This was really good! The space is super bright and airy with exposed brick and interesting wall art. The fried chicken had a pretty unique breading and good texture. The appams were very spongy and bouncy. The coffee needed more sugar. Once we added some, it was great. The service was also very efficient. We got our food pretty quickly, but it was still fresh. Also, they run orders through a toast tab, so it's super easy to place orders and pay at the end of the meal. Service fee is included in menu prices, so no need to worry about tip. read more

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Thattu is a fun new restaurant, so definitely make sure to make a reservation if you want to go. The space is open, bright, and colorful, with murals painted on the walls. Their menu is small but has a lot of variety. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. The restaurant is a small plate place where you order a bunch of dishes and share with the table. We ordered all the small bites plus the kadala curry and malabar chicken biriyani. The eggplant theeyal was one of my favorite dishes because the coconut tamarind sauce paired so well with it. It was bright and tart (and I love tamarind!). The beet puff was light and flaky. The kappa bonda was good but it does only come with 3 balls. The kadala curry was my favorite. It was well balanced and hearty, and it was fun to try the appam. We also had a dessert, which was so good I could have eaten the entire bowl myself. It was a warm rice pudding, not too sweet and full of flavor. One of the reasons this restaurant is so cool is their set up. You order everything from your phone and the kitchen courses it out for you. Even though you order on your phone, the staff is still very kind and attentive, constantly bringing us more water and clearing dishes. Also, this dinner was very affordable. There were five of us, we ordered 8 dishes and it came out to $22 a person. Part of this is because Thattu does not accept tips. They pay their employees a liveable wage, which they build into the cost of the food so that the staff don't have to rely on tips to be paid. read more

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Update after owner reply: Understood that it was peak time. The issue is communication: no posted notice about reservations, and being turned away with no wait estimate or waitlist after we came via Yelp with a hungry kid. It isn't realistic to call every single time before visiting. We'd appreciate an apology for how the interaction felt, plus clearer signage/Yelp details and a basic waitlist/ETA process. - - - We were really disappointed with our experience here. We drove 30 minutes to the restaurant with our child, only to be told they don't accept walk-ins and are reservation-only. That's fine -- policies are policies -- but what was truly upsetting was the way we were treated. The receptionist wasn't busy at all -- just sitting there -- and didn't even offer a simple apology or show any courtesy. No greeting, no "sorry for the inconvenience," nothing. The lack of basic hospitality made us feel completely unwelcome. If the restaurant clearly communicated their reservation-only policy online and trained staff to be more empathetic, it would save others from having a similarly disappointing experience. We left feeling really let down, and we hope others don't have to go through the same. read more

Flat out one of the best meals! So grateful to have found this gem! The apps were amazing and the main courses were lick your plate clean. Service was perfect. Loved being able to close out my bill, pay and leave when we were ready. We had the mussels and efgplant dishes to start which were amazing. For dinner we had the fish, and one of the chicken dishes. The flavors or incredible. The serving sizes were awesome. Definitely gonna be coming back here. read more

Someone I know said this is one of the best Indian restaurants in town, and boy were they right! Simply put, the food was 10/10 Service was timely and staff was really friendly. Ambience was well light, table were placed spaciously. Chicken biryani was the highlight for me. The authentic aroma and spices took me right back home. Liked it so much I made it a point to mention it to the owner on my way out, who being the kind man that he is, called his wife (the Chef) to have a chat with us. Amazing couple running an amazing restaurant! Definitely going back again! read more

Thattu - Chicken Biryani - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Average experience overall. The Appam was way too thick. The goat stew and chicken curry were pretty good

We decided to stop by on the spur of the moment--since we knew reservations were tricky to get, we inquired about sitting at the bar and they seated us there. The restaurant is small with a minimal aesthetic. The staff was all cordial. In lieu of dinner we shared a couple of appetizers, an entree and a drink. The mushroom dish was the winner for me: seared button & oyster mushrooms with shishitos, with a pea puree and coconut chips. Really nice flavors and textures with a bit of heat. My non-alcoholic passionfruit spritz drink was a good accompaniment for the dish. I'll be back to have a whole dinner soon. read more

Thattu - Mushroom Mezhukkupuratti - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Thattu was a fun experience. We walked in and were a little underwhelmed by the ambience. They are a tip free restaurant since we have to place our order online and get our own plates, cutlery and water from a rack. We still had a server come up to us and explain the rules and give us some suggestions. The food came in fast and was sooo good, especially the Kadala curry, Appam, Fish Fry and Curd Rice. We also tried the Sarbat and the Konkanita cocktails. Overall, the food was great but not sure if I would return. This place is more of a casual eat place rather than a fine dine restaurant in my opinion. read more

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We had lunch today at Thattu. It was bustling with almost every table full, but the tables have ample space between them and it wasn't too loud. The beautiful exposed brick and huge windows cast a warm glow on the modern dining room. They nailed Indian flavors without being heavy or greasy, and the fun fusion dishes we tried, like Indian-spiced tater tots with sulfur salt and beet ketchup are well executed and a lot of fun. It would be easy to eat healthy at Thattu, and I enjoyed the vegetarian combo with vegetable curry, rice, beans, and sauteed Brussels sprouts with coconut. We also tried the fried chicken with dill sauce, and the catfish. Guests order through an app at Thattu, and the cost is inclusive of service. They don't accept tips. At lunch, you grab your own flatware, napkins, and water from a bar in the dining room. We didn't mind this. One particularly nice touch was that when we arrived, there were no tables available, and we agreed to sit at the bar. The host said he would let us know if a table became available, since sometimes guests cancel very close to their reservation time. Lucky for us, about 10 minutes after we arrived, the host brought us to a table. It was kind of him to remember our preference and work on that for us. Googling the restaurant later, I realized that the handsome host was co-owner Vinod Kalathil. He's clearly a wonderful business owner who knows how to make his customers happy. Thattu 2601 W Fletcher Street Chicago's Avondale neighborhood read more

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I've been here twice (for lunch and dinner) and love the flavors of the Indian food from here! Amazing Kerala food with a twist to it! Honestly, everything we ate was delicious! We ordered the Chaater tots, beet puffs, fried chicken bites, naadan kozhi curry, kadala curry, Malabar chicken biriyani, and jeera rice. The Kadala curry with appam was my favorite! The best part was getting to meet and chat with the wonderful owners of this restaurant! read more

A lot of hype about this Avondale spot. It totally lives up to it. Very vibrant, comfortable and clean space. Sat at the bar and online ordering was a breeze and the bartender was knowledgeable and helpful. I had the Salmon special and it was full of heat, textures and flavors. The dessert was perfect and with much trepidation I ordered a banana old fashioned. Absolutely spectacular. I'll be back soon with my wife. read more

Thattu - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just left here from a dinner with friend and I'm glad that we tried it. It's a very pretty restaurant-clean, airy with a boho vibe. I arrived a bit early so I grabbed a table (it's best to do a reservation here because I do not think they accept walk ins) and checked out the menu. They have a system where you scan a code to access the menu as well as place your order online as well as paying. Super convenient and great for splitting the check! Also there's no need to tip because it's included in the price. That explains why a cocktail in the neighborhood is 14 bucks! My friend and I started with cocktails and ordered the banana old fashion (least favorite because it just tasted flat), the daiquiri which was absolutely amazing and the konkarita which was good. The best was the daiquiri, light, refreshing, citrusy but tropical tasting. Divine. Food was okay. I would say for sure order the chicken bites and get a side of hot sauce. The hot sauce is so divine you will want to take home a bottle of it! Y'all need to serve a bigger quantity for the people though and not be serving this small ass amount! It's no fair because it's so tasty! The chicken bites are juicy, have a great flavor and coating on them. The yuca balls served as appetizers were good to try. Pass on the chicken curry--bland, watery, not special. Pass on the chickpea curry--just not special but for sure the better of the entree dishes. Do try the appam because it's tasty and there is nothing like it. We had some issues with the couple of apreems served being stuck to the plate. Make sure yours isn't served flat and is actually turned over to avoid not being able to grab it. It's light, sweet, crunchy and just yummy. I was disappointed in the service. We had the mishap with our apreems and had to wait a bit to get new ones. This wasn't a problem but it took forever for someone to notice us not being able to eat our food. Secondly my dish arrived about 30 minutes later after my friend already had her dish. She waited to eat her meal before my meal came and her dish was cold. It took me finally calling over a server to ask where my dish was. I feel with these mishaps we deserved something special to make it a more pleasurable experience. It's also a bit pricey for the serving of food but it's fun to try different things with friends--tip being included does help. Glad I tried it out. It's always fun trying new spots. Not sure it's memorable enough to make a second return. read more

Very laid back and modern interior. Food came about pretty quickly. The sandwich had a very well seasoned but slightly dry chicken thigh on it. Also, while heavily seasoned it wasn't spicy. The brioche bun was soft and the curry leaf aioli added a necessary wet component. The chaat tots tasted like regular tots but the beet ketchup was a nice alternative to typical tomato ketchup. read more

Thattu - Spicy Kerala fried chicken sandwich w/ chaat tots - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lovely restaurant. Had the Eggplant Theeyal- roasted eggplant with coconut and tamarind and other spices. Tasty . Meen Pollichathu- a delicious tender whitefish steamed in banana leaves . Comes with a tumeric lime rice. Great combination of flavors and the fish was flakey and flavorful. Kerala fried chicken bites. Omg these were absolutely delicious. Wonderfully seasoned in a dry rub and the flavors were outstanding. Spicy, savory and bold. My favorite . Lastly we had a Pork Chop braised with collard greens that had coconut flavors and a yucca cake y thing. All items were delicious. The only thing I didn't care for was the lassi flavored popsicle. We were hoping it was an actual mango lassi. Creative take on the original that comes from Pretty Cool Ice cream shop. Tasty but not my choice. Truly a lovely restaurant. I enjoyed all the dishes. No pictures to share at this time. I plan to visit Thattu as I truly enjoyed it. Bonus for this girl (aka ME) , it's 10 minutes from my place . Woot woot !! read more

Really really thoughtful operation, delicious food, very helpful service. I think the prawns dish was the most flavorful thing I've had this year, and the spice level was just perfect. The fried chicken was also perfect - just enough bite to them and wasn't too breaded/fried. I will absolutely be back!! read more

Thattu - Kappa bonda (yucca balls), beet puff, and kerala fried chicken bites - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Sooo good! they have non-meat options. I was especially impressed with their cocktail selection which was very good!

Blown away by the blend of flavors in each dish. A rising star in Chicago! - Pepper Chicken has quite the kick. Pairing with rice or appam is the way to go. - Chicken Biryani can be topped off with raisins and/or cashews. Comes with a side of raita! - The cocktails are on another level. Each one packs such a unique blend of flavors and has something for each person's taste in your group. For a safe, nonalcoholic option, go with the Manga Inji (mango nectar and ginger beer). Ordering can be done on your phone through Toast, and our appetizers started rolling in within 15 minutes of ordering. Kerala Fried Chicken Bites (not pictured) were a fan favorite! Can't ignore the ambiance here as well. Has the vibe of a coffee shop with the cozy wooden tables and art work, but operates at the efficiency and service of a high-end restaurant. Perfect for a date or group dinner with friends. Would absolutely go back! read more

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The food was yummy. I especially loved the bread pudding. The QR ordering system was disappointing. I do want an actual server to take my order. Also no one was checking on us, so we had to flag someone down to get a refill on water. It was not worth the price to me. read more

I thought the food was decent. As an average Indian cuisine consumer, I came with a different set of expectations thinking each dish would be buttery creamy and wonderfully spiced. The dish I ordered was cardamom-forward and tasted flat in other spices. The fried chicken was also really dry and lacked flavor. I do appreciate that you don't have to tip here and the workers discourage you from tipping. I'd come back and try their food again though. read more

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My family and I visited Thattu for lunch after reading about it being a NYT top 50 must eat restaurant. The restaurant was cute and self serve - you grab your dishes and silverware yourself and ordering is completely contactless through a QR code on the table. The host and servers were quick and attentive! However, the food was a little overhyped. It was tasty but nothing super special to write home about. The chaat tots, fish fry, and chicken curry are a must order!! read more

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A very close friend of mine, their family and I encountered an unfortunate incident at this place. The sister of my friend is highly allergic to certain foods, so before entering the restaurant, we kindly asked if it would be fine to bring a meal that is safe for her allergies. The personnel replied positively, and at the beginning, everything looked good. However, in the middle of their dinner, a person that seemed to be higher management or the owner, whom we assumed was drunk because he had been consuming a considerable amount of beverages at the bar while we were there, abruptly came to their table and started yelling at them for no reason at all. With the whole restaurant watching, he accused and shamed us for nothing more than sharing a few tortilla chips from the allergy-free meal. This was completely unnecessary and very rude. we went home feeling humiliated, astonished, and angry after such a treatment even though we had obeyed all the rules and had even asked for permission beforehand. Judging by their experience, I would not recommend this place to anyone. To add insult to injury we spent a considerable amount of money for food that we described as less than mediocre. read more

I was so so so excited to come to this new location! As a malayalee, it's hard to find food from kerela anywhere and chicago wasn't an exception. All the months of following and checking their insta paid off when I finally made my lunch reservations... it was totally worth it! The owners were so friendly, they have a nice little reading area too where we sat down after eating to glance through the books. The food was amazing, we got the chaater tots, chorum kariyum and coriander chicken. Everything was exceptional. We also shared a malabar ginger cooler and it was so good! Overall amazing experience and we'll be back! read more

Thattu - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I don't even know where to start with this review, but my friend and I had Thattu on our list to try as soon as they opened. We finally made it in today and wow. Everything was incredibly delicious and beautiful. I loved the artwork and the overall vision the owners' have for the place. I can't decide my favorites, but we essentially ordered the whole menu and nothing disappointed. We ordered a few times with the QR code, but the servers came by multiple times to explain the dishes and give recommendations. read more

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Pretty bare bones decor, but the foods was delicious. Went for lunch & had the chicken sandwich. Wonderfully seasoned. read more

Thattu - Chicken sandwich - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

overall: 3.5 food: 4 ambience: 2.5 service: 1.5 this was recommended by a number of my Indian friends, and much like my fav spot in the city, Basant, it focuses on a specific cuisine that is not the standard American Indian fare. which i love and appreciate! the food we had was great to just okay: kappa bonda were kind of bland kerala fried chicken bites were a highlight! and i ordered the chettinad pepper chicken for my main with appam, which i found to be quite good and nice and spicy. my bf's kadala curry was pretty good and the rice was alright. sadly the whole experience felt very impersonal with the worker (since there aren't really any waiters here) preëmpting all conversation by saying they are tipless and everything is handled via QR code: ordering, menu, paying. which leads to the question: if "tips" are baked into the food prices (which is totally fine), then why is there really just minimal service? (e.g.: i had to repeatedly go pull new half-filled water bottles from the bar to refill my cup, and after that initial interaction, no one passed by again to check in or even ask if we were enjoying the food, since it was our first time dining in, and it is a unique cuisine type.) sadly, this weird impersonal and cold experience brought down the general vibe of going out to eat. however, i'd go back to try some of the other items, but will set expectations lower. maybe just go for a quick lunch versus a nice dinner. read more

Thattu - chettinad pepper chicken - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was thrilled to hear that Thattu was finally a restaurant (had frequented their pop-ups many times). Have been a few times and have found the food to be delicious and consistent, delivered straight from the kitchen piping hot. Having been to Kerala, the food is true to its roots and the portions are as-expected. Love the integrated tech to help streamline ordering and payments. Street parking has been easy to find too. read more

Very rarely does a place get 5 stars, in my opinion, but Thattu is such a place. Opened up by a friendly couple, one of the partners is the chef and can be seen serving and picking up plates; arrogance is not something you will find here, not in their service and not in their dishes. The food was some of the best Indian food I have had in Chicago and totally worth the effort of finding a reservation. The eggplant theeyal which I highly recommend for it's intense and bold flavor. The chicken biryani and the Chettinad pepper chicken are a must! My mouth was overwhelmed with pleasure and it felt like every sensation was being activated. It wasn't too spicy (I can handle heat) but it still left me with that warm feeling in my belly after a spicy meal. The setting is cozy and servers are knowledgeable and friendly. read more

Thattu is a smaller, nicely decorated restaurant near Metropolitan Brewing. I personally love ordering from QR codes, as it is easier to space different courses out. The staff was attentive, available to answer questions, and the food came out fresh and hot. It is also nice that the prices are 'all inclusive' and there are no additional tipping options available. The food was all very good. We got two of the beet puffs, pan speared mussels, kadala curry, and warm, rice dessert. Everything was quite tasty, but the curry was definitely our favorite. The flavors melded together perfectly. I also had the Konkanita cocktail and it was delicious. This isn't the place to spend 3 hours catching up with a long-lost friend, but we were at our table for nearly 1.5 hours and didn't feel rushed. We did see another table get moved, as the restaurant needed their table for another party. I look forward to returning! read more

The ambiance was informal and fun. The food was hit or miss. There were seven of us and we did get a taste of most dishes. The flavors were strong and good but lacked an overall sense of balance. For example, the chicken with the coated spices was quite dry and spic, there was a lot of it, can't believe I'm saying this, too much. Coffee and drinks were very good though. read more

I really loved it here! The staff was so kind and it truly cured some of the homesickness I had as Kerala food isn't so common to get :)

I had the good fortune to visit Thattu last week and speak to Vinod and his amazing team. I had the Malabar Ginger Cooler $6, Kerala Fried Chicken Bites $13, Eggplant Theeyal $11, Chicken Ishtu $18, Meen Pollichathu $25, and Appam $4. I was completely blown away by everything. The service is friendly and gracious. You order everything on your smartphone. When I paid our tab, there was nowhere to add a tip, so I asked and was informed that the gratuity was included. This was where I was a little concerned because with below average menu price points, I couldn't imagine how a small restaurant business could survive and thrive. I left a cash tip because, I know personally how hard it is to run a restaurant and how small the profit margins are. If we want small independent restaurants to survive and thrive we need to compensate them for their hard work. Bravo for creating such a warm and welcoming space! I can't wait to return. Keep up the great work and don't be afraid to increase your prices. read more

I had high expectations for Thattu after hearing so much about it, and it did not disappoint! The staff was super helpful and lovely. The wife + husband duo running the place were very hands-on. The wife is the chef and she stopped by our table to drop off a dish and ask how we were doing. It was a sweet touch and reaffirmed that Thattu is meant to be a place for community and good food. It's also a nice touch that tipping isn't a thing here! Below is what we ordered: Cocktails: 4/5 for Konkanita and Sarbath Apps: 5/5 for Kappa Bonda (small delish bites!), Kerala fried chicken bites, Mushrooms Entre: 5/5 Meen Pollichathu had a flavor-packed curry and fish was cooked to perfection, Appam was light and tasty Dessert: Kaapi - south Indian style coffee, Pazhanjan was sweet and a little spicy at the same time read more

Bright and airy interior, beaming smiles from our host and server, and delicious food; we had a lovely time. Everything on the menu had an approachable level of heat, which makes it easier to share plates without a spiciness negotiation. read more

Appam is the real deal Limited options, but all are good. We tried most items on the menu. read more

Food was okay but felt overpriced. They used to employ a no tipping business model as it's already reflected in the menu prices . But went a few weeks ago and not only did price go up, but also they switched back to a tipping model like every restaurant. Unfortunately, they didn't communicate this when you dine and service was overall sub par. We went for a celebration which we noted in the reservation, but it was not even acknowledged. read more

This is a really nice take on some classic Indian dishes plus some reinventions. I can see what the hype is about. It smells amazing as soon as you walk in. I was particularly a fan of the beet ketchup that comes with their chaater tots. Also a fan that the service is a mix of sit-down vibe with a help-yourself casual set up: you order online, grab utensils and water, but staff is still coming by regularly to check on you. My only critique is the flavor combos for the fried fish dish were kind of a roller coaster of flavor punches in the potato mash versus the more subtle fish and rice. read more

Thattu - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place has got potential! I've been looking forward to their opening for some time and was happy to have visited them recently. Walking into the restaurant I was immediately reminded of the cafes of Bangalore - the kitchen smells combined with the aesthetics of the furniture and spacious venue that gave an airy feel to the place. We were served quickly and professionally. In fact, the service throughout was generally good. You order and pay through a QR code which in my opinion tends to make things smoother. Still, the servers were by often asking offering to explain the menu and give suggestions and check in on things. We ordered vegetarian dishes. I was somewhat surprised at the limited menu but enough to choose from and plenty to share. I recommend sharing everything. We ordered the Eggplant Theeyal, Kadala Curry, a side of rice and an appam. I also snuck in a Kerala Fried Chicken Bites for myself. For dessert we had these fried plantains with a delicious coconut sauce. Across our dishes the food came out at room temperature, some even a bit cold in my opinion. The pappadum with the eggplant was too soggy to be enjoyed. As others have mentioned the eggplant lacked a bit of flavor but the Kadala Curry was delicious- I wish the portion was bigger! The chicken bites were also tender and prepared in a way I hadn't tried before. I don't know if I'd order them again but I was pleasantly surprised. The dessert perhaps was the best part of the meal, definitely order the fried plantains. On the menu they also have South Indian filter coffee, a rare thing to find anywhere in the US. We were there for dinner so I didn't get a chance to try it but I can't wait to come back especially for this. In the end, I thought the food could have been served better. But it's a new place and there are other items on the menu such as the fish and the beet puff pastry that I'm looking forward to trying. I plan to be back to give them another shot. The atmosphere and South Indian menu are enough to bring me back. read more

Amazing food and a great environment! I loved everything I ordered. The staff was very kind and courteous. read more

Thattu - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The fish fry is small but worth it. Very tasty. I'd highly recommend this dish with the hot sauce read more

Thattu - Fish Fry & Danny's hot sauce - Indian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very comfortable, friendly, open space restaurant with fun, unusual foods (not your typical Indian restaurant). Also super convenient ordering and payment (no-tip restaurant) from phone. Tasty! read more