I was first introducted to Chef Shangr-la during my very first Yelp Elite event. Â I've got to say, it was love at first bite. Â (Pun totally intended.) Â Sadly I don't live especially close, but I think that just adds to the excitement.
There are two reasons to come to Chef Shangri-La's: the food and the drinks.
First up the food, because without you may not survive the drinks. Â Between my two visits I've had the Crab Rangoon, Pan-Fried Potsticks, Veggie Egg-rolls, General Chu's Tofu, the Tahatian Mango Chicken, the Mongolian Beef, and fried rice. Â Crab rangoon is something I like, but it's never my first choice. Â That logic does not apply to the crab rangoon here. Â This is the best crab rangoon I've ever had in my life. Â The pot stickers (which I believe are pork though the menu doesn't say) are absolutely huge! Â They're probably twice the size of your average pot-sticker. Â I loved the mango chicken when I had it at the Elite event, and very seriously considered just ordering it again on our recent return visit. Â But I also knew I needed to give something else on the menu a try so I ordered the General Chu's Tofu. Â (Plus, I was really in the mood for tofu, and they hae a pretty extensive list of tofu dishes.) Â The tofu was firm and crisp on the outside and a little mushy on the inside just like it should be. Â The flavor was awesome though if you like really spicy food, you might be disappointed by the spice level. Â My pansy-ass self thought it was perfect though.
Now the drinks. Â They offer 28 varieties of tropical deliciousness. Â (And 6 without cocounut or rum if, like my boyfriend, you're made of coconut hating evil.) Â Candice G's description of these drinks are pretty spot-on. Â These drinks will knock you on yours ass. Â Everyone seems to love the Dr. Fong which is tasty, but to be honest, I prefer the Zombie or the Kom-mon-i-wana-lei-a.
Otehr items of note: Using my Groupon was easy peasy. Â No hassles or arguments. Â In fact they just discounted the check $20 even though the Groupon wasn't supposed to apply to drinks. Â The decor probably hasn't been updated since they opened in the 70's or whatever, but it's awesomely kitchsy and who doesn't love a good tiki-theme especially when Chicago winter stretches into May...
Check it out. Â You won't regret it.
The funniest thing I remember was coming here and feeling like I was in a time warp back to Elvis era. You would think the real man is still alive by how the people were shuffling in to get their reservations before the show started. Â But not to judge, cause I'm sure when I get up in age, I'll be shuffling in somewhere to hear a Michael Jackson tribute band or something myself. Â The hostess/owner warned me that my table would be gone due to prior reservations after 7p. Since this was my 1st stop on a long train of events on my Friday night out, that was cool with me. Â
My BF and I were seated promptly, and I immediately knew I wanted to order the Mango Shrimp as I had the pleasure of trying the Mango Chicken during the Yelp! Hawaii Five-O event a month or two ago. Â We also had the General Chu's chicken. I prefered the Mango Shrimp only because I'm a sweet head and the batter tasted like cake to me. Â I also had a Blue Hawaiin drink which packed a mean punch for my first drink of the night.
The food is super reasonable and coupled with my groupon, we paid a very small amount for the bill. Since we were rushing to our next event at the Improv in Schaumburg, I still want to go again and really just hang out there. I hear they have monthly events, so I can't wait for the luau.
I don't have a whole lot of human interaction in my life -- for the most part it's just me in a small, sh*tty suburban apartment with a bamboo plant and a buncha cats (though the plant and the cats have to be kept separate because one of those parties keeps trying to eat the other party), but when I do get to do the ole same-species mingle thing, I almost always get asked the same two questions.
1) What's wrong with you?
2) What's your favorite restaurant?
I don't really have an answer for the first one. I mean, I could take blind guesses or further elaborate on the feedback other people have given me, but overall I'd just say there's a lot going on and it's nobody's fault, I'm just a weird motherf*cker. period.
That second question is being answered right here, with Chef Shangri-La. Â Â
I don't even know where to start with everything --- By now you've probably already heard of the famous Dr Fong's. Yes, you should get that. You should also bring a designated driver because Chef's drinks are NOT f*ckin' around. Srsly. A lot of those drinks only have a single shot of juice in them, and the rest is booze. They all taste like vacation (but not the sweet, syrup-y stuff - this is the real deal, no blenders, just rocks and no skimping on the booze) are nominally priced and will make you weak in the knees. With 28 different tropical options, you really can't go wrong... just remember that designated driver. That part's key.
For food, I have a hard time tearing myself away from the salt and pepper tofu. For firm tofu, I've never been to a place that does it better. It's not at all greasy, which is a hard thing to master, ya know? A fried food that's known for soaking up whatever it comes in contact with, and you could have laid it out on a brown paper bag and it wouldn't have left a mark. Not a single oil stain. They make it so light and so fluffy, but the portion is large enough to split.
The atmosphere is like being in a tropical, tiki hut. Super cute, ultra kitschy definitely a keystone place to have in your bookmarks when winter comes to Chicagoland. Or anytime of the year, really. They've got gaming machines for the Gambit in you in the back room, a koi pond, a turtle tank with a girl turtle named Eddie, nightly specials and really fun events on the weekends. Every second Friday they have Aloha Fire Dancers like a luau and every third Saturday they have a surf rock/rockabilly night and even one night a month with an Elvis impersonator if you're in the mood to toss your panties at someone.
I also like to explain to people that they shouldn't come here if they're just looking for a dimly-lit quiet dinner. This is a place you go with the intention of having fun, and knowing the atmosphere, spirits and Chef specials won't let you down. Wet blankets need not apply-- this is for the young at heart for sure.
It's not far from Brookfield Zoo so I like to make this the official after party, but it's great for date nights, nights out with friends, family, co-workers, birthdays, anything, really.
Going to Chef Shangri-La isn't just going out to eat, it's an experience with the added benefit of good food and great drinks.
So, since my previous review, this place has been a top notch choice for us. Â I just have to update my rating to excellent. Â We'd attempted numerous large parties since my last review and were accommodated without any complaints. Â The food is still amazing, and the place is really great. Â this tells me my previous not so great experiences were simply coincidental. Â I again, recommend this place to anyone in the area, you must try their food. Â its simply amazing. Â and given by the crowds that this place often gets, i bet a lot of you already know that its great!
Review Source:Great food. Big portions!
We went to Chef Shangri-La today after looking at the reviews from Yelp. The first thing I noticed was the prompt service from the nice hostess and the nice ambiance. They also have a tiki bar but we ate on the restaurant side. We ordered a kid entree and two adult plates, plus steamed dumplings. Those are the best steamed dumplings I've had period... and I've had many. My daughter's skewered teriyaki beef entree with broccoli was delicious, as was my husband's sole fish. I ordered the Mango beef and could not eat it because it is a very sweet dish and I didn't know that. The portions for the main dishes and the steamed rice were huge and everybody's dish around us looked delicious. On our way out, we noticed a guy who looked like Elvis setting up for "Elvis night", which they have once a month. They also have Hoola night. We'll be back for that... and the food. Great place! :-)
*Review for bar only*
I haven't had a chance to eat here yet. I did stop by and have some drinks at the bar. I'm a huge fan of tiki themed bars and this one did not disappoint. The staff was really nice and the drinks were strong.
I will be making my way back out here for more drinks and a little food next time. I will update my review then.
I can't believe I just found out about this place a few weeks ago. As soon as I did, we headed out to visit and have lunch. I love tiki places so much. I wanted to be blown away by this place, but it didn't totally knock my socks off.
I enjoyed the food and the presentation was very nice. The tropical drinks were good, and certainly strong enough for sure.
I liked the look of the place, but they need to fix the ceiling over the fish pond. It is the centerpiece of the place but the ceiling is peeking and looks dreadful.
The service could be a tad friendlier, but all in all it was a good experience and I look forward to trying Chef Shangri-La again soon.
Outside of passing through on the metra, tonight was my first time in Riverside, and it was to pay a visit to Chef Shangri-La. What a great first impression!
Chef Shangri-La is a family-owned Tiki-themed restaurant which serves up asian-style cuisine and specializes in their large and flavorful cocktail menu. The experiences begins when you walk through the door. The first thing that caught my eye (besides the authentic tiki lamps on the walls) was the rack of hawaiian print shirts for sale up front, along with an array of tropical glasses and cups, my first thought: "this place is serious!"
As we sat down, we were introduced to the drink menu. Chef Shangri-La has a variety of tropical cocktails that do the rare trick of being completely delicious, while packing a serious punch. I was told that the specialty was the "Dr. Fong", so naturally i went that route. There was a hint of rum, which was easily masked by a taste similar to that of the old Hi-C Ecto Coolers. mmmm. If that didn't have me reeling enough, i opted to check out one of their overproof rum cocktails. Overproof rum cocktails feature rum over 151 proof which can leave you with a serious buzz if you're not careful (you'll probably need a DD if you have more than one! :)) The "Freaky Tiki" did not taste high in alcohol at all despite the alcohol content, but rather tasted like a Amaretto Stone Sour. Props to the bartender for being able to mask all that booze! So good!!
On the food end of things, we started out with their egg rolls, which I wasn't too crazy about. They weren't bad, just nothing particularly special. The crab rangoons however were nicely stuffed and delicious. For the main course, we had mongolian beef which was fantastic, but my personal favorite was the Hawaiian Bolo Moa. The chicken was nice and crispy, alongside pineapple chunks and drizzled in the most delicious sweet and sour sauce i've ever had. Fried rice was served as a side dish which effectively tied everything together.
Overall, i cannot stress how pleased i was with my experience. My only complaint about Chef Shangri-La's, is that there isn't a location closer to me, which is probably for the best, as I would most likely spend my last penny on that Hawaiian Bolo Moa. :)
So there's tiki-themed Chinese restaurants and then there's full-on tiki joints. Â Chef Shangri-La fits into the latter category.
The interior decor is spot-on. Â Every wall is adorned with shell lamps and tiki lamps, many of them quite beautiful and, according to the owner Betty, completely 100% vintage. Â
Betty gave me a tour and a full history of Chef Shangri-La, from it's humble beginnings 36 years ago up to the present. Â Her presentation and personality revealed her passion for what she's doing with the joint, and it shows. Â
There's a large fountain (not quite Witco but in many ways more impressive) in the back, and a slots room is coming soon for those high-rollers among us. Â
The food is really good. Â But let's get straight to the issue: the drinks are AMAZING. Â I had a mai tai that was certainly packed a punch! Â We also sampled the ever-standby Zombie and several others. Â All the drink recipes were created by Betty's father back in the 1970s and they've never changed them. Â So be prepared for some fruity rum drinks that will knock you on your ass.
The music inside is also spot-on. Â They're very aware of their audience and, as such, are generally playing old-school exotica music in there. Â I heard some Martin Denny, I heard some Les Baxter. Â This is always a deal-breaker for me, because many of the most beautifully-decorated tiki joints are usually playing top 40 radio music in order to appeal to a broader audience. Â Not here. This is a joint for tiki-heads. Â They play tiki-music, and I loved it so much for that.
Chicago has some great tiki joints. But for the tops, it really is a toss-up between Hala Kahiki in River Grove and Chef Shangri-La in North Riverside.
My wife and I visit the Chef periodically. This time was the 3rd Saturday "Evening in Shangri-La". The Astronauts played, and a couple fellow Tiki fans raffle off some Tiki swag. We think it's funny that we almost never win anything in the raffle, but that's ok. We're there for the atmosphere and the band. And the food!
Last night, the place was packed, and we had to park down the street. When we were seated, the waitress, Toni remembered us. It had been at least two months since we'd been to The Chef!
Toni was super-cheerful, and friendly. She took our orders quickly. We had veggie egg rolls, split an order of Mongolian Tofu, and had a pair of virgin Piña Coladas.
The egg rolls were the smaller, bite-size (I believe Phillipino) style. They were good. The hot mustard sauce was just that-hot! Plenty of horseradish-ZING!
The drink menu had the usual variety of Hawaiian-style drinks, but no virgin menu. The other Tiki places we frequent have at least a couple listed, one has a whole page.
Anyway, our virgins arrived, topped with whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry. They were a bit in the strong side for juice, but were still good. For my second virgin, I ordered the same virgin piña colada, but with no whipped cream. It arrived, garnished with a little paper umbrella, an orange slice, and a maraschino cherry. It was also a bit strong. Nothing a splash of water couldn't fix.
For the entree, we split an order of Mongolian tofu: deep-fried tofu cubes, with mushrooms and pea pods on a bed of crispy vermicelli noodles, topped with possibly mushroom gravy, and a side of white rice.
The tofu was slightly salty, but very good. I can never fry tofu at home the way they do here!
Since the "Evening in Shangri-La" didn't start until 9, we ate a small dinner at dinner time, and we planned to order appetizers at The Chef. We thought it would be rude to occupy a table in the restaurant for a couple hours, and just order drinks. We ended up eating every last bit of that tofu!
Now, I feel strongly about tipping commensurate to the service we receive. I'm not afraid to tip small if the service is lacking. I also won't hesitate to tip generously if the service is outstanding. We both agreed that Toni deserved a good tip. (She reminded us of a female Chris Kataan, and had a bubbly, energetic, friendly personality to match.) she is an asset to the restaurant.
We look forward to returning for another 3rd Saturday "Evening in Shangri-La", not winning anything in the raffle ;-), and having another great evening.
As a side note, our Valentine's dinners rarely go off without something going wrong. This year was typical. We are convinced that, if we had come to Chef Shangri-La, our Valentine's Day dinner would have been typically good!
Hadn't been here in years (until yesterday), but I was introduced to it by a friend a long time ago.
"Bad day at work? Looks like you should see the Doctor," he said.
"No, I'm fine, just really frustrated. I don't think I need medical attention, thanks."
"No, no, no. Not *a* doctor. THE Doctor!"
And plans were made. He and his wife and I and my SO headed to the Chef. And the rest, as they say, is history.
What is the Doctor? Why, Doctor Fong, the restaurant's signature drink. All I can tell you is that it's rum-based, citrusy, very tasty, and VERY strong. Like, when you have one of these? Don't plan on driving anywhere for a couple of hours. I mean that in a good way.
When we first started going, the drinks were served in cool tiki glasses. That's the point of a place like this, right? That tiki atmosphere? In fact, my friend would judge how well the Doctor's treatment was coming along by how far down the tiki face you'd drunk. "By the time you get to the eyebrows, you're feeling fine," he said. And he wasn't wrong.
Now, though, they come in normal diner-style glasses. Apparently, you can order drinks in special glasses, but it costs extra because you get to keep the special glasses at the end. I'd guess people must have stolen their cool glasses a lot back in the old days, leading to this policy. Good job ruining it for everyone else, jerks. But the Doctor is still as skilled as he ever was, I'm happy to report.
Now, onto the food. It's a tiki restaurant, and a good one, at that. If you go in here expecting the most authentic Chinese food ever (from any region), you will a) be disappointed, and b) forcefully be made aware that you don't understand "tiki."
However, if you go in here expecting a full-on tiki experience, you'll be very happy. Had the appetizer platter, with tasty pork pot stickers and crab rangoons that they clearly make there (not prepackaged, which is nice), as well as big veggie egg rolls. The table also ordered the Hawaiian Bolo tofu and combo entrees, as well as the sesame chicken.
That sesame chicken was fantastic. So tender and juicy, with a great sauce filled with baby bok choy and snow pea pods. Delightful light breading that my SO observed would probably make the best fish fry ever.
The Bolos were good, too. I usually used to get one of the various yummy entrees involving mangoes before, but I broke with tradition and went with pineapple instead. Unfortunately, it seems that shrimp toast (our favorite appetizer from before) is no longer on the menu. And it's sad that the tiki mugs no longer grace your table, unasked, watching you get happier and happier as you drink your cares away. But Chef Shangri-La is still solid, reasonably priced for what they offer, and worth a visit.
Oh, one more thing -- they now offer different sizes of Doctor. That's different. The small is the same size as the old drink. Pretty sure I'd be passed out on the floor if I ever tried a large. But I'm a total lightweight, so keep that in mind and booze up accordingly. ;)
P.S. - I am apparently a liar. One more thing. ;) One of my friends had been under the weather, so she really wanted a hot toddy with her dinner. While it wasn't on the menu, the restaurant happily brought her a nice big pot of the restaurant's requisite oolong tea and a shot of Jameson. They don't have honey in-house, but she was otherwise pleased -- the Jameson goes very nicely with their oolong. Just for the record. (If it had been a few days earlier, I would actually have had honey in my bag, so it would have been perfect. Oh well.)
This may be as good as it gets around Brookfield Zoo, but it leads a bit to be desired.
I went with my friends pre Zoo last weekend and we were all fired up about their extensive drink menu. In particular, the Dr. Fong that has such great reviews. From the outside, it looks very old style Chinese. It makes sense since it's been around since the seventies but put one of my friends off right away. I promise it's not that bad once you get inside! The decor is very cute with a very clear Hawaiian tiki motif.
Which leads me to the fact that Chef Shangri-La is having a serious identity crisis. It has some Viet items on the menu, some Thai items on the menu, mostly Chinese items, but no Hawaiian items. There are some items called by their Hawaiian names like the Hawaiian Bolo Moa which is sweet & sour chicken. Other than some jazzed up names though, there are no Hawaiian dishes which is a little strange.
Either way, I had the above mentioned Bolo Moa which my friends and I agreed was delicious! We all actually enjoyed our food. There were some weird issues with service like hovering a bit too much and clearing things a bit too early but nothing severe.
The biggest disappointment of the night for us were the drinks. They were delicious but we thought there was a bit of false advertising in their presentation! The menu featured all these cool drink pictures and we were stoked to get our drinks. My friend ordered this special drink specifically because it came in a coconut, at least according to the photo. When the drink came she was clearly disappointed and asked the waitress about it. She said no, it just comes in a normal glass. My friend told her that's specifically why she ordered it and she reiterated just a normal glass. My thought at that point would be say sorry, take the drink back & take it off the bill. But she walked away and my friend's drink just sat there. She didn't even touch it. And the waitress never commented on it. I ordered the Dr. Fong all excited about it coming in the ever so slightly racist cup because it freaked out my friends. Like my buddy, mine was served in a normal glass. The waitress said to be served in the special glass it's $20 and you keep the glass. I'm so confused why they can't use these glasses if they have them? It kind of killed the whole thing for us honestly. Either take the pictures off the drink menu or actually serve the drinks how you picture them.
All in all, good food, spotty service, but my friends and I won't be back because we felt duped!
Looks like absolutely nothing from the outside, but when the doors open, you step into the atmospheric world of tiki, bamboo and the soft Hawaiian cooings of Don Ho.
Dinner for two included a sampling of their top selling appetizers egg roll, Rangoon, shrimp and pot-stickers. (2 entrees) Â Szechwan shrimp and sweet and sour chicken for entrees with shrimp and pork-fried rice and choice of dessert.
We were impressed with all of our appetizers, except the egg rolls, which I thought were just average, but all were tasty.
Mai Tai's - Kickass! Enough said.
The sweet and sour chicken was tasty , my only complaint is that they add some really bright and unappetizing food coloring to the dish...it just isn't necessary. Â Let the taste speak for itself and add some more vegetables for colorful veggies (green peppers, red peppers etc.), not just pineapples.
The service was spectacular! Â We were recognized and acknowledged as new customers so the hostess (Betty, I think) Â took extra time to explain not only the history of the place but what the whole 'Asian-fusion' thing is all about.
There's a bar with a big screen TV that seems to be popular with the locals. Oh and they sell $10 Hawaiian shirts and dresses in the lobby! Â What more could you ask for a schmaltzy, tiki dining experience? Â Just makes the food taste so much better!
On a final note, I know that Betty (new owner) reads these reviews from seeing her other responses here.
A suggestion: Â There are a LOT of choices on your menu but the menu is so NARROW it makes for difficult opening, reading and comfortably perusing. Â
Speaking as a guest, when I'm faced with more than 40 dinner choices, it becomes overwhelming. Â Add to that a menu that is difficult to read and my enjoyable dining experience has an added note of frustration. Â We settled for the family dinner for two, because that meant we didn't have to read through all of the choices on that narrow menu. Â I'm sure you won't be changing the menus to a normal size anytime soon, but I thought I'd offer my two cents for the next time. Â :-)
Love it, Love it, Love it. I grew up in the area and have been eating at this restaurant for 40 years. (yes, I am old) It was great for a long time but slipped in quality a bit. recently the kids took over the business, cleaned the place up a bit and revised the menu some. The place still has the Tiki feel that I love along with great Tiki style drinks. On my last visit about 2 months ago, the food was fantastic. They kept some of the old favorites and added some new dishes. My wife and I ate so much for lunch, we skipped dinner. Â I am very happy to see this place revitalized.
Review Source:We were on our way to Brookfield Zoo for their Holiday Lights and stopped here for dinner. Â The decor is definitely "interesting". Â We were expecting Chinese restaurant and was a little surprised with the Hawaiian decor. Â
The menu is traditional Chinese-American so you will see your usual Egg Rolls, Egg Drop Soup, and so on. Â But they also have a few specials with their own twists to them. Â The hostess/owner took the time to explain the menu to us. Â We can quickly tell she takes customer service seriously, and she's proud of her family restaurant. Â
We ordered the Sampler appetizer, Tahitian Mango Passion Chicken, and Szechwan Beef. Â Everything tasted great and we had plenty for leftovers. Â
If you are in the mood for traditional Chinese-American, this place is really good. Â No, it's not trendy and modern. Â No, it's not Thai, Japanese, or Hong Kong fusion. Â It's old school Chinese food with a little twist on top. Â Best of luck to this little gem as it is hard to find a good family run Chinese restaurant that still retains its root.
I love it here! It's so much fun to come into "The Chef's."
First of all, as others have mentioned, the drinks are great. Large, reasonable and strong. What else can you want?
But I'd also like to add that the food is really, really good. Some people have left semi-nasty reviews about the food (despite not having ordered any). But every time I've eaten here, I've been pleased. Our favorite is one of appetizer teasers (egg rolls, dumplings and Creamy Crab Rangoon) and the Teriyaki Beef Tenderloin. It's a really nice cut of meat, and between these two dishes, enough to feed two people. Yum!
The decor is kitschy, but makes you feel like you're taking a mini-trip to the islands (you can even buy some Hawaiian duds there, if you want to really get into it!).
The waitstaff is always friendly and efficient to boot! Can't wait to go back. : )
Chef Shangri-La just isn't my thing. I was there on a weeknight when the place was almost empty, and it was kind of depressing. The décor seems time-worn and the ambiance is kitschy-drab. In spite of the paucity of diners, service was not attentive. The food was so-so: nothing "off" about it, but it was undistinguished and a bit salty. Shrimp chow fun was gloppy and boring. Tahitian Mango Passion Pipi was more flavorful and attractive, but still just OK. I like Polynesian food (e.g., Roy's, Sola), but this was underwhelming
Review Source:Wow! Â Super!!! Â My husband and I enjoyed a fabulous lunch here about an hour ago! Â We had a groupon, and that is what brought us here. Â This is the thing that I like about buying groupons....you get to try new places that you would never have gone to before. Â The tiki decor is fabulous and fun! Â Service was friendly. Â Parking is easy in the attached lot.
I loved my mai tai and shrimp chow fun. Â My husband had the Dr. Fong and a noodle dish. Â Best part of the meal was the pot stickers, some of the best we have ever had! Â
This is a great place, and to think that we have driven by dozens of times over the years! Â Can't wait to go back!
We drove past this place for a few years, thinking it was a tiki lounge stuck in the 1970s. Â When I saw that Yelpers liked it, we gave both the takeout and dine-in options a try, and we have been extremely pleased. Â The portions are very generous, and individual chunks of beef or chicken are very large, good cuts of meat, also very tender. Â My father, a long-time Chinese food aficionado, said the shrimp in lobster sauce was excellent. Â My tropical cocktail was a little too sweet, but there are many drink options. Â There were many waitresses and hostesses attending to the tables, and they checked on us often. Â And finally, the tiki lounge decor is really fun! Â I do, however, have to take a star off for the soups; the hot & sour is just bitter, and the egg drop is so cornstachy, you could stand a spoon in it.
Review Source:OVERRATED!!!!
Ive wanted to go to this place for a long time. Finally went and was not very impressed. The food was only ok. It got cold after 3 minutes.
I had the Tahitian Passion Mango Moa (Lightly battered bite-size chicken, sliced mangoes, a colorful blend of peppers and white onions simmered in a sweet mango sauce). It was too sweet.
The crab rangoon were pretty good though.
The service sucked! Our waiter was unattentive. Waited far too long for refills on water. Had to ask for plates and It took about 15 minutes to get the bll when we were done.
The clientele isnt good either. Had 1 moron talking extremely loud and another blowing her nose at the table. WTF???
Also this place holds at 120 people. Why do their bathrooms only hold 4? 2 for the women and 2 for the men? Â What happens on a packed night?
And this place is too damn dark. Had to squint the entire time.
Overall the see-thru kitchen in hillside is a better option and cheaper.
This place was really freaking awesome. Huge vegetarian selection and an awesome selection of Asian food with a Tiki twist. The bar is great. The drinks are fruity and tropical.
The food is amazing. It's sort of old school Chinese food given a modern day update and quality. I can't really explain it. The place smelled delicious from the moment we walked in. The decor is fun. They give you almond cookies and fortune cookies at the end of the meal JUST LIKE THEY DID IN THE 80s.
I was really impressed. There's about 10 more menu items I want to try.
I'm what you'd call a bit of a tiki buff and I have to say that this is currently my favorite tiki haunt in all of Chicagoland. Sure Chef Shangri-La doesn't have the extensive collection of period decorations that Hala Kahiki displays, but they definitely mix an infinitely better (never pre-mixed) Mai Tai!
It seems that each time I've returned to 'The Chef' the food, drinks and service are stepped up another notch. True tiki bar fare is going to be Stateside takes on classic Cantonese dishes with a dash of exotic Polynesian flair thrown in. When I say the food is safe and predictable, I mean that in the most endearing way possible. It's simply Chinese-American comfort food done right. The younger family members who have have recently taken the reigns are certainly doing their best to do the place proud.
You'll find that each third Saturday of the month there is typically a band booked (think rockabilly, surf or exotica) which is extremely conducive to the vibe of the place. If you've ever thought of dipping your pinky toe into the world of tiki, one of these Saturdays is a great time to visit. Just be sure to make a reservation, then get ready to grab a tropical cocktail or three and enjoy dinner and a show!
Great job, Chef Shangri-La! I sure wish I lived closer, but I'll see you real soon anyway! Mahalo!
I used to go to this place about 20 years ago when I was dating someone from Berwyn. Â What I remembered was they had these goldfish ponds in the restaurant, and these Koi would kind of float there and stare at you while you ate your food.
Twenty years later, guess what?! Â Those damn Koi are still there, along with some cheap goldfish. Â They've also included a bitter looking old turtle with the look of hate in it's eyes. Â Probably pissed off that it's stuck in some pond with some cheap goldfish.
It's Monday night and my buddy and I want Chinese food. Â Not Thai, not Vietnamese not Japanese but good solid Cantonese food. Â Seems that Monday is the official sabbath of Chinese restaurants so there weren't many open ones out there. Â But some feeble, pickled nerve cells started firing and I recalled this place.
I guess I wasn't very "aware" back in the days of my youth, but what I found was a Tiki Bar that serves good Cantonese food. Â All the sweet fruity tropical drinks are there, mai-tai's, rum runners, planters punch, and the infamous Dr. Fong which was on special this day, $8 for a big Jethro Bodine sized glass of the stuff. Â Tried a couple of Dr. Fongs and these drinks are potent. Â My brain cells were suffering a bit of inflammation the next morning thanks to this evil potion.
Food itself was great. Â Had the beef fried rice which had real, lean, easily identifiable pieces of beef and orange chicken which were large chunks of chicken, breaded, fried and covered in a sweet citrusy sauce. Â Chicken was moist and tender, not the dry chunks of chicken jerky you see in some places.
But again, the neatest thing was I discovered a real live Tiki bar right by my house. Â You can bet they'll get some repeat business.
I met some friends here for dinner and drinks during the week and I have to say it was a great time. The tiki, Hawaiian, Asian inspired decor was really cute and the tropical drinks were as much fun to say as they were to drink. The best part was the food. The huge menu made it a little difficult to decide but everything we ordered was great. The portions were huge and everyone left with some take-home goodness.
The only complaint I have has nothing to do with the restaurant. We had a great table right next to their fish pond which I was happy about until every kid in the place found their way to the pond and the parents didn't seem to care. So the one night I get away from my kids I got surrounded by other people's kids! After another cocktail I didn't care. : )
Great food and nice atmosphere. Â Something to look at every direction you look. Â Tropical drinks in tiki mugs and Hawai'ian music gently playing in the background. Â You can even feed the koi/goldfish in the fountain. Â The veggie section is big and everything the table tried was excellent. Â Plus they deliver to a wide area (like to Oak Park) for $3.50.
Only negative was that the drink menu doesn't have prices. Â But at the display of mugs, it says the mugs are $13.50, or with a drink it's $20. Â However this may be just for the restaurant part and not the bar side.
Ok this place is around the corner from me so decided to go with the family.....I have to say it was very different.
Different in the right ways..it had a cool whimsical theme of a tiki lounge and the service was pretty good. Only critique would be the water person shouldn't ask me how things are going 10x in one sitting and the server ask me once, seemed odd to me.
The food was good but not too distinctive, the orange chicken was incredible and had a great taste to it. My wife enjoyed her Maui Owie drink and I kept it safe by ordering the Chinese beer....but noticed everyone in the place ordered the mixed drinks, so a miss for me.
Will I go again, definitely to try something not ending in pipi or sawi :)
Am I really anxious to go again not really either. So maybe it was an off day but this place is always packed so they must be doing something right!
Over a year ago, the owner's daughter took over the restaurant. Â When there is a change in ownership in any business, sometimes you get a little nervous. Â In this situation, the new owners, Duane and Betty have done an INCREDIBLE JOB.
They have not only cleaned up the place but they have totally breathed new life into it! Â They have redesigned the menu and expanded it to the point that an old regular- like me- gets confused trying to choose an entree... let alone an appetizer! Â
And don't get me started on the huge range of drinks- I am a bit of a fuddy-duddy and I stick with what I like. Â I have had to change that mindset after tasting the Island Breeze, NukiNuki and some other concoctions that the helpful waitstaff suggested I try. Â
Seriously, it's a whole new Chef Shangri-La. Â
You have to come and check it out... and if you are in the mood for entertainment, call ahead for a reservation on the 3rd Saturday of each month and treat yourself to FREE entertainment by various surf and /or retro sounding bands. Â
Did you know you were depriving yourself like this? Â No?!!!??!? Â
Well, now you know what you have to do- head over to the Chef. Â If you go tonight, you will probably see me there. Â And no worries, you can buy me a drink as a "thanks" for cluing you in to this awesome locale .... you're welcome.
Yummers! Betty and Duane knows how to keep the restaurant running like a smooth engine. I've been coming here since I was a kid, and the owners absolutely care about your experience here. Â The food is delicious, us kids looooooooooved their BBQ ribs. Â When I come, I always make sure to order their Beef wide-noodles. Portions are generous!!
Oh! And DRINKS! Now that I am older I can drinks! Hah! They've got fun drinks with names like: Shangri-la Treasure and Shanghai slingback. I can't remember which drink I had that came in a huge fountain. Oh man, I am smiling just thinking of so much joy I had here. Â Bring your girlfriends here for a girls' night out and you'll have smiling gals sipping throughout the night. I love the ambiance in the restaurant too, the fountains, the tiki lights, they sometimes bring bands in to play too.
The servers are also always so friendly, courteous and smiling. =) Very neat place in my book.
Been here a few times with friends and we always order the crab rangoon, beef sticks, combo fried rice, mango chicken amongst other dishes. The portions are generous so there is always left overs to take home and enjoy the next day. Never have we've ever been disappointed. We love eating at this place, we always leave here happy and stuffed.
Service is great and very friendly. Make friends with the 2nd generation owners - Betty and Duane; I'm sure they would love to share the story of the restaurant and their family with you.
The decor and theme is unique - you don't find too many tiki inspired restaurants around these days.
There is a separate bar area with a couple of TVs for you to enjoy the game and some booze, but please try their cocktails. They're strong! Get the Dr. Fong if you are brave.
They will have live bands/performances sometimes - check out their website for upcoming events.
Free parking in their private lot.
After being forced to go to this restaurant, I ordered the hot and sour soup.
The portions are HUGE. The bowl of soup is bigger than my face and 4 inches deep.
One negative comment I have is how there are so many things to choose from on the menu. It could be cut in half and still have plenty of options.
I would come here again, it was really good.
Shangri la is a hidden jewel in North riverside. Dr. Fong and Bird of Paradise drinks are strong & tasty to start your meal, followed by salt & pepper calamari for an app.. After that, my better half had the tahitian mango d-lux combo while I had the Mongolian chix w/ spiciness kicked up to 10. Both dishes were great surrounded by solid atmosphere and quality service .
Shangri La is back after being passed to a new generation in this family establishment. Don't miss this hidden gem!
Holy merde!
We'd been here a handful of times but not recently due to a number of factors, one of which being that we eat way more Thai than we do Chinese but after eating here for Christmas dinner, we're going to have to readjust the balance. Â
The parking lot was PACKED. Â We got the one empty spot left.
I guess this is the first time we'd gone since the daughter and her husband had taken over. Â The menu was brand new and absolutely amazing! Â Even the look of it. Â It was very new and stiff so you really had to hold it open or else it would close on you. Â
Since it was Christmas and we aren't eating out as often as we used to due to our new economic situation (and 1.5 income household instead of the 2 income household we've always been), I decided to order a Volcano.
I was feeling tipsy after like two sips. Â It was DEE-LICIOUS.
The service was VERY slow (we were in there for nearly 3 hours) but it was alright because I was feelin' fine and it was Christmas and we felt very relaxed for the first time in like two months. Â Under normal circumstances, it would've been a tad annoying but they were also unusually busy because of the holiday.
I got an order of veggie eggrolls as an appetizer for myself and my other half ordered the spicy calamari. Â He said it was insanely tasty. Â My eggrolls were wonderful as well.
For our entrees, I ordered the veggie chow mein cantonese style and the other half ordered the Tahitian mango moa chicken or something to that effect. Â
SOOOOO good. Â So, so, sooo good. Â I mean really. Â
Our waitrees was super speedy with our check and processing our credit card payment and I heard her apologize for the wait to someone and that it was because the kitchen was so backed up. Â Totally understandable. Â WORTH THE WAIT.
I really want to attend the New Years thing they have going on next weekend now.
I've lived by this place since day 1, but only started going recently.
If you love old-school tiki, this is the place. It's a true survivor from those days, with original tiki decor (bamboo, party lights, and tiki bar, plus a giant fountain). My buddy said "Wow, I'm in my grandparents basement."
You can't go wrong with their beef rice. Portions are great, and they give you a free cookie in addition to your fortune cookie at the end of the meal.
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