Ben Pao

52 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654 312-222-1888

Description: RIVER NORTH. This upscale restaurant lives up to its name, which means "fireworks" in Chinese. Dishes showcase Mandarin, Szechwan, Hunan, and Cantonese culinary styles equally well, and seafood and beef dishes are favorites. Try a robust eggplant entree or perhaps wok-seared salmon with spinach. The sleek decor includes two dramatic waterfalls lined with gleaming black slate. EL: Red line to Grand
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Chens Chinese & Sushi

3506 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657 773-549-9100

Description: WRIGLEYVILLE. Two worlds of Asian cuisine collide at Chens, which offers delicious Chinese specialties as well as an extensive selection of maki and nigiri sushi. Diners love the upbeat, fun atmosphere, quick service, and depth of menu options. A full bar, including sake, is a welcome addition. Try classics like sweet and sour chicken and crispy duck, or opt for something new, like chilled octopus salad or wok-seared meat and veggies wrapped in lettuce. Chens also prides itself on fast delivery, so you can enjoy a relaxed meal at home if you prefer.
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Dee's Mandarin

1114 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 773-477-1500

Description: LINCOLN PARK. This restaurant offers the best of both worlds ­ Chinese cuisine and a great sushi bar. Mandarin and Szechuan entrees include both mild and spicy dishes. Try the kung pao chicken, the crab rangoon, or the mooshu pork. The authentic sushi bar offers only the freshest fish. The interior of Dee's is very pleasant with comfortable booths, skylights, a fireplace, and a lovely outdoor garden dining area perfect for warm evenings.
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Dragonfly Mandarin Restaurant & Lounge

832 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 312-787-7600

Description: WEST LOOP. This after-work spot draws a trendy group of yuppies looking to sip martinis and munch on delectable Chinese appetizers (or "teasers" as the menu labels them). Start off with a signature Dragonfly Martini and a plate of crab puffs or Shanghai spring rolls.
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Emperor's Choice

2238 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 312-225-8800

Description: CHINATOWN. Piping hot, tasty Cantonese-Mandarin seafood dishes consistently please at this great restaurant. The place has gained a loyal following, particularly on weekends. Lobster is served a variety of ways, and Pacific oysters are a must. Beef tenderloin and porterhouse steaks are also good options. Vegetarian dishes are available, along with a full bar.
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Hai Yen

1055 W Argyle St, Chicago, IL 60640 773-561-4077

Description: UPTOWN. This restaurant serves Vietnamese cuisine with a few Chinese dishes thrown in for good measure. Choose from a wide selection of poultry, beef, fish, and noodle and rice dishes. Order the crab claws dipped in shrimp paste and served with a zesty sauce, or try the shrimp-topped crepes. A seven-course beef meal is the signature item. The staff is very friendly and eager to please, and the interior is quite pleasant with ochre-colored walls and soft lighting.
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Happy Chef Dim Sum House

2164 S Archer Ave, Chinatown Square Mall, Chicago, IL 60616 312-808-3689

Description: CHINATOWN. Happy Chef is a great standby for excellent dim sum. Their pork dumplings melt in your mouth, and crystal buns stuffed with seafood will have you asking for more. The place doesn't have a liquor license, so bring your own if you would like. Very popular and usually busy, so plan early and call ahead. Dim sum is served until 4pm.
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Jia's

2545 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60611 773-477-6256

Description: LINCOLN PARK. With a tasty mix of Asian favorites and terrific sushi, this contemporary restaurant is a favorite with local professionals, who appreciate the upscale setting, efficient waitstaff, and superb cuisine. Start with something small, like gyoza (pan-seared potstickers), Thai rolls (brown tofu, cucumber), or Ika Shoga Yaki (hand-scored squid steaks). Afterwards, Kung Pao chicken or shrimp, orange chicken, and vegetable Mu Shu wraps make excellent entrees.
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Joy Yee's Noodle Shop

2159 South China Pl, Chinatown Square Mall, Chicago, IL 60616 312-328-0001

Description: CHINATOWN. This unassuming noodle shop offers some of the best Pan-Asian eats in the area. The menu boasts a collection of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai items. Try Thai pad woon sen (glass noodles mixed with chicken, shrimp, and vegetables), or order their signature pork buns or chicken satay. The prices are very low, making this an extra enjoyable experience.
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Ken Kee

2129-A S China Place, Chinatown Square, Chicago, IL 60616 312-326-2088

Description: CHINATOWN. Most big cities have a Chinatown neighborhood, and Chicago is no exception. Picking a single option from among the copious restaurants nestled in Chinatown Square and beyond is difficult, but with options of fried spaghetti and sliced lotus root ­ not to mention adventurous dishes like pork intestine and duck tongue ­ Ken Kee doesn't disappoint. You won't feel like you're in China, but it sure comes close.
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Kyoto

2534 N Lincoln Ave, at Fullerton Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614-2375 773-477-2788

Description: This is the top place for inexpensive but superb sushi. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the chef often comes out of the kitchen to tell people anything they want to know about the revered rolls. The house specialties bring sushi lovers from all over who love unique items like the Dynamite roll with salmon and scallops or the Olympus roll with tempura shrimp and other Greek ingredients. The tempura is light and tasty too, as is the green tea ice cream. A favorite for connoisseurs. Reservations recommended for weekend nights. EL: Red and Brown Lines to Fullerton
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Lao Sze Chuan

2172 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 312-326-5040

Description: CHINATOWN. This restaurant only knows one size: large! That's how dishes come, heaped high and tasty. The menu focuses on Szechuan cooking, and tempting options include spring rolls, cashew chicken, shrimp with vegetables, and curry chicken. A full bar and carry-out are available.
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Opera

1301 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60605 312-461-0161

Description: SOUTH LOOP. Opera, somewhat surprisingly, delivers an acrobatic twist on regional Chinese cuisine in a onetime warehouse that blends wood-paneled walls with a collage of lamps and lights in riotous color. Begin with Eight Immortal squid, progress through spicy Singapore noodles and sweet pea-shoot stir fry, or choose the three preparations of Peking duck. Options for vegetarians abound as well. Chef Paul Wildermuth's dishes are all rooted in Mandarin traditions yet are thoroughly modern. Funky and entertaining.
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P.F. Chang's China Bistro

530 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 312-828-9977

Description: RIVER NORTH. This fashionable Chinese bistro gets high marks with Chicago's trendier diners, who adore the contemporary interior and eclectic menu. Start with do-it-yourself lettuce wraps ­ these alone are worth the trip. Afterwards, go any route you like, from Szechwan or Hunan to Cantonese or Shanghai. Chang's daily specials are always worth considering ­ keep your fingers crossed that they include Szechwan shrimp or pan-fried noodles.
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Phoenix

2131 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 312-328-0848

Description: CHINATOWN. Spy something on a rolling cart that intrigues you? Hail one of Phoenix's many servers, and you'll swiftly be in business. This popular restaurant includes upstairs rooms which are a bit more formal. The menu includes everything from traditional offerings like shrimp dumplings and orange beef to more innovative ones like shark fin soup and jellyfish.
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Pine Yard Restaurant

1033 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201 847-475-4940

Description: EVANSTON. This welcoming dining room features large windows, light wood floors, dark green accents, and recessed lighting. The menu features an abundance of chicken, beef, seafood, noodle, rice, and vegetable dishes. Try sesame chicken, orange peel beef with red chilies, or Mongolian beef. All are spiced just right and come recommended by the chef. Bargain specials during lunch include a spring roll, tea, soup, and rice.
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Red Light

820 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 312-733-8880

Description: MARKET DISTRICT. This trendy Asian restaurant draws a see-and-be-seen crowd to its hip environs. The menu is as cutting edge as the interior. Feast on seafood, beef, poultry, and vegetarian offerings. Enjoy the Mee Gha Ti (stir fry chicken, chili, and rice noodles in a lime cocount sauce), Khao Soi chicken (bbq chicken breast in peanut sauce), teriyaki ribeye, or chicken katsu curry. Large windows, curved lines, red accents, and linen-topped tables define the lovely decor.
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Shine

756 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 773-296-0101

Description: LINCOLN PARK. Chinese? Japanese? Which one to have...don't worry about making the decision. Simply head to this establishment that serves both Japanese and Chinese cuisine. Choose from Hunan, Mandarin and Szechuan dishes or sushi and other authentic Japanese dishes. Goodies from the kitchen include five spice duck and fried garlic prawns; don't miss the delectable scallop and shrimp tempura from the sushi bar.
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Wow Bao

175 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604 312-334-6395

Description: THE LOOP. Baos, or steamed Asian buns, are considered fast food in China, but in Chicago (where junk food runs rampant), they are a novelty. In fact, local eateries are regarded as the first bao shops in America. Baos come stuffed with teriyaki chicken, barbecued pork, beef, Thai curry, and veggies. Asian salads, potstickers, rice bowls, and soups are also served. The original location at Water Tower Place (835 N Michigan) and the Theater District store (1 W Wacker Blvd) are both open on weekends.
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