Wow, where do I start? I was sad to see the sushi place (Fresh?) that used to be here go because I didn't get a chance to try it. In fact, my friends and I were planning to go for sushi and then saw this was now a thai place. I had been to Penny's the night before, but it was good so I was cool with trying someplace else. Penny's is better... We had to wait a while to give our order. This place isn't very big, maybe a dozen tables and maybe 1-2 servers. We placed our orders and then we waited and waited. There were four of us and when our food finally did come out only 3 of us got our food. At first I thought it was just because they couldn't carry all our plates at once, but it took about 5-7 more minutes for our friend to get his tofu curry. And when it finally came out it was a very meager portion. We then realized they forgot his rice so it took awhile to flag down a server or water person to confirm that his meal did come with rice. So he had to wait another 5-7 minutes for the rice. I had the duck noodles and it was good. I personally thing the bbq pork noodle soup I had from Penny's the night before was better. It was also a huge portion which I like, but relative to my friends' dishes it seems like I got more food despite all our dishes being priced at $8.50. Seems like there are some more kinks to be worked out here. I haven't been to Tac Quick but it seems that service isn't great there either. I give it 3 stars because I'm not opposed to coming back to try other dishes but I don't expect to be wowed. read more

I've never had to debate so hard how many stars to give a restaurant. So, let me explain. When reviewing a restaurant, I care about food, service, and ambiance, in that order, and weight food, service and ambiance about 60%, 25%, and 15%, respectively. Obviously, I don't go through a mathematical exercise...but just trying to explain what matters to me. So, here is how ATK pans out: Food: 5 stars Service: 1-2 stars Ambiance: 4 stars (for an Asian restaurant, less relative to the general population) Not surprising since Andy is the chef, the food is fantastic and very similar to TAC Quick. We split the amazing pork neck appetizer. The portion size was larger than I remember at TAC Quick, and the meat seasoning and dipping sauce were the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. The meat melted in my mouth. With the recent turn to cold weather, my friend and I both ordered the Boat Noodles, another TAC Quick standby. The broth was rich and delicious and the noodles and meat were tasty. The portion was huge; we could have split one bowl and been satisfied! Five stars for food! Service was as atrocious as the food was delicious! The restaurant is very small, and I believe there were two waiters serving the restaurant. We had to ask for refills on our water four times before they finally remembered, accompanied by multiple apologies. From the time we sat until we were served our appetizers, over 45 minutes had passed. My friend and I didn't mind because we had a great table at the back of the restaurant and were enjoying our conversation while sipping on our BYOB wine. The possible 2 star service rating, instead of a 1, is because they did provide wine glasses immediately upon sitting :) Ambiance is what you'd expect for a neighborhood Asian restaurant, maybe even a notch up. It was simple and understated. Judging by the crowd of people waiting to be seated a mere few weeks after opening, I think Andy may want a larger space with exponentially more servers. So, if you weight my weighting according to the formula above, you get to a solid 4 rating due to the superior food. If ATK can figure out service, it could be the best Thai restaurant in Chicago! read more

ATK, I'm sorry, I wanted to like you more, I wanted to like you the most. But you were just ok. You guys, why is Chicago so bad at Thai food? Seriously. I can't find one dang Thai restaurant that is really meeting my needs. I got needs from some stand up thai restaurants in the suburbs and living in San Francisco for a summer. (San Francisco has some EXCELLENT thai food, FYI.) Anyways, the point is, I really wanted to like ATK, and I did, to a point. The flavors were good, the dishes were well balanced. Nothing was bad or wrong in and of itself, but I thought it was going to be life-changing and it was not. I had the tom yum soup, which was full of fresh mushrooms and cilantro. It was good, but too sweet for my tastes. It also lacked for spice. For my main course, I had the spicy udon pad thai. I liked the concept, but the portion size was pretty small. I expected it would at least try to be spicy. I expected that there would be more noodles. I think this double bothered me because when I want to eat a thai noodle dish, I don't want to eat a measly tumble of noodles, I want a pile. This was a measly tumble and there may have been more bean sprouts on my plate than noodles. Bah. The rumble of the train doesn't help too much for conversation, but they can't do too much about that. I will say the service wasn't bad, but it was a little odd. I won't say that I won't go back, I'm just saying it could have been better. read more

Tasty, affordable, authentic, byob, and nice ambiance. Normally you don't get good ambiance, cheap and authentic all in one. We came as a party of 4 and dinner was only 45 before tip. We ordered 4 entrees. My husband had the boat noodles which he loved (extra spicy. I had Kuay Teaw Klua Kai. This was chicken with wide noodles. This was very tasty, but it was a little too sweet. However, I still enjoyed it. The other two people in our party both had the Spaghetti Pad Khe Mao and they had tofu. We would come back if we were in the area and in the mood for Thai. read more

I had wanted to go this place since I heard it opened. I don't know what took so long since I live 2 blocks away. It's freaking delicious!!! I've been back twice since my first visit to pick up food. The menu is pork centric and does have a lot of seafood options. BYOB! stop by binny's on the way there. or go put your name and number on the list and walk over to binny's while you wait since there's usually a wait. 1 star deduction due to cash only. read more

The food is nothing short of amazing. Great location as well as byob. Very beautiful presentation. Staff is friendly. The only reason I short this place 1 star is because they only accept cash. read more

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Best Thai Food in Chicago! I know it's a bold statement being I've never tried Tac Quick, but ATK is by far much more delicious than any of the Thai restaurants I've visited in Chicago. It must be good since I've visited ATK 3 times in a week upon my first visit. Appetizers Grilled Squid - BOOM! Absolute goodness served up on a plate. I don't know how they do it, but they got rid of all the chewiness sometimes attributed to grilling squid. The flavor of the squid was on point and full of tastiness. The vinegar type dipping sauce was a wonderful compliment. I could come back here just for this dish! Steamed Fish - Pretty good dish! The fish was cooked nicely, but it was lacking a little in the flavor department. Entrees Green Curry Chicken - this is one of our staples and a great dish to compare all of the Thai restaurants we visit. This dish was definitely up to par with the other green chicken curry's we have had in the city. The taste was solid and the chicken and veggies were cooked nicely. Basic Crispy Pork Belly - I'm a huge sucker for pork belly! Of course I would order this dish! The pork belly was a little over fried and a bit on the dry side. The flavor was delicious. Pad Thai Omelet - Pad Thai noodles in an egg? Yes they did it! The pad thai was super delicious and when paired the egg provides even more flavor. This could have possibly been one of the better pad thai's that I've ever had. Green Curry Chicken Omelet - This was the most intriguing dish on the menu by far. I was so curious how they got the curry inside the egg. It turns out that they put the curry on top of the egg. I never would have thought to pair the two together, but it was simply wonderful. The flavors compliment each other rather well. This is a dish I'll definitely have to try again! Desserts Banana Blanket - it reminded the table of a Filipino dessert, Suman. I didn't try the dish since it had my arch nemesis, peanuts, sprinkled over the top of it. Sweet Roti - I've searched high and low for a place in Chicago that served roti. I have finally found a restaurant that can cure my cravings. They served a sweet roti. Absolutely DE-LICIOUS! Topped with condensed milk covering the pancake-shaped dish. Beverages Thai Iced Tea - Yum! A perfect compliment to the meal. It was a little on the sweet side, but with all the savory dishes that we ordered, it made perfect sense. They do offer BYOB, but they do charge you $1 per glass. The service is a little hit and miss. They are at times awesome and at other times they aren't all that great. Their portions are nice in size and are well worth the price attached to them. I would come all the way back to ATK for the Grilled Squid, Sweet Roti and Thai Iced Tea! It's as simple as that! I'll be back... very soon! #hellaYUMMS read more

I've had take out from TAC Quick a few times and it has always been delicious, so I was pumped when I heard about ATK opening just a few blocks from our apartment. It's a BYO (corkage $1 per glass), intimate space that is perfect for a small group of friends or a date night. We went on a Friday night and waited maybe 15 minutes, although some people that came in shortly after were advised that it would be quite a longer wait. A party of 7 had a reservation - I'm not sure if they take reservations for everyone or only larger parties. There were only 2 servers and one was also acting as the hostess, so we waited a few minutes to get our waters and wine glasses. No biggie for us - we weren't in a hurry to be anywhere. It was nice not to feel rushed. To start, we ordered Moo Ping (pork skewers) - which was delicious! The sauce had great flavor with a slight kick. We also had the Pad See Ew with beef and the Chicken Panang Curry and both were incredible! The Panang was spicy and such a unique flavor and the egg noodles in the Pad See Ew were awesome! I can't wait to go back and try more dishes. I have a feeling I will be ordering take-out from ATK more than a few times this winter! read more

****NOTE: They are BYOB friendly, so feel free to bring your bottle of wine. The establishment doesn't serve alcohol. **** This place serves true, authentic, Thai cuisine. The food was fantastic! Stopped in here during our visit to Chicago and we were so glad we did! We ordered the Green papaya salad, tom yum soup, Thai fried rice, and a peanut noodle dish. Everything was full of flavor and truly wonderful! Upon leaving, I couldn't stop raving about their food. (My favorite was the tom yum soup). The next time we visit Chicago, this place is definitely on the list of restaurants to revisit. read more

Came here with a party of five for dinner on a Saturday. We were quoted a half hour for our table, but it ended up being over an hour! The space is small, I understand it's not an exact science for when you're predicting how soon people will leave, especially with the BYOB component. However, it was still pretty frustrating to have the quote be so off. Armed with five bottles of wine, we were ready to attack the menu once we were seated. And we did. We ordered an alarming amount of food and it was all great, with some items being phenomenal. The all-star items were: - Grilled squid. Perfectly cooked, so tasty, loved the chili garlic sauce it came with. - Spicy udon pad thai. I love udon noodles, spicy food, and pad thai so this was a no-brainer for me. It was delicious. - Panang curry. This was a sweeter, peanut-based curry, but the jalapeno added just enough heat. We all loved the taste of this dish. - Pineapple fried rice. Delicious! Sweet and savory. - Sunshine beef. Known as Thai beef jerky, this was not at the top of my list to order but Emma W. insisted we did. She was spot-on. This was so flavorful and perfectly cooked. All the portions at ATK are massive and everything is very reasonably priced. We each paid around $20 and that's because we ordered to the max. Since we were the last table seated for the evening, it was just us and the waitstaff as we finished up. They didn't hurry us at all which was so awesome. Will definitely be back! read more

I gave 2 star because this place is cash only. And we only realized it after the meal and had to run back home to grab cash. I can't believe a legit business at this day still only do cash only. And the staff didn't warn us as soon as we sat down. The environment was okay. Very small place with strong stir fry smell. The duck curry was phenomenal. But not a big fan of their popular Tom yum noodle soup. And they charge for $1.5 for some peanut sauce. read more

I TRIED: - Pork Neck (8/10) - Tom Kha Chicken (7/10) - Penang Curry Beef (7/10) - Pad See Ew Beef (9.9/10) - Crispy Basil Pork Belly (4/10) Back in 2008 or so, I went to Pok Pok in Portland and had the Mu Paa Khaam Waan which was Boar Collar Meat. It was one of the best things I've ever eaten! After coming back to Chicago, I've been searching everywhere for it, and no one had it. I Googled and Yelped to no avail. Finally, in 2016, I tried Googling again, and it linked me to a restaurant not in Chicago, but it had a menu item called "Pork Neck," which I never searched for. So I tried searching for that in Chicago, and bingo! Andy's Thai Kitchen came up! There were 2 others that came up too: Arroy Thai and Tac Quick, but neither of those had a picture of the menu that I could confirm, so ATK it was! PORK NECK The only other place I've ever eaten this other than Pok Pok, was the Bangkok Airport, so I know it's not just a Pok Pok creation. At both of those places, you get pieces of boar collar meat, cilantro, and a salty, herby, soy saucy dipping sauce. You'd dip the piece in the sauce, skewer a cilantro leaf, and maybe an optional bundle of sticky rice, and experience culinary Valhalla! The meat had a unique consistency to it. It's mostly like a piece of pork chop, but with a little bit of chewyness like ligament. Well, ATK's version is nothing like that. If you know what Korean BBQ Galbi is, it's exactly that. So, on one hand, I was very disappointed because it wasn't what I was hoping it'd be, but on the other hand, it was like $8 for 7 pieces of basically galbi. If you double that, then it's $16 for 14 pieces of basically galbi, which is close to $30 a serving at a Korean restaurant! TOM KHA As I always do, I ordered extra spicy. Chicken was dry, per usual, but the soup was spot on! Perfect balance of sweet and sour, and not too herby in any one direction. Had a few land mines, but the mushrooms and tomoatos were tasty (careful, tomatoes are hot in these things!). At the top of the soup, it doesn't seem spicy, but when I got down to the bottom of the bowl, it was getting pretty spicy - sweat inducing and enough to almost drown out conversation! I think a few less landmines, and I think this'd been perfect. PENANG CURRY My staple. Again, extra spicy. And while I didn't want to admit it, because the bottom of the Tom Kha was so spicy, I was hoping they'd make a mistake and make this mild. Well, I got my wish - fortunately/unfortunately. Fortunately, since the pain began to subside, I was able to join conversation again. Unfortunately, it was lacking because of the absence of spice. There were a lot of "landmines" in this too, but they were all in the form of peppers. There were some giant slices of chili peppers, almost half dollar size and 1/2 cm thick, and a bunch of slices of red and green peppers, which I don't usually eat. The dish was pretty big, but pretty shallow, which is normal, but those peppers took up most of the space. By the time I swept those aside, there wasn't a whole lot of curry left. The beef was good, a bit more chewy than I'm used to, but it was fine. The curry was also a bit sweeter than I'm used to too, but again, flavors were completely balanced. Even with all those peppers in there it didn't taste like just peppers, and with the basil leaves it didn't just take like basil (unless you scooped one up). The extra sweetness I think hurt this a bit, but I don't know if that would have been noticeable if this was spicy like it was supposed to. A little less sweet, more savory, more spice, fewer peppers, and I think we'd be looking at a winner. CRISPY PORK BELLY This sounded delicious, but maybe the execution was just off that day. The pork belly was overly chewy - like jerky in some cases, but that must have been the skin or something. Second, the basil was a bit too strong, so none of pork flavors came out, unless you had a really fatty piece. Third, it was too salty. Even though it came with rice, it didn't do anything to drown out the salt. Also, I prefer my mushrooms to be more cooked. They probably saw a couple seconds on the pan. PAD SEE EWE This was amazing! But the problem is Pad See Ewe is almost always amazing. I don't know anything about how to make it, but at almost any Thai Restaurant, Pad See Ewe is always good. Something is really wrong for this to come out bad. The only reason why I don't give it a 10 is because I have to ask myself, "Would I drive all the way out to Chicago just for this Pad See Ewe," and the answer is no. I have plenty of places nearby that can make it this good. EH TK Guess I can't argue with the math. 3.59/5 means a 4th star. If I lived in the area, having ATK deliver would be nice. Like I said if I had a KBBQ party, I'd skip the galbi and just order massive amounts of their Pork Neck and no one would notice. Definitely would be a routine Pad See Ewe customer, but if I can't get great Penang Curry, I'd have to venture out elsewhere. read more

As you'd hope from a former proprietor of Tac Quick they have lots of creative, interesting, flavorful Thai food here. We liked it all -- preserved eggs, papaya salad, complicated curry noodle dish. I can't say that the things we had were quite as good as the best things I've had at Tac Quick. But they're substantially closer to my apartment, and in theory they even deliver. I'm sure I'll be eating here again, repeatedly, and have high hopes. read more

Eating in Chicago is always a treat. You will never know what you will find. Again, staying close to Masonic hospital this was walking distance. I came here with my mom and her friend Lillian. Nice place. There were some locals eating here. They left and I was able to take the pic. It is cash only, no credit cards. That did strike me as odd. We were hungry and wanted to eat a bit of everything today. Unfortunately, because it was cash only we had to make sure we limited our order. Started off with my usual Thai Tea. I like the glass they served it in. Satay is always my go to dish in any Thai restaurant. Lillian really liked these. Gyoza is also a must. This was my favorite part of the meal today. Very good. Tom Yum. My mom and Lillian got this dish. I felt bad for Lillian because she didn't like it. She ordered more Satay and was good with just that. Duck Curry with white rice. Nice and spicy. The pineapple, grapes, and tomatoes were a little too much for me. I only ate the duck. So, here was the overall impression from all of us today. The food was okay. Good, but not great. Also, cash only stinks. We always feel more liberty ordering when we can pay by card. Lastly, too expensive. Now remember I was born in raised in Chicago, but this was too pricey. read more

A great Thai place that is conveniently located next to the Wellington brown line stop in Lakeview. The building itself is pretty cramped if you're trying to find in but the menu they have there at Andy's is pretty extensive. I went with the Boar Meat Curry and thought it was one of the more better tasting curries I've had in Chicago. They pack a lot on a place and give you a complimentary place of white rice to go with your meal. It's BYOB too. Cash only and I must say I enjoy the vibe they create there with their lighting and music. read more

the only thing I don't like about this place is that they don't take cards, cash only. Seriously, you can pay with your phone or watch but you still want me to pay with... cash. What is this? 1912?! I had some shrimp dish before and it was good the second time around I had the pork belly. It was....interesting. Big cubes of charred flavorful pork belly. But then you think about all the animal fat you just consumed and it's not so cute anymore. All in all the food IS good and it's BYOB (get turnt). I also feel like there is always a long wait be seated since it is so small, so plan on that. read more

I have always liked this restaurant, as it is affordable and authentic. I have also ordered delivery twice, and they charge a $3 delivery fee for a 10 minute walk. Because it tends to take a long time for delivery since they are a small operation, I don't usually tip on top of the $3 delivery fee. However, today, the man who delivered my food withheld my food from me while complaining that the apartment door was difficult to open. In addition, he said "You didn't tip me last time, now you're not tipping me again, I won't deliver again, you pick up yourself next time". Tips are not an obligation, especially given the lack of good and timely service, and the $3 delivery fee. I would have happily tipped well beyond $3 if he was courteous and nice. The last time I ate there in person, a centipede also crawled on my table. I moved tables eventually, but they did not offer anything in return, not even an apology. The food is good, but their service is really rather inappropriate. read more

I'm from Bangkok, born and raised there until I had to go to college, so it was natural of me to feel homesick once in a while, but for food. I'm usually a bit apprehensive when it comes to Thai food around here because I know that it usually wouldn't be up to my palate's and stomach's standards, yearning for the feeling of the sweltering sun, the complex flavors of spice, sour, sweet, and salty in one sitting, and a ceiling fan to keep me cool. This place met my expectations, and surpassed them. The ambiance was kind of funky to me, but I got used to it. I went there with my friends, one of whom had a similar background to myself, and we all had dishes that I think that we would all probably order anyway in Thailand to escape from the usual fare of Pad Thai and Crab Rangoon: Pad See Eiw, Khao Soi, Yen Ta Fo, Lard Nha Seafood, Goong Chaae Nam Pla (endearingly called Raw Shrimp on the menu), and Sweet Roti. Growing up, it was custom for me and a lot of people to share food around whenever you order at a restaurant, so we did, and had a bit of each other's food. I ordered the Lard Nha Seafood, and it was honestly, a great bang for your buck. I asked for Prik Nam Som (white vinegar with chilis soaked in it) to add to my Lard Nha, and the waiting staff delivered. Bless up. Goong Chaae Nam Pla is amongst my top ten favorite dishes, and ATK's twist on it was pretty damn good. I don't think a lot of other Thai places around Chicago dare to serve raw shrimp to a customer base that tends to stay away from uncooked/rare dishes, so extra props to ATK. My favorite thing that we ordered was the Yen Ta Fo, which happens to be my #1 favorite dish of all time. I get pretty defensive and passionate about Yen Ta Fo, so please take my word for my review of this dish! If anything, the Yen Ta Fo is the closest dish that we had that night that resembled all of the Yen Ta Fo that I have ever had back at home, on the edges of Bangkok's Chinatown, where the dish originated from. I wouldn't say 'authenticity' has to do with it (yeesh, I hate that word lol), but it triggered a lot of memories and experiences that I had back at home, associated with the food that I love and miss so dearly. My only criticisms would have to relate to matters of personal preference. The Sweet Roti was delicious, but it was served in a way that was really accessible to people who aren't too familiar with it. With jam and whipped cream that made it feel like a pancake, I felt that the only saving factor of it was the condensed milk that usually goes with Sweet Roti. Maybe slice up a banana to go with it? Maybe add chocolate syrup to it on top with the banana? I'd probably want to go back to ATK every week just to get the Roti if this does happen. My last criticism comes from a very very light grain of salt from me. There's no Puong Prik here out in the open, or given to me later on. From personal experience, having Puong Prik, or the four condiment jars usually containing red pepper flakes, sugar, chilis in fish sauce, and white vinegar with chilis, is somewhat of an unspoken law in a lot of food places in Thailand, from food courts, high-end Thai restaurants, to even noodle carts that are only open for 3 hours of the day. The beauty of the Puong Prik is that it allows you to adjust the flavor of your food to your liking, and I honestly wish that it was there for me when I wanted that acidic kick (and digestive aide) to my Lard Nha. read more

Chicago has world-class eateries, but generally suffers when it comes to Thai food. ATK is a welcome addition to my Lakeview neighborhood because I just cannot stomach another curry from Penny's Noodle Shop. The jungle curry at ATK lives up to its name, unlike most watered down curries found locally. And the grilled octopus appetizer was quite delicious. Even my 2 year old son loved it. However, take-outers beware. The kitchen is a bit slow and they really do not manage the schedule well. I tried ordering takeout at 7 pm and was told to pickup at 7:30. I arrived, paid, and was then told at 7:30 to come back at 8:00. I came back at 8:05 and was told 10 minutes, which meant that they had not started the order yet. At 8:10 I got my money back and went home hungry. So if you go, dine it at this tasty Thai BYOB and enjoy some decent Thai food in a city that needs it. read more

Came here on a Tuesday night around 7:15 pm with my friend, M, wine bottle in hand from the Binnys down the street. We got the last table by the window. Clean and cute (for a neighborhood thai place) interior and never heard the train roaring above us for the entire meal. The menu is huge so a bit overwhelming with all of the choices they had so we opened up our wine and waited for our server to arrive so we can ask for his recommendations. I asked for the most popular dishes that are also authentically thai and he gave me about 2 choices from each category. This is what M and I decided on: Grilled squid (appetizer section) - incredibly tender with a sweet soy sauce lightly glazed on. It came with a garlic lime (?) dipping sauce but I didn't need to use it - the squid was just so good by itself. Spicy Onchoy (salad section) - this was incredible! I had no idea what to expect but a huge plateful of deliciousness arrived in front of us and we dug in. A vinaigrette just like the kind on papaya salad with 4 pieces of shrimp were atop a heaping portion of minced pork, onion, chilis, whole mint leaves, and tempura fried onchoy (soooo delicious but have no clue what it is - is it a green bean? but with stems like thai basil?) Regardless, we finished the entire plate. Basil with crispy pork belly ("don't miss" section) - this was disappointing because the meat seemed overcooked and sooo chewy. M and I each tried a few pieces of the pork belly but that was all we could swallow. We just ate the basil, mushrooms, and rice and had pieces of pork belly left on the plate :( Overall, delicious, good quality food when you have the taste for thai but want your taste buds to go on a journey. I will be back a few more times and ordering just off of the server's recommendations until I get a better sense of the menu and then I will be able to re-order my favorites. read more

I must preface, I've only had take-out here, so I can't review based on service in the restaurant. This place rivals Pho's. I love Pho's, but I also love Andy's. Andy's Mussuman Curry and Green Curry are my fav entrees so far, and the grilled octupus and pork neck appetizers leave me speechless every time. The sauces are just so freakin' good. On Fridays and Saturday, this place can get packed, so order early!! read more

I've been a customer of Andy since he owned Tac Quick in Wrigleyville. ATK is some of the best Thai food in the city. Authentic and "exotic" (by American standards), the more adventurous you get with your menu choice, the better the food gets. Always really fresh ingredients too. Recommendations: moo ping, grilled squid, pad prik khing crispy pork, jungle curry, basil crispy pork belly, and tom yum noodles. read more

Started date night at Andy's Thai Kitchen because of a review I read about the top ethnic byob restaurants in the city. Started off with a very good veggie soup, however we were greeted with a cockroach walking along the ledge on the wall next to my head (we were sitting against the wall on the right side of the restaurant, adjacent to the kitchen behind the ATM). A server was walking by and I pointed out the roach and slightly freaked out. She grabbed my napkin off the table and killed the roach and apologized. Unfortunately my appetite was ruined and I could barely eat. They are lucky I work in the restaurant industry and didn't scream/cause a scene. They did give 20% off our check- for a cockroach walking next to my head!!!!! read more

Andy's Thai Kitchen - veggie soup - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Five stars for Andy's Thai Kitchen despite the fact that it does have its weaknesses (at times the service can be painfully slow and it is cash only, which I constantly forget). Anyone who says that the food at ATK isn't amazing or authentic is completely crazy. It's without a doubt one of the best Thai places in Chicago. If you only order one thing, make it the crispy onchoy appetizer, it will change your life. Som tum thai, spicy udon pad thai, basil crispy pork belly, panang curry and pad see ew are also delicious. Also, BYOB. read more

This Thai food was incredible! The crispy tofu salad was one of the most perfect dishes I've ever had; the tofu was crispy and a tiny bit sweet, and the dressing was light and just the right amount of spicy. The sundried fish appetizer was also very tasty, but together with the salad, my meal was excellent! On top of that the prices are extremely reasonable. read more

I've heard of this place and decided to give it a try with my girlfriends! Unfortunately the food taste didn't live up to its expectations. The chicken fried rice lacked the authentic Thai flavor and was very dry and bland. The jungle curries lacked shrimp and only had 3 shrimp in the dish and worst of all the seafood dish has few shrimp and fish and mostly veg. The Thai Ice tea was also exorbitantly sweet! Not impressed with flavors or execution of meals. Good presentation tho and ambience although this place is CASH only with an ATM inside. Please improve your flavors. read more

This was probably the best Thai food I've ever had. I've had a good amount of New Haven/St Louis/LA/Orange County/wherever pad thai, pad see ew, green curry, massaman curry, etc. etc. I've always seen Thai restaurants sort of like Indian lunch buffet places: generally mediocre-good, reliably so, but nothing wow amazing. And then I came to ATK. For food, 5 stars ++. I don't expect (in fact I'm generally wary of) really "good" service at ethnic restaurants [complaints in this vein remind me of when Americans complain about French waiters in France], but I do want my food to come out in a timely manner, so knocked off a star there. I'm for sure coming back and if the food comes out reasonably fast, no 45 minute waits for salad, then it's upping to five. WOW AMAZING: grilled squid appetizer, served with a ginger-lime-spicy-fish sauce dipping sauce. The squid is slightly sweet where it's charred, and it has a perfect balance of meatiness and smoothness without giving way to rubber. Loved it. ALSO AMAZING BUT HOT DAMN SPICY: papaya salad. They have like 8 variations on papaya salad but we took the 2 star (out of 3) spiciness-level one. Incredible flavors with peanut, spice, lime, fresh, sassy, tangy, you are gonna sweat out your nose while eating this spicy. The itty bitty dried shrimps have a great brininess and soak up the dressing, and the papaya itself is fantastic. I got really scared after this one came out and I ran up to the front to ask her to change our order if it hadn't gotten to the kitchen yet because we'd ordered 3 star spiciness-level entrees. SUPER GOOD: duck curry. It had pineapple, a thick creamy curry sauce, and surprise! grapes and cherry tomatoes that really lifted up the dish. Way yums. too sweet: pano (palo? pa-something-o?) a dish of stewed pork belly, hard boiled egg, and tofu in a sweet sauce. Waaay too sweet. The filipinos and the Vietnamese and I think also the Koreans do this dish too. Tastes homey, but this one had too much sugar. Ick. good, but normal: garlic pepper chicken. Exactly what it sounds like, but quite well executed. It's BYOB and they charge $1 if you use their glasses. Right outside the brown line Wellington stop. Seriously the best Thai food I've had. I get way excited when I don't recognize everything on a menu. I sort of get more excited with surly service, especially when everyone is speaking a language I don't know to each other. But man that timing. Oof. read more

I'm from thailand and I must say that this is one of the best, if not the very best, Thai restaurant in Chicago. Very authentic Thai food! Thai food must be aromatic and very flavorful - don't expect anything bland. Most Americanized Thai restaurants make their food either too sweet or just bland, but not Andy Thai Kitchen. We got the green curry, duck curry, basil pork leg (this is to die for!), kao mun gai (hainanese chicken rice), kao soi, kor moo yang (great thai street food), gang som, and somtum poo plara. They only accept cash and is BYOB. We finished the meal with mango sticky rice for dessert, which unfortunately wasn't that good - sour mango and tough sticky rice. A good mango should be sweet and juicy, not about. Nevertheless, I was so blown away by the main course that I could care less about the dessert. read more

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As a transplant from Seattle and someone that has spent a lot of months in Thailand...I can say they have the most authentic Thai in Chicago. The only real negative is cash payments, so do remember to pick up some bills beforehand. The decor is very nice and is a great cheap date spot. read more

This is a mixed review but I am definitely a fan of ATK. #1 Their food is great. Hands down. If youre used to the sweet sticky taste that you think is Thai, go here and experience what Thai should be like. Youll go back. Just remember Cash only. #2 I placed a delivery order on a friday night that was estimated to take 1.5 hours. OK I can accept that however this order placed at 7pm didnt arrive until 10pm. Thats insane. I called and spoke to an employee at 9pm who said the delivery had just left and should be there shortly. I like approx 5-10 driving mins from ATK. no such luck. Called back at 945 and talked to a manager who said the deliver had just left and I told him to cancel it. He was gracious enough to apologize and refund the cost for our order. I know places get busy and things happen, but I appreciate more when someone can state it was their fault and offer an immediate remedy. Thanks ATK. Still a fan! read more

It's alright. They do have a thoroughly elaborate menu of dishes for what's essentially a small, casual place. Cash only. So either bring it or tack on the extra $3 ATM fee from one of the machines across the street. What century am I in that people don't take cards? So we don't have flying cars yet, but I can pay for cabs with my phone! Grahamwich (RIP) pulled that cash-only nonsense too. Just sayin. Food was good but didn't blow me away. Service was slow and unmemorable. Thai places I prefer: Penny's, Panang, Miso. On the plus side, Andy's is BYOB. (But so is Panang.) read more

I generally avoid ATK when I think the wait will be long, but this review reflects my experience on both crowded and empty occasions. The khao soi is amazing. Another time I had some pork belly with green beans, and the pork belly was a little over-fried (almost too crispy to chew). It was tasty, just not the kind of chewiness/texture I prefer. The mussamun curry with tofu is also very good. I've been a handful of other times, but the memory of the khao soi is making it hard to recall other dishes. The service is very efficient, and with or without a crowd, the food comes out at the right time for a group (as opposed to some restaurants where they bring it when it is ready). Anyway, on each visit I've ordered appetizers and main courses with a group, and the timing of the dishes is spot on. They manage to balance the seated customers and take-out orders very well. But why cash only? I guess it is a good thing, because if they made it any easier to eat here I would probably visit too often. Once, with a group of 7, the staff actually moved some customers around so we could be seated more quickly. It was this devotion to quelling my hunger that earns my loyalty. As the customer who was asked to move, it might have detracted one, but I realize they are just trying to feed so many cravings from a pretty small kitchen. I hope they never move away (because I am now so close!) but somehow find a bigger place more suited to the demand for their deliciousness. read more

I ordered a noodle dish that must have been cooked in seafood broth, though I ordered one without seafood. I ended up having an allergic reaction because I have a seafood allergy. I had to switch dishes with a friend, which was also not as described on the menu. Her fried rice was doused in so much sauce, I had to drain the rice before eating it. read more

This place was really good. Cute, and small, and really good. We started off splitting the *** Tom Yum Pork Leg - Thai hot and sour soup with lemongrass, mushroom, tomato, onion, cilantro, citrus leaf and pork hoc. HOLY MOLEY was it spicy hot! But GOOD! It was a really spicy version of Tom Yum - I think they must have put bird's eye chili's in it - I pulled a few of those little red chili's out. My friend was sweating from it. (DO be warned about the the 3 star hotness rating of the soup!) Roasted Duck Curry - nice, sweet, creamy curry and not too fatty duck. But as the meal was being finished, we could see either the butter or duck fat separating from the sauce. It wasn't a bad thing at all - I am just generally a pretty healthy eater (with occasional forays into good 'unhealthy' things. And I am not one to ever order Duck. - but I would definitley get again). The tomatoes an red grapes were very fitting in it. Pad Prik Khing Crispy Pork - also had a 3 star hotness rating, but compared to the soup - it was a piece of cake. Very tasty - the pork wasn't fatty at all (like the pork pieces were in the soup). And the Long Beans were perfect. Service wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. Staff was friendly, cute and smiley. It took a little bit long for someone to greet us at our table, but not bad. And there was no hurry on my part. O - and you can BYOB. read more

My friend brought our girly dinner club here to experience some good thai food, and although it wasn't bad, it didn't meet my expectations after she raved about it. It's BYOB, which is great, and cash only, which is a pain. The restaurant is small, but cute, and the service was friendly, though lacking on occasion. As for the food, we thoroughly enjoyed our appetizers, which were crab rangoon and grilled squid- the dipping sauces were especially flavorful. The spicy chicken salad, was not to my liking, but it had a nice level of heat to it. Our entrees, however, were hit or miss. It seems the level of heat as indicated by the stars on the menu, were completely off. One gal, who can't handle heat at all, chose a no star entree and complained it was too spicy. Two other gals, who chose 2 star heat level, could barely eat their food, and really didn't eat much of it, because it was burning their mouths. I ordered the spicy pad thai, which had 3 star level of heat, and yet, I was able to eat the entire thing, as it didn't have much heat at all. And one gal kept ordering entrees that were no longer available- three times the server had to return to tell her that they were out of her choice. How disappointing. All in all, the experience was just ok. read more

I (almost) want to give this place no stars, just keep the crowds away- like a secret treasure you want to horde to yourself... That being said, and in all honesty, this place is THE BEST THAI FOOD in Chicago, bar none. My partner and I stumbled upon this place (just under the Wellington brown line stop) based on a friend's recommendation. That was half a year ago and we've gone back almost weekly ever since. The flavors are sharp, crisp, and full of character and having sampled the entire menu, there are no weak dishes. Our favorites are the Sum Tom Tod and Crispy Onchoy, and Basil Crispy Pork Belly, all of which contain a punch of serious flavor that will leave you humming *mmmmm* with every bite. Take your time, savor, and enjoy because your first experience will blow your mind and leave you coming back for more. The only thing to keep in mind, as others have mentioned, is #1: cash only and #2: the place gets crowded. Either get there early or be prepared to wait, especially during Friday and Saturday nights. Trust me though, it will be worth it. read more

I just got back to Oak Park from my dinner at Lakeview's, ATK and I think my mouth has finally returned to normal Suffice it to say, the food was spicy but delicious! We started with two appetizers, the grilled squid and the Thai beef jerky. Each served to do what appetizers should, leave you hungry for more. The beef was sweet, salty and savory with the right amount of chewy tenderness. The squid had a great char grilled flavor and was absolutely the perfect texture, not a bit chewy. We moved on to the Som Tum Thai salad. This was by far the spiciest dish of the night, although it only received a two on their spiciness scale. It looked so amazing when they sat it down that I threw down a huge bite and paid the price! Once you move past the spice, the salad was awesome. They used the perfect amount of fish sauce, enough to provide that briny funk without going overboard and rendering it inedible. For entrees we split the ATK Fried Rice and the Mussaman Curry. Again, both supplied bold, assertive flavors but were in perfect balance. The fried rice was not greasy at all and the refreshing sauce was great. The Mussaman Curry with beef was offset nicely with the sweet potato and white rice, the perfect additions to cool the Thai chilies present in the dish. To top it all off the place is BYOB, who can pass that up?! I have read other reviews that were critical of the service. Tonight it may have been a bit slow, the waitress certainly didn't hover, but she was the only server in the place and did a fine job in my opinion. She had helpful tips for ordering and brought the food quickly. I can't believe that this place only gets 3 1/2 stars, that is a crime. Go here for authentic Thai, you will not be disappointed. But remember, if you are used to going to the local "Thai" place who prides themselves only on the Pad Thai, this place might not be for you. There is no holding back on the traditional Thai flavors and that means spicy, salty, sweet, sour and in your face! read more

Thai restaurants are a dime a dozen in Chicago and very little distinguishes one from another. Not so with Andy's Thai Kitchen (ATK). Located directly beneath the Wellington L stop, ATK strives to give patrons a Thai meal they will remember, and it succeeds. The menu offers a mix of the usual and the new. Of course you can get Pad Thai, lard na, mussaman curry and other favorites, but ATK also serves up entrees that'll make you do a double take. Last night my husband and our good friend both ordered the Pad Thai shrimp omelet. It was delicious and like nothing either of them had ever eaten at a Thai restaurant. I ordered the crab fried rice with chicken, which was flavorful and steaming hot. The menu is extensive and notes the degree of spiciness of each option, but diners like me who can't tolerate spicy food may feel frustrated here because so many of the dishes at ATK are spicy. All of the food is artfully presented and everyone gawks at the food coming out of the kitchen. Some of the aromas are pleasant, others smell exactly like stinky feet, but to me those smells indicate fresh, authentic Thai cuisine. Come here with a spirit of adventure. Be aware that ATK is a cash only establishment and BYOB (most Thai restaurants are). The space his quite small and at peak hours be prepared to wait. ATK has to compete with a number of upscale restaurants in the area but if you must wait you won't be disappointed once you're party is finally seated. Most of the diners here are south of thirty-five; they strike me as young professionals out for a meal with a bit of posh. In fact, the ladies seated next to us were doctors who worked at the hospital nearby. Because of its limited space, this isn't a restaurant to bring children. ATK is budget friendly, which makes it ideal for the college and post-college crowd. As other reviewers have noted, the service here is swift and unobtrusive, rather like being waited on by phantoms. Al things considered, ATK is a winner. read more

Andy's Thai Kitchen - Pad Thai Shrimp Omelet - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Second time here and loved it both times! I've been searching for a tasty vegetarian dish with glass noodles for a while now and ATK definitely has it - the pad woon sen. Usually when I order something similar at other restaurants there is very little flavor or just not right. ATK's flavor is perfect and the noodles are cooked just right. I also get the Thai iced coffee each time which is delicious. Their spring rolls are not the typical type! They use an egg wrapper instead of rice and they're skinny and already sliced into bite sized portions, sitting in the (tamarind) sauce, very very tasty! My bf got the boat noodles this time, which he loved - flavorful and filling. Overall probably my favorite Thai restaurant! read more

Andy's Thai Kitchen - Pad woon sen and Thai iced coffee and boat noodles in the background. - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Heard great things about this place. Ordered takeout on a Sunday night & when I called the place sounded busy. Received the wrong order (I ordered Pad See Ew and got Pad Thai, not a huge deal). However the pad Thai was pretty bland even though I asked for it spicy. I'm definitely willing to try this place again but perhaps dine in vs carry out. read more