I didn't take any pictures, but this was one of the best meals I had in Chicago! If I lived here, I'd get food here regularly. I got the Healthy Sesame bowl with chicken. It was loaded with veggies and SO GOOD. You can tell its so fresh, the make it right in front of your eyes and in a few minutes you have the most excellent stir fry. I also got the grilled pineapple and it was also great but best went eaten warm right when you get in my opinion. Overall, I crave this already and will be back when I'm I'm downtown Chicago! read more

I love Brightwok but today they really disappointed. We came here early so we could be ready to order, bounce, and make a broadway show. With their noon open time it only left 30 mins of flex. We waited and waited. I finally went to the open window and asked when the worker when would open. The worker yelled at me to they would be open when "the lights were on and the door was open". At that time we had been waiting 30 mins- 15 mins past opening and we gave up and went to tru food across the street. There are so few places we can eat it just crummy when the one place you rely on is not only unpredictable but just rude. Also- a 12pm opening for lunch is late. Do better Brightwok. read more

Service here was great. The nice guy behind the counter knows the menu very well. He was very nice and friendly. Earth, Curry, and Fire was not really spicy. It was white rice, onions, carrots, peppers, kale, chili coconut curry, and crispy egg. I added additional chicken with it. Magic cake is homemade cashew butter and chocolate chips. Food here was alright; I think it could be more flavorful. read more

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Wow so glad I gave this place a chance. Was hoping for something delicious and healthier and it definitely delivered. Employees were friendly too. I ordered the Sweet New Year bowl to-go, because I was craving BBQ. It was amazing. I ordered with no zucchini and that was no problem. I love that everything is stir fried right in front of you and even though sweet potato is usually not my favorite, the sweet potato cake was one of my favorite parts of the bowls. Though about $18 with tax and tip, the bowl is huge- easily feeds two people or gives you a meal for later. Give them a chance, especially if you are craving something quick and healthy but still delicious. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Inside, some of the seating. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Quick place to grab a made to order meal. With several healthy options and the ability to build your own bowl, this is a great fast casual option at an affordable price in downtown Chicago. Service was friendly and my order was accurate. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Build your own bowl (veggies, chicken, & sweet potato) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great gluten free option, but most of the business is takeout. Ambiance is not their #1 concern. The food was fine/fuel that a celiac can eat. Good fiber. read more

Delicious, huge portions, affordable, and vegan friendly! Built my own bowl (noodles, veg, tofu, curry sauce) and the woman at the counter was super patient and friendly. I couldn't decide which sauce and she was so helpful and polite. The food was steaming hot, delicious and huge portions. I also got a side of their pickles which were delish. The inside is super cute too. Couldn't have asked for more! read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Build your own bowl (diy vegan) - noodles, veg and tofu in curry sauce. This is what's left after I was already full! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Healthy and appetizing - the perfect lunch spot. The food meets all of my esoteric health and sourcing objectives (e.g., halal chicken, broad-spectrum micronutrient density, high protein, minimally processed ingredients, solid macronutrient profiles). Moreover, the employees are very friendly and helpful. Service is efficient. Special thanks to Paris for going out of his way for me today. I'll be coming back often. read more

They have a lot of vegan friendly options which made it appealing and easy for me to build my own bowl. Their bowls follow a similar structure of brown rice as a grain, choice of protein, then topped with veggies and some type of Asian inspired sauce such as a tahini-sesame dressing or their chili oil. I enjoyed the two tofu bowls that we had here although I found them to be overly saucy and oily. I would suggest requesting to go light on both if you are able. Their tofu was good and I appreciated the many veggie options. Plus their fried plantains were also a nice side to accompany the bowls. Service here was really friendly and helpful, and even when you dine in, your bowls will be served in takeout containers. This is helpful if you aren't able to finish your food in one sitting but seems wasteful when you toss it out right afterwards. read more

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Food was great. Nick, the cashier was awesome. Very welcoming ambiance and the staff was great. Super friendly, provided great insight on the menu. Would recommend eating here! read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was hesitant because presentation wise it wasn't anything fancy, and actually order got it because it accepted ClassPass credits. It actually tasted good and super filling. I ordered it again! read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tasty, reasonably priced and quick for a weekday lunch. Friendly and nice employees. Depending on the day, it can be light or greasy, it can be hot or miss. But overall, good. I will return. read more

A great little spot to get stir fry in River North! I love that you can customize everything you want in the dish. I came with a friend on a relatively quiet Saturday for lunch and there weren't too many other people. For my stir fry, I got brown rice, chicken, carrot, broccoli, bean sprouts, and kale. The sauce I chose was the green curry. All the ingredients were cooked well, and the sauce tasted great. The only remarks I have are that the chicken was a bit dry (though that's usually the case with breast), there was a disproportionate amount of carrot that made me feel like I was eating a carrot dish, and there was too much sauce so at the end it was almost soupy. These are all minor things but added up. If I'm ever in the mood for stir-fry I will definitely come back, though maybe try a different protein and ask for less sauce. A side point, the restaurant was a bit dark inside even though it was a bright day outside. Not sure if that's an intentional decision or not... read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Green curry stir fry - doesn't look the most appetizing but it's delicious - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Rice noodle was a little soggy. Nothing was really flavorful. Would probably not get again. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - BYOB - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered the earth, curry, & fire for delivery. Food came hot and fresh. The fried egg on top was a nice touch and added some flavor contrast to the curry & spice. This was not overly spicy so don't be afraid to order. This was a great healthier option for lunch and decently filling without making me feel stuffed. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Earth, Curry, and Fire - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I order from this location somewhat regularly and I love how it's vegetarian friendly! I'm a picky b*tch, so I always do a create your own bowl, but I love their tofu. It has a chewy texture somewhat similar to chicken. You can choose your spice level for your bowl and so long as you don't pick a sauce that's marked as spicy, they can make your bowl a true mild in case you have anyone in your life who cannot handle spice. On the other hand, if you do like spice, you can select that. I find their portions to be generous and I usually get 2 meals out of it. I'm also obsessed with their magic cake, which if you like chocolate and cashew, is glorious and not to be forgotten. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Create your own bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went to Brightwok around 8:20pm when they close at 9pm. Ordering was easy since they have some preset options. I ordered the Earth, Curry, and Fire and my partner ordered the Sweet Umami Mushroom. We sat down to wait for our food which took about 10 mins. When we got our food we figured we could eat there for a couple of minutes but were told they were closing and we couldn't stay. If a restaurant advertises that they close at 9pm, they should have allowed us to eat there for at least 15 mins. The mushroom stir fry had very few mushrooms and was salty. The curry stir fry was better, but not great. Would not come here again. read more

Hello gluten free yumminess! Brightwok is 100% completely gluten free. Which mean folks with Celiac and gluten intolerance can safely eat here without worry. But even if you're not gluten free, you're going to want to check out this place! The menu is really a suggestion - they suggest combos and sauces, but you're welcome to create your own as well. We popped in for lunch and had an absolute feast! Yummy sauces and clean healthy food. What more could a girl ask for? read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was absolutely blown away by how fresh and tasty the bowls are here! Everything is stir fried to order, and definitely set a new level to the fast casual experience! The veggies were fresh, and so were the rice noodles! They did not take orders at the counter when we were there. Everything was done online, and once your order is ready, they will call your name. It took about 10-15 minutes for both our bowls to be ready from the time we ordered it on our phones. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Build your own - chicken, veggies, and rice noodles, and Thai fresh basil sauce - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ugh, I love this place too much. I don't even live in Chicago, but whenever I travel to Chicago for work, this is always my first, last, and in between spot. I legitimately went here 4 times last week (I was there M-F). I always make my own bowl, which is 99% always Thai Basil sauce w tofu and brown rice. Spicy. Add a crispy egg and mushrooms. Brightwok - Come to LA! read more

Brightwok Kitchen - MYOB: Thai basil, tofu, brown rice, broccoli, kale, sprouts, zucchini, add crispy egg and mushrooms. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm so glad I found this place!! Whole Foods, Mariano's, Dom's Market hot bars were my go-to's for quick, relatively healthy lunches. Whole Foods hot bars fell off a cliff in quality (and value), Mariano's followed suit, and Dom's closed, so I searched for a healthy alternative. This place is amazing. It's healthy (I assume). The service is super friendly. The food is prepared quickly. The portions are large (1 bowl is enough to feed 2 people). The flavors are excellent. The pricing is good (excellent value). Highly recommended read more

If you are looking for a place to satisfy a variety of palates, try Brightwok Kitchen. Once we entered, we were greeted immediately. Being a first timer, I had a few questions and the servers were very helpful. I had the everyday Eat Right. I added chicken and sweet potato fritters. My companion, a vegan, had the Kickin' Panang with tofu. Both dishes were generously sized and flavorful. With ample seating, we were able to sit down and enjoy our food. I look forward to returning one day. read more

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Came here for lunch and was pleasantly surprised! Food was delicious and everyone was so friendly. Will be back!

I had a great meal at Brightwok Kitchen. Visiting from out of town, it was great to find a restaurant serving fresh food. My Pad Thai was delicious! read more

So good that it deserves 6 stars. If I got 1 last meal I would get Brightwok. If I got 2 last meals I would get Brightwok twice. I get the beef with rice noodle + basil and teriyaki sauce read more

First time in this place! Paris the worker on 7/17 was SO helpful. Let me try sauces and gave amazing recommendations on what to get. He made my experience so great and I cant wait to go back for the delicious food. 10/10 if you like stir fry foods with really fresh ingredients! read more

The bowl was delicious! The fritter made it especially good. What impressed me the most was the amazing customer service we received. I love this place but I forget about it. I won't forget after this experience. So many more bowls I want to try out!! read more

Brightwok Kitchen - a bowl of food on a table - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my bf's fav stir fry in town. It has a good amount of vegetarian options so I was happy as well. This time he got the Earth, Curry, and Fire and enjoyed it. He substituted the tofu for steak and finished every bite! He described it as flavorful, fresh, spicy, healthy, nutritious and delicious. I got the Mushroom bowl and I thought that it was decent. I don't consider myself a noodle girl so I wasn't super impressed. I enjoy strong flavors and this was more on the bland side. We also shared the steamed edamame, though honestly I ate 85% of it. I love love love edamame! Overall, a good place and we would go again. I would probably try something else. It was great for takeout as it remained hot for good 15 min after we ordered. Keep in mind that portions are huge! I couldn't finish it so my bf helped me out. Also be aware of sketchy people on the streets especially in River North... read more

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Decided to try this for lunch one day after visiting my wellness clinic. So glad I did, the flavors are amazing. Please be mindful that as you are choosing the ingredients for your bowls, you may add or substitute any ingredient. You can also make the sauce as spicy as you can stand it. If you add the grilled pineapple skewer, the sweet balances the flavor nicely. This is a BYOB establishment but they do sell bottled water, teas and sodas. They are open for takeout and delivery. read more

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These seem like nice people and they make a big deal in their web site info about their ingredients and how they make things the way you want. I left off onions and asked for no onions in the text. I got cups and cups of onions which were hard to separate from the other ingredients. A tiny bit of meat. Maybe they misunderstood. Or maybe just the chaos of the evening. Or maybe it's already prepared that way (so they shouldn't give an option to leave any ingredients out of the dish, if so). Someone else eating there got the wrong order. My food was 30 minutes past the estimated pick up time. Stuff happens. Life is messy. I'm sympathetic yet I don't want the sh*ts all night from eating onions or to spend 15 minutes picking them out so I'll give going here again a hard pass. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - The bucket of onions. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Staff is friendly, place is clean, and service is quick. I really liked my selection except I forgot to add an egg which I'm sure that would've made my meal so much better but next time. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Build your own - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Build your own bowl including chicken, edamame,mushroom, beans,onions and brown rice! read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Build your bowl! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wouldn't return or recommend because of the absurdly long wait time. + - Healthy options with good vegan options available - Nice staff - Tasted not bad - Portion was reasonable - They did offer me coupons for next time because of the wait, but you'd literally have to pay me to come back. - - The wait was SO incredibly long. I wish I'd been timing it, but I believe just over 45 minutes for a simple bowl, possibly an hour almost. I really wish I'd gone somewhere else. I could've had a nice sit down lunch. It also wasn't even peak lunch hour, actually on the later side, and the place was not quite half full. I also witnessed several other people waiting a while, even including online orders who ordered ahead. It also didn't seem like orders were prepared in the right sequence. I was practically late for an appointment and had to scarf down my food from waiting so long for what looked like a quick lunch spot! - Staff seemed to have trouble remembering and making the order, which was just a build your own bowl with no add ons. I think there is for sure a staffing and also potentially training issue, maybe an issue with the ingredients or something (they mentioned that). - Expensive for a simple meal - On top of that the trash can was full read more

Met friends from Los Angeles here for dinner. The food is vegan and gluten-free. All of the sauces are dairy, shellfish, and peanut free, and the antibiotic free chicken is certified Halal. My friend's son is vegan so this restaurant was a perfect choice. I ordered ginger beer (yummy) and the Healthy Sesame. This dish consisted of tahini ginger spiced greens, zucchini, squash, sweet potato fritters purple cabbage, and chicken. Everything tasted fresh; however there was too much sauce. I suggest asking them to put it in a cup on the side so you can add it yourself. My friends enjoyed their meals and so did I. I plan to stop by again. read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been wanting to try this concept for a while, as I love a good stir fry filled with veggies and Asian flavors. I liked the byo option, and I stocked up on all the veggies! I also got a sweet potato fritter to top off my bowl. The Thai green curry sauce was okay but needed extra hot sauce and Sriracha. My bowl was made incorrectly twice also, which was frustrating. I'm glad I tried the place but probably wouldn't go out of my way to venture back. read more

Damian is hands down one of the best cooks in Chicago! They are an expert of gluten free and dairy free meals (which, if you've tried to cook that way you know is extremely difficult). My girlfriend cannot have gluten or dairy and is sensitive to cross contamination. No issues here! We had the Sweet Golden Curry and the Earth, Curry, and Fire -- two dishes that are absolutely amazingggg! Reggae beats, an open floor plan, and delicious food made our visit to Brightwok on State St. one to remember. read more

Wow! This is a little gem in the Loop. The food was flavorful, fresh, and delicious. Everything is dedicated gluten free, which makes ordering easy for those with gluten issues! We didn't come with any expectations and I picked it up for my family late. The staff was very friendly. Definitely a place to return to when we are in the area again! read more

Love the fact that they offer Halal Chicken Wasn't too big of a fan of the thai green curry But the coconut chili curry was delicious and tasty! And that crispy fried egg was the cherry on top read more

Brightwok Kitchen - Halal Chicken option on the Menu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I thought Chicago was a food city. This place calls that into question. This was atrocious. The guy at the register was high, unable to take our order and the "wok" was a hotplate. You are not getting the "wok" effect of high-heat flavor, you are getting steamed food that has no flavor balance. Looking forward to seeing this place go out of business soon. Truly a sad, pathetic attempt with flashy branding and marketing, but depressing, prison-esque food. Gross! read more

Sad to be leaving this review. Brightwok used to be one of my favorite places in Chicago. When COVID hit, I went out of my way to order from here several times per week to support them. At this point, it might as well be a ''ghost kitchen.' I'm sure they do a good delivery business, but when you go in there: 1) the food takes forever as they cater to delivery orders (we waited 30 min the other night) 2) it's an open kitchen and you can see what little pride the cooks take in the food they're making 3) the quality of their ingredients has seemingly gone down but their prices keep going up 4) they've messed up orders now 2 times in a row (I didn't say anything either time, but it's frustrating) I don't know if the owners are less present or the people are burnt out (no pun intended), but I'm afraid this place needs an overhaul. Sad. read more