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✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in
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Crying Tiger is an exciting new restaurant bringing the bold flavors of Southeast Asia to Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Guided by the culinary vision of James Beard Finalist Chef Partner Thai Dang, this highly-anticipated establishment promises a dynamic menu that expertly balances the region’s distinctive sweet, sour, salty, and spicy tastes. Crying Tiger is poised to become a destination for those seeking a true taste of traditional Southeast Asian cuisine.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 51 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: (312) 736-0183
Website: https://cryingtiger.com/
Menu Photos
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Reviews
Jesse Palma
This restaurant is definitely worth the hype! My friends and I were thrilled to snag a last minute dinner reservation on a weekday. From the moment we walked in, we were in awe of the beautiful decor and spacious layout. After checking in with the host, we were seated right away, and our server immediately made us feel welcomed. She even shared in our excitement about finally getting to try this place, which set a great tone for the night.
We started with the pork belly, which was incredibly flavorful and perfectly crispy, honestly the best bite of the entire meal. We also ordered the prawn toast, which had a natural sweetness that paired beautifully with the dipping sauce.
For our main dishes, we chose the shaking beef, clay pot lobster pad thai, khao soi, and chili crisp barbecue chicken. Everything was delicious, but the khao soi was the clear standout. It was rich and bold, with just the right balance of sweetness and mild heat.
We ended our meal with the “Crying Tiger,” featuring wild Thai banana with foster sauce coated in chocolate. It was just as delicious as it was beautiful, and the presentation was truly delightful. We left completely stuffed and already looking forward to coming back again!
… moreWe started with the pork belly, which was incredibly flavorful and perfectly crispy, honestly the best bite of the entire meal. We also ordered the prawn toast, which had a natural sweetness that paired beautifully with the dipping sauce.
For our main dishes, we chose the shaking beef, clay pot lobster pad thai, khao soi, and chili crisp barbecue chicken. Everything was delicious, but the khao soi was the clear standout. It was rich and bold, with just the right balance of sweetness and mild heat.
We ended our meal with the “Crying Tiger,” featuring wild Thai banana with foster sauce coated in chocolate. It was just as delicious as it was beautiful, and the presentation was truly delightful. We left completely stuffed and already looking forward to coming back again!
Heather About the town
We came in a Friday night without a reservation and surprisingly we were able to get a spot at the bar fairly quickly. This place is absolutely stunning down to the bathrooms!! The salty dog was by far the best contain… very well balanced and just purely whimsical in its presentation. The milk tea was rich and smooth and a great finish for the night. We enjoyed the pork belly and the fried rice as we had dinner reservations after. All of it was purely divine and a must!!
… moreRick R
All the dishes were great, service was excellent. The atmosphere and vibes were awesome. Worth the hassle of getting a reservation
… moreRifah Odeh
Stopped in after work to snag some bar seats. There were three of us and we got two seats immediately and after about 30 minutes we were able to get the third. We were still able to order and share dessert while we waited for that third chair so that was nice.
We worked backward by starting with the famous crying tiger dessert. Definitely a must try.
We weren’t even sure we were going to order dinner but based on how everything smelled, and because we weren’t sure when we would be back, we did. The dishes are big and meant for sharing. The crispy rice basic chicken was flavorful but extremely spicy. The spice level was a bit much for me. I highly recommend the Wagyu short rib curry with crispy noodles. It had a small kick but was very flavorful and the creaminess along with the mixture of textures made the dish extremely comforting on a cold Chicago evening.
A friend asked if it was worth the hype and I responded yes and no. While, it’s a solid spot, I really don’t think it’s worth going nuts trying to make a reservation for it. Try walking in and sitting at the bar at a less busy time or wait for some of the hype to die down before you try to go.
… moreWe worked backward by starting with the famous crying tiger dessert. Definitely a must try.
We weren’t even sure we were going to order dinner but based on how everything smelled, and because we weren’t sure when we would be back, we did. The dishes are big and meant for sharing. The crispy rice basic chicken was flavorful but extremely spicy. The spice level was a bit much for me. I highly recommend the Wagyu short rib curry with crispy noodles. It had a small kick but was very flavorful and the creaminess along with the mixture of textures made the dish extremely comforting on a cold Chicago evening.
A friend asked if it was worth the hype and I responded yes and no. While, it’s a solid spot, I really don’t think it’s worth going nuts trying to make a reservation for it. Try walking in and sitting at the bar at a less busy time or wait for some of the hype to die down before you try to go.
Jessica
The presentation and service were impeccable. We started with the pork belly and grilled wagyu beef, the pork belly was perfectly crispy and flavorful, and the mint and spice in the wagyu salad were a pleasant surprise.
We tried four drinks: Thai iced tea, jasmine iced tea, mango lemonade, and jasmine tea, all very good, with the Thai iced tea being my favorite. The khao soi was rich and flavorful, though I personally would have liked it a bit spicier. The grilled roti was crispy and delicious.
For dessert, we had the Crying Tiger, and the banana flavor really stood out. Overall, a wonderful dining experience in a beautiful restaurant with lovely décor.
… moreWe tried four drinks: Thai iced tea, jasmine iced tea, mango lemonade, and jasmine tea, all very good, with the Thai iced tea being my favorite. The khao soi was rich and flavorful, though I personally would have liked it a bit spicier. The grilled roti was crispy and delicious.
For dessert, we had the Crying Tiger, and the banana flavor really stood out. Overall, a wonderful dining experience in a beautiful restaurant with lovely décor.
Thai
Definitely worth the wait! We came in on a busy Wednesday night at peak dinner hours – no reservation, about 30 minute wait, but better than wandering around in the cold. Service was outstanding. The food was even better. For someone who firmly believes that if you don’t like a certain food, maybe it’s because you’ve never had it prepared perfectly. In my case, it was the mussel omelet. The sugarcane beef reminded me of food stalls back in Vietnam. The cumin lamb was filled with such depths of flavor and nice warm spices. The chicken larb was such a great experience for my first time ever having larb. Of course, we saw a nearby table order their signature Crying Tiger dessert so we had to have that too. Wish I could have that as a paperweight on my desk.
… moreVictoria Chirman
We had such a fun time at Crying Tiger — immediately adding it to our “we’re definitely coming back” list.
The lobster pad Thai? Obsessed. Perfectly cooked, super flavorful, and honestly the star of the show. The chicken satay was so good we almost ordered another round, and the Crying Tiger dessert sealed the deal — sweet, indulgent, and absolutely worth it.
We had a 3 pm reservation on a Saturday, and it was the ideal vibe. Lively, great energy, but still relaxed enough to actually enjoy your food and conversation.
Already looking forward to round two.
… moreThe lobster pad Thai? Obsessed. Perfectly cooked, super flavorful, and honestly the star of the show. The chicken satay was so good we almost ordered another round, and the Crying Tiger dessert sealed the deal — sweet, indulgent, and absolutely worth it.
We had a 3 pm reservation on a Saturday, and it was the ideal vibe. Lively, great energy, but still relaxed enough to actually enjoy your food and conversation.
Already looking forward to round two.
Kai
Crying Tiger is undeniably cute. The ambiance is fun, photogenic, and clearly designed with social media in mind. I will admit I had my doubts before going because the restaurant is heavily marketed across every platform. When a place has that much hype, I always feel a little apprehensive. Still, I wanted to try it for myself.
The food was okay overall. I ordered the Wagyu noodles, which unfortunately were extremely salty. It honestly felt like I needed a bowl of rice on top of the noodles just to balance the flavor. The tuna tartare was solid and probably one of the stronger dishes of the night. I also enjoyed the BBQ chicken. That said, it is fried chicken so it is hard to completely mess that up.
The tiger banana dessert was good, although VERY sweet. If you have a sweet tooth you will probably enjoy it, but it definitely leans toward the sugary side.
Overall it is a fun place to grab a drink and catch up with a friend on a random weekday. Sitting at the bar and chatting with Ian made the experience more enjoyable. That said, I would not stress about trying to get a table immediately or work too hard to secure a reservation.
If the dishes were a bit more balanced and the flavors cleaner, I think the meal would have been much more enjoyable. Right now the vibe and atmosphere carry a lot of the experience.
… moreThe food was okay overall. I ordered the Wagyu noodles, which unfortunately were extremely salty. It honestly felt like I needed a bowl of rice on top of the noodles just to balance the flavor. The tuna tartare was solid and probably one of the stronger dishes of the night. I also enjoyed the BBQ chicken. That said, it is fried chicken so it is hard to completely mess that up.
The tiger banana dessert was good, although VERY sweet. If you have a sweet tooth you will probably enjoy it, but it definitely leans toward the sugary side.
Overall it is a fun place to grab a drink and catch up with a friend on a random weekday. Sitting at the bar and chatting with Ian made the experience more enjoyable. That said, I would not stress about trying to get a table immediately or work too hard to secure a reservation.
If the dishes were a bit more balanced and the flavors cleaner, I think the meal would have been much more enjoyable. Right now the vibe and atmosphere carry a lot of the experience.
Jessica Maral
Food is too rich and not in a good way, you can’t get more that one thing at the time because the strong flavors won’t let you taste anything else nor finish your dish. The drinks are way too sweet and they taste artificial. The only thing that was good and tasty was the “Crying tiger” dessert (you have to be a sweet tooth), it looks and taste great. Service is fast, everyone is kind and the place is beautiful.
… moreNancy S
Food and cocktails were excellent. They were busy and has a long line waiting. Service was ok.
We really liked the duck panang curry, and wagyu salad and the crying Tiger banana foster desserts. Even the eggplant bhan xeo was delicious and unique
… moreWe really liked the duck panang curry, and wagyu salad and the crying Tiger banana foster desserts. Even the eggplant bhan xeo was delicious and unique