Monkey King Jianbing in Skokie on Dempster! We tried the Fried chicken, beef hot dog, and egg jianbing (Huge portion size!) and Crispy bacon and egg wrap thingy (Snack or small meal size). Both were flavorful and crispy. Bar seating inside or eat in your car. Don't wait too long to eat or else it will get soggy. 15% cash discount - order at the register for this option. Steady flow of customers, mostly carrying out. read more

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The savory crepe filled with lettuce and your choice of protein enhanced with a wonton cracker. I'm a fan of jianbings and most certainly, there's limited options for one in the Chicagoland area. Monkey King has moved around and it settled just outside of Skokie. There's a small lot in front but a bigger public lot right next to it making it very easy to stop in. I opted for the meat floss and hot dog. Can't say it's bad, but seems to be missing some of that savory sauce I've had in other jianbings. They are made fresh to order and even with the gloves, still very hot in the hands. It was empty when I went, presumably a take out spot. No washrooms. read more

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I used to get their Jianbing often when they were in the city. I didn't know they moved to Skokie and glad to find out it happened to be near where I was going. I placed a go-to order for the item I always order - triple egg fried chicken & hot dog Jianbing. Unfortunately, it was disappointment this time. The pancake itself was hard and thick. There may not be enough sauce, so the overall taste was relatively blend. Maybe I had too high of an expectation since I haven't had this for years. read more

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Heard of this place for quite a while. Remembering when I was little and asking my mom to buy me one from side of the street, she never agreed except once. My memory of the real jianbing was decades ago. I was excited to try this here. Ordering process was pretty straight forward but they have all these combos, so you'd have to do some math on whether it's better to get combo or individual items. This is actually not too different from mainland China system--just takes sometime to get used to. The foods were prepared pretty fast, well presented. Smelled really good while we were waiting. The place is really small, definitely more of delivery/take out spot than an eat in. All the packaging are disposable. They also provide a small packet of a pair of disposable gloves to eat the food with, which is great. Also very mainland service style-- this is also a common practice there. Now onto the actual food... it's pretty good, but not really authentic, not the 1980-1990 styled street food. However, it is pretty close to what you'd get from modern China, since it has bacon, hotdog, and also the crepe is more western than the traditional crunchy type. The sauces are on point. The best, and most Chinese flavored option is the Latiao (spicy stick) option because it has the spicy gluten stick and the classic Zhacai (pickled tuber). Very classic but also modern with the Latiao fad. The chicken one actually taste a a lot like the popcorn chicken from Hello Jasmine, probably the same batter. All the fillings are pretty big chunks so it falls out easily. We enjoyed it, even tho it definitely falls apart quickly. The real jianbing is given to you in a tiny plastic bag where it's all held together and doesn't fall apart. But anyway, it's good and all, but in my very honest opinion, so expensive! It's really not a lot of food for the price, unless you get the triple egg option. What impressed us the most is the soy milk lol. Hard to find not-too-sweet soy milk. They also had a BOGO. Comes out hot. Really comforting and reminds us of true Asian food. The Thai iced tea was powder based, not bad but not good either. I think dedicated Thai restaurant has better options. Bubble waffle is what you'd expect. It's good but not as crunchy as I'd like. Good snack but pretty pricy also. So overall, the food is not bad, but the quantity is quite little for the price-- not the best value but for the novelty and true-to-modern China flavor profiles, it might be worth the price. Hard to say. read more

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Stumbled into this place during a walk and it was really cool and authentic. Seemed like a place where Chinese in the know came to get food that was authentic and felt like home. The Juanbing was definitely unique and tasty but also a bit of an acquired taste since the wrap is basically an egg. Threw me off a bit but I did eat most of it. New, tasty cool and different is how I'd describe definitely worth a try. Very nice service and a cool experience overall. read more

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First timer. Had the veggie Jainbing and veggie egg rolls. Very good! Friendly staff! read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

Cute little strip mall spot that does brisk take out service. They do have a few counter seats available. All of the JianBing are a very healthy size. Ended up splitting two different kinds with a friend: double egg & bacon; crab stick with ham. Saw they had dim sum and got an order of hargow for giggles. I didn't really care for the sauce that came with this...thought it was too sweet. I enjoyed all the different textures and flavors in the JianBing. Solid snack! Would definitely recommend ordering a few and splitting the different varieties. read more

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Convenient parking lot next door - seemlngly always seating for us since most folks grab it to go. We prefer to eat it right away. Went with the original veggie jianbing to just add spicy strip (latiao) to. Ordered the crisp cake with pickled veggies for comparison. There are fewer preset kinds but you can customize and it presents itself as a like a smaller jianbing. Staff knew without asking with our party of three to cut our jianbing in half and have it on separate plates. Threw on also a salted egg yolk waffle. Thought the salted egg yolk could have had a stronger presense of flavor compared most anything where salted egg yolk is used for crispy frying (no missing it). I guess if it ever really got busy, you could eat at/in your car. Not perfect but good enough for 5 stars. Glad this is the location that still stands today and closer to home. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Jianbing with latiao - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

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This was super filling! I was looking for a snack to get something real quick before an event and found this along the way. I have seen this type of street food before from social media so when I saw this spot, I was immediately intrigued. My friend and I ended up splitting 2 jianbings between the double egg and bacon and the crab stick and ham. Both were good and hefty! I did not realize they were going to be that big but I managed to finish both halves. We also got the hargaw which was ok. Not my favorite but it was decent. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

Dropped in for a quick try. I had the jian bing in Taiwan a few years back. Service was quick and I tried the fried shrimp JB. They make to order and it came out quick. I really liked the JB. It has a great crunch and nice amount shrimp. They give you gloves to use to eat so they won't get messy. I didn't need them. The staff was friendly. They have a nice selection of JB. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Fried shrimp JB - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

Been wanting to try Monkey King Jianbing. So glad I finally made it, it exceeded all expectations! Large free public lot to the east. Cozy with limited seating and cute interior. We decided to eat there since we wanted to eat the jianbing hot. Made to order. I highly recommend the fried chicken steak jianbing. It was very good, everything was crisp, crunchy and fresh! Can't wait to try more things on their menu. They also have egg waffles. Service was great. read more

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Very authentic jianbing. You can only get this level of real Chinese food in Chinatown (or China) so I am glad that we have it so close to home. read more

I live close and this is my first time trying anything like this. I ordered the triple fried chicken hot dog spicy. Not knowing what to expect, I thought it would be a high protein item. I was a little disappointed when I bit into it. The inside included a crunchy wonton skin and breading from the fried chicken pieces, not too much meat. After comparing mine to my husband's, I realized the "triple" meant that the crepe was cooked in more egg than the other jianbings. It made the crepe feel chewy. Despite ordering mine spicy, it did not taste spicy whatsoever. The waffle tasted better than the jianbing. We ordered the meat waffle to share. I can't tell if there is any meat inside though because it still tasted sweet. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

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I ordered online. It's near my house and thought I'd try something different. Food came out really quick. The lady at the front desk was really friendly. The food looked amazing. I had a fried chicken jianbing and a meatfloss waffle. The chicken jianbing was good it's hard to explain but it's like a giant egg roll. I don't know what meatfloss is but the waffle tasted like a standard waffle. I'm not sure if it had meat in it. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Waffle - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

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Oh my! This place is soooo fantastic! It reminds me of some little places you find in Chinatown with limited staff and a kiosk to order, but INCREDIBLE food! I came for lunch on a Monday (yes, open Monday! I think closed Tuesday though). FYI there is NO PUBLIC RESTROOM, so my friend and I drove to another local place and returned to order. We ordered one bubble waffle because honestly, you smell that sweet aroma and immediately want it after you walk in. I ordered the shrimp jiangbing, and my friend ordered a chicken steak jiangbing, both mildly spicy (you can adjust the spicy levels at the kiosk). We waited about 15 minutes and the lady working there brought everything out to us and instructed us to eat the waffle first (probably so it doesn't get soggy sitting there in the paper bag). Everything was soooo delicious, and we unfortunately corkscrew eat the whole thing, but good thing it arrives in a takeout container, so we just closed it up and took the leftovers home! I shared the leftovers with my kids and one is a huge fan, so I'll definitely return! read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Shrimp jiangbing - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

Monkey King Jianbing has been on our list of places to try since they opened and today was the day. Lowkey, this is some of the best Asian street food I've ever had. They specialize in jianbing (Chinese-style crêpes) with different fillings, but also have egg waffles and crispy pan cakes with fillings. Everything was amazing - flavors, textures, and spice level were all perfection! We ordered an egg waffle, two spicy fried chicken jianbing (mine had Chinese pickles because if you know, you know), a signature lemonade and a Thai iced tea. Very courteous service, pleasant counter space for dining in and absolutely fantastic jianbing. We're already planning on next visit and are only disappointed that we waited this long to try this little gem of a restaurant. Bonus points that there is a free Skokie municipal parking lot next door with plenty of parking. read more

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Dropped by here on a weekend to pick up an early dinner. The lady was friendly at the front and I think she was running the show because after I ordered and paid, she may have been assisting in the back with the cooking? Not sure, but it only took about 5-7 minutes to come out after I ordered. I love these type of Chinese pancake wraps (?) for the lack of better words. I think Chinatown in Chicago used to have a place like this but I want to say they closed? I'm not sure, but this was such an assuming storefront off of Dempster and I'm glad I gave it a try! Would definitely recommend! read more

Place is a little strange inside but the jianbing, which I had never heard of before, was really good. Highly recommend. Kind of like Chinese burrito. read more

If you drive too fast, you could miss it! The location is not obvious, the sign is pretty small! We decided to come for some authentic jianbing! The Egg and Hot Dog pancake had more flavor than the Fried Shrimp Jianbing! The texture of the egg and hot dog pancake was a little thicker and very tasty! The fried shrimp jianbing had too much crunch and not enough sauce! The chocolate bubble was pretty good, filled with enough chocolate that you can taste it, it was chewy and soft! The staff was very friendly and when she brought out the food, we got napkins and a pair of plastic gloves so our hands would not be greasy when we eat our food! Very smart indeed! read more

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Saw this place on Instagram from an influence and decided to give it a try. I am really surprised they don't have any socials to promote their work because the food is delicious and of great quality with the ingredients. My best friend and I came here on a Thursday evening for dinner and we were starving. Immediate service through the door. The cashier, while spoke little English, did an exceptional job answering our questions and being patient with us. We ordered one fried shrimp and one friend chicken jianbing. Mind you, I've never had or heard of a jianbing before coming to this place. The place does a bit of cabbage with lettuce for crunch and texture. This was a place. The amount of chicken was not overpowering - it was perfect and juicy with a bit of crunch. My favorite added piece to the dish was the fried wonton/ egg roll wrapper! Oh em geeeee. You must try this place. Definitely creative and the food is served quick. The menu has limited options which is really good - in my humble opinion. Not to much to the customer. I will be returning and encourage others to try! read more

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I never heard of Jianbing, as the part of China I'm from, we don't eat this. Boy, was I missing out! For the uninitiated, including myself, Jianbing is a traditional Chinese street breakfast food that originated in the northern regions of China. It's made from a thin batter primarily composed of wheat flour and sometimes mung bean flour and the batter is spread thinly and evenly onto a hot circular griddle. As it cooks, various fillings and condiments are added to the top surface and folded over. I got the friend chicken jianbing and it was really good. The crunchiness of the fried chicken, mixed with the softness of that egg-centric crust, was great. The store itself is somewhat small; I assume most of their business is carry out, as there were a few tables along the parameter of the store, maybe seating around no more than 10 people. The parking lot too, is really compact. It allows only 4 cars. Luckily we were able to get a parking spot. Food came out relatively quick, and once they brought out our food, we were kinda left to our own; we wanted some water, but no one was to be found. I guess they all retreating into the kitchen and didn't come out at all, during the time we were dining in. Bummer... good thing I had a water bottle in the car. BATHROOM REVIEW: Unfortunately none. I hope/assume there is one in the kitchen though for the employees ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ read more

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Been wanting to try this place for a while. My first time trying this though I have tried grocery store frozen scallion pancakes before. Ordered GrubHub delivery. Tried the basic shrimp option as well as a loaded one with chicken, extra egg & ham. It's very crispy and definitely worth trying. Not a 4 star because it's not much protein for the shrimp and chicken. It's mostly batter. I can't really taste the shrimp or the chicken. The portion side is generous. However, if you want something filling, get the one with the extra egg & ham plus your fried choice.Or skip anything fried since it's already a very crispy item. It traveled really well as a delivery item though I had sauce on the side. The sauce is good. It's easy to eat and a very good picnic option in nice weather. read more

Stopped by Money King Jianbing and was pleasantly surprised! This spot serves up yummy, American-style Chinese jianbing that really hits the spot if you want something quick, tasty, and not too complicated. What to Expect * Great Taste: The jianbing is flavorful and satisfying, with a more American twist--don't expect traditional Chinese street food complexity, but do expect something delicious and craveable. * Simple Vibes: The menu is easy to navigate, so you won't feel lost trying to decipher complicated options. Perfect if you want comfort food without a huge fuss. * Tiny Space: The restaurant is super small with limited seating. It's not really the place to hang out and linger--definitely more of a grab-and-go or quick bite kind of spot. * No Self-Serve Water: Heads up--there's no self-serve water station, so come prepared or grab something to drink before you arrive. * Hard to Spot: It's a little hidden and easy to miss if you're not looking out for it. Keep your eyes peeled, or you might walk right by! The Bottom Line Money King Jianbing is the kind of humble little place you love finding by accident--just tasty food, fast service, and nothing fancy or fussy. It won't replace your favorite authentic street vendor, but if you're nearby and want a solid jianbing or Chinese snack made easy, it's worth seeking out. Just don't expect a big scene or tons of creature comforts--that's kind of the charm! read more

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Stopped in Saturday at around 11:30 and there was no line. There is a very limited parking in front however a free public lot right next to the building. If you are unfamiliar with Jiangbing, it's essentially like a crepe but burrito sized here. The outer crepe is cooked with an egg so you get great egg flavor as well as thin soft texture. You can choose what fillings to add to the base of fried wonton chips and lettuce. I went with the fried chicken steak which I believe is similar to the Taiwanese fried chicken steak where the breading is tapioca flour. Overall the jiangbing was pretty tasty. The different textures played well together from the soft crepe and egg contrasted with the crispy/crunchy fried wonton chips in addition to the fried chicken steak. I do wish the fried chicken steak had more flavor. The jiangbing was quite large and very filling. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Exterior - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

The space was small but their food was huge and filled me up! This small little restaurant makes some amazing Chinese street food which is kind of like a stuffed pancake but with egg and meat inside, that was super crunchy. We got the chicken steak jianbing spicy which was delicious. They have other meats like hotdog, bacon and whatever meat floss is. Not that much seating inside so we got it to go. Definitely need to come back to try the other options! read more

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Really great breakfast crepes! I haven't tried anything similar anywhere else in Chicago so definitely worth the visit!

Absolutely love Monkey King Jianbing. Been on my list for quite some time. It's more a quick takeaway place with a couple of counter seats. The decor is super cute. The food does take time since they make to order. The Jianbing is wonderful, savory, crunchy texture, chewy. It's all that I love - classic street food - perfect for say a breakfast or even a hangover haha. Just a few parking spots in the tiny parking lot. It's kind of easy to miss. But I'll definitely be back again! read more

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My second stop of my mini food tour. We ordered the shrimp tempura Jianbing. Surprising how big it is, it can feed two people. Customer service was great and food arrived fast. The even included some disposable gloves which was very nice and help keep your hands clean. The jianbing was very flavorful and had all the elements of soft and crunchy. The shrimp was season perfectly. Definitely a must try! read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Shrimp tempura - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

Jianbing is a type of Chinese breakfast which is similar to pan-fried dough or pan-fried pancakes. It is often found as local street food meaning there are vendors who make this to serve to people on their way to work. I was delighted to find Monkey King Jianbing in Skokie (instead of having to travel to Chinatown) and sent my mom to pick up some food. The Jianbing was tasty and filling. I loved the packaging. I ordered the original flavor and also purchased an egg waffle. Both were good. I would come back and try their other options. There is plenty of parking and everything is made to order. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Pancake - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

I was intrigued to try this as I've never had jianbing before. I ordered the Combo B - Double Egg Bacon Jianbing and Thai iced tea. Jianbing is a traditional Chinese street food similar to crêpes, generally eaten for breakfast. I placed my order online and was able to indicate level of spiciness (for me, no spicy), items to omit, I.e., sesame seeds, etc. Monkey King is located on Dempster, with parking in front and a large parking lot adjacent. It's adorable inside, with an order kiosk inside and limited seating. My order was ready when I showed up and the counter person let me know there was a set of disposable gloves inside. The portion was enormous. It was still warm and has a very satisfying crunch. I took the remaining portion to my office and it still retained the amazing crunch. I think the crunch was my favorite part (of course, it's fried wonton wrappers). The crepe was thin, light (mix of eggs, flour?), had generous portion of bacon ( would prefer it more browned), lettuce, a sweet sauce, wontons, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was warm, nicely prepared and tasty, though if I had to say, fun to try but not something I would get regularly. The Thai iced tea was good but sweet. It would be great if they could offer two or three flavors of bubble tea, to go along with their bubble waffles. read more

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This goes to show the power of Yelp's recommendations and algorithms! I saw this restaurant as a recommendation for places to try so I bookmarked it. I was searching for a place to go to lunch and realized I was nearby. I'm hooked! I had never heard of Jianbing before but I'm always interested in trying out new things. I ordered the veggie jianbing. It was the perfect mixture of flavor and crunchiness. I'm looking forward to going back and trying out the shrimp version. read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Vegetarian Jianbing - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

I have been to Monkey King Jianbing many times it a crispy tasty breakfast or lunch. Anytime when we feel hungry for a quick meal I would think of Jianbing. The only thing lack as a Chinese side staple for food is no warm drink or soup that help taste bud, especially in the cold weather. read more

Monkey King Jianbing offers a Chinese-style crepe called a jianbing, a type of street food. Prepared with eggs, this is usually eaten for breakfast. Besides jianbings, their menu offers bubble waffles, pancakes, and milk tea/beverages. We tried: +Cream Cheese Rangoons - because, I can never pass up on rangoons! +an Original Veggie Jianbing +Fried Shrimp Jianbing +Fried Chicken Steak Jianbing For the jianbings, you can customize it by substituting or adding extra proteins/ingredients, as well as making it your level of spiciness. Honestly, I thought these were just okay; I recommend in ordering in person, as these would not taste good when you're having it delivered or as a pickup; no one wants to eat lukewarm eggs... Staff were kind, and there's parking available on the adjacent lot. +order in-person for jianbings +kind service +parking available in lot read more

I discovered Monkey King Jianbing off of a newly followed yelpers page, Karyn M, a yelper out of Highland Park Illinois who I continue to discover mutually shared restaurant interests with. It became an instant bookmark for me after I took a liking to its unique items featured on its menu, specifically jianbing, a traditional Chinese street food similar to crêpes. Now the restaurant itself sits within a small strip of businesses along Dempster Street. Parking is free, shared, and there is plenty of it including a spot directly outside of the restaurant. After walking in and up to the register to look at the menu, I was acknowledged shortly after. For your information, there is also a kiosk machine that sits off to the side for ordering and paying as well. I ended up ordering the Original Veggie Jianbing because its appearance looked satisfying on the menu. Likely on a different date, I will have to try either the Egg & Cheese or Egg & Veggie Pan Cake which caught my eye before selecting the Original Veggie Jianbing. Service: 5 (Great) Due to the restaurant being empty inside, it put me in the mood to dine-in in order to make this experience worthwhile. There is limited seating available inside of the dining area, so I would refrain from bringing a large group of individuals. During this visit, the mood was set with music by Rihanna - What's My Name? ft. Drake. Other than that, the restaurant gave off a peaceful vibe inside. And the restaurant itself has the appeal of a fast casual dining style of an ambiance in my opinion. Atmosphere: 5 (Great) As the employee brought out the Original Veggie Jianbing, I said to her "Oh my God, that is big! Sheesh!". I was given a pair of disposable gloves to eat with which alleviated the use of a napkin to wipe my hands. And I kid you not, I had a smirk on my face as I took each bite of the Jianbing which is typical when I enjoy something eaten; the jianbing was crunchy with a slight sweet taste that I enjoyed. Food: 5 (Great) Being that I had a great experience, I would gladly order from Monkey King Jianbing again when in the area. I must say that I felt very valued as a customer from the time I sat down post ordering to the time I got up to leave the restaurant after finishing my meal. Service: 5 | Atmosphere: 5 | Food: 5 Recommendations: Vegetarian Jianbing, Fried Shrimp Jianbing, Egg & Veggie Crisp Pan Cake, and Egg & Cheese Crisp Pan Cake. ~ Yabba dabba doo! ~ Thomas G read more

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I was in Chicago for a week and suddenly began craving for comfort food. Then I came across this Jianbing spot! Their Jianbing has an amazing CRUNCH, a little TOO much as half of the filling is the crunchy cracker. The flavor is a more AMERICAN twist to the traditional Jianbing that I normally have. Fried Chicken Jianbing - This was alright Salted Egg Yolk Waffles - I do not recommend this one Anyways, I definitely recommend y'all stop by and tryout their Jianbing and other snacks! read more

I pass by this place all the time and I finally got the chance to try it. Because it's part of a small strip mall, there's plenty of free parking. There is a kiosk as you enter so you can easily place your order. I've had other jianbing before but I was intrigued by the fried chicken steak that this place had on the menu. At first glance, it doesn't look like much but the jianbing is quite the meal by itself. I am not a fan of burritos but a jianbing is kind of like that. I don't like burritos because I'm not a fan of flour tortilla. However the pancake wrap that jianbing uses is thin and the flavor isn't super strong. The combination of the fried chicken and the veggies make this a filling meal. I really enjoyed it and would like to stop by next time to try their other jianbing flavors and bubble waffle as well. read more

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I loved trying the egg waffle and Jianbing here! It's a little strip mall place but the decor is super cheerful and cute and the egg wrap was delicious and crispy crunchy with wonton inside. Limited seating, more of a carry out place, but no worries! That wonton will still be crispy when you get home! read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

We ordered 2 combo beef floss hot dog with Thai ice tea, tripe egg fried shrimp and ham, waffle fries, and chocolate bubble waffles. Beef floss hot dog: flavorful and crunchy Tripe egg fried shrimp and ham: flavorful, shrimp was crunchy and the ham was a nice combo. Yummy! Chocolate bubble waffles: very chocolaty, soft and delicious! Thai ice tea was not too sweet. They also provided disposable gloves which was a nice touch. I am definitely going back. read more

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Finally, something unique in the suburbs. First time trying Jianbing, and it is good. Had the fried chicken. I am surprise to find it really crunchy in texture even when I brought it home. Not from the fried chicken but maybe a fried wonton. It's definitely a surprise to eat something and to think that I don't know what to compare this to, but it is good and original in its own right. I will come here if you want to try something new. Especially since I don't know where else you can get Jianbing read more

Monkey King Jianbing - Fried chicken Jianbing. - Chinese Near Me - SKOKIE, Illinois

A small store front right on the main road of Dempster. The store was not busy when we came, based on the layout and size I think most do carry out here. We opted to eat in as there was enough seating for about 10 people on bar like tables. We ordered 3 different kinds of Jianbing. The original veggie, the fried chicken steak and fried shrimp. They cut them and served them to us in half which was perfect for our situation. They also provide plastic gloves to wear to pick up and eat the jianbing with. They were all so delicious, with a crispy crunch on the inside from the deep fried dough. And then also some iceberg lettuce. The shrimp jianbing, was my favorite of the three. Will have to go and try some of the other ones someday. read more

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