Rickshaw Republic

The Batagor and Fish Cake dishes never disappoint. I've been to many Indonesian restaurants in the US, including the ones in California and Philadelphia which are highly authentic, and their Batagor and Fish Cake  are up to par with the best of them. These two dishes are highly recommended.

Went with a party of 5 adults and so we were able to try more than 7 dishes family style. The owner greeted us at arrival and even chatted with us and explained his concept. He was great and enthusiastic and you could tell this restaurant was his passion! Food was yummy! The chicken wings were one of my favorites and the pork belly noodles was a crowd pleaser. Satays were well done. Service was good enough. According to the owner they rotate their Mommy menu every 2 weeks so it will keep people coming back to try their new dishes! I'll be back for sure...maybe in a few days!

First, I see "street vendor" as a category here on Yelp, this restaurant features some menu items typically found on the streets of Jakarta, but is a full fledged restaurant.
Chicago has been in dire need of this restaurant, the closest authentic Indonesian restaurant is in Madison Wisconsin, called Bandung.  There was one other decent Indonesian restaurant in Chicago that closed a year ago, Angin Mamiri, Rickshaw is upscale to that.  Having been to Indonesia I can attest that the food is authentic.  I love the modern cultural decor, the food was great!  My only criticisms are that I have had better beef rendang for my taste.  Also, the place is big enough for now but as it gets popular I worry about lines, so I may be not helping myself by my review. I met the friendly owner, he seems really passionate and has a menu strategy that continually introduces new menu items and relies on patrons to determine what sticks to the menu.  If you don't see your favorite Indonesian dish, talk to the owner. I hope people frequent this place, the 6 hour round trip to Madison is not something I relish. I am surprising my son for his birthday next week by taking him there, he will be trilled.  I highly recommend this place.