The vibes and service were great! This place had a lot of potential to be good for us but some of the dishes fell a little low. This restaurant is a combination of Thai and a Japanese izakaya. We ordered the chicken skin, pad Thai, basil chicken stir fry, tom yum, and mango sticky rice. The chicken skin and the basil chicken came out first and they were amazing! The sweet dipping sauce with the chicken skin really pulls it together. We got level 2 spicy (out of 5) for the basil chicken and it did not have a single kick of spice but it was still very yummy and flavorful. As for the other entrees, we were very disappointed. The pad Thai tasted like BBQ sauce rather than pad Thai. The seasoning was very off putting. The tom yum was good but more on the sweeter side with my friends and I were not fond of. For dessert we got mango sticky rice. The sticky rice was warm and soft, and the mangoes were sweet and tart! Great combination of both especially with the coconut. read more

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I've been hearing people rave about this place for awhile. We went before a comedy show on the next block. There are two floors and we sat on the 2nd floor. They have a full Thai and Japanese menu. We decided on Thai food this time. The food was very fresh and delicious and my cocktail was amazing! The service was good but a little slow. I would definitely return. read more

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My boyfriend and I were in the area looking for somewhere to eat, and I spotted this place online and it really piqued our interest. We were previously considering Italian food but so glad we chose this place for dinner because it was soooo yummy and so cute. I absolutely would be back to try the rest of their menu (especially their wide range of Kanom Thai or Thai desserts). They also serve Japanese food upstairs and that did look yummy although we stuck to the Thai menu. The staff was great. Everything was good - we got cherry blossom/sakura flavored sake, roti mataba as an appetizer, and for entrees, the habrae empire and Khao Kang Karee Chicken. Everything we got was good and worth trying, but I definitely loved the roti mataba and would order that again. Staff was also great. Cute for a date and also delicious. read more

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My mom, sister and I went after my appointment at Rush Oak Park & ate here . The food was delicious, & service, great. Thank you . read more

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Large Japanese and Thai menu. Unique silver bowls for drinking water. Very friendly and attentive server. Pretty restaurant with a range of seating options across two levels. Easy to have conversation with table mates. read more

really flavourful and good tasting Thai food, ambience is awesome, service was very fast. We came on a Sunday evening and were seated upstairs. We were in and out within an hour. The desserts did not impress. read more

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We're regulars at Habrae Thai Cafe, and it continues to be one of our favorite restaurants in Chicago. The food is consistently delicious, the staff is kind and welcoming, and the whole atmosphere makes each visit feel relaxed and comforting. Here's a breakdown from a few of our visits, where we rated each dish based on taste, texture, and how it made us feel overall: BBQ/Pork Fried Rice - 4.25/5 Great flavor with a nice balance of savory and smoky. Always satisfying. Chicken Pad Thai - 4.25/5 Well-balanced sweetness and tang. The noodles have a good texture and the chicken is nicely cooked. Sapporo - 5/5 Perfectly chilled and refreshing. We love that they offer beer buckets (5 for $25), which makes dinner even more fun. Pot Stickers - 4/5 Crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside. A reliable and comforting appetizer. Egg Rolls - 4.5/5 Light, crispy, and packed with flavor. These are one of our go-to starters. Basil Fried Rice - 5/5 Our absolute favorite. Bold, fragrant, just the right level of spice, and always hits the spot. Crab Rangoon - 4/5 Creamy and crisp with a great texture and classic flavor. Pad See Ew - 4/5 Soft, chewy noodles that are warm and comforting. The chicken could use a bit more flavor, but the dish overall is very satisfying. Mango Sticky Rice We were split on this one--Steven gave it a 3, Janaki gave it a 5. Still worth trying, especially if you love traditional Thai desserts. Overall Comments: Steven: This was my first time trying Thai food and I loved it. The food was not only good--it felt warming and homey. The restaurant is fun, the service was great, and the beer bucket deal was a nice bonus. I'd absolutely come back again. (And since this original note, we have been 3 times :) ) Janaki: This is my favorite Thai restaurant, hands down. The service is consistently amazing, the food is always delicious, and we feel genuinely happy every time we come here. Bottom line: We love Habrae and will always keep coming back. It's one of those spots where the food, service, and vibe all come together in the best way. Highly recommend to anyone looking for comforting, flavorful Thai food in a relaxed and welcoming setting. read more

Habrae - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Loved this place- the food was great. Khao soi was good but a little spicy. Pork belly was really good but some pieces were tough. Service was friendly. Would come back read more

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I was looking forward to getting my Thai food fix and was especially drawn to this spot because of their dessert menu. I usually enjoy spicy food, but many of the dishes here were underwhelming. We requested a spicy level for items like the papaya salad but were disappointed, especially since Thai cuisine is typically known for its bold heat. The main dishes were just okay, though they did come with a good amount of protein. Unfortunately, many of the desserts were sold out, possibly due to their Monday dessert deal where items are 20% off. Even with the discount, the price still felt a bit steep. The egg tart was $4 but didn't taste very fresh. I did enjoy the Thai-style ice cream, but again, I found myself questioning whether it was worth the price. Staff was friendly, but did feel a bit slow for a Monday. read more

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If I could rate a place 6 stars that would be Habrae. I as well as my family thoroughly enjoyed virtually every aspect of the restaurant. We sat upstairs and everything from the food all the way to decor was super on point. We had really sweet servers who were very adamant on making sure that we had everything we needed and that we had a great time. I ordered their beef teriyaki bento box and the food was so good that I barely put down my chopsticks to talk to anyone. At the time of this review I am currently finishing the remainder of my black milk tea which was also spectacular. If you like authentic Thai cuisine this is a must visit location and one I would recommend even if I wasn't sure if you liked Thai or not. Great food, great people, great desserts, and great aesthetics. read more

Habrae - Beef Teriyaki Bento Box. This will be on my mind for a while! lol - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

An absolute gem on Madison st.! Everything from the decor, flatware, ambience, and the story behind it all makes this restaurant worth frequenting. Along with that, the variety of the menu, happy hour deals, and above-the-rest customer service genuinely deserves recognition. read more

Habrae - Flatware, coffee, tea - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Sadly, this was not the experience I had hoped for. Overcooked protein, things requested to be left out were not, some meals came out after one person was literally done with their main. Small plates were just average although the husband liked the pork belly a lot. Crispy chicken with sticky rice nothing special. Pineapple fried rice was a definite no. It's a pretty place with lovely staff, but not for us in the end. read more

My family and I really enjoyed our Habrae experience! We ordered: crab rangoon, tom kha soup (not super creamy but still great), beef pad see ew (has a LOT of veggies), khao soi, and khao kang karee (with chicken). The khao soi was our top favorite entree item - the curry soup consistency and flavor was absolutely delicious! Portion sizes were good too! We ordered for pick up and everything was packaged well and stayed fresh for a short drive so can't speak of service otherwise. The restaurant looked like it had a really nice ambiance walking in so can't wait to dine in next time! read more

Habrae - 202. Small Tom Kha Soup - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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A wonderful gem in Forest Park! A wide selection of great Thai dishes are available, from starters and salads to amazingly flavorful main courses. I'm not an expert on Thai cuisine, so I really appreciated the owners explaining (patiently) the various dishes and they ingredients. And the setting is lovely and very quiet given that it's on a busy street. You can "lose yourself" in here for a little while. If you're interested in good, filling Thai food, then go here! read more

I got some of everything, and it was all so good. There were a lot of options. My favorites were the green curry, chicken potstickers, and pastries. Service was kind of hard to get a hold of, and I was very unsure of who our waiter was. We called in advance, and I am glad we did because it started to get full as soon as we arrived. The space was pretty crowded in the back were the tables for the larger parties were. This is on the pricier side for Thai food in the area, but I did enjoy my meal. read more

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This, by far, has become my go-to spot for quality Thai food. The service is always super friendly, welcoming, and outgoing. The best part of the service is visits from the owner as he is always upbeat and enthusiastic. The prices match the quality of the food, and the portions offer plenty for me. I have had several dishes from this establishment, so I am surprised I haven't reviewed them before. The massaman curry and chicken karree are my two favorite dishes. Both have strong flavors that satisfy my itch for curry every time. I also frequently get their puffs as well. They are baked pastries filled with either chicken curry or chicken basil. It's definitely my favorite appetizer and worth the price for it. I have noticed that they reduced the quantity from three to two over time, but it's understandable with the times. I highly recommend this place for fresh and authentic flavors, great service, and atmosphere altogether. read more

Habrae - Massaman Curry - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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By far our favorite restaurant in the Oak Park area. The food is fresh and authentic and the wait staff is friendly and attentive.

Came here for an early lunch - I've been trying to make it here for a while but with their Google hours being misconstrued online made that difficult. Finally made it and they did not open on time. That definitely bothered me. They opened for business at 11:30 am and my friend and I are literally walking in with the staff, through the front door, at 11:30 am. We were simultaneously being served while they were getting the establishment together. I felt that s should have been done a hour before opening - tasteless if you ask me. It also slowed down our process because it took us almost 30 minutes to get water. we decided to order a peach tea for the table and an order of basil chicken puff. The tea was served as if we were at Starbucks in a to go cup with a Lipton teabag - yea the brand y'all. No teapot or additional condiments were given. For the price of the pot, this should've been served better. The chicken puffs were tasty and flaky. Good flavorable filling but there was definitely more bread than filling. I still recommend ordering because it's a nice sharable item. For food, I chose the Khao Soi with chicken and I loveddddd my dish. Everything was spot on and it was a nice portion for the price. You could eat it all should you be hungry or this can be lunch and a small dinner for later. I would be inclined to return but I do need them to better service the community by opening on time. read more

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Was really excited to try this spot because of all the dessert options! I feel like it was a 3.5 for us, with hit or miss items and how slow the service was, with only 2 tables to serve when we were there. Lots of seating, there's an upstairs too. Not busy at all for Sunday lunch. Maybe more popular for dinner. For mains, we ordered the fish curry noodles and kare curry. The fish curry noodles were flavorful but we had to pay $2 extra to swap out the noodles. For $19 total it felt a bit too pricy considering the curry only had fish balls as a meat and an assortment of raw veggies. Nothing was mixed together, but it costed extra to swap the noodles. The kare curry was delicious - felt like the perfect fusion between Thai and Japanese curries. Husband ate the whole thing in one sitting and the portions were huge. For dessert we got the mango ice cream, it was soft and smooth although I don't know if it's made in house. Liked the mango pieces and sticky rice as well. Great choice if you are too full to get mango sticky rice. I was most excited for the salted yolk croissant, but I was left wanting more. The filling is delicious, but there wasn't enough of it. Croissant was soft and felt microwaved instead of fresh. Texture reminded me of Costco croissants... Overall, very cute spot for a date or to go out with friends, but if you're in a rush you may find yourself taking 2 hours for lunch. read more

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I loved their khaki soi!!! I've been searching for a good one and I finally found it. I will order from here again

Came here with a friend on a whim since we were in the Oak Park area. We saw the reviews and were craving Thai food. Very happy we came here because the service and food were both excellent! Our server was friendly the entire time and recommended the Khao Soi which was excellent. We weren't super hungry so we split and appetizer (fried tofu) and got that plate and it was perfect for us. The mix of sweet and a little spiciness was the perfect balance and it had us both saying "ooooo" as we ate it. An excellent option for Thai if you're in the area. Also, the owner came up to us and made sure everything was good which was a nice gesture! Will be back! read more

Habrae - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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First time ordering today and was not pleased. Ordered Shrimp Thai Fried Rice. Food didn't taste fresh or flavorful. Rice was mushy and the shrimp tasted fishy. Considering the price, I was not impressed or pleased. read more

Exquisite food! I started coming here a few months ago and it has quickly become our family's #1 go-to. Great variety of Thai and Japanese cuisine. Highly recommend! read more

Wonderful staff. Love the Thai fried rice and great Thai ice tea. Also they started serving Japanese food

Ordered takeout on a Thursday night and really enjoyed the meal! The online ordering experience was easy, and we were quoted about 30 minutes for pick up. Getting to the restaurant was easy, we were lucky to find a parking spot out front, and the woman at the counter was very sweet. The restaurant was pretty empty, we could have opted to eat in for sure. We got Pad Khee Mao, BBQ Pork Noodle, and some Egg Tarts. The Pad Khee Mao had great flavor, but the noodles were kind of clumpy. The BBQ Pork Noodle and Egg Tarts were SO GOOD. I wish we would have ordered more desserts. read more

My wife and I just hosted a 15-person cocktail party upstairs in their Izakaya space. It was our first time dining on their Japanese menu (the Thai food has always been solid). and it exceeded our expectations. All the appetizers and sushi we ordered were solid. They even have a pretty good and tasty cocktail menu upstairs. We are Sen patrons and happy to see that we now have a second option for solid sushi in the area. The owners and servers are always very friendly and helpful. Definitely check it out! read more

Best Thai in the western suburbs of Chicago. A little pricey but worth it. Loved the Larb. Papaya salad. Pas See Ew.

Went with my wife for dinner. The staff was very friendly and the space was cozy and warm. The food was delicious. Both appetizers and both marks were great! I have always hesitated to eat Thai food but this place makes me want to eat Thai every week! And not that pricey, so that's another plus read more

Delicious, friendly, chill ambiance with lots of cozy wood inside - truly a standout restaurant in the area and the best Thai food. People say "authentic" so often that it loses meaning but this is the real deal. read more

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Very cute little Thai restaurant with beautiful wood/brick. They do a lot of the traditional Thai dishes but also some delicious soups, great on a cold day. read more

Adorable cafe that offers cute drinks (boba and coffees included), authentic Thai desserts you don't see often, a short but well-made list of entrees. Family run business. Fresh and delicious. Appetizer: Curry Chicken Puff - when it first came out the outside was scalding but the inside was still a bit cold. I would recommend letting it sit for a minute to equilibrate. The pastry was golden, crispy, and flakey. The stuffing was a good portion of potatoes and chicken with great flavor. Entrees: Khao Soy - linguine thick noodles in a coconut curry soup; large thin slices of beef; pickled veggies; lime wedge; crispy noodles on top that basically became more noodles when soaked in the curry! The lime definitely adds depth. The curry was a good consistency to stick to everything and the noodles absorbed so much flavor. Spice level was perfect for a warm curry. Kanom-Jeen Nam Ya Kang Kai - chicken was so tender! the noodles came plated in this cute flower shape and the curry clung well to the noodles. Spice level was perfect! (we did ask for a small dish of extra garlic chili). Drinks: (if you can't tell that I miss a good boba drink) Habrae Welcome (Sweet w/ added Tapioca) Thai Milk Tea (w/ added Tapioca) Lychee Tea (w/ added Tapioca) The plating is adorable and matches the rustic vibes of the cafe. Everything was well seasoned and felt freshly made. The service is a little on the slow side but with only two people running a whole store, it's understandable. They are very good about checking in and apologizing if it's running late. I'm happy to support a this new lovely establishment! Definitely coming back to try their desserts and maybe grab a salted-egg croissant for breakfast. read more

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Very cute neighborhood restaurant with great service and delicious food. A friend and I grabbed dinner there last night. We started with chicken potsickers that were good but not special. The curry chicken puff was amazing, I actually ordered another to take home. My friend ordered the khao soi on the server's recommendation. The flavors were really bold and packed a nice amount of heat. I went with my comfort dish, pad see eiw, and it was tasty but not special. I would definitely come back when in the area. read more

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We ordered take out. I have to say the food was delicious. Everything we had was better than the last. We ordered, little egg rolls, fresh egg rolls cut up (I forget what they are called) crab Rangoon, which was perfect. The wanton wasn't too thick. The cream cheese was delicious. Then we had green curry which is my favorite and it didn't disappoint. And lastly we ordered the ground pork I think? That too was spicy and gooood. So next time you want good food, Ha Rae is the way to go. read more

What a great experience and food. Sorry no pics cause we were hungry. Appetizers were curry puffs and chicken wings (I would prefer a bucket of these wings). Basil fried rice, pad see woo, red curry and coconut sweet rice for dessert. Everything was tasty and did not leave an empty spot in my tummy. read more

The food is amazing here. From the appetizers, to the entrées, and the drinks. Everything was awesome, the service is amazing as well as the decor. This place gets a 10 out of 10 for me. read more

Cute place with an amazing staff. The food is phenomenal. Plating is elegant. Definitely going back! read more

Habrae - 501. Basil - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Ambience was a delight. Food was fantastic. Had the khai soi and man it was spicy but tasteful. Service was very quick. Will come again! read more

Habrae - Pad thai, khao soi - Thai Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

We've been to Habrae twice in recent months; both visits were weekdays for dinner. We liked it, and have added it to our (short) list of Oak Park area faves. VIBE: The dining room is a long, narrow shoebox. It's cheerfully decorated. Tables to the front were well-lit; tables to the rear were quite dimly lit. Two-top tables are tiny and closely packed together - not room for much food & drink on the table. Lots of conversational noise. SERVICE: Staff was cordial and attentive. We mentioned that we were not in a hurry, and the food came at a leisurely pace, which we liked. FOOD: Overall, dishes featured fresh, good quality ingredients, and were nicely cooked. Chicken puffs were a fun app. Papaya salad: good but could've marinated a bit longer. Panang curry: good flavor, spicy, exemplary beef (thin slice, perfectly done). BBQ pork noodles: tasty, not hot. Massaman beef curry: delicious, moderately spicy. Slim wine choices; maybe 5 whites, but just 2 or 3 reds (cabernet went best with the food; pinot noir was young and sharp). We liked the food; that (plus the friendly service) will bring us back. It's nice to have a decent Thai/Asian option in the area... read more

The food is amazing and definitely not your typical Thai food. It's from a different region of Thailand. Thank you. read more

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Ordered takeout. Arrived 10 min after it said it would be ready and food was lukewarm. Ordered chicken Pad Thai which was good but have had better at many other restaurants. Egg rolls were basic as were the crab Rangoon. Tasted as though they weren't homemade by the restaurant but from a restaurant supply place. Restaurant looked cute inside for dine-in. Would recommend a try - perhaps it was just an off night, takeout vs dine-in, and my specific taste preferences. read more