Wow food was amazing!!! Close your eyes and pick something you won't go wrong . Very authentic. Service was phenomenal . I had the best okroshka ever . Our waitress was very attentive. Menu has a good selection. Prices were low . Definitely highly recommend. read more

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I love the food here. I feel guilty that I took so long to review my order. I got takeout, and it was superb. Will definitely order again. Had the stuffed cabbage and Russian version of pierogi; just like how my grandmother made. Good stuff. read more

This was my first experience with Central Asian and Kryzgyzstani food. My sister, aunt and I decided to come here for dinner on a Sunday night. The sister and I got there before my aunt who was still a couple minutes away. Since this stretch of Lincoln doesn't have much in the way of stores or places to visit, we decided to go in and grab a table. When we entered, the only two empty tables were marked as reserved. The waiter indicated that those diners were expected a 7 PM. It didn't look as if the other occupied tables would be finished with their meals any time soon. I guess he wasn't sure of what to do and shyly shrugged his shoulders. We simply told him that we would wait a few minutes. Shortly after we entered, another party of three or four guys walked in also without a reservation. Again the waiter mumbled the same thing he told us to these newcomers. Dejected about the uncertain wait time, this party exited about as soon as they came in. Herein comes the good part. One of the diners (possibly someone affiliated with the owner/management?) at the large party started to clear the dishes for his group. He cleared enough to give us one of their party's tables. Now that was a kind gesture. I see what some of the other Yelpers mean about the customer service at this place. I think it's more of a cultural thing rather than a polite thing (as in what is considered good manners or a cultural norm in one place is interpreted differently in another). Enough of my usual babbling. Here's what we ate and what I thought of it: chebureki-fried (?) meat pie, dough was kind of chewy, filling a bit minimal samsy-flaky dough/meat triangle/meat pie, like an ethnic Hot Pocket, the best thing we sampled as we ordered two more manty-steamed dumplings with sour cream with a kick, meat chunks were a bit large lagman-meat/vegetable stew with homemade noodles, not much flavor but noodles were soft meatball soup-reminded me of a better version of canned meat/vegetable soup, sort of looked like that Italian wedding soup plov-their version of fried rice, meat on the dry side (weird as the rest of the dish was a bit oily) but still good flavor honey cake-similar to carrot cake, surprising pretty good, dense, but full of flavor airan-sour, cold dairy drink, tasted like kefir, became more tolerable once sister stopped making yak milk and liquid cheese references All in all, this was a good experience as I got to try a new cuisine. I don't think I will return, but I will say this place is worth at least one meal. read more

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Absolutely hidden gem! Nice little place, where every little detail around is filled with care and love. Absolutely delicious food and always great service. BYOB is always a nice option too. Thank you! read more

So I ordered food for delivery... I ordered two lamb shashlik, two chicken shashlik, with two samsys. The order was cold, and they made the portions sssssuuuupppeerr small! They didn't even give us onions in the delivery. There were literally 4 thinnest pieces of bread which was not enough to eat 4 portions of shashlyk. We ended up buying naan bread to eat the shashlyk with. They charged me over $50 and the food was terrible. They do it right at the restaurant but with delivery they rip you off. It's probably better just to go to Eurasia -they're much better with their portions. read more

I always come to this place when I have urge to try out great central asian food! Most of dishes are similar to Uzbek National foods and They taste awesome!!! Love this place! Great service :) read more

I'm not recommending this place! Small portion, expensive price!!! It's funny!!! Price for this portion 15$!!! And it's not too tasty!!!!! I didn't know, maybe on place they doing good, but I took Togo order! And I was so disappointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!That was Kudak!!! Never be back again!!!! read more

Jibek Jolu - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

In short: A great dinner, rare cuisine. It restaurants like these that remind me why I pay such high rent to live in the city. Too over-lit, awkward seating. Get the Manty. In Long: First off, the unpleasantries,I know the exotic-sounding 'Airan milk' sounds tempting, but don't order it unless your ready for a tall glass of sour milk. I wouldn't mention it but that I witnessed another customer make the same mistake (her glass remained full minus 2 sips for the whole meal). And maybe I'm just sensitive but this place is way too over-lit, if they just dimmed the dining room about 30% this could be a really intimate experience, instead paired with the strangely spaced tables creates a somewhat harsh ambiance experience. knocked it from a 4 to a 3 star for me. Now the food! For a food that is unfamiliar to most of us (what is the last Kyrgizstan restaurant you ate at?) the menu was pretty easy to navigate based on descriptions alone. The borscht was the only thing I recognized so we ordered that, the Manty, and the Lagman. The Borscht was the best I every had, and the Lagman soupy blend of hand-pulled uneven noodles and a hot broth perfect for dipping the endless bread they provide, but the house-made beef dumpling Manty was the hero of the meal with it's yogurt sauce topping. I will definitely be returning...with a wide brimmed hat. read more

Jibek Jolu - Jibek Jolu, Chicago IL - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here for second time when visiting Chicago. And loved the food so much. Since I'm from Kyrgyzstan myself and don't get to eat this kind of food much I was very happy with the food with service, decoration and overall everything. Brought my friend from India here and he loved the food. Will definitely come back if I'm in Chicago area again. read more

Jibek Jolu - Lamb kuurdak - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Family and I love the food because it appeals to our Vietnamese palates (brothy soups, good salads, etc.). We like all the starter dishes (chebureki, Jibek Jolu Special, Advocado Salad, stuffed pancake), soups (Shorpo, pelmeni) and their lagman. Nice enough setting for date night too. read more

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A fine example of ethnic cuisine done right in an American city. Friendly staff, accessible menu with plain and understandable descriptions. Plentiful, quality food. Excellent atmosphere. Reasonable (but not cheap) prices. Highly recommended. Unlikely you will find many restaurants that are Central Asian, but you will find many similar dishes at Russian restaurants. However, the real key to this place is enjoying the variety of food that is less familiar. read more

I was amazed when I found this restaurant on yelp because the food reminded me of the uygur food, one of Chinese cuisines popular in western province of Xinjiang. Lagman was similar to La Tiao Zi, an uygur-style pulled noodles. I was assuming the only difference was the mutton in Lagman was stewed not stir-fried? read more

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Used to like this restaurant til yesterday. Drove over 50 mins and didnt worth it at all. So disappointed! Ordered 6 food but we got 5 food in the bag when we got home. Kuurdak meat was raw and chewy. They heated our manty up, coz the box was obviously uneven shaped. Called them, but rude guy answered the phone and didnt even say sorry. Never ever come back!!! read more

Nice cozy place for Kyrgyzstan cuisine! All dishes are pretty good but I'd say it's best to dine in and check it out yourself if you like lamb, yogurt drinks and meat dumplings read more

I don't know what I ate, but it was really tasty. I especially liked the honey pie for dessert. Nothing like it anywhere.

If I could give a zero, I would. After many attempts to forgive their posted business hours inaccuracies, I am fed up with this business. I placed an online order, drove their to be told they were closed. Completely incompetent business management. Love there food, their service is atrocious. Furthermore, this isn't COVID related. This has happened numerous times before. Shame on me for patronizing this business read more

Jibek Jolu - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pretty amazing food. They should charge much more than they do for such deliciousness. B.Y.OB!! The service and decor could use some improvement. The snicker cake is AH-mazing!!!! It's a must have every time I go! read more

Jibek Jolu - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Easy 5 stars! How refreshing to try dishes I've never had before that are also delicious. Sadly, that is a rare experience for me. But this food was good! Seems like a great place to bring a date, once you get past the remixed American music that doesn't really gel with the food or decoration. I went here with my brother as part of our 'international night' tradition. Which we just started ... but hey, what a great place to start! We split two appetizers: the perfectly made samsy beef pastry and the stuffed blini with farmer's cheese. I wasn't in love with the latter - wasn't expecting it to be mostly cold and the filling was maybe a little too rich - but it went great with everything else. I ordered the plov, an amazing pilaf dish with beef. It was an intimidating amount of rice to start with, but I seriously ate that whole thing, even after the appetizers. My brother was also impressed with the lagman, which he gives a 5/5. Of course, I ate even more after being stuffed. We split the super rich Napoleon cake and the baklava-esque honey cake. I'd give the former 4.5/5 and the later 3.5/5. It was a fantastic experience. Go here. read more

This is one of the best restaurants in Chicago. A halal foodie must-try! Many of the dishes are hearty, warm, and comforting. It's a staple for me when I order out in the winter because the food is so cozy. I love the lagman noodles-- super thick noodles, flavorful, and well-cooked meat. I also love the samsy, a meat filled pie. The chebureki is so amazing with a crisp outside fried dough and meat on the inside. Everything is very fresh. I could go on-- the pelmeni, the Oromo, the mashed potatoes, the cake! TL;DR: it's all very well done! read more

I've been here twice. The first time was exceptional, but the second time wasn't so consistent. Anyway, Jibek Jolu has a wide variety of dishes both of the Central Asian and Russian variety, though I've only had the Central Asian food. Most of it is fairly simple combinations of beef with rice and/or wheat, but it's all very well-executed, with a good balance of seasoning. The first time I went, everything was really excellent. The second time I went, I had the boso lagman (pan-fried noodles), and although the texture of the noodles was great, it was just too salty. I'd go again, but if I were to get noodles, I'd stick to the boiled variety. read more

One of my favorite lunch places. The food of my childhood. I have been coming here since I moved to Chicago in 2013. The food is delicious. I am missing one star for an old menu. The portions recently seem smaller. read more

Food was delicious! Wait staff friendly and helpful. We loved it. We tried the sampler plates and everything was delicious. The beet soup is more like a vegetable soup and was lovely, too. read more

I was so excited to try Kyrgyz cuisine and it did not disappoint! The Kyrgyz are related to other Turkic tribes including my great-great grandmother's Kazahk in China. Kyrgyz are a small minority in China and their neighboring country Kyrgyzstan was part of the USSR. They are known for their warm hospitality. We ordered manti dumplings w/beef and onions (pan fried), Lamb Shank with rice, Shashlik meat kabobs, blinis, and Lagman stew. Central Asian style bread was provided along with hot tea. The Russian borscht soup was simple and tasty. Everything was delicious. Service was attentive. The restaurant interior is warmly decorated like a traditional yurt and feels welcoming as soon as you walk in the door. read more

Jibek Jolu - Kyrgyz (Kirgiz) photographed for China's official celebration of its ethnic groups - Russian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I couldn't tell you where Kyrgyzstan is. I don't know much of anything about it. But, when I heard whispers and rumors of BYO and lamb pie, I was off in my car to the 'where the f is this part of Lincoln?' part of Lincoln Square/Budlong Woods. What a fun experience. Here's something you might not know about me: I brought democracy to the former Soviet Union. It's true. I spent a summer there in 1991 and left a week before the coup. Plans in motion, y'all. I haven't been back to that part of the world since but word has it, I'm a legend. But here's the thing: thanks to the 'stan' and confluence of consonants, I was expecting all Eastern Euro fare. Ah ah ah.... not so fast, Mr. Bond. Thar be Asian influence in this food as well! Two types of cuisine for the (low) price of one! I can dig it. I would suggest coming here with an open mind and a little time to spare. When my Girl Friday and I got here, the service was polite and a bit languid, which was okay because it was just us. By the time we left, the service was polite and a bit languid... and the place was slammed! I think your time of arrival has an effect on how/when you get your food. Get here early. Since Kyrgyzstan has a mix of history, people and culture, get food to reflect it and enjoy it all. We started with the lamb pie and the potato/scallion pie. C'mon. It's pie. Pie of any sort should be eaten. Always. Expecting substance but not overwhelming flavor, I was pleasantly surprised with how fast we devoured the pies. Very savory and filling, start your meal with this. Keep it going with the carrot salad. I know! I was skeptical too. Why would I was waste stomach real estate with rabbit food? Evidently, because rabbit's know what's up. I don't know what kind of magic the chefs add to carrots, garlic and olive oil, but it's working. I was getting full, but what kind of American fatty would I be if I let that stop me? The beef-heavy menu put me somewhat at a disadvantage, but I settled upon the chicken kotley with pan-fried potatoes. Get ready. These balls are huge! Add the healthy portion of fried potatoes and I started to wonder if I got the JJ super-sized special. There was no way I could eat this all and have room for dessert... so I ate it all and ordered dessert. Oh, the things I do for research. The spiced chicken meat balls came with onions and a light oil which I mixed every bite with potato. Sounds simple. Tasted wonderful. If you're a non-beef eater, you'll be quite happy. If you're into beef, I can't imagine any entree that wouldn't put a smile on your face. Girl Friday tore hers up. We leaned back from our plates, brows sweaty, lips oily and hearts racing, flagged down the waiter and ordered honey cake. Two slices. We're not messing around. I think Girl Friday enjoyed hers more than I did mine. Don't be fooled by the name. This cake is thick, dense and incredibly rich. After such a big meal, it might have been a mistake to order to slices (which come out as slabs). The chocolate drizzle was an unexpected bonus. I probably wouldn't set out to eat an entire piece by myself again, though. The price for all this gluttony? Shockingly low. Gotta love real deal, old school, non-glitz ethnic byos. If someone were to ask my 'food philosophy' (which they have), I would have to say that I align myself with the described above. For quality, price, quantity, and experience, head to head, I think it's tough to beat RDOSNGEBs. I may have just started a 'thing.' read more

My gf is Russian and she has been on a quest to find Russian cuisine in Chicago and pickings were pretty slim. A russian friend told her about this place and she said we had to try it as it has very authentic russian dishes. We came on a Saturday afternoon and it was almost a full house with spectators watching a soccer match. Our server was a very nice girl from Kyrgyzstan and she treated us like gold. She made sure we had everything that we needed and took good care of us. Her & my lady spoke russian to each other which was an added bonus for my girl. I was told to try the russian potato salad which was okay, but nothing to sing home about. My main dish was the Plov, which is beef served with steamed rice, carrots, onions & garlic. Very good as the beef had a flavor that I never tasted before. I would definitely try that dish again as I am now thinking about it as I write this. I also tried her Manty which is steamed dumplings stuffed with pumpkin, chopped beef/pork blended and onions...very good as it came with a salsa like side to pour over. This place is a nice find if you like Russian or central asian food! read more

Central Asian comfort food at its finest. Really. Get in here now (but just not when I want to come for dinner! ;)) I wasn't feeling too great, and now that Jibek Jolu is SO CLOSE TO WHERE I LIVE (!!!!), we stopped in for a relaxed Friday dinner. Probably the best idea I've had all month. The people who work here are so friendly. I want to hug them all! The Korean carrot salad is still the most delicious thing ever. We tried the blini stuffed with beef - a great little appetizer. Then, the highlight was the lagman, of course - a bowl of hand-pulled noodles topped with a savory beef/pepper/onion stew, and the manty - dumplings filled with beef, onion, and pumpkin. Oh! And since I was here last, they added a new traditional drink to the menu! The Kompot is a juice blend of apple, lemon, and raspberry. It is delicious. I would definitely recommend this to people who want something traditional, but don't want the yogurt drink (Airan). All that, and our meal only cost $34. At this rate, I'm going to having lagman for every meal - you know, to prepare for the winter...? Long Live Lagman! read more

If you haven't been here then put it on your list of places to east. This is by far one of the best places to get Central Asian and Russian cuisine. The menu is almost of 50/50 split between the two and has some solid Russian favorites on the the list. I've been here a couple times and been able to sample about half the menu and I haven't been disappointed yet. For drink I recommend trying the Kompot, and I recommend any of the appetizers they are all excellent. After that it's up to you to make your own decisions. I recommend any night of the week for this place but on Friday and Saturdays they offer up Shashlik Mashlik (kebobs). I haven't had them here but if it's anything like the rest of their menu then I"m sure it'll be awesome. Tips for this place You practice your Russian with waitstaff Russian/Central Asian Pop in the background Service is hit or miss but there so friendly and typical of Central Asian Restaurants Food is flavorful not spicy and dill is a staple among the dishes read more

First of all, Jibek Jolu (Kyrgyz cuisine) is a Central Asian restaurant, not Middle Eastern per Wei H's review below. Kyrgyz cuisine is pretty unique, offering a mix between chinese, korean, russian, and persian influences in their dishes. I got to sample a lot of appetizers and entree dishes and the food was fairly good. So why the 3 star rating? Some of the dishes were too oily/greasy and the service was pretty bad/non-existent. Let's start with the food. Korean Carrot: Shredded carrots with korean spices. Very nice. Chebureki: Fried pie stuffed with lamb. Pretty good. Jibek Jolu Special Salad: It's a beef stir fry with onions, garlic and cucumber. Tasty but nothing special. Stuffed Blini: small light pancake stuffed with ground beef. We didn't think it was *THAT* small. It's pretty small, like one bite small. FYI. Vareniki: Russian like dumplings stuffed with mashed potatoes and served with sour cream. I LOVE this... the dumplings were cooked really well, not too firm or soggy, tastes really good I couldn't stop eating it. Beshbermak: Boiled noodles/ pasta? with boiled diced lamb and vegs on the side. They say this is the most popular dish, but I'm meh about it. Not much flavor. The noodles were plain, the lamb was plain too. Not much seasoning. Kind of oily at the bottom. Oromo: Steamed pie (more like lasagna but made with thin dumpling skin) layers of minced potatoes, onions, cabbage and carrots. Served with sauce. I like it a lot. Marinated grilled chicken with fries was their special. Also just okay. Honey Cake: probably one of the best things here. Be wary, it's a little on the sweet side, but not as sweet as baklava. the cake itself is dense, but very soft and moist. drizzled with honey AND chocolate. At the end of dinner, we thought that the food was mostly pretty bland and underseasoned. (Remember, I'm Malaysian and I eat EVERYTHING with spice and sriracha, so I'm not used to this monotone flavor of food). The things that stood out to me were the non-meat dishes actually, the carrot salad, the vareniki mashed potato dumplings and the oromo steamed pie/vegetarian lasagna. Now onto the service. They were pretty slow.. there were 2 other people when we came in, they left and 3 other people walked in after us. We were a group of 6. On a Tuesday night. Pretty normal I guess. But the server would just wait in the kitchen forever. At times we had to wave our hands (asian in asia style) to grab his attention. They were out of a number of things on the menu, but offered substitutes. However, I do think this place is pretty damn authentic given the 3 people who came in after us, were dressed like they were from the old country with military boots and everything. One time we laughed kinda loudly, I think military guy asked the server to turn the music UP to drown our jolliness. True story. We also noticed a disco ball, colored lights and strober on the ceiling. In addition to the traditional Kyrgyz decor on the walls. Maybe they have dance parties on the weekends? **BONUS: They serve zabiha/halal meat for observing muslims. read more

So very delicious. My Russian boyfriend and I made our way to Jibek Jolu Saturday afternoon, getting there around 2. The place was pretty quiet, but by the time we received our entrees, it was hopping. He says that the traditional Russian lunchtime is more in the area of 2 p.m., so that makes sense. Our server spoke impeccable English, but boyfriend spoke to her in their shared native language. She did tell him in Russian that she was fine with either language. For me, it's just fun to listen - so that was fine with me. He had the small order of plov, and I had the shashlik beef. I know - fried rice and a kabob. But for real - that kabob plate was the tastiest dish I've had at a Chicago restaurant in SO LONG. I think my palate has been somewhat stunted by the "standard options" in the city. Meat wasn't fatty at all and was charred perfectly. The lavosh bread served with the kabob could have been a tasty meal in itself. I appreciated the tomato and cucumber garnish - and the julienned tomato/cucumber salad that arrived with the plov. I really can't wait to go back and try another couple of dishes. It's comfort food for my honey - and that's what it's all about. A postscript about the service: according to the boyfriend, it's reminiscent of the Old Country. If you need something - just ask ... it's not the American-style proactive/gimme a tip service. :) read more

My husband and I loved this restaurant. Clearly the owners have put a lot of love into the location-- beautiful decor, knowledgeable wait staff, excellent food. On a Tuesday night the place was bustling! Lots of local clientele and a few of the adventurous eater set. We loved the soup, the manti, and the honey cake dessert. Try it! You'll love it. read more

If it is 90F outside! And conditioner doesn't work properly inside 100% guarantee that your party will be ruined

Loved my first central asian (not middle eastern, my apologies) food experience. I read through all of the yelp reviews and went prepared. A group of us 4 girls decided to pig out. First off, service is slow as there seems to be just one waiter serving 8 or so tables. Secondly, water comes in a fancy tall bottle. Not that the water tasted like thawed ice from the Alps you know, but i thought that was so unique about this restaurant. Appetizer: pirojki - everything fried is good... amazing comfort food. just amazingly creamy, warm and soft and everything you need on a chilly night. korean carrot salad - i had high expectations for this but i wasn't blown away. I find other other salads at a korean restaurant more refreshing and flavorful. Main: Lagman - extremely delicious and flavorful dumplings. I normally don't eat beef but decided to try and I am so glad I did. I am not familiar with central asian spices but the taste was so unique, strong but not overpowering. Oromo - i loved this dish. It managed to make cabbage delish. There's something creamy about this lasagna-like dish. Along with the sour cream it is the ultimate carb bomb. Chicken botley and lamb noodles- according to my gals they were delicious. We also ordered the obligatory honey cake. I found it very sweet but since it was honey the sweetness was lighter. We all went crazy about it. All of the above were in huge portions. I will seriously go back to try the rest of the menu. read more

Highly recommended if you're interested in trying something completely different. Kyrgyzstan is located between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and China and was a stop along the Silk Route. You can definitely taste the influences from China, Russia, Turkey. The staff was super friendly and helpful. BYOB. The highlights include: Appetizers: Samsy Korean Carrot Salad Garden Salad Entrees (try the spicy sauce on the side, not too spicy, good flavor) Manty - dumpling filled with beef, onions, and pumpkin (table favorite) Besbarmak - lamb and noodles Mongolian Beef - beef with mashed potatoes or rice Vegetarian: Vareniki, Oromo Dessert: Honey Cake! read more

Love, love, love this place! Staff is friendly and accommodating, the food is cheap and delicious and reminds me of home. Planned a party here on a Saturday night and they couldn't have been more awesome. It only set me back a couple hundred for 40 people (i believe it was appetizers, but can't remember the details)! BYOB of course! It was just tons of fun. Go! read more

KHYRGIZ FOOD! I know you're saying, "K-WHAT?" Quick breakdown; Khyrgizstan is one of the Central Asian countries that became independent when the Soviet Union fell apart. The ancient Silk Road passed through Central Asia, and its food and people are the results of centuries of trade and migration and conquest and Stalinist resettlement. So you get a cuisine that is the crossroads of Turkish, Persian, Russian, Korean and Mongolian movement. Lagman is a mainstay! I've had it twice before: One mind-blowing time in Russia itself and one disappointingly decent time at Russian Tea Time. Jibek Jolu's lagman is closer to the mind-blowing time. As Jennifer P. said, it starts with a base of udon-like noodles, and then at Jibek Jolu it's covered in daikon radish, red,green and sweet banana peppers, lamb and lots of glorious dill! Also try the Korean carrot salad: the carrots are shredded and marinated in some kind of vinegar until they have the soft consistency of pasta, and then mixed with daikon radish and stuff. Exquisito! The room is lovely and comfy, the staff is very sweet, and Jennifer P., they've completely resolved their service issues, apparently by having the family members who grew up in America work as the waitstaff. Don't miss this beautiful spot! read more

I had never had Kyrgyz food, but was drawn to Jibek Jolu because they serve kotlety (Russian hamburgers, without the bun) and borscht, which I love from my days in DC. The restaurant isn't very big, maybe fifteen tables, but it feels comfortable and not at all cramped. Additionally, it is decorated to look like a Central Asian yurt. Very cool. We started dinner with a bowl of borscht and a stuffed blini. The borscht was hot, full of fresh cabbage, beet, and potato, and that awesome dollop of sour cream. Authentic and just how I remembered it, but better. Much better. If you've been hesitant to try borscht, this is the place to break you of any pre-conceived ideas. Did I mention how good this borscht is? Okay, good. The blini was amazing. That thin, doughy pancake (think of a Breton galette, or savory crepe) stuffed with seasoned ground beef, onions, and that cool sour cream. Easily the top of my list of blinis. Dinner was shashlik chicken and steamed, then pan-fried, manty. Drinks with dinner were kompot (a beverage made by stewing various fruits in water, then straining out the fruit. A sort of cold fruit tea), and sweet Russian black tea. The Russians take great pride in their tea and this "" was fabulous. The kompot wasn't the best I've had, but still refreshing and tasty. The shashlik chicken was amazing. Essentially marinated kabobs, but so juicy, slightly spicy, and utterly mind-blowing. I don't know what they do to their rice, but what appeared to be plain white rice had a hidden seasoning that paired perfectly with the chicken. The manty (dumplings) was cooked to perfection, as well. I ordered mine with beef filling and pan-fried in addition to being steamed. The doughy texture had a satisfying outer crunch and the filling, potato, onion, and pumpkin in addition to the beef, was fragrant and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Make sure to eat it with the pepper relish served with the dish. We got oreshki (filled cookies) for dessert, which were a nice way to finish the meal. Small and tasty! A few additional notes- like I said, we initially came in for kotlety, but was told they didn't have them this night. Also, we originally wanted honey cake for dessert. Negative on that request, too. That would normally annoy me, until our server explained why- the previous day was New Year's Day, and the restaurant had been closed. The ladies that make those individual dishes typically prepare them the night before. As they were closed, no dice. That is how fresh and authentic their food is. Also, we boxed some of our food to take home. The same server, an awesome young Kyrgyz lady, came out with another box- she felt bad we only had a few pieces of chicken left to take home, so she had the cook prepare us another skewer of shashlik, so we could enjoy another full meal. Wow, I felt like I was with family! Also, the staff didn't mind me trying out my mediocre Russian on them. Probably because we were the only English-speakers in the restaurant. Did I mention the food is authentic? Oh, and try the borscht! ! read more

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I've never sampled "Central Asian" cuisine before coming to Chicago this week on business and I always make it a priority to try something new when I'm away from home. There is a group of us in the Windy City on business from the Twin Cities and though we try to eat together as a group when we can, I decided to break away from them and sample something different while they spent their evening waiting in line for hot dogs at Portillo's. I asked someone in our hotel to recommend a really good place to get international food and they immediately told me about Jibek Jolu (5047 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago). The girl behind the front desk is Uzbek and was explaining to me what they served at this restaurant. She said the food was good and the place is run by a Kyrgyz family (I think that's what she said). I hailed a cab and headed for Jibek Jolu. The first thing I have to say is that this place is what she explained to me - a small, quaint family run business. Nothing fancy or over the top. They weren't that busy when I arrived but by the time I left the restaurant was filled to capacity. My server was very polite even though his English skills were not the greatest. Hey, I'm okay with that. It's all part of the experience and in a family-run business it isn't that important. He didn't mess up my order and was friendly and surprisingly attentive based on what some other Yelp reviewers had to say. The menu is not huge and the prices aren't over the top. They have a nice appetizer menu and I decided to try the Russian-style Blinchiki (or blini, a small pancake served with sour cream). It was light and delicious. For my main course I selected the Kyrgyz Kuurdak (beef stew with potatoes and onions). It was delicious. The meat was tender and the onions and potatoes were almost velvety... very good. My server told me that in Kyrgyzstan they often serve this dish with horse meat. I thought he was kidding but read later that they do use horse meat in many dishes. Not here, though. Many people were ordering the Plov (a rice dish that is the staple dish of many Central Asian countries) and raving about that. I might get it next time I come back here. They have a small desert menu (only 3-4 items) and do not serve alcohol. Quite frankly, this place is a bargain compared with many foreign restaurants back home in Minneapolis. With my appetizer, entrée and hot tea I only paid $15 dollars including the tip. This place is a bargain! The food is different but it is amazing. I would recommend reservations if you plan to go after 6 pm as the place was packed and they were asking if people had reservations as I was leaving. I recommend this place for anyone looking for a hearty, home-cooked meal. This place has a lot of "regulars" as the servers seemed to know many diners' names and seeing how good and inexpensive their food is first hand I can understand why people come back here so often. If you're in Chicago and you are looking to sample something different, I recommend Jibek Jolu. Good food, good prices with no frills. It is a family-run establishment and you are treated like family when you eat there. read more

The service was extremeful friendly & super nice. The food was really unique & tasted homemade--I'll be back for that. The dish "Lagman" was my favorite--so flavorful, and the egg noodles were delish. The bread was homemade and tasted great! The decor was so cute, including the cute little disco ball hanging from the ceiling. The Kyrgyzstan pop music (I assume it was that) playing in the background was upbeat and lively. Really felt like you were in a foreign country. Overall, this was such a cool experience, and I highly recommend it. (For the meat-averse, yes, there are some veggie dishes to order from the menu.) I think if you love German food (meat & potatoes) then you will love this restaurant. read more

You know what? I learned something today. I do not like eastern european cuisine. I thought it was impossible for me to dislike the flavors of an entire nation. No, nations. But I do. There's a first time for everything. And hopefully last. Btw I think the restaurant itself was fine. read more

What a fantastic find! I had never eaten Central Asian food before...but it was really delicious. I don't remember the names of any of the dishes we tried, but they were all tasty. My favorite was a noodle soup...and the honey cake was great (even though we were completely full from the large dinner portions). The staff was VERY friendly, and more than accommodating when we shared a bunch of plates. Super-sweet waitress! I will definitely be back. read more