In its earlier iteration Joy Yee's made delightful smoothies. In addition to being flavorful they…read morehad lovely fresh fruit on top. We wanted a drink to share on our walk along the lake. Our drink had to be ordered at a soul-less kiosk (ok at an airport but in a vibrant community down town?). I understand appreciate the need for innovation, but....Our pineapple and banana smoothie came out flavorless due to the fact the fruit they used was unripe--added sugar shouldn't be required to bring fruit alive. The traditional lovely fresh fruit on top and tapioca now comes with a surcharge-I guess? that's fair enough. Instead the drink is sealed with a generic heat sealed plastic lid. I don't think we spoke to or were greeted by a single human either. It seems to have become the McDonald's of smoothie's. Very disappointed.

We went to Joyee recently for a later night dinner and it was delicious!…read more We got: Crab Rangoon: 4/5 it is a yummy appetizer if you love crispy wonton skins with creamy filling Honey walnut: 5/5 really good when you first get it and even when you reheat leftovers! Perfectly crisp and their massive shrimps! Durian avocado with tapioca: 5/5 very creamy and delicious. Great if you like durian. The service was quick and it wasn't too busy when we went.

Everything was amazing, here on vacation and was not disappointed, actually amazed with food…read morepresentation and service! I went there yesterday and would go again today. Thank you

Wanted to try a new spot close to home with my boyfriend. The ambiance was really nice, and all of…read morethe servers were friendly and welcoming. We ordered an Espresso Martini, Diet Coke, Shoyu ramen, and the Black Dragon roll to share. Unfortunately, the food and drinks didn't quite live up to the atmosphere. The espresso martini was pretty bland and lacked that bold coffee flavor you'd expect. The shoyu ramen was extremely salty--my boyfriend usually enjoys saltier dishes, but even he couldn't get through it. It almost tasted like a heavily seasoned braised pork broth that had been diluted into a ramen base. The Black Dragon roll also felt a bit overwhelming, with too many competing flavors, and it came across more sour than balanced. Overall, great service and ambiance, but the food could use some improvement.

We went to Koi for the first time last night and I was pleasantly surprised by their food…read more The restaurant was pretty busy for a Wednesday night but there wasn't a wait for a table. The service was a bit slow but it seemed they were short staffed. We got: Shaomai: 4.5/5 it's good but a bit pricy compared to other spots Dandan noodles: 3.8/5 it's good but wasn't peanuty like others Walnut shrimp: 4/5 good but I think it could've been crispier Popcorn chicken: 5/5 loved the price and crisp! The restaurant is cute and has a nice cozy vibe about it with some Asia decor.

I have been to Koi before. We were meeting a group here for dinner. I think if I came back, I would…read moretry to take advantage of some of the happy hour deals. Our group had six people in it and for it's size, overall I felt the table service was minimal and very hands off. In fact, several times, a member of our party had to get up for a few things. An empty bottle of sake slipped off the table onto the floor, thankfully did not break, and no one even came to see what the noise was about. Having said that, the interactions with staff that I did have were friendly and helpful. When the check came, it of course had an automatic twenty percent tip included, so I guess the staff figures they are covered either way. The food overall is good, it's more the cost of everything is just so high these days it is a turn off. I am not sure you really feel the value return for the money you spend these days in a restaurant. I feel you get more bang for your buck cooking at home these days. So as I said previously, I would try to take advantage of some of the happy hour deals.

This is a fantastic place for a meal. The menu is small, but the dishes are perfectly done and…read morepresented. Service is immaculate. Great place.

This place is incredibly cute if you're looking for a nice ambiance. It was my first time trying it…read moreout and I loved the small attention to details. There was a live saxophone player and I loved the live flowers they had. Our waiter was extremely nice and took the time to explain the menu as well as their customer favorites. I order a Thai iced tea which wasn't bad but I prefer mine a little thicker and sweeter. It came in a thin tall glass which in theory was not a lot of drink. To start we order the chicken appetizer and fried beef on rice to share and unfortunately I did not snap a pic but these were listed under apps or shareables but the portions were extremely small. As our mains came I noticed that they were also small and each were around $20-$30 per plate. Not a bad thing if you don't eat much but I'm a big bang for buck type of gal. My family came to share and this place is a more fine dining thai restaurant which could explain the smaller portions. We ordered the pad Thai which was alright in my opinion I expected a little more flavor, the aubergine which was tossed vegetables as recommended by our waiter which was also ok not much flavor but beautiful plating though, and the coconut curry which was by far my favorite. If I were to come back here I would order that again, it was a nice light yet complex flavor profile which made me savor every bite. Overall good place for an upbeat fancier meal and I highly recommend the coconut curry braised chicken if you visit. Little pricey but that's just my opinion let me know what you guys think if you visit! Oh and they also give your receipt in a boat which they spin and leave a thank you card once you paid which was really cute.

My wife and I went to Dozika this past frigid Saturday night. We were welcomed by the waiter "Ta,"…read morewho graced both of us with a cup of complimentary hot green tea -- MUCH appreciated! Then we had their spring rolls appetizer, always tasty. Both of us ordered their slightly spicy yellow curry, which is loaded with veggies including sweet potatoes. And I had a bowl of tangy Tom Kha soup, just what I needed to warm up my innards.

I just walked in because the bakery down the street had no bathroom(!) It was empty except for a…read morefew regulars and I had a nice seat by the window. I ordered the bento box that had the CA roll. Great miso soup, cucumber salad lightly seasoned, the tempura (fried veggies) was fresh and crispy, and the teriyaki tofu had a nice balance between sweet and savory. Glad I stopped! Lots to choose from too. Next time I'd try their Thai food...

Not sure why this doesn't have better ratings. I went for dinner tonight. The food was excellent…read more The place is beautiful and quirky. The lighting and level of the music are just right. Check this place out!

I truly wanted to love this adorable Thai restaurant especially because of how conveniently close…read moreit is to where I currently work however the bad vibes from the owner is a turn off. The first time I visited I didn't realize they close at 8:30 pm so I arrived at 8ish and the server/owner snapped at me that they will be closing their doors by 8:30 pm so I hurriedly ordered a delicious chicken satay appetizer with peanut sauce presented beautifully in a tiny goblet and a crispy curry puff which was extremely good too. I loved the thai iced tea even though it was served in a small glass with lots of ice. The reason I am leaving a two is because the owner made me feel like I was not welcomed and an inconvenience because I arrived half an hour before closing. It was hard for me to savor the food based on the fact that the owner who is also a server to cut costs made it clear she needed me to leave when they start the closing process so I rushed through my first ever dining experience there. Today was my second and admittedly will be my last. The owner gave me the same icy indifferent attitude as if I wasn't genuinely welcomed. The first time I dined there I had a feeling she was the owner so I didn't tip and this time the owner lied to me when I mentioned I knew she was the owner when she practically DEMANDED a tip after my disappointing dining experience. She said she works there as s server and doesn't have a clue who the owner was completely lying to me so I would be quilted into leaving her a tip. First of all I arrived here at 1:30 and she coldly stated they close at 2pm no exception. There was no separate lunch menu and she let me decide what I wanted and didn't even take my order till 1:40pm I chose the crazy noodles with beef and you either get a tiny portion of cucumber salad or an egg roll appetizer. When my food arrived there were no chopsticks just forks and the plate was very decorative but the portions were extremely small. The egg rolls were good but each eaggroll was the size of your pinky finger and you get 3 tiny pieces. I ate quickly and when I got up to pay she asked me how id like to tip. I knew she was the owner so I felt it was HIGHLY inappropriate to hustle a guest for tips especially if you own your own restaurant and you're serving to cut costs by not hiring a server to work for you. Again I thought it was a tacky move on her part to insist on a tip and then lie to me and say she doesn't know who the owner is in real life. I don't like the owner's lack of business ethics so I will not be returning here especially because the lunch deal is extremely overpriced and doesn't include a side of salad or rice or beverage. She never once smiled at me nor made me feel like a welcomed guest so I don't feel like returning to support a business that treats their customers with such disdain and genuine unkindness. Also let me Reiterate even if the food is good my meal was soured by the negativity from the owner who works here as a server too to cut costs. My meal was $18 ish dollars not much of a deal when you realize the plate portions are small and the appetizer is miniscule too. What spoiled it for me was her lack of kindness and no chopsticks. Just not the vibes I'm seeking. I don't like the fact that the owner lied to me about not being the owner so very sketchy!

Fantastic sandwiches and salads. Comfy place, really friendly staff. Wish they had ice for the…read moresodas or maybe a soda machine :)

Quick service, good sandwich, the chips were good. Simple clean storefront and not too long of a…read morewait. Good quick stop for lunch. Wasn't overly impressed to say I love it, but it's a good change up.

Getting close to living in the area for 30 years and had not been back to Kuni's until recently…read more Just had forgotten (unless things really changed) how cozy having a place this close to home is. Good wide menu with items that you don't find at your mainstream japanese restaurant. More like old school Chicago Japanese. (Thinking a blend here of old Ginza and maybe some parts Sunshine.) Maybe only with the departure of those favorites we appreciate more what has stayed on. Appetizer selection is long enough to just get small plates to share. Notables: - ebi snijo (homemade shrimp ball) - hamachi jaw (if you haven't had it) - hirame no cha soba age (fried green tea noodles and whitefish rolled with seaweed) - evokes the old Ginza restaurant for me - octopus sunomono Even after three recent visits without repeat apps, there are still more we haven't had elsewhere to try. Part of the reason for that is - we get entrees too. We've been happy with: - chirashi (curious how the sashimi D differs) - Salmon Bento (D) - so many different things fun to share! - Kuni's Special - gomaee and mixed seafood sunomono, then our choice of sashimi followed by saba - nabe yaki udon is reasonable here at $13 with two tempura shrimp Know there's lots of reviews here, but as long as there is room on weekends for us we're happy to share!

This place is a very casual sushi spot that is very authentic and has great service. The staff is…read morevery nice and it was a good experience to sit at the bar and eat. My friend loves sushi and claimed this was the best quality sushi he'd had. The place isn't very vegetarian friendly though; they have some veggie rolls, but nothing is a specialty roll so it feels very basic. I ended up getting a side of mushrooms and had that with rice which was good, but of course not the most vegetarian friendly place. However, if you don't care about specialty rolls and just want really good quality sushi, this is DEFINITELY the spot and you won't regret it!

I got delivery so I can't speak to the vibes. It got here fast enough, the rolls were reasonably…read morepriced (they seemed maybe a little bit smaller to me so just order accordingly if you're really hungry), the fresh salmon was soooo rich and creamy, and idk if this is on them but I always tell people to call instead of just leaving it at the door with no notice and this one actually did. (Also they have Thai iced coffee and I loooove Thai iced coffee.) A great afternoon pick me up.

I gave Paragon another her try. This time the food seemed a step up. I had the bento box with…read morechicken (teriyaki). This is a generous amount of food. Includes miso soup which was quite good. The california roll is a little small but nevertheless decent flavor. The lettuce had a nice wasabi dressing. and the teriyaki was decent. You get 3 sashimi which are decent size. All but the salmon was good. The salmon was inedible. It was old and had a smell. I didn't complain because I was full. The rice used with the sashimi wasn't quite right. It didn't stick together.

I got a yogurt mango tea and a cheese foam strawberry tea slush. They were both good, but I…read morepreferred the yogurt mango tea because it had more layered textures from the yogurt and toppings. The cheese foam strawberry slush was a little too watered down for my liking, but not bad. The interior is minimalist and good for study/work, but the AC is pretty strong so it eventually got too cold for me. There are a couple tables to fit 4 for study/work, as well as a couple high chair tables. Gender neutral restroom available. The staff were also very helpful and nice. I'd come back!

This is one of my go-to spots for all things tea in Evanston. But also, my go-to drinks is often…read morethe mango yogurt (not tea). It's just in a convenient location down town and the drinks are good. They make them fast and it's never super busy inside. They have a great range of drinks AND now desserts too. And it's one of the few places I can easily buy tea eggs!! The inside of the shop is very white and clean. with some high top ledge seating and a couple of regular tables. I don't usually sit inside to drink my drink and I just take it to go. The people working there are always really nice and friendly.