I am Thai and have been waiting for the 'Khao Rad Kang' restaurant concept which is small portion of different dishes over a plate of rice. Immm has delivered the idea perfectly of varieties of authentic Thai street food! We tried many things and our favorite are grilled pork neck with spicy dip (Nam jim jaw), Thai papaya Salad ( you can ask for how spicy to your like based on how many chilis you want to add in), Kau Kling ( sautéed ground pork with southern Thai spices), Northern Thai sausage, boat noodles, Kao Soi and don't forget to have their dessert, the mango sticky rice is so delicious! They have their main regular dishes and always have some special dishes, please ask for those as they seasonally made and all taste like you are eating those in Thailand! read more

The boat noodles were awesome - herbaceous and complex (great recommendation from the host/waitress). The fish wrapped in the leaf was awesome too - it looked like a slightly bigger tamale with fish and herbs. the taster portions are perfect for the more exotic Thai options one may be unfamiliar with. We didn't care for the sour bamboo and chicken in red curry - too many tiny bones. The other family size dish of chicken and veggies were too greasy for our liking. The spice level wasn't too bad for us in any of the dishes. otherwise still a solid place. read more

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This place was more casual and smaller than I anticipated but pretty yummy. My friend got the Khao Soi which was definitely the best dish. Food came out pretty quickly and prices were reasonable (about $15 per person for a fairly big entree and split appetizer). read more

read the full review on my website, cat the critic! --- Immm Rice & Beyond serves traditional Thai street food that leaves with a healthy food baby. Located right next to one of Chicago's most popular Vietnamese restaurants Tank Noodle, it's the first truly authentic Thai restaurant I've discovered in the city, and is a must-go place if you're looking for rich and aromatic flavors, a bright and colorful atmosphere and a great price. A small restaurant that seats 30 or so, the first thing you notice is the spiraling canopy of flag streamers spreading out in every direction over the dining area. There are huge bags of rice stacked in the corner. One wall is bright yellow, and the other has a colorful mural featuring the Chicago skyline. Next to the hot bar is a chalkboard wall with the menu items scrawled on, and a short mantra telling the story of the restaurant's name, Immm. The menu refuses to simplify for any palate. The names are in Thai, but yield detailed descriptions outlining the dish's ingredients. While they do serve Pad Thai (and it's a great Pad Thai - more on that later), the emphasis is more on authentic dishes central to Thai street food. At the restaurant's hot bar, you can sample as many curries and stews as you'd like. Andrew and I tried the Tae Poe Curry (tamarind-red curry), Panang Pork (traditional peanut curry), Paa Lo (pork belly in Chinese five-spice stew), and even Whoo Whan (caramelized pork belly).immm4 Immm offers many of its dishes in a "tasting size," so that you can order smaller dishes and try more things on the menu. And with the wait time being less than 5 minutes, our table was quickly crowded with all sorts of small plates filled with food that beckoned my eyes, nose and tongue. Our fried chicken skin appetizer (Nung Gai Todd, $6) was served in an adorable fryer basket, paired with Thai sriracha. The chicken skin was super crunchy but not too oily, and the portion was just large enough that we finished it, but didn't get bored of the texture. The Boat Noodles (Kuay Tiew Ruea, $5 - tasting size) were Andrew's favorite. This soup was swimming with rice noodles, cilantro and bean sprouts, and initially reminded me vaguely of Vietnamese pho. However, the broth was dark grey and much thicker and richer than that of pho. We opted for the pork soup, which was served with pieces of pork and crispy fried pork skin. We also ordered tasting sizes of braised pork (Mhoo Whan, $6 - tasting size) and red tamarind curry (Gaeng Tae Poe, $5 - tasting size). The braised pork reminded me of my mom's Hong Shao Rou (red braised pork belly), except with a lighter, sweeter sauce. Our dish of Pad Prik Khing ($10) balanced out the heaviness of the meats we had ordered. Firm tofu and green beans were covered in a sweet and spicy curry sauce, which was thicker and more pungent than most of other curries. Our plate of Khao Moo Dang ($10) balanced a serving of delicious BBQ pork doused in a bright red sauce with plain white rice topped with Chinese sausage and cucumber slices. On another occasion, Andrew and I also got O Liang (Thai iced coffee, $3) which was delightfully strong and rich. We also ordered Pad Thai ($9.50), which was a great dish but felt kind of like a safe excuse not to try other things. We also ordered Pad Pak, which was a light veggie dish tossed in a wok with tofu ($9) and the Gai Todd ($9), which was the star of the meal. Thai fried chicken with the bone in made for a moist, tender and flavorful bite from the trinity marinade, made with fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and cilantro. At Immm, you could easily get a meal for $10 or less, though, to be honest, Andrew and I shared a $50 meal and brought home a healthy portion of leftovers. We just wanted to try a lot of things. read more

This is one of the best places in the city for authentic Thai food. I've never been to Thailand, so my exposure to Thai cuisine has been entirely through restaurants in the US. I'm a big fan of the standard fare at these sorts of places: panang curry, pad see ew, pad thai, tom kha gai, etc. Immm can do this stuff really well. But the most incredible thing about Immm is that they have a variety of dishes on the menu that you won't find (at least not if you're a non-Thai speaking white dude like me) at most Thai-American restaurants. And the folks at this restaurant will give you excellent advice, advocate for off-the-beaten-path dishes, and even let you taste things before you order. Since I've been going to Immm, I've learned that I love bunch of classic Thai dishes I'd never had before, especially some of the pork belly dishes, grilled pork collar, som tum salads (try the fermented crab!) and a dish with mackerel that is oozing with umami goodness. GO HERE. read more

Awesome casual place with an incredible assortment of Thai food. You can order lots of small side dishes from the assortment of curries and stews in the front counter. Their papaya salads appear to be one of their more popular items, and they offer lots of different versions of it. My favorite dish was tamarind pork, but really they were all delicious. Also, they sell fresh coconut! read more

Immm Rice and Beyond - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best Thai food I've had in the US. The green papaya salad was perfectly balanced: salt, sweet, acid, with crisp fresh vegetables and fruit. The Hainanese chicken rice is the perfect comfort food, beautifully prepared. The restaurant is attractive and the staff welcoming. We'd never have found Immm on our trip to Chicago except for the tip from a Thai maître d' at our hotel. This is the real delicious deal. read more

Authentic Thai food, I have found you. Although I do love the pad thais, Pad See Eiws, Tom yum soups, I know there was more to it. I knew it! Cute little restaurant located in the Argyle area. I found it because I follow an instagrammer who showcases this place often. I am glad I found this little gem. They have this "point and serve" counter on all the foods you want to have. I don't remember all of the names but I do remember the wonderful tastes. They do allow you to try the dish before you commit to getting a serving of it which I think is really cool. Made to order papaya salad. The God's have answered my addiction to authentic papaya salad! We ordered it Laotian style and it was heavenly. Extra spicy made to our liking. What's cool about it is you can make it to your own specifications and goes great with sticky rice and meat! Another few memorable dishes was a braised pork belly (with the fat on) in a sauce that reminded me of a Filipino dish pork adobo but much sweeter. It was delicious. There was another pork dish that was sour and also had a creamy taste to it that was very delightful. We had a ground pork that reminded me of Laotian Larb. I am sure I am doing these dishes a disservice for not naming them correctly and I apologize. It was an amazing meal had by all and very affordable because you can try small portions for everything and the price is a fraction of what it would cost at other places. I love the idea of having many choices for you meal to be able to try everything. The servers are friendly but it might be a little hard communicating with the servers but a little patience goes a long ways. Also a huge plus is that its BYOB! Parking can get a bit dicey out there but there is paid parking on the street when you find it. Imm Rice, now that I have found you, I am never letting you go! read more

Amazing Thai food! We had the lunch set (3 items for $11) it was so good brought us back to the streets of Bangkok. I wish we could move to this neighborhood and eat here everyday!! read more

Have really liked this place in the past. Ordered takeout this evening, which included Tom Kha soup. It was not good. There were only a few slices of onion, one mushroom, one little piece of lemon grass, almost no coconut milk, and zero spice. Disappointing, have eaten here a lot in the past and never had such a poor experience. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE. It is AUTHENTIC Thai people! Meaning real flavors. Not that sugary/sweet fake shit that y'all like so much.

Whenever I got to a new Thai place I get pad see ew. This one definitely makes it in my top tier.

Oh boy! Was looking forward to a great meal and was highly disappointed. Beef jerky portion was small and I can make better at home. Galanga soup tasted like 3 ingredients: water, sugar, and slight coconut. One spoonful taste and I didn't bother going back to it the rest of our dinner. The poached chicken and rice was just ok - I've had better. The traditional rice noodle soup was meh.... Overall, just not up to par. Those who haven't had real good authentic Thai may love this place, but I know it's not for me. Will not be back! read more

Not even the customer service bad the food also was so bad, I just spend 18 box for nothing they didn't even added any sauce,

A must go to if you love Thai, laos food and you like authentic homemade!. I am very picky with taste when it comes to my Thai/ Laotian food choices but this place right here is definitely the place to go for that authentic taste!. Literally when you walk in you can get a whiff of the street food aromas in this restaurant. We ordered chicken skins, papaya salad, pad Thai, pad kee mao and pork belly all with sticky rice of course and everything was spectacular! Highly highly recommend if you ever want some good Asian cuisine for a great price!. read more

Immm Rice and Beyond - On point!!!! Yum! - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Located along the Broadway strip, this place is a nice place to grab a no frills tasty meal. The restaurant is pretty small and offers dine in and take out service. Because I'm always on the go, I opted for takeout. The menu is written on the wall and you can see the prepared food a la Chipotle behind the glass case. I got ground pork with basil, ginger chicken and noodles. The flavor was on point for both proteins but the noodles were dry and clumped together. Once I mixed them with the meat they were better, but I think I'll stick with rice next time. Prices are reasonable and no crazy crowds and wait times. read more

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When you walk into Immm Rice & Beyond, the first thing you see is a beautiful painted mural on the back wall, I believe it is hand painted - definitely a nice backdrop while enjoying your meal. The entire restaurant is very clean and bright, with the various menu items of the day written on a blackboard wall behind the serving station. Immm Rice & Beyond is styled as an authentic casual, street food-centered Thai restaurant, and they definitely deliver on authenticity and flavor. Went in with my boyfriend and we each opted to do the three-entree over rice for $11 (per plate), as well as trying out their som tum menu (a fresh papaya salad in a tangy spicy fish sauce) - we decided on the standard papaya salad with preserved shrimp. The "entree bar" had a bunch of different stew-y meats to choose from, I ended up going with a pork special in a spicy tangy coconut milk sauce, another pork dish with a darker sauce and string beans, and a pork belly dish in a spicy sour sauce. Boyfriend went with some additional pork dishes. Everything was DELICIOUS. The pork belly was so tender, it melted when you put it in your mouth. All the sauces were on point, and the som tum was tangy, spicy, and perfectly refreshing. It was also really neat as they let us try each entree option before choosing our three, so we wouldn't accidentally pick something we wouldn't enjoy. Overall the service was extremely friendly and attentive. There are a few other Yelp reviews that compare Immm Rice & Beyond to Panda Express (terrible comparison - this place shines with authenticity and is obviously a small business, not a major corporation chain). It is these same reviewers who complain about how Immm is "pricey" - sure, if you go in comparing it to mass produced American-Chinese over-salted reheated frozen Panda Express, Immm is not what you'd called "dirt cheap". But if you walk in with the understanding that you are about to be transported to a different country across the world in a burst of flavor and spice and umami, you will see the incredible value of what you are getting. For two substantial 3-entree dishes (we probably could have stretched this to two meals, but we are fatties so hah), a hearty portion of papaya salad, and a Thai iced tea totaled ~$35. And I'll attest that it was money 100% well-spent. Cannot wait to come back and try other dishes on their menu. Highly encourage people in the neighborhood to try Immm Rice & Beyond out - also they accept Amex which is a big perk in this stretch of businesses on Argyle/Broadway. read more

Immm Rice and Beyond - Three-entree dish - various pork dishes over white rice for $11; VERY tasty and well-cooked. - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The tears sluicing down my cheeks as I write are brought to you by bird chiles. And joy. Pure, tingly joy. Before I go on to discuss Immm and how this little Thai joint has basically restored my will to live, I have to make a point of distinguishing it from the competition. Because this is the thing about Thai food in Chicago: it really, really, really sucks! I guess too many pasty people and not enough Thai diaspora = "curry" that is in fact half a jar of Skippy with two cups of sugar a can of baby corns mixed in, but my every attempt to sample Thai food in this city left me more depressed than the last. Then Immm opened about five months ago and gave me back my joy. If you think Dao, Opart, and Bodhi are stellar examples of good Thai food, stay the hell away. If you, like me, are a fan of the burning sensation that spreads from your lips through your face and sits in your belly and keeps you warm all night; if the sight of offal on the menu makes you drool; if you're a fan of the marvelous complexity that is the perfectly balanced flavors of real Thai food, welcome to heaven. My boo and I dined there for the fourth time or so the other day, and we had the pleasure of meeting Dew, the fuggin *new god* who cooked all our food for us. He came over and told us a bit about some of the dishes we ordered: he explained that nowhere else in the U.S. can you get curry like their special that night, the Gaeng Kee Lek Mhoo Yang. It was superb: bits of chewy pork and dark, aromatic greens bound together by a richly flavored curry. It reminded boo and I a bit of southern-style collard greens. He also explained that the pork collar appetizer we had ordered comes from an expensive cut of meat, most of which has to be trimmed away to get the perfect ratio of flesh to fat. What remains is a textural wonder: crispy grilled ends, fatty without being unpleasantly so, and great dipped in the herb-rich sauce and eaten with sticky rice. We also had what is typically billed on other menus as "son-in-law eggs;" a hilarious mistake(?) resulted in them being referred to as "Son-In-Law's-Balls" on Immm's menu. Anyway, they're great! Hard-boiled eggs lightly battered and fried, with fried shallots and tangy-sweet tamarind sauce. Immm also excels at the two dishes that I use as my rubric for a great Thai place: som tum (unripe papaya salad) and pad see ew. Their som tum is flawless; get it with or without blue crab for a little extra funk, but don't think of skimping on the spice! I get it medium-hot, which flushes my sinuses and tear ducts nicely. I've had both the drunkard's noodles and the pad see ew, and both nail it; seared noodles that are chewy, not mushy, green peppercorns for some nice heat, and most importantly, both use gai lan instead of regular broccoli (other Chicago Thai places are unpardonably lazy on this score; gai lan imparts a desirable bitterness that regular broccoli doesn't, and it's just *not that hard to find,* c'mon!) They're BYOB, but I recommend a creamy drink to take the edge off that spice--they have Thai iced tea and coffee, but the iced green tea is really excellent. And the women who work this place are adorable, so be nice to them! Finally, the sharing-portions system may prove slightly confusing at first, but it's not actually that hard: tasting size is smaller and less expensive, family size more so. If you claim to like Thai food and you've not been here, well...bless your heart. read more

Immm Rice and Beyond - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place caught my eye immediately. I don't like that people are saying that this is a Panda Express for Thai food, it's not. As someone FROM Thailand, this food is exactly what you get from honest, home style, street venders!!!! -which is very different from a cheap and over commercialized Panda Express, not even the same. The service was wonderful, and the people were very lovely and inviting. The food was a bit on the pricy side, but you are paying for quality, and trust me, authentic ingredients (not substitutes) ARE pricy, and that's the problem with many local Thai restaurants, they use substitutes. I will definitely drop in again! :3 -Nong June read more

We were out for Pho (Tank Noodle!) and was closed due to a private event... So we ended up sitting at IMMM. What a great and unexpected surprise! Food was really good and savory. My favorite was the Tom Yum. Their Panang curry was not great, but ok (Spoon Thai's was much better). My wife had something else that was actually pretty good. Also, portions were a little small... but hey. Would I go back? Absolutely. read more

After my first sad visit whereby I was served only one small chunk of pork belly with egg and tofu, I made a few trips back to Immm. Obviously over the time, service has improved and food portion finally makes sense. Today, I went to Immm with 4 friends and all of us enjoyed our meal. Most importantly, it passed my "pa lo" test. This time, for my 3 course dish, the "pa lo" came in about 6 petit chunks of pork belly with an egg and tofu. For this, I am upgrading Immm from 2 star to 5 star. read more

Right in the heart of Vietnamese Town - the dishes here are sure to remind you of tasty dishes from lands far away. We tried some of the more adventurous dishes (and my SO couldn't get enough) but didn't make it to the highly reviewed dish that includes fish intestines. Nothing else was that far out of the ordinary and there were a lot of options with pork belly prepared in various ways. You can customize your spice on most dishes (other than the pre-prepped cafeteria style dishes) and combine any of the premade foods with different noodles or rice. Both red and green curries did mostly just taste like curry, but in a good way. The green tea drink that was similar to Thai iced tea was different and tasty and the desserts were all good too! We were jam packed full of food so we didn't have a chance to try the more "normal" dishes like pad thai or pad see ew, but I'll have to make a trip back and see if these are just as good as everything else. Don't forget to pay your meter maid though - they moved in quick! read more

This Chiang Mai street food place is the real deal! We never thought we would find food this good outside of Thailand, and we could not be more excited to have this place nearby! If you want to know what Thai food tastes like in Thailand - go here! The owner is from Chiang Mai, the food capital of Thailand, and he knows his stuff. Let him make a recommendation or ask for a sample before you order. We got excited and ordered 7 dishes for 2 of us, and we can't wait to come back with friends. read more

Immm Rice and Beyond - After tasting a few options, we couldn't decide so ordered 7 dishes for 2 of us! - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Immm Rice is the most authentic Thai food you will find in Chicago. This place is the real deal. Service is excellent, and atmosphere is complete zen. While all the menu items are outstanding, I strongly recommend the following: Tiger Cry beef, Thai basil chicken egg rolls, Chicken and Chinese broccoli stir fry, and lemongrass ice cream! read more

Immm Rice and Beyond - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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As someone from Southeast Asia, I approve everything I've tasted here! The tom yum soup reminded me of the exact taste I experienced in Chiang Mai. We ordered the Tom Kra with chicken and a side of Khao Mun (chicken fat rendered rice). The chicken was cooked to a perfect tenderness and the coconut based soup was an absolute delight in the chilly weather of Chicago. They also have a hot bar where you can sample food before ordering them. The caramelized pork stew was one of my favs although I didn't order a full size. The Thai iced tea is as authentic as it can get. read more

Great food, but the service impressed me even more. This stretch of Argyle and Broadway has long had a surfeit of excellent East Asian restaurants, so while the food here is excellent (I especially recommend the panang curry - one of the smoothest combinations of sweet, savory and spicy flavors I've tasted in ages), what makes this place stand out from the neighborhood is their decor and service. There's a beautiful mural on the wall, flowers (in old glass Coke bottles - a nice touch) on the tables, and a chalkboard menu carefully written in both Thai and English, with explanatory notes for English speakers. Our servers spoke English very well, and I had very little difficulty ordering. The hot-lunch line was especially well presented for the customer unfamiliar with Thai food; our server explained the various dishes, offered samples, and made recommendations. Don't get me wrong, I think it's awesome that this neighborhood has such a range of ethnic groups, and I get that a lot of places cater mostly to locals of different ethnic groups than me. And that's fine - there's plenty of room in the city for everyone! But speaking as a white person who tries really hard not to be an entitled jerk, I really appreciated the inclusive vibe I got from this place: "We're proud of our food and would love to share it with you whether you've been eating it for ages or have never tried it before. Please come in!" I will be quite happy to do so again. read more

Lots of choices. Real street food. Very good. Best in warm weather so inside is not crowded and there are outside tables. Not the best street for outside tables (Broadway) but convivial read more

We tried lot of thing here for couple times...and not satisfy. Lot of MSG !!! we were so thirsty for a whole day and the food was sitting on the steamer all day , specially the veggies wasn't fresh and mushy when we ordered even the curry . ... Sorry IMMM, I wish I could give you more than 2 stars . Hope the management will fix this issue soon. read more

The pad Thai is pretty good. I think it needs a little more sauce but it gets the job done! Wish they made spring rolls also.

Really delicious authentic Thai. I like the shrimp pad thai medium spicy, the papaya salad and the veggie spring rolls. The boat noodle soup is a standout too. read more

Went there today for lunch (carry out) . Ordered from dinner menu - no rice included. $12 @ for pork neck and tiger cry. After picking it up we had to call the restaurant because the quantity of the two items would not have filled a saucer. Yup - a saucer. Very disappointed. No way I can say I was full. read more

Absolutely ridiculous. The bowl of Tom Yum soup is 6 oz and the price was $8. How does that make sense?

One of my favorite spots in Chicago and my go-to place whenever I'm in the mood for good food. Love the chalkboard wall they got with the menu written on it, the servers are always cool and friendly, and their food is amazing. Loved every dish I've gotten so far. The pad Thai is my go-to dish, highly recommended, as well as the Thai iced tea. read more

I've been living in Chicago for almost 20 years and have always been on a search for some taste of home. I've visited almost 50 states and have eaten Thai food all over the US, so I have eaten my fair share of Thai food. Food was amazing and authentic at Immm Rice & Beyond, not to mention their awesome variety of Thai drinks. Everyone was so friendly and helpful; even let you sample everything before you order. I'm very glad to have something this authentic being so far away from my native land. I'm definitely going to be a regular here! read more

Immm Rice and Beyond - Thai Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is not that great. I got the pad see ewe and it was a very small portion for what I paid. It was also pretty tasteless. I might try it again because maybe I got the wrong thing? read more

Amazing, unique, authentic food. Highly recommend fried chicken skins, green curry and Thai tea ice creams. Portion sizes are small so order several to share. Great service and trendy ambiance. Will be back soon! read more

Great Authentic Thai street food. Friendly service in a very clean restaurant. When I visited Thailand, I had most of my meals off the various street carts in Bangkok. Immm Thai Street Food reminded me how much I enjoyed that experience. Now I can experience this food again a mile away from home. read more

Amazing food! Best food in the neighborhood. A wide selection of delicious food, many of which you've probably never had. But don't worry! The staff is very friendly and willing to help you pick what you want (don't be afraid to ask for a sample). read more

Went here for a dinner with a friend. I can say that it was a decent experience, but I'm not likely to go back. It's a relatively casual restaurant. We were seated, got our menus, and acutally noticed that a number of the dishes were available for taste. That's because the currys are basically laid out buffet style and are just served from there. We tried a couple, and ended up deciding on the Paa Lo, which was a pork belly with egg, tofu, and pork belly. In addition, we got pad see eiw (noodles) with chicken and some shrimp kiew todd (wontons). Wontons were decent. The noodles themselves were a bit blander than I have come to expect- it's certainly not supposed to be a spicy dish, but there should be more flavor to it rather than just somewhat bland noodles with a hint of sweetness. The curry was also pretty mild, though I'll say the pork belly was well done. The tofu was fairly soggy as well, which might be partially from the fact that everything is precooked. I did quite enjoy the mango sticky rice. The mango is probably the one thing I'd say they were pretty generous with. I will point out that I had a groupon cash back deal for 25% back. Otherwise, I don't think this place would have been worth the prices. The portion size is less generous than I'm used to with a Thai restaurant with prices in this range. And be warned that rice isn't included. read more

very good thai iced coffee! Grateful they are open.