Wonderful service! Everyone is very friendly and gave helpful suggestions. I love the masala chai here! I can really taste the quality and it's really special. And the masala curry fries are excellent! Really well seasoned and not greasy. read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Masala Curry Fries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There aren't many places that make an exceptional cuppa chai and the exception? Chiya Chai ;) For starters, Chiya Chai is one of my all-time favorite cafes AND chai spots in the states! They are REALLY good at making well-crafted and beautifully spiced chai. (This is coming from a self-proclaimed chai aficionado who crafts their own homemade spiced chai on the regular) I've been visiting here since 2023 and have been deeply satisfied with every beverage that I've ordered! The ambience of is relaxing and is great for both catching up with friends and working remotely. There is plenty of seating in both the front and back of the space. I LOVE how expansive their chai options are and how they also offer ayurvedic blends. My go-to is the cardamom pistachio which is DELECTABLE. I love the chewing on the crushed pistachios after sipping the hugged-by-cardamom-chai. What a combination!! My goal, eventually, will be to try every chai on the menu - I just can't seem to stray away from the deeply flavorful cardamom pistachio! Overall, I HIGHLY recommend Chiya Chai to all chai lovers looking for an authentic chai experience! You've GOTTA go here!! read more

Used to love this place, but things have changed in the past 6 months. Recently tried their chaats, and we were very disappointed.

Stylish cafe with a cute shop and a great variety of menu choices. I liked the options of all the chai teas you could order. I got spicy masala (lots of pepper) and my friend ordered pistachio - cardamom. Both were very flavorful but I liked hers more. We also got the veg momos and samosa. We liked them but we've had better. Overall, I would come back for the chai. read more

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I've been a fan of Chiya Chai for years but the last 2 times I've ordered have been terrible. I'm not sure if ownership/management has changed, but both times we were super disappointed with the quality of food. Last time the masala curry fries were burnt and this time they served us burnt rice. The garlic naan was just regular naan with a garlic powder butter spread on it (no real garlic). We won't be back. read more

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The food was delicious & the ambience was laid back. I can't remember the name of the dish we got, but the food & drinks were sooo yummy

Chiya chai is a great cafe. They have awesome food and awesome drinks, and they're really good at everything on their menu. The ambiance is great and the staff are super cool and friendly. I've been getting the desi chai a lot lately and it tastes fantastic hot or iced. Would definitely recommend. The food items are all great, especially love the chicken curry and saag paneer. I think the pies are their most unique item, very delicious. (still hoping for the apple raita to come back one day it was so fire) Overall though, I think it's a great place. I find myself there all the time because I'm always craving it, and I'm constantly recommending it to everyone I know. read more

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They used to be great,I dunno what's going on here. But even the energy is weird. The food used to be great,the drinks used to be really on point Now it's just loud ass music,and not very clean seating. i know they were closed for a while and reopened Maybe management. But I certainly won't be back read more

Overall Thoughts: The menu here is diverse and creative, from pies to South Asian classics and Southeast Asian momos. It's counter service, very casual, and it wasn't too crowded on a Friday night; my friend and I found a table easily. Overall, I wasn't really impressed with the specific dishes I ordered, but I'm giving 4 stars as I think the spot has potential and I'd be interested to try their chai and happy hour drink deals in the future. Food I tried: - Creamy Chicken Masala Curry bowl (3.5/5): The flavors were not as strong or vibrant nor the chicken as tender as I was hoping for. The flavors and textures grew monotonous for me after awhile. - Garlic Naan (4.2/5): Nice strong garlic flavor albeit a little dry. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.3/5 Food: 3.8/5 Ambience: 4.3/5 Service: 4.5/5 Overall Value: 4.1/5 read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - garlic naan, Creamy Masala Chicken Curry Bowl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Have passed this place so many times and finally decided to pop in! I got the vanilla nutmeg chai small and an order of samosas ( comes in 2)! That only ran me about $13 so bang for your buck is here!! This place is very spacious and open and would be great for a remote work day! They also have happy hour that I want to come back and check out! The samosas come with two sauces and both were delicious! This was a great portion for the price and the vanilla nutmeg was delicious ! Their menu is pretty extensive and service was on point! I'll be back for the cocktails ! read more

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I have been a loyal customer of Chiya Chai since before the store opened and it was just served at the farmers market. I bring friends there regularly. I'm proud to bring people from out of town. When I think about moving from Chicago, I realize I can't leave. I can't be far from Chiya Chai. After trying Nepali tea decades ago, I have been looking for this tea my entire life. It is exquisite. I have five top favorite tea flavors. Each is distinct and sharp and utterly luscious. Each has subtle balances and contrast, with booming flavor. However, I have noticed that the tea quality has been creeping downward. It hasn't been as fresh. There's more variation in flavor each time. I have also found the staff to be inconsistent and sometimes apathetic. Last time I went, it was a disaster. We bought a three tea sampler (because I brought a friend who was visiting Logan Square). The spicy chai wasn't very spicy at all. The eucalyptus tea had no particular flavor. My friend said, "It tastes like nothing." And the third tea was unmemorable. I mentioned to the staff that the eucalyptus had no flavor. They agreed. I said, "Then why do you sell it?" They said it is the only kind of eucalyptus they can get, and some people like it. Okay, fair enough. But spicy masala is the house specialty. We both ordered a large spicy masala, the only passable flavor on the taster. But we asked for it to be spicier. (This is a request I commonly made when they first opened but the tea had gotten progressively spicier so I stopped making that request the past few years.) The first sip tasted terrible. When we opened the spicy masala cup lids, we gasped. It looked like they had dumped a shaker full of black pepper on top of the foam. (Not peppercorns, just ground pepper you would find at a diner.) We spooned it out of our cups as fast as we could, hoping it wouldn't soak through. The tea was inedible. I couldn't eat that much pepper on anything. It was enough to overpower a caldron of soup. I went back up to the counter to express my concern. They said, "The spice comes from pepper and if you want it spicier then you have to have more pepper." Hmmm. They remade the tea without pepper, but it still wasn't right. I was existentially shaken. They did not appear concerned. Something has gone terribly wrong with the tea, the staff training, and the hospitality. read more

I love this franchise - such an amazing taste of Indian cuisine with a couple of twist on dishes. Logan square location is massive and can house you and your family or friends for a good time. I placed an order rather quickly and all the dishes arrived within 15-30 minutes. Thankfully we order multiple dishes to get a taste of their menu. Each dish was a nice size portion that matches the price and that wows me. The fries were very well seasoned and the sauce to pair was tasty. The wings were so tender the meat fell off the bone. The sauce seasoning and flavor was a triple knockout and worth the taste. Definitely don't miss out on that. The creamy chicken masala was indeed creamy and incredibly Generous with the meat provided. The pot pie was alright and filling. What elevated the dish were the sauces on the sauce. I believe one was Apple base and the other was another fruit base. Super delicious on their own! Definitely visit this location or the one located in downtown Chicago. My only downfall was not ordering their chai flight. This gives me a reason to return! read more

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The steamed veggie momos were good and I absolutely loved the seating and surroundings. Would definitely like to go here again to try other food options. read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Chiya Veggie Momo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Mountains of flavors and spice! It's my first time going to Chiya cafe with a buddy. Since I do a lot of Indian events, I'm familiar with the cuisine. Since it was the first time here, we tried a few things. The cafe is cute and was busy that day. It's essential to note seating is first come, first serve cafe style. My friend and I almost left, but after taking a walk around the block, more seats opened up. I got the chicken masala pot pie, which was so delicious and baked to perfection. I wasn't a massive fan of the sauces that came with pastry, but that's just my taste buds--the Samosas were fantastic and also baked well. My friend got the Deep Dish Lamb, which she thoroughly enjoyed, and we shared the chili wings. The wings were good but spicy. It's not unbearable, but it hit the right spots. I did think the physical chili on top of the wing was a bit much for me, but they shouldn't deter anyone reading this to stop them from trying them. I washed everything down with a coffee. Overall, this was a great place to talk with a friend and enjoy food. I loved all the flavors and atmosphere. If you never had Indian food, this is a great introduction. Just remember this isn't a restaurant, it's a cafe with restaurant-style Cuisine. For my first visit, Chiya Cafe got a 4 out of 5 read more

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I came here for a comedy show in the winter and it was a ton of fun! The whole interior is really cutely decorated and the space gives off very casual vibes. The service is quick and easy. We went up to the registered and ordered the drinks and food we wanted. The samosas are delicious and hearty! The masala fries are delicious. I want to come back to try their momo dumplings. In terms of drinks, the star is of course their chai. Cardamom pistachio and spicy masala are my favorite. It's honestly some of the best chai I've had outside of my home chai! The cocktails are also yummy and unique in flavors. Tip: I found out about their comedy show through their Instagram stories. read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So glad they're open again! Always super nice staff and always a great chai (or dirty chai for me today) to start a day with! Great food options too, even if they've swapped to a condensed menu - always love the cauliflower peas and potato curry read more

My girldriend and I ordered 4 chai tea drinks, ranked from best to least: 1) Ginger Cardammon Chai - the tastiest chai, with cardammon filling it up initially and then giving way to the ginger bite. This is addicting! 2) Dirty Masala Chai - this is super spicy, for better or worse. We personally love this style chai and think it's excellent! 3) Horchaitea - Iced cold drink mixture of horchata and chai, and it's as cinnamon-y as you'd expect. Super delicious 4) Anise - this was the only one that wasn't excellent, as the anise smokiness is nice but there's not a lot of other flavor. It is what they advertised, there's just others we liked more I recommend ordering the chai's that they make with spices, as opposed to the ones with syrups. Both are good! We just LOVED the spices and herbs baked in to the chai's, as they tasted perfect. Also am glad that they serve these drinks piping hot! Definitely check this place out, and order the momo dumplings. I loved the Lamb & Dill the most, it was full flavor and didn't need the extra sauces served on the side. Cool vibe here too, if you're seeking a study space. Can't wait to come back! read more

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We ordered a lot of chai and samosas for two corporate events that were planned overnight. The team was very flexible with delivery (delivering late at night) and helped with some last minute changes to one order. The team communicated well and was so friendly. The chai and samosas were delicious. Highly recommend Chiya Chai!! read more

Okay, I got a new one from me to you ... the rasmalai from Chiya Chi. It's a creamy and spongy cup cake made with Indian ricotta cheese, sugar, milk and cardamom. It's like a colder, lighter tree leches cake. It was so good I went back two nights in a row and was to pouring the cream into the ice left over at the bottom of my coconut cream chai that I had just crushed and drinking it with a straw. They changed the menu up a little here recently and everything had been just ridiculously delicious. Three-peat tomorrow night? Also got the honey spicy wings, I got so messy, but it was way worth it. read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Rasmalai - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chiya Chai has been on my visit list for a while and finally got to try it. It was worth the wait. True to its name, this place is a chai lovers paradise. With more than 150 combinations of chai brewed in house, this place will make you come back for more. Chiya chai offers Nepali - Indian cuisine. Love their menu choices, tons of meat and vegan options. They have gluten free options as well. We walked in and ordered our food and then got seated. We tried the pani puri, samosa chaat, deep dish lamb, Kathmandu chicken momos, Chicken Balti pie , and the hot curry wings. We really enjoyed all the dishes. The Balti pie was a 10/10. The chicken and peas curry filing inside was delicious. The momos were excellent and freshly prepared. The lamb dish was amazing. Loved the pani puri and samosa chaat. The curry wings were spicy but really tasty. We got the chai growler to go in the masala chai flavor. We refrigerated it and made chai with it. We used 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 of the masala chai growler . Boiled it and delicious flavor and aroma chai ready in minutes at home. Strongly recommend getting it Overall we had a wonderful experience and will be back again to stock up on chai and enjoy other dishes from their menu. read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cardamom chai was tasty but I am not a chai connoisseur so I would get take other recommendations when picking a flavor. However the paratha was tasteless.. I am disappointed and surprised they could even serve that. read more

Such a fun concept. A casual Indian cafe that has so many classics. I love their chai menu, so many flavors to choose from. I did the cardamon and pistachio that was delicious! My friends and I dined in and ordered at the cashier and our food was brought over to us. The prices are so reasonable for the portions you receive! Small thing, but I was disappointed that the chai was in a plastic cup versus in a mug even though we dined in. Very happy to go back! read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Masala Curry Fries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A great place for Indian food!! Chai tea too. Wow soooo good. Here's what we had, in order starting with the most popular items at our table. You'll see the vegetarian items were the most popular. And the spice level for the food was mild/medium so everyone at the table enjoyed the food. 5 stars - Drinks - Ginger cardamom chai (hot). Spicy masala chai (hot). Horchaitea (iced). All soooo good. They had a spiced flavor, a tad sweeter than we are used to, but that wasn't a bad thing. Comfort in a cup for sure!! They have non-dairy milk options too! 5 stars - Aloo Chaat - pan fried potatoes with lime juice, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, spices, yogurt, garbanzo beans and crunchy bhel. The best flavor in this. How everything combined into a flavor packed bite, yet refined. 5 stars - Pani Puri - crisp flour puffs (puri) filled with spiced potatoes and a sauce made with tamarind, cumin, rock salt, mint, cilantro, cayenne and chaat masala. Many at that table never had this cold dish before and they all loved it. Another flavor packed bite with a refreshing taste. 5 stars - Savory pies - Curried kale and potato was the best. The spicy minced pork was also good. The best part of their pies is the buttery flaky crust. The curried kale and potato filling (curried kale, potatoes, carrots and peas) was nice and creamy. Included two different chutneys. 4 stars - we had two other dishes. Darjeeling pork momos. Creamy masala chicken curry bowl. The meat eaters at the table said they liked these, although not as good as the food options above. 2 stars - Hot curry wings (curry, spices, hot pepper sauce, lime, honey). Unfortunately these were too salty to consume. They were very nice to make us a new batch and the saltiness was still only dialed down a bit. But their customer service in response to our comment was a 5 star response... 5 stars - Raul was one of the most friendly employees we ever met. He was so patient and answered our questions. Our party of seven had a lot of differing opinion's, yet he kept a friendly tone and followed every step as we ordered our food. Raul's food recommendations were spot on. Ordering the right dishes suited for a party of seven is hard, but Raul made it an easy experience because of his knowledge about the food and drinks. As a plus, when we mentioned the wings were salty and that we're thinking rice could help, he offered to make it right by asking the chefs to make a new batch. He treated our group with kindness and made our experience a great one. Thank you Raul for your exceptional service! read more

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was visiting chicago for a few days and stumbled upon this cute little chai spot after grabbing a book and some vintage clothes nearby. it's situated in such a cute area with a park and shops nearby, honestly just get yourself a cool flavored chai, chew on some cardamom, and walk around as summer seeps its way into the world read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Hot Curry Wings, mango coconut chai - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First, I must say that this low review is not based on the food or the amazing service I always receive when I visit (I'm here at least once a week). It's convenient for me and I love this place. The one-star is strictly for the fact that the a/c is on the fritz and the management doesn't seem interested in fixing it - stopped in a few times over the last several days and had to turn around and leave - guess I could have ordered to go, but I really enjoy sitting in the restaurant. It's supposed to be mid-90s this weekend, and I feel for the kitchen staff. I hope you are working on fixing the issue. I'll definitely be back when that happens and will update my review! - a loyal customer read more

I'll preface by saying I've eaten (as well as cooked) some pretty good Indian food... but I'm a white guy from Texas who's never been to India. I am not a coffee or tea drinker, but I like chai... buuuut I've only had it 6-8 times. I have had 2 chai drinks here: The Spicy Masala Chai was very flavorful and very interesting, definitely recommended. The Turmeric Curry Chai was good but didn't have as much flavor. That shouldn't be surprising because Turmeric is a more earthy, less-punchy flavor in my (limited) experience. The star was the Aloo Chaat. It was VERY GOOD. SO interesting. The combination of flavors was unexpected but worked. It was SO flavorful. The textures, similarly, were unusual but fantastic. Each bite had a slightly different personality. The amount of food for the price was also quite surprising. They're not expensive ingredients, but it took some time and talent to put it together. I need to go back and try everything else on the menu. Ambiance was great - very interesting and thoughtful interior design, and if there was music, it wasn't very loud. Service was cheerful and helpful, because I did ask a few questions : ) read more

A lot of unique and delicious chai flavors! So many coffee shops lump chai in with tea and use syrups and premade chai mixes, I love being able to come here and get actually delicious proper chai. read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch and what a pleasant surprise! Great counter-order service, super helpful staff, quick meal prep and tasty bites! The food was a bit too spicy for me, but I'm a wuss so I'm sure it's fine for most people. Lots of great gluten free and vegetarian options and the staff was really helpful in picking out options that would work best for me. Would recommend and will try again! read more

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Great little lunch spot! Very inventive fusion dishes. As someone who loves chicken pot pies and also chicken tikka masala (your suspicions are correct. Yes, I am white.) I had to try the chicken masala pie. Delicious! It is a served with green apple raita and peach chutney. If you're new to Indian food, it's a nice sampler! The peach chutney was absolutely delicious, perfect mix of savory and sweet. I also got the horchaitea which for me was a bit overly sweet but I feel like that was my fault for getting something involving horchata, which is by nature extremely sweet. Staff was polite and helpful. Most people eating here were alone, so if you're squeamish about eating out by yourself, you have no reason to be nervous about this place! read more

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I was really excited to try the chai here at Chiya Chai, but unfortunately both the masala chai and the black cardamom chai here were somewhat bland and watery. I really thought it'd be more similar to chai I've had in Sri Lanka (very creamy and spiced!) and elsewhere. The food looks interesting and tasty, so I'd love to try that some other time. And maybe I should've gone with the more "American-style" chais? Also, they didn't have any coffee, even though that's listed on the menu. Anyway, staff was very friendly, space is nice and very casual. Just wish the chai were better! read more

This place was awesome except that when I asked for the chai flight they didn't have it. It was advertised on yelp and on their website. Mu favorite were their ginger cardamom and spicy Masala. They brew their chai either with spices or with syrup ( sip and savor on the menu). They have different Indian dishes and Indian snacks. We tried the momos (which is usually a Nepalese dumpling) . This place brings a unique cafe experience. read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Takeout order review: Lamb & dill momo: I've had a few different momos around the city and these are absolutely delicious and one of my favorites! Since I got delivery they weren't as hot when I got them but still so good. You can definitely taste the dill and the lamb was very tender. I could eat like 20 of these they were so good. The red and green sauces that come with them are also so flavorful! Creamy masala chicken: the sauce is incredibly buttery, aromatic and flavorful, can definitely taste all the spices that go into this. The chicken was a bit overcooked, but chicken breast does tend to be on the drier side. Will definitely check this place out in person sometime soon! read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been going to Chiya Chai ever since it first opened its doors in Logan Square. I love their Mumbai cutting chai, it feels like home to me. I love their chaat too! The flavors are so close to what I have had while growing up, they induce a sense of nostalgia in you. I do think their bhel needs some work though. The samosa chat in the other hand is to die for. The service is pretty quick and the staff have always been friendly. The ambience is average, nothing great to see there. Maybe it needs some work? Others, a great menu and love the fact they have opened up locations downtown. read more

I've been meaning to try this place out for a long time and am glad that I finally had the chance. Unfortunately the chai flight (a variety of small, sample-sized drinks) was not available during our visit, so I had to choose just one drink to try from the vast menu. After talking it over with the barista I went with the salted caramel chai. This was described as being a little bit sweeter, but boy was it ever sweet! My husband got the lavender blueberry chai, which was noticeably more subdued. I could taste the blueberry, but not the lavender too much. I probably wouldn't order the salted caramel again, but there are so many other tempting options to try. I hope I'll get another chance to do so! For lunch we got the bison momo (dumplings), pork vindaloo, and vegetable jalfrezi. This was an ambitious amount of food for the two of us, but I wanted to experience a good cross-section of the menu while we were there. The momo were probably our favorite food item. They tasted like a dal samosa but in a dumpling instead of in a crispy shell. Our entrees were both pretty good, but nothing too remarkable - we are spoiled for exceptional Indian food near our home, and what we had at Chiya Chai would hardly contend. Certainly though, it wasn't bad. Interestingly, while our food was not very spicy, the spiciness that was there helped to level out the sweetness of my drink nicely. Instead of the sugar or salt hitting my taste buds like a Mack truck, I mostly felt the painless sizzle of the ginger on my tongue. It was a bit like pop rocks. The restaurant is aesthetically pleasing. The blue tile on the wall behind the bar is actually a tile I had once considered using for my own kitchen backsplash. Although I ultimately went in a different design direction at home, it was fun to see how well that tile worked out at Chiya Chai. FYI, if you want to see the mural from my photos, you'll need to head midway towards the back of the restaurant, almost to the restrooms. Finally, the service we received was attentive and friendly. That definitely helped add a star to our experience. read more

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Indian street food & Chai tea? Look no further than Chiya Chai in Chicago Logan Square. Awesome place to meet up with friends on an afternoon. Got their housemade chai, which comes in decaf as well. Samosas, Masala Fries, & Momo steamed dumplings were all amazing and came with different dipping sauces. Our friend is vegetarian, so loved how many delicious options were available to share - No one had to "settle" for non meat dishes. read more

I've been here twice. The first time was several years ago, and the only thing I remember is that my husband ordered the pork vindaloo, and at the time, it was so spicy he couldn't eat it and I didn't eat pork so I couldn't try it. We visited again more recently on a Saturday night and saw that they've changed their menu since then. We ordered the masala fries, lamb and dill momos, 2 pot pies, mango lassi, and turmeric curry chai. The masala fries were pretty tasty and came with a good sauce on the side. The lamb and dill momos were delicious as well. Unfortunately, the chicken masala pot pie was really underwhelming. The crust smells really good, but the filling was not so good. It's filled with chicken, peas, and carrots in masala sauce. Something in it (maybe the carrots) was undercooked, so it had a weird texture. I will say my turmeric curry chai was tasty. However, the experience overall was just okay, so I'm not sure we'll go back anytime soon. read more

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Enjoyable wings and great selection of teas. The chaat was alright and limited options here but it was still great to see a uniquely themed chai spot in Chicago at that price point. read more

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First of all, I'm not a chai lover - I'm not even a chai liker...but this place makes the kind of chai that everyone can enjoy! Imagine Starbucks chai tea but minus the pretentiousness, and a lot more flavor! We had a flight of chai...each of us getting 3 each. The masala chai, as a consensus was everyone's favorite! But the STAND OUT for me, was the Cardamom Pistachio, the nuttiness of which brought another dimension to the chai. Hubby had the lamb and dill MoMo dumplings, and I had the Chiya Chilli Potatoes - both were absolutely fantastic. Ca. See myself returning to this place -- over and over again! read more

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What can I say about this cozy cafe with good food and chai? From the comfortable atmosphere and friendly staff to the ample seating, Chiya Chai has everything you need for a perfect coffee break. Their chai is a must-try, as are the samosa chutney, chicken Marsala, and chicken wings. If you have a sweet tooth, pick up a cup of the pink salt and almond butter or chocolate spearmint chai to pair with a light dessert like the flourless chocolate cake. So, whether you're looking to catch up with friends or get some work done over lunch, this cafe is a great spot. read more

Chiya Chai Cafe - Flourless Chocolate Cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This review isn't about the food nor the service , cause the good is really good and the service is excellent, but mostly about the condition that the employees are working in. Like I understand that there's a sign stating that their a/c isn't working but it's been like for more than a few days now. Now image how the employees in front especially the kitchen staff are going to feel the next few days with this extreme heat thats coming. The owners should AT LEAST have some fans. read more