly Wazwan; same chef but rebranded and refreshed the menu a bit. I LOVE the fried chicken and calamari. It's incredibly well seasoned, a great piece of chicken, awesome sauce and toppings. It's one of my favorites fried chicken sandwiches. The downside is I've also had the vada pav and the Chettinad Masala which I found to be a bit disappointing, especially relative to the sandwich and other apps. The vada pav lacks the boldness of flavor that I think much of the rest of the menu has and the chettinad masala is very expensive for the volume of what you get - $20 for a curry that's less curry and wasn't anything super special. Some of the drinks are great too and the atmosphere is cool as well. read more

Sometimes we like to check out new restaurants. it's always a fun quality time with date nights like this Especially because I travel so much for work (& for fun) This Indian Fusion spot in Chicago seemed fun and unique in Wicker Park, so we wanted to check it out! They opened 6 months ago by: ‍Zubair Mohajir @zubairmohajir Ty Fujimura @tyfujimura from Arami Won Kim @revisecmw from Kimski Few things : 1perfect spot if you love spicy. They even say it on their menu 2 Must get: Lilac Colada by @davidmmor + THC (Nuggets or Sando) 3 No reservations - just come at odd hours, we waited for 10-15 mins on Saturday at 6:20pm. They open at 4:30pm and close 11pm/12am Prices: Lilac Colada $15 Old Fashioned $15 Ferrari Special "THC" Nuggets $12 THC means Tandoori Honey Chicken, really sesame forward , perfectly crispy with spicy gocuujang aioli Nihara Momos $15 - fresh dumpling wrappers, bed of Lentils, topped with garlic, & pickled cauliflower & onions Tiger Prawns $20 with Thai Basil & sweet potato Duck Fried Rice $28 - duck itself was slightly too salty but good with the mint leaves + pickled onions (to cut the saltiness). Fried egg + rice was done perfectly read more

See all

Lilac Tiger had excellent service. Friendly and attentive staff. The food was below average. I appreciated that the fried chicken sandwich was a fresh piece of chicken that was breaded and fried in house. But the execution was so poor I would preferred a frozen premade patty from Sisco. The fries were frozen and not good. The paneer masala had decent flavor but the tofu was much too firm. Cocktail was good. Patio was nice. But do not recommend. read more

I was satisfied with my visit. Of course there were pros as well as cons. Cons were that the food took forever to come out. Like 15-20 slow & that's for each thing you order. Anothe con is the tiger old fashioned was pretty damn terrible. I'm always hesitant to order cocktails from anywhere except the big 3 bars in Chicago & this is the reason why. The pros were the chai daiquiri & the food. The shareable portion of the menu is just that. The Indian tiger prawns weren't the freshest seafood however they were huge & packed plenty of flavor despite being as tough as rubber. Big bold flavors were the star here. I'm willing to rank the duck fried rice as one of if not the best rice entrees in the city. It's slightly on the dry side of the spectrum but the bites that contained duck were delicious. For 3 drinks, a shareable entree & a regular entree I spent $100 which was also to my dissatisfaction but the food & chai cocktail are indeed good. read more

See all

Small but mighty this place is!! Fantastic drinks with a fabulous menu to boot, plus great service makes this one of my favorite restaurants in town!! read more

Cocktails were mediocre and mixed poorly. The curry poutine was actually pretty solid, as were the desserts we ordered. Atmosphere was lively and loud, however, the service was under par. Spilled a drink on me and brought out the wrong items 2 times. This option is fine but I wouldn't return back. Plenty of better options are in the direct vicinity. read more

See all

Though it's hard to find parking over there the food was kind of worth it. The server was nice and helped me decide what to order. The Sichuan calamari was tasty and without the sauce surprisingly it was flavorful. I will note for some it might be a little spicy. The fried rice was also good but sadly not as flavorful as the calamari and they only top it with 4 prawns.It was still very good. I would recommend coming during happy hour which ends at 6pm on weekdays. I would definitely come again and bring some friends. read more

Lilac Tiger - Tiger Prawn Fried Rice - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Such a fun and delicious experience! Probably one of the best happy hours I've encountered in a while, 6 items: 3 drinks and 3 food items for like $10 highly recommend. Lovely intimate space with friendly and chill vibes. Servers are really nice and knowledgeable but also fun to see working together. The food was filling and delicious. The THC chicken, and cucumber salad are definitely some favorites and don't miss out on the daiquiri. I'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Food and cocktails were fantastic. The tiger prawn fried rice was an out of body experience. Honorable mention to the nuggets and dumplings. Definitely going for a vibe. Tight quarters, pretty dark, and loud, but no one should be surprised by that as its clear on the website what you are getting into. Only knock was that the approach to service was a bit too casual even knowing that. Long gaps between visits from staff. We'd go back, but would not take anyone high maintenance. read more

The list of things we tried was limited, but it was strong: the nihari momo and Ferrani special were both great food dishes, and the two drinks we tried (a spicy margarita and a gin & tonic) were both really good. I don't love the space here--it's function over form to the 9's!!--but it works. Looking forward to a future visit! read more

Went here for my partners birthday recently because I was really wowed by the menu (and kind of confused at the wazwan / lilac tiger / coach house distinction - I think the location where wazwan existed has recently been split into an upstairs restaurant - coach house, which is fancier tasting menu - and downstairs restaurant - lilac tiger, which is still nice but regular a la cart menu - we ate at lilac tiger). The food was overall pretty incredible - we got the sliders, the thc nuggets, the dumplings, the prawns, the duck fried rice, and the milk cake dessert. If you don't like spicy food, this is not the place for you. We love spicy and the spice levels were really delicious, other than the dumplings - this was our least favorite dish because it was a bit painfully spicy in a much less flavorful way. The nuggets are insane and so unique tasting, and my partner said the duck fried rice was one of the best things he's eaten in years and I agree. The little cake dessert was deliciously dense and not overly sweet. The restaurant is first come first serve and the tables are pretty crammed in there and the music was super loud when we went (a Friday night). Service was good but not my favorite atmosphere, but the food would definitely bring us back! read more

This place was fantastic. The mushroom bowl and tiger chat were 10/10. The slider things were also great. Cucumber salad was ok and sandwich wrap things were meh. Burger could have used a better bun. The calamari were good too. read more

I liked the ambience, concept, and service. I ordered the THC chicken and a cocktail. The food was yummy but a little under seasoned. I would've loved if it had more of a salty element! The food portion was larger than I expected and a reasonable price. The drink prices felt inflated and my drink was less interesting than what i had hoped from the description read more

Absolutely amazing! The service is impeccable, everyone is super friendly and personable. The drinks are creative and taste really good. And the food... wow! The burger is something I dream about and the fries are the perfect touch! read more