A lakeview gem! I've lived in the area for a few years and they're always packed, for good reason. They have some of the best cocktails in the city, and the food absolutely slaps! I especially love their curry, but you really can't go wrong here. Bring your grandma, bring your friends. Just don't skip this place. read more

I LOVE the food here but cannot STAND the music. It's definitely trendy. I appreciate that while the decor is a bit sterile, they decorate it with some nice flowers and occasional projections on the wall (which, sometimes, are strange - like Golden Girls). Anyway, they make the best Buddhist Delight I've ever had. The cocktails are tasty too - but they'll cost you! read more

I was a little reluctant in coming to Ping Pong (Monday night), for a variety of reasons (particularly because of the bad service reviews here), but I must report we had a problem-free evening. We started off with calamari - which was very delicious. It wasn't the typical deep fried calamari, and it almost tasted healthy. For my entree, I decided on the pan-seared salmon that came with a small side (can't remember if it was veggies or salad at this point... and rice if you wanted it). The salmon was amazing and plenty, so much that I still had a bit of it left at the end of dinner. I also enjoyed a couple libations (The Hamptons - sweet tea vodka & lemonade) - which was absolutely refreshing and paired well with the app and dinner, I think. I can see how the ambiance -could- get loud (with the music), but it wasn't that bad when we went. Perhaps that can be attributed to a slow night as well. Anyway, yeah, dinner here can get expensive - I'm not yet sold on their justifications on that (honey, this isn't Hollywood). read more

Tai Chinese Malaysian eatery Friendly efficient service and trendy look Menu is comprehensive noodles to fried rice to soup Ingredients fresh and portions are just right Delicate touch to the typical. American Chinese food Be adventurous and cruise the menu for many choices read more

Super good! The sweet potato roll was super great, dumplings. It as much. Would recommend!

I don't understand the 3-star reviews. This place is fantastic. We've had a lot of terrible Asian food since moving to Chicago but Ping Pong is a bright shining star. Pro-tip: all take out eventually tastes like styrofoam. That's why you eat in the restaurant before you write a review. read more

The prices are a little expensive but it's so worth it because the food is soooooo good. Great list of cocktails as well!

Very cute restaurant with good food, fine prices, and good service. We got Dan-Dan noodles, pad Thai, crab Rangoon and a glass of rosé. The Rangoon was especially good, served with a bright pink sauce. And I enjoyed the shrimp chips before the meal. I'm a big sucker for free shrimp chips. The big open front window, outdoor seating, and robin's egg decor make this a special meetup spot. read more

I lived in the neighborhood for 3 years and have been to this place for about twice. The vibes of the restaurant was quite cute, felt like 1970s Hong Kong/ Macau style, The interior was a little Asian fushion inspired, so was the menu, but the food was extremely sub-par. I've gotten various dishes, and for the price, definitely not worth it. Dry chicken, and way too starchy, probably wouldn't even get it if it was from a $8 Chinese take out. The singaporean stir fried curry noodles used to be one of my favorite dishes growing up in China. But this place did not meet the mark for me. Everything was overly oily and greasy, and the noodles were way overcooked. I threw away half of the plate and left in disappointment as they were one of the few restaurants (not to mention Asian) that open on Broadway until late. The bill for two came out to be $60, if it was for a good food place, I'd be happy to pay the price, but this place was a huge disappointment for me. Upscale price, subpar food, and mediocre service. Would not recommend it to anyone. read more

I'm not sure how this place gets good reviews. The food was cold and greasy and the fish didn't taste fresh. I ended up just not eating it. I would not go back read more

The absolute best. Go here!! The cocktails are incredible and the food is amazing, plus their attention to detail takes this place to the next level. One of our top favorite spots to go in all of Chicago! You will not be disappointed! read more

Ping pong has a great atmosphere and makes itself feel upscale. The food is good but the appetizers are the best part of the whole meal. Every main dish is a bowl of veggies and a protein with a different sauce and rice on the side. I feel like they could get much more creative with their offerings. It is also pretty pricey. If you are looking for a place to go on a date this is a good choice but know that it won't be a cheap date. read more

Came here recently for dinner. Had bulgogi, steamed dumplings, and greyhound drinks. Bulgogi was tasty and 5 stars to the dumplings! Service was friendly and over all it was a good time. The only issue I had was with the price. $19-$20 for bulgogi in a standard bowl! I've eaten at other asian restaurants and I couldn't understand why it is marked up here for a neighborhood restaurant. read more

Ping Pong - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have walked by this place many times, and finally made it here. We got drinks and I had two of their martinis that was very delicious. For the meal I have steamed potstickers, and Singapore Street Noodles. The dumplings were AMAZING - highly recommend. My noodles were very good but i only have two pieces of shrimp in the entire dish which was disappointing. The main issue that I have with this place is how expensive it is. It is good but not quite THAT good. Glad I was able to try it but I probably won't be going back unless it's a special occasion. read more

Ping Pong - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm back for more Masala Chicken, my favorite dish at this contemporary Asian fusion restaurant. While waiting for our seats, I noticed the bar had my favorite liqueur called St. Germain. It is an elderflower liqueur paired with white wine or champagne, club soda and a garnish of lemon peels. It was a special treat to have the bar make this cocktail for me. We liked the warm sanitary wipes that were provided to us before we consumed anything. It is a nice touch. My companion ordered the potstickers for starter. I ordered the hot & sour soup. Both were tasty. For entrees, Jim ordered Spicy Garlic chicken with brown rice. We tasted each other's dishes and he confirmed that my Masala chicken is very good! This was another satisfying meal at a quality dining establishment. read more

Great authentic Asian dishes. I highly recommend getting the Rangoon's - they're served with this raspberry dipping sauce that is to die for. The egg drop soup is also very delicious! Their noodles are handmade, and the Lo mein was so good. They served it in a bowl that looked like it was not a lot, but when I poured it on the plate it was a lot more than what I could finish. The staff was very pleasant and they knew what to recommend. After dinner they, of course, bring a fortune cookie and it was so neat that they dip all of their cookies in either chocolate or white chocolate adding different toppings to them (sprinkles, cookie crumbles) - they were good! Highly recommend checking this place out while in the area. You won't be disappointed. read more

Went to check it out and the atmosphere is nice but the first thing I noticed was the inflated prices on the menu. Everything was $3-5 more than most places and when it comes to the portions it's a joke. If I am going to pay $15 for a noodle dish at least feed me. VERY DISAPPOINTING!!!!! read more

Ping Pong - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food here is good. Some items are a bit on the sweet side, but they are fairly accommodating at making things a little spicier. The prices are extremely high relative to the experience and quality of the food. But we have learned to simply split entrees which are typically large enough for two. read more

Sat on the outdoor street patio. Wet towels to start and crispy shrimp chips were quickly brought out. Our delightful server even brought us a second larger bowl of chips because she didn't realize we were a party of 3. We didn't order drinks but appreciated the water bottle on the table. We started with the grilled chicken potstickers that were huge and yummy. We had chicken pad Thai and Kung Pao and both were excellent. Great service which was perfect since the outside tables are small but used plates were removed rapidly. The meal ended with chocolate chocolate dipped fortune cookies. Excellent meal. We will be back! read more

So visiting my friend in Chicago. Since it is raining we decided to order delivery. We waited over an hour for the actual delivery...and when the order arrived one of the entrees was missing. We immediately called the restaurant to let them know. They said they would send it right out. 2 hours later the rest of the order showed up. When we called back to ask about the whereabouts of the entree we were told "we only have one driver tonight." And "we don't give refunds or credit". So even if this is great food...the service is terrible. With no recourse. Do yourself a favor and don't order delivery. Edit: when food arrived it was cold. So seriously don't bother with this place. read more

Always an excellent experience. Food and drinks were delicious. Service is the best on the block.

I would have given it 5 star because really liked the food there and our server was great but the hostess that seated us was not friendly. I had my sweet small dog with me, called in advance to l er t know I was coming w my dog. He didn't bark even once the whole time we were thee. As the hostess was seating us people at the table next to us wanted to say hi and pet my dog, telling me how cute he was. The hostess then, lacking emotional intelligence, in a cold bossy tone said make sure your dog doesn't bother other guests before we event sat down.... I really disliked it. read more

Ping Pong is my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. The atmosphere is really cool, the servers are genuinely nice, and the food is outstanding. The menu is huge, and there are many things I still want to try, but so far my favorites on the menu are: - toasted edamame - grilled vegetable dumplings - tom yum soup (best I've ever had) - green tea ice cream And, they serve dinner until midnight!! I can't even explain how much I love this place. read more

Ping Pong - the atmosphere! - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Place came very highly recommended. We were Very disappointed. We ordered delivery. Good came quickly. However, Most of the food we tossed out. The mushroom beef was inedible. The beef was gray and tough, and the taste of the dish was just bad. Dan Dan noodles had no flavor, even the meat was bland. Egg drop soup tasked like parsley and onions. read more

I was here earlier this week to have a meal for the first time in a couple of years and I was reminded of why it's been a couple of years between visits: the food is really mediocre and overpriced. I ordered the sesame chicken which is $15 for a small serving. The sauce was overly salty and overly sweet - almost as if the cook just poured indiscriminate amounts of sesame oil and soy sauce over some chicken and then sprinkled sesame seeds on top and called it a day. The sauce was really thin and the chicken was not prepared very well - regardless of the sauce. It came with broccoli too but I couldn't eat it because the sauce wasn't good. It reminded me of something I would've made in college - back in the days before you could find 1,000 versions of any recite online and compare many different versions or even seen them prepared in lots of amateur and professional videos. I think they charge $15 for this dish because of the location, and perhaps the "atmosphere." But the decor isn't great either. Just a crappy mish mash of pan Asian things that come together in a mediocre or bad way - just like the food itself. Im never wasting my time or money here again. read more

Worst Service and Attitude ! Ordered a takeout... Barely couple dishes or so for almost $ 70. Asked for Soy/Chili sauce & Manager wanted .20 cents !!! Again .20 cents.. How Screwed can a restaurant get when they start nickle & diming you for Condiments on OVERPRICED, tasteless food !!! Moreover upon commenting to Manager...Her answer was" I DON"T Care'. You better care ! Customers are the ones paying your bills. Worst food, never ordering EVER again ! read more

Once we finally got 2 of 3 of our appetizers after a 50 minute wait (and people seated after us getting their food) and then our entrees came immediately before we finished the appetizers. Vegetable dumplings appetizer comes at end of meal. We asked our waiter who they said was new if we could speak to the owner/manager she came and said she could absolutely not take the dumplings off our bill and we should deduct it from the waiters tip. WOW!! Way to not support your employees. I've worked in the food industry and have never had a manager punish me for a mistake. I truly hope he doesn't get fired and I can't support this kind of business. read more

I used to go here every week because I loved that they had a healthier brown fried rice. However, they lost a customer this evening. I asked for my usual brown rice and to add broccoli. They repeated my order back to me and said, "and extra broccoli." So I said, "oh does it already come with it?" And the person on the phone confidently said yes so I said never mind I don't need extra even though I usually ask for it every time. As I expected, there was no broccoli when I picked it up. I asked them to remake it and they did not apologize and ran into the back yelling at the cooks. They threw it in my face and said nothing when I thanked them. I walked home and opened up my food to find that they not only didn't add the broccoli but also took out the green onions. I called and again was not apologized to and had to say something again because there were crickets on the other line. I was put on hold for 15 minutes to speak with a manager. Once I talked to them, they started saying, "well I heard you said this." And BLAMING ME! Even if I was in the wrong, the customer never is. That's the first rule in a restaurant. They did not offer to pay me back and said they will remake it and I said that wasn't an option because I already ate it and just wanted my money back or the next meal comped. They wouldn't do either. Sorry to say but I will not be going back to such a self righteous restaurant. You have lost a really loyal customer and probably all of my friends too. read more

Great experience from the unique cocktails to the fortune cookies everything exceeded our expectations. The staff was welcoming, the food was excellent and the ambiance was spot on. We will be back! read more

I've come for dinner multiple times. It's always busy and bustling with energy. However, it does seem it's a bit more style over substance when it comes to the food. -The interior is cool and funky with random Chinese antiques and articles reminiscent of Beijing during the cultural revolution. -I like they use funky mismatched old fashioned dishes. -They give you free shrimp flavored chips when you sit down. -The service is warm and friendly. -Potstickers are decent, but a bit too doughy. They are served with a tasty spicy sauce. -They have some fun tropical-leaning cocktails. The indochine with passion fruit and lime is very good. -Scallion pancakes are delicious. -Both Mee Goreng and Singapore noodles dishes are very similar. They look beautiful and you think they're going to be fantastic. But they don't have much complexity of flavor and taste more like ramen noodles with a flat salty sauce. It's unfortunate, because you really want to like them--but they're just not that great. -Sesame chicken is obviously an Americanized thing to order. But it can be very good. There's is a bit bland and underwhelming and is served with unseasoned slightly mushy pieces of broccoli. -They do serve fun chocolate-covered fortune cookies at the end which is a nice upgrade from the plain version. read more

We were 3 blocks away and called to ask if there was a table available. They said there was one table and we could have it. We showed up not even 3 minutes later and they had given the table away. No apology. No trying to make up for it. Our group are all in this neighborhood and we know where we won't be going in the future. Rude and poor customer service. read more

I usually think of ping pong as a game that is played in a basement rec room, complete with bright fluorescent lights and a lot of noise. And me being humiliated by those who grew up with said ping pong table: the haves paddling the have nots. On the first point, Ping Pong is the exact opposite of a rec room. Enter the door from a rag tag stretch of Broadway into a sultry, pleasure den with candles lighting a spacious layout of tables with cloth napkins and non-disposable chopsticks. Four of us shared a table for six, wide enough to seat a mom at one end and a pop at the other, without their place settings encroaching on the others. For drinks, we whet our whistles with both ginger and lychee martinis, each consumed with pleasure. The price point was high, though the pour was commensurate. We then added solid food for our palates, starting with tuna tartare, a thick layer of tuna on a thick layer of avocado: we rated it four tongues up. I like to think of this combination as being classy and tasteful, like a Fred and Ginger dance of flavor. Actually, make that Fred and Audrey, with Ginger and Wasabi on the side. We also had the sweet potato maki, an excellent rendition at that. For entrees, we shared ginger chicken, coconut curry with shrimp, and Singapore noodles. Each dish was good, but the curry really shined. Three of us had brown rice, and one had quinoa, that came in a surprisingly small portion. While we passed on dessert, chocolate-covered fortune cookies were welcomed, though the fortunes were quite lame. (Mine said, and I paraphrase, "You will go to a social occasion." Really? I think it's happening right now!) One miss for the restaurant: it's too loud. It was hard for us to hear each other (granted the table was wider than those in most restaurants), primarily because it is such a "live" room, with wooden floors and a tin (?) ceiling and nothing to dampen the ping pong of noise throughout the place. Candlelight and loud mouths don't mix. But the taste of the food made up for it; no bad dishes humiliated our mouths. read more

Ping pong is amazing! It's in my old neighborhood so I've probably gone there 4-5 times and it has never disappointed. The Crab Rangoon is to die for, especially the sauce! I've had a few different meals there including the Pad Thai, Dan Dan noodles, and ping pong chicken and all are fabulous. In the summer they have outdoor seating and the atmosphere is cute and trendy. read more

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It pains me to see so many people gushing over Ping Pong. I suspect they don't have my memory. Perhaps 1 star is overly harsh, but you see I remember what Ping Pong used to be. It has gone from one of my favorite restaurants in the city to a place I'd have to be drugged to set foot in. Ping Pong's fall from grace has broken my heart, and earned it my first ever 1 star rating. Ping Pong was once a cozy little spot with excellent food, a fun atmosphere and decent (well...hit or miss) service that was reasonably friendly. I've watched over the years as prices climbed, portions shrunk and service deteriorated. Ping Pong is but a shadow of its former self. I don't begrudge them the space they added on. I begrudge the decreased value and quality of the food. I begrudge the haughty attitude of the douchey, androgynous staff. I remember when the sesame chicken was a full plate of succulent hunks of chicken with substantial amounts of broccoli and a big bowl of rice. Now it seems to be a small pile of minuscule pieces of popcorn chicken with a couple broccoli florets and a bowl of rice somewhat bigger than a shot glass. Oh, and it now costs 5 dollars more. There are better places to go for Asian cuisine where you won't get sneered at or ignored, where your ears won't be shattered by the volume of the music, where the wait will be shorter and where the food will be better while still being cheaper. Unless your soul purpose for going out to eat is to "see and be seen" in which case you and Ping Pong deserve each other. Damn you Ping Pong... I learned to use chopsticks for you! read more

Pong is unequivocally the worst dining experience I've ever had. My girlfriend suggested this place as she had been here numerous times prior and only had good things to say. We arrived and our server glared at me when I attempted to order my drink. On my second attempt, the server "shushed" me and by the 4th attempt I finally had my drink. As my girlfriend looked over at me basically apologizing and insinuating we could leave if I wanted, I decided to see if the food would triumph over the service. I was wrong, but the night turned laughable. When our entrees arrived we realized that the table next to us had received our entrees and us theirs. We promptly brought this to the attention of the server. The server truly went above and beyond to fix his/her error; switched the plates in front of us. At least walk these back to the kitchen and allow me to believe it was resolved back there. I made sure to let the manager know how disappointed and at times offended I was. His response was cavalier and basically led me to believe Ping would rather not have my girlfriend or I as patrons ever again. read more

I really have no idea how such a sub-par place can be so busy. While some call the decor "sparse" or "minimal", I call it "we ran out of money". The front "bar" is pretty much some particle board slapped together right by the front door. If you have a party of five or more, expect to be packed in like a Tokyo subway car. The entire staff has an attitude like "I'm so fierce because I work here so you should be happy I'm even seating you". But I could forgive all that if the food was just good. I'm pretty sure Ping Pong has some agreement with Morton salt where they get paid for putting as much salt in their dishes as possible. And then add some sort of spice. I ordered the red snapper which was buried under some salad and I think mushrooms. Fish was slimy and salty. Even the salad was salty. I couldn't even eat half of it. In fact, no one else in our party finished theirs. The only saving grace was the seared ahi tuna appetizer which was decent. They even managed to screw up fortune cookies by drowning them in Pillsbury icing and rainbow sprinkles. Not cute at all. read more

I was first introduced to ping pong last fall by some friends and it has quickly become a standby place to bring friends from out of town and a restaurant I frequent to the point that most of the staff recognizes me. Its ambient vibe, incredibly friendly staff, exotic menu and great daily specials at a very reasonable price make it a chic and affordable place to wine and dine [they do have BYOB]. When you sit down you'll be greeted with a warm towel to wipe off your hands and a complimentary appetizer... typically taro chips, although for a brief time they served boiled peanuts. The wait staff will eventually bring you your own carafe of water and will keep your glass full. Their menus is a great mix of classic Thai and Chinese offerings and offers great selections for vegetarians as well as meat eaters. The hot and sour soup is incredible and a great way to start your meal, which for me usually is the green curry. I realized I hadn't reviewed pingpong and decided to when I visited this past week. Unfortunately it was one of the worst experiences I've ever had in a restaurant to date. It was nice outside, so we opted for the outdoor seating which we've done many times before. About midway through our appetizers we began to be attacked by a swarm of gnats that were encircling our table. At first i wasn't so bad but by the time our food arrived it was beyond tolerable. We spent nearly 3/4 of our time shooing the gnats away and all without any of the wait staff asking if everything was OK. Gnats ended up in our food, water and drinks and our server was nowhere in sight. Another server came to get our dishes and noticed what was happening and even brought it to the attention of other staff members who were more interested in seeing the bugs than the fact that all of our entrees were returned half eaten and that we were miserable. It seemed like the gnats were attracted to the grass or flowers that were in the planter around us and there were no candles or citronella on the tables or the periphery of the outdoor seating space to keep them away. Our server finally made his way outside and asked if we wanted dessert at which point all we wanted was the check. No effort was made by our server or a manager to apologize for the experience -- meanwhile, while we were waiting for our check, the busboys were making a game of swatting at the gnats with their dishtowels. And while up until this visit I've been a raving fan, the fact that our server knew we were regulars and didn't make any effort to rectify the situation showed a lack of appreciation for loyal customers, which to me, ruins my entire perception of ping pong. I would have given you 5 Stars before, but sadly, the lack of care or concern we were shown was inexcusable, unprofessional and was service we could have received at a Panda Express. Moral of the story :: don't expect sincere service and if you sit outside be sure to wear some OFF. read more

Exceptional service and a great atmosphere. Cannot stress enough how good the service was. Also, the cocktails we had were delightful. There are only two reasons I left 4 instead of 5 stars. The first is because the portion sizes were kind of small which sucks if your ravenously hungry and I especially relish getting two meals for one from Asian places. And the second reason is the Brussels sprouts we ordered. Tasteful as ever but soaked, and I mean soaked in oil. At the time we wanted more of an actual vegetable to offset the other greasy items we ordered and obviously that did not turn out. Regardless, I will certainly be coming back for the amazing food and quality service. read more

To be perfectly honest, I don't really care for this place, AT ALL. At first, I was merely drawn to the fact that the decor was sleek and it is always crowded. But always remember, don't judge a book by its cover. I came here with some friends and I ordered the mussels with some kind of sauce. It tasted like the frozen ones they got from Costco and then slathered with a horrible white sauce. The taste was plain awful. I tried my friend's curry and it was equally bad. Many of the wait staff are also pretentious, just seems like they do more people watching then making sure the customers are getting what they need. I could have gotten better service and food from the hole-in-the-wall around the corner than this place. So overall, dance music + awful Asian food + pretentious wait staff just didn't work out for me. Avoid at all cost and you're better off spending your money elsewhere. read more

Sounds travel at varying speeds through solids, liquids, and gases, and don't pass well from one substance to another. If you shout at a brick wall, little of the sound energy emerges on the other side. Instead, most of the sound waves bounce back. Echoes can be useful (if you're in a submarine) or annoying. A noisy restaurant can be made quieter with floor, wall and ceiling coverings that soak up sounds. What the hell am I talking about? PING PONG. The name. I can't figure out any other reason for this place to be named PING PONG but for how incredibly noisy it is here. It's sooooooo noisy I've passed it a zillion times because the tumult gives me headaches. Until tonight....I passed it up until tonight. We ate late, and it was quiet there. And we ate outside, where it was delightful. Our waiter was a young, charming little goofball. He was diligent and a good salesman, and convinced me to order one of the specials: the oyster pancake. It was delicious. But oyster "pancake" is a misnomer. The dish is oysters (huge, fresh ones) mixed in scrambled egg with stuff on top. That's an omellete to me. By the way, it looked like the "vomellete" I saw Dave England make which Steve-O ate on Jackass. (not for the faint of stomach, I promise). The hot and sour soup which preceded the Oyster "Vomellete" was the sourest - - most sour - anyway, best hot and sour soup I've ever had. I have no idea why this place is called PING PONG. read more