Top Best Chinese Restaurants in Downtown Chicago

"Located a bit farther north of the city (in Uptown, and easily accessed via the Red Line), Sun-Wah offers what might be the best Peking duck outside of Asia. At it’s priced at a steal – the off-menu Peking duck meal is just $32. One duck can easily feed 2-3 people (4 if you order an extra appetizer or two) and includes a full duck with crispy, crackling skin carved table-side."

"Sun Wah BBQ‘s creator, Eric Cheng always sharpened his skills as a Hong Kong-style barbecue chef. The restaurant is doing great, though for them it was a confined fish longing for bigger seas. Today, they are happily serving the people in Chicago with their signature dishes."

"Peking duck served three ways and carved tableside, $30 for a meal for four is virtually unheard of in this day and age. Just remember you must preorder at least 24 hours in advance. Also Try: Duck Duck Goat, literally anywhere in Chinatown"

"Normally we don’t condone paying through the nose for Chinese food when Chinatown options abound, but this gorgeous fourth-floor terrace, brimming with fresh flowers and offering a view of the historic Water Tower, is hard to beat. Elevated takes on peking duck and wok-baked lobster surpass expectations, but if you’re looking to take advantage of the digs while keeping within a budget, stick with snacking on dim sum and splurge on a fancy cocktail."

"What's better than Cantonese delicacies while gazing at Chicago’s skyline?. Located inside The Peninsula Hotel, Shanghai Terrace sets the scene for a 1930s supper club. Have a cocktail on the terrace or enjoy Cantonese meals inside the restaurant."

"Along with promising some of the best Chinese food in Chicago, Shanghai Terrace also boasts some of the best views. From both the seasonal terrace and main dining room on the fourt..."

"Tao Chicago opened with great fanfare in 2018, revealing an astonishing reimagining of a circa-1892 landmark in River North. The historic property, with its stone structure and arc..."

"For those that have never heard the term “clubstaurant,” it could be time to visit Tao for a delicious education. Situated in the historic River North castle, Tao is set over multi..."

"An outpost of the New York City original, TAO is a large two-level space with four private dining rooms and a large bar. Daybed sofas abound and the eclectic lounge is a perfect bl..."

"To say the menu at Dolo is expansive would be an understatement. The chic Chinatown restaurant serves dozens of dim sum treats, including creamy egg tarts, bitter melon custard cakes, tender pork shumai, bright-green durian pancakes and fluffy pork buns. But that's just scraping the surface on what Dolo has to offer: A novel-sized menu is packed with glossy photos of seafood by the pound, spicy jellyfish, Taiwanese-style shrimp, mango beef tenderloin and stir-fried lo mein—among many other specialty dishes."

"Chinatown Cantonese favorite Dolo specializes in made-to-order dim sum, so diners won’t find carts. The food is fresh and inventive with dishes like a beef shank appetizer and lamb chops that come prepared in a few different ways and served like lollipops. Seafood also stars with Cajun-style boils and a can’t-miss lobster."

"A post shared by Dolo Restaurant & Bar (@dolorestaurant) on Mar 23, 2018 at 2:32pm PDT. Situated in Chicago’s Chinatown, this is a place to go if you want some tasty and very decent-sized dim sum portions. Give their barbecue spare pork ribs, Pork siu mai dumplings or Pan-fried eggplants a go."

"Jess Café specializes in Asian cuisine ranging from Chinese to Malaysian food. Their food is undoubtedly delicious and they also have an impressive selection of drinks including their popular bubble tea options. Jess Café is famous for fresh and richly flavored bubble teas that have the perfect texture from soft and well-prepared tapioca pearls."

"A post shared by Tummy Growl (@tummy.growl) on Mar 24, 2018 at 4:14pm PDT. If you’re looking for Asian food that is cheap and good, Jess Cafe ticks both boxes!. At this Pan-Asian food haven, you’ll be spoilt for choice by their wide selection of Cantonese, Thai and Korean dishes."

"Known to many as QXY, this Chinatown mainstay is the dumpling authority of Chicago. Why we love it: When it comes to dumplings, we're of the mindset that more is always better. It's why we flock to QXY for the seemingly endless menu that details dozens of fillings that are sorted by protein—from pork and pickled cabbage to scallop and lotus root."

"The Chinatown restaurant won the Readers' Choice Award for Best Chinese Takeout. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune). “Before the pandemic, we were not really focused on takeout,” says Jesse Li, general manager at QXY Dumplings in Chinatown."

"At this Xi’an-centric spot, order an array of small dishes to share with the table. Start with super thin slices of raw potato, soaking in sour and spicy sauce; hand-stretched noodles with lamb in a gamy broth; and tofu skin with celery in white vinegar sauce. But everyone at the table should order their own lamb flatbread—stuffed with tender, cumin-spiced lamb and tucked into seared, crisp bread (it's the one dish you won't want to share)."

"Focusing on the food from the Shaanxi province in Northern China, this Chinatown spot makes hand-stretched noodles, fried skewers, and delectable flatbread sandwiches filled with meats like cumin lamb and marinated pork. Online ordering is available through Xi’an Cuisine’s site."

"This Cantonese restaurant opened in 1932 on Irving Park, according to general manager Ben Ruan, despite rumors that it first began serving in 1924. His family is the third to own the historic spot where diners can dig into Chinese-American favorites including chop suey, chow mein, and egg foo young. The egg rolls are homemade."

"For theatre lovers, check out a performance at The Chicago Theatre. If you feel like doing an activity, head to 10pin Bowling Lounge under the Marina Towers north of the Chicago River. They offer a selection of beers and upscale snacks."

"Decisions can be difficult when constructing your perfect ice cream cake. Choose from 10 different ice cream flavors, all made with organic milk and cream, and decide if you prefer crumbled brownies, blondies, or cookies as a base. Rachel Kamins launched Bartleby’s in 2018 after working for Ben & Jerry’s and Zingerman’s Bakehouse and calls herself the “caker, baker, and ice cream maker.” Fittingly, she makes everything, from the ice cream to the crushed cookies and brownies to all her sauces, from scratch."

"Chiu Quon in Chinatown is the original location of this classic Chinese bakery (the other is in Uptown). And though we love them both, we can’t think of a better place to stop for a snack while walking around Chicago’s Chinatown. Anything from their pastry case will be delicious, such as the pork buns, sponge cakes, sesame balls, egg custards, and much more."

"Chinatown’s Chiu Quon Bakery & Dim Sum hits the spot with their BBQ pork buns and, more importantly, cakes: cream cake, chocolate cake, tiramisu, chestnut cake and more. That said, their mixed fruit cake is a fan-favorite. This cash-only bakery has a counter and some tables off to the side, but otherwise isn’t adorned or decorated in any specific style."

"The oldest bakery in Chinatown has been at it for more than three decades. Peruse the cases to discover rows and rows of Chinese pastries that include barbecue pork buns, egg custard tarts, and butterfly cookies. The affordable price points — most items are a dollar or less — mean folks are able to fill up a whole box with goodies for just a few bucks."

"Founded by savvy foodies Carole Jones and Polly Byrd with the aim of raising awareness of the amazing benefits of eating raw foods, Chicago Raw serves a variety of high quality, fully uncooked, 100% plant-based products, and plates. Delicious dishes include collard burritos, spinach lasagna, fresh ravioli, and sweet potato pancakes, while sweet treats range from a decadent carrot cake packed with apricot, walnuts, fresh carrot, and cinnamon to homemade coconut macaroons with shredded coconut, almonds, and vanilla. Chicago Raw is open from Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is closed on Sundays."

"Raw food, a subset of vegan cuisine, is hard to do well, but Chicago RAW has been diligently working at it for more than 10 years and they have ably filled that niche. Nuts are the main protein source and are used in myriad creative ways. You’ll find healthy raw juices and elixirs, smoothies (the Cinnamon Crunch with banana, granola, hemp seed, cinnamon, and almond milk will make you a believer), creative entrees (like the Fresh Spinach Lasagna with zucchini “noodles,” cashew cheese and marinara sauce), sandwiches, salads, desserts, and more."

"Sourced straight from nature, Chicago Raw is a plant-based and raw restaurant whose goal is to show how food can be high quality fuel for your body. You’ll find a wide variety of options to choose from including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks, and dessert!. Location: 131 N Clinton St #7, Chicago, IL 60661"