We celebrated my mom's birthday here last night. Everything was sooo delicious! We had shrimp panang curry, beef Lard nar, chicken pad see ewe, boat noodles, Chai's fried rice with shrimp, and papaya salad. The beef and chicken was so tender, and the shrimp was huge. BYOB was a plus, and we also brought in a dessert for my mom's birthday. They even brought out some birthday dessert for her, with a candle. Wonderful owners and food! read more

Surprisingly good. The spicy eggplant was awesome! Chive dumpling we will order again. Great find, can't believe we didn't try them sooner read more

I'm a huge Opart fan. And a loyal one. But at a friends house recently they ordered from here. It was outstanding. So much so that I was going to cheat on my beloved Opart but when I went to check out, I learned they don't deliver to my house :( guess I'll have to drop in one day instead. read more

This used to be my favorite local Thai restaurant. Unfortunately, im not sure what has happened in the last year, but I will not return. My last 3 meals from here have been inedible. Two orders ago, I ordered through the Yelp app and when I went to pick it up, they had not seen the order or started cooking it. No problem , I didn't mind waiting. However when I got home and opened my noodle dish it was red in appearance. It was completely filled with red pepper flakes, like the top had accidentally come off during the cooking process. The dish was so incredibly spicy , no one could eat it (I love extremely spicy food and couldn't handle it). Why would they give it to a customer when based on sight alone, the dish was obviously off. Last week I gave them another chance and ordered my usual crispy noodle pad sie ew. The noodles were so hard and over cooked they almost broke my wife's tooth! Again you could tell just by looking at the dish that it was WAY over cooked. The noodles looked petrified. I love supporting family ran businesses but this is the last bad meal I'll pay for from this establishment. read more

Honestly, I have never "dined in" but I pick up sushi from Chai Asian Bistro at least twice a month. I'm not a big fan of their noodles, but have been happy with all of the sushi rolls that I have tried. They also have an affordable lunch special. read more

Just ok. Pretty bland. We love Thai food and this restaurant left us underwhelmed. We have eaten here 4 or 5 times, have brought friends, and we all walk out w/ same opinion-'just ok'-bland. read more

Sauganash is not known for its variety of restaurants, so Chai Bistro is probably the best restaurant in the area. It's a very cozy family run place with delicious Thai/Japanese cuisine. read more

Another disappointment. Had their panang chicken, and it was CALIENTE. I like my Thai food with some heat, but I purposely chose this type of curry, thinking it would be on the milder side. Not so...I think too much heat takes away from the flavoring of the rest of the dish. Bummer. Guess I will have to try another dish. Why am I so adamant of finding my favorite dish at this place? Three's a try, I guess. read more

This is the best Thai that I've found in this vicinity. Nice staff, clean, comfortable, and really delicious food. I like their lunch specials. For $8, you get an appetizer and entree. Everything is fresh, and certainly feels healthy. Nice service as well. read more

I've been going to this restaurant for 10 years, can't believe I haven't reviewed it yet. Consistently delicious and fresh food, prepared by genuinely friendly and service-oriented folks. Love the spicy eggplant and garlic chicken rice dishes, noodle dishes are full of flavor. Go! read more

Always enjoy the food at Chai's. Well we arrived on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 5:04 pm ( Restaurant opens at 4:30 pm. Lights were on in the back. One of the ladies could be seen in the back. We ponded on the door, as it was LOCKED. No one was there to let us in. Chai lost some customers that night. If they really wanted to be closed, they should have put up a sign indicating closure. Bad PR!!!! read more

As you know from my other reviews, I am big on owner presence. This is a great thai place that rivals the best downtown has to offer. Their spicy beef is a great low carb dish that will knock your socks off. Pad Si Eiw is the best I have tasted. Fine selection of sushi. I have never had a bad dish at this place. Be a little adventurous-try something off your usual list. The owner is present almost every hour they are open. And while it is a small place, I have never had to wait long for a seat. It seems like those who really like Thai have discovered it but not many others. With the quality and service the owner puts out, it won't be long before word gets out. read more

Last night, I ate here with a group of local neighborhood girlfriends. I will say the food was very good. We had crab Rangoon, chicken satay, pot stickers and edamame for appetizers. For the main entrees we ordered the following dishes green curry, chicken pad see ew, beef pad see ew, ginger chicken and spicy eggplant. We will definitely be back. Extra plus it was a BYOB. Only negative was the 9:30pm close time.....it would have been nice to stay and chat a little longer. read more

Stopped here for lunch on our way to the airport. Excellent food and very kind service. Restaurant was clean, charming and quiet. Try the pad see ew! read more

I ordered the cashew chicken from there and I really liked it. Usually whenever I eat at thai places they use a lot of sauce and stuff and not a lot of veggies and it overwhelms the plate. There were so many veggies in this dish and the sauce was light...I loved it! read more

DELICIOUS! Chai is a cozy, family owned Thai restaurant with great food and good ambiance. The restaurant is very clean and chic inside. The portions are great and they even serve sushi. They're accommodating to what you want and don't want in a particular dish and it's convenient that they're BYOB. I recommend the chicken satay, shrimp rolls or crab rangoons for appetizers. Any of their noodle or rice dishes are great as entrees and for dessert definitely try their fried banana wontons or mango sticky rice (when in season). Parking is available on the street or they have a small lot in the back. Chai is a place I frequent and each time it's been great service and even better food. read more

Fabulous Thai food!!! Always fresh! Perfectly made to order! And they have great Sushi too! It doesn't get any better....a little Sushi appetizer with Pad Thai.......or full Sushi meal! It's the best Thai I've ever had and the Sushi is top of the line too! read more

This little strip-mall bistro is one of the best restaurants in the area. It's small, but the atmosphere is modern without being too trendy. It seems like a family-run place and the food is always excellent. There's some normal 'asian restaurant' type dishes, as well as a good selection of thai dishes. They have pretty excellent Pad Si Eiw, but my favorite dish is the Crunchy Chicken. They also offer sushi, but i've never had it, so i'm not sure how it would be. If you're looking for a reasonable meal in this neighborhood, you can't do much better. read more

Me and my boyfriend wanted to try some Thai/Asian cuisine. Saw this little gem on yelp and decided to try it out. When you go in, you can sit down where ever you like (that's what my boyfriend and I did) and they hand you the menu. The staff is very fast and attentive and we got our food within half an hour or so, granted no one was in the restaurant when we came in. Overall, food was delicious and very satisfying! Coming again! Please try the crab rangoons, they're the best I've had so far :) read more

Stopped in here on a Saturday evening. The place was empty, which made me nervous. But the food and service was great! We got the crab rangoon and potstickers, which were some of the best I've had, the red chicken curry and a side of sticky rice (because I love sticky rice). I have absolutely no complaints about this restaurant and I know we'll be back. I'm excited to find a place nearby where I can get sushi and my husband can get something else that he likes, since he doesn't like sushi. Can't wait to try their carry out option when I don't want to cook. read more

Excellent service, sweet waitstaff and INCREDIBLE maki rolls. Sooo fresh and delicious. Highly recommended. Cute interior for the area, too:) read more

I love their Thai Boat Noodle soup. The place is small but nice. Parking out front free one hour. They're close on Monday.

My first dish at a Thai place is always Pad Thai, and it was fairly mediocre here. The service was awful too. There were only five people in the restaurant when I went, and I still felt like I needed to bring a whistle to order / get some water / get the check. Too bad because it's close to our new office. read more

I've been here several times and have never been disappointed. Combo of Thai and Sushi both are great. Service can be a little slow, but all around very pleasant. Try the Spicy Basil. read more

Yum! Yellow curry with sweet potatoes, sooo tasty! Great texture, really rich flavor. Tasted the delectably moist and not-at-all greasy chicken teriyaki too. Lunch specials come with a side or crab rangoon, egg roll, or soup. They only deliver within a 1 mile radius, and I'm just out of that range, but will definitely be back. There is a parking lot in the back too... read more

Went there the other day for a normal lunch outing and the food was outstanding as usual! Sometimes we pre-order our food before we dine in. We are in and out fast. Thank you Chai Bistro. Also they are expanding their restaurant knocking out the wall to make their restaurant larger. I highly recommend their lunch specials and have NEVER had a meal there I didn't like. Always a lot of flavor and always leave full! read more

Small place. Modern decoration. Good pad thai but I have had better. A little pricy. Skip on the egg rolls...not that amazing.

I don't know about other dishes, but their beef boat noodle soup is outstanding authentic & taste just like home! I definitely a big fan!

Service is pretty slow. And I was the only one there. Sushi is not good. Guess their specialty is Thai food only.

My girlfriend and I went here yesterday and we loved it! We had the sampler, I had a California roll, and she had an entree (sorry cannot remember which one) but it was so good! She wants to go again today. That's how delicious it was. Also, the woman who waited on us was super friendly and attentive! Pleased pleased pleased we were! read more

I've had Thai food all over Chicago and I think that this is one of the best restaurants to get it. The food is extremely well prepared, authentic and you have a lot of choices. Besides the Pad Thai(which is one of my favorite dishes on the menu), I really enjoy the: 1. Pad Woon Sen 2. Basil Chicen 3. Thai Fried Rice I've also had their Sushi rolls and think the quality is top notch. In addition, the service has always been terrific for me and they will make good suggestions depending on what you are in the mood for. Lastly, I think the prices are very reasonable at about $8-$12 per plate for dinner. Its BYOB which works out nicely because there is a Whole Foods right across the street and you can have your pick of any beverage you want from around the world. I usually go here with 2-3 friends and we always have a great time without breaking the bank. read more

I have a feeling that all the 5-star reviewers of this place are Sauganash locals who have never ventured south of Foster and east of Pulaski.. There ARE better Thai places out there in Chicago (see Bucktown, Lincoln Park, Old Irving, etc.). That being said, the food here is NOT bad. I ordered the Beef Pad Thai and Chicken Rice Soup, and I thought they were pretty decent. However, I'm giving this place 2 stars mainly for the customer service. When I went here with a party of eight tonight, all of our dishes were brought out at different times. The last person received his dish when the first person who received it was well done with half of it. THAT can ruin friendships. Also, I saw the server on two occasions have his thumb/fingers touching the food when he brought out the dishes. That is not very... sanitary. The stubborn owner (I'm guessing the mother of this mom and pops business) gave us the biggest attitude when we were trying to pay for our bill (there were eight of us so we were all trying to pay for ourselves with cards/cash..). She didn't even try to hide her frustration. I understand that it's more cumbersome for the restaurant to swipe five credit cards, but AT LEAST change your face from a :( a :3. All in all, okay food (a bit pricy in my opinion), bad customer service. Am I being a little too harsh? Maybe. Are you a hater? Yes. (jk). Happy yelping! read more

Family and I are new to town and my wife and I came to Sauganaush to look at homes. We found this place on yelp and have to agree with the reviews. I had the fried rice lunch special with a combo of all three meats, egg roll for appetizer. Wife had pad Thai, chicken with spring roll appetizer. Both meals were fresh and very flavorful and a healthy serving for a lunch special. I would give 5 stars but service is "eh." read more

Amazing food! I like to think of myself as a Thai food aficionado and this place is incredible! The crab rangoon is the best I have ever tasted! The salmon deluxe roll is so fresh; the rad naw krapraw is unbelievable - the magical sauce is to die for; the panang curry tastes like it was made with all fresh ingredients - not the pre-made bulk stuff you get at a lot of restaurants. We topped off the dinner with the banana wonton dessert, which was a perfectly delicious way to end a fabulous meal. Chai and his family are all so friendly and welcoming - we cannot wait to go back!! read more

I had Thai food for the first time last week for my birthday and i have already been back since. The services was acceptable and the food was good. I specially liked the shrimp rolls, and i really don't care for shrimp all the much but these where delicious. I am glad I chose to try this place out. read more

This review is strictly about their take out service which is spotty at best. Sometimes I call and they say 15 minutes and it's ready when I arrive. But sometimes they tell you the pick up time and you still have a long wait. Tonight was one of those times. I arrived at 6:30, the time I was told my food was going to be ready and when I arrived they told me 5 minutes. 30 minutes later they brought my food out. There were two tables in the restaurant, one that already had their food and another that ordered their food after I arrived. Their food was delivered to their table 10 minutes later as I waited 20 more for my food. They were not busy. They did not offer to compensate me for my wait. While the food is fresh and good, this may be our last time to order from this restaurant. A shame since options in Sauganash are limited. read more

We've been coming here for years now. Have dined in on occasions and also call in for take-out. The food has always been very fresh and good quality. Service is lacking though. Sadly, I'm not sure we will be back. it's a short distance from home. We've been supportive of this small business during these difficult times/months. The last few times, we had waited for our take-out order well over the time they quoted. On my last visit in (2 weeks ago), they mentioned it would be 40 min then pushed it to 50 which is reasonable. When I arrived 50 min later, they mentioned the order was not all done. They continued by saying it would be another 20 min as they haven't started on the last dish. The young lady wasn't the least bit apologetic. Disappointed as she mentioned most of my order was done but sat on the table. I decided to forgo the last item that was missing. Sadly the food wasn't hot when I arrived home only 5 minutes later. Perhaps they need to staff up and get better organized. read more

This is a hidden treasure! It is a small and unassuming storefront, but don't be fooled by the look. The food is delicious and is authentic thai. The sushi menu is small, but what they do have they do great! The Thai food is authentic and fresh, I have never been disappointed. Give it a try, it's worth every penny! read more

So happy there's a restaurant near my new house! I ate here for lunch one day and it was packed. It's small, but neat and clean when dining in. I ordered their Pad thai with Chicken and liked it a lot. It was a little more brown than some others I've had, but I like that style. I look forward to trying more dishes on their menu! read more

This is a great neighborhood spot. My girls and I like to meet here on occassion to split some sushi and entrees. We all enjoy the Spring Rolls, Miso Soup, Pad See Ewe, Ginger Chicken with Vegetables, Pad Woon Sen and as for sushi the best are the Volcano, Spider and Dragon. We never know what to get when we come here so we always order too much, but atleast then we have some yummy leftovers! The prices are extremely reasonable as well! All the waitresses are also very pleasant! Plus its BYOB and across the way from Whole Foods so we always pick up a bottle of wine before we head there. Also free street parking! read more