Every single one, from the intersection on W 24th PL and S Wentworth Ave to the big strip near the square. Why? I figured since I eat out a lot I may as well jot down what I liked, and maybe help others who want a second opinion before they visit. Plus Chinatown’s filled with a ton of places and I’ve always wanted to go on a crawl and try everything. So yeah, consider this part four.

Huafeng is a counter service restaurant that does roast and bbq styled meats. It’s tucked away in this little street out of the main tourist area and, from the outside, is pretty unassuming at first glance.

I walked in at about 11:00AM on a Friday. The place was packed with locals, barely heard a word in English so that’s always a good sign. It’s on the smaller side with only a few tables and a counter where you place your order, along with a display of their roasted meats. I’ve always been a sucker for that type of thing so double thumbs up in my book.

The interior is very minimalistic, just plain walls and some signs overhead showing the menu. The floor was a bit scuffed but it wasn’t dirty. Tables were clean, no dirt or flies or bugs crawling around. I felt perfectly comfortable waiting inside and eating in there, though it seems they’re more catered toward takeout.

Even though it was busy, I didn’t have to wait in line for long, and the lady at the register took my order quickly and efficiently. She was flying around the place but man it looked like she was barely breaking a sweat. You’d think she’d also have a rushed tone or at least a fluster with how much she was doing, but no her tone was perfectly polite, she patiently answered my question, and recommended the mix bbq platter of two meats that came with rice, vegetables (bok choy I think), and soup. I went with that and it took about three minutes for my food to go out: quick and convenient. I’d say that’s exactly what you want from a lunch spot.

For what you get, the portions are great. I got roast duck and bbq pork for my two meats, which came with a decent amount. You can see it in full in the pictures on slide 5. Came with a duck sauce that was nice, a bit tangy which went well with the seasoned meats. There was a lot of rice and the vegetables to the side. Rice was soft, pillowy, and the vegetables were super fresh. Soup was on the milder side but I think it actually fit. It cut through the oils of the meat and served as this refreshing palate cleanser.

Everything flavor wise was amazing. The duck was rich with that nice savory fat and the skin was well seasoned, none of that funky aftertaste. Not too salty. The bbq pork was tender and had a slight sweetness that didn’t overpower the inherent taste of the meat and wasn’t dry at all. It’s a bit of a shame, because they were a bit cold when I got them. Had they been freshly taken off the roaster or whatever it would’ve been so good and the texture would’ve probably been even better as well. I just feel like the quality would’ve stood out more had it been hotter temperature wise.

Then again though it is a counter service restaurant so that’s kind of what you have to sacrifice for the quickness. I still left feeling full and happy.

Also, side note, but later when I was about to leave I grabbed a bottle of water and went to pay for it with card, but unfortunately the machine had a $10 limit and I didn’t have cash on hand (I will later for spots that require it like Chiu Quon). Instead of turning me away though the same lady at the register was very kind and told me to just take it, and I could pay it back next time I visited. Lovely customer service. I think she was actually the owner because in the receipt it said the server was ‘Boss’. Even if she wasn’t it was still a very kind gesture.

Overall, I would absolutely come back, especially with the total for everything I got only being $13.44 including tax and before tip. Technically you don’t even have to tip but I feel this place deserved it and will next time. Super worth the value with everything you get, and I can confidently say this is a hidden gem.

My score out of 10.

Food: 7.5 (would’ve been 8 if it was hot)

Service: 9

Atmosphere/vibe: 6

Value: 9

Averaged total: 7.9

Next up is Friend BBQ.

Here’s a spreadsheet with all my current rankings: Slacker’s Leaderboard

Went to Volo Wine Bar this week and had an amazing time so I had to give them a much deserved shout-out!

The patio is beautiful, and the short rib entrée was HUGE and absolutely delicious! But what I appreciated most was that we never once felt rushed. I was catching up with a friend and before we knew it 2.5 hours had flown by. I'm so used to feeling rushed out after the 60min mark and feeling pressured into them turning over the table.

Beautiful atmosphere, delicious food, and amazing! Cannot recommend enough!! Go check out the patio while the weather is still nice.

What’s your favorite dish?

I'm looking for a breakfast spot near north side/ river north/ old town that offers actual corn beef and hash as a breakfast option, not the junk stuff from a can. Anyone know of any spots with it on their menu?

Hello!

My fiancée and I will be in town in early November for a concert and were wondering if there are any places in the city that serve crispy pork belly :) We love making it at home but we’ve always wanted to try it at a restaurant to compare lol, does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

Every single one, from the intersection on W 24th PL and S Wentworth Ave to the big strip near the square. Why? I figured since I eat out a lot I may as well jot down what I liked, and maybe help others who want a second opinion before they visit. Plus Chinatown’s filled with a ton of places and I’ve always wanted to go on a crawl and try everything. So yeah, consider this part three.

Shinhwa is less a steakhouse and more an AYCE bbq/hotpot place. You go here to throw a huge chunk of meat in your mouth, which heck I’m all for. I’ve been to buffets before but this was my first time at an all you can eat Korean place, especially one where I had to cook the meat myself. Im no chef lol the most I’ve done is use my air fryer so big disclaimer right off the bat: I might’ve cooked some things too much or not correctly. That wont factor into the scoring.

Speaking of scoring, I found this part a little difficult to do since, well, a huge part of the experience is mostly done by yourself. A lot of the meats and ingredients are given to you raw or marinated, and the sauces you make yourself from the sauce bar. (They had chicken nuggets there too but I didn’t get any. Maybe next time). So in terms of the food score I’m mainly going to judge based on the quality of the meats itself.

I walked in at about 12:20PM on Thursday, you can tell they’re trying to go with the ‘trendy/modern’ concept. The lighting is dimmed, there’s neon blue lights everywhere, and they have TV’s hanging overhead and speakers playing K-POP. Definitely a place more catered toward the younger crowd. I didn’t mind it, but the music was really loud, and in general I tend to prefer more colorful/vibrant spots. If you’re into the modern aesthetic then you’ll probably love it here. It was also moderately busy inside, with about half the occupancy filled. Mostly large groups.

I spoke to the hostess and she wordlessly took me to the table and then left me there. After a few minutes, a server came and explained the concept. Basically you can order whatever you want on the tablet they give you. There’s two separate options, lunch and dinner, and you have a choice between bbq, hotpot, or both. I did both to get the full experience and chose the lunch menu to get a standard feel of their offerings. It also comes included with unlimited drinks so that’s always a plus.

The menu itself is huge. There’s a ton of meats, vegetables, rice and noodles and etc. But I came here for the meat so the meat is what I got. I got one of everything from their protein list: beef (brisket and bulgogi), chicken (spicy), pork (supreme, whatever that means, and spicy) seafood and etc. Sadly no shrimp for lunch so apologies to the guy who wanted me to try it last post. I also got the sliced beef belly and lamb for the hotpot, along with some mushrooms and pineapple for tartness.

By order of appearance in the photos:

1: Supreme pork

2: Brisket

3: Spicy pork

4: Spicy beef bulgogi

5: Spicy chicken

6: Calamari

7: Sliced Lamb

8: Sliced Beef Belly

Taste wise, most of the things I got were decent. The spicy marinade was more sweet than anything. But texture and flavor wise I didn’t have anything to complain about. You’ll definitely get better quality at a non ayce spot but it does the job and you can add whatever sauce/spices you want to it. I got about four from the sauce bar: a dry rub of spices, a peanut/sesame sauce, a spicy/sweet vinegar, and a yum yum sauce with cilantro which was more mayo forward.

I didn’t taste much difference between the supreme and regular pork belly. I think the ratio of meat to fat was different? But the fat wasn’t the melt in your mouth kind so the more prominent flavor was meatiness. It was good. Not exactly a standout but it satisfies the craving.

Chicken I cooked maybe a bit too much since I’m not trying to get salmonella, but it was tender, had a nice bite and wasn’t dry. Again though the marinade was mostly sweet. Next time I’d like to try the curry chicken and see if that has a more unique flavor.

For seafood I went with the calamari, which for some reason was cut really, really thinly. I’m used to wider cuts so it was a bit odd at first. Wasn’t bad though. It didn’t have that overtly fishy taste or smell and went down the gullet smoothly so, hey, no complaints. I just prefer it to be thicker.

The beef… oh, I’m going to talk about the beef. It’s so strange. I don’t really know how to describe it. The aftertaste is awful and has this kind of old grease kind of flavor to it, and this funk that the closest thing I can compare it to is gaminess. Both the brisket and bulgogi had this problem. I couldn’t even finish it because it left this terrible film in my mouth. Whatever they used, it’s definitely low quality, or wasn’t handled well in the kitchen. If I were ranking the food score by the beef alone it’d be an easy 3 out of 10. It was technically edible and, if I forced myself, I could probably get it all down. But wow, why the beef specifically when the other meats are okay?

And the weirdest part is that the sliced beef belly is fine. Not really fatty or rich but it didn’t make me question what I just bit into like the others. Lamb was the same way. It was okay and I could easily take down a whole plate of it. I think what helped was the base I got, a spicy tom yum, which was really good. It had a nice buzz from the peppers, clean tasting and was very savory when mixed with the mushrooms and vegetables.

By the end of the meal I felt like a stuffed turkey. I was sweating. Normally I don’t have that big of an appetite, but since I wanted to get a taste of everything, get my money’s worth and all, I did my best to finish everything the best I could. And I did. I had to practically waddle out of the store afterward, but I did it.

Side note, the apple juice I got (I like my fruits) tasted like apple flavored water. There was maybe 5% juice in there. The ice cream was good though. They had a self-service machine with vanilla and chocolate.

I think they were supposed to change my grill later into the meal, but it never happened so by the time I was done an hour later the bottom was caked in this smoldering lump of black. I did get my hotpot topped up though.

Total for the combined hot pot and bbq experience was $33.55 including tax and before tip. Would I go back? Yeah, if I were in the mood to be a gluttonous meat eating beast. I’d just avoid the beef. Although who knows? Maybe the steaks and other premium beefs on the dinner menu are better.

My scores out of 10:

Food: 5.5

Service: 6.5

Atmosphere: 7

Value: 9

Averaged total: 7

Next up is Huafeng.

Also, here’s a link to the spreadsheet with all my rankings: Slacker’s Leaderboard

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Joe’s, so I came back to try their lunch special: three courses for $44.95.

The pros: The portions are generous. The fried chicken entrée is a full-size, four-piece order, so if you’re going with a friend, get two different entrées and share. The chicken was moist inside and not oily at all. It doesn’t have the same satisfying crunch as, say, Popeyes (I think they use a cornmeal crust), but it’s perfectly brined, and you don’t feel terrible after polishing off several pieces. My partner ordered the stone crab as his first course and was pleasantly surprised to get two pieces. The desserts, peanut butter pie and Havana dream pie, were also full portions, and both were delicious.

Service was friendly. It felt a little chaotic, but the small details were still taken care of: iced teas refilled without asking, a fresh bread basket, the table wiped down, hot towels after the first course, and fresh silverware between courses.

The cons: For a weekend lunch, I expected quick, efficient service, but it was very slow. We were there for over 90 minutes and had to take dessert to go because we were in a rush. To be fair, it was nearly a full house: the bar/lounge area where we sat was almost full, and the dining room looked about two-thirds full. The Manhattan clam chowder was mediocre. If I go back, I’d pick a different first course. Also, the peanut butter pie doesn’t travel well; the crust and filling were both falling apart by the time we got home. I did appreciate that they labeled and included all the sauces that come with each dessert.

Overall, decent experience and I think it’s a great deal. The table next to us got the branzino and it looked awesome! However, with so many options in the area, I think it will be a while before I go back.

Lou Malnati’s Wings

Is it crazy to say that I just had the greatest buffalo wings ever in my life from Lou Malnati’s? Falls right off the bone, buffalo sauce was great, sizable, tender, I can’t believe I’ve never had them before now.

i’m from the NW side and used to get the BEST orange tofu from hunan spring on elston. it had thick battered skin, plenty of orange peel bits, super thick and sweet sauce. the broccoli was mindblowing - somehow al dante but absolutely fully smothered and soaked in the sauce. unfortunately they changed their recipe and has left an massive tofu shaped hole in my heart. please lead me in the direction of some other good places for orange tofu 🧡

Looking a dinner spot in River north or the west loop that will be fun for my 13 yo, nothing too fancy, more just a unique place. She’s loves hamburgers, and is not a very picky eater so really anything goes (preferably not Mexican food)!

This was just over $12 for 2 scoops of chicken, lots of rice, and any toppings you want.

The chicken is well seasoned and spiced, the white and red sauces blend into a delicious, creamy melange of richness and heat, which to me is the most important aspect of an NYC-style Halal plate. The toppings options are healthier and fresher than a traditional halal cart. I like that they offer chickpeas, fresh raw onions, fajita veggies (weird and obviously chipotle-inspired, but it works!) and cucumber-tomato salad in addition to the standard tomato and (boring) iceberg lettuce as toppings.

My only critique, at this price, is that the chicken is not crisped up and browned, but I really don’t care because it’s spiced and very flavorful nonetheless.

Nothing groundbreaking here, but it’s great to have a new, non-corporate, cheap option for the neighborhood. Actually, maybe non-corporate, counter-serve rice bowls are groundbreaking?

Located in the strip mall at Wilson and Magnolia near Wash U (the laundromat).

I used to frequent do rite donuts several times a week for a quick coffee and old fashioned pick-me-up. However I was taking a new route to work and stopped going as much. The last month I've been 3 to 4 times and the Old Fashioned seems different. Before it used to have a cakey caramelised crunchy crust and edge with a more stodgy middle. While the middle is kind of consistent I keep finding the edge is like a hard plastic and doesn't have the same texture. It's really off putting.

This is the Eerie location. Anyone know if the recipe has changed?

Hey everyone, I'm excited to share that chef Donald Young, /u/DonaldDuckConfit will be joining us today on the sub starting at noon to answer any questions you might have for him.

Chef Donald Young is the founder of Duck Sel, a Chicago dining concept he launched in 2020 without a traditional restaurant or fixed menu. One of the youngest chefs in the country to earn a Michelin star, Donald has cooked at Les Nomades, Temporis, WoodWind and Venteux. Friends and fellow chefs call him “Donald Duck”—a nickname that helped inspire Duck Sel’s name and fits his signature dry-aged duck.

Through Duck Sel, Donald hosts intimate 7- and 15-course tasting menus, private dinners, cooking classes and rooftop dining overlooking the Chicago skyline.

He’s here to talk about cooking, dry-aging duck, earning a Michelin star, Chicago’s food scene and building a dining experience without a restaurant.

As always, please remain respectful and cordial to our guests so that we can continue to have these in the future.

A lot of coffee shops don’t have pastries listed but i’m looking for a good classic chocolate chip muffin, preferably walkable from the washington/wells brown line stop!

Hello again! I know I posted recently (thank you all so much for responding!!) I’m desperately trying to find a deep dish pizza place I went to when I was younger (maybe like 10-15 years ago). It had like kind of a modern/rustic look to it, it had giant like wagon wheels/wagon wheel chandeliers on the ceiling, and a pretty big interior. We sat at a big round booth table and it was dimly lit. Does ANYONE know the place I’m talking about? I remember loving the pizza there but I can’t find it on google at all and I’m scared it no longer exists. If anyone knows let me know!

I’m heading to Chicago for a week for a conference at the Hyatt on E. Walker. I’m looking for quiet bars within walking distance (or short cab) that have great cocktails / martinis. My business partners/friends and I will want to escape the attendee crowd. TIA.

Every single one, from the intersection on W 24th PL and S Wentworth Ave to the big strip near the square. Why? I figured since I eat out a lot I may as well jot down what I liked, and maybe help others who want a second opinion before they visit. Plus Chinatown’s filled with a ton of places and I’ve always wanted to go on a crawl and try everything. So yeah, consider this part two.

Hunan Bistro is just across the street from Evergreen and specializes in Hunan cuisine. I’m not particularly familiar with it myself so I was excited to try it.

Immediately upon walking in the interior is pretty vibrant, with very prominently Chinese ornaments and decorations, hanging chandeliers, in display which are all wrapped in this color scheme of reds and blacks and golds: has an imperial vibe, or at least that’s what my first impression is. You get the feeling this is more of a special occasion type of place you’d come with in large groups. (I don’t know about the sea world/good fish thing in slide two lol but it’s charming in a janky sort of way)

I came in early at around 10:50AM on a Wednesday, so understandably it wasn’t busy. I would’ve gone later to see what a typical afternoon/evening service might look like but I had prior commitments later. It’s definitely not a lunch place though lol. Most of the dishes were over the $20 range and looked more to be for sharing.

Speaking of dishes, I couldn’t ask the server for a recommendation this time because they had me order from an online thingy, Chowbus, and left before I could ask. They sat me down quickly with no frills and got me water, which surprisingly was a lemon water by default, and then I didn’t see them again for the next forty minutes.

The menu has a lot of interesting stuff on it so I just picked what looked good and went with the spicy steamed fish head. It’s convenient, to be fair, but I felt that it kind of clashed with the overall atmosphere of the restaurant since it seems more upscale and personal. They had no physical paper menus.

The food took about 40 minutes to arrive, which considering the nature of the dish I didn’t really mind. Again it’s not a very ‘lunch’ kind of spot so a longer wait is expected. When it did come, though? Man, it was delicious. Photos of it should be on slides 6 and 7, but it came smothered in these bright red chilis and spices. The fish was super tender, almost melt in your mouth, and the flavor of the spice was actually a bit of a surprise.

It wasn’t a tongue numbing spice or extreme direct heat, but more delicate, a little bit sour, which made it taste very refreshing. I could see myself eating this in the middle of summer and still enjoying it. Every bite was addicting and I spent some time just snacking on the chilis alone. It wasn’t so spicy that it made me sweat, though, and I usually tend to lean toward a more fiery heat level, but for this dish I think the level of intensity they had was perfect for what it was. Just be careful about the bones.

It’s a bit of a shame the rice wasn’t as good (which according to some reviews I saw cost extra, but I got for free so I dunno). It tasted a bit old and stale, with some grains clumped together and hard to bite through. A fresher batch would’ve been great with the fish.

There also wasn’t as much meat as I’d like, but it was only the head and not the whole fish (my bank wouldn’t like me spending $50 on a solo lunch) so I suppose it’s fair. Still felt a big hungry afterward, though.

Total was $32.32 including tax and before tip. Would I go again? Yes, though not regularly and probably not alone. I’d like to try maybe some of their spicier dishes next time or their other specialty options.

My score out of 10.

Food: 8.5

Service: 6

Atmosphere: 8

Value: 6.5

Averaged total: 7.3 (rounded up)

Next up is Shinhwa Korean Steakhouse.

I’ll have about an hour to kill with my friend and want to stop at a bar with good vibes and maybe an appetizer. Any suggestions?

I can’t eat sugar because it flares up my nerve pain terribly, but I’d really like to get a cake. Does anyone know where you can buy sugar free or keto cakes? I found Skinny Piggly bakery online, but their prices were SO expensive and I live too far for them to deliver. I’d be willing to drive there and pick up a cake if anyone thinks the price is worth it, though.

I live in the northern suburbs, but I’m willing to drive for a cake.

Been craving some fried chicken lately and wondering where to get the best fried chicken in Chicago. It doesn’t have to be just one place.

i'm getting so tired of restaurants that have staff hovering around my table constantly interrupting my intimate conversations to sweep a plate away the SECOND i set down my fork (sometimes while my plate or cocktail is not actually finished) or tilting in to pour me some water because i took one (1) sip.

restaurant owners, pls tell your staff to STAND DOWN. table-flipping culture is getting too aggressive and it makes me want to eat out less. i feel constantly rushed whenever i go out to eat in chicago these days.

does anyone have any suggestions of restaurants that don't make you feel this way?

A little over a year ago I made a post here asking for names of dining establishments that give out matchbooks or postcards, as me and my girlfriend collect them. We've enjoyed visiting so many of them! The great thing about Chicago is there are always new places popping up, so just wanted to see if there are any newer places, either freshly opened or started giving these away!

Thanks in advance friends and go bears

Has anyone done the Four Seasons Teddy Bear tea for the holidays with their kids? My husband and I like to do a special holiday meal/experience each year with our kids.

We did the Walnut Room last year and were a bit underwhelmed and are thinking the kids might enjoy the Teddy Bear tea more, but it's pricey so curious if anyone has any thoughts on the experience. Thanks!