Yep Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (54)

"This newish casual restaurant has been open for a year and it's just great, like 5 stars great! They have a huge menu, very reasonable prices, big and delicious serving sizes, and a clean, airy, modern, and spacious dining room. They also have an easy to use e-pad for ordering a wide variety of dishes and with helpful and enticing photos of all of these dishes. The e-pad ordering is also handy for being able to specify no or less salt, no MSG, less sugar, less oil, etc, which is really a nice touch. Flagging down one of the rotating servers was easy and after ordering, the piping hot food came out without much of a wait. For this lunch outing, our party of 4 ordered 3 different bowls of congee (each $7.49), a Mongolian beef which was mine and $8.49, and an order of pork liver rice noodles ($5.49). All of the servings were very generous and great values. The congee is a simple dish, but when it's done right as it is here, the flavor is deep and rich and it's a very homey comfort food, and that's what they have here. The big dining room was busy and that's another confirmation of the value here given all the competition in Chinatown Square. I can't wait to return and try something else."

Osaka Sushi Express & Fresh Fruit Smoothies

★★★★☆ 4.1 (535) • $$

"Stopped in here to get some smoothies after a long walk around the loop and it didn't disappoint. For the very reasonable price for $5.50 for up to a mix of two different fruits, I was pleasantly surprised to see them use full fruit for the whole smoothie (instead of powders or other mix-ins and fillers). The taste of the drink reflected the amount of fruit they used the the lemon syrup was light and provided a nice way to make the drink a little more refreshing without adding too much sweetness. The boba in the drink was fairly chewy and there was a good amount provided, though maybe too much in the drink. Even with the extra boba, since the smoothie was 20 oz, there was still plenty of drink to enjoy."

Eggs Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (206) • $$

"Eggs, Inc. is on the first floor of my obstetrician's office, and I hadn't heard of it before. When I've gone to an appointment I haven't stopped in but yesterday I had an appointment and headed to work after so decided to get something for lunch. The restaurant is large, and whenever I've passed by on the way to the doctor they've never been very busy. I ordered mine to go so I could get to work and it took about 10 minutes.They have an extensive menu, lunch and breakfast, and though I love an omelet I decided to go with the reuben of the classic variety (they have a turkey reuben as well, and I have to admit it was hard to decide between the two). The sandwich was really quite good. Unfortunately I totally forgot about the thousand island, which I found later in a bag that had the side of soup that comes with the sandwich. But even without the dressing it was excellent and I'd happily order it again. It's making me hungry for one right now, actually.The soup was less good. They had chicken noodle and split pea, so chicken noodle it is! But unfortunately the chicken noodle tasted like something that came out of a can, with pressed cubed chicken and all. It went in the trash after a couple bites but luckily the sandwich was huge and filling."

Ancient Grounds Coffee Co

★★★★★ 4.7 (27)

"I visited this local coffee shop recently and really enjoyed the variety of fun signature lattes and quality coffee. I tried the Lucky Charms latte and really enjoyed it! The breakfast sandwich was a great accompaniment. The service is friendly and the ambiance is great for conversation or getting some work done. I'll definitely be back!"

Veggie House

★★★★★ 4.6 (198) • $$

"VEGGIE HOUSE: A HAIKUNot a meat in sight,Praise! A savory delight!Conference respite found"

Jubilee Juice & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (570) • $$

"Damn. This is the spot. I know what's a block or two north. I came here anyway. Damn. Week long business trip. Long FUN first day on-site. Worked a solid day, was walking to the hotel and slid in. (I used to live north side, I know what to look for in a "classic Chicago knock you in the dirt delicious corner spots") Came in. Read the full, wide variety of items they serve. Holy crap. This place was for real. Philly Steak. Philly Chicken...but my man behind the counter said "nah bro. Not tonight. Tonight you're eating an All-American". He let me add bacon. Hit the grill after the order. He recommended the straight up waffle fries. He fried them fresh, single order just for me. Damn. That burger was a half pound easy after cooked! The fries would make Chick-fil-A fans flock here...because however they fry these fries (wait for it...)DAMN!!! so I dragged a friend here again tonight. He had the cheddar bacon burger, I tried like hell to eat half my Philly Steak. Same quality...except tonight my man behind the counter hooked my friend and I up with badass smoothies. Off the menu badass smoothies. Nothing crazy... traded something for apple juice and let us try a sample...Damn. We both bought one. If he had had a large, I would have bought it. If you're in this part of Chicago, eat here. If you live up to about 15-20 minutes away, it's worth the trip. I know there are a lot of spots like this in this town...but this one is one step up. I've eaten in dives like this in Philly, NY, Boston, Houston, Austin, LA, Bozeman...this is in my top 5 anywhere spots. #dropsmic"

Bonci

★★★★☆ 4.2 (26)

"Pizza was exceptional! This is my new favorite place in Chicago! Like their spot in Italy they cut the slice to the size you want! Crust is unbelievable and the spicy eggplant was special! The ambiance is good for a pizza place. You can eat outside too! Prices are reasonable and service was amazing!"

Chicago Raw

★★★★☆ 4.3 (248) • $$

"I love raw vegan restaurants for their creativity in creating dishes that requires little to no cooking, which is more challenging than one thinks.The small shop is a womxn owned business and is a cozy, grab and go environment. There were a few seats by the window but I anticipate most people will swing by for something and be on their way.For breakfast, I ordered their Acai Bowl ($15) with fresh fruit, protein powder, and granola. It was a decent sized portion and everything was blended nicely, although their granola felt a bit hard. But you really can't go wrong with acai and other freshness in the morning.They sell a variety of takeout meals including wraps, sushi, lasagna, etc., and yes, all of it is raw so you're really benefiting from all the natural vitamins and minerals in whole foods. It's definitely on the steeper end but I appreciate that it's available to the masses."

Poke San

★★★★★ 4.6 (17)

"YUM! We live in the neighborhood and loved this place when it used to be Real Good. We're so excited to finally have a restaurant back in this location! I tried the Hawaiian bowl, friends got the build your own. It was so good- surpassed all of our expectations! Authentic, fresh, tasty poke. Loved the spicy tuna and spicy salmon. Fresh ingredients, great fish, and so many options. Staff was so sweet and we love what they've done with the space inside. Have already been back. This will be a great addition to the neighborhood for summer lunches and pool days! They offer takeout, along with some other teas and specialty beverages. Highly recommend!"

Yours Truly Oyster Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (101) • $$$

"$1 oysters and $3 chicken tacos for happy hour! They do east and west coast oysters as well as $8 espresso martinis. Service was good and staff is friendly constantly checking on us and clearing items. Overall great experience and great oysters!!"

Golden Dragon

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (28)

"Wow!! We were so impressed that there was such good Chinese food near us that we had no idea about!ready really fast (they said 10 mins, took 10 mins), it is very clean and orderly when you go to pick it up, prices are reasonable, and they packed everything in really nice Tupperware with extra utensils.Food wasn't the best I had but definitely satisfied the cravings and portions do not skimp at all. The fried rice gave SO many shrimp and the veggies were all good too."

Original Pancake House

★★★★☆ 3.7 (280) • $$

"I'm here just before thanksgiving, meaning indoors. I'm here for the food because the decor as I said before banal. Summer outdoor seating is much preferred. Food is excellent. See previous review.P.S the strawberry compote with the Dutch Baby was out of this world!"

FARE -Northwestern Memorial Hospital

★★★★★ 5 (6)

"This is my favorite spot in the area! I enjoyed their salmon and BBQ tofu bowls. The seedy cookies are REALLY good, definitely recommend getting one. I have also gone to a lunch event that was catered by them and loved it. I believe I met one of the founders, and she was very kind. Service is always fast, and it's super convenient to be able to order ahead online."

Lemme Get Ummm

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (14)

"First off, let me say I ordered off Uber Eats for delivery, so I didn't have waiting issues like others who left reviews. I ordered the salmon Philly and I really enjoyed it. The sauce was sweet and savory. I do think they put too much sauce on the sandwich and it takes away from the other toppings on it. The sauce is supposed to have Dusse in it, but I cannot say I tasted a cognac flavor in the sauce, so if you're looking for that flavor, don't order, because it doesn't add too much uniqueness to the sauce/dish. The sandwich was a bit small, but had a ton of salmon, which I appreciated. I think a bit of tweaking to the sandwich would make it a home run. Overall, I did really enjoy the sandwich and would order again from this place (obviously not in person though)."

Bru Chicago

★★★★☆ 3.9 (365) • $$

"Omg, can I rate a place 10 stars?? I'd say it's one of the best coffee shop, beverages and definitely the best crepe shop I've ever been to. I had the goat cheese crepe, and immediately went back and tried the teriyaki crepe. I really loved how they were able to make everything so vegan-friendly really quickly. They served the crepes perfectly - huge, and while it's on the pricey side, the quality makes it definitely worth the money. I thought the staff were also super sweet and attentive.I feel like what makes Bru special is that they literally thought of everything. Even the mismatched antique chairs and couches work with the chandeliers. I loved the atmosphere and I come to do light work/studying as it never seems to get too loud inside. Some people also meet up for crepes - honestly, it's also the best place to go after a workout also. Seriously try it, you won't regret it!!"

Queen Sheba

★★★★★ 4.9 (26)

"I couldn't find the place at first. It's right across from the post office with the entrance facing the street rather than the parking lot. It's the most quaint tiny little store front.Very tasty and clean food. The bread loafs were huuuge and I ate the entire piece given how light and fluffy it was. The owner/ chef was warm and welcoming.My only complain was that some of the ingredients (onion?) were sharp and filled the small space, which was a bit uncomfortable for my sinuses."

Cultura Ccafe

★★★★★ 4.8 (18)

"About a 2-2.5: Cultura Ccafe is a cafe located in the Avondale 'hood, offering coffee, espresso, tea, tea lattes, frappes, smoothies, breakfast burritos, crepes, waffles, acai bowls, paninis, and various baked items.We came here in the morning, and ordered:+the Horchata Latte - prepared with 2 espresso shots, horchata, and milk of choice; this could have had more of a stronger horchata taste+Biscoff Latte - prepared with Biscoff spread, 2 shots of espresso, and steamed milk; served with a Biscoff cookie; the cookie was a nice treat, but the latte was a bit weaka Strawberry Nutella crepe +a Black Bean Breakfast Burrito - filled with black beans, eggs, cheese, potatoes, and green chile+a Turkey Panini - turkey, mozzarella, pesto, tomatoes, spinach, and sriracha mayo in between a rustic-like bread+Beef and Potato empanadas - lots of crust and not much of a filling+Poblano Pepper and Cheese empanadas - lot of crust and not much of a fillingThe cafe itself is small and cozy with a handful of seating; staff were friendly.Plenty of street parking available in the area.+weak drinks+avoid the empanadas+friendly service+ample street parking available"

Bartaco

★★★★☆ 4 (100) • $$

"I loved everything about Bartaco. Our relationship started when I stopped by a couple weeks ago to just get one taco to try and they didn't charge me. How nice is that. Today my sister and I had lunch there. I had the oyster, fish, steak and pork belly. Delicious and they are nice tacos. It's hard to find tacos that don't have too much stuff on them. Bartaco's tacos are a simple but delicious. Everyone who works there is nice and they look happy to be there. Ana's service was flawless. To wrap it up - whoever designed this space (franchise) was very clever. To order you indicate what you want on a paper menu, if you need the server there's a card you place at the top of the holder. The holder has a variety of sauces. There is a container on the table with napkins and chopsticks along with a pitcher of water. They have thought about everything I might need so I enjoy my visit. I will definitely be going there again. I hope you'll try it."

Left Coast Food + Juice

★★★★☆ 3.8 (406)

"Price is good considering they put a lot of ingredients in the dishes! I ordered the chronic wrap and roasted tomato soup -- love the hard boiled eggs and steaks in the wrap, and how creamy the soup is! Service is good - you order at the counter and they give you a number stand for them to bring the food to your table. Interior is simple and bright. Atmosphere is friendly and kind of loud. Perfect for lunch!"

Yummy Yummy Asian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.9 (758)

"If you are a Jewish American that grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland like me chances are you've had your fair share of Americanized Chinese food growing up. Even after living in China and being exposed to "real Chinese food" (and LOVING it) sometimes I get nostalgic for the fake stuff. Yummy yummy Asian cuisine hits the spot of all the greatest hits -- egg foo young, pork fried rice, eggrolls are all solid and full of that msg flavor. I've never been here in person, only ordered carry out. The bubble tea smoothie is solid too. I'm a bit skeptical of the food from other Asian countries on the menu haha."

BBQ King House

★★★★☆ 3.7 (304)

"This is a branch of Chinatown's renowned BBQ King House that is located in the food court of 88 Marketplace. It looks like no one ever put up a Yelp page for this particular food stand, though it's been present from the beginning, but here it is. Wife and I were shopping and ended up having a food court lunch at 88 Marketplace. I had their two meats on rice ($12) and picked BBQ duck and roast pork. It was tip-top delicious and hit the spot. It's also a great deal anymore at $12 compared to other meal values out there. Although old timers may remember that a BBQ King lunch like this would have only been $6 not too long ago, but whatever lol. This food court is great in that despite being a busy Saturday lunch time, there was still a table to be found. There's also free parking outside, which is also a big bonus for Chicagoland anymore."

Meli Cafe & Juice Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (1034)

"A really good breakfast cafe. It has many common breakfast favorites. Meli often gets a big crowd especially on weekends. Certainly it gets annoying having to sit and wait but that's a good sign this place is ass kicking. The menu contains some surprisingly healthy choices including plant based stuff. I came with the girl at breakfast. Lunch time they're also open but the breakfast menu is the way to go. This has most of their best options. Pancakes are many peoples' favorite. They really pile then load these up. It can be hard for a vegan at breakfast. Most places have nothing for you. Awesomely this does. This is also beyond just the avocado toast. Prices are okay. They're average to kind of high but you get big portions. I was able to snag us a table at breakfast. We got the Vegan Pancakes. It's $15 for a few. These are topped with bananas and strawberries. Good and fluffy. They didn't skimp. Good for anything you can get at breakfast. It gets crowded so make a reservation. There may not be much trouble for a couple people but larger parties should call ahead for a table."

Golden Apple Grille & Breakfast House

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (414)

"Why to come here: - good breakfast food with big portions - fair prices- outdoor seating that allows dogs - pretty easy to get a table, especially if you go around dinner - easy street parking Most recently, I had the corned beef hash which was very good. It came with eggs and pancakes."

Red Mango

★★★☆☆ 3 (24) • $$

"I feel a little ridiculous paying so much for a smoothie ($5.95 for a small without tax), but it was really good! I got the Tropical Mango. Super sweet, but that's how I like it. Now I'm starting to wonder about the sugar content...hmmmmm. :)"

Joy Yee

★★★★☆ 4 (9)

"Such a classic place- the staff is friendly- food comes out quickly. The menu is HUGE! A little overwhelming. The spicy pork stone rice bowl was so good and large portion- it had a bit too much rice and not enough sauce/meat/veggies. Brown sugar milk tea was perfection. Would come back just for that"

The Red Line at Stix n Brix

★★★★★ 4.6 (94) • $

"Came in on a Saturday morning and loved it! Very rustic vibes, plenty of outlets for working, both tables and bar seating. It was a sunny Saturday morning so it was pretty busy, but still able to find a seat. You order at the counter then find a seat after, like most coffee shops. Staff here is all super friendly! You are able to see the entire coffee bar AND the kitchen which is great! And there is free street parking, as long as its not a Sox game day. Food wise - there is a variety of coffee, specialty drinks, breakfast (includes sandwiches, French toast, avocado toast, bagel, frittata; typically closes at 1130), smoothies, lunch sandwiches, and pizza!I got a light roast coffee, green line smoothie, and ham & egg breakfast sandwich on a brioche bun, all for $16. Which isn't bad especially for Chicago! The coffee had a great flavor but the sandwich was INCREDIBLE. Honestly one of the best I've ever had. The egg was runny, the sandwich was savory but also had a hint of sweet; topped with spinach and tomato. I will definitely be back!"

Le Café Station Grill

★★★★★ 4.7 (42)

"First time eating here. We ordered this to go. I was super tired from travelling and in no shape to cook. My husband grabbed this. Overall food was good. I got the chicken Mediterranean wrap and my husband got the gyro. Food was hot and price was reasonable. I would of like more sauce on my wrap as I felt it was kinda dry. Eager to try this place in person."

The Cafeteria

★★★★☆ 4.3 (61)

"Love having a healthy new spot in my neighborhood and the prices are so reasonable for the quality. I tried a plethora of things from the Mediterranean bowl, to the açaí bowl, and the juices. All were very good and fresh. It's good to know being healthy can taste good too!"

Cafe El Meson

★★★★★ 4.8 (133) • $

"This is a very cute family owned restaurant and we must support. They have many drinks, from coffee, teas, sodas and milkshakes. They are somewhat of a Puerto Rican cafe and they have my favorite sandwiches jibaritos. I order the steak jibaritos and they were amazing and big in portions too. I tried their mocha and it was just as I like it. The sandwiches you get are big and are reasonable price, not just the sandwich but everything that they sell too. This place is not only a cafe but also a book shop, you can find many books about religion, life and many other things. It's very clean and very nice inside with a patio in the back and front of the building, and it has a second floor where people can go an enjoy their food and drinks. I will definitely will be coming back"

Thai 55 Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (306) • $

"Thai 55 is one of my go to spots to order from. I always get the chicken pad Thai, and today I also got the chicken egg rolls. The chicken egg rolls were a lot heavier than I expected, deep fried and stuffed with chicken and veggies. The chicken pad Thai is always a MASSIVE portion, plenty for 2-3 meals. I would definitely order again!"

Matcha Cita

★★★★☆ 3.8 (122) • $$

"Very cute interior, but the drinks were just okay considering they were about $8 after tax. I got the Matcha Horchata this visit and it was definitely more horchata than matcha - which was not bad, just unexpected! If you want a strong matcha, this might not be the ideal spot.A big highlight is the docor and friendly staff here! They're really quick at making drinks too. A lot of people seem to do work here. Lots of seating."

Deep Purpl

★★★★☆ 3.9 (89)

"I really wanted to love this spot! Let's start with things I did love: the staff. They were amazing, so patient while I asked what the recommend because I had never been there, attentiveness, friendliness, A+ all around. I love having a plant based option right in the mix of it all downtown. Their menu is intriguing and I had really high hopes. I ordered a deep purple smoothie and one of the dessert empanadas. This was not a particularly quick experience, which was fine for me but if I was in a rush, I probably wouldn't stop here. I actually loved the flavor of the smoothie, however the texture was really a struggle for me. It was chunky in multiple differently textured chunks, and it was off-putting. The empanada was dry and I really wish it had been sweeter. Also of course to consider in this area that parking will be mostly expensive garages, so great option if you'll already be downtown or live close. Not a quick in and out parking-wise. Unfortunately I will probably not try again here, but I do think they have potential and hope others have a better experience!"

Matcha Cita

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (17)

"Cute, Instagramable matcha spot. It's located in the Studio Three so after your workout, you can grab a matcha, smoothie, or some grub. The woman who made my matcha was friendly and nice. I ordered the hot matcha horchata. While it wasn't the best matcha I've had or made, I liked it. It was a bit gritty (from the rice I assume?), but a good whisking will alleviate that. I recommend watching some of Veggiekin's IG videos on how to make matcha for some help.Anyway, it was still a good vibe. I worked on my planner while sipping on my matcha. If I'm in the area again, I definitely want to try some of the food items on the menu!"

Uni Uni

★★★★☆ 4.4 (30)

"I had a coffee based drink with boba, it was quite nice on a warmer day after going to the nearby art museum. Their system was down which made ordering difficult but they were kind and worked hard to get it restored, even to the length of getting my information to charge later, but then it came back up and they gave me a little discount. Small but nice interior, I took it to go. Cute Uni decor"

Whispers Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (125) • $

"Love this cafe but its isn't open winter. You can sit in the best park in the Gold Coast having gelato and coffee."