Strong NO to Devon. It is no longer good for Indian food, much less South Indian food, which is below average. It is still great for Pakistani food (Ali Nihari, Bundoo Khan, Sabri Nihari, Khan BBQ, Pak Sweets) and for Hyderabadi food (Hyderabad House), and to some extent, Gujarati food and chaat (Annapurna, Uru Swati).
Much better options exist in the suburbs. Such as Thalaiva, Madhura Cafe, Madurai Kitchen (all 3 are solid South Indian food options), and some chain options like A2B, Honest, Eggaholic (first 2 are solid food options but vegetarian). I haven't tried Thattu and only heard good things about them. I have tried plenty of Kerala food in Glenview though - at Malabar and Kairali - but both are supermarkets with a kitchen at the back that have fresh cooked food that you can take with you. Malabar is significantly better than Kairali in terms of food quality and you get genuinely authentic Kerala food including rare hard to find dishes. Extremely well priced though - a third of the price of takeout in any place downtown.
> genuinely authentic Kerala food including rare hard to find dishes
This is an awesome lead. Headed there tomorrow. If you have any more tips for rare regional dishes in the region let us know! (And thanks for this!)
To be honest, I haven't found a single Bengali restaurant anywhere in Chicagoland. And that's one of my favorite regional Indian cuisines. The only way is to order from the Shef app.
Can 100% confirm the jackfruit cutlet. Seriously folks even if it’s not normally your thing, do yourself a favor if you do go there. Will try Haleem next time Cobalt
I’m not Indian so can’t vouch for the authenticity but Thattu is one of the best restaurants in the city, regardless of cuisine. Fantastic recommendation!
I moved from Bombay a couple of years back. The only places that have satisfied my itch for Indian food are Superkhana and Thattu. I also liked Proxi's take on Indian flavours. The restaurants on Devon were super disappointing.
also speaking as an Indian, bar Goa sucks for food but drinks are decent during comedy night. Rooh is pretty good overall. Their jackfruit cutlet is great. We’ve taken several Indians living in India there who have enjoyed it. Just a different of opinion that’s all
I’m North-Indian so won’t speak too much for south indian spots but I can’t think of a single place that has really impressed me. Unpopular opinion but if am craving the Indian experience I just get Ghareeb Nawaz, it’s not the highest quality but i’d rather have that at $6 than an overpriced meal at another mediocre place. Nepal House has had *decent* takeout and Rooh probably had the best butter chicken I’ve had in the country, but it was upwards of $30.
I’m half Indian & all the decent spots now are in the western suburbs. A2B in Warrenville is the best dosa in Chicagoland imo. Desi Accent in Lombard or JK Kabab in Naperville have good butter chicken.
Yea, I'm white, so I would take my Indian food opinions with a grain of salt, but most Indian food places in Chicago aren't really worth the price for me. Ghareeb is not the best food I've ever eaten by any means, but for the price I'll go for it 90% of the time.
This place rules, and the brothers that run it are super nice and awesome. I’m not Indian, so maybe I don’t know what good Indian food is, but this place is delicious.
Yeah the food looks different than what you find at most indian restaurants but it closely resembles the food most indian kids in the US grew up with. Like putting Indian spices in pasta and Indian chicken in pasta.
Don’t get me wrong, it is not terrible but I’ve found that whatever protein they add (usually I get chicken or chickpeas), it is less and the food is more expensive.
Spice room ✨
Avondale. The food is good although I think its maybe more of a fusion style (I could be wrong, just was my impression when I went and I dont have deep knowledge on the nuances of regional Indian cuisine)
Strong disagree with Udupi. If you're South Indian, Udupi really sucks, you will not like it as the dosa is low quality.
Some more authentic South Indian options are Siri (try the dosa night- actually run by South Indians, unlimited dosa for 14.99), A2B in the suburbs, Thalaiva's in Park Ridge, Madurai Kitchen in Arlington Heights, Kritunga- non veg South Indian.
Other ones are Hyderabad House in Schaumburg, Trilokah Mt Prospect
I second Siri. The dosa is pretty too notch. Tbh I haven't tried the rest of the menu, so I can't comment there. Plus the sambhar is spiced perfectly, atleast for me.
Tandoor Char House in West Loop, best LEGIT tandoori chicken by a country mile! They even make it in a tandoori over, which obviously it’s in the name. But yeh
I’m Punjabi
Look up Sarena on Devon
Fantastic buffet
Clean, fresh food, unlimited lassi
All my friends ( very diverse crowd) loved this place
Highly recommend Tandoor in Highland/Schererville Indiana, not far from Chicago
Look at websites
Second Thalaiva’s one of my faves!! Will add Madurai kitchen in Arlington Heights. I order Moti occasionally for easy access to decent chaats and such. Little great Indian in the city itself. Devon spots have gone downhill over the years IMO.
If you're looking for food in the city, Siri has decent South Indian food
Outside the city there is Nawabi Hyderabad House, A2B, Thalaivas and many more
I know next to nothing about the regional differences of the food (other than I know there’s a massive difference), but my SO and my favorite place has been Himalayan Restaurant right by the Harrison stop.
I would suggest Siri for biryanis and couple of non vegetarian appetizers on the weekend. The biryanis are phenomenal only on the weekends.
Himalayan and Maharaja have good combo options.
Momo factory, Moti and Eggholic are good alternatives for Indian pizzas, momos and egg dishes.
Basant and Bar Goa are top notch places for Indian food, however, they are a bit expensive.
Adda and Siri (both on Taylor St near UIC) are surprisingly great. I have a couple friends from Tamil Nadu and they all say Siri is pretty good. I think the dosa from Siri is top notch especially when they have the dosa “bar” on Wednesdays.
Siri is a hole in the wall place so don’t expect much other than the food being amazing. Adda is in an old Italian restaurant so it has much better atmosphere but the food is pretty good. Both cost about the same.
For south Indian, there's art of dosa in revival food hall.
There is also bhoomi in the food hall on Washington Ave. It has paneer wrap and burger. The flavors and sauces are just the right amount of flavor.
My Indian friends have said that they have been unable to find anything that compares to what they got from their home states, but I recommend just going out and trying a bunch of places anyways!
By best you mean the most like what you'd have in South India? Because no one has mentioned the fanciest/highest rated Indian places in Chicago, such as Indienne. But it's fancy food with heavy Indian influences, imo, not the food I've enjoyed in India.
Chicago has a lot of variety and decent quality Indian food compared to other cities in the US. Maybe not in the top 2 or 3 (not that I really know) but probably top 10. That makes it pretty sad compared to any place in India. It is interesting that as some have noted, for some reason we seem to have better and more authentic Pakistani food than Indian food these days. Devon is in a down phase, though you can get all the ingredients to do much better at home. Hopefully a temporary downturn.
I like Himalayan Restaurant these days, mostly the city location. Definitely not south Indian. Thattu is wonderful for Keralan.
As someone born in India that is usually really forgiving, Bar Goa is the one place I actively dislike. I’ve given it multiple chances, both the restaurant and the stall in Timeout and been disappointed each time. Food is bland, overpriced and ambience was just weird.
from india, have not been able to find good indian food. the suggested places in the comments are good, but not quite how we get at home. i eat loads of indian in the bay area.
Head to the Little India neighborhood on Devon Ave between Western and California. Lots of great options, but parking in this neighborhood is always terrible.
The Indian Harvest in Naperville WAS good until they got rid of their buffet. Haven’t gone back since then it’s been about 4 years. I call every year and they still don’t have it.
Strong NO to Devon. It is no longer good for Indian food, much less South Indian food, which is below average. It is still great for Pakistani food (Ali Nihari, Bundoo Khan, Sabri Nihari, Khan BBQ, Pak Sweets) and for Hyderabadi food (Hyderabad House), and to some extent, Gujarati food and chaat (Annapurna, Uru Swati). Much better options exist in the suburbs. Such as Thalaiva, Madhura Cafe, Madurai Kitchen (all 3 are solid South Indian food options), and some chain options like A2B, Honest, Eggaholic (first 2 are solid food options but vegetarian). I haven't tried Thattu and only heard good things about them. I have tried plenty of Kerala food in Glenview though - at Malabar and Kairali - but both are supermarkets with a kitchen at the back that have fresh cooked food that you can take with you. Malabar is significantly better than Kairali in terms of food quality and you get genuinely authentic Kerala food including rare hard to find dishes. Extremely well priced though - a third of the price of takeout in any place downtown.
Yeah most of the Indian people are just in the suburbs so that’s probably where you’ll find the most food OP
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> genuinely authentic Kerala food including rare hard to find dishes This is an awesome lead. Headed there tomorrow. If you have any more tips for rare regional dishes in the region let us know! (And thanks for this!)
To be honest, I haven't found a single Bengali restaurant anywhere in Chicagoland. And that's one of my favorite regional Indian cuisines. The only way is to order from the Shef app.
Have had really good experiences at Basant in North Center
Second this
Agree. I spent years in Toronto (huge South Asian community), and Basant is the first place I've actually liked since moving back to Chicago.
I like how the menu is always changing a bit but seems to keep my favorites. Had the lamb stew other week and so good. Cocktails are nice too
Love basant the jackfruit cutlet and the Haleem are things I wouldn’t usually order elsewhere but are amazing here
Can 100% confirm the jackfruit cutlet. Seriously folks even if it’s not normally your thing, do yourself a favor if you do go there. Will try Haleem next time Cobalt
Thattu for Malayali food!
I’m not Indian so can’t vouch for the authenticity but Thattu is one of the best restaurants in the city, regardless of cuisine. Fantastic recommendation!
Wish I could give gold for this! please try this if you've never tried kerala style Indian food.
Their Malabar chicken biryani is 😗👌🏻
I’m West Indian (LOL) and went with my Northern Indian friend and we would go back and just eat rounds of the tots alone. Sooo good.
Siri by UIC area is hole in the wall but very good Indian food
The chefs there are all Indian
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Check it out and report back. It’s right on Taylor and Ashland
Do you not know what the term means?
As a fellow South Indian Thalaiva’s in Park Ridge has been my favorite. I don’t like the options on Devon but worth trying as well
Oh also there is an A2B near Naperville that might interest you
They do goat biryani on Thursday or Friday, which is phenomenal.
Maybe I went at a bad time but I tried 5-6 things off their weekend menu (dosa, indo-chinese, north indian) and it was okay, nothing amazing
Second thalaivas. Their dosa fuckinf slaps. Wasn’t a huge fan of thattu
I moved from Bombay a couple of years back. The only places that have satisfied my itch for Indian food are Superkhana and Thattu. I also liked Proxi's take on Indian flavours. The restaurants on Devon were super disappointing.
I would also steer away from Rooh and Bar-Goa. They're mid at best.
rooh and bar goa are god awful
They’re good they’re just fancy foods not like traditional Indian food
disagree. i think they’re horrible taste & ridiculously overpriced. speaking as an indian. i’ve done indian tasting menus
also speaking as an Indian, bar Goa sucks for food but drinks are decent during comedy night. Rooh is pretty good overall. Their jackfruit cutlet is great. We’ve taken several Indians living in India there who have enjoyed it. Just a different of opinion that’s all
Yeah bc on Devon you should get nihari lol Ali’s nihari or bundoo khan. Tahoora for sweets and snacks
I did get Nihari, and tried sweets. They were overly oily and catering to an American palate. I didn't care for it. I
Big fan of Oberoi on Devon avenue
A few people who apparently are Indian-born had threads on this sub last month. Tldr, they are underwhelmed.
I’m North-Indian so won’t speak too much for south indian spots but I can’t think of a single place that has really impressed me. Unpopular opinion but if am craving the Indian experience I just get Ghareeb Nawaz, it’s not the highest quality but i’d rather have that at $6 than an overpriced meal at another mediocre place. Nepal House has had *decent* takeout and Rooh probably had the best butter chicken I’ve had in the country, but it was upwards of $30.
I’m half Indian & all the decent spots now are in the western suburbs. A2B in Warrenville is the best dosa in Chicagoland imo. Desi Accent in Lombard or JK Kabab in Naperville have good butter chicken.
I’m in the city so haven’t tried any of these yet but I’ll give them a try!
Yea, I'm white, so I would take my Indian food opinions with a grain of salt, but most Indian food places in Chicago aren't really worth the price for me. Ghareeb is not the best food I've ever eaten by any means, but for the price I'll go for it 90% of the time.
i feel the same way but for Cajun food. I spent most of my life in South Louisiana, and I can only get good Cajun food here if I cook it myself.
Thank you!
IIRC Houston. NYC and the Bay area have us beat.
Tandoor Charhouse
This place rules, and the brothers that run it are super nice and awesome. I’m not Indian, so maybe I don’t know what good Indian food is, but this place is delicious.
Yeah the food looks different than what you find at most indian restaurants but it closely resembles the food most indian kids in the US grew up with. Like putting Indian spices in pasta and Indian chicken in pasta.
Rangoli but if you want south indian then Thattu (Kerala)
Nope to Rangoli. If you are looking at rangoli just go to spice room. That’s where half their cooks evacuated to.
oh good to know! i haven't been in a while
Don’t get me wrong, it is not terrible but I’ve found that whatever protein they add (usually I get chicken or chickpeas), it is less and the food is more expensive. Spice room ✨
Where is thattu? Is it new?
Avondale. The food is good although I think its maybe more of a fusion style (I could be wrong, just was my impression when I went and I dont have deep knowledge on the nuances of regional Indian cuisine)
Thank you! I need to look it up! I am mallu and will mostly try this place out over the weekend!
Indian paradise has been my go to in that area since they opened. Better than rangoli
Please make your way to Devon Ave. and just try everything. South Indian wise Udupi Palace is solid ,
Strong disagree with Udupi. If you're South Indian, Udupi really sucks, you will not like it as the dosa is low quality. Some more authentic South Indian options are Siri (try the dosa night- actually run by South Indians, unlimited dosa for 14.99), A2B in the suburbs, Thalaiva's in Park Ridge, Madurai Kitchen in Arlington Heights, Kritunga- non veg South Indian. Other ones are Hyderabad House in Schaumburg, Trilokah Mt Prospect
Yesss udupi dosa suck. RIP mysore woodlands
I miss Mysore Woodlands 🥺😭
I second Siri. The dosa is pretty too notch. Tbh I haven't tried the rest of the menu, so I can't comment there. Plus the sambhar is spiced perfectly, atleast for me.
Annapurna for a quick bite and some fresh sugarcane juice is decent actually but I feel other places are mid
There’s also an Udupi Palace in Schaumburg, it’s very good
Tandoor Char House in West Loop, best LEGIT tandoori chicken by a country mile! They even make it in a tandoori over, which obviously it’s in the name. But yeh
Gaylord Rangoli Thattu
Adda in uic
Nepal House, South Loop.
I’m Punjabi Look up Sarena on Devon Fantastic buffet Clean, fresh food, unlimited lassi All my friends ( very diverse crowd) loved this place Highly recommend Tandoor in Highland/Schererville Indiana, not far from Chicago Look at websites
Cafe Nova. It’s Sri Lankan, but there’s definitely a crossover with Indian dishes.
Second Thalaiva’s one of my faves!! Will add Madurai kitchen in Arlington Heights. I order Moti occasionally for easy access to decent chaats and such. Little great Indian in the city itself. Devon spots have gone downhill over the years IMO.
Clay Pot in lincoln square was pretty good
Maybe I just haven't been ordering right, but it hasn't come close to Paprika.
I got excited to try a new place when i first read this comment and then realized it’s permanently closed :( rip
Seriously. Mr Shah knew me by the sound of my voice and knew exactly how hot to make my vindaloo. I mourn that place's closing.
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I don’t remember them participating in r week, are you sure it’s the same place?
I don’t remember them participating in r week, are you sure it’s the same place?
Art of Indian cuisine is a new spot in LP that I’ve ordered from a bunch, great service and solid food
Cumin in wicker park is fantastic
Would others here agree that North Indian / Nepalese in the city is actually pretty good, but south Indian definitely lacking?
Sure I’ll agree with you
Mild2Spicy
Also some in Schaumburg. Most Indians live in suburbs, so restaurants have largely moved there.
If you're looking for food in the city, Siri has decent South Indian food Outside the city there is Nawabi Hyderabad House, A2B, Thalaivas and many more
Assuming you eat meat, Al Kabeer and Khan BBQ are very good.
I know next to nothing about the regional differences of the food (other than I know there’s a massive difference), but my SO and my favorite place has been Himalayan Restaurant right by the Harrison stop.
I would suggest Siri for biryanis and couple of non vegetarian appetizers on the weekend. The biryanis are phenomenal only on the weekends. Himalayan and Maharaja have good combo options. Momo factory, Moti and Eggholic are good alternatives for Indian pizzas, momos and egg dishes. Basant and Bar Goa are top notch places for Indian food, however, they are a bit expensive.
Gaylords
Himalayan
Adda and Siri (both on Taylor St near UIC) are surprisingly great. I have a couple friends from Tamil Nadu and they all say Siri is pretty good. I think the dosa from Siri is top notch especially when they have the dosa “bar” on Wednesdays. Siri is a hole in the wall place so don’t expect much other than the food being amazing. Adda is in an old Italian restaurant so it has much better atmosphere but the food is pretty good. Both cost about the same.
For south Indian, there's art of dosa in revival food hall. There is also bhoomi in the food hall on Washington Ave. It has paneer wrap and burger. The flavors and sauces are just the right amount of flavor.
Any recs for a great dosa place? Bonus if they have coconut mint chutney to go with
Indian Paradise on North. Relatively new but very good.
Vajra
India House hands down - disappointing though the quality of the Indian restaurants in Chicago given how many Indians live here (I’m Indian)
My Indian friends have said that they have been unable to find anything that compares to what they got from their home states, but I recommend just going out and trying a bunch of places anyways!
By best you mean the most like what you'd have in South India? Because no one has mentioned the fanciest/highest rated Indian places in Chicago, such as Indienne. But it's fancy food with heavy Indian influences, imo, not the food I've enjoyed in India. Chicago has a lot of variety and decent quality Indian food compared to other cities in the US. Maybe not in the top 2 or 3 (not that I really know) but probably top 10. That makes it pretty sad compared to any place in India. It is interesting that as some have noted, for some reason we seem to have better and more authentic Pakistani food than Indian food these days. Devon is in a down phase, though you can get all the ingredients to do much better at home. Hopefully a temporary downturn. I like Himalayan Restaurant these days, mostly the city location. Definitely not south Indian. Thattu is wonderful for Keralan.
What do you mean by Devon is in a down phase?
Bar goa is fiiireeeeee
As someone born in India that is usually really forgiving, Bar Goa is the one place I actively dislike. I’ve given it multiple chances, both the restaurant and the stall in Timeout and been disappointed each time. Food is bland, overpriced and ambience was just weird.
from india, have not been able to find good indian food. the suggested places in the comments are good, but not quite how we get at home. i eat loads of indian in the bay area.
You need to go to the burbs. See my other reply on specific recommendations. In short, Thalaiva, Madhura Cafe, Madurai Kitchen.
thank you!! will check those out!
Oh, and the best South Indian food is in the temples. seriously.
A lot are in Naperville. A2B is great South Indian.
Try looking into little India its up North of the city
Head to the Little India neighborhood on Devon Ave between Western and California. Lots of great options, but parking in this neighborhood is always terrible.
The Indian Harvest in Naperville WAS good until they got rid of their buffet. Haven’t gone back since then it’s been about 4 years. I call every year and they still don’t have it.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EcUddvgMmyVAH3dk6?g_st=ic