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    Indie Cafe

    4.0 (848 reviews)
    Closed 4:30 pm - 9:30 PM

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    INDIE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Indie Cafe

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    Papaya Salad
    Paul J.

    If you're looking for good Asian food near Thorndale, get yourself to Indie Cafe for some real authentic eats. First, you'll get a flavor of the place from the funky art on the wall. This place really has atmosphere. We got the papaya salad (crisp, fresh ingredients with lots of flavor), the drunken noodles (deep flavorful noodles with plenty of shrimp) and the Panang Curry (creamy, sweet and spicy). The waitstaff are more than happy to go through the menu and help you decide what you're in the mood for. Just be warned - when they say it's spicy, it's *really* spicy, which is great if that's what you want (I do!). Good to have authentic Asian fare in the Northern reaches of the city. Stop by and try Indie Cafe, you won't be sorry!

    Monte Carlo and Bangkok rolls
    Audrey E.

    Good experience overall at Indie Cafe! We started with crab rangoons - always recommend but I especially recommend here they were so good! Then I shared the Bangkok roll and Monte Carlo roll and both were tasty. I think I liked the Monte Carlo roll since I prefer some more fresh fish flavor and this one packed a punch. The service was great, they refilled our waters a lot and checked in occasionally. Restaurant looked nice, patio would've been fun if it wasn't so hot!

    Monte Carlo
    Mark T.

    You know the good thing about sushi? It's great when you want to eat a little, and aren't in the mood for Tapas and/or hot food. Yelp steered me towards Indie Cafe (though my phone's compass has me going in circles for a bit. I started with the Trio Carpaccio. I enjoyed that there were three different kinds of fish, and the sauce was a lovely blend of sweet, salty, and savory. The fish wasn't *the* best quality, but I'll give it an A-OK. Then there was the Monte Carlo. One question: why is it chewy? Turns out it is the spicy salmon filling! Unfortunately, this isn't the only way the roll missed the mark. The quantity of said salmon was low, and as for the white tuna up top, this otherwise beautiful ingredient was ruined with a heavy-handed use of sauce. The rice also did not blow me away, but that may have to do, at least in part, with the decision to mix it with tempura. Final nail in the coffin: seared fish adds a remarkable deliciousness, alas it seems only one piece had kissed the flame. Then there was the question of value - while the prices are more or less in line with what I would expect, the quality wasn't there in my opinion. Finally, where I can give them credit is the service. Polite, friendly, attentive, and reasonably fast. Thus, the sushi and carpaccio were forgettable at best. While I may not go for this part of the menu again, I am not necessarily against trying some of their Thai options.

    Wayne D.

    Cute indoor design, food is mediocre First the food is much later than promised. Seems for lots of other people as well Fried chive dumpling: not much filling. Either add some meat or more chive Ramen: soup is bland. Nothing like tonkatsu. Noodle texture is doughy, chashao is not cooked long enough, too chewy. Pad Thai : way too sweet Coconut glazed pork : this one's actually pretty good flavor and texture Would not come again

    Inside
    Rahima J.

    My friend and I came here for north neighborhood restaurant week and it was so cute. The inside is very vibey and intimate - low lighting and soft music vibes. The food itself was delicious and they had great offerings for their restaurant week menu. The service was very prompt and kind in explaining. I'd love to come back and try more of the sushi next time!

    Shrimp Shumai Crab Rangoon
    Katrina M.

    Our service was really quick which was nice. I got the peachy no. 14 cocktail and the jellies inside definitely made it different and fun. The shrimp shumai were not my favorite since they were mushier than shumai I have had at other places, but that may be personal preference. The crab rangoons were a little bit cold in the center, but had they not been they'd be really good. They were still good I just wasn't a fan of the colder part. The chicken pad Thai was definitely good. Ours had no spice but you could add some. I would come back to try the sushi since I saw they have amazing presentation, but so far I'd say the pad Thai was the best item we got.

    Crab Rangoon

    Amazing service and amazing food! The food came out quickly and tasted very fresh. The ambiance of the restaurant was very pleasant and perfect for a late night dinner.

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    6 years ago

    This is our go-to sushi spot. Love this little gem in our neighborhood. Try the "trio carpaccio" it's our favorite!

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    6 years ago

    Really clean, and extra safe during this Covid mess. Pleasure to pick up from as a driver. Nice job!

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    Page 4 of 22

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    JJ Thai Street Food

    4.4(575 reviews)
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    Had a lunch there with my friends in Chicago. Actually it was highly recommended by one of my…read morefriends, who said "she had tried almost every dish on the menu". Indeed, this spot did not let me down! It is a small Thai restaurant in West Loop, with a large menu featuring monthly specials and quite a few dishes I rarely find in other Thai restaurants in U.S. For food, we ordered the following: 1. Khao Ka Moo: a stewed pork hock platter served with rice, pickled mustard greens, shitake mushrooms, sauce (similar to soy-sauce) and egg (which I opted out). It was my first time to have pork hock in a Thai restaurant. The meat was juicy and the skin was mouth-melting. Highly recommended. 2. JJ Tiger Cry: Basically grilled ribeye served with Thai style sides. The ribeye was cooked at ~medium well. I wish it could be a fattier cut and cooked for a shorter time, but my friend thought the temp. was perfect for her. It was served with a Thai sauce and cabbage+carrot slaw. 3. Green Curry Chicken: my sister's entree. The curry tasted refreshing and flavorful. It was also great that the dish came with both rice noodles and jasmine rice, so you can try both of them -- indeed, the rice noodles, after soaking it in the green curry, tasted heavenly! 4. Yum Hed. Grilled mushroom salad. There were shitake and king oyster mushroom. Served over a bed of fresh lettuce and a kind of spciy, sour sauce. Great as a side. 5. Guay Tiew Tom Tum Koong: Shrimp and rice noodles served in a generous bowl of Tom Yum Soup. It also had much veg. Unfortunately, I am allergic to some seafood so for safety I did not try this dish. Overall, the dishes are of medium sizes, but definitely enough for us. Service was friendly and quick. I may try more dishes the next time I visit Chicago.

    Cute spot! Service was prompt and friendly, even while they were slammed. Nice little outdoor…read moreseating area. Got the Thai basil chicken, one of the more flavorful and well done versions of the dish I've tried.

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    Serai

    Serai

    4.0(16 reviews)
    4.9 miDePaul
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    I've been going to Serai for years, which makes this review especially disappointing to write. I'm…read morenot sure if there has been a change in management or the kitchen, but this was by far the worst experience I've ever had here. The food was completely underwhelming, and when we shared our concerns with the staff, nothing was done to address them. The service was equally disappointing. Our server spent much of the time sitting on her phone while we waited for basic service like water refills, being asked about drinks, and receiving the drinks we ordered. We repeatedly had to get up and find someone just to receive attention. As for the food, the gyoza was bland and tasted like unseasoned pork. The lemongrass beef stew curry, which was highly recommended, arrived cold, had an odd texture, and lacked any real flavor. Most shocking of all were the drunken noodles. I've ordered them countless times over the years and always considered them among the best in Chicago. This time, I couldn't get past a single bite. Every dish was left unfinished. We didn't finish a single plate and didn't take any leftovers home--something that never happens for us. Between the poor service and incredibly disappointing food, this was an awful dining experience from start to finish. Unfortunately, after being a longtime customer, I won't be returning.

    Serai is now at Kapitan. The shared space has plenty of seating. The staff is nice…read more I had their Roti Canai and Nasi Lamak. Both dishes were super flavorful and had such depth. They probably have the best Malaysian food in the city. I highly recommend you give them a try!

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    Rojak merah

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    Aroy Thai Restaurant - Pineapple Fried Rice

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    4.1(493 reviews)
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    Great authentic Thai food! Small space, so we recommend making reservations. Tom Kha was super,…read moreveggie rolls, chicken wings, crab rangoons were the best I ever had! Great location. Cash only but ATM inside.

    I had not been here in quite sometime and was pleased to find it better than when I last left it…read more In particular, I was really please to find that they now have outdoor seating. (Unfortunately, the sidewdalk is sloped, so the tables are sloped.) C and I order shumai, which in my experience, is served as an appetizer. Our order didn't arrive until after the main course was served. (Note to self: Next time order the main course after the appetizer has been served.) Cuisine: 4 stars - We ordered Basil Rice, to share. The flavor was different than what I have been served elsewhere. More sour than sweet. I think a better balance between sour and sweet would be better. Also, elsewhere, the rice and ground chicken are served tossed together. Here, the rice and chicken arrive on separate plates. It's difficult to mix sticky rice and chicken on a flat place. Nevertheless, the meal was completely acceptable; just a bit different. Service: 4 stars - The server was polite and friendly. Ambiance: 4 stars - We dined outside, but the interior looks nice. It's really nice to find a Thai restaurant with outdoor seating. What to know: It's BYOB (a plus) and does not accept card; only cash. For me, that's also a plus. Would I return? Yes.

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    Inside of restaurant

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    Indie Cafe - sushi - Updated September 2026

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