A comprehensive guide to the best Asian restaurants in Chicago including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Pan-Asian eateries – from the traditional to modern fusion spots.
We do have separate listings of the best Japanese restaurants in Chicago and the best Chinese restaurants in Chicago. We have included those restaurants in this guide as well. In addition, Chicago has a vibrant Chinatown with dozens of restaurants that we have listed in our guide to restaurants in Chinatown.
Chinatown is home to dozens of Chinese restaurants plus several Japanese and Korean restaurants. One of the largest hubs of Japanese restaurants can be found in the West Loop. Argyle Street in Uptown is referred to as “Little Saigon” and “New Chinatown” and is home to many Vietnamese and Chinese eateries.
Note: Indian restaurants are listed separately in this guide to the best Indian restaurants in Chicago.
Last updated: March 2022
The Best Asian Restaurants in Chicago:
Table of Contents
This list of the best Asian restaurants in Chicago has been organized by neighborhood.
Albany Park:
Lawrence Fish Market
Japanese, Sushi, Lunch
A counter-service cash-only spot selling party trays and sushi to-go. If you need a lot of sushi at an affordable price, this is the place to go.
Andersonville:
Jin Ju
Korean, Asian, Vegetarian
Jin Ju serves traditional Korean cuisine in a modern space. The menu includes chap chae, bulgogi, and a variety of bibimbap. Many of the dishes can be prepared to be vegetarian.
Tanoshii Mike’s Sushi
Japanese, Sushi, Asian
A sushi restaurant offering an omakase menu and an a la carte menu of sushi, maki, udon, and cooked meat entrees.
Avondale:
Joong Boo Market
Asian, Chinese, Korean
A market and grocery store selling produce, groceries, and prepared food items. Joong Boo Market also serves handmade dumplings, authentic Korean snacks, and large sashimi platters.
Bucktown:
Phodega
Asian, Vietnamese
Phodega is a Vietnamese restaurant and market serving pho, chicken rice, and sandwiches. The market sells candy, snacks, and soft drinks. Vegan pho is available.
Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar
Chinese, Asian
A cocktail bar that serves American-Chinese cuisine like orange chicken, sweet and sour (tofu, chicken, or shrimp), kung pao (tofu, chicken, shrimp, or beef), dan dan noodles, and lo mein.
Chinatown:
Click here for a list of Asian restaurants in Chinatown.
Gold Coast:
Le Colonial
Vietnamese, Romantic, Lunch
Le Colonial is an upscale Vietnamese restaurant with French influences that serves lunch and dinner. The menu has an even mix of meat and seafood dishes. The restaurants signature dish is Ca Chien Saigon, crispy whole red snapped with a spicy garlic glaze. Meat dishes include chargrilled Berkshire pork ribs, roasted duck, and caramelized filet mignon.
Humboldt Park:
Kyōten
Japanese, Sushi, Fine Dining
Kyōten is perhaps the most expensive sushi restaurant in Chicago. The omakase experience ranges in price from $440 to $490 per person, excluding beverages. The restaurant is reservation only.
Hyde Park:
Saucy Porka
Latin, Asian, Vegetarian/Vegan, Gluten-free, Lunch
A Latin-Asian fusion restaurant serving meals like rice bowls, bao tacos, and banh mi. The menu has sections devoted to vegan and vegetarian cuisine that includes items like a tofu banh mi, tostones, and a Puerto Rican rice bowl. Gluten-free food is available too. There is a second location in the South Loop.
Chant Restaurant
Global, Asian
A restaurant and live music venue serving a large menu of globally inspired cuisine such as braised oxtail, crispy curry catfish, blacked shrimp tacos, lobster macaroni and cheese, and shrimp and chicken gumbo, plus Asian inspired fare like udon, pad Thai, cashew chicken, and pad see ew.
Kikuya Japanese Restaurant
Japanese, Sushi, Asian
Kikuya serves sushi, sashimi, noodle soups, rice bowls, and larger plated meals like pork tonkatsu, salmon teriyaki, and chicken teriyaki. Lunch is served on weekdays.
Jade Court
Chinese, Asian, Lunch
Jade Court offers a large menu of traditional Cantonese and Szechuan food including egg foo young, Peking duck, Szechuan chicken, chow mein, and Dungeness crab.
Irving Park:
Raisu Japanese Fine Dining
Japanese, Sushi
Raisu flies their fish in from Japan weekly and serves an omakase menu and a large a la carte menu.
Lakeview:
Little Wok
Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Lunch
A freshly opened restaurant in a modern but welcoming space serving a mix of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai cuisine – and they do it all well. It’s a great option for groups. Little Wok as a second location in Wicker Park.
Andy’s Thai Kitchen
Thai, Asian, Lunch
One of the best Thai restaurants in Chicago, Andy’s Thai Kitchen serves a big menu of traditional Thai cuisine including curries, fried rice, and noodle dishes with your choice of protein. The restaurant is cash-only.
Wakamono
Japanese, Sushi
Wakamono serves a mix of sushi and hot Japanese cuisine. Hot appetizers include lobster sliders, baked scallops, and seared tuna. The sushi menu is huge, and a bulgogi bowl, chicken katsu curry, ramen, and teriyaki bowls are among the cooked meals.
Crisp
Korean, Fast-casual, Lunch
Crisp serves up Korean fried chicken with a variety of different sauces, bowls, and Korean burritos. It’s open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
Lincoln Park:
Macku Sushi
Japanese, Sushi, Fine Dining
An upscale sushi restaurant that is perfect for a special occasion. Travel and Leisure named Macku Sushi one of the 20 best sushi restaurants in the U.S. Currently, Macku Sushi is offering an Omakase tasting menu for $150 per person.
Chengdu Impression
Chinese, Asian, Vegetarian
A casual Chinese restaurant serving a massive menu of Sichuan cuisine including go-to dishes like soup dumplings, crab rangoon, sesame chicken, General Tso’s chicken, and crispy duck. They also have a location in Lincoln Park.
Del Seoul
Korean, Lunch
A Korean fusion restaurant known for their tacos, fried chicken wings, banh mi sandwiches, and bento box dinners.
Juno Sushi Chicago
Sushi
Juno serves elegantly plated sushi, nigiri, sashimi, maki, and sake plus some cooked items. This restaurant is considered one of the best sushi restaurants in the country.
Sushi Suite
Japanese
An omakase speakeasy with just six seats that is located within a suite at the Hotel Lincoln.
Lincoln Square:
Miku Sushi
Japanese, Sushi, Asian, Lunch
Miku Sushi serves ramen, poke bowls, and skewers in addition to sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and maki. Bento boxes are available at lunchtime.
Logan Square:
Furious Spoon
Japanese, Ramen, Lunch
Furious Spoon specializes in ramen and also serves dumplings and cocktails. The restaurant is a casual spot known for playing hip-hop.
The Loop:
Brightwok Kitchen
Asian, Lunch, Healthy, Fast-casual, Vegetarian/Vegan
A fast-casual restaurant serving cold salads and hot bowls that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free. Diners can choose from a menu of hot bowls or build their own. Options include a sweet umami mushroom bowl and a kick’n panang bowl with their cashew curry. Brightwok’s Loop location serves weekday lunch only.
Old Town:
Kamehachi
Asian, Japanese, Sushi
A family-owned restaurant serves both sushi and cooked meat and noodle dishes. The menu is large enough that it has something for everyone. The restaurant itself is beautiful and fitting for a date night, while it is large enough to accommodate groups. Kamehachi has been in business for over 40 years and is one of the best restaurants in Old Town.
Forastero
Mexican, Asian, Vegan/Vegetarian
This restaurant serves Korean and Mexican inspired cuisine including tacos and rice bowls. A section of the menu caters to vegans and vegetarians.
Pilsen:
HaiSous
Vietnamese, Fine Dining
A Michelin Bib Gourmand winner from 2017-2022, HaiSous is one of the most critically acclaimed restaurants in Pilsen. The restaurant is known for tasting menus that examine Vietnamese history. Currently, the menu explores Chinese-Vietnamese cuisine and the flavors that emerged from the ruling Chinese Dynasties over the past 1000 years. The tasting menu is offers Thursdays through Sundays for $65.
Dang Good Wings
Asian
A sister restaurant to HaiSous which is next door, Dang Good Wings serves fried wings in four different sauces (caramelized fish sauce, sweet and spicy sriracha, Thai chili buffalo, and Saigon’s barbecue) plus fries, waffles, coffee, beer, and cocktails.
312 Fish Market
Japanese, Sushi, Lunch
Located within 88 Marketplace’s food court, 312 Fish Market focuses on party trays ranging in size from 48 pieces of sushi to 96 pieces. Of, if you aren’t feeding a crowd, individual pieces of nigiri and sashimi are available as are individual sushi rolls.
Ravenswood:
Urban Vegan Thai
Thai, Asian, Lunch, Vegetarian/Vegan
An entirely vegan restaurant specializing in Thai and Asian cuisine. The menu includes both vegetable dishes and meals made with soy-based meats. A mix of noodles, rice, and curry dishes are served.
Shanghai Inn
Chinese, Asian, Lunch
Shanghai Inn has been serving Chinese comfort food since 1960. The restaurant has a large menu offering familiar favorites like crab rangoon, egg rolls, potstickers, chow mein, orange chicken, sesame chicken, curries, fried rice, and cashew beef.
River North:
Sushi-san
Sushi, Japanese, Lunch
A casual sushi restaurant that plays old-school hip-hop music, Sushi-san offers grab n’go lunch and late night eats in addition to a sit down lunch and dinner. For a more formal dining experience, go to the ten seat Omakase Room which serves an 18-course tasting menu.
Ramen-san
Ramen, Japanese, Lunch
Ramen-san’s original location offers an express lunch (pictured above), lunch, dinner, and late night bites seven days a week. The menu has mantou buns, chicken wings, and dumplings in addition to six varieties of ramen.
Rogers Park:
Susie’s Noon Hour Grill
Korean, Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch
A cash-only Korean restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. This restaurant is run by Susie, a local legend and one woman show who takes orders and prepares the food. Customers rave about the breakfast in particular. The menu includes items like omelets with bulgogi and kimchi, Korean pancakes, ramen, and bulgogi bibimbap.
bopNGrill
Korean
A fast-casual Korean restaurant serving bowls and burgers plus sides like kimchi fries and dumplings. There is a second location in Lakeview.
Roscoe Village:
Joy Yee Noodle
Asian, Lunch
A restaurant serving a wide variety of Asian cuisine including Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, and Chinese favorites plus Taiwanese bubble teas. Joy Yee Noodle serves lunch and dinner daily and has additional locations in Chinatown and Evanston.
South Loop:
Thai Spoon and Sushi
Thai, Sushi, Japanese, Asian, Lunch
Thai Spoon and Sushi serves a large menu that includes both Thai and Japanese food. Thai dishes include curries, fried rice, and noodle dishes like pad Thai and pad see ew. Sushi, maki, nigiri, and sashimi are all on the Japanese menu. A variety of vegetarian sushi is offered.
Shang Noodle & Asian Small Plates
Chinese, Japanese, Asian, Breakfast, Lunch
Located within the Hilton Homewood Suites, Shang Noodle serves three meals a day and is known for their noodles which are freshly prepared in house. The menu has a mix of dim sum, noodle soups, maki, nigiri, and sashimi plus Peking duck.
Sumi Sushi
Japanese, Sushi, Asian, Lunch
This restaurant specializes in fresh sushi but also serves ramen, udon, and hibachi dishes.
Umai
Japanese, Sushi, Lunch
This rustic welcoming Japanese restaurant has a huge menu of sushi, nigiri, sashimi, and cooked dishes like udon, ramen, and rice dishes.
Niu B
Asian, Japanese, Sushi
A restaurant serving contemporary Japanese and Pan-Asian cuisine. Niu B’s menu has a wonderful variety of sushi, maki, nigiri, and sashimi, and cooked noodle and rice dishes.
Siam Rice
Thai, Lunch
Siam Rice serves traditional Thai food including pad plik, nard na, pad see eew, pad Thai, and panang curry in a modern casual space.
Kai Sushi
Sushi, Japanese, Asian
The menu at this restaurant has a wide variety of sushi, sashimi, and maki plus udon soup and some appetizers.
Streeterville:
MingHin Cuisine
Chinese, Asian, Dim Sum, Lunch
A chic modern Chinese restaurant that has earning Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. The restaurant offers an extensive menu with over a dozen different chicken, pork, beef, and seafood dishes. MingHin cuisine has locations in Chinatown, Lakeshore East, South Loop, and Streeterville. The Streeterville location serves lunch and dinner daily.
Ron of Japan
Japanese, Steakhouse, Sushi
A teppanyaki-style restaurant with a menu focused on steaks and seafood.
Uptown:
Sun Wah BBQ
Chinese, Lunch
A restaurant serving Hong-Kong style BBQ, a Beijing Duck Dinner, and Whole Roast Pig.
In-On Thai
Thai
In-On Thai prides itself on serving modern interpretations of traditional Thai cuisine. The menu includes Thai seafood curry, black pepper shrimp, fried rice with bbq pork, and plenty of stir fried rice and noodle dishes.
Ba Le Sandwiches
Vietnamese, Lunch
Ba Le serves Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches plus soup and noodle salads. Most sandwiches are under $10. Ba Le is open from 8 am until 7 pm every day.
Silver Seafood
Chinese, Lunch
A restaurant with an extensive menu that includes dim sum, seafood, and meat dishes including egg fu young, hot pot, chow mein, and roasted duck.
Pho 888
Vietnamese, Lunch, Vegetarian
Pho 888 specializes in pho and other rice noodle soups like Banh Canh and Bun Nuoc. The very large menu also includes rice congee, rice dishes, and stir fried noodle dishes.
Phở Việt
Vietnamese, Lunch
Phở Việt has a large menu that includes Banh Mi, congee, hot pot, and a wide variety of rice noodle soups and rice dishes.
Immm Rice & Beyond
Thai, Lunch
You can find traditional Thai street food at this casual restaurant like Kaho Rad Gang – a Thai lunch plate made with curry and stir fry served over rice or noodles. The menu also includes salads, curries, stews, noodle dishes, and stir fry.
Nhà Hàng Vietnam Restaurant
Vietnamese, Lunch
Nhà Hàng has a positively massive menu of salads, rice noodle soups, egg noodle soups, and pan fried noodle dishes.
DaNang Kitchen
Vietnamese, Lunch
A small cafe offering a small menu that includes beef pho that is slow cooked for 8 hours.
Hai Yen Restaurant
Vietnamese, Lunch
Hai Yen is known for their Ba Lo Lat, grilled ground beef that has been marinated and cooked in a Hawaiian leaf. The menu also includes pho and several noodle soups made with pork or seafood.
Furama
Chinese, Dim Sum, Lunch
A restaurant specializing in dim sum and Cantonese cuisine like egg fu young, chop suey, and lo mein.
West Loop:
Duck Duck Goat
Asian, Chinese
Stephanie Izard’s restaurant gorgeous Chinese restaurant has a fun playful atmosphere and a menu offering dim sum and classic Chinese cuisine with some unique twists like duck and goat spring rolls and goat shoulder slap noodles.
Perilla
Korean, Asian, Lunch
Perilla’s menu has a mix of Korean BBQ and other Korean fare. This Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant serves dumplings, Korean pancakes, stews, rice bowls, plus grilled items. Tasting plates are available.
Momotaro
Japanese, Sushi, Asian
Momotaro has an extensive nigiri, sashimi, and sushi menu plus cooked robatayaki items. This restaurant can easily please even those who don’t eat raw fish. In 2018, the restaurant was named the best Japanese in Chicago by Michelin.
Sushi Dokku
Japanese, Sushi
Sushi Dokku focuses on sushi and sashimi but the menu also includes some meat dishes plus udon and ramen. Booze Box, a sake and whiskey lounge, is located below the restaurant.
Ramen-san Whiskey Bar
Japanese, Asian, Lunch
Owned by Lettuce Entertain You, Ramen-san has three locations and a menu featuring six varieties of ramen plus mantou buns, chicken wings, and dumplings. The West Loop location is open for lunch, dinner, and late-night dining every day.
Kumiko
Japanese, Asian
From the same owners as Oriole, Kumiko is a “dining bar” where food and drink are treated with equal importance. An omakase cocktail tasting is available. The food menu is carefully curated and includes oysters, braised short rib, iberico pork, and a wagyu beef sandwich. Kumiko is an 18+ establishment.
High Five Ramen
Ramen, Japanese, Asian
With just 16 seats, it isn’t easy to get a seat at this restaurant in the basement of Green Street Smoked Meats. The menu has just four types of ramen plus the option to add extras like mushrooms, an egg, box choy or pork belly.
Nobu
Sushi, Asian, Lunch, Breakfast/Brunch
Located within the Nobu hotel, this restaurant in the heart of the Fulton Market District serves three meals a day and has a vast menu that includes sushi, nigiri, and sashimi plus a variety of hot dishes, tempura, and A5 wagyu. At dinner, an omakase menu is offered in addition to the a la carte menu. Nobu has a smart casual dress code so plan accordingly.
Ramen Takeya
Ramen, Japanese, Asian
Ramen Takeya specializes in chicken patina ramen which is distinctive for its lighter broth. In addition to six types of ramen, the menu has buns, rice bowls, and small plates.
Omakase Takeya
Sushi, Japanese, Asian
A sister restaurant to Ramen Takeya that serves a 15 course 75 minute Chef’s omakase experience for $99 a person.
Omakase Yume
Sushi, Japanese, Asian
This restaurant serves a 16 course omakase menu that changes daily for $185 per person. There are three seatings per evening with just 6 seats per seating. The restaurant received a Michelin star in 2021.
Mako
Japanese
Mako offers are 15 course omakase tasting menu for $175 with the option of a wine pairing for $95. In 2020, the restaurant received a Michelin star.
Gaijin
Japanese, Asian, Lunch
Giajin specializes in Osaka-style Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory cabbage pancakes) and Kakigōri (a shaved ice dessert). The restaurant offers both an a la carte menu and a $39 four-course tasting menu. Gaijin is open from 11 am until 10 pm seven days a week.
Komo
Japanese, Latin, Sushi
A restaurant from Chef Macku Chan, who also runs Macku Sushi, that serves an omakase menu, a tasting menu with a mix of sushi and cooked food, and an a la carte menu.
West Town:
Kai Zan
Japanese, Sushi
A Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant that utilizes both modern and traditional Japanese culinary techniques to create an omakase experience. An a la carte menu is also available and it includes some cooked entrees like meat skewers and soba noodles.
Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill
Japanese, Sushi, Lunch
Yuzu serves Japanese grilled skewers in addition to sushi. This restaurant is known for their jumbo rolls which come with intricately decorated sauces. The restaurant recently launched a cocktail menu.
Jeong
Korean, Fine Dining, Asian, Romantic
This is one of the hottest restaurants in West Town. Both the restaurant and its Chef Dave Park are a finalists for the 2022 James Beard awards. Jeong serves a tasting menu that presents refined modern Korean cuisine.
J.J. Thai Street Food
Thai, Lunch, Asian
This is a casual restaurant serving food made with love and it’s best Thai street food restaurant in Chicago. While this is street food, it is beautifully presented. The menu has several appetizers, noodle soups, and grilled meats.
Lao Peng You
Chinese, Asian, Lunch
A Chinese restaurant that hand makes their noodles and dumplings daily. The menu focuses on noodle and dumpling soups but also includes some Roa Jia Mo (often referred to as a Chinese hamburger) and small plates. The beef noodle soup is one of their most popular menu items.
Kasama
Filipino, Asian, Fine Dining, Bakery, Breakfast, Lunch
This restaurant owned by a husband and wife team of chefs is a bakery by day and a fine dining restaurant at night. Kasama’s pastries are creative and elegant. The croissants have flavors like black truffle with Delice de Bourgogne, honey, and pearl sugar. The breakfast sandwiches are so in demand that a line forms down the block to get them. At night a fine dining Filipino tasting menu is served. Kasama is a semi-finalist for the James Beard Best New Restaurant category.
Arami
Sushi, Japanese
A sushi restaurant that received a Michelin Bib Gourmand win. Arami offers an omakase tasting menu and an a la carte menu with maki, nigiri, and sashimi. Arami has a second location inside the Time Out Market food hall.
Noble Thai
Thai, Lunch
Noble Thai has a casual modern space and serves traditional Thai food. The menu is very affordable (most dishes are $11.95 or less) and includes soups, noodles, curries, fried rice and entrees. You can find fresh spring rolls, chicken satay, pad Thai, and panang curry here.
Kimchi Pop
Korean, Vegetarian
A counter service restaurant serving soups, stews, bibimbap, and noodles dishes including bulgogi. Upon request, many menu items can be prepared to be vegan or vegetarian.
Wicker Park:
Mott Street
Asian
This intimate modern Asian restaurant has charm and excellent food. It is one of the best Asian restaurants in Chicago for people who want to try modern creative Asian cuisine. The carefully curated menu is filled with memorable dining options. We love the oyster mushrooms and the char siu pork belly. Get there before 7pm so that you can try their burger, it has shoestring sweet potato and miso butter onions and is wonderfully unique.
Little Wok
Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai
See full description under Lakeview.
Oiistar
Japanese, Asian
A phenomenal ramen restaurant. Oiistar’s broths are rich and creamy. The pork belly is cooked to perfection. We’ve tried much of the menu at this little gem of a restaurant and while it’s all lovely, the ramen is something you don’t want to miss.
Zenwich x Elitea
Lunch, Asian, Vegetarian/Vegan
Diners at this fast-casual sandwich shop get a choice of six proteins that can be used to make a toasted ciabatta sandwich, an Asian rice paper wrap, or a quinoa bowl. Sides include veggie tempura, gyoza, and fries. This location is a collaboration with Elitea, which serves teas, fruit smoothies, and flavored milk.
Komorebi
Asian, Sushi
Komorebi has a large menu of sushi and sashimi and many consider it to be Wicker Park’s best sushi spot. The menu is very focused on sushi, so it’s best not to bring people who aren’t fans of sushi.
Urban Belly
Asian
Bill Kim’s Asian fusion restaurant serves up ramen, pho, bao buns, and bowls with your choice of protein (tofu and pea shoots, lemongrass chicken, katsu fried chicken, pork and pineapple, shrimp, Korean bbq beef) over fried rice, udon noodles, or rice and veggies. The kid’s menu has chicken and rice, noodle soup, and chicken bao. Many of the items on the main menu are easy to share with kids, like dumplings and bao buns.
Chengdu Impression
Chinese, Asian, Vegetarian
See full description under Lincoln Park.
MAK (Modern Asian Kitchen)
Asian, Chinese, Vegetarian/Vegan, Kid-friendly
A modern Asian restaurant committed to using high quality ingredients and offering vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. Their Awesome Broccoli Chicken and the Korean Fried Chicken “Wangs” are menu staples. MAK’s food is flavorful without being heavy or greasy.
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Friday 26th of July 2024
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