My friend and I were looking to try someplace new for lunch. She has a peanut/soy allergy so our first step was to see if they could be accommodating to that and they assured us they could be. Now I consider both of us to be very bright individuals, but the whole time here I was very confused. We sat down and our waiter asked us if it was our first time. We said yes....and from there on it felt like we were speaking a different language with the instructions we were given. I will apologize in advance, but this will be a lengthy review... First we were given a stick and a pencil with our menu. We were told to write on the stick our names and up to 3 meats we would like to come with our meals. Simple enough I figured (I chose sausage, shrimp, calamari). Then we were given this huge explanation on how things worked. They come back to your table with a bowl and then you are set free to navigate the ridiculous array of sauces, veggies, rice/noodles and basically put the meal together yourself. We held on to our little bowls and gave each other reassuring looks that we got this. So first stop we had to decide rice or noodles and then fix up your bowl with whatever condiments. I went with the brown rice, noodles, and added broccoli, mushrooms, onions. (There were seriously about 15 other items, but I tried to keep it simple). Then there are about 10 sauces to choose from. I went with the garlic black bean. After that it's time to "Transform your meal" You go over to this area where you are met with another set of sticks to choose from. You can Transform and add to your creation. The transform sticks you can choose between having them change the items you have in the bowl into either a burrito, wrap, soup, roti taco, or stuffed sandwich. I went with the roti taco. Also you can choose from the other side of sticks to add to your creation tofu, eggs, cheese, or a white stick to mean you have some form of allergy. Once your done with all that it's time to hand them your bowl so they can "create" your meal. By that point we were exhausted and went back to our tables praying we did somewhat well in choosing the right items. I also needed a drink by this point (I know it's lunch time...but I felt I worked hard enough for it ). I went with the FTG Punch...sweet and fruity and I couldn't taste the alcohol so I liked it. About 5 minutes later we get our creation and honestly we didn't do a bad job in our item selections. The problem to me is it tasted like something I could have ordered someplace else and had the chefs do all the work. I'm not big on specialization of my food and having to pick so many options, but if you are this is a great place to go. read more

Flat Top Grill - FTG Punch - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've previously reviewed the Flat Top Grill on North Avenue. Although I like the interior of this location better than the last the service was noticeably better on North Avenue. All else is the same... the meat and veggies are very fresh, the selection is wide. I would definitely go again. read more

Good Mongolian food and great staff I'm from North California which has limited options for Mongolian barbecue. Flat top is my personal favorite. This restaurant has great variety of vegetables and sauces. Clean if you're planning to go in this pandemic situation. They have gloves to wear before getting stuff. The manager was really good. We could not find parking which they validate. He walked with us to show us parking which was closed that day. He gave us one free bowl because we have paid for parking across the street. read more

The Flat Top Grill is a nice place that is a Mongolian Style Grill except you don't get to put the meat in your bowl. It's probably to reduce waste by the picky younger eater who don't understand this type of grilling and spicing format. Worth the visit and will come back. read more

I admit I was a bit skeptical at first, but after 2 visits I'm sold, all the meats and sauces and other toppings I've put into my bowls have tasted really good, it's as much as you want for a set price so get as much as you can, havent had the desserts yet but im sure theyre good too, great spot to go to downtown that isnt expensive but fills you up read more

Flat Top Grill - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Popped in here for lunch, food was really good. My husband and I both got poke bowls, the portions were generous and the ingredients were fresh. Service a little slow but everyone seems to be short-staffed right now. read more

We used to have a place like this in my hometown but it closed. So excited we found this place while visiting Chicago. The drinks and food were amazing. Who doesn't like throwing stuff in a bowl and having it cooked up read more

Flat Top Grill - Bowl of veggies and steak and a blue dragon - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

2.5 stars for dinner, 3 stars for lunch. To be fair, I'm not a fan of buffets or eating until I feel like death. Flat Top's "create your own stir-fry" shindig is a fun concept and I do think it would be a fun large group activity (you pile as much noodles/rice, veggies, meat, and sauces as you can and they stir-fry it for you), but $13 ($11 for students) for dinner here is not worth it IMO. The food is just simply not worth that price, and I personally left feeling like I was about to give birth to a baby. Lunch is much more reasonable at $9 ($8 for students). As someone mentioned, dining here takes practice..so maybe after 1 or 2 more tries I'll master the art of flat top. Game Plan based on my first experience: Don't hesitate to MOUND that shit on, if your pile in fact looks like a flat top you are doing something wrong. Eat half, pack half for home. That's the only way this place is worth the $ IMO. VEGETARIANS: 1 huge star for being SUPER VEG FRIENDLY. They have a variety of vegetarian "meats": quorn (mushroom meat, which was delicious), seitan, bbq tempeh, and curry pakora. They also list which options are NOT Vegan friendly which is awesome: http://www.flattopgrill.com/vegoptions.html A final note---their roti is good! Throw that blue stick in there! =) read more

Flat Top Grill - Clearly a nube. Pile Mounds people, mounds! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I can't stop raving about this place. My boyfriend brought me here thinking I'd like it, but I absolutely loved this place! I can't wait to go back. We went on a Saturday night and even though this place was busy we only had to wait about 10-15mins for our table. This place is a little tiny, but the ambiance is amazing and our waitress was extremely friendly. This place is great for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. I liked the wide variety of selections they had for preparing your dish. I made a stir fry style dish with salmon and the fish was great. Not fishy at all. The choice of sauces is almoat overwhelming. So many to choose from I almost couldnt decide. Next time I go I want to try making a noodle soup. As you may have guessed, I highly recommend this place and I really can't wait to go back. read more

Flat Top Grill - So many items to choose from! I opted for salmon here. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is horrible. Took my 8 year old daughter there and the service and food was terrible. We will never be back here again. Don't bother looking at the menu because it's only for online orders. read more

Originally, I gave them 2 stars. Today, I'm giving them 2 more. The GM messaged me apologizing. He even offered to make things right if I came back. I respect that quite a bit. After it's only the opinion of one guest. But apparently even just one guest matters to them. I'd certainly take your offer if I lived in Chicago. But your gesture made me feel much better. Good job guys! read more

Le sigh. I've been coming here for years to this location and I've been sitting on this review. I STAN for Flattop. So much I suck it up going here EVERYTIME. It's been numerous occasions where they've given someone else my food order, made it wrong, gave me the wrong order, forgotten my protein, and the list goes on. Yet I grin & bare it. And sure enough I just went on a two hour journey to finally eat my food and it's missing stuff. So. Bummed. What's the point of the sticks if they don't even care to follow them. I stopped with the allergen one forever ago. Lol And then they took away the lettuce wraps, soup, taco option, my heart breaks. Plus I've noticed they've water down their sauces. I had to scoop in so many and still nothing. It's just, UGH! I still love flattop (food wise) but damn man. The service is always good though. Just will like to have my food made right just ONCE! I guess I have to see how the other location operates. read more

Let me start out with saying ftop grill is one of my favorite place to eat. I went here today for lunch so amazing. The service is decent but the food is so delicious I love it! I always get excited when I know I'm headed to flat top. I can only eat one bowl but I stuff it overflowing with meat, veggies, rice, and noodles. Also my sister loves it (she recommended it to me way back when) and she's a vegetarian so it's nice to find a place with a lot of food for her so she won't still be hungry. Definitely get the blue stick for bread. Today they gave me two pieces of bread with my bowl. I could only eat one so basically they wasted a piece not cool. My waiter asked if I wanted a refill which I appreciate because I don't want to waste a whole glass of soda if I'm full. I only have one piece of advice to tell this flattop location: Please cook your broccoli, it's always hard! The reason this place gets 4 stars is because my favorite flattop location is North Ave, they are better, they cook their broccoli. The new bowl system is awkward because it's doesn't fit on the counter. Also the $4.59 for you to take home your bowl is a ripoff. I would never pay for that. Maybe if it was your 3rd bowl they should charge you but I think 1st or 2nd you should be able to take it home. They waste so much food by doing that. Oh the politics! read more

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I have a very hit or miss experience with Flat Top Grill and this particular location was a total miss - in preparation and in taste. The lines are long, tables too close together, orders messy, people not communicative, and overall an average experience. The concept is cool, but some more guidance would be helpful. I'm sure practice and experience here help mucho. read more

I like this place for its uniqueness and ambience. They have good service, good food in $12-14 and student discount :). They have multiple options for your do-it-yourself menu with rice, noodles, veggies, meat (which is even more interesting for the options) and sauces, all amassed together ready for a fresh stir fry in just 10 minutes. Its a new stir fry taste everytime I go to this place, trying all the sauces lined up for you. The extra color sticks for you to pick from just before the stir fry is the icing on the cake... everything for $12!!! read more

Wonderful and service. Would recommend anyone I know to go try it out if they haven't! The atmosphere is amazing! Food is also delicious!

The Flat Top Grill here in the loop is a great spot for lunch. For $10, you get a huge stir fry! You can choose one, or a number of meats which include Filipino sausage, pork, beef, calamari, chicken, and shrimp/ fish (these last two will cost you extra). You then get a plastic bowl where you fill it to the brim with veggies, rice, quinoa, noodles, and whatever sauces you like. I came today for lunch at around noon with a friend and got a bowl with sausage and calamari with a bunch of veggies and noodles. I also added in eggs and a side of their roti bread, which is so good! I love that everything is really fresh- none of the veggies I saw were frozen. I double checked the menu today and I believe it has been altered slightly. Instead of having the choice of unlimited bowls, you are limited to two bowls for an extra $4, so be mindful of that if you were planning on coming to this location for the all you can eat option. Other than that, good service, friendly staff and tasty food! Left happy and full! read more

Flat Top Grill - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Whew, I made the mistake of coming here during the lunch hour can you say packed!!! I didn't know that many people filled up this restaurant but that didn't stop me from standing in line and waiting for my chance to make up my stir-fry meal!!! I have no complaints my food came to me pipping hot and my waiter was great!!! I will be back!!! read more

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It was okay. I'm not a fan of buffets, but I gave it a shot anyway. Basically, when you get seated someone will give you a wooden paddle to write your name on. The waiter will ask you what kind of protein you want after which he'll hand you a bowl. I ordered three proteins: white fish, chicken and andouille sausage. You then go over to the buffet with said bowl and load all of the veggie ingredients and sauces into the bowl. Stick your wooden spoon into the bowl and leave it at the cooks bar (I thought that part was gross, seeing as how folks off the street are leaning over and around your food in order to place theirs on the bar, too). After about 10 minutes they'll bring you your bowl all stir fried up (unless you got tacos or something). The ambiance was casual. Dress as you would at a food court in the mall -- i.e. nothing to get dressed up about. I noticed that when I went to the buffet table it smelled like there was a WOMEN'S bathroom nearby that had the door opened. I'm trying to think of a classy way to say it smelled like a woman with a not so clean cat. I swear. As far as I could tell, though, the only door wide open nearby was the main kitchen. That was a tad unsettling to think about. Were one or more of the female staff hanging out in the kitchen the ones with the sour cats? Ew. I hurried past the area closest to the kitchen and made my way to the end of the buffet table with lighting speed. The total price for this entree and a coke was $18. The waiter sucked. He didn't come by to refill my coke not once and was nowhere to be found until it came time to collect them coins. Would I return? - not sure. The cat smell was off putting. read more

Flat Top Grill - Rice noodles, white fish, andouille sausage, chicken, broccoli and onions. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Friggin scrumptious! That's what it is :O) This is a newer location than the one I used to frequent near Oprah's studios. I got lucky on this visit as there was street parking available right across the street. Anyone who has been to downtown Chicago knows that parking can be a chore, parking fees are a beast and the personnel writing parking citations take their job seriously. There are lunch specials for food and drinks as well as a military/fire/police discount if you qualify. Some areas of the restaurant are kind of dimly lit and others brighter. There is eclectic art boasting the local teams as well as the how to if you are a newbie to Flat Top Grill. Previously you could add your protein (meats such as fish, chicken, sausage, or vegan options) to your bowl. To cut down on cross contamination they ask at the table and you go up to the cold bar and fill your bowl w/rice, noodles, veggies and many of the other yummy items. Pick a few sauces based on your flavor profile and take it to the grill to have it returned to you piping hot with a serving of roti bread. That roti bread is life! I got some to go and it goes great with honey and peanut butter as a snack with some tea. The options here are always fresh, the establishment stays clean and the waitstaff are fun to be around. A few of the staff are animated but it made the experience that much more enjoyable. Plenty of seating so you can sit for a while and catch up with old friends, dates or your lunch crew. I haven't been let down yet by Flat Top Grill, it's a solid option for lunch or dinner. read more

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It's pretty average. I was able to make a good meal and find items I liked. The sauces weren't anything special, and the selection was fine, but not great. It's good for a quick lunch, but you can find better options nearby. I *might* give them 4 stars except for the iced tea. I ordered iced tea, and it was fine. When the waitress came back, I asked for a refill and my friend ordered one too. Hers smelled like sewage. Strongly. The waitress explained that her tea came out of a different dispenser. It must have been moldy or something? I have no idea, but it's disgusting. Definitely made me question the quality and sanitary practices. read more

Came here late at night because it was the only thing open. Food was terrible and disgusting!! My friend got vegetarian "ramen" which was just soupy mushrooms and a few noodles. I got the fried rice which was so salty I couldn't eat it. I love Asian food but this wasn't it... read more

Not sure why I love this place but I do. I like mixing up all the different veggies and throwing in some calamarie and fish. I've never been thrilled with the set up though, hate having to put my bowl of meat next to my veggies and then risk someone mixing them up or sticking the bowl on top of my veggies and possibly contaminating everything else. In all the years though, I've never gotten sick and I've enjoyed all the different flavors. I was sad though that I stuck two roti sticks in my bowl and only got one roti in my dish. Of course at the end of the meal I find out from the server that we could have requested a side of roti from her. Also, although the server walked us around and made sure that my friend who has food allergies (FA) had a FA stick in his food and yet when we were discussing the appetizer, she didn't point out that the item that we picked out had nuts in it and thus put the kabash on his eating any more than one piece. Thankfully he's not deathly allergic but still, what if he had been really allergic, then our fun dinner and then a show would have been a disaster. I do like this location for meeting with friends otherwise I prefer some of the suburban locations. If you're downtown, why not. It's pretty good food just be aware if you have any food allergies. read more

I stopped in here for lunch one day, just randomly, while exploring the city and had an enjoyable meal. Décor: The dining area feels like a bit of a cross between a P.F. Chang's and a club (both are good things!). There is a lot of space, a bunch of tables, and even a small bar area for loners like myself. The food stations are very well lit and very well labeled so you know exactly what you're getting. They have changed things a bit from when I have dined at a Flat Top in the past (for example, the meat no longer sits out...) but much has also stayed the same. Everything, given the style of dining, is kept very clean as well, which is nice when you think about it. Bathroom: a typical bathroom that continues the décor of the main restaurant, nice and clean Staff: My waiter left a bit to be desired as he was not very present after I started eating my main course. However, the cooks were great and my food was fantastic. Food: I started with edamame (it was pretty good) and then moved right to a build-my-own-bowl, which I loaded up. To be honest, I was a bit worried to discover that the meat is no longer "self serve" but they gave a healthy serving in my bowl. Everything tasted fresh and delicious! Value: It's not expensive by any means, but it is, when all is said and done, just a bit too pricey. I couldn't, as much as I'd love to, come here regularly for lunch. I've always been a HUGE fan of Flat Top and, after this visit, I shall remain. I can't wait to come back again! read more

I was at an event at the Palmer House and was happy to find this place open at 9:30 pm. The customer chooses a protein and places all the vegetables into a bowl. You then add sauce and seasoning and take it to the chef for grilling. The host and server were very kind to this newbie and made my experience a pleasant one. I came up with a good combination and cleaned my bowl. read more

Flat Top Grill - Beef, pineapple, carrots, celery, sesame soy, Asian sesame ginger, peanuts. Desert pear lemonade. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Interesting concept for a restaurant. Patrons choose from an array of ingredients, the cooks cook them on a grill top and the finished dish brought to table by the wait staff. I particularly like the incorporation of roti as choice of carb in addition to tortillas, noodles and quinoa. Thoroughly enjoyed the roti quesadilla especially the hot sauce that came with it. Notable mention - we received excellent service from Cedria Watkins who was attentive, warm and came across as genuinely interested in giving us the best dining experience. Thank you! read more

Flat Top Grill - Rice noodles with lots of veggies and squid - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Dish.Pick.Table. Juices.Ice.Sauce.Noodles.Chicken.Beans.Stir.Fry.Slap. Mix. Match.Side.Bar.Sticks.Pencils.Open.Grill.Chef.Service.Colours. Its one big explosion of everything good.sweet.spicy and nice. If you're fussy or shall I say a perfectionist (and why shouldnt you be with food?!) This place can carter for you. You are your own chef. Its like providing the ingredients and instructions- except you dont have to get your hands dirty. You get to bask in the atmosphere, sway to the music, sip on the delicious refillable juices and converse with the wonder people of flat top grill. There's a special hot sauce that has me jumping through fire hoops for fun. I searched Illinois for this awesome red substance of sweet delicious hell and here I found it! I was the happiest smoked rabbit in the states. The chef kindly allowed me to purchase the sauce. Hats off to you guys for making this one of the most memorable dinners in the states. The service was just spectacular. The friendliest, warm and craziest place on wabash. Ill see you soon!!!! p.s. PLEASE COME TO THE UK!!!!!! thank you. read more

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Delicious food and amazing service. If I'm ever in Chicago again I'll definitely consider going back.

I have missed Flat Top! First time at this location and it will be my go-to. Perfect lunch with my out of town friends. Fresh and ample ingredients. The staff was friendly from start to finish. Our food came out quickly and cooked well. We will be back soon. read more

Flat Top Grill - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Flat Top Grill is a great place! Similar to places like Fire & Ice in Boston or The Real Chow Baby in Atlanta, you get to pick what goes into your dish. So you start with rice or noodles, and then you get to pick as many vegetables and meats that you want to go into your dish. My coworkers and I got the unlimited meals but I think just having one dish filled me up just fine. I really like how there's an entire board dedicated to what sauces you can use if you have certain allergies. Also, the food came out incredibly quick and the service was great. I'd come here again! Also, roti bread is free with each meal. I love roti bread! read more

Cool food place if one loves to pick what he wanys in the food and how it should be cooked.For somebody who is new to this type of arrangement it would take 2-3 visits to get used to it.Normally somebody is there to help out the newones who are not used to this concept. I tried some vegetables with tofu, my dish was kind of bland. Maybe next will try some other stuff. read more

LOVE Flat Top. Love it. This is the 6th location I've been to and we had an excellent experience. Really, when it comes to a good Flat Top experience, it's all about the service. You can't really complain about the food when you concocted it yourself! Here, the service was awesome. The food came out fast and hot but most importantly, they got the sticks right! I can't tell you how many times we'll request a flat bread and not get it or request tofu and don't get it. My sticks were read perfectly and my meal was just as I requested it. Our waitress was awesome. Even the other waiters walking by were friendly. For less than $8 per person for lunch, you really can't beat it! read more

Atmosphere: Large, a little loud, plenty of booths, dim but relaxing lighting. I like the set up of flat top where you make your bowl, drop it off and have it delivered. Service: I have been here twice now and both times had excellent attentive and knowledgeable waiters. Food: I usually select brown rice, a variety of veggies, and chicken with teriyaki. I'm simple and all the ingredients I pick have been great EXCEPT the string beans. Yuck. Whenever I eat what they stir fry I wonder what they do to it to make it so tasty...I swear if I attempted to throw raw veggies and meat in a skillet with some teriyaki and olive oil it still wouldn't come out the same. Conclusion- Easily a monthly stop. =) 4 stars. read more

Surprisingly good! You pick your own ingredients & cooking style. So if it sucks - its kinda your fault! Well worth the price. read more

This place is awesome. Creating your own stir-fry, wrap or soup is a great idea. You have many options to choose from and very healthy choices, even if you are a vegetarian. The variety is endless and to top it off, it is inexpensive. Definitely stop by if you are near the area. Wish they had something like this in South Florida. read more

Flat Top Grill - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had been to Mongolian grill style places in the past, but this place definitely takes the cake! Lunch was super affordable, and we had great service. There were so many options, it was hard to pick among the plethora of ingredients and sauces. I appreciated that they had mock duck which I always love. I was also impressed by the existing systems they had for accommodating food allergies. My food took a while but was super tasty. I wish I took advantage of more stuff to add, but it was good and fresh on its own. read more

Flat Top Grill - Another tasty stir fry, but this time with Roti! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

With the right ratio of ingredients and a little luck your meal will be enjoyable! This place can be great or it can be a total nightmare depending on how good you are at pairing ingredients. Cons: The recipe board is of little help, I personally don't like the concept of scoops of raw meat. The food station tends to get pretty messy which is frustrating and you never know what kind of service to expect. Pros: The parathas are delicious and I believe unlimited, they offer a student discount and if you put an allergy stick into your bowl they will cook it in a wok instead of on the flattop. Anything that is allergy friendly and has the potential to be delicious is definitely worth a try. If after two tries the food still sucks, this isn't the place for you. read more

Flat Top Grill - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

2 beers, 2 dinners, $47 with tip - oh, and we used the student discount. There are better places to spend your money. But, meh - if you're indecisive, it's not the worst place to be. It's similar to mongolian BBQ except that they now no longer let you physically pick up your own meats/protein. Additionally, they got rid of the filipino sausage and replaced it with androielle sausage - bummer. Anyhow, for $9.99 at lunch, or $12.99 dinner, you get to pick upward to 3 proteins: I normally go with beef, chicken, and sausage. You then get to go to the veggie/carb bar and load up in this small bowl with toppings and various sauces. They got rid of their "all you can eat for the same dinner price" option so if you want a second round, you can get it for $4. IDK - it was just OK. The veggie selection was whatever, the garlic spoon had fallen in, the service was lacking, there was a layer of dust on my beer bottle - It just seemed like the plethora of minor things just the whole experience blah. read more

Flat Top Grill - $12.99 dinner - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my fave stir fry spots. You get to pick your protein (I always get chicken and sausage), then build your own stir fry and they cook it into a bowl, soup, taco, wrap, etc. I recommend piling up as much you can into your bowl before send it to the chef to cook. My motto is "if it isn't spilling over on the floor you didn't add enough ingredients and sauce lol". Food is always delicious and cooked well, with plenty of food left to take home for leftovers. Another tip is keep asking for hot roti bread because they'll keep em coming only by request and they are YUMMY! read more

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Super nice customer service-- the server showed me exactly what to do and was quick with a refill. He was 5 stars for sure. The reason for a downgrade? This place is ridiculously overpriced. My shrimp/sausage bowl was $17. For that price I'd expect a heaping bowl of veggies but they don't give you much space to start with when you're creating your meal. What I had tasted okay but it was not close to $20 in value. I know the Loop isn't cheap but still, I think this is over the top. I love the concept of being able to create exactly what you want but I doubt I'll be back. read more