10/10 -- new favorite spot unlocked. We came to Big Bear Sushi & Thai because I was originally going to order online, but the pictures on Grubhub were wayyyy too good to pass up. I needed the artwork and the vibes in person -- and it did not disappoint. First off, it's BYOB, which is a huge win, and there's a liquor store on the same side of the street, so super easy. The Godzilla roll was phenomenal -- the presentation alone is art, and it tasted even better than it looked. Honestly one of the most visually impressive rolls I've seen. The combination Pad See Ew was amaaaazing. My boyfriend is very picky and he has not stopped talking about it since. That alone says everything. Between the food, the creativity, and the overall vibe, this is 100% going to be our new go-to spot. Can't wait to come back and try more. read more

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Good, local sushi. I wish their menu had a bit more variety, as a lot of the rolls feel really similar to each other. Assume that dishes like the orange chicken are single-serve as they weren't really a shareable size. Service is relatively quick for a sushi restaurant and there is ample seating inside and a patio outside in good weather. read more

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Sat outside enjoyed a few rolls its BYOB. Rolls were delicious, services was quick & friendly will definitely be back to try other rolls.

What a find! The service here is personable and attentive. The food is a wonderful option of curry, sushi, and noodles with your choice of meat or veggies! My kids loved the characters drawn on boards across the restaurant. Plus the sushi we ordered had a pokemon drawn on the plate! Our table loved it and we are glad we stopped here for our dinner! Plus some mochi and sticky rice for dessert. We were having such a good time that we didn't even notice there was no background music until we picked up on some random beeps we heard. The music came back on before we left and it was a great meal regardless! read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Logo - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We arrived early for lunch on Monday in Chicago, this spot was highly rated. On Apple Maps, it said they opened at 11am - but they actually open at 11:30 and we showed up at 11:25 but they allowed us to use the restroom and sit down. I tried to update the hours but that was a bit confusing. They had great fried rice - our kiddos would not stop eating the fried rice even the onion :). The gyoza was very flaky and delicious. We are appreciative of the experience we had - friendly waitress and great service. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Japanese lunch: shrimp tempura and California rolls. Also comes with miso soup which was very good. - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Such a great spot and a super cute patio too! My husband and I were looking for a baby friendly date night and ended up on the patio here with no regrets. Despite being right off Milwaukee the patio is quiet and our newborn was no issue to be rolled up to the table in her stroller. BYOB so we brought a few IPAs from home and had a great dinner- really reasonably priced too. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

At Big Bear Sushi and Thai, we were pleasantly surprised with how great the food was. The restaurant sure was busy with dining in and takeout on a weekend night, but that did not hamper the fast, attentive service at all. Perhaps it's rough to get a table on busy nights for parties of more than two, so I would suggest a reservation, which they do take via phone or email. I went with a plan to get some apps for my main dish, and I'm glad I did. I will be repeating this order because all three of my selections were fantastic. I did the steamed shrimp shumai, veggie egg rolls and crab rangoon. I cannot even say what I loved the most because all three were fantastic. What a great (fairly new) addition to the neighborhood! read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - shrimp shumai, veggie egg rolls and crab rangoon - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My love and I were looking for dinner on a recent Saturday evening, and our first two restaurant choices were very busy. Our "Plan C" choice was Big Bear Sushi & Thai, and we were certainly happy with this selection. It is a months old restaurant on Milwaukee Avenue near Pulaski. It's a fairly compact restaurant but fortunately we walked in and snagged a table for two. Big Bear was doing brisk business for dine-ins and takeout orders, but the efficient staff seemed like a well-oiled machine. I went with the Pad Kee Mao, a Thai noodle dish featuring chicken, and assorted veggies including bell pepper, tomato and bean sprouts. I asked for the dish to be not too spicy, and so it came out not zingy at all but still pretty good. My love decided to order all appetizers and she liked all of them (fortunately she shared some with me!) - Crab Rangoon, veggie egg rolls, and steamed shrimp shumai. Indeed all were tasty to us. read more

This place is a 10/10! The food was amazing. Godzilla roll is a must try and the presentation is super cute and creative. The curry was also very good, not too peanut buttery but very flavorful. Pad Thai was also delicious. The service was great as well. We were greeted right when entering and given water as we walked in. The food came out very quick, less than 15min. Server checked us frequently and was very nice. The restaurant itself is pretty small, not a lot of tables but very cute and clean inside. Definitely recommend this place. read more

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Came here because I was in the mood for appetizer dinner and left pretty satisfied! Very cute and cozy place. I ended up getting seated outside because the weather was perfect but also because they were blasting loud country music inside and it felt distracting. I was greeted with some great service though and they were ready to accommodate. All of the food was soo tasty. Miso soup left more to be desired, but everything else was great. Tofu was soooo perfectly crunchy with a great texture on the inside. Loved the variety of dipping sauces for the different plates. Definitely regretted the steamed shumai, would maybe have had a better texture fried! Thai iced tea was soooo delicious too, not too sweet and perfectly brewed! Would love to come back to try the sushi read more

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We stopped by on a Friday night without a reservation. We have a go-to place that we go to weekly but we decided to try this spot bc it's so close to our house. We started with spicy miso soups (3/5) the mexican salmon (3/5) and yellowtail (4/5) apps. Then we ordered the summer roll (3/5) and the ground chicken basil stirfry (3/5). The flavors of everything were fine but I wasn't blown away, altho the portions are huge so that's definitely a plus. They have a pretty big menu so we'll be back bc it's so close and we like supporting small businesses in the neighborhood. read more

Not the greatest greeting service ( so first impression not so good) However the food came out EXTREMELY fast so that was positive since we were starving Portions are good Flavors are good Salmon Ceviche tastes so good BUT not at all like ceviche ( so maybe changing the name would be better) Well come back to try other rolls and the fried rice. read more

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Ordered delivery here to revive us one hungover Sunday and it was worth it! The potstickers were my favorite and this is coming from someone who doesn't like chicken! Also got some salmon and tuna nigiri, ebi tempura maki, and the build your own protein + veggie! All tasted fairly fresh! The Thai tea I probably wouldn't get again, it didn't taste like the creamy goodness I am used to ! Not a bad option though! 3.5 rounded up read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - EBI TEMPURA MAKI - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Big Bear Sushi & Thai seems like a great neighborhood spot and somewhere to try if you're up in the area. When I walked in at 530, 1/2 the tables were full. Around 6pm, every table was full! The server even cleared off a table where they were prepping silverware/napkin combos for a customer. My 2 soosh rolls came with ridiculous artwork that made me laugh out loud! I was not expecting that! Their plating definitely wins them creativity points! They leave carafes of water on the table which I appreciate, especially with sushi! Street parking is plentiful outside, but it's a busy intersection so play nice. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really enjoyed the food! Service was also fantastic, attentive and thoughtful really made my mom's b day great! Definitely has that quick dine in vibe which suits the restaurant. Ordered a number of rolls and all were delicious read more

Super stoked to have a sushi place I can easily walk to in Avondale. I frequently attend shows at Avondale Music Hall which is steps from the newly opened Big Bear. Service was prompt and incredibly friendly. The sushi was amazing and tasted so fresh. They offer multiple lunch deals so I'm definitely stopping by soon for lunch! read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great! Prices are just right and the quality of food is very good. Attentive service and super fast delivery. Its on my weekly rotation for sushi! read more

New place opened in September 2024. Not too many tables inside but since it's newer, we were able to get a walk in seat for 2 people on a Friday night around 8pm. We ordered off the "Thai" menu and everything was delicious. I definitely recommend the Tom Kha soup! We also got the cashew chicken dish and pad woon sen. Both were great and I would definitely order again. For now it's BYOB so that's a plus too! read more

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I only got takoyaki and a Thai iced coffee because I just needed an extra little snackie but that takoyaki was so perfect I did the happy food dance. Also it's great knowing Thai iced coffee is so close to me. What a necessity for life. ETA: came back multiple times already, had stuffed avocado (omg), green curry, and a few sushi rolls. Everything is amazing and this is for sure my new favorite spot! read more

I'm not sure why they are getting such high reviews but I'm not a hater like most people. I felt all dishes were a bit below middle rating. I'm used to Thai food with flavor. The pad woon sen, orange tofu, shrimp shumai and ocean drive sushi roll had very little flavor. The sushi roll was not fresh and had a fishy taste and didn't look good. I will maybe go to the restaurant to see if it's better but this was a complete fail. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Beef pad woon sen - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered the kampyo, asparagus, and sweet potato tempura maki take out. It was delicious. I will def order again in the future. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A great little spot in Avondale. Service was quick. The menu had a nice selection. We ordered the Panang noodles and the Avondale maki roll - both were delicious. Definitely worth checking out. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Avondale Maki - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My sister and I went in during their lunch special and they had great choices. The waiter was very attentive and nice. The Thai food was delicious and we will definitely be coming back. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Chicken pad Thai and Red curry with chicken - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was great and super yummy, 10/10, and the environment was great. Still, the service was lacking for my party's experience, as we were waiting for one of our party members to come inside, the server asked if we were ready to order. I fear it's common sense to order once everyone is there. When everyone was there, the server took about 8 minutes or more to take our order. I would understand if the place was busy, but it was not. When it was time to pay, my party member inserted my card and selected no tip on the screen, since we were going to leave a cash tip. Once the server noticed that they had selected no tip, she asked, "So are you going to leave me a cash tip?" Obviously, we were dumbfounded by her demeanor, and she asked, "Are you going to leave a tip because you selected no tip?" The audacity of the request was surprising, considering that we did leave a tip, although it's not mandatory. Good service = good tip! read more

Good service, nice ambiance, and delicious food. I love how creative they were with the plating of the roll, with the sauce designs.

This place is so good. The fried rice is amazing. Going here when you're really starving is so good. Loved it will be back. read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sushi was delicious, fresh and plated beautifully. Would definitely come back again. Ambiance was very cute and decorated for the holidays! read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Tornado roll, Avondale roll, and snowstorm roll - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Quick hits - quick service, high quality sushi, fun vibes. Overall I like this place a lot, great lunch spot and the portion sizes were fantastic. My partner got a bigger sushi roll that SLAPPED, and the fried rice had quality flavor. Will be going back read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Chicken FRIED RICE - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really good sushi and Thai food! The flavors are fresh, portions are great. One of my favorite spots in Avondale definitely recommend!

New hot spot in the area!! we went there for dinner on last night. It was quiet at first and then the place got filled up in no time! we ordered both Thai and sushi to try. Pad thai glass noodles is delicious!! The decoration on sushi is incredible and too cute too eat honestly. It's very artistic. the food came out very fast. Highly recommended:) read more

Big Bear Sushi & Thai - Signature maki - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really liked this new place in our Avondale neighborhood for sushi! Read about the owners experience and always like trying a new independent restaurant in the neighborhood and I was very happy with the food! Will definitely be back to try more. Cute inside, too, although we got takeout. Service was speedy and very friendly read more

What can I say my first time there for my son's birthday, the sushi was amazing to say the least , service super friendly and nice, definitely going back.. read more

This place was very good! The food was good, combination of flavors in this sushi and sashimi. Crab Rangoon and gyoza was straight . Large menu with good options. This place is legit! 10/10 Recommend!! Service was good, fast and friendly! Ambiance is a vibe too, small cozy joint, we came with 6. I'll return for sure! read more

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Friendly service, delicious sushi, and awesome artistry. So fun for kids! ------------------------

Went there with my daughter and son for their birthdays today. My sons pick. Ambiance was great. Love the music. Not loud. Our server was the best! The food was so fresh, great presentation. We all loved it. She treated my kids to mochi. My babies are 42 & 43. Definitely recommend and will be back. read more

It was a neighborhood bear night. Grabbed a cocktail at Teddy Bear Lounge and then walked over to Big Bear for dinner. Everything was fresh & delicious. Service is great. Super cute outdoor seating. read more

The food was ok. The portions were smaller than usual. The prices were slightly higher than I'm used to. The waitress was nice, but it took a while to get the food to the table. The place is really small. I probably won't go back. Especially since Fresh Sushi Chicago is up the street and is far better in terms of food, price, and service. read more

my partner ordered takeout for me after he had lunch lunch with his friends. Part of the order was incorrect, so I returned with the food, hoping to replace it. Their team was very quick to replace my dish and were very sweet about it. I also like that there are vegan options and that a lot of the dishes can be made vegan. read more

Enjoyed. Fun atmosphere. We loved our Shrimp Pud Thai that was delicious, but would have benefited from some sauteed vegetables. Sushi looked great, but we didn't order so can't say from experience. Service excellent. read more

Excellent food we had pot stickers pad Thai tom kha soup everything was delicious even the salad with chopped mangos and avocados awesome