Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Name: Hot Woks Cool Sushi
Address: 3930 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL, 60641
Telephone: (773) 282-1818
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.50

Hot Woks Cool Sushi

3930 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL, 60641

(773) 282-1818
Store is closed

Hot Woks Cool Sushi Menu

Appetizers

Untraditional Egg Rolls (2)

Petite Egg Rolls (8)

Chicken Satay (4)

Spring Rolls (12)

Crab Rangoon (5)

Gyoza (5)
Soups

Butternut Squash Soup(thai Style)

Miso Soup

Tom Yum Soup

Vegetable Tofu Soup
Salads

Salmon Bacon Salad

House Salad

Cucumber Salad

Spicy Chicken Salad

Seaweed Salad

Tuna Avocado Salad
Entrees

Tofu Steak

Xo Xo Beef Satay

Tuna Tataki

Chinese Fried Rice

Mongolian Beef
Maki

Spicy Tuna Maki

California Maki

Crunchy Spicy Tuna Maki

Alaskan Maki

Philly Maki
Desserts

Mochi Lce Cream

Raspberry Cheesecake (twisted Sister Bakery)

Mango Pudding

Chocolate Cake

Healthy Meal suggestions for Hot Woks Cool Sushi

Appetizers

Untraditional Egg Rolls (2) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Petite Egg Rolls (8) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Satay (4) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spring Rolls (12) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crab Rangoon (5) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gyoza (5) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soups

Butternut Squash Soup(thai Style) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Miso Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tom Yum Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Tofu Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salads

Salmon Bacon Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cucumber Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seaweed Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Avocado Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees

Tofu Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Xo Xo Beef Satay [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Tataki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chinese Fried Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mongolian Beef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Maki

Spicy Tuna Maki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

California Maki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crunchy Spicy Tuna Maki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Alaskan Maki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Philly Maki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Desserts

Mochi Lce Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Raspberry Cheesecake (twisted Sister Bakery) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mango Pudding [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chocolate Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Ivana B.

Decent sushi with awesome lunch specials that keep me coming back! The outdoor seating is beautiful which helps distract from the noisy street. The parking situation is typical for the city with about four free parking spots in front and a few free parking in the street.The decor inside is nice and modern, very clean. The staff is usually friendly but service is typically slow and the seating on the first level is super cramped! Don't come here unless you're okay with becoming friends with your neighbor. The upstairs is nice but i've never been seated there. I try not to go to the bathroom here because there are so many steps to get to the second level.
(4)
Tanya A.

If there was a way to give negative stars I would! Not that I can even comment on the food because my experience didn't even allow me to get that far before leaving this place. WORST SERVICE EVER!!! Walked in on a Friday evening around 7pm with my boyfriend. As we entered we were excited to try this place out as it's walking distance from his place and we are always looking for something new and delicious close to home. As we enter, the staff is crowed by the door, backs facing us, chatting to themselves for a minute before one turns around and greets us and hurriedly takes us to a table. Served us water promptly and set the table for us and gave us menus to browse over. (As we had already looked at the menu online we had an idea of what we wanted pretty fast), closed our menus and chatted as we waited for our order to be taken.... and waited... and waited... and waters were filled again and we waited some more. There was only 3 other couples in the place and one had already paid the check. We asked the water guy for our server as we were ready to order, for it had been 10 minutes since we has been seated and no one other than him had checked on us. He grabbed a server who went to the table next to ours to deliver their check and ignored us. The boyfriend and I exchanged glances, and I put my hand up to grab her attention but she was off and around the corner too fast. As we looked around, even the other couples were looking at us as we sat there with nothing but water and chopsticks in front of us. Another 2 minutes go by before we decided to get up to leave, and yet still no one even paid attention to us leaving. No goodbyes, no thank you for coming, no I'm sorry we were busy... nothing. SILENCE! Now I'd like to think it was because they were so busy, but they weren't, or they were short staffed, but they weren't as we saw 3 servers as we walked in just talking to each other. I have a feeling as sad as it is, is because my boyfriend is black. All the other patrons in this establishment were middle-aged white folks who had no issues getting service right away, even when they weren't the ones that asked for it!! Maybe, maybe not, either way this is NO way to treat customers no matter the situation. You folks here will never get my service, my boyfriends service or any of our friends service ever again. Thanks for nothing.
(1)
Jennifer I.

Had a good sushi lunch today.... Hot Woks Cool Sushi has a lunch special which includes miso soup, a California or spicy tuna roll, and several nigiri. All for 13 bucks. We also split a Mega Vega roll. A couple of my pieces fell apart, and the spicy tuna roll was not the best of the best, but everything was still quite tasty. If you are more of a "hot wok" person, they have a lunch special with your choice of appetizer and entree. I can't recall the price, but it also looked to be quite a nice deal. It was a little warm in there...I wondered if the AC was broken. It cooled off after awhile, though. The bathroom was much nicer than I expected, even though I am not sure what I expected (if that makes sense...). But parking seems to be on the minimal side, unless I missed something in the back. However, I wouldn't hesitate to come back to this location, or try one of the others. 3.5 stars bumped to 4.
(4)
Barbara C.

This place is small and cute. Very good prices. For as small as this place is, it's well LIT. Windows. Small patio, a few high tables for two inside. and enough two seaters with a loooooooong bench seat. There is a great lunch special. 11:30-3:30. Free parking spots but they fill up fast! just a cute corner. I never expected this to be this good.
(5)
Sara D.

Dine in experience- nothing too grand. Good service. Delivery to someone down the street... Undeniable incompetence on their part. For all the times I have ordered delivery and hoped they would get my order right and on time at that. Fail fail fail. First and second on their part last on mine. Will not frequent nor order food from here. If you must get from here eat inside.
(2)
Cristina P.

I always see this restaurant when I am coming off the highway but never really thought about going here until a friend recommended this place. Parking is tricky, they had a parking lot but it's very small so we ended up having to park on the main street. At first look, it's a small restaurant but I then saw that they also had patio seating and also they have a big upstairs to accommodate more people. Service was great and they didn't rush us even though we got there an hour before they closed. We got 4 rolls and 2 noodle dishes and I have zero complaints. It was the best pad see eiw that I've had in a long time. I will definitely be returning here again.
(5)
Natalija S.

I can't believe this place makes sushi. I kid you not, even Mariano's and Jewel has much, much better sushi. I ordered a spicy salmon roll and tom yum soup. The sushi was mushy and extremely messy, and it was just bland. The soup was way too salty. For those that like the food, that's good, considering the fact that there's really no sushi spot in the Irving Park area, but I'm definitely not coming back here.
(2)
Ruolin W.

Delivery is fast, although they said it would take 40 min to 1 hr, it came actually very quick. Shrimp Pad Thai is delicious. Miso soup is a little bit too salty tho.
(4)
Kyle H.

I like the chain Hot Woks Cool Sushi for their hot bowls and cool maki rolls. This one is in walking distance from my place, so my son and I popped in here over New Year's. It's small. And not nearly as nice as the ones downtown. The parking lot is tiny. Staff is super friendly and fast. I like the Mega Vega rolls the best- vegetarian Maki with sweet potatoes, beets, avocado, even my son liked it! We also tried the Akira rolls, which were HUGE. I've had better rolls. I do like their Obama-Nami rolls (which I forget and call ObamaMama). I'm sure I'll order Delivery from them frequently and be back soon.
(3)
Adele n.

This is quite a cute little sushi and noodles shack. The dining room is tiny and on the Friday night I was there, it was very busy. I wouldn't call this a date spot -- it's more of a neighborhood joint. The prices are pretty cheap. There are some sashimi / sushi dinners for about $15, and plenty of noodle entrees for $10ish. The sushi is pretty good -- nothing stunning, but nothing bad either. The miso is yummy and free with sushi entrees. Staff is friendly and take out is pretty quick.
(3)
Hannah K.

I tried Hot Woks Cool Sushi about a year ago and it didn't leave that great of an impression, but I decided to give it another go since it was the nearest sushi place my GPS told me to go. The waitress was a bit hovering but I think she was new and it was early on a Wednesday so I will concede to that even though there was a bit of a language barrier. We started out with chicken satay, Tom Yum soup and miso soup. After placing that order, we browsed the menu some more and then placed our entrees. My miso soup came out first and I was already finished with it when I saw the sashimi and roll were already plated and ready to be expedited. Keep in mind our appetizers hadn't arrived yet. The miso was pretty much just broth but I find miso soup to be pretty hit or miss so I'll just leave it at that. We were expected some skewers of chicken satay but what we got was four chicken tenders. It was a total surprise to see that much food come out as an app, but a pleasant one for the price. Although the chicken was a bit stringy, it was nicely spiced with a curry blend with a slightly sweet peanut sauce to compliment. I would order this again. The Tom Yum soup was also delicious and came out in a heaping, steaming huge bowl. Again, a lot more soup than expected for the price point. Not too sour or spicy and full of fresh veggies and a decent amount of meat. If I lived or worked nearby, I'd have this for lunch quite a bit. We had to take these to go seeing as our sushi wasn't even on the table yet. Here is where my review drops a star or two. This should really be two and a half stars. Remember when I said I saw our sushi platters just sitting there? Yep, those were ours just sitting there for over twenty minutes. We ordered the tuna sashimi platter, a spicy tuna roll and just one unagi because, well, I have to order at least one unagi. Have to. I'm pretty sure the roll was already prepped. It was not spicy at all (shit, my ginger was spicier than the spicy tuna roll) and the tuna inside had a pureed consistency. Hands down the worst spicy tuna I've had - it's better at Jewel, for goodness sake. When we came in, we noticed that the fish was already pre-sliced behind the glass. I'm going out on a limb, but I'm guessing our sashimi was not freshly cut which, in my opinion, defeats the purpose of dining out for sushi. It was not bad, per say, but I wouldn't frequent Cool Sushi for sushi again. I think my experience this time was reminiscent of last time and over all just not that memorable. If you decide to try it out, stick with the hot dishes.
(3)
Nicole R.

They have a great lunch special. This location has certain items on the menu that the location in Roscoe Village does not offer. The sushi here is great for the price.
(4)
Ashley C.

Finally got the chance to write a review on this place :) I would give 5 stars, the reason for one less is just the fact that the place is pretty tiny. But Other than that, 5 stars all the way. My boyfriend and I were pretty hungry and we decided to come here since the last time I had food from Hot Woks Cool Sushi was via GrubHub. But I wanted my boyfriend to try something new so we decided to come here and have our date. Service was great. Our server was awesome and kept us very content and she would check up on us to see how we were doing. Food was pretty good too, especially now that they serve Ramen there, I ordered it and I am pretty happy. Especially when extra noodles and pork belly come into play. Before our main meal, we shared an order of California Rolls, his favorite. Enjoyed them and my beloved gave it a thumbs up. Our main course consisted of: Me ordering Tonkotsu Ramen with extra pork belly and noodles and My boyfriend orderin their version of General Tso's Chicken. May I mind you the man is a picky eater so he was suspicious at first but after his first bite, ate his whole plate up and even slurped on some of my ramen, which to him was weird looking (he doesn't go out much in terms of culinary journeys) He loved the Tonkostu Ramen I was eating and even wanted a slice of my pork belly for himself. Over all, we were happy campers and because our server was a rockstar, we gave her 20% :) Planning on coming back soon before this snow ruins our outing lol.
(4)
Venessa F.

I cannot say I was impressed with my order. I used GrubHub so I may have paid extra, delivery took an hour which was expected but the food was very bland and dry. All meals have sauce on side so the Orange Chicken needed to be marinated for two hours and re-heated for it to be tasty.
(3)
Lauren H.

I'll try the Thai and sushi again another time, but avoid the ramen, yall. The broth was not flavorful & the pork belly was dry.
(2)
Ashley F.

My husband and our friends had a fantastic experience at the downtown Chicago location a few years ago, so when revisited Chicago this year we knew we had to go back. All we remembered is having the most delicious wings we've yet to experience. We opted for the Polaski location to avoid downtown traffic. It's very small and cramped. Service was mediocre at best. I ordered a diet coke...the server brought me back a can of soda. Had I known they didn't have fountain drinks I definitely would have skipped out on that. Oh, and this location had no alcohol, despite them advertising it. We ordered the wings--HWCS must have changed the recipe because they were completely different and not in a good way. My Hot Woks noodle dish was disgusting-very bland and way over salted. Yuck. Husband had hot woks fried rice. It was okay, but nothing special. Overall it was a pretty crappy experience.
(2)
Phillip M.

This is a great place to get some lunch or dinner. Their Pad Thai is some of the best I have ever had. Great prices for the portions and food quality. Lunch specials can't be beat
(4)
Stephanie H.

My boyfriend and I hit this spot semi frequently just because it's very close to where he lives. That's really the only reason. Nothing is incredibly memorable from here. It's kind of like a Chinese buffet. Nothing great but fixes the craving for Asian cuisine. I have wanted to always try the Ramen but it's $13. We missed a Groupon once I wish they'd bring back so I could try it. Byob is always a bonus. Very tiny place.
(3)
Kritika B.

Horrible food ... Ordered pad Thai and a tofu dish to go... Asked them to make extra spicy... The food was not only bland but it had stale peanuts.. I will never go here again
(1)
Doug B.

I know it's a chain but these guys make it good. Today's lunch was pad see Ewe lunch special with not your ordinary egg roll. Very good, will do this again
(4)
Nate B.

This is a cool spot if your in the vicinity. I'd suggest the bento box and shrimp w lobster sauce. I'm not a big sushi person but the California maki was on point. I'd recommend for a casual date. It has a cozy atmosphere + there BYOB
(4)
Jay F.

I love this place! Great Food'! Great price! And very attentive servers! I been here twice. I want to go back and try different dishes. It's a family friendly restaurant. Tables are small and cozy! Best part of all it's BYOB.
(4)
Sally O.

One of the best crab rangoons I've had, sushi is ok, my favorite dish is the yakisoba. Great service!
(5)
Nicole B.

Cute place. Only seats about 14 inside, but Thai dishes were good. Lunch special comes with app and dish for cheap. We'll be back!
(4)
Tram N.

My family orders from Hot Woks a few times a month and we tend to stick with the Pad Thai, Pad See-ew and the Bento Boxes (which I love since they include miso soup and California rolls with the order). They also have a nice selection of appetizers to choose from. The delivery is usually done in a timely manner with the food still nice and hot for us to enjoy. The kids love the food so can't go wrong when the kids are happy.
(4)
Julie O.

Casual. Intimate. BYO. Nice staff, good food. Like the Mega Vega roll. Not something I would have ordered if someone did not suggest it, but how can you go wrong with avocado, beets and sweet potatoes? You can't. The portions were right on. Enough food to keep me busy but not so much that I needed a to go container. Parking can be a challenge, but that is life in the City.
(4)
Karoline R.

My guy and I ordered take out from here about a week ago. I love Thai, and I love sushi, so this seemed like a perfect spot. The prices are great, but the sushi is a little dicey, depending on what you get. Our asparagus tempura roll was excellent, and I would order this again in a heartbeat. However, I'm not so keen on their spicy tuna roll: the tuna was diced, which I wasn't thrilled with, there wasn't the usual spicy mayo on top, and it wasn't very spicy at all. The Thai food fared much better. We shared the Panang Curry with rice: the flavors were bright and vivid, the vegetables perfectly cooked, and the chicken was tender and delicious. We opted for the dinner, rather than the noodle bowl, which I would recommend. The only disappointment with this dish was that they don't serve it with sticky rice, and don't even make it. I would have gladly paid extra just for sticky rice, but for some odd reason, it's served with jasmine rice. Maybe it's just me, but from a friend's multiple journeys to Thailand, sticky rice is a given with meals. It would also be nice, sorry, to have someone answering the phone who speaks a little better English.....getting directions was a bit of a hiccup. The woman was friendly as could be, but needs to know if a person asks a simple question like, "Do I go east or west?". I would go back for the curry, and to try their other Thai fare.
(3)
Jenny D.

This place has great food! I only eat free range, so I've only had their sushi, soups, and salads, but they are all very fresh and excellently prepared. Maki rolls are that perfect mix of warm rice/cool fish, and have just the right balance of crunch, spice, and sauce. The ikura is some of the freshest in the city! Service is, unfortunately, spotty. It all depends on who you get. There was this one amazing older waitress that remembered me after one or two visits as the "heavy green tea drinker," even after months of absence! Very sweet and friendly lady. But some of the other waitresses have a visible 'tude. Not that they're rude, exactly, they just seem...angry or something. Like, chronically angry. An example: earlier this year, it was either late May or early June, we went for dinner. It was only just barely starting to warm up outside--temperature was maybe 70 degrees, tops--and yet the air conditioner was blasting. Our waitress seated us in the front room where there are vents overhead, and it felt like 63 degrees with a wind chill of 58! We commented to our waitress in a smiling, friendly way, that it was a little chilly in there (my guy and I were the only patrons) and she responded with something dismissive, like that the temperature was on automated control or something similar. When we asked her if it was possible to lower it, she scowled and stomped off. When she didn't come back after several minutes, we got up and left as we were already turning blue and didn't think we'd make it through dinner! We're taking Hot Woks out of the rotation for a while, but may break down and get take out at some point because the food is that good.
(4)
Ken W.

Walkable from the Blue line Metra. I would say that the service here is great. Everyone is friendly and attentive. I always get the sushi and it is very good. Flavorful, fresh, and unique. That's one thing that drives me to sushi places is that ability to have a special type of Sushi roll. It is BYOB which is always a plus for someone looking not to spend 3x the price for a glass of wine.
(4)
Murphy G.

Hot woks hot sushi should be the name. They put our sushi on top of the hot stuff in the bag that just got delivered and there is liquid now in the sushi container because the mayo/aioli sauce on the sushi roll melted... :-/
(3)
Rachael M.

My husband and I order dinner from Hot Woks Cool Sushi at least once a week. Every time we've gotten the Pad Thai, Panang Noodles, or Hot Woks Noodles, the food has arrived hot, on time, and has been delicious. No joke, this restaurant, prior to tonight, has been great - hence the 3 star rating and not one that was lower. Because they were consistently good with noodles, we thought we'd branch out a little tonight. My husband got the Chardonnay Garlic Chicken. I ordered the Ramen Noodle Soup. We shared Gyoza. We were *horribly* disappointed tonight. Everything we ordered was kind of gross and arrived either lukewarm or cold. The Chardonnay Garlic Chicken barely had any meat in it (about 6 little pieces). Baby corn and carrots comprised about 90% of the dish, which when combined with the Chardonnay sauce created a nauseating concoction. Add to this that the dish arrived cold, and it was inedible. I tried one of the baby corn because I thought he was exaggerating, but I thought it was disgusting too. The Ramen Noodle Soup was a huge disappointment to me because there was insufficient broth. I actually measured it, and it was only a half cup of liquid. And it was lukewarm. Add to that a couple of rubbery mushrooms, bok choy that was too big to easily eat, and you have a recipe for gross-out. I was shocked that they can charge $12.95 for a half cup of broth and ramen noodles that you could easily pick up at the grocery store for $0.33. This dish is seriously highway robbery. The Gyoza we received was mushy and cold, but had very good flavor. I really liked the sesame chili dipping sauce that it is served with. In the future, we'll stick with noodles at this joint.
(3)
Heloisa C.

Love this place. Great food. I usually have it delivered and I never had to wait more than 30 minutes for it.
(5)
Asma M.

Could be better. Could be cheaper. Have eaten here three times. The sushi is alright. I like the petite eggrolls. Soda is by the can, which is annoying.
(3)
Amy O.

Stopped in a couple times. If you're looking for just don't ok sushi at decent prices this place is fine. The restaurant is tiny and parking his a bit difficult. Would probably only do takeout.
(3)
Christina D.

Ate here for lunch and it was awesome!! We tried four different things on the menu and each one was spectacular! The place is small but totally worth it. I live in Des Plaines and came across this place on accident...so glad I did. Looking forward to next time.
(5)
Mallory O.

I ordered Pad Thai and their potstickers. I have to say I was disappointed. They delivered 20 minutes after their scheduled time and the food wasn't that great. It was cold and honestly, I've had better thai food out of the frozen food section at Jewel Osco. I will not be ordering from them again.
(2)
Bella C.

Me and my father love trying different sushi restaurants. Me and my dad have tried some top restaurants in the country together, and this place isn't a top of the line sushi restaurant, but it is a pretty good place to stop and pick up some good sushi. I order the obamanami for its spices. It is GOOD and bleakly yummy. The other thing that we love getting is the dragon roll, it is one of the smaller but savory rolls. The last thing I would recommend is the Fukodome (I think that is how you spell it) roll. The only thing I recommend you stay away from is the Miso soup for its lack of flavor and that it just tastes like broth. The very last thing I have to say is that it doesn't seem that the Asian people that work there like Hispanic people that much. And that doesn't feel good when you are Hispanic like me. This makes me very offended when the Asian people look at us like we are animals. I understand that we are from a different country eating your cuisine but really? Just saying. I think we are humans too
(3)
Sara N.

This location usually has really great food. However, last night the driver called us about an hour after we placed the order asking if we were at a certain address. We responded no, we are at the address we listed on the order. It took another 20 minutes for the driver to finally arrive. Once the food was here, half of it was ice cold. The Crab Rangoon was cold and rubbery and the pot stickers were very cold. The soup was warm and the chicken in the Pad Thai was cold. This order will probably be the last that we will order from this location. It's a shame because they usually have such great food.
(2)
Mike A.

The biggest drawback here is the lack of parking. I drove away 2x because I could not find anything. The lunch roll specials are great, but I wish the service was a bit better. They take your order, bring it when ready and then drop off the check. What ever happened to checking on the food, asking if a diner would like something else? Maybe I'm just getting old, but it seems everyone is expecting a tip these days for minimal effort. Someday I will try the hot dishes, but for now the rolls are just the right fix for a quick sushi fix.
(4)
Guit B.

Hot Woks is a cut above the thousand generic takeout places and I think you would have to go as far as Western Ave to have competition for the Thai/pan-Asian food. Their menu is diverse with a few specialties you can't get elsewhere. I like the Hot Woks Thai fried rice quite a bit. I would not come here for sushi alone but it is good enough and works well with combinations (such as the bento boxes), or if you want to please a number of people in a group. Although actually I am not sure if I can think of a better sushi place close by either. The crab Rangoon is great, although as with some other dishes I feel that it is priced about as high as they can get away with. Maybe that's the idea in pricing a menu. They do have lunch specials that give a bit better value-- and it is BYOB so compared to other options it can remain a value even at dinner if you are planning to drink. But for my kids who sometimes just want to get like 3 orders of Crab Rangoon, well...I just tell them no. Service is quick and pleasant. It's a more sophisticated restaurant than other places in the neighborhood and a pretty easy place to order from or go to.
(4)
Malena A.

My husband and I have eaten at Hot Woks many times over the 4.5 years that we have lived in the area and we have ordered take out or delivery from them a few times. I feel like they are going downhill and after we ordered delivery tonight we are both left feeling so grossed out that I feel I must update my review and give up on Hot Woks. I know not to order anything but the sushi there (which is mediocre) but I had a taste for teriyaki chicken so I ordered a bento box tonight. It looked as though it was made a couple of days before and was just sitting. The chicken was dry, hard and tasteless. I'm honestly disgusted just thinking about it right now. The little sauce there was did not taste like anything. My husband and I hate wasting food and RARELY just throw food away but I couldn't eat it after 2 bites. My husband ordered the sushi and did not like his spicy tuna roll at all and also threw that away. No more Hot Woks for us....
(1)
Amanda C.

This place has lost it's pizazz. I don't know what's going on, but the last few times I've gone here the food just isn't as great as I remember it. It feels as if they are on a downward spiral. I hate to say it but everything just wasn't fresh and tasty. I hope they get it together. I'll give it another shot, Hot Woks, but after next time you may have lost a regular customer if you haven't gotten your ish together!
(3)
Jen P.

The good: Several veggie roll selections that were very tasty. BYOB is always nice. not super pricey. Decent atmosphere and the service was good. Not so good: Tried a new menu item, the tofu steak and it was mushy and lacked flavor. But overall great place, and I will definitely be back!
(4)
Patrick S.

I'd give this place 3.5 stars if I could. I've eaten in and gotten delivery from here a number of times. Delivery is usually the way to go, since the space is fairly small and it gets cramped in the booths. The stir fry is usually pretty good; I'm partial to the Cashew Chicken and Rama Chicken. I like some of the sushi, although it's better to get it when you're there than have it delivered. When delivered, it can get packed with warm things and throw the temperature off. Anyways, the caterpillar maki is my favorite, since the presentation is fantastic and it tastes really good. The rest of the sushi is pretty good, although your mileage may vary. Let's be honest, it's hard finding good sushi for reasonable prices in Chicago. It's a bit pricier than what I'd expect in this area, but it's better than most other nearby sushi places and stir fry places.
(3)
Allison K.

Food was decent, except for the rice that had a hair in it. Service was slow and there was no one in there. Not good enough that I'd give up my normal spring roll or sushi places.
(2)
Dariann L.

3rd time coming here and the sushi is really good. They have quick service and free B.Y.O.B. First time eating the Obama-Nami and it's delicious. Not a big place but they do have outside seating for warm weather.
(4)
Sam G.

I ate here a few months ago with a coworker and frankly I was not impressed. Yes the quality of the food is good and fresh but the service was terrible. Our waitress looked at me with wide eyes when I ordered saying it might be too much, I don't know of any place that wants you to order less and two signature rolls with udon isn't much. Anyways, throughout our meal she kept staring at us and made us feel uncomfortable. I would rather find somewhere else that values my money more than this place again.
(1)
Jeff S.

Sushi can be so good, or so bad, and I typically never go to a new sushi place without a recommendation. But recently we got a neighborhood newsletter with an advertisement in if from Hot Woks Cool Sushi. As a small business owner, I like to buy from other small business owners and local establishments, because if I don't who will and then we won't have anywhere in the neighborhood to go. Our first experience with Hot Woks was a pleasant surprise. It was better than average sushi, priced about the same as the other two places we often got take out, but it is close and has an energy about it that gives us hope it will be here for many years to come.
(4)
Emily H.

The sushi was middle of the road in quality, but was prepared and delivered to the table with speed of wild horses. Yes, those sushi-delivering horses did not disappoint, nor did they wow me with flavor or expertise in the presentation. A little sloppy, a little heavy on the mayo, but edible. The bento boxes were obscenely expensive for what was in them, being priced as if they were delivered wrapped in red panda skin. Not bad for fast food.
(3)
Amy A.

The sushi is good, salmon skin salad is ok. I've had a curry noodle dish that was good. The untraditional egg rolls are really good. I've never had anything like it. My all time favorite is the Fukodome roll. It's loaded with all sorts of yummy ingredients. It's really the only thing we order from there.
(3)
Sofia J.

Some craved sushi, some craved a hearty plate full of dense noodles in a rich sauce ... some ended up at Hot Woks Cool Sushi and were all satisfied :D This location has its own parking lot!! Roll recommendations: Get the Oceano!! Akira and Harajuku are also good. Escolar sashimi was very fresh and the cut is pretty long Hot Woks noodles are tasty and satisfying. Nice ambient music, especially upstairs.
(4)
Luis R.

This a little place with alot of flavor, good service and a nice urban vibe. It is situated in a wierd little slice of land and has an outside seating area along the street and there are a few parking spots. We have been there several times and the food has always been fresh, delicious, and generous portions. This place is BYOB which makes it really affordable.
(5)
Roxanne R.

Like most of the other reviewers, I tried this place since it was right by my house. To clarify on the parking, private lot means a handful of spots like maybe 6. So, you're most likely going to park on the street on a busy night. The place is rather small but they have 2 levels to accomodate more people. I think the upstairs is a bit more breatheable and the downstairs is pretty tight. Now most importantly, the food. I've only order sushi here and I've had the miso soup, tempura shrimp maki, super white creamy, dragon and philly roll. I think the sushi is pretty good. It's not the best sushi I've ever had in my life, but do you really think you'll get that for around $6 a roll? Which brings me to my next point, the prices are pretty reasonable. Not v. expensive and my favorite part: It's BYOB!!! Plus no corkage fee (the cherry on top). I would come here again, food is tasty, the service is nice, it's right by my house and byob. Not much else you can ask for.
(4)
Mia L.

Love the rolls here !!! Very fast delivery when needed. It has a variety of different food here to choice from.
(5)
Kelleen L.

I have eaten a lot of sushi ... To me, there are some places that I would order in only, and some I save for a good night out dinner. This is one that I would only order from... Which isn't a bad thing. Just not as good as the others I save for dine in. The rolls are pretty decent. The delivery was super fast.. (so fast that I called in my order and few mins later went to shower.. and right as I took off my last article of clothing my doorbell rang. Too much info??) Anyway.. three stars. Give it a try.
(3)
Leo J.

This place is great. Nice clean restaurant, good food, and 9-11$ lunch specials. I have eaten in, and had delivered so many times I lost count. Always awesome and fresh sushi, and great prices.
(4)
Kristina O.

This place is very small, but it's very cute BYOB. I've eaten in a couple of times, but honestly I order from here and pick up once a week. I don't eat sushi but my boyfriend does and he enjoys it, has gotten it from here several times. What I love about this place is their Curry and noodle dishes. The ***Panang Noodles*** are literally the key to my heart. This is what I crave pretty much 5 out of 7 days per week. Also, the Pad See Ewe, Pepper Steak, and ***Petite Egg Rolls*** are also recommended! There's more dishes I'd love to try, but I have been unwilling to sacrifice my Panang Noodles to order any of them. Anyway, go there, or pick up! You won't be sorry!
(5)
Jennifer M.

The food was great, but the service was HORRIBLE. The servers are completely inattentive. We walked in and didn't know if we sat ourselves or if the hostess took us. When we asked the hostess if we sat ourselves, she was absolutely confused. 'May we be seated?' 'What? Oh, one moment...' -__- Our waitress took our order, brought our food, and that was it. I had to flag her down just to get our check (it wasn't busy!) Not to mention my friend never got the dessert she ordered. Terrible. The Hot Woks on Michigan Ave has way better service than this place.
(1)
Bex F.

I am really disappointed. Why? We lived over by Hot Woks for 11 months, drove by a few times, and mentioned several times to each other that we should try it. When did we try it? The night before we moved. We really enjoyed it. We're so used to being let down by places that serve this type of cuisine. The sweetheart said, check GrubHub, see if there's a place that has sushi and then also has something you'll eat (sushi, eek, makes me gag, gross) and this place popped up. So we ordered. Super lightning fast delivery, a half hour early. He had some sushi stuff, don't really know, don't really care (sorry). The dog liked the tuna, that's all I know. I had the chicken satay and the rama chicken, both of which were surprisingly good. Spicier than I expected but in a good way. The cucumber salad was pretty sweet, but that's how I like it. Yeah, so disappointed that this place is no longer within our reach. Though, when I searched this place to write a review, I didn't realize there were several locations and it appears one isn't too far from our new place. Frown turned upside down!
(4)
Shauna D.

Very well priced BYOB, fast service, tasty rolls of a reasonable size that don't make you feel absolutely ridiculous trying to take down a whole piece in one bite. It's a small place that seems more take-out based from the outside but we had a nice relaxing dinner in the dining area and didn't feel like we were squatting at a to-go spot. I recommend the Mt. Fuji!!!
(4)
Keith A.

I've been on a sushi kick lately and felt that hot woks would be able to satisfy a crave. It did that, but it was really all it did. I got myself two pieces of seared white tuna and two pieces of hamachi. The seared white tuna was very good, and I was wishing I had ordered more. The hamachi was good, but it wasn't melt in your mouth good. I also got the spicy tuna maki and alaskan maki. The spicy tuna was good, but it seemed like they were trying to cram too much into the roll. The alaskan maki was nice and pretty enjoyable. Since Hot Woks is in several places around the city, I'll probably stop in if I'm in the mood for some sushi. But, there's more places that I would want to try first
(3)
Dan S.

I have never eaten inside, we always carry out. It's not cheap, about $30 for two, but really good food. We love the beef Pad Se Ew. The best I have ever had. The sushi is also really good. Prices seem fair.
(5)
Nancy A.

The best sushi I have ever tasted!! They're clean and friendly. They give you perfect sushi portions and their Chinese fried rice is delicious!
(5)
Kriss abigail P.

I have walked/driven/meandered past this location for years and never bothered to stop in. I will never forgive myself for waiting this long to put their seaweed salad in my mouth. It was so delectable, I almost moaned with that first bite. Not to mention that the sushi itself is out of this world. I grew up eating sushi from the Sai Cafe and if that doesn't make you a sushi snob, I don't know what will. But Hot Woks definitely impressed my date and I, we gorged ourselves on what seemed like a million different rolls and we still wanted more. We waddled out of there and I would happily do it again.
(5)
Rebekah H.

Tried this place for the first time with the hubby last night and it was ok. Service was very fast and friendly. Food was fresh and didn't take too long to come out but just wasn't anything special. The Crab Rangoon appetizer was very bland, the filling was almost watery and had very little flavor to it. The Beef Teriyaki Bento box was pretty good, though, Beef Teriyaki itself was great and the other item were good everything was very fresh. Also ordered the Mandarin Orange Chicken, the chicken itself was very good, crispy and fried to perfection with a perfect balance of breading and chicken but the sauce was a bit too sweet. I had to keep it so there was just a bit of it on the chicken to make it comfortable to eat. The veggies mixed in were also a bummer as there was and odd mix of what must have been a box of frozen peas and carrots, larger carrots and snow peas and large moslty raw piece of red and green pepper and onion. All in all, it was ok, would try again because it is so close to home but not in a hurry to go back.
(3)
Elizabeth A.

Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll = heaven. Seriously, get it. ...with a side of the mayo. Heaven in your mouth. I promise.
(4)
Faye B.

So went through Grub Hub again because I was craving sushi. Was a bit hesitant because of the disappointing food we had last time. However, it seems like their strong suit is sushi. The Chinese food was a little off the mark, but this time round our sushi order made up for it. For a fast food, take out sushi place our orders were pretty tasty. Liked the Fukodome roll and even one of their more simple rolls, the sweet potato roll. If I'm needing a simple sushi fix I have a place I know that delivers.
(3)
Jane K.

GREAT SUSHI!!! very small place =( I live close to this location so I can walk but, there "parking" lot fits like 3 cars. I know this is Chicago, but still. FOOD is great and service is good. I will try their Thai food next ;)
(4)
Jerry P.

The food here is pretty fair. There is nothing too amazing about this place. You get a standard Asian meal for a somewhat reasonable price. I would not recommend the orange chicken entree as it is very syrupy and not overly flavorful. Their pad thai and pad see ewe is worth trying if you're in the area. Not a destination spot to be sure but a solid take-out spot if you're in the neighborhood.
(3)
Brian F.

This place is REAAALLLL small and strangely situated between I90/94 and Pulaski near Irving. They have maybe 8 parking spaces total for their 10 or so tables. The sushi was pretty good and was ok priced ($2.25 per piece). The sushi specials really aren't that great of a deal. They only save you a couple of bucks to lose the flexibility of ordering what you want. Crab Rangoons were ok but not really to my taste. They were very sweet and it was hard to detect any actual crab. I got the Fried Rice with Chicken lunch special which was pretty tasty but also was a little sweet for me. The chicken was perfectly cooked, though. Very tender and juicy. I would come back here if I'm in the neighborhood and have a taste for a few pieces of good sushi.
(3)
Raquel D.

A solid 3.5. I been peeping this place for quite some time. It's right off the freeway and always seems to catch my eye. I FINALLY found a reason to eat here as I was in the neighborhood. And the verdict is...it's GOOD! I likes. It's reasonably priced, fresh and BYOB! We ordered a couple of rools and a hot wok and were totally satisfied. I was disappointed that the chicken basil was not ground, but I suppose I should have made sure before I ordered...you live, you learn. The only reason I am rounding down is because the rolls were good, but not too memorable...but still a good quality. And now that I think about it, ground chicken should be the norm. But I'll still be back should I be in the area!
(3)
D G.

Several restaurants have tried this location and failed but it really was because THEY weren't too good. This place is two blocks from my house and it rocks. If we are in the mood for sit down Asian and to just walk down and eat, we go there. It couldn't be closer and the quality is great, (though the prices are a bit high for this neighborhood). The setting is really nice/trendy too and we have taken several sets of friends there. Nice that they have a mix of Thai, Chinese and Sushi so if you don't know which exactly you are in the mood for, you can have a bit of all. This is not our favorite Chinese, or our favorite Thai, or our Favorite Sushi place BUT it does get high marks for carrying all three and for being so close to home. The food quality is really 5 star but the prices are a bit too high for the portion size so I can only give it 4. If you live in the neighborhood and haven't found it yet, let your nose lead you in and enjoy! They aren't on restaurant.com for a coupon or anything. It is worth going there for a special occasion or with friends. A bit too pricey to be our once a week place for Asian. Every few months we visit and are glad we did.
(4)
Jay L.

I will start by saying, I DO NOT EAT SUSHI :) But their spring rolls, pot-stickers and hot wok bowl are the BZZZZOMB! Everything always seems fresh, and higher quality food then your "typical" Chinese place....plus very FAST DELIVERY!!! Enjoy!!!!!
(3)
Lauren H.

So I'm torn between 1.5/2 stars. This place isn't worth three. It's not too far from my house off the Irving Park Blue Line (Pulaski exit), and I've made the mistake of ordering more than once. I might be crazy, but I keep thinking I'll like something one of these days. The pad thai is the safe bet, meaning it's bland and unoffensive. Untraditional eggrolls are interesting and one of the better dishes Spring rolls, though not super flavorful to begin with are some of the worst I've had. Teriyaki flavor was a bit off to me; not bad, but nothing to order again. Fukudome: meh, wouldn't order again Last time I ordered the soft-shelled crab maki. It tasted burnt and way too fishy. Hot Woks isn't terrible, but it's not worth the time or price.
(2)
PreemanJames F.

Whenever I am in Chicago, I try to have a different restaurant experience. I was in Old Irving Park and saw this restaurant and I decided to try it. I love Asian food but...This place was very disappointing. Though the lunch menu was easy on the budget, it was not even worth the $7.95 lunch special. The egg roll was crispy on the outside but like ice cream on the inside. The cashew chicken had everything but chicken. The crab ragoon should have been served in a soup bowl. The service was decent. Although, when we had to go to the counter to request our check. The clerk handed to us. Very disappointing....
(1)
Nina I.

I was actually really surprised when I first came here. I thought it was going to be a hard core shushi place, and don't get me wrong it does pretty well with it's sushi, but it had options for non - sushi lovers to get sushi that doesn't have raw fish or eel etc. Their warm food is delicious though! I can't wait to come back here to try more stuff on the menu! The only thing I wish improved a bit is the service. It took too long to check up on our needs, otherwise this place would deserve five stars.
(4)
John M.

I had the distinct pleasure of trying Pad Thai which was very well executed. Their sushi combination platter priced at $19.95 was very well executed. This establishment would certainly work well for groups although it is a small establishment they could however manage somewhat large groups. The service was professional and courteous to customers and I would certainly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is interested in Asian cuisine and particularly if they are interested in sushi
(4)
T J.

I've eaten in a few times and the sushi is decent. With the terrible weather, we decided to send off for delivery. The estimate was 1 hour, so I thought no problem. 1 1/2 hrs later and the food arrives, cold. Maybe I'll get a chance to update this review, but noone wants a cold gyoza. Everything had to go into the microwave.
(2)
Jaime G.

A good sushi fix but nothing special. Big plus for the byob though. The Obama-nami roll is a featured roll with salmon, onion, cream cheese, avocado, andorra but the cream cheese is over powering
(3)
Spank W.

I love this place. Close to my house and where I work, it always lives up to my expectations. Great for lunch. I've stopped in or had it delivered to work a bunch. *Gasp* Sushi delivered for lunch? Yeah I know you may be thinking I'm commit-able, but it's seriously not that bad from Hot Woks. I dig a place that gets both sushi AND noodles right. Everything I've tried here has been top notch. I love the Mega Vega roll. I dream about it sometimes. Seriously.
(5)
Michelle F.

I would not recommend eating here. I might order food from Hot Woks Cool Sushi for takeout, but I would not eat here again. I do have to preface this by saying that we ate here on Valentine's Day, which may explain the piss-poor service. We did make a reservation, however, so when we were seated at one of the bar-height tables next to the door, we weren't happy. It was loud and cold by the door, and people were standing over our table while waiting to pick up their food, and it was not a good spot to be sitting - at all. We asked if there were any other tables available, and they said no. I didn't really see the benefit of making a reservation ahead of time, but whatever. We considered leaving but didn't think we could find another BYOB place on Valentine's Day, so we stayed. We ordered appetizers. We got the Chicken Satay and the Tempura Appetizer. The chicken was tasty. Usually Chicken Satay is cooked on skewers, though theirs is just basically a breast. It was still good though. The Tempura was a mixture of vegetables like broccoli, sweet potato and green beans along with shrimp. It was really good! While both the appetizers were tasty, we hadn't even finished eating half of them before they started bringing out the sushi we had ordered as an entree. That really annoyed me. We had this tiny-ass table, and they start bringing out all these plates of sushi, and we were not even done with our appetizers. That's a huge no-no for me. Poor timing with bringing out courses is a huge pet peeve of mine. I felt very rushed. And they were also slow on clearing plates that we were finished with. It was messed up. So the sushi came out, and it was very good. We ordered the Sweet Potato Tempura Maki, the Dragon Roll and an order of California Rolls. All were very tasty! My husband ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, but it never came out. We assumed they never wrote the Pad Thai down as part of our order, but we didn't really want it then so we went ahead and ordered the Mango and Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream for dessert. They were good, but I've had better. And they were both served with whipped cream, which I had never seen before. It was OK. So, back to the Pad Thai. We get our bill, expecting to see it not on there, but guess what?!?! It was there. We told the waitress, and then - get this - she brings out the Pad Thai. After we already ate dessert! It's like the lights were on, but no one was home. They wrapped it up so we could take it home, but it was pretty ridiculous. I mean, we'd clearly already had dessert and were ready to leave! Overall, the food was great. It's really a shame that the service was so horrible. I understand that it was Valentine's Day and it was busy, but they should have prepared for the crowd instead of neglecting customers and not paying attention to the quality of service they were giving. Even with a reservation, we were seated at a crappy table with crappy service on what is supposed to be the most romantic day of the year. I might order takeout from this place, but I will never eat here again.
(2)
Saro O.

We've been here four time now and have never been disappointed in the value and flavors. The lunch specials are FANTASTIC! The place is small but it never seems crowded.
(4)
Heather H.

Hot Woks Cool Sushi is a Sushi/Thai restaurant. Usually, these types of places do one variation better than the other, but in this case both are just OK. Nothing spectacular, but they are within walking distance, and they also can get me hot food delivered in under an hour. Me being the vegetarian, I've stuck with the Thai side of things. They don't have many veggie options, but I've learned to modify dishes. I very much like the way they cut the tofu here, it's a nice bite sized thin shape, and they use the extra firm. My fav thing though is the seaweed salad, amazing! Husband digs the sushi, says it's not the best, but it works when he has a craving. The place sits almost directly under the 90, at the Pulaski ramp. They have a cute outside area, but I like my food without freeway dust and fumes, so I opt to always eat in. I always thought their dining room was tiny, but just recently learned when visiting the restrooms on the 2nd floor, there's a HUGE room up there with tons of tables. With this next comment, please understand I am not anti-kid; Put the families upstairs. Without fail, upon every visit, there are babies and kids here. Last time, they were commenting to the mother how they couldn't believe that she was out and about after only giving birth a week prior. Seriously? Who brings their week old newborn to a sushi place? Again, I get that kids are kids. They should make noise, kick chairs, jump on the bench, etc. That's what kids do, it's these idiot parents who don't know how to manage their kids. But, upon learning of the upstairs, the staff should put them up there to leave the rest of us to eat in peace. But, since they probably won't, it's BYOB so bring extra. You'll need it.
(3)
Marie B.

We ordered take out and got the crab ragoon after another Yelper recommended it...did not let us down. We also had the Dragon roll and Spicy Tuna which was good Not the best sushi in Chicago, but definitely hits the spot. Excited to try their other dishes. Parking was easy on a weekday afternoon, but can look troublesome on a weekend
(3)
Rebecca C.

Their Fukudome Roll is literally HEAVEN SENT. So. damn. good. I definitely recommend that roll if you're going to be dining here. I also recommend their Spicy Chicken Salad. It sounds weird (ground chicken, wasabi-vinaigrette dressing, over a bed of romaine lettuce and red onion) but it's SO YUM. Especially if you're counting calories. If you're not too keen on spicy foods, MAKE SURE you tell them to go easy on the wasabi. I also recommend their petite egg rolls as an appetizer. However, DO NOT even bother with the fried rice. Seriously, the worse I ever had. Their service is good, nothing spectacular, but prompt and professional. I went to school down the street from here for a year and NEVER had a problem. However, if you're dining in, this place is cute but it's a tad cramped. I think that's the idea though; although it is cramped, it's COZY! Ideal for a quick lunch with a friend or a casual date.
(4)
Paul d.

So, seriously the place looks like someone bought a two story house and decided, "I'm gonna turn my house into a restaurant and name it something cool." Don't know if the name is all that rad, but the food definitely is. First and foremost, places that try to specialize in two different cuisines usually are spot on with one and fall short with the other. HWCS does well to do both. Now, in my opinion, Thai is still their specialty. They have all the staples - and the entrees seem authentic enough. Their Japanese offerings are simple (maki rolls and Bento Boxes); I can even picture those Geico cavemen being able to do it, but in kimonos. So far I've had the Tom Yum Soup, Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box, Unagi-Cucumber Roll, Crab Rangoon and Pad Seiw - all in one sitting. Just kidding. Everything has been consistently good. They do a good job of giving each dish just enough taste and not going overboard. They also have a sweetened Raspberry Jasmine Tea that is every bit as good and light as the Iced Green Tea at Panera. Overall, the prices are way reasonable and the ambience (and new outdoor patio) add a nice touch. Note: If ordering Pad Siew, ask them to make the noodles crispy. It is wonderful. Also - you can't go wrong with the Bento Box - a lot of food and different variety for around $12. Place is also BYOB.
(4)
Holly C.

EXPENSIVE for such teeny tiny rolls!!!!!
(1)
Shelby B.

I was very happy with this place. They have good food and a nice quiet atmosphere. The small patio is nice in the summer. I am a big fan of open kitchens, where you can see how clean it is and how things are made and this one was very clean. I keep this one on my list of great places to go in my neighborhood.
(4)
Nicole H.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!! While its sushi is not the best I have ever had, it is still very good and reasonably priced. Their spring rolls are to die for as well as the thia iced tea. While I haven't had the best food of my life here, I have not once been disappointed and I order weekly. My one issue is that's its such a small location and everyone site so close to each other its hard to bring young children to.
(5)
Andrea J.

VEGETARIANS beware! There are things marked on the menu as vegetarian, but are not. The miso soup is made with fish and the vegetable tofu soup is made with chicken stock. Same with the vegetarian delight - oyster is the special ingredient in the garlic sauce! Other than that, the veg options at this place are great. My husband and I have been here twice now and both times, my sushi was wonderful. I've had the sweet potato tempura roll, spring roll, and the mega vega, all of which are tasty and fresh. My husband's enjoyed all of the fish sushi he's ordered, as well. The service was friendly and attentive at both visits, and of course you can't go wrong with BYOB.
(4)
Rachael T.

I have given this place a fair try. I have had delivery twice and dined in twice. It just doesn't do it for me. The delivery was always cold, slow and the food subpar, especially the Thai dishes which is strange since the people that work there are most definitely Thai. This review is for both dilivery and dine in: The pad Thai was terrible! Tasted like peanut sauce thrown on top of over cooked noodles. Baby egg rolls where ok. Sushi was not cold, but a little hotter than room tempture and the rice was not sticky enough, every single piece fell apart. While dining my guy and I ordered the gold platter, they gave us one miso soup, which is just weird as hell for me since I know sushi owners and eat at a lot of sushi places, miso is cheap and usually the whole table gets served when ordering a TON of sushi, we also ordered a spider roll, salmon roll and a dragon roll, a lot of sushi for two people, and the gold platter should most certainly come with miso for the table, dumb. The waiting staff at this place is not friendly. They seem extremely bored and unhappy. They do not make you feel welcomed. They have terrible attitudes and are rude. The two times I have dined in I have waited a ridiculous amount of time for service while being the only diners in the place, sad. I am disappointed that I cannot have a better relationship with this joint since it is sooooo close to my house and there is really not many other options besides Manee Thai in the hood to get sushi from. But, I guess in the future I will be going to Manee Thai, because I am most certainly over this place.
(2)
Rita M.

Fiance lives close by & I'm a sucker for sushi, so we just had to try it out. One point deducted before stepping foot in the door due to their "parking lot" (a term very LOOSELY used) had enough parking fr literally about 4 or 5 cars. You must be aware this place is @ a VERY busy intersection & people driving around won't be so patient w/you parallel parking on Pulaski. I found a spot right in front & threw on my hazards about a half block away when. Saw the spot. Second, another star deducted before even sitting down b/c you feel like you're sitting with everyone else in the restaurant b/c you are sitting about a foot at most away from the table next to you. I ordered the edamame for appetizers & fiance ordered the mini eggrolls which were really good. He then ordered the California roll & pepper steak & I ordered the Spider roll. He was satisfied & so was I, but definitely had better. For dessert, we got the round ice cream things. Had better at the Social House in Vegas (see my previous review). One star for locale (close to the fiance's pad), one star for immediate seating (I had reservations) & one star for straight to the point service. Food wasn't bad, but wasn't great. I guess I was spoiled by initially having fantastic sushi MADE BY JAPANESE PEOPLE (no racism intended) at New Tokyo on Broadway (see previous review).
(3)
Tiffany S.

Ive never had a bad experience here BYOB with no fee, great TOM YUM soup, super friendly staff. They easily replace all the avocado with cucumber in all rolls with no problem or fuss. The Haijuku roll is AMAZING!! Dining in is wonderful but if you feel like staying at home, they deliver stupid fast and you never have to call back with a complaint. Ive eaten here about 10x the past year and will continue to even though I moved about 10 miles away.
(4)
Ryan L.

I came here with my sister last week for lunch. The layout is kinda odd, as we were seated next to an unused mail door. But it was cold outside, so there was a draft coming through the mailbox. Seriously bro, it's 35 degrees out, let's seal that shut please. We moved as we were the only ones in the place, but that was unusual. They have a decent lunch special - $10.95 for 3 rolls. The sushi was good, not great. Two of the three rolls i ate had blocks of cream cheese or avocado in it. I'm not a fan of scrimping on fish and replacing it with filler like cream cheese. But i removed said cream cheese and ate it in peace. Crisis averted! We also ordered some crab rangoon and it was very good...that sucker was filled to the brim with crab. It pretty much explodes when you bite into it. Pretty sure they use real crab meat, nice. This place is tiny with only 8 tables on the first floor. But there's an upstairs with another 8 tables or so. So i hope this restaurant does well as that area doesn't have many places like it. I would go back again.
(3)
Angie M.

We became fans of the Michigan Ave. location over the summer when going ro the free concerts at Millennium Park. We just went back and still are raving about it. The waitstaff is quite attentive and the service is quick support. I love the mixed veggie dish with tofu...very tasty. If you're in the area be sure to stop for a bite of sushi or Chinese!
(5)
Ali R.

With countless thai/japanese/chinese options in Chicago, my expectations weren't high. However, Hot Woks Cool Sushi did a solid job. The service was attentive and friendly, the upstairs space where me and my girlfriends chit chatted for a couple hours provided a cool relaxed atmosphere. The food came out timely however, nothing was real memorable with the exception of the Thai Iced Coffee. Fresh, strong, and with hints of carmel, I could start my morning off right with that in my hand. Since it was dinner time though, it did leave me up for hours at night. We started off with the crab rangoon. Being Chinese, crab rangoons are to me like french fries. Not any form of a cultural dish but delicious. They had good texture and tasty but there could have been a little bit more of imitation crab to make it perfect. For dinner, I ordered the Panang Curry Noodles, Dragon Roll, and Cream White Tuna Roll. The Panang Curry was very heavy in sauce and low on actual noodles and chicken. There was plenty of veggies but with so much curry, the dish was not pleasant on the eyes. The Dragon Roll and White Tuna Roll was tasty but they were quite small! Bummer. In any case, if I lived in the area and wanted delivery or carryout, I'd probably go back if I was craving quick thai/japanese food. There was barely any "Chinese" options.
(3)
Shari S.

Mega Vega not to be messed with . Best vegetarian sushi roll EVER! I like this place, but what draws me to it most is the convenient location. It is located right off the highway in Old Irving. When you do not feel like venturing far into the city for good sushi, this is a great spot. AND they have a parking lot.
(4)
Bill M.

I finally made it to the original Hot Woks Cool Sushi last week. My friend had a birthday dinner here, and it seems like the second floor loft area is perfect for boisterous group outings such as this. The "untraditional" egg rolls are fantastic, since for me they ironically tasted like the egg rolls my father used to make at his takeout restaurant years ago. While the ingredients may be untraditional (Italian sausage? caramelized onion?), the flavor is very similar to my dad's traditional egg roll, and the golden brown skin is perfectly crispy. They are so good that I did not use the accompanying sauces (that's when you know they are really delicious). My entree was the Hot Woks noodles, which are green spinach noodles with chicken and vegetables in a sweet and hot sauce (hotness provided by the jalapeno peppers in the mix). This was a good dish but did not bowl me over. My dining mates tried different kinds of sushi and pan-Asian woks dishes and they seemed to be good all around. At the end we must have hung around a bit long, as the water service stopped so we were grabbing each other's beverage cups looking for anything to drink (it's BYOB too). I'd say the food is good but the egg rolls are great.
(4)
Silvana D.

Hot Woks is a good option in Avondale, both for thai food as well as sushi. I like the soups - the veggie and the tom yum. I've only ordered for delivery, and have not been disappointed by the speed or price of the delivery. It's unfortunate that there aren't more options in the neighborhood for thai/japanese -- while hot woks is good and consistent, I like to try new places, too, and the ones that deliver to the addison and kimball area don't have very good reviews. So, that being said, thanks hot woks for being a reliable restaurant in my area that delivers fresh, tasty food.
(4)
Sarah L.

Living in Albany Park doesn't give you many options for close take out. I can only eat so many pita sandwiches and falafel along with Mexican cuisine. My guy jumped on GrubHub.com and he found Hot Woks Cool Sushi. I do not like to have sushi as takeout so we ordered Thai cuisine. Service was fast and our food arrived hot. We started out with egg rolls and spring rolls. The egg rolls had a different taste than the usual egg rolls I have had in the past. The spring rolls were pretty good too. For my main meal I had chicken pad Thai and it was delish! My guy had beef & chicken spicy basil. You can add extra meat for a couple of dollars. I will add Hot Woks & Cool Sushi to my Thai food delivery mix. Prices are about average and the food is very tasty!
(3)
Sean K.

If you want some good sushi, then you gotta go here !!! After trying this place I order at least 2 a week once at work and once to my house !!!!
(4)
Hector M.

Hot Wok, I'm happy you're here. There are few other sushi/Thai places that recently opened near Portage Park. And thank god. It's pretty slim pickings around here as far as variety. Long story short, I strayed a couple of times. Today I ordered from them again, and thought "You know?, those Hot Woks guys. They made simple, fresh, DEE-lish rolls. The Thai, of course; they make good classics. But the sushi, they do a nice job here. The need to add another multi-fish special rolls, but Hot Woks has been consistent, and Fresh.
(4)
Url R.

This is a delivery review only. I frequently order from HWCS on GrubHub and have found their delivery and service to be very efficient. I recommend the following: 1. Fukadome Roll 2. Sweet Potato Roll 3. ObamaMaki 4. Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll 5. Crab Rangoon 6. Any of the Bento Boxes Not that great: 1. Their Thai Food 2. Chinese Chicken Dishes 3. Fire Cracker shrimp
(4)
Nico T.

This place is right across the street from a store I frequent, so I thought I'd bring some home for the family. I ordered yakisoba, pad ewe, soft shell crab appetizers, orange chicken , eggrolls and spring rolls; all for take out. The soft shell crab tasted like dirty oil that hadn't been changed in a month. The spring rolls were 90% cream cheese and totally flavorless. The noodle dishes and orange chicken tasted like something that came out of a microwave. The chicken was particularly bad and obviously started out as frozen. It didn't taste terrible, but it seriously could have come from the frozen food isle at Jewel. I can't even imagine how awful their sushi must be, but the thought is terrifying. This wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the ridiculously high prices. The order I mentioned above cost $62 and as I figure it was worth $40 tops. The woman who took my order was also a little English deficient and very hard to understand. I should also point out the kitchen area you can see in the front didn't look particularly clean. Also all the cooks making your Asian food are Hispanic. No offense, but that might explain something about how inauthentic this place's food tastes. I truly believe the only reason this place does any business at all is the lack of options in the Old Irving area. Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)
Jillian S.

Hot Woks Cool Sushi should probably simply be "Cool Sushi." I say this with the disclaimer, however, that I do not eat sushi. I am basing this statement solely on the fact that The (now) Husband really liked his Spicy Tuna Rolls. I tried one, sans seaweed, and actually did not gag this time. So, if you want to try this place out, I'd recommend sticking to sushi. We had very underwhelming chicken pad thai here. Hubs hated the chicken (lots of very fatty pieces and *gasp* a bone). My cucumber salad was not that great either. I do however very strongly recommend the spring rolls (made lovingly with an AVOCADO bonus!). The tempura appetizer was not bad either.
(2)
Angel G.

Have to say I love this place it doesn't hurt that it's on my way home from the train, but I've been known to drive on down and even *gasp* get delivery! The sushi is fresh and flavorful, and the entrees cover a range and are a great price. Gotta love the lunch specials as well! BYOB doesn't hurt. Definitely worth a trip to me!
(5)
Alan W.

VERY quick delivery. The food was good, but nothing special. Their Thai dish is just okay, and the Chinese dishes we ordered were pretty good. Good price:quality/taste, Good delivery, slightly above average food.
(4)
Jasmine P.

Yum Yum Yum! I was quite surprised when my friend took me here for sushi. I had to giggle at the name Hot Woks Cool Sushi (HWCS) when we first pulled into the parking lot. It seems like a convenient location too. My friend picked me up from downtown but didn't want to deal with parking so we drove to Hot Woks. It was near his place so he knew exactly what to order. HWCS is pretty small but the food is really good. They have inventive rolls in addition to the usual sushi choices. We had eel, the Obama-nami, and the Oceano. Eel= good as always. yum! Obama-nami was pretty tasty too and featured a patriotic American flag. I wonder if the roll came out before or after his election to the Presidential Office? hmm I digress. The Oceano was good too!!! Octopus wrapped in cilantro might sound weird, but twas actually really tasty! mMmMmmMm I heart this place. Service is great. Atmosphere is conducive to great conversation and lots of sushi-enjoyment. Next time I'm stuck in traffic on the highway, I'm taking a detour to Hot Woks Cool Sushi. haha yum yum in my tum tum!
(4)
Darkling S.

After touring the cemeteries uptown on a beautiful Sunday afternoon~- my friend and i share fascination with them as peaceful, quiet and ambient with great photo ops ~ he suggested this place. I do not like sushi, but I agreed to try it hoping for some PanAsian fare. I cannot add much to the food descriptions or opinions, but I rated it a "4" for their music ~ low volume multicultural instrumental ~ their service, their space ~ an old house that's converted to a modern very tiny space with a few outdoor tables ~ and the creativity of the desserts. We tried the green tea ice cream and it was the loveliest exotic dish I've ever seen in an Asian venue. Like a flower just bloomed on the plate with dollops of whipped cream as accent! I was pleased to find one so close to my office in the Loop. Their Chicken Pad Thai rocks!
(4)
Erika A.

Perfect green tea mochi, amazing Thai iced coffee, and great Pad Thai. The service is always good and the Pad Thai is the best I've had since arriving in the US (and I've been trying a LOT of different Thai places). I've branched out a few times, and while I wouldn't recommend some dishes (they have a Hot Woks noodle and a Hot Woks rice house dish - skip these unless you're into a weird mix of Italian and Thai), their Pad Thai, Crab Rangoon, Cashew Chicken, and Beef dishes are the best in the neighborhood.
(4)
Michael F.

Every Friday night the Mrs. and I order in from here, it has become a ritual. Whether we eat sushi or entrees we are never disappointed. Every now and then we try some other restaurant and all we end up doing is missing the known excellence of Hot Woks. We always use delivery, they are fast and friendly and food always arrives at the appropriate temperatures. Check it out, I love the Sashimi Gold Platter!
(5)
Jordan P.

I didn't have high hopes for this place, after reading all the yelp reviews. But seeing as it's the only sushi place that delivers to me in jefferson park, I figured I'd give it a chance. The veggie tempura is WAY too over-priced for what it is. It was pretty flavorless and the tempura didn't have any crunch to it. I felt pretty ripped off on this roll The asparagus rolls were good, but nothing to write home about. The avocado roll was surprisingly good. The avocado was smooth and basically melted in my mouth. Definitely the best roll out of all of them. If this place wants to stay in business, DROP THE PRICES and put some flavor into the rolls!
(3)
otilia p.

The one good thing I will say is that I'm glad there's at least one place in this neighborhood that serves sushi. Usually I have to drive up east or downtown to get good sushi. I ONLY go to this place in a pinch. A couple of things that this place fails to make the grade. 1) their staff is not very friendly. They're very standoff-ish. 2) they take forever to get your order our when you get take-out. 3). The sushi is meh...it surves it's purpose...it's OK. It's definitely not as delicious as some other sushi places I like to go to like Sushi Para. The other stuff on the menu, like pad thai...it's bad...not tasty at all. It would be a waste of your time an your money. Speaking of money...this place is PRICEY!!! Are you kidding me?!??! I paid nearly $20 for edamame and 1 roll!!!!!! No drink!!! and it wasn't even all that great. Womp! Womp!!! :( EPIC FAILURE! Go here if you're in a pinch and have a lot of spare cash to spend. Otherwise use the extra cash to buy some gas and go to a better sushi restaurant.
(2)
D C.

have no negatives. I like this place! Yummy Cali rolls, chicken panang... BYOB what else. Nice cozy place.
(5)
Cece P.

This place has a lot of potential to be a great Sushi/Thai Restaurant especially in that area. However, these are the drawbacks I experienced: Seating is too close for comfort!! -They rarely open the upper seating area and seat you on the main floor, which seems like a long table with chairs except you are practically eating with strangers. The are a little over priced. -My cousin and I went there and we got 3 rolls, some rice, and egg rolls and the food could not fit on our little "shared" table. Not to mention when the bill came it was almost $60, really? I can appreciate paying a little more for amazing food and the experience but I did not feel like this place had that "WOW" factor; more like "eh!" The staff was a little rude! -When the staff is rude it is definitely a drawback. I think most people fail to realize that without a customer there is no business. I'm not saying customers can treat you like shit and you should take it but at least be courteous. When I asked if we could get a side order of jasmine rice, the server rolled her eyes and began talking to the other girl in their native language, RUDE!! Overall, It has potential but I will not be sticking around to see that happen.
(2)
Stephanie H.

I've never actually been inside this establishment, but I do use them frequently for delivery when I'm too lazy to do anything else. It's not the best food I've ever eaten, but it arrives fresh, hot, and highly edible. I generally eat the pad thai, the curry, the chicken satay, and/or the sweet potato tempura maki. It's all good. I have to say, though, as someone who loves crab rangoon, don't get too excited. It's not very good and has a heavy dose of pepper...? Weird.
(3)
Nez A.

very average. Orange chicken is terrible. Their sushi is a solid 6/10 (if you aren't a sushi snob, you may enjoy it). Another reviewer said it best, there really aren't many places to eat in Old Irving Park unfortunately... OH, and they charge you $2.00 more if you want brown rice instead of white...I find that really annoying, considering most places don't do that.
(2)
Robert H.

I ordered chicken pad thai, egg rolls, chicken satay for delivery The pad Thai was AMAZING..fresh and tasty..I had accidently added the peanut sauce that came with chicken satay to my Pad Thai..and it just added to the WOW factor...what an accidental bliss The chicken satay was gross and the eggrolls cold when arrived..but thats expected with any fried food I demoted this place by 2 stars because of the confused and non-english speaking phone person..I called them after i recieved the order to compliment the food...I told them it was the best pad thai Ive had The lady was like "ya ok, bye"..the delivery guy was very nice tho
(3)
Tricia H.

I love this place. They have a little of everything. Their veggie roll is the best! I crave it whenever I want sushi. They have outdoor seating if you're in the mood, it's byob and the menu is very reliable.
(5)
Suzan W.

Just a quick update....had another fabulous birthday party last month at Hok Woks....took up the entire second floor again.....service was amazing as was the food. Thank you, Hot Woks staff!
(5)
Carole C.

What a pleasant experience. I had the salmon bacon salad which was delicious! Tasted the soft shell crab & it was okay, have had better. One of the stand outs is the crab rangoon, done up like beggars purses and the cream cheese is studded with crab meat for texture and taste....a must try dish! The sushi was fresh and really stand out. The spicy tuna roll is so commonplace, but they elevated theirs! It's BYOB, but it has a nice little zen quality and very pleasant service. Clean and efficient it will warrant many visits in the future!
(4)
Digital M.

I've been here over a dozen times and have been 100% satisfied each time. I used to order the sushi items off the menu, but now I've been veering over to the other dishes. Last time in I had the orange chicken. All I can say is this was one of the best orange chicken dishes I have ever eaten. The colors and taste was just amazing.
(4)
Tita P.

One of the things that I love about Chicago is that there are plenty of options for just about EVERYTHING and I ran across Hot Woks as just that. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. This place is about 1 mile from my place so in Chicago travel time that equals to about a 20 minute drive :-) so it is very convient. They have a really easy website that gives you a discount after you order 5 times online. Now to the food. One word GOOD! They also know what I mean when I say spicy..yummmmmaaayyy!! I have not had the pleasure of dining inside but I am sure to take advantage of the BYOB when friends are in town. I love this place and can literally order from this about twice a week. Must I say it again? Yuuuummmmmaaayy!
(4)
Katrina S.

This is a cute little place right off the Pulaski exit 90/94. It's BYOB. I wish I would've known that because we went on a scorcher of a day and I was about to dive bomb the next table for their frosty Sapporo!! The spicy tuna is great. It wasn't pureed like some places I have been to recently and there were some nice big chunks of tuna. I liked the super crunchy tempura shrimp roll too. Service was good and there is a little parking lot which makes it convenient. I will go again and check out some of the noodle dishes.
(3)
Jean C.

Once more with feeling: So tonight Dawn and I ordered from here. I gave her the benefit of my previous experience and we both ordered stuff that would probably travel pretty well. We got the HWCS fried rice because I wanted to have it again, and she suggested the HWCS noodles. We also got Shu Mai and the... oh what's it called? The special eggroll. The clear winner was the fried rice followed by the noodles. Both were spicy and fresh tasting. The fried rice could use more pineapple, but that Thai sausage is crazy good, and the rice retains a nice stickiness that fried rice seldom has. Strong flavor of basil is very pleasant and goes well with the jalapeno. The noodles had a nice lime flavor to them and the use of spinach noodles was a good choice. The appetizers, which on many menus tend to be more interesting than the entrees are less so here. That special eggroll? Good but not that different from most I've had in my life. I really got no sense of what was supposed to be so special about it. (I judge all eggrolls against some homemade ones I got from a Japanese fashion model maybe 40 years ago. They ruined me for restaurant eggrolls forever.) These stood up well enough, but didn't have the spark I was hoping for. And the shu mai were kind of leaden. Good flavor but heavy, and served with plain hoisin sauce. I thought that was kind of a strange choice, particularly when they also came with some hot mustard sauce. This time they left out the paper and plastic as requested. This meal pretty much confirmed what I'd been suspecting: 1) I was stupid last time and ordered some stuff that shouldn't be stuffed into boxes next to hot food for 15 or 20 minutes. 2) The HWCS fried rice is really good. 3) Try the special versions of things, or the house dishes, they tend to have a bit more flavor and are more interesting. 4) Quality seems pretty consistent, as does the speed of the delivery (quite good.) 5) There really is an interesting little restaurant in there. I honestly think it'd be worth your time and money. Not what I'd call great, but solid. A good, honest three-star place and frankly as good or better than most Asian food we've had delivered here. ETA: I apologize for this review. I thought I'd proofed it but I just noticed that it was riddled with mistakes. Mea culpa. I hope they're all fixed now.
(3)
Liz O.

I have never actually been IN the restaurant (this is only for delivery). Maybe I'm a fool for getting sushi delivered, but this was TERRIBLE. Soggy and hot. Sushi should never be soggy and hot. :(
(2)
Christopher I.

In Old Irving Park there are not too many choices to eat. So when Hot Woks opened up I was pretty excited! I have tried several places near downtown and hot woks is THE BEST!! BYOB, friendly service and fresh food... can't wait to go back!
(5)
Bridget M.

Yummy yummy yummy, I've got love in my tummy. I've visited HWCS a couple of times and after each visit, I find myself yearning for more. Their setup on the corner is a little obscure and parking in the lot is near impossible - luckily, street parking is plentiful in the area. There is a distinct warmth to the decor; maybe it's the brightly colored building accompanied by the vibrant walls, whatever it is, it works. Our waitresses are always accomodating and attentive, so the service adds to the whole experience. The menu has your traditional can't-go-wrong dishes, but also have signature pieces as well. The Bento boxes are pretty sweet deals. I have sampled the panang curry, tom yum, a variety of the sushi rolls, and the pad sie eew. The presentation of everything is crisp and clean and all over appealing. Their spicy dishes are certainly packing the heat, but has a good balance. The food is fairly consistent - I'm a big fan of the panang; in fact, my tummy is rumbling at the thought.... The pad sie eew can be ordered crispy, which if you've followed my Thai experiences, is a must. Cannot wait to find myself in this part of the city with a plateful of HWCS delight in front of my face...
(4)
JAMES M.

I like this place. Its a small little place that offers outside seating. of course probably not the best spot as it is right off the Kennedy and in between Irving park road. But I had a good time here. A perfect spot for a nice little dinner for 2. My Company was priceless. But thats because of course she is awesome ;) Do try the Spring rolls here....they are nice and fresh and covered in caramel! yummm to the yumm yumm needless to say we flexed that little appetizer pronto!!! I ordered a Kung pao chicken. and I told the waitress to light it up and make it hot as hell!!! Oh yeah they did! And yeah I maxed out the whole plate Latino heat style!!! Oh and how could I forget BYOB!!! Shake and bake seal of approval Hipster infestation: Level3
(4)
Marni P.

I think we are going to become very good friends. Just moved to the neighborhood 3 weeks ago, and I've already been here twice. I was worried that after leaving Bucktown, the Girls would no longer want to venture my way for Sushi night. Fear not...the Sushi is Cool and the Woks are Hot! My favorites so far: Mega Vega- Hearty veggie roll with a unique combo of veggies Crab Rangoon- Not seemingly all cream cheese like some others; the crab definitely represents. Spring Roll- This one surprised me. I'll probably have this for lunch a lot. It's like a salad that I'm not embarrassed to eat with chopsticks (I don't even hold a pen properly, obviously not going to master the chopstick). As for the fish, my friend Lisa (who has sushi colored dreams) had fish both times and is the perpetrator of the repeat visit one week later. Lisa approved + BYOB no corkage fee = good friends indeed
(4)
Natalie A.

I really want to like this place because our neighborhood is definitely lacking hip places to eat, and I have never actually eaten in the restaurant...but the take-out stinks. I've given it 2 chances. I'm not impressed. Tonight I ordered online. The delivery was prompt. I ordered a chicken/asparagus/shiitake entree that came with no asparagus and no substitute veg. I probably should've thought more about ordering tempura because it came all mushy (duh on my part.) Lastly I found a hair in my noodles that was not my own...I understand how this can happen, but it's still a little gross. One day I may dine in and have a different take on the place. Head down the road to Smoque if you want a fool proof dinner in Irving Park.
(2)
Trey A.

I enjoy this place because of a few things... 1) Its one of the only edible sushi places in the neighborhood 2) It's right down the block from my office 3) prices are not that bad in comparison to other sushi restaurants in Chicago. 4) The crunchy spicy tuna is uber cruncy and uber delicious all at the same time 5) It's BYOB Now here is what I don't like: 1) The stafff seems to hurry you when eating...and not very friendly at all. Check that: the staff is downright rude! 2) My heartburn is absolutely terrible after eating here...I eat sushi regularly (yeah I know we're spoiled) but every time I eat here my heartburn is extra ridonkulous...I need a handful of tums just to get rid of the burn. 3) The rolls used to be made with a little TLC (Tender Love and Care)involved...now we feel as though they're just slapped together for Franchising purposes 4) Parking is ugh...They have a few spots in front but thats it. All in all...We hate giving this place business, but have no choice when it comes to delivery...Any restaurant entrepreneurs looking to open a sushi restaurant should look into Old Irving Park/Jefferson Park. Here is a Field of Dreams quote: "If you build it, we will come!!!"
(3)
Leyla A.

Just Ok Sushi, in a weird spot near the corner of Pulaski and Irving Park. I went for the lunch special, and it was still over $30 for two of us, not including the tip. Honestly, next time I will drive out to Mitsuwa or Super H and pick up their sushi and then head to Horner Park for a picnic.
(2)
Lauren S.

I like this place - in the neighborhood, we usually do carryouts. Small and a bit spendy, but I like their rolls, and when I have a craving they are nearby.
(3)
Kai Z.

The hubs and I walked here after taking in some of the jazz concert at Grant Park, after arguing about how we should NOT go to the Gage because we have a MORTGAGE to pay now. The place is conveniently located, and has a cozy, warm decor inside. We ordered the gyoza for an appetizer - it was good but the skin wasn't as crispy as "pan-fried" should be. We split the caterpillar roll and the pad see ewe. The noodles were decent, but nothing special. The sushi was delicious, full of eel and crab goodness, served with a mix of spicy mayo and eel sauce. Yum! Service was fast and pretty attentive for how busy it was that night, and our waitress was cute and super nice. They also have good Thai iced teas, refreshing for a summer night.
(4)
Katie R.

it's hard for me to rate anything five stars, but this little place is worth it! the crab rangoon was great and all of the sushi was extremely fresh. i highly recommend the philly and the dragon roll, couldn't get enough of either of them! the place is adorable and on top of the wonderful food we only paid 15 dollars each.. 15 dollars! we had.. now you won't believe this, but looking back, i don't either.. FOUR entire orders of crab rangoon between four of us (..yikes! gym tomorrow!), four rolls, and edamame. it was a steal for how great everything was, plus it was BYOB! they also looked like they had some great lunch specials, as well. can't wait to visit the roscoe village location that is a little closer..
(5)
Natalie R.

We just moved to the neighborhood and have to find all new go-to places for carry out - a must for a non-cooking mother of four when everyone is tired of fried baloney and scrambled eggs. This place hit the spot. The sushi was all right, akin to what I can get out of the cooler at Strack and Van Til. We ordered several different dishes. The portions were average. The children enjoyed the cashew chicken and I will be trying various dishes on the menu. The one thing I would say is that if you have issues with different food textures, pass on the "unusual egg roll" as the texture inside made me feel like I was eating regurgitated food. I did not like it at all.
(3)
Jose C.

OK, first thing's first- I don't like sushi. Scratch that, I HATE sushi. I hate fish altogether, but I even hate fishless sushi, or spring rolls, or whatever you call those disgusting salty things everyone seems to love. Blech. I don't come here for that stuff, I come here for the great HOT food that works decently as a substitute for Manee Thai until MT reopens in its original location. I first came here on business, and we were given the big upstairs room. Most everyone ordered sushi, it all looked absolutely disgusting, but please don't take my word for it, I'm biased. Everyone seemed to like it, and I'll admit the presentation looked nice. I ordered a beef dish if I could remember correctly, and it was good enough to warrant a return trip, and then some. Overall, the food here is top-notch. The portions are a little on the small side, but with the way I tend to eat, it might not be such a bad thing. Parking can be a real pain, considering they have a "parking lot" which consists of 4 or 5 spaces tops. The parking lot almost requires cars leaving to head down a narrow dark alley in order to leave, otherwise, you'll have to back out onto busy Pulaski (not recommended). There is some street parking available, but i have conveniently always found a spot in their lot. The staff is friendly, but they do seem to want to get you out of there when you're done. I understand this gesture, as they do get very busy and the place is often packed. If you are in the area, try this place out. It's a nice little place that has a great atmosphere and great food.
(4)
Shaun R.

I have to say that this place was surprisingly fresh and very tasty. We got a delivery through Grubhub and the order showed up in about 45 mins. Everything was packaged like it should (hot maki with hot, cold with cold) and everything was the right texture. The fish was honestly VERY fresh. I was a little weary because any place that usually has Thai food and Sushi is usually on the crappier end of freshness, but again, it was AWESOME. Now, there was nothing fancy about it mind you but the rolls were on the above average side of things. I tried the Mega Veggie roll and it was honestly one of my favorites of any sushi place. The standard fare of Spicy tuna and some Hamhachi rolls were very good as well (but not fancy or anything). I will get this place again without hesitation
(4)
Craig D.

Hot Woks has grown to be our favorite place to get sushi, noodles, or rice, not to mention is right in the neighborhood. My wife has a really severe MSG allergy (it's in just about everything, sadly...scientists don't even know how it leaves your body!!!), and believe it or not, it's hard to find a good chinese/asian-fusion place that doesn't add MSG to all their meals. We have to be really careful where we eat, and trust that the establishment is being honest when thet answer our question, "Do you use MSG?" The first time we were there, they were almost offended at the question, as if to say, "Who in the heck would add MSG?!"...this was a big relief to us. All the meals and sushi always taste so fresh and are cooked to order. They have many original sushi rolls, all with great flavor. As if it couldn't get any better, Hot Woks is BYOB (with no corkage fee), and they have a large upstairs that rarely fills up and is great for parties or larger groups.
(5)
Liz L.

My favorite sushi in the city, and not to expensive. The lunch specials are so cheap and you get so much food! The people who work here are great and they even deliver until 11pm. I have eaten here over 30 times and have not had a bad experience yet, YUM! p.s. try the Fukudome roll, it is worth the money!!
(5)
Mandi N.

I used to love this place. But I ordered from here tonight, and deliivery was fast, but quality wasn't even comparable to times before. It felt like I wasn't ordering from the same place. I got the tuno avocado salad like always, but the tuna smelled funky and it had all these white stringy pieces interlaced in it. It was inedible. I also ordered the teriyaki beef bento box. I couldn't stomach it either. The meat was tough, and just tasted like oil. The veggies were soggy, the sushi roll tasted like it was from Jewel. All I ate was the plain rice. I feel sick. I wish I could get my money back. Most expensive stomach ache I've ever had.
(1)
Katt C.

im very picky when it comes to sushi. I normally dont like thai sushi. I only tried the spicy tuna and the fukodome, but as far as those two go......surprisingly impressive. service isn't the greatest, but I will return. Give the place a 7/10.
(4)
Polly W.

Wonderful sushi
(4)
Kristen W.

This place has been nothing but a bad experience from day one. Their online ordering system never works. The food is very low quality and low flavor. I am done being disappointed here and will not return. I will not recommend this to anyone- it's not worth your time. Very sad because this neighborhood could use some decent sushi and noodles but if you can't figure out your online ordering system after MONTHS then what is the point?
(1)
Suzanne B.

The place was ok. Not the best sushi. I hate to bash a place in my hood but it's a tad overrated.
(3)
Emily D.

Admittedly, we got carry out and traipsed back for a 52" experience. With television, folks. Minds out of the gutter. *jumps out myself* But, yeah, while the ingredients were fresh and I'm a sucker for mandolined carrot garnish, the food was underwhelming, under spiced and lacking flavor. I give them points for having unique dishes (we had chicken and broccoli, a spicy, special noodle dish and vegetable egg foo young, which doesn't travel well no matter how good your intentions are). And the vegetables were crisp, but unremarkable. Am I entitled to give two stars for carry out on a below zero day? Maybe not, but I am. For PMS Chinese (predictable, mediocre, safe), we'll go back. But only if I have Planet Earth on DVD. LOVE the mountains episode. That snow leopard? Are you kidding me?
(2)
An P.

Ordered some foot from Hot Wok's and found the food to be good. They had a spicy tuna roll rolled in tempura crumbs which I found tasty, even though the tuna wasn't the best I ever had but good enough. Crab rangoon had a bit to be desired as they fold the rangoon a bunch which reduces the overall volume. Sweet and sour sauce was good as well as ginger for the sushi. Ate the pad thai and it had six pieces of shrimp in my order. I have not yet tracked how many pieces of shrimp normally come in an order of pad thai, but this seemed just right. They did not lace my pad thai with a mess of bean sprouts, so I was grateful. The order came before I expected to, so I will commend their speed as well. Value-wise, I'd say you could probably get more food ordering somewhere else, but the food here is pretty good so it's always a tradeoff.
(4)
J Paul H.

I have only ordered delivery from here. It is extremely hard to find a sushi place that delivers good tasting food. It seems the fish turns too quickly. BUT HOT/COOL delivery drivers are soo quick the sushi is still cold! AND for once a sushi restaurant separates the hot food and cold food in different bags! Not too mention sushi/maki is incredible for the price. Noodles are amazing and super filling. Splitting is recommended. Have yet to dine in but, i'm sure it is great.
(4)
Kelli A.

Overall this place was not impressive. They have very limited parking in the front and a very small indoor dining area. The sushi menu was small and limiting. The rolls and pieces we had were decent, but nothing memorable. On the hot menu our vegetarian friend had 1 option.
(3)
niki k.

I'm really surprised at some of the reviews of this place, My boyfriend and I stumbled on this place last night, never heard of it, but I love sushi & he loves both Chinese & Thai food so based on the name we thought it'd be a great compromise. The waitstaff was great, I ordered spicy tuna rolls & the veggie tempura(sweet potato yum!) They were both great, better fresher sushi than I've had in along time for a good price. My bf ordered a thai dish, I forget the name but it had flat noodles fresh veggies shrimp and chicken, everything was super fresh and very flavorful. I'm so excited to go back and take friends, bonus its byob!
(5)
Nona Gayle D.

I haven't ever been inside this place.... but I have had take out from here.... I had a need to ingest teriyaki beef and I did not feel like driving all the way to matsuya, my brother and boyfriend stopped off at this place and got me a bento box, filled with goodness, now it was not the best teriyaki beef I've had, but it was not the worst, suffice to say it calmed my need. The bento box included, my beef, rice, tempura (like 3 pieces of veggies and a shrimp), a cucumber salad, 3 pieces of california roll, and miso soup. Not bad for 11.50! If I craved japanese but didn't have the energy to go to one of my favorite places, then I would hit this place up, it's pretty good.
(3)
Niki H.

I live right around the corner from these guys and I love it. Don't get me wrong, I almost wish it was bigger or had more room to "spread out" when dining in (since there are only a few, very close tables on the first floor) but the food is delicious. Even my non-sushi-loving boyfriend likes this place. Keep up the good work!
(5)
Alexis S.

We have ordered take out from here two times now. We always make sure to get a couple Philly rolls because they are my favorite. The sushi is fresh, bigger than usual and adequately priced.
(4)
Julie M.

I have been here twice, and am glad it is the neighborhood. The stir fry is good. I agree with a previous reviewer the sushi is mediocre. It wasn't bad, but not good. I ordered the garlic chicken for take out last week and it was delicious. Vegetables perfectly done, and the chicken very tender. I like it for take out , otherwise the tables are right on top of each other. Again, good addition to the neighborhood.
(3)
karen l.

I love this place!!! Excellent thai food. Great prices! The thai iced coffee is the best i've had in a long time. !
(4)
Ji K.

I'll admit it. I was drawn to this place by the name. It's actually pretty cool how you can order everything online and get the total price in real-time, which is what I did 20 minutes prior to pick-up. This small, corner spot is also really cute and cozy in person though I only did a quick walk-through while waiting for my food to get packed up. Overall, the food is good. I went with a Thai noodle standby and one of their special rolls, and it was all good. The food wasn't "out-of-this-world," but it definitely seems like a nice place to stop into for lunch or dinner if you're in the area.
(3)
chris e.

Definately some decent food (and thus the 3 stars) - the sushi was fresh and so was my pad se ewe.. too many downsides for me to consider going back tho. First, there is no parking. The small lot has literally 4-5 spaces in it and those are really tight. Second, seating .. there are 4 tables in the larger of the 2 small areas (and u cant get to the bench seat on those without some serious butt/or/crotch-in-the-face-of-the-person-seated-Âat-the-next-table action.) There is a small row of high perched tables/seats in the area where people walk past the sushi bar to get to the larger seating area-we are talking 4 tables there too. The service we had was not the greatest - waitress was not rude or anything but come on, u have 4 freaking tables u are sitting/serving. You cant remember that what the person ordered at the table next to us was NOT our order? Waitress also took my order and then had to be called back as she was walking away to take my boyfriends because she 'thought we were finished ordering' .. then had to be called back at the end of my boyfriends order because she left before he had a chance to tell her what he wanted to drink. She was seriously SERIOULSY not that busy that she had to be half way across the room as we are saying the last sentence, yanno. 4 tables in total. Come on. The person next to me (whos order the waitress originally gave us) leaned over to me and said "They are always like that here." ~shrugs I dont kno, but i do kno that there are other places that are easier to manuever, easier to find parking at and who make me feel a bit better about my dining experience out there for the same price. Decent food is great but its not everything when it comes to an eat-in experience. As for take out, the parking is so minimal that i wouldnt even try.
(3)
Ica F.

My boyfriend and I stayed away for months after having moved to the neighborhood because of the so-so reviews on Yelp, but I will be taking the reviews here with a grain of salt from now on. This place was yummy! The sushi was fresh and flavorful. The Yakisoba dish was slightly spicy and the veggies were crunchy. We had the special Obama-nami roll which had salmon, cream cheese, green pepper amongst other things. The service was attentive, but not overly. We went for lunch and really enjoyed the bright, well decorated interior. The wall color was a lovely, warm yellow color. The location (right next to a 90/94 on-ramp) could be better, once you are inside you forget where you are and enjoy your meal.
(4)
John C.

I could not ask for more. Yes the space is intimate, which adds to the neighborhood charm. The servers were very attentive from the moment we walked in the door. In fact, our party of 3 had to wait a few minutes before being seated but 3 different servers came up to us with an update that our wait should not be much longer. The quality of fish was excellent and at the level of other fine sushi restaurants that cost much more. The fatty white tuna was so good that I ordered a few more for my guests to try. We ordered top notch crab rangoon, nontraditional eggroll (crunchy peanut sauce goodness), typical seaweed salad, alaska roll, some other great rolls, salmon, tuna, hamachi, etc. Only piece I didnt like was the unagi. Did I mention this place is BYOB?! highly recommended.
(5)
L J.

Update: Mega Vega is really yummy!
(4)
Bridgette K.

After moving into the area I found myself trying a lot of different Asian restaurants, but this one was different from the rest. They had many many different dishes to choose from. My boyfriend and I ordered a few different dishes to get our varieties. The spring rolls were very fresh and I loved the sweet coat of caramel that were on them. I ordered their orange chicken and it was by far the best orange chicken I've had. My boyfriend order a noodle dishes that was excellent. The convience of ordering online was also great. And if you order 5times online they offer you a freebie.
(4)
Dana G.

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have tried three different times to order online, and they keep telling me that they do not get the order... This after waiting 25 min for a confirmation, the person I just spoke to at the restaurant didn't care, and she hung the phone up on me after I tried to explain that I wanted some dinner. I just thought I should let you all know the owners/ employees don't seem to care much for customer service. I wish my business was going so well that I could just hang up on people............ Well, I was not the first there, when I arrived last night there were people waiting to be seated, 75% of the tables were full and there were two of us ordering to go.... While I waited for my food there were 4 people who just came in and got menus. This is going to be a great addition to our hood! The owners were at hand to give me a tour and talk about their venture, I was glad to see that the space is now being used. We ordered the non traditional egg rolls, very unique flavor, could not put my finger on it, but its one of those things you will love or hate. (one of us hated, one of us loved) The Gyoza was similar to most, but the chili sesame oil was over powering and I had to take a break and go back so I could discover the actual flavor of the food. I had the salmon and avocado roll which was fresh and deliscous!! The spicy tuna was very good, but the shrimp tempura roll was outstanding! I liked the size of the rolls for the price. I am anxious to try more of their sushi, the only thing I didn't like were the words (no substitutions) as there are a few things I don't like and when there is such a limited menu for sushi, I was hoping to have some options. My partner had the beef yakisoba and he said the noodles were over cooked and it had a funky taste... well after reading the menu I discovered that it had chopped seaweed on it, and since he hates anything from the sea, it was not a good choice for him. (next time no seaweed!) We will be back for sure! The owners were delightful, and the space has a great feel, from the pan-asian sun room, to the upstairs zen eating area it does have a lot to offer for such a small place. I look forward to tasting more from the menu. I will update, and change the rating as the tasting continues....
(1)
Denise E.

This place was horrible. The service was very poor. I had ordered a kitchen item and my husband ordered sushi. They brought my husbands sushi out and I had to wait about another 15 minutes for my food. They did offer a free appetizer since I had to wait but I would have rather had my food. I do not understand why they could not have just held his sushi until my food was complete. Finally, the sushi was not very fresh and the price was a little high. My entree was ok but overall was not worth the price. Would not return to this establishment.
(1)
tracy g.

Finding a good restaurant while living in Jefferson Park has been a struggle for us. A friend of mine told me about this place. Since we have 3 young boys, take out is our friend! So we gave it a try! They have the bento boxes and the pistachio salmon box is excellent. The salmon is swimming in this teriyaki sauce that is sooo good! the crab Rangoon is good too!
(4)
darrel h.

Pretty good, not at good as Tank over on Lincoln, but I'd go again.
(4)
RICH R.

I recommend this place at least to check out once. I enjoy the sushi here especially Mount Fuji it is really good. Its close to home so I have been here a few times and also they deliver. Its B.Y.O.B so bring some Sapporo's. The last time I went it seemed they forgot about my order. I didn't receive my food for over an hour. They comped my appetizer and hit the bill with 20% off. Try the crab ragu really good stuff.
(3)
Kasia C.

I'm really excited for a new spot in my neighborhood! Checked it out with my boyfriend on just their second day of being open. For the early evening time, it was pretty full -- and so was the tiny parking lot. Parking will be very tricky at this location. We ordered the unconventional egg rolls, and I enjoyed them very much. A nice sweet, cuminy taste to them, and I'm a fan of the sausage inside. Then, we ordered two rolls: spicy tuna and another one that had salmon and crab meat. Both were good, although I've enjoyed better spicy tuna elsewhere (I don't enjoy the tuna that appears like it's shredded -- like the nice clean slices better). We followed that with the Panang curry chicken. Delicious! I was never really sure who our waitress was, because all three servers stopped by at some point with something. One of them spoke no English whatsoever, which made things very difficult. Once another waitress came around, she understood and spoke English very well. The prices are right, though I'm bothered by the seemingly restrictive sushi/sashimi selection. I will try it next time, but I prefer ordering my sashimi by individual pieces, rather than the preset selection that the restaurant dictates. I will definitely be going back, and ordering take-out on the way home. Can't beat the convenience from the Pulaski Blue Line stop. I hope this place lasts, because the food is good and the prices are right. But other places haven't lasted long in the tricky location.
(4)
Arlo H.

They are a mix up of diifering asian cuisine ... alright... not amazing, but in a pinch they'll do. They deliver faster then I can grab my laundry and bring it up to my apartment. Im ok with that too.
(3)
Sean M.

Nice location that has decent sushi for moderate pricing. Only been here for lunch and its atmosphere seems suited for it, relaxed and bright with prompt service. I recommend the non traditional egg rolls that have a pretty good peanut sauce inside. The mega vegga roll is also a good stomach filler and pretty tasty. Although maybe not a final destination for the evening its a good spot to stop for a quick sushi fix, with a lunch menu that takes it easier on your wallet then most sushi outfits would.
(3)
Erin M.

My husband and I had HWCS's first private party! We had our wedding rehearsal dinner on the second floor with friends and family. It was truly amazing - Lois and Noom are great to work with! The food was plentiful and the atmosphere is great. Since there we have been frequent diners - eat-in or carry out. We simply love its convenience, tasty, fresh food, and affordable prices. Our favorites are the pad thai, Orange Chicken, Super White Creamy maki, Spicy Scallop, California, Dragon and Spider rolls. The staff know us by name (did I say we go there often? haha) and we have never had a bad experience!
(5)
Joan L.

Last week I had food delivered from this restaurant twice and ventured there today. Every food item that I've received has been high quality, absolutely delicious and pleasing to the eye. The signature rolls and maki are excellent and will not disappoint: Obamanami, Alaskan, and Salmon. The Thai dishes have been exceptional: Pad Thai, Panang Curry Chicken, and Cashew Chicken. The Japanese Miso soup was tasty. The young woman on the waitstaff was very personable and the delivery people have been very polite. I will definitely be eating here again as the food is excellent and healthy. As an added convenience, they will take credit/bank cards for delivery orders. The only drawback is the restaurant is small and in a congested area with scant parking.
(4)
Marlene J.

First of all I just had the best egg roll that I have ever had in my LIFE!The sushi wasn't something to write home about, but it was still good. I won't order sushi for delivery again, but I can't wait to get more egg rolls!
(4)
rachel p.

hot woks, bland sushi. actually i'm not even sure about the wok since we didn't order anything hot, but i'm 100% sure that the most flavorful thing in my large order of sushi was the pickled ginger. none of my food was overtly offensive, but there was really nothing right about it either. having recently discovered lawrence fish market (thank you yelp)... hot woks, bland sushi PALES in comparison. for the same amount of money, lawrence gives you twice the sushi and triple the flavor. none of the fish we got was bad, but the rice was completely flavorless. no salt, no sugar, no vinegar. in a roll with jalepeÃ±o and cilantro we found ourselves asking "is it ok to salt sushi?" none of the rolls were properly constructed and basically crumbled with the slightest touch of a chopstick. we also tried the spring rolls. the wrapping was thick and dry and the filling was utterly flavorless save a HUGE chunk of cream cheese. who puts cream cheese in a spring roll anyway?! on a positive note, they do deliver, the interior is nicely decorated and when they package your sushi to go, they label the boxes. the labeling comes in handy since everything tastes the same... bland.
(2)
Paulette G.

This is my ABSOLUTE favorite sushi restaurant. It is actually one of my favorite restaurants - period. My husband and I tried it when it first opened - I have been hooked ever since. It is very rare that I will even go to another sushi restaurant - Hot Woks has me so spoiled. The food is WONDERFUL!! Everything is so fresh! Which is important with sushi :-) I also love their Cashew Chicken. They have recently added a few new items. I am now hooked on the mango dessert. I highly recommend this restaurant!!
(5)
Hfrrz h.

i love this place. Food is fresh and fast. Always good with lots of flavor. online ordering is easy . Good stuff better than everyone else in the area. I like the basil chicken and the oceana sushi rolls.
(5)
Joe P.

I like this place..mainly because they deliver. The sushi is always fresh. The maki rolls are small but tasty. Big fan of the Pad SE UI.Im a fan
(4)
Stephanie M.

everything i have gotten here is a one or two on the rating scale. (pad thai, 1) (sushi and sashimi, 2) but there is a soup on the menu that i have taken a liking to. their vegetable soup is light and filling with probably a cup and a half of vegetables in a one pint container, plus tofu. it is cute inside and i have used their bathroom once and it was very nice and clean. also, there are tables upstairs. there is one by a window for two that looks like a quiet place for a date. i haven't eaten inside so i can't tell you much about the service while dining in. the people who work here aren't very friendly but also aren't rude, which is fine with me because i don't like small talk. i also like that they always have complimentary tootsie rolls and frootsie rolls. yum.
(3)
Mariella C.

The sushi here didn't taste fresh or tasty. I liked that the menu has diverse selections, pad thai for instance, but I suppose thats at the cost of great sushi. I had this promo thing called the obama-maki, it tasted bland and like it's been sitting out all day. We arrived an hour before closing, so I would assume they sort of gave us whatever was left from the day. I do not like that they said the desserts were gone for the day just cause they wanted to close, why would i come back to place that wants to rush me out?
(2)
dj g.

Nice place good food a bit pricey for take out but overall good
(4)
Laura M.

Always looking for a good restaurant in walking distance, we finally tried it. I'm erring on the low side of rating because the newish Moroccan place same distance from our house is SOOO much better. The sushi rolls were servicable. I had their signature "Obamanami" and it is creative and tasty. My husband had a salmon roll that was unremarkable. The gyoza were relatively tasteless and doughy. The teriyaki salmon looked like someone had poured teriyaki SYRUP from a bottle over it. Not too great. If you go, definitely sit UPSTAIRS, as the small seating area near the kitchen is really loud. Service was pleasant and attentive. BYOB.
(2)
Winnie D.

My hubby and I had dinner here a few weeks ago. I really love the ambiance and the food. The wait staff were very friendly and so as the manager/owner. She was chatting with us for a few minutes and made us feel welcomed! From the outside, the restaurant looked pretty small but its actually pretty nice size and they have dining area upstairs. After dinner, my hubby and I checked out the upstairs. We liked it. It has that cozy homey feeling..no wonder its called Cool Sushi! Its 3 mins away from my house. The price isnt that bad and food is great!
(4)
Tanya M.

I went here friday night with my boyfirend and i'd give it 3.5 stars if i could, but i can't so I rounded up. One thing that the reviews i read did not say is how incredibly small the place was. it had about 7 2-seat tables in front with 1 4-seat table and that was it. I think they have an extra room in back because I saw a few groups walk that way, but i'm not sure. I hope it has an extra room in back because other wise it is way too small. and our waitress seemed very flustered and overwhelmed even though it was only 7 tables in front so maybe she's new. The place was really busy so I guess that's a good sign. I didn't try the sushi but everyone around was and it looked huge and delicious. I'm totally going back to cehck that out. I had the pad ke mao (forgive the spelling) which was delicious and my boyfriend had the beef teriyaki (again spelling) which he said he really liked but I've had better. So overall the place is small but cute, good thai food and what looks to be delicious sushi. Its out of the way but the prices are good and its byob so I think its worth the trip to check it out. The parking lot is a real tight fit and once we got there we discovered its across the street from a blue line stop, irving park stop i think.
(4)
Marjie W.

I love it because it's in walking distance from my house, but if I didn't live close, I wouldn't make a special trip here. Their sushi is average (still good, though!) but I haven't had any desire to try their other menu items more than once. And they're kind of expensive.
(3)
Audrey S.

My first experience with sushi was here about a year ago. Luckily my boyfriend's mom had taken us there, so she taught me how to eat it - don't try to cut it, just stick the whole role in your mouth - good advice! I tried her sampler of a few different kinds and loved it all. It included spicy tuna maki, sweet potato tempura maki, cucumber maki, and unagi (fresh water eel). We also got crab rangoon - freshest I've ever had. I'm actually surprised I haven't been back since today. Since I'm a glutton for pad thai, I got that and a six spring rolls. The waitstaff is friendly, helpful, and patient. Today, my boyfriend got the Bento Box which actually came in a box with about five compartments to separate the food. It came with vegetable tempura, three pieces of California maki, Asian coleslaw, and chicken teriyaki. No one got anything that wasn't absolutely delicious. Nothing smelled fishy in the least bit because it's so incredibly fresh. If you're debating whether to go or not, just go! You simply cannot go wrong here!
(5)
Dann B.

Finally a sushi joint in Old Irving. Great place too. It's nice but not too upscale, I've enjoyed all the food I've eaten there, once again not top shelf but good. I hope this place sticks around. It's a BYOB but I've never BMOB there so I can't really speak on that experience. Service was very attentive. Good place for a date, maybe not a first date.
(4)
kristin H.

So happy to have a great sushi place in my neighborhood. I'll keep it simple. Yummy food, excellent service and delicious thai iced coffee
(4)
Bonnie L.

I am really glad to have this place in the neighborhood. Stopped by last night. When we walked in nobody came to help us for a couple of minutes although the owner was standing there chatting with someone. A bit annoying but when she finally helped us she was really really nice. And apologized as she thought that we were there to pick up a take out order. We were seated upstairs. The place already has lots of customers. I am glad for them. We ordered the cucumber salad, yummy! Also the spring rolls, which I was not crazy about. They have cream cheese and Avocado in them. I think it was the cream cheese that was a bit much for me. I didn't hate it, but probably would hesitate to order it again. Then we ordered the Pad Thai. It was really good. All in all I liked the food but what was irritating was also the server that spoke no English. I have not had Sushi before and really wanted to try something but I could not find out more about the rolls because she didn't speak English. That was a big downside for me. I will be back and will eventually try other things on the menu. Will update as time goes.
(3)
Melissa M.

Yeah, I'm not coming back, but I can't say it was CRAPPY or anything. Just really blah and tasteless, (especially the sushi. no taste to it at all) and def not worth the price. Especially if you know places JUST OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD that are way better for the same price, (Like Siam Taste Noodle for the Thai part and ANY NUMBER of places for the Chinese part.) and think: "I should've just gone to this other place. Or even THAT other place." Yeah, I wouldn't call it horrible or NASTY or anything, just encourage u to forget this place. Oh wait you will anyway ;P
(3)
Simona M.

I really enjoyed this Pan-Asian restaurant. The atmosphere was very cozy and the service was superb. I ordered the Hot Woks noodles and was very happy with them. The dish had chicken and shrimp and only cost $7.95. They could have been a little spicier, but I probably could have requested that. I will definitely go back!
(4)
The C.

As this location was very close to home and we were craving Sushi; having drove by it so much we were compelled to try it out. Much to our satisfaction it was really good - even though our order was for delivery. It had a robust selection of Maki, Temaki, Nigiri, Soups and both Japanese and Thai main courses, combination choices, appetizers and the like. We splurged and spent near $60 trying different things out including dessert. Overall it was really good and I bet the experience would be even better if we had gone to dine in, which we plan to do in the future. Kudos!
(3)
katrina w.

Really pleasantly surprised by this place! I live in the neighborhood and ordered when they first opened - noodle dishes and starters - blah. This time I ordered sushi and veggie mu shu and both were really good! It's not fancy randolph street sushi, but good sushi delivered to my door is a dream. We just got simple stuff - spicy tuna and salmon avocado.
(4)
Kelly G.

I was a little wary of ordering from Hot Woks/Cool Sushi after I read some of the reviews here on Yelp. But I had been wanting to try it out, and after a long day of traveling I was really hankering for someone to bring me some sushi. So I decided to give it a try, and ordered from them off Grub Hub. First, the delivery arrived when expected - an hour delivery time, which is sort of long to me, but at least they gave a correct estimate. The untraditional egg rolls were....well, certainly untraditional. And unfortunately not very tasty. They look like your standard deep fried egg rolls, but inside is sausage (ground pork really), cabbage, carrot, peanut sauce, and a TON of Chinese five spice. Now, I like Chinese five spice - but not in huge quantities. I also didn't really like the texture of the peanut sauce in the egg roll. So, maybe worth a try for something different - but I won't be ordering it again. I love the fact that you can order sushi/sashimi a la carte for delivery, and I added a Hamachi (yellow fin tuna) to the order. Nice large fresh slice of tuna on sushi rice. Yum. I also ordered the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Maki. Now, when I have had tempura sushi before it was when they actually quick fried the roll itself in a light tempura batter. What I recieved was more of the roll being covered in tempura bits. Not what I expected, but not necessarily bad. Just...different.The tuna definitely had a good spicy kick to it, which was nice since most spicy tuna rolls aren't really truly spicy. Finally, I also had the raspberry jasmine tea. I love jasmine tea and this was something new for me, and I enjoyed it. In sum, the sushi was cold and good. The egg rolls, not my thing. My only other concerns are the price (as other have mentioned) and how they package their delivery. Hot items should NOT be in the same bag as the sushi, although thankfully the egg rolls didn't heat up my sushi too much. Also they use a huge plastic container for the sushi that lets it flop all around - with sashimi this could destroy the roll. I think they should invest in some smaller containers, or something with dividers to keep everything in place. After all, part of sushi is the presentation. Overall, due to its close proximity to me, its decently good food, and online delivery option I will probably order again.
(3)
Heather S.

Love this place. We primarily get the sushi. Red moon roll is one of our favorites. Spicy tuna and scallop rolls are also very good. The staff are always very friendly! We usually order ahead and then pick it up. There is a variety of food for all. Parking can be difficult at times but there is additional parking toward the back.
(5)
Ashley B.

Ordered takeout from here last night. It was okay, but nothing to write home about. I got the Asparagus roll and Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll. Neither tasted very fresh. The tuna was very bland and mushy. My husband got the Beef and Broccoli plate. It smelled good and he said it tasted okay. I would like to give the place a chance while dining in though. I'm just disappointed, because I really want to find a place close to home with great sushi, but that dream has yet to be fulfilled.
(2)
James V.

this little place isnt too bad. the problem with pan-asian places is that they don't particularly do one dish well. everything is pretty average, kind of like that feeling that you have had it before. tall the asian staples are here like terriyaki, pad thai, and spring rolls. the more i thought about it, hot woks reminded me of a poor man's joy-yees (probably the best pan-asian restaurant in chicago). the sushi is decorated well but a little mediocre. you really cant expect good sushi from a place that isnt a true sushi house. good news is that they deliver and they are pretty fast. there is some parking available, but i wouldnt trust it because you have to park at a weird angle. thankfully there are some meter parking around.
(3)
Matt J.

I ordered via Grub Hub for delivery. I was disappointed that there is a $15 minimum order for delivery. I was ordering only for myself and spending $15 for delivery and then $2.50 in delivery fees pushed my one person order to the $20 mark. The sushi was decent but warm. I'd only order here again because there is only one other sushi place in this area.
(3)
Joan K.

I love this restaurant. I am a big fan of Penang Beef and have tried this dish all over the US. My hands-down favorite was from a restaurant in Seattle until Hot Woks opened. My daughter and I live for their Penang Beef! It's absolutely the tastiest version I've ever had. My friends have told me that they enjoy many other dishes at Hot Woks, but I just can't pass up the Penang Beef. Why take a chance when you can have guaranteed deliciousness?
(5)
Demetrio P.

Tried Hot Wok Cool Sushi last night, and it was better than expected. We don't have many, or any at all if I can recall, Asian/Sushi places in the Irving Park area, so this is a good addition. As for the food, we ordered 3 types of sushi rolls which one being the spicy tuna roll and an appetizer. All were good, not great, but good. Prices seemed a tad higher than other sushi places I've been to, but still budget friendly. Service was good as well and space inside is very limited. In summary, okay food, okay prices, good service.
(3)
Erika C.

I love this place! it has the best pad thai!!! The best part is that its extremly affordable! Plus, the serving portions are huge. One plate is enough for two, or for the next day!
(5)
Ken L.

The food is quite good, decor is simple/ chic and the prices are moderate. The service is very attentive and polite. The food seems aimed at the middle and hits its mark. I hope the place is successful and continues to offer an alternative to fighting Lakeview traffic & parking.
(3)
Molly B.

I've ordered carryout here twice. The first time I got the wrong thing (avocado rolls instead of salmon avocado), so I called back and they added it to my account for my next order, which was cool and my main incentive for returning. My second time they got it wrong again, this time giving me less sushi than I had ordered. Luckily I checked when I got outside and didn't have to call back, but when I took it back in, they weren't exactly apologetic (though not terribly rude either...indifferent, it seemed) and they charged me the extra 5 bucks even though it was not my fault that I got the wrong order. I would have been glad to pay the 5 dollars and get what I ordered, but I thought since they were the ones who got it wrong and I had to wait there for them to get the right order, they should've eaten the cost. It almost felt like they thought I was trying to rip them off. To assure myself I wasn't imagining things, I checked with my S.O. and he confirmed both times that I had ordered what I expected to receive. The person who answered the phone did not speak English very well at all and I'm assuming that's the reason for the mix up. Service aside, the food just wasn't that great for the cost. That said, all I had was the sushi. As others noted, the sushi menu is a bit sparse and I've had much better. I am all about supporting my neighborhood businesses and I really wanted to like this place, but I probably won't be back here again.
(2)
marianna c.

Really cool place to check out. It feels very cozy in there but I got to say that our sushi was not excellent, but I'm not an expert so try it yourself.
(3)
Dana K.

seriously, just go and try the Fukodome roll. you will thank me for years to come. that alone is worth a trip, or a delivery call. and yes - i said delivery. their delivery peeps are awsome there!
(4)
E C.

I loved this place. My bf and I usually eat here every two weeks. When I wanted to get together with some friends I offered this restaurant. After about an hour and 15 minutes we were basically told that someone was waiting for our table. The restaurant has a top seating area that could accommodate more guests. I have eaten in a wide variety of places and have never been told to leave. Not even in places with tons of traffic. From now on I will be patronizing elsewhere.
(1)
Sarah K.

My husband & I went here last evening. It was their opening night so I expected them to be a little more attentive. Our appetizers arrived after our make rolls which was a little annoying. We ordered two make rolls (shrimp tempura & avocado/tuna). The rolls could have been sliced a little bit thinner but they tasted good. Our server barely spoke understood english and she never came back after she dropped off our food. We had our plates stacked up and I finally had to go to the front to ask for our bill. I'm giving them 3 stars because I'm hoping the service will improve! It was their first night so we'll give them a break & try them again.
(3)
Stephanie L.

Really great thai food. ingredients seemed fresh and delivery was on time. new favorite in our neighborhoood
(4)
Sarah M.

I echo the sentiment of everyone else here who is just longing for this place to be GREAT because I can easily walk here . And also SMOQUE is always so darn crowded. I have been here 2 times. Firstly, the ambiance is almost perfect, save for the echoes of the chefs pan-frying meals. I think this could be easily fixed with some acoustical sound absorbers in the ceiling. I could barely hear my friend across the table from me at times. We were sitting at the 2-seater tables by the window next to the kitchen. I got miso soup and the spider roll. The miso soup was great - not authentic (but i like it better that way). The stock didn't taste exactly Japanese. The tofu chunks were very nice. The spider roll was over-priced, too small, but delicious! I was impressed. It wasn't as good as the makizushi at Ringo, but still, a great 2nd. My friend got tempura udon. Here's where it all went downhill for me. This tempura was just like all of the other mediocre tempura that I have had here in the states. It was not light and crispy with crumbly breading and very little grease. It was the opposite of this with just the regular American-style breading (think: Long John Silvers). This ruined the dish for me. If that wasn't enough, the udon broth lacked flavor. I know it's supposed to be somewhat bland, but not this bland. It was just a little more than brown water. I have never liked udon noodles, so I can't speak for them. So then last night, I met a friend, and we brought in a big bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade to share. I had seen the sign about the $3 charge for BYOB but I guess we were prepared to pay that, even though it was more than the cost of the alcohol itself! (; Well, I sat the bottle right there on the table, in plain sight but we never got charged for it!!! I don't know if: a)this was an oversight...b)the corking charge is only for wine...or c)they changed their policy. I really hope that it's c because 3 dollars is ridiculous considering the price of their menu items. So I got Penang noodles and my friend got pad sew ewe. I regret that I didn't try hers. But my Penang noodles were pretty good. I don't have a baseline for comparing them to anything else. There was quite a bit too much sauce on the whole thing which again made it rather *heavy*. But it had a nice flavor. The chicken was fresh and tender and the carrots were crisp. I was expecting thin noodles but it came with the broad ones which I am not a huge fan of. I probably did not read the menu carefully enough. Presentation is wonderful here so far. The proprietor came by and talked to us which (as someone mentioned) was a nice touch. The convenience and general mood of the place will make me a repeat customer, but I will be wishing it would be more of a supreme dining experience. The noodle dishes are a lot more reasonable than the sushi. Our bill (2 entrees) was just over 16 bucks.
(3)
Brian W.

My wife and I went to Hot Woks on a Saturday night. My wife who loves to cook thought the food was excellent and I agree. We had more then enough for two and the bill was $47.00. The service was very good. We over heard the waitress being accommodating with another customer who was ordering something not on the menu. The first floor is very small so I would not encourage going with a large party. There is a second floor that is a little larger. We brought our own bottle of wine and their was no corkage fee. We will definitely be going back.
(5)
Rik U.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Yeah! We have a new Asian restaurant in the neighborhood that does both Japanese sushi and Thai. My 2 favorites. I was worried we wouldnt get any more good Thai food after Manee Thai burnt down. Along comes Hot Woks Cool Sushi to the rescue. This place is great! I love what they did with the interior of this place, its very inviting. I especially love the design and feel of the upstairs. Its nice to be able to look out and see the city as well. The staff is very friendly and accommodating not to mention the owner who makes the rounds to all the tables and was very nice to talk with. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and sushi which we though was excellent. The sushi was very fresh with nice thick cuts. Their sushi rolls were unique tasting and delicious. Its great to finally have a decent sushi place in the area. Chiyo was the only possibly decent sushi restaurant around but that turned out to be a major disappointment. Thank goodness we have this place now. I cant wait to try more of their food. Yummm! Better get over there soon before its too packed to get a seat! I know I will be over there a lot. Enjoy!
(4)
jonas oliver g.

finally some good quality asian food in chicago.. if youre ever in the Irving Park area and want some good mixed asian dishes, hit up a place called Hot Woks Cool Sushi.. food is amazing, and the vegan/vegetarian choices seem pretty cool. its byob so party on!loljk its a quaint little place right next to the irving park blue line station. i'm totally coming back one of these days...
(4)
Chanita S.

This place left me a good impression not only due to their food quality but their service as well. This was my first time there; I wanted to check it out because I was new to the lovely neighborhood. I aways kept on passing it because it's right off the Irving Park exit, and need I say more, their gigantic restaurant sign caught my eye which kept on calling me to go in. I sat in their outdoor patio because the weather was nice out, so I didn't get a chance to check out the indoor decor. But from what I see outside, the restraurant looked smaller than what I had expected. No big deal though, people will manage. As soon as we sat, the menu and water came right away. Shortly after, the owner came to greet our table and welcomed us to the nighborhood just like she did with other tables. She was very genuine and was able to keep up with our conversation which left me a great impression of excellent customer service. We asked for food recommendations ,and she provided her honest opinions. She even said that if the chicken is under cooked, let her know and she'll send it back to the kitchen. I ended up splitting a dragon roll and one of their special rolls that I believe was the Mount Figi roll or something along those lines. The sushi was GREAT!!! Normal pricing that you'd find elsewhere. Since I can never fill up on sushi with the short budget that I have, I decided to order a stir-fry dish which was t he yakisoba. It was pretty good, but I think the portion could had been slightly larger. I'll be back there again when I crave sushi and don't want to travel far.
(4)
Mandy C.

Hot Wok is my local sushi place. I love this place! Im a big fan of sushi and have tried many and I mean many different places in Chicago and Hot Wok is very high on my favorite places to eat sushi. The fukudome roll is amazing! The place is BYOB, and the staff is nice and attentive. Only down side, the place is very small, parking is a challenge sometimes but worth all the effort!
(4)
Sean R.

It's nice to see some folks trying to breathe life into my sleepy little neighborhood, but the truth is if I didn't live three blocks from this place I don't think I'd make a big effort to get here. The sushi is edible but nothing to look forward to, the spicy basil wasn't that spicy, and it seemed a touch overpriced, particularly the sushi. Come to think of it the Thai selections seem to be within the standard price range so I guess it's just the sushi that's a bit dear. I rather did enjoy the Thai iced coffee though. I'll be back here once in a while during the summer just for that coffee and maybe a light appetizer.
(3)
martha n.

The food is actually decent here. I just called to place a delivery order ... and they won't deliver to me because I am TWO BLOCKS outside of their "delivery area." I used to be a regular customer....I guess they don't need customers.
(1)
Paula B.

I love having a BYO sushi & Thai place in the neighborhood that has good food! There was only 1 other Thai restaurant that delivered & they closed, so I was so excited when Hot Woks opened up. Nice friendly atmosphere & very welcoming staff.
(4)
Jill J.

I wouldn't say that Hot Woks has the best sushi in the city, but it's definitely very tasty and affordable. The restaurant is small, BYOB, and the staff is very friendly. Last time I ordered from here, I decided to try delivery...which I did on the website...and I had my food in less than 30 minutes. I love the Fukudome and the Rama Chicken. Yum.
(4)
Lizzie C.

This place has actually gotten worse in subsequent visits. The dining area is really, really cold--uncomfortably so. The waitstaff makes very little effort, and the food is overpriced. I was happy enough to have a decent eating spot in the neighborhood, but I'll drive the extra time and go back to Tank or Mirai when they have specials instead. You can taste the difference.
(2)
Flora C.

Yippeeee! A new restaurant in my neighborhood! My husband and I went to try it out and left feeling very excited and FULL! The decor and ambiance is wonderful, and the staff is very friendly and attentive. We sat upstairs which was very cozy with a great view of the skyline in the distance. We ordered an appetizer tasting platter which was delicious. Than tried the sushi. We were very impressed with it. The cuts were thick and fresh. No liquor license yet, so BYOB. But we enjoyed their own brewed raspberry iced tea. The owner came by and talked for a while. She was really cool. She explained her sushi chef was top notch from TANK and SUSHI WABI. The wok recipes are inspired by her. Next time we are going to try the wok items. The only thing that prevented me giving it 5 stars was our particular waitress...she was not very good at knowing her sushi terminology. But she was very nice and attentive all the same. Hopefully this is the start of more restaurants coming into Independence Park/Old Irving!
(4)
Brie A.

Killer eggrolls, creative Asian cuisine, and overall GREAT deals. Plus free parking! I am so glad I live near this gem, and have frequented Hot Woks more times than I care to mention in the last month. Their lunch deals can't be beat price-wise - and you're getting great food on top of that! Having lived in Asia for a time, I really appreciate the way Hot Woks uses traditional flavors with unexpected twists. The signature fried rice and noodles are excellent, and a dinner portion is more than enough to serve two hungry people. Be sure to try their untraditional eggrolls - they are unlike any eggroll you've ever had before!
(4)
Veronica H.

I am giving this place four stars because they exceeded the expectations that I had for a sushi spot in an area of Chicago that generally has sub par restaurants (not because they came close to Tank Sushi's AWESOME sushi). This place might be best for take out or delivery, given the comments from other yelpers about dining in (lack of parking, service, capacity, etc). We can't say much about the dining experience as our first experience here was delivery. We ordered spicy tuna makis (5.75), Rainbow maki (10.95) and an Akira maki (12.95). The rolls were super sizable given the price. The spicy tuna makis were especially plump, had nice big chunks of tuna and weren't smothered in mayo. The Rainbow maki was a little on the sloppy side when it came to assembly, but yummy nevertheless. The delivery was extra quick. We loved the light crispy Akira rolls--these were very neatly rolled and had generous portions of sushi in them. They gave us a one-hour ETA over the phone, but it was more like 30 minutes--bonus. Great option for those in the neighborhood. Definitely ordering from here again soon.
(4)
Jaxx H.

We ate here this eveing - a Monday night. Monday night must be family night because the place was full of young children.... including my 6 year old and I. We decided to play it safe having not been here before. We ordered Edamame and Miso soup for our app. I ordered namasake (salmon). My son had the a combo plate with chicken terriyaki, tempura and a california roll. I was pleased. The salmon was very good and tender. I could bite it and have it break very easily. Even my son took a bite and like it. How is that for adventurous! A 6 yr old eating raw salmon with out spitting it out! Everything was very good. Normally I find tempura greasy - this was light and very good. As I said we ordered a meal with low risk - it was very good , so next time we will try something different. We also had the icecream for desert - I forget what they are call the little balls. Our bill was 28.01 plus a 5.99 tip. On the expensive side for 1 adult and 1 child. I also recommend parking on pulaski. It is no parking between 4 and 6pm. So time your meal around 6pm if you can. The parking lot is risky at best. You can also park on Irving and walk around the block or on Dakin which is one way west.
(4)
Nick W.

I come here about once a month with my girlfriend. The sushi is pretty good. I'm a big fan of the dragon roll here. The chicken teriyaki is pretty good as well. My only problem with this place is the waitresses don't really speak English so it's hard to ask them any questions or get anything recommended. Pretty good place not great. 4 stars!
(4)
Ajha P.

After many years of being a loyal customer I'm sorry to say that I can no longer give this hot woks my service. I remember when the place first opened several years ago. It was so nice to have a good sushi restaurant near my house, however the quality has deteriorated over the years. The crab Rangoon is always either overcooked or undercooked and winds up being a half hard and half gloppy mush. The sushi ranges from mediocre to god awful. Today there was bone in my spicy tuna rolls and didn't taste fresh. It was all spice, no fish. For this I'd say hit or miss because I've had great STR from this hot woks. But today was so bad I don't think I'll be taking the risk to get a winner again. My last order took nearly 2 hours to arrive despite the place being only 2 miles away. My hot food has been delivered cold. My cold food has been delivered lukewarm. I don't know if the ownership has changed or what but this has been a truly disappointing experience. Hot woks used to be my go to place. I've ordered from them 30+ times in the last couple of years alone, but I can't keep shelling out for a steady decline in quality. I'm sorry hot woks cool sushi, but we need to break up. This time it's permanent.
(1)
Annie V.

I absolutely love their salmon skin bacon salad and the dressing it comes with! I love it so much that I ordered it for lunch yesterday online and had my friend pick it up. On the "special instructions" part, I specifically asked them not to forget the dressing for the salad and to please provide eating utensils.... And of course, what did they forget? My freaking salad dressing. Grrr that is super annoying especially since I wrote it on there!!! They should double check orders and especially check the "special instructions" comments! I understand everyone makes mistakes, but seriously?! I had to eat my salad plain, dry, and flavorless. I felt like a damn rabbit. On top of that, before getting my food, I tipped $5 for a PICK UP order on an $8 salad. ::..PISSED..::
(2)
Catherine B.

Spring rolls are not super impressive and crab Rangoon is average but holy crap the sweet potato tempura roll and mega vega rolls are so good I usually order two with extra spicy mayo. Seriously. I don't know how vegetarian sushi can be so filling and delicious but it's the best veggie friendly sushi I've ever found.
(5)
Andrew M.

Hot Wok!!!! Good Sushi and the entrees are really good. Champagne garlic chicken is where it is at! Dine in or delivery is always spot on. Expansive menu is great. Only complaint is the bathrooms are up a huge flight of stairs. Mmmm hot tea.
(4)
Meghan W.

This is our go-to when we don't feel like cooking! I love that this place has a little bit of everything- my husband loves the Pad Thai, while I prefer their yummy sushi rolls (the Sweet Potato and Spicy Crunchy Tuna are my favs)! I've also tried the Chinese Fried Rice with beef and it's delicious! It's very reasonably priced, so we order delivery very often! They are fast, efficient (hot stuff always packed on the bottom and separated so the sushi doesn't get too warm), and our order is always correct! We love this place!!!
(5)
Brett M.

Some of these reviews are overly harsh. Does Hot Woks have top notch sushi? No. You can find better Sushi at a variety of other locations. However, you can't find much better sushi for the price and they specialize in simplistic varieties to keep that price down. We are big fans of their smoked salmon, Alaskan, and California. Additionally, Hot Woks is a quaint little atmosphere that is BYOB.
(4)
Liza S.

Been going here since it opened. Love the atmosphere and cute patio. The sushi is as good as any other sushi joint, but definitely better than the already-prepared Trader Joes or Whole Foods sushi. Service is always good. You can choose between authentic and more modern dishes, fun. The pricing is a little high for a broke college kid, but it's around the same as (if not cheaper than) any other sushi joint. The best part is the location.. Can't beat that it's right next to the highway. Nice place to bring a date too.
(5)
Sarah S.

After picking up my SO from the hospital we were both starving... Came here and we were not disappointed. Ordered a variety of sushi and pad Thai and both were excellent. Even the next day pad Thai was yummy, which in some cases is not true. Odd placement for a restaurant, but we worth the effort
(4)
Radha K.

I've always wanted to try this place since it's very close to a friend's place and right off the blue line on my way home from work...very glad I did! The crab Rangoon was good! Unlike most crab Rangoon, this actually had a significant amount of filling in every one. We got two signature rolls: Akira - Jumbo Roll: Tuna, salmon, super white tuna, spicy mayo masago, ginger, avocado, cucumber with tempura crumbs and sweet soy sauce Mount Fuji - Fresh shrimp, cucumbers, mayo, masago, chili oil, green onion covered in a tempura crumb and spicy mayo shell. I typically find that I like a particular roll vs. another, but I really enjoyed both rolls equally. The Akira had some kick to it, but I really enjoyed the ginger in the roll. Mount Fuji was pretty crunchy which I love...honestly it looks like it might be bland, but this also had a great amount of flavor with a spicy kick! Both were crunchy, no flavors overpowered others, and I definitely want to go try some more!
(3)
Alex S.

The food:cost ratio is better than I've had at similar restaurants in this neighborhood. They're not particularly expensive or overpriced, I would just suggest stopping in for their lunch special.
(4)
J R.

The food here is delicious! Sushi, noodles, appetizers... You can't go wrong with this place
(5)
Betty H.

I wrote a great review on this restaurant a long time ago on a superman fan site. When their entrance was red, then they turn it to green. i wonder what color will be next purple? Great food, Great waitresses. Not hard to get to for those who don't have a car. If you has a car then it's hard for you to get in and out because it's right in the middle of the busiest streets in my neighborhood. Link: zoomway.net/ubbthreads/uâ€¦
(4)
Ashley M.

Hands down my favorite neighborhood sushi place. I live down the block and dine in frequently with my boyfriend. The waitresses are very nice, and attentive. I've ordered the majority of the menu. And everytime the food is great. It tastes fresh. Very flavorful. Large portions. That location has changes a few times I think a taco place and even a hot dog place. But I'm very happy hot woks is here and I believe it will be there for awhile!
(4)
Lance E.

We ate in the dining room once and had a good experience with the food and service. I would not recommend eating in the outdoor area because it's so noisy with Pulaski and the Kennedy right there. My wife and I order take-out about once a week and really enjoy it the sushi.
(3)
Nina G.

This place is good. The only gripe I have is the price. For the $12-15 rolls they are small size instead of the big ones. I guess it makes it easier to eat, but it really makes me miss the godzilla roll at Matsuya even more. :( It's a cute date place. I would go again....if my date were paying. hehe jk This place is worth a try though.
(4)
Theresa M.

Haven't set foot in this cozy little restaurant yet, but I've done take out. This restaurant has put life back to the "odd" corner that once housed my FAVORITE hotdog and fry joint called FRUNIONS!! So we order take out. I've been meaning to get there, but with our hectic schedule time away with kids just is not happening. No older kids home with us this evening but have to stay in with little one, so we ordered in. We (my husband and I) were SORELY disappointed with our food. We ordered the "unrolls"......decent.. peanut sauce inside a little overpowering, but good. He got the Pad su ee (sp?) which was also decent....but the portion size was a JOKE! I ordered the Beef Teriaki Bento Box. Again, I couldn't beleive how small the order was. Maybe I'm used to being able to share asian food from other restaurants for dishes comparable in price....but it was DEFINETLY just made for one person per item ordered. We also wanted to try the spicy sprimp maki. Maki was room temperature. I know it traveled next to warm food...but maybe the restaurant should be sensitive to this issue and package things in seperate bags. I don't live very far, so was surprised how "warm" the sushi got in such a short period of time. Everything was edible. But not very good. I have had much better sushi elsewhere. Even Whole Foods has better sushi in their refrigerated section. My beef teriaki...was Mehh ...okay. I dunno.. not happy. Spent a fortune for crap. I won't go back here....won't even try to go in either. I'll just be happy it spiced up the odd corner and leave it at that.
(2)
Kile G.

Vegetarians that don't eat fish be warned, this is not the place for you! My issue is not that a sushi place doesn't have an option for people who don't eat fish. Most sushi places aren't vegetarian friendly, but there are a few that do accommodate, and quite well. My issue with Hot Wok Cool Sushi is that they are misleading. This place seemed to be vegetarian friendly at first. I called ahead and asked if they had food with no sea life or meat and they said yes. I checked their website, I even hunted down their menu and found that they have little green icons next to certain menu items they claim to be "vegetarian". The first time I ate here, the waitress assured me that there was no fish life in the vegetarian dishes. On a more recent visit, a brief conversation with the waitress revealed all their dishes have either fish stock or oyster sauce in them, even the ones with the vegetarian logo by them. I even had her triple check with the chef. This is kind of annoying to me, but this is a major no no to anyone who has allergies and is mislead by both the menu and the wait staff.
(3)
Jenna G.

I was so depressed the day I found out Manee Thai burned to the ground, but I'm very glad this little place opened up to be one of my affordable neighborhood eats, since there are pretty much NO Thai restaurants in Portage Park, and I eat Thai at least once a week! I first found out about this place online and that you can also place your order online for pick-up or delivery! They also have some coupons, which is another plus. Service is quick and friendly, and to-go orders are always ready ahead of time, which is awesome, but not so if you order a crunch roll, which has time to de-crunch itself in its own steam while waiting for you. =) ordernetwork.com/Customeâ€¦ Check it out!
(4)
Stella S.

Headed up to HWCS today after my daily workout at the Y. Thank God for my workout because I ordered a noodle bowl and devoured the whole dam thing! It was the Hot Wok special bowl - spinach noodles with carrots, red/green pepper, fresh jalepeno, onion and chicken and shrimp! Soo good - the hot was not overpowering but still enough to make my lips burn! Yum! My daughters each got a veggie roll, one cucumber and one avocado. Plus edamame and crab rangoon - my 4 y/old's favorite! Everything was really good, although I was starving from my 45 minute workout. The parking is tricky though, I was sandwiched in by two other cars and when the dude got mad in the car next to me he slammed his car door into mine and scraped it a bit. (He was fighting with his girlfriend, mature). Try and park as close to Pulaski as you can, or avoid the lot alltogether if you can.
(4)
Melissa S.

Overall, I'm happy to have a nice, solid, not-too-expensive sushi place in my neighborhood. The sushi is just like most sushi in the city: OK, but not great. You get what you pay for. I recommend the specialty maki rather than simple rolls or sashimi; the fish just isn't fresh enough to stand alone. I found the tofu vegetable soup fresh and tasty, except one time when it came with an extra thick pool of oil on the surface. Bleh. I can't comment on the Thai or Chinese offerings here because I've never sampled them. The dining area is small, but it's more cozy than crowded. I've heard a rumor that there is a large private/annex dining room upstairs. The online ordering is a plus and was timely. I've also dined in, and the service has always been prompt and accurate. I must say that the servers are a little rude. I'll change my mind the first time one of them smiles at me even a little!
(3)
Jennifer B.

I am actually quite thrilled with this restaurant! I admit, I couldn't imagine it would be so good as the location is not ideal...but what a welcome to the neighborhood! It is my absolute new favorite in the hood! I've been there 5 times now in the last two months and each time the food was consistently fresh and fabulous! And affordable in my book! I love the atmosphere, sleek and clean, even the bathroom is nice! The Staff is very attentive. The only con is I have felt a bit rushed. But I love this restaurant! SO happy its in Old Irving!
(4)
Amanda S.

So I will start off by saying I am not a legit sushi goer. I only have the veggie maki but oh my goodness it is amazing. I am fighting the temptation to run and get some right now. Their crab rangoons and edemame are exceptional too. Yes the location isn't awesome but the service always has a smile and I have yet to have a bad experience.
(5)
Tiff S.

I was contemplating whether I thought this place was "A-okay" (3 stars) or that "Yay, I am a fan" (4 stars)...and I decided that I am a fan, even though we did not order any sushi and our server came after us when we mistakenly gave her $1.50 as tips. The noodle dishes were delicious and filling. I had Yakisoba noodle that had both great flavor and texture. My friends who ordered various other noodle dishes had good things to say about the food as well. The decor of the place is elegant and the hand dryer in the bathroom was really cool. I am pretty sure I will be bringing others to this place.
(4)
Bethany J.

I wanted to wait until I ate here a few times before I reviewed, luckily since it is the only pan-asian joint in my hood, it's been pretty easy to hit this place up often. I've tried take out, dined in a couple times, and am certain I will use delivery when old man winter strikes again. First off I'd love to give them 5 stars for pioneering their business to the area, but they aren't sushi X level sushi, nor a Spoon Thai hot dish. With that being said, if you are in the area and have to have sushi (this is a position I find myself in often) you will be just fine. I have had the fukodome roll (a little too heavy on the cream cheese), the spider roll, unagi, spicy tuna, and the vegetable tempura roll (which is absolutely excellent by the way). Again, can't say anything knocked my socks off, but not bad. I'm also a fan of the spring rolls, they put avocado in there, which makes me a big fan. Two items that stand out to me/ personal recommendations: Veggie Tempura Roll and Panang Curry Tip- careful with takeout/ phone orders, depending on who answers, this can be a long, slow, confusing process. Be patient. I love the place, I think the people that work here are sweethearts (but I'm super biased towards Asians already), the decor is cute, and thank God for something not being such an eye soar in the Irving Park area. 4 star rating for location (the first, & now the one & only in the hood), decent food, and making my world a better place by putting pan-asian in walking distance. Thank you thank you thank you for opening up here!
(4)
Bryan D.

I've only done the delivery from here, and that I did through GrubHub. It was fast (half hour from the time I ordered it, and it was snowing out!), and their sushi was the meatiest I think I have ever had. The soup was, standard, but good. The beef and broccoli was solid, and the egg rolls (though they were called 'non-traditional') tasted like normal, but good, egg rolls. Due to it's distance from me, and the fact that there is no parking or seating really, I probably wouldn't try going there. But for delivery, I'd definitely order again!
(4)
Jean Z.

Agreed. This flashy new place plopped into a tricky location is over priced. The rolls we ordered were good, and nothing was very inventive - but the price. I believe that they dont want to charge as much as they're charging - judging by the renovation to this crazy building, they're just trying to pay the Home Depot charge. We did not order tuna because what I saw in the display as we passed to the sundrenched table at the east window was looking kinda drab. I didnt look too close, was more engulfed in the design of the shack. We may go back, its convenient and all... The pad thai was unsuprising (which is a good thing.)
(3)
annie l.

I've been to both locations a couple times and have yet to have a bad experience. The first thing I noticed was the excellent service. Then the best crab rangoon for miles around. The "spicy" options are not as spicy as I would like, but just enough not to offend the lighter-hearted. The firecracker shrimp and panang noodles are delicious and quite filling. Being BYOB keeps this place interesting, and you won't be rushed even on a hopping Saturday night. Both locations have well-designed, cozy atmosphere. The parking lot is weird in Irving Park so street park if you can (or get off at the Irving Blue line stop). This place also has great lunch specials, takeout, and delivery. I can't enough of this place!
(4)
Johanna C.

I have been to this place twice during their lunch special hours. They have limited, free parking in the parking lot. I was very pleased with the Spring Roll appetizer and Cashew Chicken lunch special ($8). You get a great portion of food and the vegetables were always fresh. If you order a beverage, expect to pay around $12 - $17 (with gratuity) during the lunch special hour for your meal. They also offer a sushi lunch special where you can pick 3 types of maki for about $11. I have yet to try the sushi but have seen several tables order the sushi. There is also lunch special another option where you can have "cool" and "hot" options. The service was good. The seating area facing Pulaski can get a bit chilly during the winter. It is worth noting that this is a very casual place. This is a great addition to this neighborhood as there are not many Asian restaurants around.
(3)
Quentin B.

Really had much better. Went looking for a different sushi place that was closed so we stopped here on the way to the airport. Small but clean setting. Staff was friendly but a little slow. Sushi was inconsistent. Had one of the lunch specials and a specialty roll. The lunch special was bad. Rice was undercooked and old but the rice in the speciality roll was fine. Overall unremarkable and past the rice issue I'm hard pressed to rememeber the meal itself.
(2)
Brian M.

The best Asian option in the Old Irving 'hood for many reasons. Incredibly fresh and crisp food, reasonable prices (Pad Thai should never cost more than $7), a wide and varied menu and light and open decor. Despite the sometimes absentminded service, the food always arrives quick and hot, and served with a smile. Order from several Thai and Chinese noodle/rice dishes, or order sushi by the combo plate or ala carte. And they make off the menu rolls for you - I always get the spicy salmon skin hand roll. BYOB!
(4)
Marie T.

Yay for the new Pan-Asian spot in Old Irving/Albany Park! My boyfriend and I are on always on the hunt for good local haunts to try out in the neighborhood and have been eyeing this corner restaurant for a few weeks now. Hot Woks Cool Sushi had their grand opening a couple days ago and based on it's full parking lot, looks like we weren't the only ones excited to try the new place out. The location is pretty convenient since it's right off the highway at the Irving Park/Pulaski exit on 94. But because of the limited parking in its lot you may need to circle around a bit or try for street parking. We stopped by to check out the menu and to pick up some take out. During the short time we were there we were able to meet the owners and check out the rest of the layout of the restaurant. The owners were extremely nice and accomodating. They also shared a juicy tidbit that they'll be keeping the restaurant BYOB. A definite plus for us!!We're definitely looking forward to going back, since the place had good food at decent prices
(3)
Henna N.

Okay, I have to be honest. I would probably give this place a 3 star review, but I'm so happy that this place exists, I'm gonna give it 4. And yeah, I'm sticking by that. I've been here a few times now and it's been a few hits and a couple misses. I last ordered the Fukodome special roll because of all of the good reviews...but I have to say, I was a little disappointed. Really not sushi. Just way to creamy for me. I guess patrons up this far north and west don't have much else to compare to? To each his own, I'm okay with that. I really enjoyed the Akira though as well as the spicy crunchy tuna. I'm gonna try a scallop roll and maybe some hamachi sashimi next. There's plenty more on the menu to try. The Pad Kee Mao is delicious. The noodles have a great chewy consistency and mmmm, yum. Good proportion of noodles, meat, shrimp, veggies. Pretty good Pad Thai too. The portions are very generous. Oh, the Tom Yum soup is good. It's not the best I've had (Try Thai Aree on Milwaukee), but it was really tasty and it came in a huge bowl. Almost a meal in itself. I'd prefer if it was served with shrimp instead of the bland chicken but the broth was tasty and the veggies, mushrooms, yum. My husband ordered the miso soup but kept stealing spoon fulls of my Tom Yum. That's okay, there was plenty! The service was friendly the few times I was there, but they are a few things they could improve on. I did know which rolls were which when they were presented, but I had to point them out to my husband. Normally the server would do this for me, no? Also, when we took our leftovers to go, no ginger or wasabi was added. That should be a given. Overall though, like I said, I'm so glad this place is in the neighborhood. I'm just going to figure out what I like on the menu and keep ordering from my hits list. I will absolutely be back and make a point to drag a new friend along too. I know you've been here awhile Hot Woks, but welcome again...we're happy to have you.
(4)
Annie W.

I'd consider myself somewhat of a sushi snob, but man - I LOVE THIS PLACE! So delicious. The rolls are perfectly sized, and the service is prompt. The food really knocks this one out of the ballpark for me, as the service can be so-so (the occassional language barrier), the parking is difficult, and the seating is limited. Having said all that, it's still my favorite place to go for sushi in the city!
(5)
Marc M.

We live in Portage Park and really love the area. Our only complaint is not having enough restaurants that are close. We were really excited when Hot Woks moved into the area. It is a delicious restaurant with quality ingredients at a reasonable price. We go so often that the staff knows us by name. My wife and I actually had our wedding rehearsal dinner here a couple of years ago and it was a blast.
(5)
Leia Z.

Really great sushi not the most authentic but really fresh and great variety! Tempura Aspasgus maki is AMAZING! Mega Vega is also wonderful ...great seaweed salad ...and its BYOB!! Really just a great little spot to dine in but also super for delivery. Very quick and almost always right on, even with complicated orders!
(5)
Clover D.

If your looking for a good neighborhood sushi- there was nothing to be found in Old Irving Park- that is until the opening of this place. I was thrilled to have another option for dining out in the neighborhood, especially sushi. my girlfriend and i ate there, and truly enjoyed the food. the owner came out and talked with us, and it was a comfortable setting, as long as you dont mind being near other people eating. the staff was friendly, the food affordable, and our veggie tempura rolls were delicious. though i do not eat fish, i really enjoyed the options on the menu, and had a very pleasant dining experience.
(4)
Brianna R.

So I really wanted Thai food last night but was too lazy to go out and get it. After figuring out that one of my fav places doesn't deliver to my new spot ( but delivers three blocks north of me), I decided to give this place a try. I ordered the spicy basil chicken and the pad thai w/ chicken. The pad thai was just ok but the spicy basil chicken was awesome. The chicken was moist, the veggies firm yet flavorful and the rice super fragant. I will definitely be ordering again.
(4)
sarah s.

I keep trying to like it, but it's just not that great. I don't understand how crab rangoon can be bad, but somehow they manage. It is way overpriced for what it is. And lukewarm delivery of both hot and cool items = fail.
(2)
john N.

Sorry Dana - I was first and happily so. When the sign went up and I saw the words Cool Sushi - I was ecstatic. Then I realized that it also said Hot Woks and my enthusiasm cooled, since I've never had first rate sushi at a place that is Pan-Asian. Well, surprise surprise - the Sushi was first rate. The first hint that these folks know their stuff was as soon as sat down I asked the server if they had Ponzu Sauce - not only did she know what I was asking - but she answered yes. Those of you who really know sushi will know what ponzu is, for those who don't - you should find out. Next they brought the usual complimentary mizo soup. It was obvious again these folks know their stuff. It was perfectly balanced and flavored. Then came the seaweed salad and they nailed it and with it came the requested side of ponzu sauce which was obviously home-made not bottled. The salmon sushi was well sized, great flavor and texture and at the perfect temperature - just slightly cooler than room temperature. Contrary to popular but inaccurate belief sushi should not served cold. Next was a very tasty and well put together Rainbow roll, followed by 2 pieces of Unagi. The Unagi could have been cooked a bit more crisp but that is very subjective (next time I will request that) and the eel sauce could have been a bit more concentrated, but very good. I plan on going back tomorrow and try the Wok side of the menu. My thanks and congratulations to owner Lois, her husband David. Welcome to Old Irving Park. John -
(4)
eve r.

Pad Thai- good flavor & the chicken had a nice grilled taste. A little dry. Pad Kee Mao- really nice & spicy. good noodles. Cali roll- nothing special but at least they use sushi rice. Better than the grocery store. Crab Rangoon- I've had better. Tom Yum soup- good flavor but w/ bell peppers? Seemed strange & husband hates bell peppers...not listed as an Ingredient. Liked that I could order on-line. Food came a little earlier than they predicted. I'd order from them again.
(3)
Ting A.

go for the fukudome. it's the most expensive of their signature rolls ($13.95), but it was the best of the three rolls that i tried that day (caterpillar and obama-nami) and most likely the best of their signature roll offerings. the fukudome includes shrimp tempura, mayo, masago, avocados, chili sauce, tobikko, cream cheese, scallions, w/a tempura crumb outside and topped w/wasabi mayo and sweet soy sauce. ...sure, it's not a traditional roll. i'm reminded of a conversation that i had w/one of my college friends who's half japanese. i can't recall exactly what we were talking about, but he exclaimed, 'who puts mayo in a roll??' it has a bit of a kick and the avocados made my throat itchy (i'm allergic to avocados, but i eat them anyway), but i can happily say that i enjoyed this roll. full of flavor and a slight overdose of condiments. hah. the yakisoba was ok. nothing too exciting about these noodles. ...i expected the tuna avocado salad to be a bigger portion for $7.45. the size resembled an afterthought of a salad. the lady who took my order was very patient w/me, as i had to call back twice. (once to slightly change my order, and twice to ask how much the total bill would be.) ...hooray for bastardized rolls!
(4)
Jen D.

Admittedly, it is the restaurant owner that made this place a sale. Joan came by to chit-chat and was really normal and unpretentious. Still, what a surprise that while exiting the expressway looking for another restaurant, we stumbled on this one. It just opened on the 21st of July (still no liquor license as of 8/13) and the price for BYOB corking was enough to have us NOT get our own...still, I had a phenomenal noodle dish, Hot Woks Noodles, that I am still drooling over. My hubby had some sushi rolls and I tasted a couple and loved'em. I'm trying to remember that we were there less than a month after they opened so as not to be too critical. We sat on the first floor and the floor slanted on my side and was a little awkward and they served our food too quickly (one dish brought before another was barely touched). It seemed a little small until I realized, as we were driving by to leave, that there was a second floor. Nonetheless, I will be back because the food was good and reasonably priced. I'm just waiting until they serve their own booze!
(3)
Angelique R.

Yay, something cool in the neighborhood. Thanks for the vegetarian maki options HWCS! The Thai food is ok, nothing special. The building itself is cute and the staff is very helpful. Getting in the lot can be dangerous and there is not a lot of parking. Wasabi power!
(4)
Gigi G.

Great food! Fast service. Sucky Location.
(3)
Blaise S.

I absolutely love this place! I met with a large group over the weekend for dinner, and as always everyone had a good time. It's BYOB, which is great, because that saves you money right away by not paying for overpriced restaurant drinks, AND it allows you to bring exactly what you like. I ordered the akira rolls this time, and they were spicy and delicious! I also ordered gyoza (dumplings) and crab rangoon, and I have to honestly say that they are both some of the best I've had (especially the rangoon), and are fresh and come with great dipping sauces. I'm also a BIG fan of the fukudome and mt fuji (very creative and I love the flag on top) rolls, and for you non-sushi eaters, they have a great selection of hot noodle/meat dishes. The wait staff is always friendly and the owner even visits all the tables for chit chat and to make sure you're enjoying yourself, which I guarantee you will. Grab a six-pack and stop by for some sushi, and while you're at it, invite me so I can enjoy it too!
(5)
E N.

Visited here recently. Food was OK. Ordered crab rangoon which was OK. Also ordered the hot woks noodles which were supposed to be spicy but weren't. I probably would have given them 3 stars except that the waitress gave us the bill, stood over us for 15 minutes to see if we would pay, and then finally walked over and asked us to please pay the check and please leave because she had other people that needed to be seated. Needless to say, first and last time here. Update: I wish there was a way to give them zero stars. It's the next day and the hot woks noodles have turned my usually very reliable stomach upside down. :(
(1)
Sarah Rylee F.

okay where do I start... I used to live down the block from this place before it was open... naturally when i went back to the hood and saw this place I was sooooooo excited. even more exciting, theyre open for lunch which not many sushi places are. I have sent SEVERAL people here and always raved about its prices being great and all that. that all ended a couple nights ago. my friend and i were searching for a late-ish night meal when we stumbled on north pulaski and i instantly thought sushi! yes! we walked in around 8:50 (the ad here might say 9pm but the door DEFIANTLY says 9:30pm) of course thats the restaurants chance to say yes we will seat you or sorry we're closing... which we would have not been offended by. what we were offended by is that when the server seated us the manager gave me a really snippy look... which i ignored. the manager then instructed the server to stand right next to us forcing us to decide on something asap. instead of having the server bring the food out the nasty manager did so... asking us if we were going to order anything else and when i said no she said okay good because the kitchen is closed. the manager proceeded to stare at me (i was the one facing the kitchen area) for the entire time we ate. my friend and i ate quickly and were out of there almost exactly at 9:30, right when the door said they closed... the manager gave me another snippy look and didnt say thank you for coming or anything and when we said to have a good night she rushed us out and locked the door the second my coat hit it. needless to say they lost a VERY good customer and ALL of my friends that would have been sent to them... like i said i lived in the are for many years and I know a LOT of people around there..... big mistake hot woks. hopefully that lady wasnt the owner and you guys can recover from her attitude and be awesome again.
(2)
Sara D.

Dine in experience- nothing too grand. Good service. Delivery to someone down the street... Undeniable incompetence on their part. For all the times I have ordered delivery and hoped they would get my order right and on time at that. Fail fail fail. First and second on their part last on mine. Will not frequent nor order food from here. If you must get from here eat inside.
(2)
Cristina P.

I always see this restaurant when I am coming off the highway but never really thought about going here until a friend recommended this place. Parking is tricky, they had a parking lot but it's very small so we ended up having to park on the main street. At first look, it's a small restaurant but I then saw that they also had patio seating and also they have a big upstairs to accommodate more people. Service was great and they didn't rush us even though we got there an hour before they closed. We got 4 rolls and 2 noodle dishes and I have zero complaints. It was the best pad see eiw that I've had in a long time. I will definitely be returning here again.
(5)
Ivana B.

Decent sushi with awesome lunch specials that keep me coming back! The outdoor seating is beautiful which helps distract from the noisy street. The parking situation is typical for the city with about four free parking spots in front and a few free parking in the street.The decor inside is nice and modern, very clean. The staff is usually friendly but service is typically slow and the seating on the first level is super cramped! Don't come here unless you're okay with becoming friends with your neighbor. The upstairs is nice but i've never been seated there. I try not to go to the bathroom here because there are so many steps to get to the second level.
(4)
Natalija S.

I can't believe this place makes sushi. I kid you not, even Mariano's and Jewel has much, much better sushi. I ordered a spicy salmon roll and tom yum soup. The sushi was mushy and extremely messy, and it was just bland. The soup was way too salty. For those that like the food, that's good, considering the fact that there's really no sushi spot in the Irving Park area, but I'm definitely not coming back here.
(2)
Ruolin W.

Delivery is fast, although they said it would take 40 min to 1 hr, it came actually very quick. Shrimp Pad Thai is delicious. Miso soup is a little bit too salty tho.
(4)
Tanya A.

If there was a way to give negative stars I would! Not that I can even comment on the food because my experience didn't even allow me to get that far before leaving this place. WORST SERVICE EVER!!! Walked in on a Friday evening around 7pm with my boyfriend. As we entered we were excited to try this place out as it's walking distance from his place and we are always looking for something new and delicious close to home. As we enter, the staff is crowed by the door, backs facing us, chatting to themselves for a minute before one turns around and greets us and hurriedly takes us to a table. Served us water promptly and set the table for us and gave us menus to browse over. (As we had already looked at the menu online we had an idea of what we wanted pretty fast), closed our menus and chatted as we waited for our order to be taken.... and waited... and waited... and waters were filled again and we waited some more. There was only 3 other couples in the place and one had already paid the check. We asked the water guy for our server as we were ready to order, for it had been 10 minutes since we has been seated and no one other than him had checked on us. He grabbed a server who went to the table next to ours to deliver their check and ignored us. The boyfriend and I exchanged glances, and I put my hand up to grab her attention but she was off and around the corner too fast. As we looked around, even the other couples were looking at us as we sat there with nothing but water and chopsticks in front of us. Another 2 minutes go by before we decided to get up to leave, and yet still no one even paid attention to us leaving. No goodbyes, no thank you for coming, no I'm sorry we were busy... nothing. SILENCE! Now I'd like to think it was because they were so busy, but they weren't, or they were short staffed, but they weren't as we saw 3 servers as we walked in just talking to each other. I have a feeling as sad as it is, is because my boyfriend is black. All the other patrons in this establishment were middle-aged white folks who had no issues getting service right away, even when they weren't the ones that asked for it!! Maybe, maybe not, either way this is NO way to treat customers no matter the situation. You folks here will never get my service, my boyfriends service or any of our friends service ever again. Thanks for nothing.
(1)
Jennifer I.

Had a good sushi lunch today.... Hot Woks Cool Sushi has a lunch special which includes miso soup, a California or spicy tuna roll, and several nigiri. All for 13 bucks. We also split a Mega Vega roll. A couple of my pieces fell apart, and the spicy tuna roll was not the best of the best, but everything was still quite tasty. If you are more of a "hot wok" person, they have a lunch special with your choice of appetizer and entree. I can't recall the price, but it also looked to be quite a nice deal. It was a little warm in there...I wondered if the AC was broken. It cooled off after awhile, though. The bathroom was much nicer than I expected, even though I am not sure what I expected (if that makes sense...). But parking seems to be on the minimal side, unless I missed something in the back. However, I wouldn't hesitate to come back to this location, or try one of the others. 3.5 stars bumped to 4.
(4)
Barbara C.

This place is small and cute. Very good prices. For as small as this place is, it's well LIT. Windows. Small patio, a few high tables for two inside. and enough two seaters with a loooooooong bench seat. There is a great lunch special. 11:30-3:30. Free parking spots but they fill up fast! just a cute corner. I never expected this to be this good.
(5)
Kyle H.

I like the chain Hot Woks Cool Sushi for their hot bowls and cool maki rolls. This one is in walking distance from my place, so my son and I popped in here over New Year's. It's small. And not nearly as nice as the ones downtown. The parking lot is tiny. Staff is super friendly and fast. I like the Mega Vega rolls the best- vegetarian Maki with sweet potatoes, beets, avocado, even my son liked it! We also tried the Akira rolls, which were HUGE. I've had better rolls. I do like their Obama-Nami rolls (which I forget and call ObamaMama). I'm sure I'll order Delivery from them frequently and be back soon.
(3)
Ajha P.

After many years of being a loyal customer I'm sorry to say that I can no longer give this hot woks my service. I remember when the place first opened several years ago. It was so nice to have a good sushi restaurant near my house, however the quality has deteriorated over the years. The crab Rangoon is always either overcooked or undercooked and winds up being a half hard and half gloppy mush. The sushi ranges from mediocre to god awful. Today there was bone in my spicy tuna rolls and didn't taste fresh. It was all spice, no fish. For this I'd say hit or miss because I've had great STR from this hot woks. But today was so bad I don't think I'll be taking the risk to get a winner again. My last order took nearly 2 hours to arrive despite the place being only 2 miles away. My hot food has been delivered cold. My cold food has been delivered lukewarm. I don't know if the ownership has changed or what but this has been a truly disappointing experience. Hot woks used to be my go to place. I've ordered from them 30+ times in the last couple of years alone, but I can't keep shelling out for a steady decline in quality. I'm sorry hot woks cool sushi, but we need to break up. This time it's permanent.
(1)
Annie V.

I absolutely love their salmon skin bacon salad and the dressing it comes with! I love it so much that I ordered it for lunch yesterday online and had my friend pick it up. On the "special instructions" part, I specifically asked them not to forget the dressing for the salad and to please provide eating utensils.... And of course, what did they forget? My freaking salad dressing. Grrr that is super annoying especially since I wrote it on there!!! They should double check orders and especially check the "special instructions" comments! I understand everyone makes mistakes, but seriously?! I had to eat my salad plain, dry, and flavorless. I felt like a damn rabbit. On top of that, before getting my food, I tipped $5 for a PICK UP order on an $8 salad. ::..PISSED..::
(2)
Catherine B.

Spring rolls are not super impressive and crab Rangoon is average but holy crap the sweet potato tempura roll and mega vega rolls are so good I usually order two with extra spicy mayo. Seriously. I don't know how vegetarian sushi can be so filling and delicious but it's the best veggie friendly sushi I've ever found.
(5)
Andrew M.

Hot Wok!!!! Good Sushi and the entrees are really good. Champagne garlic chicken is where it is at! Dine in or delivery is always spot on. Expansive menu is great. Only complaint is the bathrooms are up a huge flight of stairs. Mmmm hot tea.
(4)
Meghan W.

This is our go-to when we don't feel like cooking! I love that this place has a little bit of everything- my husband loves the Pad Thai, while I prefer their yummy sushi rolls (the Sweet Potato and Spicy Crunchy Tuna are my favs)! I've also tried the Chinese Fried Rice with beef and it's delicious! It's very reasonably priced, so we order delivery very often! They are fast, efficient (hot stuff always packed on the bottom and separated so the sushi doesn't get too warm), and our order is always correct! We love this place!!!
(5)
Adele n.

This is quite a cute little sushi and noodles shack. The dining room is tiny and on the Friday night I was there, it was very busy. I wouldn't call this a date spot -- it's more of a neighborhood joint. The prices are pretty cheap. There are some sashimi / sushi dinners for about $15, and plenty of noodle entrees for $10ish. The sushi is pretty good -- nothing stunning, but nothing bad either. The miso is yummy and free with sushi entrees. Staff is friendly and take out is pretty quick.
(3)
Nick W.

I come here about once a month with my girlfriend. The sushi is pretty good. I'm a big fan of the dragon roll here. The chicken teriyaki is pretty good as well. My only problem with this place is the waitresses don't really speak English so it's hard to ask them any questions or get anything recommended. Pretty good place not great. 4 stars!
(4)
Brett M.

Some of these reviews are overly harsh. Does Hot Woks have top notch sushi? No. You can find better Sushi at a variety of other locations. However, you can't find much better sushi for the price and they specialize in simplistic varieties to keep that price down. We are big fans of their smoked salmon, Alaskan, and California. Additionally, Hot Woks is a quaint little atmosphere that is BYOB.
(4)
Liza S.

Been going here since it opened. Love the atmosphere and cute patio. The sushi is as good as any other sushi joint, but definitely better than the already-prepared Trader Joes or Whole Foods sushi. Service is always good. You can choose between authentic and more modern dishes, fun. The pricing is a little high for a broke college kid, but it's around the same as (if not cheaper than) any other sushi joint. The best part is the location.. Can't beat that it's right next to the highway. Nice place to bring a date too.
(5)
Sarah S.

After picking up my SO from the hospital we were both starving... Came here and we were not disappointed. Ordered a variety of sushi and pad Thai and both were excellent. Even the next day pad Thai was yummy, which in some cases is not true. Odd placement for a restaurant, but we worth the effort
(4)
Radha K.

I've always wanted to try this place since it's very close to a friend's place and right off the blue line on my way home from work...very glad I did! The crab Rangoon was good! Unlike most crab Rangoon, this actually had a significant amount of filling in every one. We got two signature rolls: Akira - Jumbo Roll: Tuna, salmon, super white tuna, spicy mayo masago, ginger, avocado, cucumber with tempura crumbs and sweet soy sauce Mount Fuji - Fresh shrimp, cucumbers, mayo, masago, chili oil, green onion covered in a tempura crumb and spicy mayo shell. I typically find that I like a particular roll vs. another, but I really enjoyed both rolls equally. The Akira had some kick to it, but I really enjoyed the ginger in the roll. Mount Fuji was pretty crunchy which I love...honestly it looks like it might be bland, but this also had a great amount of flavor with a spicy kick! Both were crunchy, no flavors overpowered others, and I definitely want to go try some more!
(3)
Alex S.

The food:cost ratio is better than I've had at similar restaurants in this neighborhood. They're not particularly expensive or overpriced, I would just suggest stopping in for their lunch special.
(4)
J R.

The food here is delicious! Sushi, noodles, appetizers... You can't go wrong with this place
(5)
Betty H.

I wrote a great review on this restaurant a long time ago on a superman fan site. When their entrance was red, then they turn it to green. i wonder what color will be next purple? Great food, Great waitresses. Not hard to get to for those who don't have a car. If you has a car then it's hard for you to get in and out because it's right in the middle of the busiest streets in my neighborhood. Link: zoomway.net/ubbthreads/uâ€¦
(4)
Ashley M.

Hands down my favorite neighborhood sushi place. I live down the block and dine in frequently with my boyfriend. The waitresses are very nice, and attentive. I've ordered the majority of the menu. And everytime the food is great. It tastes fresh. Very flavorful. Large portions. That location has changes a few times I think a taco place and even a hot dog place. But I'm very happy hot woks is here and I believe it will be there for awhile!
(4)
Doug B.

I know it's a chain but these guys make it good. Today's lunch was pad see Ewe lunch special with not your ordinary egg roll. Very good, will do this again
(4)
Nate B.

This is a cool spot if your in the vicinity. I'd suggest the bento box and shrimp w lobster sauce. I'm not a big sushi person but the California maki was on point. I'd recommend for a casual date. It has a cozy atmosphere + there BYOB
(4)
Jay F.

I love this place! Great Food'! Great price! And very attentive servers! I been here twice. I want to go back and try different dishes. It's a family friendly restaurant. Tables are small and cozy! Best part of all it's BYOB.
(4)
Hannah K.

I tried Hot Woks Cool Sushi about a year ago and it didn't leave that great of an impression, but I decided to give it another go since it was the nearest sushi place my GPS told me to go. The waitress was a bit hovering but I think she was new and it was early on a Wednesday so I will concede to that even though there was a bit of a language barrier. We started out with chicken satay, Tom Yum soup and miso soup. After placing that order, we browsed the menu some more and then placed our entrees. My miso soup came out first and I was already finished with it when I saw the sashimi and roll were already plated and ready to be expedited. Keep in mind our appetizers hadn't arrived yet. The miso was pretty much just broth but I find miso soup to be pretty hit or miss so I'll just leave it at that. We were expected some skewers of chicken satay but what we got was four chicken tenders. It was a total surprise to see that much food come out as an app, but a pleasant one for the price. Although the chicken was a bit stringy, it was nicely spiced with a curry blend with a slightly sweet peanut sauce to compliment. I would order this again. The Tom Yum soup was also delicious and came out in a heaping, steaming huge bowl. Again, a lot more soup than expected for the price point. Not too sour or spicy and full of fresh veggies and a decent amount of meat. If I lived or worked nearby, I'd have this for lunch quite a bit. We had to take these to go seeing as our sushi wasn't even on the table yet. Here is where my review drops a star or two. This should really be two and a half stars. Remember when I said I saw our sushi platters just sitting there? Yep, those were ours just sitting there for over twenty minutes. We ordered the tuna sashimi platter, a spicy tuna roll and just one unagi because, well, I have to order at least one unagi. Have to. I'm pretty sure the roll was already prepped. It was not spicy at all (shit, my ginger was spicier than the spicy tuna roll) and the tuna inside had a pureed consistency. Hands down the worst spicy tuna I've had - it's better at Jewel, for goodness sake. When we came in, we noticed that the fish was already pre-sliced behind the glass. I'm going out on a limb, but I'm guessing our sashimi was not freshly cut which, in my opinion, defeats the purpose of dining out for sushi. It was not bad, per say, but I wouldn't frequent Cool Sushi for sushi again. I think my experience this time was reminiscent of last time and over all just not that memorable. If you decide to try it out, stick with the hot dishes.
(3)
Nicole R.

They have a great lunch special. This location has certain items on the menu that the location in Roscoe Village does not offer. The sushi here is great for the price.
(4)
Stephanie H.

My boyfriend and I hit this spot semi frequently just because it's very close to where he lives. That's really the only reason. Nothing is incredibly memorable from here. It's kind of like a Chinese buffet. Nothing great but fixes the craving for Asian cuisine. I have wanted to always try the Ramen but it's $13. We missed a Groupon once I wish they'd bring back so I could try it. Byob is always a bonus. Very tiny place.
(3)
Kritika B.

Horrible food ... Ordered pad Thai and a tofu dish to go... Asked them to make extra spicy... The food was not only bland but it had stale peanuts.. I will never go here again
(1)
Ashley C.

Finally got the chance to write a review on this place :) I would give 5 stars, the reason for one less is just the fact that the place is pretty tiny. But Other than that, 5 stars all the way. My boyfriend and I were pretty hungry and we decided to come here since the last time I had food from Hot Woks Cool Sushi was via GrubHub. But I wanted my boyfriend to try something new so we decided to come here and have our date. Service was great. Our server was awesome and kept us very content and she would check up on us to see how we were doing. Food was pretty good too, especially now that they serve Ramen there, I ordered it and I am pretty happy. Especially when extra noodles and pork belly come into play. Before our main meal, we shared an order of California Rolls, his favorite. Enjoyed them and my beloved gave it a thumbs up. Our main course consisted of: Me ordering Tonkotsu Ramen with extra pork belly and noodles and My boyfriend orderin their version of General Tso's Chicken. May I mind you the man is a picky eater so he was suspicious at first but after his first bite, ate his whole plate up and even slurped on some of my ramen, which to him was weird looking (he doesn't go out much in terms of culinary journeys) He loved the Tonkostu Ramen I was eating and even wanted a slice of my pork belly for himself. Over all, we were happy campers and because our server was a rockstar, we gave her 20% :) Planning on coming back soon before this snow ruins our outing lol.
(4)
Venessa F.

I cannot say I was impressed with my order. I used GrubHub so I may have paid extra, delivery took an hour which was expected but the food was very bland and dry. All meals have sauce on side so the Orange Chicken needed to be marinated for two hours and re-heated for it to be tasty.
(3)
Lauren H.

I'll try the Thai and sushi again another time, but avoid the ramen, yall. The broth was not flavorful & the pork belly was dry.
(2)
Ashley F.

My husband and our friends had a fantastic experience at the downtown Chicago location a few years ago, so when revisited Chicago this year we knew we had to go back. All we remembered is having the most delicious wings we've yet to experience. We opted for the Polaski location to avoid downtown traffic. It's very small and cramped. Service was mediocre at best. I ordered a diet coke...the server brought me back a can of soda. Had I known they didn't have fountain drinks I definitely would have skipped out on that. Oh, and this location had no alcohol, despite them advertising it. We ordered the wings--HWCS must have changed the recipe because they were completely different and not in a good way. My Hot Woks noodle dish was disgusting-very bland and way over salted. Yuck. Husband had hot woks fried rice. It was okay, but nothing special. Overall it was a pretty crappy experience.
(2)
Phillip M.

This is a great place to get some lunch or dinner. Their Pad Thai is some of the best I have ever had. Great prices for the portions and food quality. Lunch specials can't be beat
(4)
Sally O.

One of the best crab rangoons I've had, sushi is ok, my favorite dish is the yakisoba. Great service!
(5)
Nicole B.

Cute place. Only seats about 14 inside, but Thai dishes were good. Lunch special comes with app and dish for cheap. We'll be back!
(4)
Tram N.

My family orders from Hot Woks a few times a month and we tend to stick with the Pad Thai, Pad See-ew and the Bento Boxes (which I love since they include miso soup and California rolls with the order). They also have a nice selection of appetizers to choose from. The delivery is usually done in a timely manner with the food still nice and hot for us to enjoy. The kids love the food so can't go wrong when the kids are happy.
(4)
Julie O.

Casual. Intimate. BYO. Nice staff, good food. Like the Mega Vega roll. Not something I would have ordered if someone did not suggest it, but how can you go wrong with avocado, beets and sweet potatoes? You can't. The portions were right on. Enough food to keep me busy but not so much that I needed a to go container. Parking can be a challenge, but that is life in the City.
(4)
Karoline R.

My guy and I ordered take out from here about a week ago. I love Thai, and I love sushi, so this seemed like a perfect spot. The prices are great, but the sushi is a little dicey, depending on what you get. Our asparagus tempura roll was excellent, and I would order this again in a heartbeat. However, I'm not so keen on their spicy tuna roll: the tuna was diced, which I wasn't thrilled with, there wasn't the usual spicy mayo on top, and it wasn't very spicy at all. The Thai food fared much better. We shared the Panang Curry with rice: the flavors were bright and vivid, the vegetables perfectly cooked, and the chicken was tender and delicious. We opted for the dinner, rather than the noodle bowl, which I would recommend. The only disappointment with this dish was that they don't serve it with sticky rice, and don't even make it. I would have gladly paid extra just for sticky rice, but for some odd reason, it's served with jasmine rice. Maybe it's just me, but from a friend's multiple journeys to Thailand, sticky rice is a given with meals. It would also be nice, sorry, to have someone answering the phone who speaks a little better English.....getting directions was a bit of a hiccup. The woman was friendly as could be, but needs to know if a person asks a simple question like, "Do I go east or west?". I would go back for the curry, and to try their other Thai fare.
(3)
Mike A.

The biggest drawback here is the lack of parking. I drove away 2x because I could not find anything. The lunch roll specials are great, but I wish the service was a bit better. They take your order, bring it when ready and then drop off the check. What ever happened to checking on the food, asking if a diner would like something else? Maybe I'm just getting old, but it seems everyone is expecting a tip these days for minimal effort. Someday I will try the hot dishes, but for now the rolls are just the right fix for a quick sushi fix.
(4)
Jenny D.

This place has great food! I only eat free range, so I've only had their sushi, soups, and salads, but they are all very fresh and excellently prepared. Maki rolls are that perfect mix of warm rice/cool fish, and have just the right balance of crunch, spice, and sauce. The ikura is some of the freshest in the city! Service is, unfortunately, spotty. It all depends on who you get. There was this one amazing older waitress that remembered me after one or two visits as the "heavy green tea drinker," even after months of absence! Very sweet and friendly lady. But some of the other waitresses have a visible 'tude. Not that they're rude, exactly, they just seem...angry or something. Like, chronically angry. An example: earlier this year, it was either late May or early June, we went for dinner. It was only just barely starting to warm up outside--temperature was maybe 70 degrees, tops--and yet the air conditioner was blasting. Our waitress seated us in the front room where there are vents overhead, and it felt like 63 degrees with a wind chill of 58! We commented to our waitress in a smiling, friendly way, that it was a little chilly in there (my guy and I were the only patrons) and she responded with something dismissive, like that the temperature was on automated control or something similar. When we asked her if it was possible to lower it, she scowled and stomped off. When she didn't come back after several minutes, we got up and left as we were already turning blue and didn't think we'd make it through dinner! We're taking Hot Woks out of the rotation for a while, but may break down and get take out at some point because the food is that good.
(4)
Ken W.

Walkable from the Blue line Metra. I would say that the service here is great. Everyone is friendly and attentive. I always get the sushi and it is very good. Flavorful, fresh, and unique. That's one thing that drives me to sushi places is that ability to have a special type of Sushi roll. It is BYOB which is always a plus for someone looking not to spend 3x the price for a glass of wine.
(4)
Murphy G.

Hot woks hot sushi should be the name. They put our sushi on top of the hot stuff in the bag that just got delivered and there is liquid now in the sushi container because the mayo/aioli sauce on the sushi roll melted... :-/
(3)
Sara N.

This location usually has really great food. However, last night the driver called us about an hour after we placed the order asking if we were at a certain address. We responded no, we are at the address we listed on the order. It took another 20 minutes for the driver to finally arrive. Once the food was here, half of it was ice cold. The Crab Rangoon was cold and rubbery and the pot stickers were very cold. The soup was warm and the chicken in the Pad Thai was cold. This order will probably be the last that we will order from this location. It's a shame because they usually have such great food.
(2)
Rachael M.

My husband and I order dinner from Hot Woks Cool Sushi at least once a week. Every time we've gotten the Pad Thai, Panang Noodles, or Hot Woks Noodles, the food has arrived hot, on time, and has been delicious. No joke, this restaurant, prior to tonight, has been great - hence the 3 star rating and not one that was lower. Because they were consistently good with noodles, we thought we'd branch out a little tonight. My husband got the Chardonnay Garlic Chicken. I ordered the Ramen Noodle Soup. We shared Gyoza. We were *horribly* disappointed tonight. Everything we ordered was kind of gross and arrived either lukewarm or cold. The Chardonnay Garlic Chicken barely had any meat in it (about 6 little pieces). Baby corn and carrots comprised about 90% of the dish, which when combined with the Chardonnay sauce created a nauseating concoction. Add to this that the dish arrived cold, and it was inedible. I tried one of the baby corn because I thought he was exaggerating, but I thought it was disgusting too. The Ramen Noodle Soup was a huge disappointment to me because there was insufficient broth. I actually measured it, and it was only a half cup of liquid. And it was lukewarm. Add to that a couple of rubbery mushrooms, bok choy that was too big to easily eat, and you have a recipe for gross-out. I was shocked that they can charge $12.95 for a half cup of broth and ramen noodles that you could easily pick up at the grocery store for $0.33. This dish is seriously highway robbery. The Gyoza we received was mushy and cold, but had very good flavor. I really liked the sesame chili dipping sauce that it is served with. In the future, we'll stick with noodles at this joint.
(3)
Heloisa C.

Love this place. Great food. I usually have it delivered and I never had to wait more than 30 minutes for it.
(5)
Asma M.

Could be better. Could be cheaper. Have eaten here three times. The sushi is alright. I like the petite eggrolls. Soda is by the can, which is annoying.
(3)
Amy O.

Stopped in a couple times. If you're looking for just don't ok sushi at decent prices this place is fine. The restaurant is tiny and parking his a bit difficult. Would probably only do takeout.
(3)
Bella C.

Me and my father love trying different sushi restaurants. Me and my dad have tried some top restaurants in the country together, and this place isn't a top of the line sushi restaurant, but it is a pretty good place to stop and pick up some good sushi. I order the obamanami for its spices. It is GOOD and bleakly yummy. The other thing that we love getting is the dragon roll, it is one of the smaller but savory rolls. The last thing I would recommend is the Fukodome (I think that is how you spell it) roll. The only thing I recommend you stay away from is the Miso soup for its lack of flavor and that it just tastes like broth. The very last thing I have to say is that it doesn't seem that the Asian people that work there like Hispanic people that much. And that doesn't feel good when you are Hispanic like me. This makes me very offended when the Asian people look at us like we are animals. I understand that we are from a different country eating your cuisine but really? Just saying. I think we are humans too
(3)
Guit B.

Hot Woks is a cut above the thousand generic takeout places and I think you would have to go as far as Western Ave to have competition for the Thai/pan-Asian food. Their menu is diverse with a few specialties you can't get elsewhere. I like the Hot Woks Thai fried rice quite a bit. I would not come here for sushi alone but it is good enough and works well with combinations (such as the bento boxes), or if you want to please a number of people in a group. Although actually I am not sure if I can think of a better sushi place close by either. The crab Rangoon is great, although as with some other dishes I feel that it is priced about as high as they can get away with. Maybe that's the idea in pricing a menu. They do have lunch specials that give a bit better value-- and it is BYOB so compared to other options it can remain a value even at dinner if you are planning to drink. But for my kids who sometimes just want to get like 3 orders of Crab Rangoon, well...I just tell them no. Service is quick and pleasant. It's a more sophisticated restaurant than other places in the neighborhood and a pretty easy place to order from or go to.
(4)
Malena A.

My husband and I have eaten at Hot Woks many times over the 4.5 years that we have lived in the area and we have ordered take out or delivery from them a few times. I feel like they are going downhill and after we ordered delivery tonight we are both left feeling so grossed out that I feel I must update my review and give up on Hot Woks. I know not to order anything but the sushi there (which is mediocre) but I had a taste for teriyaki chicken so I ordered a bento box tonight. It looked as though it was made a couple of days before and was just sitting. The chicken was dry, hard and tasteless. I'm honestly disgusted just thinking about it right now. The little sauce there was did not taste like anything. My husband and I hate wasting food and RARELY just throw food away but I couldn't eat it after 2 bites. My husband ordered the sushi and did not like his spicy tuna roll at all and also threw that away. No more Hot Woks for us....
(1)
Amanda C.

This place has lost it's pizazz. I don't know what's going on, but the last few times I've gone here the food just isn't as great as I remember it. It feels as if they are on a downward spiral. I hate to say it but everything just wasn't fresh and tasty. I hope they get it together. I'll give it another shot, Hot Woks, but after next time you may have lost a regular customer if you haven't gotten your ish together!
(3)
Jen P.

The good: Several veggie roll selections that were very tasty. BYOB is always nice. not super pricey. Decent atmosphere and the service was good. Not so good: Tried a new menu item, the tofu steak and it was mushy and lacked flavor. But overall great place, and I will definitely be back!
(4)
Patrick S.

I'd give this place 3.5 stars if I could. I've eaten in and gotten delivery from here a number of times. Delivery is usually the way to go, since the space is fairly small and it gets cramped in the booths. The stir fry is usually pretty good; I'm partial to the Cashew Chicken and Rama Chicken. I like some of the sushi, although it's better to get it when you're there than have it delivered. When delivered, it can get packed with warm things and throw the temperature off. Anyways, the caterpillar maki is my favorite, since the presentation is fantastic and it tastes really good. The rest of the sushi is pretty good, although your mileage may vary. Let's be honest, it's hard finding good sushi for reasonable prices in Chicago. It's a bit pricier than what I'd expect in this area, but it's better than most other nearby sushi places and stir fry places.
(3)
Allison K.

Food was decent, except for the rice that had a hair in it. Service was slow and there was no one in there. Not good enough that I'd give up my normal spring roll or sushi places.
(2)
Dariann L.

3rd time coming here and the sushi is really good. They have quick service and free B.Y.O.B. First time eating the Obama-Nami and it's delicious. Not a big place but they do have outside seating for warm weather.
(4)
Christina D.

Ate here for lunch and it was awesome!! We tried four different things on the menu and each one was spectacular! The place is small but totally worth it. I live in Des Plaines and came across this place on accident...so glad I did. Looking forward to next time.
(5)
Mallory O.

I ordered Pad Thai and their potstickers. I have to say I was disappointed. They delivered 20 minutes after their scheduled time and the food wasn't that great. It was cold and honestly, I've had better thai food out of the frozen food section at Jewel Osco. I will not be ordering from them again.
(2)
Sam G.

I ate here a few months ago with a coworker and frankly I was not impressed. Yes the quality of the food is good and fresh but the service was terrible. Our waitress looked at me with wide eyes when I ordered saying it might be too much, I don't know of any place that wants you to order less and two signature rolls with udon isn't much. Anyways, throughout our meal she kept staring at us and made us feel uncomfortable. I would rather find somewhere else that values my money more than this place again.
(1)
Jeff S.

Sushi can be so good, or so bad, and I typically never go to a new sushi place without a recommendation. But recently we got a neighborhood newsletter with an advertisement in if from Hot Woks Cool Sushi. As a small business owner, I like to buy from other small business owners and local establishments, because if I don't who will and then we won't have anywhere in the neighborhood to go. Our first experience with Hot Woks was a pleasant surprise. It was better than average sushi, priced about the same as the other two places we often got take out, but it is close and has an energy about it that gives us hope it will be here for many years to come.
(4)
Emily H.

The sushi was middle of the road in quality, but was prepared and delivered to the table with speed of wild horses. Yes, those sushi-delivering horses did not disappoint, nor did they wow me with flavor or expertise in the presentation. A little sloppy, a little heavy on the mayo, but edible. The bento boxes were obscenely expensive for what was in them, being priced as if they were delivered wrapped in red panda skin. Not bad for fast food.
(3)
Amy A.

The sushi is good, salmon skin salad is ok. I've had a curry noodle dish that was good. The untraditional egg rolls are really good. I've never had anything like it. My all time favorite is the Fukodome roll. It's loaded with all sorts of yummy ingredients. It's really the only thing we order from there.
(3)
Sofia J.

Some craved sushi, some craved a hearty plate full of dense noodles in a rich sauce ... some ended up at Hot Woks Cool Sushi and were all satisfied :D This location has its own parking lot!! Roll recommendations: Get the Oceano!! Akira and Harajuku are also good. Escolar sashimi was very fresh and the cut is pretty long Hot Woks noodles are tasty and satisfying. Nice ambient music, especially upstairs.
(4)
Roxanne R.

Like most of the other reviewers, I tried this place since it was right by my house. To clarify on the parking, private lot means a handful of spots like maybe 6. So, you're most likely going to park on the street on a busy night. The place is rather small but they have 2 levels to accomodate more people. I think the upstairs is a bit more breatheable and the downstairs is pretty tight. Now most importantly, the food. I've only order sushi here and I've had the miso soup, tempura shrimp maki, super white creamy, dragon and philly roll. I think the sushi is pretty good. It's not the best sushi I've ever had in my life, but do you really think you'll get that for around $6 a roll? Which brings me to my next point, the prices are pretty reasonable. Not v. expensive and my favorite part: It's BYOB!!! Plus no corkage fee (the cherry on top). I would come here again, food is tasty, the service is nice, it's right by my house and byob. Not much else you can ask for.
(4)
Mia L.

Love the rolls here !!! Very fast delivery when needed. It has a variety of different food here to choice from.
(5)
Kelleen L.

I have eaten a lot of sushi ... To me, there are some places that I would order in only, and some I save for a good night out dinner. This is one that I would only order from... Which isn't a bad thing. Just not as good as the others I save for dine in. The rolls are pretty decent. The delivery was super fast.. (so fast that I called in my order and few mins later went to shower.. and right as I took off my last article of clothing my doorbell rang. Too much info??) Anyway.. three stars. Give it a try.
(3)
Leo J.

This place is great. Nice clean restaurant, good food, and 9-11$ lunch specials. I have eaten in, and had delivered so many times I lost count. Always awesome and fresh sushi, and great prices.
(4)
Kristina O.

This place is very small, but it's very cute BYOB. I've eaten in a couple of times, but honestly I order from here and pick up once a week. I don't eat sushi but my boyfriend does and he enjoys it, has gotten it from here several times. What I love about this place is their Curry and noodle dishes. The ***Panang Noodles*** are literally the key to my heart. This is what I crave pretty much 5 out of 7 days per week. Also, the Pad See Ewe, Pepper Steak, and ***Petite Egg Rolls*** are also recommended! There's more dishes I'd love to try, but I have been unwilling to sacrifice my Panang Noodles to order any of them. Anyway, go there, or pick up! You won't be sorry!
(5)
Jennifer M.

The food was great, but the service was HORRIBLE. The servers are completely inattentive. We walked in and didn't know if we sat ourselves or if the hostess took us. When we asked the hostess if we sat ourselves, she was absolutely confused. 'May we be seated?' 'What? Oh, one moment...' -__- Our waitress took our order, brought our food, and that was it. I had to flag her down just to get our check (it wasn't busy!) Not to mention my friend never got the dessert she ordered. Terrible. The Hot Woks on Michigan Ave has way better service than this place.
(1)
Bex F.

I am really disappointed. Why? We lived over by Hot Woks for 11 months, drove by a few times, and mentioned several times to each other that we should try it. When did we try it? The night before we moved. We really enjoyed it. We're so used to being let down by places that serve this type of cuisine. The sweetheart said, check GrubHub, see if there's a place that has sushi and then also has something you'll eat (sushi, eek, makes me gag, gross) and this place popped up. So we ordered. Super lightning fast delivery, a half hour early. He had some sushi stuff, don't really know, don't really care (sorry). The dog liked the tuna, that's all I know. I had the chicken satay and the rama chicken, both of which were surprisingly good. Spicier than I expected but in a good way. The cucumber salad was pretty sweet, but that's how I like it. Yeah, so disappointed that this place is no longer within our reach. Though, when I searched this place to write a review, I didn't realize there were several locations and it appears one isn't too far from our new place. Frown turned upside down!
(4)
Shauna D.

Very well priced BYOB, fast service, tasty rolls of a reasonable size that don't make you feel absolutely ridiculous trying to take down a whole piece in one bite. It's a small place that seems more take-out based from the outside but we had a nice relaxing dinner in the dining area and didn't feel like we were squatting at a to-go spot. I recommend the Mt. Fuji!!!
(4)
Keith A.

I've been on a sushi kick lately and felt that hot woks would be able to satisfy a crave. It did that, but it was really all it did. I got myself two pieces of seared white tuna and two pieces of hamachi. The seared white tuna was very good, and I was wishing I had ordered more. The hamachi was good, but it wasn't melt in your mouth good. I also got the spicy tuna maki and alaskan maki. The spicy tuna was good, but it seemed like they were trying to cram too much into the roll. The alaskan maki was nice and pretty enjoyable. Since Hot Woks is in several places around the city, I'll probably stop in if I'm in the mood for some sushi. But, there's more places that I would want to try first
(3)
Dan S.

I have never eaten inside, we always carry out. It's not cheap, about $30 for two, but really good food. We love the beef Pad Se Ew. The best I have ever had. The sushi is also really good. Prices seem fair.
(5)
Nancy A.

The best sushi I have ever tasted!! They're clean and friendly. They give you perfect sushi portions and their Chinese fried rice is delicious!
(5)
Kriss abigail P.

I have walked/driven/meandered past this location for years and never bothered to stop in. I will never forgive myself for waiting this long to put their seaweed salad in my mouth. It was so delectable, I almost moaned with that first bite. Not to mention that the sushi itself is out of this world. I grew up eating sushi from the Sai Cafe and if that doesn't make you a sushi snob, I don't know what will. But Hot Woks definitely impressed my date and I, we gorged ourselves on what seemed like a million different rolls and we still wanted more. We waddled out of there and I would happily do it again.
(5)
Rebekah H.

Tried this place for the first time with the hubby last night and it was ok. Service was very fast and friendly. Food was fresh and didn't take too long to come out but just wasn't anything special. The Crab Rangoon appetizer was very bland, the filling was almost watery and had very little flavor to it. The Beef Teriyaki Bento box was pretty good, though, Beef Teriyaki itself was great and the other item were good everything was very fresh. Also ordered the Mandarin Orange Chicken, the chicken itself was very good, crispy and fried to perfection with a perfect balance of breading and chicken but the sauce was a bit too sweet. I had to keep it so there was just a bit of it on the chicken to make it comfortable to eat. The veggies mixed in were also a bummer as there was and odd mix of what must have been a box of frozen peas and carrots, larger carrots and snow peas and large moslty raw piece of red and green pepper and onion. All in all, it was ok, would try again because it is so close to home but not in a hurry to go back.
(3)
Elizabeth A.

Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll = heaven. Seriously, get it. ...with a side of the mayo. Heaven in your mouth. I promise.
(4)
Faye B.

So went through Grub Hub again because I was craving sushi. Was a bit hesitant because of the disappointing food we had last time. However, it seems like their strong suit is sushi. The Chinese food was a little off the mark, but this time round our sushi order made up for it. For a fast food, take out sushi place our orders were pretty tasty. Liked the Fukodome roll and even one of their more simple rolls, the sweet potato roll. If I'm needing a simple sushi fix I have a place I know that delivers.
(3)
Jane K.

GREAT SUSHI!!! very small place =( I live close to this location so I can walk but, there "parking" lot fits like 3 cars. I know this is Chicago, but still. FOOD is great and service is good. I will try their Thai food next ;)
(4)
Jerry P.

The food here is pretty fair. There is nothing too amazing about this place. You get a standard Asian meal for a somewhat reasonable price. I would not recommend the orange chicken entree as it is very syrupy and not overly flavorful. Their pad thai and pad see ewe is worth trying if you're in the area. Not a destination spot to be sure but a solid take-out spot if you're in the neighborhood.
(3)
Brian F.

This place is REAAALLLL small and strangely situated between I90/94 and Pulaski near Irving. They have maybe 8 parking spaces total for their 10 or so tables. The sushi was pretty good and was ok priced ($2.25 per piece). The sushi specials really aren't that great of a deal. They only save you a couple of bucks to lose the flexibility of ordering what you want. Crab Rangoons were ok but not really to my taste. They were very sweet and it was hard to detect any actual crab. I got the Fried Rice with Chicken lunch special which was pretty tasty but also was a little sweet for me. The chicken was perfectly cooked, though. Very tender and juicy. I would come back here if I'm in the neighborhood and have a taste for a few pieces of good sushi.
(3)
Luis R.

This a little place with alot of flavor, good service and a nice urban vibe. It is situated in a wierd little slice of land and has an outside seating area along the street and there are a few parking spots. We have been there several times and the food has always been fresh, delicious, and generous portions. This place is BYOB which makes it really affordable.
(5)
Raquel D.

A solid 3.5. I been peeping this place for quite some time. It's right off the freeway and always seems to catch my eye. I FINALLY found a reason to eat here as I was in the neighborhood. And the verdict is...it's GOOD! I likes. It's reasonably priced, fresh and BYOB! We ordered a couple of rools and a hot wok and were totally satisfied. I was disappointed that the chicken basil was not ground, but I suppose I should have made sure before I ordered...you live, you learn. The only reason I am rounding down is because the rolls were good, but not too memorable...but still a good quality. And now that I think about it, ground chicken should be the norm. But I'll still be back should I be in the area!
(3)
D G.

Several restaurants have tried this location and failed but it really was because THEY weren't too good. This place is two blocks from my house and it rocks. If we are in the mood for sit down Asian and to just walk down and eat, we go there. It couldn't be closer and the quality is great, (though the prices are a bit high for this neighborhood). The setting is really nice/trendy too and we have taken several sets of friends there. Nice that they have a mix of Thai, Chinese and Sushi so if you don't know which exactly you are in the mood for, you can have a bit of all. This is not our favorite Chinese, or our favorite Thai, or our Favorite Sushi place BUT it does get high marks for carrying all three and for being so close to home. The food quality is really 5 star but the prices are a bit too high for the portion size so I can only give it 4. If you live in the neighborhood and haven't found it yet, let your nose lead you in and enjoy! They aren't on restaurant.com for a coupon or anything. It is worth going there for a special occasion or with friends. A bit too pricey to be our once a week place for Asian. Every few months we visit and are glad we did.
(4)
Jay L.

I will start by saying, I DO NOT EAT SUSHI :) But their spring rolls, pot-stickers and hot wok bowl are the BZZZZOMB! Everything always seems fresh, and higher quality food then your "typical" Chinese place....plus very FAST DELIVERY!!! Enjoy!!!!!
(3)
Lauren H.

So I'm torn between 1.5/2 stars. This place isn't worth three. It's not too far from my house off the Irving Park Blue Line (Pulaski exit), and I've made the mistake of ordering more than once. I might be crazy, but I keep thinking I'll like something one of these days. The pad thai is the safe bet, meaning it's bland and unoffensive. Untraditional eggrolls are interesting and one of the better dishes Spring rolls, though not super flavorful to begin with are some of the worst I've had. Teriyaki flavor was a bit off to me; not bad, but nothing to order again. Fukudome: meh, wouldn't order again Last time I ordered the soft-shelled crab maki. It tasted burnt and way too fishy. Hot Woks isn't terrible, but it's not worth the time or price.
(2)
PreemanJames F.

Whenever I am in Chicago, I try to have a different restaurant experience. I was in Old Irving Park and saw this restaurant and I decided to try it. I love Asian food but...This place was very disappointing. Though the lunch menu was easy on the budget, it was not even worth the $7.95 lunch special. The egg roll was crispy on the outside but like ice cream on the inside. The cashew chicken had everything but chicken. The crab ragoon should have been served in a soup bowl. The service was decent. Although, when we had to go to the counter to request our check. The clerk handed to us. Very disappointing....
(1)
Nina I.

I was actually really surprised when I first came here. I thought it was going to be a hard core shushi place, and don't get me wrong it does pretty well with it's sushi, but it had options for non - sushi lovers to get sushi that doesn't have raw fish or eel etc. Their warm food is delicious though! I can't wait to come back here to try more stuff on the menu! The only thing I wish improved a bit is the service. It took too long to check up on our needs, otherwise this place would deserve five stars.
(4)
Michelle F.

I would not recommend eating here. I might order food from Hot Woks Cool Sushi for takeout, but I would not eat here again. I do have to preface this by saying that we ate here on Valentine's Day, which may explain the piss-poor service. We did make a reservation, however, so when we were seated at one of the bar-height tables next to the door, we weren't happy. It was loud and cold by the door, and people were standing over our table while waiting to pick up their food, and it was not a good spot to be sitting - at all. We asked if there were any other tables available, and they said no. I didn't really see the benefit of making a reservation ahead of time, but whatever. We considered leaving but didn't think we could find another BYOB place on Valentine's Day, so we stayed. We ordered appetizers. We got the Chicken Satay and the Tempura Appetizer. The chicken was tasty. Usually Chicken Satay is cooked on skewers, though theirs is just basically a breast. It was still good though. The Tempura was a mixture of vegetables like broccoli, sweet potato and green beans along with shrimp. It was really good! While both the appetizers were tasty, we hadn't even finished eating half of them before they started bringing out the sushi we had ordered as an entree. That really annoyed me. We had this tiny-ass table, and they start bringing out all these plates of sushi, and we were not even done with our appetizers. That's a huge no-no for me. Poor timing with bringing out courses is a huge pet peeve of mine. I felt very rushed. And they were also slow on clearing plates that we were finished with. It was messed up. So the sushi came out, and it was very good. We ordered the Sweet Potato Tempura Maki, the Dragon Roll and an order of California Rolls. All were very tasty! My husband ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, but it never came out. We assumed they never wrote the Pad Thai down as part of our order, but we didn't really want it then so we went ahead and ordered the Mango and Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream for dessert. They were good, but I've had better. And they were both served with whipped cream, which I had never seen before. It was OK. So, back to the Pad Thai. We get our bill, expecting to see it not on there, but guess what?!?! It was there. We told the waitress, and then - get this - she brings out the Pad Thai. After we already ate dessert! It's like the lights were on, but no one was home. They wrapped it up so we could take it home, but it was pretty ridiculous. I mean, we'd clearly already had dessert and were ready to leave! Overall, the food was great. It's really a shame that the service was so horrible. I understand that it was Valentine's Day and it was busy, but they should have prepared for the crowd instead of neglecting customers and not paying attention to the quality of service they were giving. Even with a reservation, we were seated at a crappy table with crappy service on what is supposed to be the most romantic day of the year. I might order takeout from this place, but I will never eat here again.
(2)
Saro O.

We've been here four time now and have never been disappointed in the value and flavors. The lunch specials are FANTASTIC! The place is small but it never seems crowded.
(4)
John M.

I had the distinct pleasure of trying Pad Thai which was very well executed. Their sushi combination platter priced at $19.95 was very well executed. This establishment would certainly work well for groups although it is a small establishment they could however manage somewhat large groups. The service was professional and courteous to customers and I would certainly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is interested in Asian cuisine and particularly if they are interested in sushi
(4)
T J.

I've eaten in a few times and the sushi is decent. With the terrible weather, we decided to send off for delivery. The estimate was 1 hour, so I thought no problem. 1 1/2 hrs later and the food arrives, cold. Maybe I'll get a chance to update this review, but noone wants a cold gyoza. Everything had to go into the microwave.
(2)
Jaime G.

A good sushi fix but nothing special. Big plus for the byob though. The Obama-nami roll is a featured roll with salmon, onion, cream cheese, avocado, andorra but the cream cheese is over powering
(3)
Heather H.

Hot Woks Cool Sushi is a Sushi/Thai restaurant. Usually, these types of places do one variation better than the other, but in this case both are just OK. Nothing spectacular, but they are within walking distance, and they also can get me hot food delivered in under an hour. Me being the vegetarian, I've stuck with the Thai side of things. They don't have many veggie options, but I've learned to modify dishes. I very much like the way they cut the tofu here, it's a nice bite sized thin shape, and they use the extra firm. My fav thing though is the seaweed salad, amazing! Husband digs the sushi, says it's not the best, but it works when he has a craving. The place sits almost directly under the 90, at the Pulaski ramp. They have a cute outside area, but I like my food without freeway dust and fumes, so I opt to always eat in. I always thought their dining room was tiny, but just recently learned when visiting the restrooms on the 2nd floor, there's a HUGE room up there with tons of tables. With this next comment, please understand I am not anti-kid; Put the families upstairs. Without fail, upon every visit, there are babies and kids here. Last time, they were commenting to the mother how they couldn't believe that she was out and about after only giving birth a week prior. Seriously? Who brings their week old newborn to a sushi place? Again, I get that kids are kids. They should make noise, kick chairs, jump on the bench, etc. That's what kids do, it's these idiot parents who don't know how to manage their kids. But, upon learning of the upstairs, the staff should put them up there to leave the rest of us to eat in peace. But, since they probably won't, it's BYOB so bring extra. You'll need it.
(3)
Marie B.

We ordered take out and got the crab ragoon after another Yelper recommended it...did not let us down. We also had the Dragon roll and Spicy Tuna which was good Not the best sushi in Chicago, but definitely hits the spot. Excited to try their other dishes. Parking was easy on a weekday afternoon, but can look troublesome on a weekend
(3)
Rebecca C.

Their Fukudome Roll is literally HEAVEN SENT. So. damn. good. I definitely recommend that roll if you're going to be dining here. I also recommend their Spicy Chicken Salad. It sounds weird (ground chicken, wasabi-vinaigrette dressing, over a bed of romaine lettuce and red onion) but it's SO YUM. Especially if you're counting calories. If you're not too keen on spicy foods, MAKE SURE you tell them to go easy on the wasabi. I also recommend their petite egg rolls as an appetizer. However, DO NOT even bother with the fried rice. Seriously, the worse I ever had. Their service is good, nothing spectacular, but prompt and professional. I went to school down the street from here for a year and NEVER had a problem. However, if you're dining in, this place is cute but it's a tad cramped. I think that's the idea though; although it is cramped, it's COZY! Ideal for a quick lunch with a friend or a casual date.
(4)
Paul d.

So, seriously the place looks like someone bought a two story house and decided, "I'm gonna turn my house into a restaurant and name it something cool." Don't know if the name is all that rad, but the food definitely is. First and foremost, places that try to specialize in two different cuisines usually are spot on with one and fall short with the other. HWCS does well to do both. Now, in my opinion, Thai is still their specialty. They have all the staples - and the entrees seem authentic enough. Their Japanese offerings are simple (maki rolls and Bento Boxes); I can even picture those Geico cavemen being able to do it, but in kimonos. So far I've had the Tom Yum Soup, Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box, Unagi-Cucumber Roll, Crab Rangoon and Pad Seiw - all in one sitting. Just kidding. Everything has been consistently good. They do a good job of giving each dish just enough taste and not going overboard. They also have a sweetened Raspberry Jasmine Tea that is every bit as good and light as the Iced Green Tea at Panera. Overall, the prices are way reasonable and the ambience (and new outdoor patio) add a nice touch. Note: If ordering Pad Siew, ask them to make the noodles crispy. It is wonderful. Also - you can't go wrong with the Bento Box - a lot of food and different variety for around $12. Place is also BYOB.
(4)
Holly C.

EXPENSIVE for such teeny tiny rolls!!!!!
(1)
Shelby B.

I was very happy with this place. They have good food and a nice quiet atmosphere. The small patio is nice in the summer. I am a big fan of open kitchens, where you can see how clean it is and how things are made and this one was very clean. I keep this one on my list of great places to go in my neighborhood.
(4)
Nicole H.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!! While its sushi is not the best I have ever had, it is still very good and reasonably priced. Their spring rolls are to die for as well as the thia iced tea. While I haven't had the best food of my life here, I have not once been disappointed and I order weekly. My one issue is that's its such a small location and everyone site so close to each other its hard to bring young children to.
(5)
Andrea J.

VEGETARIANS beware! There are things marked on the menu as vegetarian, but are not. The miso soup is made with fish and the vegetable tofu soup is made with chicken stock. Same with the vegetarian delight - oyster is the special ingredient in the garlic sauce! Other than that, the veg options at this place are great. My husband and I have been here twice now and both times, my sushi was wonderful. I've had the sweet potato tempura roll, spring roll, and the mega vega, all of which are tasty and fresh. My husband's enjoyed all of the fish sushi he's ordered, as well. The service was friendly and attentive at both visits, and of course you can't go wrong with BYOB.
(4)
Rachael T.

I have given this place a fair try. I have had delivery twice and dined in twice. It just doesn't do it for me. The delivery was always cold, slow and the food subpar, especially the Thai dishes which is strange since the people that work there are most definitely Thai. This review is for both dilivery and dine in: The pad Thai was terrible! Tasted like peanut sauce thrown on top of over cooked noodles. Baby egg rolls where ok. Sushi was not cold, but a little hotter than room tempture and the rice was not sticky enough, every single piece fell apart. While dining my guy and I ordered the gold platter, they gave us one miso soup, which is just weird as hell for me since I know sushi owners and eat at a lot of sushi places, miso is cheap and usually the whole table gets served when ordering a TON of sushi, we also ordered a spider roll, salmon roll and a dragon roll, a lot of sushi for two people, and the gold platter should most certainly come with miso for the table, dumb. The waiting staff at this place is not friendly. They seem extremely bored and unhappy. They do not make you feel welcomed. They have terrible attitudes and are rude. The two times I have dined in I have waited a ridiculous amount of time for service while being the only diners in the place, sad. I am disappointed that I cannot have a better relationship with this joint since it is sooooo close to my house and there is really not many other options besides Manee Thai in the hood to get sushi from. But, I guess in the future I will be going to Manee Thai, because I am most certainly over this place.
(2)
Rita M.

Fiance lives close by & I'm a sucker for sushi, so we just had to try it out. One point deducted before stepping foot in the door due to their "parking lot" (a term very LOOSELY used) had enough parking fr literally about 4 or 5 cars. You must be aware this place is @ a VERY busy intersection & people driving around won't be so patient w/you parallel parking on Pulaski. I found a spot right in front & threw on my hazards about a half block away when. Saw the spot. Second, another star deducted before even sitting down b/c you feel like you're sitting with everyone else in the restaurant b/c you are sitting about a foot at most away from the table next to you. I ordered the edamame for appetizers & fiance ordered the mini eggrolls which were really good. He then ordered the California roll & pepper steak & I ordered the Spider roll. He was satisfied & so was I, but definitely had better. For dessert, we got the round ice cream things. Had better at the Social House in Vegas (see my previous review). One star for locale (close to the fiance's pad), one star for immediate seating (I had reservations) & one star for straight to the point service. Food wasn't bad, but wasn't great. I guess I was spoiled by initially having fantastic sushi MADE BY JAPANESE PEOPLE (no racism intended) at New Tokyo on Broadway (see previous review).
(3)
Tiffany S.

Ive never had a bad experience here BYOB with no fee, great TOM YUM soup, super friendly staff. They easily replace all the avocado with cucumber in all rolls with no problem or fuss. The Haijuku roll is AMAZING!! Dining in is wonderful but if you feel like staying at home, they deliver stupid fast and you never have to call back with a complaint. Ive eaten here about 10x the past year and will continue to even though I moved about 10 miles away.
(4)
Ryan L.

I came here with my sister last week for lunch. The layout is kinda odd, as we were seated next to an unused mail door. But it was cold outside, so there was a draft coming through the mailbox. Seriously bro, it's 35 degrees out, let's seal that shut please. We moved as we were the only ones in the place, but that was unusual. They have a decent lunch special - $10.95 for 3 rolls. The sushi was good, not great. Two of the three rolls i ate had blocks of cream cheese or avocado in it. I'm not a fan of scrimping on fish and replacing it with filler like cream cheese. But i removed said cream cheese and ate it in peace. Crisis averted! We also ordered some crab rangoon and it was very good...that sucker was filled to the brim with crab. It pretty much explodes when you bite into it. Pretty sure they use real crab meat, nice. This place is tiny with only 8 tables on the first floor. But there's an upstairs with another 8 tables or so. So i hope this restaurant does well as that area doesn't have many places like it. I would go back again.
(3)
Angie M.

We became fans of the Michigan Ave. location over the summer when going ro the free concerts at Millennium Park. We just went back and still are raving about it. The waitstaff is quite attentive and the service is quick support. I love the mixed veggie dish with tofu...very tasty. If you're in the area be sure to stop for a bite of sushi or Chinese!
(5)
Ali R.

With countless thai/japanese/chinese options in Chicago, my expectations weren't high. However, Hot Woks Cool Sushi did a solid job. The service was attentive and friendly, the upstairs space where me and my girlfriends chit chatted for a couple hours provided a cool relaxed atmosphere. The food came out timely however, nothing was real memorable with the exception of the Thai Iced Coffee. Fresh, strong, and with hints of carmel, I could start my morning off right with that in my hand. Since it was dinner time though, it did leave me up for hours at night. We started off with the crab rangoon. Being Chinese, crab rangoons are to me like french fries. Not any form of a cultural dish but delicious. They had good texture and tasty but there could have been a little bit more of imitation crab to make it perfect. For dinner, I ordered the Panang Curry Noodles, Dragon Roll, and Cream White Tuna Roll. The Panang Curry was very heavy in sauce and low on actual noodles and chicken. There was plenty of veggies but with so much curry, the dish was not pleasant on the eyes. The Dragon Roll and White Tuna Roll was tasty but they were quite small! Bummer. In any case, if I lived in the area and wanted delivery or carryout, I'd probably go back if I was craving quick thai/japanese food. There was barely any "Chinese" options.
(3)
Shari S.

Mega Vega not to be messed with . Best vegetarian sushi roll EVER! I like this place, but what draws me to it most is the convenient location. It is located right off the highway in Old Irving. When you do not feel like venturing far into the city for good sushi, this is a great spot. AND they have a parking lot.
(4)
Spank W.

I love this place. Close to my house and where I work, it always lives up to my expectations. Great for lunch. I've stopped in or had it delivered to work a bunch. *Gasp* Sushi delivered for lunch? Yeah I know you may be thinking I'm commit-able, but it's seriously not that bad from Hot Woks. I dig a place that gets both sushi AND noodles right. Everything I've tried here has been top notch. I love the Mega Vega roll. I dream about it sometimes. Seriously.
(5)
Bill M.

I finally made it to the original Hot Woks Cool Sushi last week. My friend had a birthday dinner here, and it seems like the second floor loft area is perfect for boisterous group outings such as this. The "untraditional" egg rolls are fantastic, since for me they ironically tasted like the egg rolls my father used to make at his takeout restaurant years ago. While the ingredients may be untraditional (Italian sausage? caramelized onion?), the flavor is very similar to my dad's traditional egg roll, and the golden brown skin is perfectly crispy. They are so good that I did not use the accompanying sauces (that's when you know they are really delicious). My entree was the Hot Woks noodles, which are green spinach noodles with chicken and vegetables in a sweet and hot sauce (hotness provided by the jalapeno peppers in the mix). This was a good dish but did not bowl me over. My dining mates tried different kinds of sushi and pan-Asian woks dishes and they seemed to be good all around. At the end we must have hung around a bit long, as the water service stopped so we were grabbing each other's beverage cups looking for anything to drink (it's BYOB too). I'd say the food is good but the egg rolls are great.
(4)
Silvana D.

Hot Woks is a good option in Avondale, both for thai food as well as sushi. I like the soups - the veggie and the tom yum. I've only ordered for delivery, and have not been disappointed by the speed or price of the delivery. It's unfortunate that there aren't more options in the neighborhood for thai/japanese -- while hot woks is good and consistent, I like to try new places, too, and the ones that deliver to the addison and kimball area don't have very good reviews. So, that being said, thanks hot woks for being a reliable restaurant in my area that delivers fresh, tasty food.
(4)
Sarah L.

Living in Albany Park doesn't give you many options for close take out. I can only eat so many pita sandwiches and falafel along with Mexican cuisine. My guy jumped on GrubHub.com and he found Hot Woks Cool Sushi. I do not like to have sushi as takeout so we ordered Thai cuisine. Service was fast and our food arrived hot. We started out with egg rolls and spring rolls. The egg rolls had a different taste than the usual egg rolls I have had in the past. The spring rolls were pretty good too. For my main meal I had chicken pad Thai and it was delish! My guy had beef & chicken spicy basil. You can add extra meat for a couple of dollars. I will add Hot Woks & Cool Sushi to my Thai food delivery mix. Prices are about average and the food is very tasty!
(3)
Sean K.

If you want some good sushi, then you gotta go here !!! After trying this place I order at least 2 a week once at work and once to my house !!!!
(4)
Hector M.

Hot Wok, I'm happy you're here. There are few other sushi/Thai places that recently opened near Portage Park. And thank god. It's pretty slim pickings around here as far as variety. Long story short, I strayed a couple of times. Today I ordered from them again, and thought "You know?, those Hot Woks guys. They made simple, fresh, DEE-lish rolls. The Thai, of course; they make good classics. But the sushi, they do a nice job here. The need to add another multi-fish special rolls, but Hot Woks has been consistent, and Fresh.
(4)
Url R.

This is a delivery review only. I frequently order from HWCS on GrubHub and have found their delivery and service to be very efficient. I recommend the following: 1. Fukadome Roll 2. Sweet Potato Roll 3. ObamaMaki 4. Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll 5. Crab Rangoon 6. Any of the Bento Boxes Not that great: 1. Their Thai Food 2. Chinese Chicken Dishes 3. Fire Cracker shrimp
(4)
Nico T.

This place is right across the street from a store I frequent, so I thought I'd bring some home for the family. I ordered yakisoba, pad ewe, soft shell crab appetizers, orange chicken , eggrolls and spring rolls; all for take out. The soft shell crab tasted like dirty oil that hadn't been changed in a month. The spring rolls were 90% cream cheese and totally flavorless. The noodle dishes and orange chicken tasted like something that came out of a microwave. The chicken was particularly bad and obviously started out as frozen. It didn't taste terrible, but it seriously could have come from the frozen food isle at Jewel. I can't even imagine how awful their sushi must be, but the thought is terrifying. This wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the ridiculously high prices. The order I mentioned above cost $62 and as I figure it was worth $40 tops. The woman who took my order was also a little English deficient and very hard to understand. I should also point out the kitchen area you can see in the front didn't look particularly clean. Also all the cooks making your Asian food are Hispanic. No offense, but that might explain something about how inauthentic this place's food tastes. I truly believe the only reason this place does any business at all is the lack of options in the Old Irving area. Avoid this place like the plague.
(1)
Jillian S.

Hot Woks Cool Sushi should probably simply be "Cool Sushi." I say this with the disclaimer, however, that I do not eat sushi. I am basing this statement solely on the fact that The (now) Husband really liked his Spicy Tuna Rolls. I tried one, sans seaweed, and actually did not gag this time. So, if you want to try this place out, I'd recommend sticking to sushi. We had very underwhelming chicken pad thai here. Hubs hated the chicken (lots of very fatty pieces and *gasp* a bone). My cucumber salad was not that great either. I do however very strongly recommend the spring rolls (made lovingly with an AVOCADO bonus!). The tempura appetizer was not bad either.
(2)
Angel G.

Have to say I love this place it doesn't hurt that it's on my way home from the train, but I've been known to drive on down and even *gasp* get delivery! The sushi is fresh and flavorful, and the entrees cover a range and are a great price. Gotta love the lunch specials as well! BYOB doesn't hurt. Definitely worth a trip to me!
(5)
Alan W.

VERY quick delivery. The food was good, but nothing special. Their Thai dish is just okay, and the Chinese dishes we ordered were pretty good. Good price:quality/taste, Good delivery, slightly above average food.
(4)
Jasmine P.

Yum Yum Yum! I was quite surprised when my friend took me here for sushi. I had to giggle at the name Hot Woks Cool Sushi (HWCS) when we first pulled into the parking lot. It seems like a convenient location too. My friend picked me up from downtown but didn't want to deal with parking so we drove to Hot Woks. It was near his place so he knew exactly what to order. HWCS is pretty small but the food is really good. They have inventive rolls in addition to the usual sushi choices. We had eel, the Obama-nami, and the Oceano. Eel= good as always. yum! Obama-nami was pretty tasty too and featured a patriotic American flag. I wonder if the roll came out before or after his election to the Presidential Office? hmm I digress. The Oceano was good too!!! Octopus wrapped in cilantro might sound weird, but twas actually really tasty! mMmMmmMm I heart this place. Service is great. Atmosphere is conducive to great conversation and lots of sushi-enjoyment. Next time I'm stuck in traffic on the highway, I'm taking a detour to Hot Woks Cool Sushi. haha yum yum in my tum tum!
(4)
Darkling S.

After touring the cemeteries uptown on a beautiful Sunday afternoon~- my friend and i share fascination with them as peaceful, quiet and ambient with great photo ops ~ he suggested this place. I do not like sushi, but I agreed to try it hoping for some PanAsian fare. I cannot add much to the food descriptions or opinions, but I rated it a "4" for their music ~ low volume multicultural instrumental ~ their service, their space ~ an old house that's converted to a modern very tiny space with a few outdoor tables ~ and the creativity of the desserts. We tried the green tea ice cream and it was the loveliest exotic dish I've ever seen in an Asian venue. Like a flower just bloomed on the plate with dollops of whipped cream as accent! I was pleased to find one so close to my office in the Loop. Their Chicken Pad Thai rocks!
(4)
Erika A.

Perfect green tea mochi, amazing Thai iced coffee, and great Pad Thai. The service is always good and the Pad Thai is the best I've had since arriving in the US (and I've been trying a LOT of different Thai places). I've branched out a few times, and while I wouldn't recommend some dishes (they have a Hot Woks noodle and a Hot Woks rice house dish - skip these unless you're into a weird mix of Italian and Thai), their Pad Thai, Crab Rangoon, Cashew Chicken, and Beef dishes are the best in the neighborhood.
(4)
Michael F.

Every Friday night the Mrs. and I order in from here, it has become a ritual. Whether we eat sushi or entrees we are never disappointed. Every now and then we try some other restaurant and all we end up doing is missing the known excellence of Hot Woks. We always use delivery, they are fast and friendly and food always arrives at the appropriate temperatures. Check it out, I love the Sashimi Gold Platter!
(5)
Jordan P.

I didn't have high hopes for this place, after reading all the yelp reviews. But seeing as it's the only sushi place that delivers to me in jefferson park, I figured I'd give it a chance. The veggie tempura is WAY too over-priced for what it is. It was pretty flavorless and the tempura didn't have any crunch to it. I felt pretty ripped off on this roll The asparagus rolls were good, but nothing to write home about. The avocado roll was surprisingly good. The avocado was smooth and basically melted in my mouth. Definitely the best roll out of all of them. If this place wants to stay in business, DROP THE PRICES and put some flavor into the rolls!
(3)
otilia p.

The one good thing I will say is that I'm glad there's at least one place in this neighborhood that serves sushi. Usually I have to drive up east or downtown to get good sushi. I ONLY go to this place in a pinch. A couple of things that this place fails to make the grade. 1) their staff is not very friendly. They're very standoff-ish. 2) they take forever to get your order our when you get take-out. 3). The sushi is meh...it surves it's purpose...it's OK. It's definitely not as delicious as some other sushi places I like to go to like Sushi Para. The other stuff on the menu, like pad thai...it's bad...not tasty at all. It would be a waste of your time an your money. Speaking of money...this place is PRICEY!!! Are you kidding me?!??! I paid nearly $20 for edamame and 1 roll!!!!!! No drink!!! and it wasn't even all that great. Womp! Womp!!! :( EPIC FAILURE! Go here if you're in a pinch and have a lot of spare cash to spend. Otherwise use the extra cash to buy some gas and go to a better sushi restaurant.
(2)
D C.

have no negatives. I like this place! Yummy Cali rolls, chicken panang... BYOB what else. Nice cozy place.
(5)
Carole C.

What a pleasant experience. I had the salmon bacon salad which was delicious! Tasted the soft shell crab & it was okay, have had better. One of the stand outs is the crab rangoon, done up like beggars purses and the cream cheese is studded with crab meat for texture and taste....a must try dish! The sushi was fresh and really stand out. The spicy tuna roll is so commonplace, but they elevated theirs! It's BYOB, but it has a nice little zen quality and very pleasant service. Clean and efficient it will warrant many visits in the future!
(4)
Digital M.

I've been here over a dozen times and have been 100% satisfied each time. I used to order the sushi items off the menu, but now I've been veering over to the other dishes. Last time in I had the orange chicken. All I can say is this was one of the best orange chicken dishes I have ever eaten. The colors and taste was just amazing.
(4)
Cece P.

This place has a lot of potential to be a great Sushi/Thai Restaurant especially in that area. However, these are the drawbacks I experienced: Seating is too close for comfort!! -They rarely open the upper seating area and seat you on the main floor, which seems like a long table with chairs except you are practically eating with strangers. The are a little over priced. -My cousin and I went there and we got 3 rolls, some rice, and egg rolls and the food could not fit on our little "shared" table. Not to mention when the bill came it was almost $60, really? I can appreciate paying a little more for amazing food and the experience but I did not feel like this place had that "WOW" factor; more like "eh!" The staff was a little rude! -When the staff is rude it is definitely a drawback. I think most people fail to realize that without a customer there is no business. I'm not saying customers can treat you like shit and you should take it but at least be courteous. When I asked if we could get a side order of jasmine rice, the server rolled her eyes and began talking to the other girl in their native language, RUDE!! Overall, It has potential but I will not be sticking around to see that happen.
(2)
Stephanie H.

I've never actually been inside this establishment, but I do use them frequently for delivery when I'm too lazy to do anything else. It's not the best food I've ever eaten, but it arrives fresh, hot, and highly edible. I generally eat the pad thai, the curry, the chicken satay, and/or the sweet potato tempura maki. It's all good. I have to say, though, as someone who loves crab rangoon, don't get too excited. It's not very good and has a heavy dose of pepper...? Weird.
(3)
Nez A.

very average. Orange chicken is terrible. Their sushi is a solid 6/10 (if you aren't a sushi snob, you may enjoy it). Another reviewer said it best, there really aren't many places to eat in Old Irving Park unfortunately... OH, and they charge you $2.00 more if you want brown rice instead of white...I find that really annoying, considering most places don't do that.
(2)
Robert H.

I ordered chicken pad thai, egg rolls, chicken satay for delivery The pad Thai was AMAZING..fresh and tasty..I had accidently added the peanut sauce that came with chicken satay to my Pad Thai..and it just added to the WOW factor...what an accidental bliss The chicken satay was gross and the eggrolls cold when arrived..but thats expected with any fried food I demoted this place by 2 stars because of the confused and non-english speaking phone person..I called them after i recieved the order to compliment the food...I told them it was the best pad thai Ive had The lady was like "ya ok, bye"..the delivery guy was very nice tho
(3)
Tricia H.

I love this place. They have a little of everything. Their veggie roll is the best! I crave it whenever I want sushi. They have outdoor seating if you're in the mood, it's byob and the menu is very reliable.
(5)
Suzan W.

Just a quick update....had another fabulous birthday party last month at Hok Woks....took up the entire second floor again.....service was amazing as was the food. Thank you, Hot Woks staff!
(5)
Tita P.

One of the things that I love about Chicago is that there are plenty of options for just about EVERYTHING and I ran across Hot Woks as just that. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. This place is about 1 mile from my place so in Chicago travel time that equals to about a 20 minute drive :-) so it is very convient. They have a really easy website that gives you a discount after you order 5 times online. Now to the food. One word GOOD! They also know what I mean when I say spicy..yummmmmaaayyy!! I have not had the pleasure of dining inside but I am sure to take advantage of the BYOB when friends are in town. I love this place and can literally order from this about twice a week. Must I say it again? Yuuuummmmmaaayy!
(4)
Katrina S.

This is a cute little place right off the Pulaski exit 90/94. It's BYOB. I wish I would've known that because we went on a scorcher of a day and I was about to dive bomb the next table for their frosty Sapporo!! The spicy tuna is great. It wasn't pureed like some places I have been to recently and there were some nice big chunks of tuna. I liked the super crunchy tempura shrimp roll too. Service was good and there is a little parking lot which makes it convenient. I will go again and check out some of the noodle dishes.
(3)
Jean C.

Once more with feeling: So tonight Dawn and I ordered from here. I gave her the benefit of my previous experience and we both ordered stuff that would probably travel pretty well. We got the HWCS fried rice because I wanted to have it again, and she suggested the HWCS noodles. We also got Shu Mai and the... oh what's it called? The special eggroll. The clear winner was the fried rice followed by the noodles. Both were spicy and fresh tasting. The fried rice could use more pineapple, but that Thai sausage is crazy good, and the rice retains a nice stickiness that fried rice seldom has. Strong flavor of basil is very pleasant and goes well with the jalapeno. The noodles had a nice lime flavor to them and the use of spinach noodles was a good choice. The appetizers, which on many menus tend to be more interesting than the entrees are less so here. That special eggroll? Good but not that different from most I've had in my life. I really got no sense of what was supposed to be so special about it. (I judge all eggrolls against some homemade ones I got from a Japanese fashion model maybe 40 years ago. They ruined me for restaurant eggrolls forever.) These stood up well enough, but didn't have the spark I was hoping for. And the shu mai were kind of leaden. Good flavor but heavy, and served with plain hoisin sauce. I thought that was kind of a strange choice, particularly when they also came with some hot mustard sauce. This time they left out the paper and plastic as requested. This meal pretty much confirmed what I'd been suspecting: 1) I was stupid last time and ordered some stuff that shouldn't be stuffed into boxes next to hot food for 15 or 20 minutes. 2) The HWCS fried rice is really good. 3) Try the special versions of things, or the house dishes, they tend to have a bit more flavor and are more interesting. 4) Quality seems pretty consistent, as does the speed of the delivery (quite good.) 5) There really is an interesting little restaurant in there. I honestly think it'd be worth your time and money. Not what I'd call great, but solid. A good, honest three-star place and frankly as good or better than most Asian food we've had delivered here. ETA: I apologize for this review. I thought I'd proofed it but I just noticed that it was riddled with mistakes. Mea culpa. I hope they're all fixed now.
(3)
Liz O.

I have never actually been IN the restaurant (this is only for delivery). Maybe I'm a fool for getting sushi delivered, but this was TERRIBLE. Soggy and hot. Sushi should never be soggy and hot. :(
(2)
Christopher I.

In Old Irving Park there are not too many choices to eat. So when Hot Woks opened up I was pretty excited! I have tried several places near downtown and hot woks is THE BEST!! BYOB, friendly service and fresh food... can't wait to go back!
(5)
Bridget M.

Yummy yummy yummy, I've got love in my tummy. I've visited HWCS a couple of times and after each visit, I find myself yearning for more. Their setup on the corner is a little obscure and parking in the lot is near impossible - luckily, street parking is plentiful in the area. There is a distinct warmth to the decor; maybe it's the brightly colored building accompanied by the vibrant walls, whatever it is, it works. Our waitresses are always accomodating and attentive, so the service adds to the whole experience. The menu has your traditional can't-go-wrong dishes, but also have signature pieces as well. The Bento boxes are pretty sweet deals. I have sampled the panang curry, tom yum, a variety of the sushi rolls, and the pad sie eew. The presentation of everything is crisp and clean and all over appealing. Their spicy dishes are certainly packing the heat, but has a good balance. The food is fairly consistent - I'm a big fan of the panang; in fact, my tummy is rumbling at the thought.... The pad sie eew can be ordered crispy, which if you've followed my Thai experiences, is a must. Cannot wait to find myself in this part of the city with a plateful of HWCS delight in front of my face...
(4)
JAMES M.

I like this place. Its a small little place that offers outside seating. of course probably not the best spot as it is right off the Kennedy and in between Irving park road. But I had a good time here. A perfect spot for a nice little dinner for 2. My Company was priceless. But thats because of course she is awesome ;) Do try the Spring rolls here....they are nice and fresh and covered in caramel! yummm to the yumm yumm needless to say we flexed that little appetizer pronto!!! I ordered a Kung pao chicken. and I told the waitress to light it up and make it hot as hell!!! Oh yeah they did! And yeah I maxed out the whole plate Latino heat style!!! Oh and how could I forget BYOB!!! Shake and bake seal of approval Hipster infestation: Level3
(4)
Marni P.

I think we are going to become very good friends. Just moved to the neighborhood 3 weeks ago, and I've already been here twice. I was worried that after leaving Bucktown, the Girls would no longer want to venture my way for Sushi night. Fear not...the Sushi is Cool and the Woks are Hot! My favorites so far: Mega Vega- Hearty veggie roll with a unique combo of veggies Crab Rangoon- Not seemingly all cream cheese like some others; the crab definitely represents. Spring Roll- This one surprised me. I'll probably have this for lunch a lot. It's like a salad that I'm not embarrassed to eat with chopsticks (I don't even hold a pen properly, obviously not going to master the chopstick). As for the fish, my friend Lisa (who has sushi colored dreams) had fish both times and is the perpetrator of the repeat visit one week later. Lisa approved + BYOB no corkage fee = good friends indeed
(4)
Natalie A.

I really want to like this place because our neighborhood is definitely lacking hip places to eat, and I have never actually eaten in the restaurant...but the take-out stinks. I've given it 2 chances. I'm not impressed. Tonight I ordered online. The delivery was prompt. I ordered a chicken/asparagus/shiitake entree that came with no asparagus and no substitute veg. I probably should've thought more about ordering tempura because it came all mushy (duh on my part.) Lastly I found a hair in my noodles that was not my own...I understand how this can happen, but it's still a little gross. One day I may dine in and have a different take on the place. Head down the road to Smoque if you want a fool proof dinner in Irving Park.
(2)
Trey A.

I enjoy this place because of a few things... 1) Its one of the only edible sushi places in the neighborhood 2) It's right down the block from my office 3) prices are not that bad in comparison to other sushi restaurants in Chicago. 4) The crunchy spicy tuna is uber cruncy and uber delicious all at the same time 5) It's BYOB Now here is what I don't like: 1) The stafff seems to hurry you when eating...and not very friendly at all. Check that: the staff is downright rude! 2) My heartburn is absolutely terrible after eating here...I eat sushi regularly (yeah I know we're spoiled) but every time I eat here my heartburn is extra ridonkulous...I need a handful of tums just to get rid of the burn. 3) The rolls used to be made with a little TLC (Tender Love and Care)involved...now we feel as though they're just slapped together for Franchising purposes 4) Parking is ugh...They have a few spots in front but thats it. All in all...We hate giving this place business, but have no choice when it comes to delivery...Any restaurant entrepreneurs looking to open a sushi restaurant should look into Old Irving Park/Jefferson Park. Here is a Field of Dreams quote: "If you build it, we will come!!!"
(3)
Leyla A.

Just Ok Sushi, in a weird spot near the corner of Pulaski and Irving Park. I went for the lunch special, and it was still over $30 for two of us, not including the tip. Honestly, next time I will drive out to Mitsuwa or Super H and pick up their sushi and then head to Horner Park for a picnic.
(2)
Lauren S.

I like this place - in the neighborhood, we usually do carryouts. Small and a bit spendy, but I like their rolls, and when I have a craving they are nearby.
(3)
Kai Z.

The hubs and I walked here after taking in some of the jazz concert at Grant Park, after arguing about how we should NOT go to the Gage because we have a MORTGAGE to pay now. The place is conveniently located, and has a cozy, warm decor inside. We ordered the gyoza for an appetizer - it was good but the skin wasn't as crispy as "pan-fried" should be. We split the caterpillar roll and the pad see ewe. The noodles were decent, but nothing special. The sushi was delicious, full of eel and crab goodness, served with a mix of spicy mayo and eel sauce. Yum! Service was fast and pretty attentive for how busy it was that night, and our waitress was cute and super nice. They also have good Thai iced teas, refreshing for a summer night.
(4)
Katie R.

it's hard for me to rate anything five stars, but this little place is worth it! the crab rangoon was great and all of the sushi was extremely fresh. i highly recommend the philly and the dragon roll, couldn't get enough of either of them! the place is adorable and on top of the wonderful food we only paid 15 dollars each.. 15 dollars! we had.. now you won't believe this, but looking back, i don't either.. FOUR entire orders of crab rangoon between four of us (..yikes! gym tomorrow!), four rolls, and edamame. it was a steal for how great everything was, plus it was BYOB! they also looked like they had some great lunch specials, as well. can't wait to visit the roscoe village location that is a little closer..
(5)
Natalie R.

We just moved to the neighborhood and have to find all new go-to places for carry out - a must for a non-cooking mother of four when everyone is tired of fried baloney and scrambled eggs. This place hit the spot. The sushi was all right, akin to what I can get out of the cooler at Strack and Van Til. We ordered several different dishes. The portions were average. The children enjoyed the cashew chicken and I will be trying various dishes on the menu. The one thing I would say is that if you have issues with different food textures, pass on the "unusual egg roll" as the texture inside made me feel like I was eating regurgitated food. I did not like it at all.
(3)
Jose C.

OK, first thing's first- I don't like sushi. Scratch that, I HATE sushi. I hate fish altogether, but I even hate fishless sushi, or spring rolls, or whatever you call those disgusting salty things everyone seems to love. Blech. I don't come here for that stuff, I come here for the great HOT food that works decently as a substitute for Manee Thai until MT reopens in its original location. I first came here on business, and we were given the big upstairs room. Most everyone ordered sushi, it all looked absolutely disgusting, but please don't take my word for it, I'm biased. Everyone seemed to like it, and I'll admit the presentation looked nice. I ordered a beef dish if I could remember correctly, and it was good enough to warrant a return trip, and then some. Overall, the food here is top-notch. The portions are a little on the small side, but with the way I tend to eat, it might not be such a bad thing. Parking can be a real pain, considering they have a "parking lot" which consists of 4 or 5 spaces tops. The parking lot almost requires cars leaving to head down a narrow dark alley in order to leave, otherwise, you'll have to back out onto busy Pulaski (not recommended). There is some street parking available, but i have conveniently always found a spot in their lot. The staff is friendly, but they do seem to want to get you out of there when you're done. I understand this gesture, as they do get very busy and the place is often packed. If you are in the area, try this place out. It's a nice little place that has a great atmosphere and great food.
(4)
Shaun R.

I have to say that this place was surprisingly fresh and very tasty. We got a delivery through Grubhub and the order showed up in about 45 mins. Everything was packaged like it should (hot maki with hot, cold with cold) and everything was the right texture. The fish was honestly VERY fresh. I was a little weary because any place that usually has Thai food and Sushi is usually on the crappier end of freshness, but again, it was AWESOME. Now, there was nothing fancy about it mind you but the rolls were on the above average side of things. I tried the Mega Veggie roll and it was honestly one of my favorites of any sushi place. The standard fare of Spicy tuna and some Hamhachi rolls were very good as well (but not fancy or anything). I will get this place again without hesitation
(4)
Craig D.

Hot Woks has grown to be our favorite place to get sushi, noodles, or rice, not to mention is right in the neighborhood. My wife has a really severe MSG allergy (it's in just about everything, sadly...scientists don't even know how it leaves your body!!!), and believe it or not, it's hard to find a good chinese/asian-fusion place that doesn't add MSG to all their meals. We have to be really careful where we eat, and trust that the establishment is being honest when thet answer our question, "Do you use MSG?" The first time we were there, they were almost offended at the question, as if to say, "Who in the heck would add MSG?!"...this was a big relief to us. All the meals and sushi always taste so fresh and are cooked to order. They have many original sushi rolls, all with great flavor. As if it couldn't get any better, Hot Woks is BYOB (with no corkage fee), and they have a large upstairs that rarely fills up and is great for parties or larger groups.
(5)
Liz L.

My favorite sushi in the city, and not to expensive. The lunch specials are so cheap and you get so much food! The people who work here are great and they even deliver until 11pm. I have eaten here over 30 times and have not had a bad experience yet, YUM! p.s. try the Fukudome roll, it is worth the money!!
(5)
Mandi N.

I used to love this place. But I ordered from here tonight, and deliivery was fast, but quality wasn't even comparable to times before. It felt like I wasn't ordering from the same place. I got the tuno avocado salad like always, but the tuna smelled funky and it had all these white stringy pieces interlaced in it. It was inedible. I also ordered the teriyaki beef bento box. I couldn't stomach it either. The meat was tough, and just tasted like oil. The veggies were soggy, the sushi roll tasted like it was from Jewel. All I ate was the plain rice. I feel sick. I wish I could get my money back. Most expensive stomach ache I've ever had.
(1)
Katt C.

im very picky when it comes to sushi. I normally dont like thai sushi. I only tried the spicy tuna and the fukodome, but as far as those two go......surprisingly impressive. service isn't the greatest, but I will return. Give the place a 7/10.
(4)
Polly W.

Wonderful sushi
(4)
Kristen W.

This place has been nothing but a bad experience from day one. Their online ordering system never works. The food is very low quality and low flavor. I am done being disappointed here and will not return. I will not recommend this to anyone- it's not worth your time. Very sad because this neighborhood could use some decent sushi and noodles but if you can't figure out your online ordering system after MONTHS then what is the point?
(1)
Suzanne B.

The place was ok. Not the best sushi. I hate to bash a place in my hood but it's a tad overrated.
(3)
Emily D.

Admittedly, we got carry out and traipsed back for a 52" experience. With television, folks. Minds out of the gutter. *jumps out myself* But, yeah, while the ingredients were fresh and I'm a sucker for mandolined carrot garnish, the food was underwhelming, under spiced and lacking flavor. I give them points for having unique dishes (we had chicken and broccoli, a spicy, special noodle dish and vegetable egg foo young, which doesn't travel well no matter how good your intentions are). And the vegetables were crisp, but unremarkable. Am I entitled to give two stars for carry out on a below zero day? Maybe not, but I am. For PMS Chinese (predictable, mediocre, safe), we'll go back. But only if I have Planet Earth on DVD. LOVE the mountains episode. That snow leopard? Are you kidding me?
(2)
An P.

Ordered some foot from Hot Wok's and found the food to be good. They had a spicy tuna roll rolled in tempura crumbs which I found tasty, even though the tuna wasn't the best I ever had but good enough. Crab rangoon had a bit to be desired as they fold the rangoon a bunch which reduces the overall volume. Sweet and sour sauce was good as well as ginger for the sushi. Ate the pad thai and it had six pieces of shrimp in my order. I have not yet tracked how many pieces of shrimp normally come in an order of pad thai, but this seemed just right. They did not lace my pad thai with a mess of bean sprouts, so I was grateful. The order came before I expected to, so I will commend their speed as well. Value-wise, I'd say you could probably get more food ordering somewhere else, but the food here is pretty good so it's always a tradeoff.
(4)
J Paul H.

I have only ordered delivery from here. It is extremely hard to find a sushi place that delivers good tasting food. It seems the fish turns too quickly. BUT HOT/COOL delivery drivers are soo quick the sushi is still cold! AND for once a sushi restaurant separates the hot food and cold food in different bags! Not too mention sushi/maki is incredible for the price. Noodles are amazing and super filling. Splitting is recommended. Have yet to dine in but, i'm sure it is great.
(4)
Kelli A.

Overall this place was not impressive. They have very limited parking in the front and a very small indoor dining area. The sushi menu was small and limiting. The rolls and pieces we had were decent, but nothing memorable. On the hot menu our vegetarian friend had 1 option.
(3)
niki k.

I'm really surprised at some of the reviews of this place, My boyfriend and I stumbled on this place last night, never heard of it, but I love sushi & he loves both Chinese & Thai food so based on the name we thought it'd be a great compromise. The waitstaff was great, I ordered spicy tuna rolls & the veggie tempura(sweet potato yum!) They were both great, better fresher sushi than I've had in along time for a good price. My bf ordered a thai dish, I forget the name but it had flat noodles fresh veggies shrimp and chicken, everything was super fresh and very flavorful. I'm so excited to go back and take friends, bonus its byob!
(5)
Nona Gayle D.

I haven't ever been inside this place.... but I have had take out from here.... I had a need to ingest teriyaki beef and I did not feel like driving all the way to matsuya, my brother and boyfriend stopped off at this place and got me a bento box, filled with goodness, now it was not the best teriyaki beef I've had, but it was not the worst, suffice to say it calmed my need. The bento box included, my beef, rice, tempura (like 3 pieces of veggies and a shrimp), a cucumber salad, 3 pieces of california roll, and miso soup. Not bad for 11.50! If I craved japanese but didn't have the energy to go to one of my favorite places, then I would hit this place up, it's pretty good.
(3)
Lance E.

We ate in the dining room once and had a good experience with the food and service. I would not recommend eating in the outdoor area because it's so noisy with Pulaski and the Kennedy right there. My wife and I order take-out about once a week and really enjoy it the sushi.
(3)
Theresa M.

Haven't set foot in this cozy little restaurant yet, but I've done take out. This restaurant has put life back to the "odd" corner that once housed my FAVORITE hotdog and fry joint called FRUNIONS!! So we order take out. I've been meaning to get there, but with our hectic schedule time away with kids just is not happening. No older kids home with us this evening but have to stay in with little one, so we ordered in. We (my husband and I) were SORELY disappointed with our food. We ordered the "unrolls"......decent.. peanut sauce inside a little overpowering, but good. He got the Pad su ee (sp?) which was also decent....but the portion size was a JOKE! I ordered the Beef Teriaki Bento Box. Again, I couldn't beleive how small the order was. Maybe I'm used to being able to share asian food from other restaurants for dishes comparable in price....but it was DEFINETLY just made for one person per item ordered. We also wanted to try the spicy sprimp maki. Maki was room temperature. I know it traveled next to warm food...but maybe the restaurant should be sensitive to this issue and package things in seperate bags. I don't live very far, so was surprised how "warm" the sushi got in such a short period of time. Everything was edible. But not very good. I have had much better sushi elsewhere. Even Whole Foods has better sushi in their refrigerated section. My beef teriaki...was Mehh ...okay. I dunno.. not happy. Spent a fortune for crap. I won't go back here....won't even try to go in either. I'll just be happy it spiced up the odd corner and leave it at that.
(2)
Kile G.

Vegetarians that don't eat fish be warned, this is not the place for you! My issue is not that a sushi place doesn't have an option for people who don't eat fish. Most sushi places aren't vegetarian friendly, but there are a few that do accommodate, and quite well. My issue with Hot Wok Cool Sushi is that they are misleading. This place seemed to be vegetarian friendly at first. I called ahead and asked if they had food with no sea life or meat and they said yes. I checked their website, I even hunted down their menu and found that they have little green icons next to certain menu items they claim to be "vegetarian". The first time I ate here, the waitress assured me that there was no fish life in the vegetarian dishes. On a more recent visit, a brief conversation with the waitress revealed all their dishes have either fish stock or oyster sauce in them, even the ones with the vegetarian logo by them. I even had her triple check with the chef. This is kind of annoying to me, but this is a major no no to anyone who has allergies and is mislead by both the menu and the wait staff.
(3)
Jenna G.

I was so depressed the day I found out Manee Thai burned to the ground, but I'm very glad this little place opened up to be one of my affordable neighborhood eats, since there are pretty much NO Thai restaurants in Portage Park, and I eat Thai at least once a week! I first found out about this place online and that you can also place your order online for pick-up or delivery! They also have some coupons, which is another plus. Service is quick and friendly, and to-go orders are always ready ahead of time, which is awesome, but not so if you order a crunch roll, which has time to de-crunch itself in its own steam while waiting for you. =) ordernetwork.com/Customeâ€¦ Check it out!
(4)
Stella S.

Headed up to HWCS today after my daily workout at the Y. Thank God for my workout because I ordered a noodle bowl and devoured the whole dam thing! It was the Hot Wok special bowl - spinach noodles with carrots, red/green pepper, fresh jalepeno, onion and chicken and shrimp! Soo good - the hot was not overpowering but still enough to make my lips burn! Yum! My daughters each got a veggie roll, one cucumber and one avocado. Plus edamame and crab rangoon - my 4 y/old's favorite! Everything was really good, although I was starving from my 45 minute workout. The parking is tricky though, I was sandwiched in by two other cars and when the dude got mad in the car next to me he slammed his car door into mine and scraped it a bit. (He was fighting with his girlfriend, mature). Try and park as close to Pulaski as you can, or avoid the lot alltogether if you can.
(4)
Bryan D.

I've only done the delivery from here, and that I did through GrubHub. It was fast (half hour from the time I ordered it, and it was snowing out!), and their sushi was the meatiest I think I have ever had. The soup was, standard, but good. The beef and broccoli was solid, and the egg rolls (though they were called 'non-traditional') tasted like normal, but good, egg rolls. Due to it's distance from me, and the fact that there is no parking or seating really, I probably wouldn't try going there. But for delivery, I'd definitely order again!
(4)
Melissa S.

Overall, I'm happy to have a nice, solid, not-too-expensive sushi place in my neighborhood. The sushi is just like most sushi in the city: OK, but not great. You get what you pay for. I recommend the specialty maki rather than simple rolls or sashimi; the fish just isn't fresh enough to stand alone. I found the tofu vegetable soup fresh and tasty, except one time when it came with an extra thick pool of oil on the surface. Bleh. I can't comment on the Thai or Chinese offerings here because I've never sampled them. The dining area is small, but it's more cozy than crowded. I've heard a rumor that there is a large private/annex dining room upstairs. The online ordering is a plus and was timely. I've also dined in, and the service has always been prompt and accurate. I must say that the servers are a little rude. I'll change my mind the first time one of them smiles at me even a little!
(3)
Jennifer B.

I am actually quite thrilled with this restaurant! I admit, I couldn't imagine it would be so good as the location is not ideal...but what a welcome to the neighborhood! It is my absolute new favorite in the hood! I've been there 5 times now in the last two months and each time the food was consistently fresh and fabulous! And affordable in my book! I love the atmosphere, sleek and clean, even the bathroom is nice! The Staff is very attentive. The only con is I have felt a bit rushed. But I love this restaurant! SO happy its in Old Irving!
(4)
Amanda S.

So I will start off by saying I am not a legit sushi goer. I only have the veggie maki but oh my goodness it is amazing. I am fighting the temptation to run and get some right now. Their crab rangoons and edemame are exceptional too. Yes the location isn't awesome but the service always has a smile and I have yet to have a bad experience.
(5)
Bethany J.

I wanted to wait until I ate here a few times before I reviewed, luckily since it is the only pan-asian joint in my hood, it's been pretty easy to hit this place up often. I've tried take out, dined in a couple times, and am certain I will use delivery when old man winter strikes again. First off I'd love to give them 5 stars for pioneering their business to the area, but they aren't sushi X level sushi, nor a Spoon Thai hot dish. With that being said, if you are in the area and have to have sushi (this is a position I find myself in often) you will be just fine. I have had the fukodome roll (a little too heavy on the cream cheese), the spider roll, unagi, spicy tuna, and the vegetable tempura roll (which is absolutely excellent by the way). Again, can't say anything knocked my socks off, but not bad. I'm also a fan of the spring rolls, they put avocado in there, which makes me a big fan. Two items that stand out to me/ personal recommendations: Veggie Tempura Roll and Panang Curry Tip- careful with takeout/ phone orders, depending on who answers, this can be a long, slow, confusing process. Be patient. I love the place, I think the people that work here are sweethearts (but I'm super biased towards Asians already), the decor is cute, and thank God for something not being such an eye soar in the Irving Park area. 4 star rating for location (the first, & now the one & only in the hood), decent food, and making my world a better place by putting pan-asian in walking distance. Thank you thank you thank you for opening up here!
(4)
Jean Z.

Agreed. This flashy new place plopped into a tricky location is over priced. The rolls we ordered were good, and nothing was very inventive - but the price. I believe that they dont want to charge as much as they're charging - judging by the renovation to this crazy building, they're just trying to pay the Home Depot charge. We did not order tuna because what I saw in the display as we passed to the sundrenched table at the east window was looking kinda drab. I didnt look too close, was more engulfed in the design of the shack. We may go back, its convenient and all... The pad thai was unsuprising (which is a good thing.)
(3)
annie l.

I've been to both locations a couple times and have yet to have a bad experience. The first thing I noticed was the excellent service. Then the best crab rangoon for miles around. The "spicy" options are not as spicy as I would like, but just enough not to offend the lighter-hearted. The firecracker shrimp and panang noodles are delicious and quite filling. Being BYOB keeps this place interesting, and you won't be rushed even on a hopping Saturday night. Both locations have well-designed, cozy atmosphere. The parking lot is weird in Irving Park so street park if you can (or get off at the Irving Blue line stop). This place also has great lunch specials, takeout, and delivery. I can't enough of this place!
(4)
Johanna C.

I have been to this place twice during their lunch special hours. They have limited, free parking in the parking lot. I was very pleased with the Spring Roll appetizer and Cashew Chicken lunch special ($8). You get a great portion of food and the vegetables were always fresh. If you order a beverage, expect to pay around $12 - $17 (with gratuity) during the lunch special hour for your meal. They also offer a sushi lunch special where you can pick 3 types of maki for about $11. I have yet to try the sushi but have seen several tables order the sushi. There is also lunch special another option where you can have "cool" and "hot" options. The service was good. The seating area facing Pulaski can get a bit chilly during the winter. It is worth noting that this is a very casual place. This is a great addition to this neighborhood as there are not many Asian restaurants around.
(3)
Quentin B.

Really had much better. Went looking for a different sushi place that was closed so we stopped here on the way to the airport. Small but clean setting. Staff was friendly but a little slow. Sushi was inconsistent. Had one of the lunch specials and a specialty roll. The lunch special was bad. Rice was undercooked and old but the rice in the speciality roll was fine. Overall unremarkable and past the rice issue I'm hard pressed to rememeber the meal itself.
(2)
Brian M.

The best Asian option in the Old Irving 'hood for many reasons. Incredibly fresh and crisp food, reasonable prices (Pad Thai should never cost more than $7), a wide and varied menu and light and open decor. Despite the sometimes absentminded service, the food always arrives quick and hot, and served with a smile. Order from several Thai and Chinese noodle/rice dishes, or order sushi by the combo plate or ala carte. And they make off the menu rolls for you - I always get the spicy salmon skin hand roll. BYOB!
(4)
Marie T.

Yay for the new Pan-Asian spot in Old Irving/Albany Park! My boyfriend and I are on always on the hunt for good local haunts to try out in the neighborhood and have been eyeing this corner restaurant for a few weeks now. Hot Woks Cool Sushi had their grand opening a couple days ago and based on it's full parking lot, looks like we weren't the only ones excited to try the new place out. The location is pretty convenient since it's right off the highway at the Irving Park/Pulaski exit on 94. But because of the limited parking in its lot you may need to circle around a bit or try for street parking. We stopped by to check out the menu and to pick up some take out. During the short time we were there we were able to meet the owners and check out the rest of the layout of the restaurant. The owners were extremely nice and accomodating. They also shared a juicy tidbit that they'll be keeping the restaurant BYOB. A definite plus for us!!We're definitely looking forward to going back, since the place had good food at decent prices
(3)
Henna N.

Okay, I have to be honest. I would probably give this place a 3 star review, but I'm so happy that this place exists, I'm gonna give it 4. And yeah, I'm sticking by that. I've been here a few times now and it's been a few hits and a couple misses. I last ordered the Fukodome special roll because of all of the good reviews...but I have to say, I was a little disappointed. Really not sushi. Just way to creamy for me. I guess patrons up this far north and west don't have much else to compare to? To each his own, I'm okay with that. I really enjoyed the Akira though as well as the spicy crunchy tuna. I'm gonna try a scallop roll and maybe some hamachi sashimi next. There's plenty more on the menu to try. The Pad Kee Mao is delicious. The noodles have a great chewy consistency and mmmm, yum. Good proportion of noodles, meat, shrimp, veggies. Pretty good Pad Thai too. The portions are very generous. Oh, the Tom Yum soup is good. It's not the best I've had (Try Thai Aree on Milwaukee), but it was really tasty and it came in a huge bowl. Almost a meal in itself. I'd prefer if it was served with shrimp instead of the bland chicken but the broth was tasty and the veggies, mushrooms, yum. My husband ordered the miso soup but kept stealing spoon fulls of my Tom Yum. That's okay, there was plenty! The service was friendly the few times I was there, but they are a few things they could improve on. I did know which rolls were which when they were presented, but I had to point them out to my husband. Normally the server would do this for me, no? Also, when we took our leftovers to go, no ginger or wasabi was added. That should be a given. Overall though, like I said, I'm so glad this place is in the neighborhood. I'm just going to figure out what I like on the menu and keep ordering from my hits list. I will absolutely be back and make a point to drag a new friend along too. I know you've been here awhile Hot Woks, but welcome again...we're happy to have you.
(4)
Annie W.

I'd consider myself somewhat of a sushi snob, but man - I LOVE THIS PLACE! So delicious. The rolls are perfectly sized, and the service is prompt. The food really knocks this one out of the ballpark for me, as the service can be so-so (the occassional language barrier), the parking is difficult, and the seating is limited. Having said all that, it's still my favorite place to go for sushi in the city!
(5)
Marc M.

We live in Portage Park and really love the area. Our only complaint is not having enough restaurants that are close. We were really excited when Hot Woks moved into the area. It is a delicious restaurant with quality ingredients at a reasonable price. We go so often that the staff knows us by name. My wife and I actually had our wedding rehearsal dinner here a couple of years ago and it was a blast.
(5)
Leia Z.

Really great sushi not the most authentic but really fresh and great variety! Tempura Aspasgus maki is AMAZING! Mega Vega is also wonderful ...great seaweed salad ...and its BYOB!! Really just a great little spot to dine in but also super for delivery. Very quick and almost always right on, even with complicated orders!
(5)
Tiff S.

I was contemplating whether I thought this place was "A-okay" (3 stars) or that "Yay, I am a fan" (4 stars)...and I decided that I am a fan, even though we did not order any sushi and our server came after us when we mistakenly gave her $1.50 as tips. The noodle dishes were delicious and filling. I had Yakisoba noodle that had both great flavor and texture. My friends who ordered various other noodle dishes had good things to say about the food as well. The decor of the place is elegant and the hand dryer in the bathroom was really cool. I am pretty sure I will be bringing others to this place.
(4)
Nina G.

This place is good. The only gripe I have is the price. For the $12-15 rolls they are small size instead of the big ones. I guess it makes it easier to eat, but it really makes me miss the godzilla roll at Matsuya even more. :( It's a cute date place. I would go again....if my date were paying. hehe jk This place is worth a try though.
(4)
Clover D.

If your looking for a good neighborhood sushi- there was nothing to be found in Old Irving Park- that is until the opening of this place. I was thrilled to have another option for dining out in the neighborhood, especially sushi. my girlfriend and i ate there, and truly enjoyed the food. the owner came out and talked with us, and it was a comfortable setting, as long as you dont mind being near other people eating. the staff was friendly, the food affordable, and our veggie tempura rolls were delicious. though i do not eat fish, i really enjoyed the options on the menu, and had a very pleasant dining experience.
(4)
Brianna R.

So I really wanted Thai food last night but was too lazy to go out and get it. After figuring out that one of my fav places doesn't deliver to my new spot ( but delivers three blocks north of me), I decided to give this place a try. I ordered the spicy basil chicken and the pad thai w/ chicken. The pad thai was just ok but the spicy basil chicken was awesome. The chicken was moist, the veggies firm yet flavorful and the rice super fragant. I will definitely be ordering again.
(4)
sarah s.

I keep trying to like it, but it's just not that great. I don't understand how crab rangoon can be bad, but somehow they manage. It is way overpriced for what it is. And lukewarm delivery of both hot and cool items = fail.
(2)
john N.

Sorry Dana - I was first and happily so. When the sign went up and I saw the words Cool Sushi - I was ecstatic. Then I realized that it also said Hot Woks and my enthusiasm cooled, since I've never had first rate sushi at a place that is Pan-Asian. Well, surprise surprise - the Sushi was first rate. The first hint that these folks know their stuff was as soon as sat down I asked the server if they had Ponzu Sauce - not only did she know what I was asking - but she answered yes. Those of you who really know sushi will know what ponzu is, for those who don't - you should find out. Next they brought the usual complimentary mizo soup. It was obvious again these folks know their stuff. It was perfectly balanced and flavored. Then came the seaweed salad and they nailed it and with it came the requested side of ponzu sauce which was obviously home-made not bottled. The salmon sushi was well sized, great flavor and texture and at the perfect temperature - just slightly cooler than room temperature. Contrary to popular but inaccurate belief sushi should not served cold. Next was a very tasty and well put together Rainbow roll, followed by 2 pieces of Unagi. The Unagi could have been cooked a bit more crisp but that is very subjective (next time I will request that) and the eel sauce could have been a bit more concentrated, but very good. I plan on going back tomorrow and try the Wok side of the menu. My thanks and congratulations to owner Lois, her husband David. Welcome to Old Irving Park. John -
(4)
eve r.

Pad Thai- good flavor & the chicken had a nice grilled taste. A little dry. Pad Kee Mao- really nice & spicy. good noodles. Cali roll- nothing special but at least they use sushi rice. Better than the grocery store. Crab Rangoon- I've had better. Tom Yum soup- good flavor but w/ bell peppers? Seemed strange & husband hates bell peppers...not listed as an Ingredient. Liked that I could order on-line. Food came a little earlier than they predicted. I'd order from them again.
(3)
Ting A.

go for the fukudome. it's the most expensive of their signature rolls ($13.95), but it was the best of the three rolls that i tried that day (caterpillar and obama-nami) and most likely the best of their signature roll offerings. the fukudome includes shrimp tempura, mayo, masago, avocados, chili sauce, tobikko, cream cheese, scallions, w/a tempura crumb outside and topped w/wasabi mayo and sweet soy sauce. ...sure, it's not a traditional roll. i'm reminded of a conversation that i had w/one of my college friends who's half japanese. i can't recall exactly what we were talking about, but he exclaimed, 'who puts mayo in a roll??' it has a bit of a kick and the avocados made my throat itchy (i'm allergic to avocados, but i eat them anyway), but i can happily say that i enjoyed this roll. full of flavor and a slight overdose of condiments. hah. the yakisoba was ok. nothing too exciting about these noodles. ...i expected the tuna avocado salad to be a bigger portion for $7.45. the size resembled an afterthought of a salad. the lady who took my order was very patient w/me, as i had to call back twice. (once to slightly change my order, and twice to ask how much the total bill would be.) ...hooray for bastardized rolls!
(4)
Jen D.

Admittedly, it is the restaurant owner that made this place a sale. Joan came by to chit-chat and was really normal and unpretentious. Still, what a surprise that while exiting the expressway looking for another restaurant, we stumbled on this one. It just opened on the 21st of July (still no liquor license as of 8/13) and the price for BYOB corking was enough to have us NOT get our own...still, I had a phenomenal noodle dish, Hot Woks Noodles, that I am still drooling over. My hubby had some sushi rolls and I tasted a couple and loved'em. I'm trying to remember that we were there less than a month after they opened so as not to be too critical. We sat on the first floor and the floor slanted on my side and was a little awkward and they served our food too quickly (one dish brought before another was barely touched). It seemed a little small until I realized, as we were driving by to leave, that there was a second floor. Nonetheless, I will be back because the food was good and reasonably priced. I'm just waiting until they serve their own booze!
(3)
Angelique R.

Yay, something cool in the neighborhood. Thanks for the vegetarian maki options HWCS! The Thai food is ok, nothing special. The building itself is cute and the staff is very helpful. Getting in the lot can be dangerous and there is not a lot of parking. Wasabi power!
(4)
Gigi G.

Great food! Fast service. Sucky Location.
(3)
Blaise S.

I absolutely love this place! I met with a large group over the weekend for dinner, and as always everyone had a good time. It's BYOB, which is great, because that saves you money right away by not paying for overpriced restaurant drinks, AND it allows you to bring exactly what you like. I ordered the akira rolls this time, and they were spicy and delicious! I also ordered gyoza (dumplings) and crab rangoon, and I have to honestly say that they are both some of the best I've had (especially the rangoon), and are fresh and come with great dipping sauces. I'm also a BIG fan of the fukudome and mt fuji (very creative and I love the flag on top) rolls, and for you non-sushi eaters, they have a great selection of hot noodle/meat dishes. The wait staff is always friendly and the owner even visits all the tables for chit chat and to make sure you're enjoying yourself, which I guarantee you will. Grab a six-pack and stop by for some sushi, and while you're at it, invite me so I can enjoy it too!
(5)
E N.

Visited here recently. Food was OK. Ordered crab rangoon which was OK. Also ordered the hot woks noodles which were supposed to be spicy but weren't. I probably would have given them 3 stars except that the waitress gave us the bill, stood over us for 15 minutes to see if we would pay, and then finally walked over and asked us to please pay the check and please leave because she had other people that needed to be seated. Needless to say, first and last time here. Update: I wish there was a way to give them zero stars. It's the next day and the hot woks noodles have turned my usually very reliable stomach upside down. :(
(1)
Sarah Rylee F.

okay where do I start... I used to live down the block from this place before it was open... naturally when i went back to the hood and saw this place I was sooooooo excited. even more exciting, theyre open for lunch which not many sushi places are. I have sent SEVERAL people here and always raved about its prices being great and all that. that all ended a couple nights ago. my friend and i were searching for a late-ish night meal when we stumbled on north pulaski and i instantly thought sushi! yes! we walked in around 8:50 (the ad here might say 9pm but the door DEFIANTLY says 9:30pm) of course thats the restaurants chance to say yes we will seat you or sorry we're closing... which we would have not been offended by. what we were offended by is that when the server seated us the manager gave me a really snippy look... which i ignored. the manager then instructed the server to stand right next to us forcing us to decide on something asap. instead of having the server bring the food out the nasty manager did so... asking us if we were going to order anything else and when i said no she said okay good because the kitchen is closed. the manager proceeded to stare at me (i was the one facing the kitchen area) for the entire time we ate. my friend and i ate quickly and were out of there almost exactly at 9:30, right when the door said they closed... the manager gave me another snippy look and didnt say thank you for coming or anything and when we said to have a good night she rushed us out and locked the door the second my coat hit it. needless to say they lost a VERY good customer and ALL of my friends that would have been sent to them... like i said i lived in the are for many years and I know a LOT of people around there..... big mistake hot woks. hopefully that lady wasnt the owner and you guys can recover from her attitude and be awesome again.
(2)
Niki H.

I live right around the corner from these guys and I love it. Don't get me wrong, I almost wish it was bigger or had more room to "spread out" when dining in (since there are only a few, very close tables on the first floor) but the food is delicious. Even my non-sushi-loving boyfriend likes this place. Keep up the good work!
(5)
Alexis S.

We have ordered take out from here two times now. We always make sure to get a couple Philly rolls because they are my favorite. The sushi is fresh, bigger than usual and adequately priced.
(4)
Julie M.

I have been here twice, and am glad it is the neighborhood. The stir fry is good. I agree with a previous reviewer the sushi is mediocre. It wasn't bad, but not good. I ordered the garlic chicken for take out last week and it was delicious. Vegetables perfectly done, and the chicken very tender. I like it for take out , otherwise the tables are right on top of each other. Again, good addition to the neighborhood.
(3)
karen l.

I love this place!!! Excellent thai food. Great prices! The thai iced coffee is the best i've had in a long time. !
(4)
chris e.

Definately some decent food (and thus the 3 stars) - the sushi was fresh and so was my pad se ewe.. too many downsides for me to consider going back tho. First, there is no parking. The small lot has literally 4-5 spaces in it and those are really tight. Second, seating .. there are 4 tables in the larger of the 2 small areas (and u cant get to the bench seat on those without some serious butt/or/crotch-in-the-face-of-the-person-seated-Âat-the-next-table action.) There is a small row of high perched tables/seats in the area where people walk past the sushi bar to get to the larger seating area-we are talking 4 tables there too. The service we had was not the greatest - waitress was not rude or anything but come on, u have 4 freaking tables u are sitting/serving. You cant remember that what the person ordered at the table next to us was NOT our order? Waitress also took my order and then had to be called back as she was walking away to take my boyfriends because she 'thought we were finished ordering' .. then had to be called back at the end of my boyfriends order because she left before he had a chance to tell her what he wanted to drink. She was seriously SERIOULSY not that busy that she had to be half way across the room as we are saying the last sentence, yanno. 4 tables in total. Come on. The person next to me (whos order the waitress originally gave us) leaned over to me and said "They are always like that here." ~shrugs I dont kno, but i do kno that there are other places that are easier to manuever, easier to find parking at and who make me feel a bit better about my dining experience out there for the same price. Decent food is great but its not everything when it comes to an eat-in experience. As for take out, the parking is so minimal that i wouldnt even try.
(3)
Ica F.

My boyfriend and I stayed away for months after having moved to the neighborhood because of the so-so reviews on Yelp, but I will be taking the reviews here with a grain of salt from now on. This place was yummy! The sushi was fresh and flavorful. The Yakisoba dish was slightly spicy and the veggies were crunchy. We had the special Obama-nami roll which had salmon, cream cheese, green pepper amongst other things. The service was attentive, but not overly. We went for lunch and really enjoyed the bright, well decorated interior. The wall color was a lovely, warm yellow color. The location (right next to a 90/94 on-ramp) could be better, once you are inside you forget where you are and enjoy your meal.
(4)
John C.

I could not ask for more. Yes the space is intimate, which adds to the neighborhood charm. The servers were very attentive from the moment we walked in the door. In fact, our party of 3 had to wait a few minutes before being seated but 3 different servers came up to us with an update that our wait should not be much longer. The quality of fish was excellent and at the level of other fine sushi restaurants that cost much more. The fatty white tuna was so good that I ordered a few more for my guests to try. We ordered top notch crab rangoon, nontraditional eggroll (crunchy peanut sauce goodness), typical seaweed salad, alaska roll, some other great rolls, salmon, tuna, hamachi, etc. Only piece I didnt like was the unagi. Did I mention this place is BYOB?! highly recommended.
(5)
L J.

Update: Mega Vega is really yummy!
(4)
Ji K.

I'll admit it. I was drawn to this place by the name. It's actually pretty cool how you can order everything online and get the total price in real-time, which is what I did 20 minutes prior to pick-up. This small, corner spot is also really cute and cozy in person though I only did a quick walk-through while waiting for my food to get packed up. Overall, the food is good. I went with a Thai noodle standby and one of their special rolls, and it was all good. The food wasn't "out-of-this-world," but it definitely seems like a nice place to stop into for lunch or dinner if you're in the area.
(3)
Bridgette K.

After moving into the area I found myself trying a lot of different Asian restaurants, but this one was different from the rest. They had many many different dishes to choose from. My boyfriend and I ordered a few different dishes to get our varieties. The spring rolls were very fresh and I loved the sweet coat of caramel that were on them. I ordered their orange chicken and it was by far the best orange chicken I've had. My boyfriend order a noodle dishes that was excellent. The convience of ordering online was also great. And if you order 5times online they offer you a freebie.
(4)
Dana G.

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have tried three different times to order online, and they keep telling me that they do not get the order... This after waiting 25 min for a confirmation, the person I just spoke to at the restaurant didn't care, and she hung the phone up on me after I tried to explain that I wanted some dinner. I just thought I should let you all know the owners/ employees don't seem to care much for customer service. I wish my business was going so well that I could just hang up on people............ Well, I was not the first there, when I arrived last night there were people waiting to be seated, 75% of the tables were full and there were two of us ordering to go.... While I waited for my food there were 4 people who just came in and got menus. This is going to be a great addition to our hood! The owners were at hand to give me a tour and talk about their venture, I was glad to see that the space is now being used. We ordered the non traditional egg rolls, very unique flavor, could not put my finger on it, but its one of those things you will love or hate. (one of us hated, one of us loved) The Gyoza was similar to most, but the chili sesame oil was over powering and I had to take a break and go back so I could discover the actual flavor of the food. I had the salmon and avocado roll which was fresh and deliscous!! The spicy tuna was very good, but the shrimp tempura roll was outstanding! I liked the size of the rolls for the price. I am anxious to try more of their sushi, the only thing I didn't like were the words (no substitutions) as there are a few things I don't like and when there is such a limited menu for sushi, I was hoping to have some options. My partner had the beef yakisoba and he said the noodles were over cooked and it had a funky taste... well after reading the menu I discovered that it had chopped seaweed on it, and since he hates anything from the sea, it was not a good choice for him. (next time no seaweed!) We will be back for sure! The owners were delightful, and the space has a great feel, from the pan-asian sun room, to the upstairs zen eating area it does have a lot to offer for such a small place. I look forward to tasting more from the menu. I will update, and change the rating as the tasting continues....
(1)
Denise E.

This place was horrible. The service was very poor. I had ordered a kitchen item and my husband ordered sushi. They brought my husbands sushi out and I had to wait about another 15 minutes for my food. They did offer a free appetizer since I had to wait but I would have rather had my food. I do not understand why they could not have just held his sushi until my food was complete. Finally, the sushi was not very fresh and the price was a little high. My entree was ok but overall was not worth the price. Would not return to this establishment.
(1)
tracy g.

Finding a good restaurant while living in Jefferson Park has been a struggle for us. A friend of mine told me about this place. Since we have 3 young boys, take out is our friend! So we gave it a try! They have the bento boxes and the pistachio salmon box is excellent. The salmon is swimming in this teriyaki sauce that is sooo good! the crab Rangoon is good too!
(4)
darrel h.

Pretty good, not at good as Tank over on Lincoln, but I'd go again.
(4)
RICH R.

I recommend this place at least to check out once. I enjoy the sushi here especially Mount Fuji it is really good. Its close to home so I have been here a few times and also they deliver. Its B.Y.O.B so bring some Sapporo's. The last time I went it seemed they forgot about my order. I didn't receive my food for over an hour. They comped my appetizer and hit the bill with 20% off. Try the crab ragu really good stuff.
(3)
Kasia C.

I'm really excited for a new spot in my neighborhood! Checked it out with my boyfriend on just their second day of being open. For the early evening time, it was pretty full -- and so was the tiny parking lot. Parking will be very tricky at this location. We ordered the unconventional egg rolls, and I enjoyed them very much. A nice sweet, cuminy taste to them, and I'm a fan of the sausage inside. Then, we ordered two rolls: spicy tuna and another one that had salmon and crab meat. Both were good, although I've enjoyed better spicy tuna elsewhere (I don't enjoy the tuna that appears like it's shredded -- like the nice clean slices better). We followed that with the Panang curry chicken. Delicious! I was never really sure who our waitress was, because all three servers stopped by at some point with something. One of them spoke no English whatsoever, which made things very difficult. Once another waitress came around, she understood and spoke English very well. The prices are right, though I'm bothered by the seemingly restrictive sushi/sashimi selection. I will try it next time, but I prefer ordering my sashimi by individual pieces, rather than the preset selection that the restaurant dictates. I will definitely be going back, and ordering take-out on the way home. Can't beat the convenience from the Pulaski Blue Line stop. I hope this place lasts, because the food is good and the prices are right. But other places haven't lasted long in the tricky location.
(4)
Arlo H.

They are a mix up of diifering asian cuisine ... alright... not amazing, but in a pinch they'll do. They deliver faster then I can grab my laundry and bring it up to my apartment. Im ok with that too.
(3)
Sean M.

Nice location that has decent sushi for moderate pricing. Only been here for lunch and its atmosphere seems suited for it, relaxed and bright with prompt service. I recommend the non traditional egg rolls that have a pretty good peanut sauce inside. The mega vegga roll is also a good stomach filler and pretty tasty. Although maybe not a final destination for the evening its a good spot to stop for a quick sushi fix, with a lunch menu that takes it easier on your wallet then most sushi outfits would.
(3)
Erin M.

My husband and I had HWCS's first private party! We had our wedding rehearsal dinner on the second floor with friends and family. It was truly amazing - Lois and Noom are great to work with! The food was plentiful and the atmosphere is great. Since there we have been frequent diners - eat-in or carry out. We simply love its convenience, tasty, fresh food, and affordable prices. Our favorites are the pad thai, Orange Chicken, Super White Creamy maki, Spicy Scallop, California, Dragon and Spider rolls. The staff know us by name (did I say we go there often? haha) and we have never had a bad experience!
(5)
Joan L.

Last week I had food delivered from this restaurant twice and ventured there today. Every food item that I've received has been high quality, absolutely delicious and pleasing to the eye. The signature rolls and maki are excellent and will not disappoint: Obamanami, Alaskan, and Salmon. The Thai dishes have been exceptional: Pad Thai, Panang Curry Chicken, and Cashew Chicken. The Japanese Miso soup was tasty. The young woman on the waitstaff was very personable and the delivery people have been very polite. I will definitely be eating here again as the food is excellent and healthy. As an added convenience, they will take credit/bank cards for delivery orders. The only drawback is the restaurant is small and in a congested area with scant parking.
(4)
Marlene J.

First of all I just had the best egg roll that I have ever had in my LIFE!The sushi wasn't something to write home about, but it was still good. I won't order sushi for delivery again, but I can't wait to get more egg rolls!
(4)
rachel p.

hot woks, bland sushi. actually i'm not even sure about the wok since we didn't order anything hot, but i'm 100% sure that the most flavorful thing in my large order of sushi was the pickled ginger. none of my food was overtly offensive, but there was really nothing right about it either. having recently discovered lawrence fish market (thank you yelp)... hot woks, bland sushi PALES in comparison. for the same amount of money, lawrence gives you twice the sushi and triple the flavor. none of the fish we got was bad, but the rice was completely flavorless. no salt, no sugar, no vinegar. in a roll with jalepeÃ±o and cilantro we found ourselves asking "is it ok to salt sushi?" none of the rolls were properly constructed and basically crumbled with the slightest touch of a chopstick. we also tried the spring rolls. the wrapping was thick and dry and the filling was utterly flavorless save a HUGE chunk of cream cheese. who puts cream cheese in a spring roll anyway?! on a positive note, they do deliver, the interior is nicely decorated and when they package your sushi to go, they label the boxes. the labeling comes in handy since everything tastes the same... bland.
(2)
Paulette G.

This is my ABSOLUTE favorite sushi restaurant. It is actually one of my favorite restaurants - period. My husband and I tried it when it first opened - I have been hooked ever since. It is very rare that I will even go to another sushi restaurant - Hot Woks has me so spoiled. The food is WONDERFUL!! Everything is so fresh! Which is important with sushi :-) I also love their Cashew Chicken. They have recently added a few new items. I am now hooked on the mango dessert. I highly recommend this restaurant!!
(5)
Hfrrz h.

i love this place. Food is fresh and fast. Always good with lots of flavor. online ordering is easy . Good stuff better than everyone else in the area. I like the basil chicken and the oceana sushi rolls.
(5)
Joe P.

I like this place..mainly because they deliver. The sushi is always fresh. The maki rolls are small but tasty. Big fan of the Pad SE UI.Im a fan
(4)
Stephanie M.

everything i have gotten here is a one or two on the rating scale. (pad thai, 1) (sushi and sashimi, 2) but there is a soup on the menu that i have taken a liking to. their vegetable soup is light and filling with probably a cup and a half of vegetables in a one pint container, plus tofu. it is cute inside and i have used their bathroom once and it was very nice and clean. also, there are tables upstairs. there is one by a window for two that looks like a quiet place for a date. i haven't eaten inside so i can't tell you much about the service while dining in. the people who work here aren't very friendly but also aren't rude, which is fine with me because i don't like small talk. i also like that they always have complimentary tootsie rolls and frootsie rolls. yum.
(3)
Mariella C.

The sushi here didn't taste fresh or tasty. I liked that the menu has diverse selections, pad thai for instance, but I suppose thats at the cost of great sushi. I had this promo thing called the obama-maki, it tasted bland and like it's been sitting out all day. We arrived an hour before closing, so I would assume they sort of gave us whatever was left from the day. I do not like that they said the desserts were gone for the day just cause they wanted to close, why would i come back to place that wants to rush me out?
(2)
dj g.

Nice place good food a bit pricey for take out but overall good
(4)
Laura M.

Always looking for a good restaurant in walking distance, we finally tried it. I'm erring on the low side of rating because the newish Moroccan place same distance from our house is SOOO much better. The sushi rolls were servicable. I had their signature "Obamanami" and it is creative and tasty. My husband had a salmon roll that was unremarkable. The gyoza were relatively tasteless and doughy. The teriyaki salmon looked like someone had poured teriyaki SYRUP from a bottle over it. Not too great. If you go, definitely sit UPSTAIRS, as the small seating area near the kitchen is really loud. Service was pleasant and attentive. BYOB.
(2)
Winnie D.

My hubby and I had dinner here a few weeks ago. I really love the ambiance and the food. The wait staff were very friendly and so as the manager/owner. She was chatting with us for a few minutes and made us feel welcomed! From the outside, the restaurant looked pretty small but its actually pretty nice size and they have dining area upstairs. After dinner, my hubby and I checked out the upstairs. We liked it. It has that cozy homey feeling..no wonder its called Cool Sushi! Its 3 mins away from my house. The price isnt that bad and food is great!
(4)
Tanya M.

I went here friday night with my boyfirend and i'd give it 3.5 stars if i could, but i can't so I rounded up. One thing that the reviews i read did not say is how incredibly small the place was. it had about 7 2-seat tables in front with 1 4-seat table and that was it. I think they have an extra room in back because I saw a few groups walk that way, but i'm not sure. I hope it has an extra room in back because other wise it is way too small. and our waitress seemed very flustered and overwhelmed even though it was only 7 tables in front so maybe she's new. The place was really busy so I guess that's a good sign. I didn't try the sushi but everyone around was and it looked huge and delicious. I'm totally going back to cehck that out. I had the pad ke mao (forgive the spelling) which was delicious and my boyfriend had the beef teriyaki (again spelling) which he said he really liked but I've had better. So overall the place is small but cute, good thai food and what looks to be delicious sushi. Its out of the way but the prices are good and its byob so I think its worth the trip to check it out. The parking lot is a real tight fit and once we got there we discovered its across the street from a blue line stop, irving park stop i think.
(4)
Marjie W.

I love it because it's in walking distance from my house, but if I didn't live close, I wouldn't make a special trip here. Their sushi is average (still good, though!) but I haven't had any desire to try their other menu items more than once. And they're kind of expensive.
(3)
Audrey S.

My first experience with sushi was here about a year ago. Luckily my boyfriend's mom had taken us there, so she taught me how to eat it - don't try to cut it, just stick the whole role in your mouth - good advice! I tried her sampler of a few different kinds and loved it all. It included spicy tuna maki, sweet potato tempura maki, cucumber maki, and unagi (fresh water eel). We also got crab rangoon - freshest I've ever had. I'm actually surprised I haven't been back since today. Since I'm a glutton for pad thai, I got that and a six spring rolls. The waitstaff is friendly, helpful, and patient. Today, my boyfriend got the Bento Box which actually came in a box with about five compartments to separate the food. It came with vegetable tempura, three pieces of California maki, Asian coleslaw, and chicken teriyaki. No one got anything that wasn't absolutely delicious. Nothing smelled fishy in the least bit because it's so incredibly fresh. If you're debating whether to go or not, just go! You simply cannot go wrong here!
(5)
Dann B.

Finally a sushi joint in Old Irving. Great place too. It's nice but not too upscale, I've enjoyed all the food I've eaten there, once again not top shelf but good. I hope this place sticks around. It's a BYOB but I've never BMOB there so I can't really speak on that experience. Service was very attentive. Good place for a date, maybe not a first date.
(4)
kristin H.

So happy to have a great sushi place in my neighborhood. I'll keep it simple. Yummy food, excellent service and delicious thai iced coffee
(4)
Bonnie L.

I am really glad to have this place in the neighborhood. Stopped by last night. When we walked in nobody came to help us for a couple of minutes although the owner was standing there chatting with someone. A bit annoying but when she finally helped us she was really really nice. And apologized as she thought that we were there to pick up a take out order. We were seated upstairs. The place already has lots of customers. I am glad for them. We ordered the cucumber salad, yummy! Also the spring rolls, which I was not crazy about. They have cream cheese and Avocado in them. I think it was the cream cheese that was a bit much for me. I didn't hate it, but probably would hesitate to order it again. Then we ordered the Pad Thai. It was really good. All in all I liked the food but what was irritating was also the server that spoke no English. I have not had Sushi before and really wanted to try something but I could not find out more about the rolls because she didn't speak English. That was a big downside for me. I will be back and will eventually try other things on the menu. Will update as time goes.
(3)
Melissa M.

Yeah, I'm not coming back, but I can't say it was CRAPPY or anything. Just really blah and tasteless, (especially the sushi. no taste to it at all) and def not worth the price. Especially if you know places JUST OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD that are way better for the same price, (Like Siam Taste Noodle for the Thai part and ANY NUMBER of places for the Chinese part.) and think: "I should've just gone to this other place. Or even THAT other place." Yeah, I wouldn't call it horrible or NASTY or anything, just encourage u to forget this place. Oh wait you will anyway ;P
(3)
Simona M.

I really enjoyed this Pan-Asian restaurant. The atmosphere was very cozy and the service was superb. I ordered the Hot Woks noodles and was very happy with them. The dish had chicken and shrimp and only cost $7.95. They could have been a little spicier, but I probably could have requested that. I will definitely go back!
(4)
The C.

As this location was very close to home and we were craving Sushi; having drove by it so much we were compelled to try it out. Much to our satisfaction it was really good - even though our order was for delivery. It had a robust selection of Maki, Temaki, Nigiri, Soups and both Japanese and Thai main courses, combination choices, appetizers and the like. We splurged and spent near $60 trying different things out including dessert. Overall it was really good and I bet the experience would be even better if we had gone to dine in, which we plan to do in the future. Kudos!
(3)
Kelly G.

I was a little wary of ordering from Hot Woks/Cool Sushi after I read some of the reviews here on Yelp. But I had been wanting to try it out, and after a long day of traveling I was really hankering for someone to bring me some sushi. So I decided to give it a try, and ordered from them off Grub Hub. First, the delivery arrived when expected - an hour delivery time, which is sort of long to me, but at least they gave a correct estimate. The untraditional egg rolls were....well, certainly untraditional. And unfortunately not very tasty. They look like your standard deep fried egg rolls, but inside is sausage (ground pork really), cabbage, carrot, peanut sauce, and a TON of Chinese five spice. Now, I like Chinese five spice - but not in huge quantities. I also didn't really like the texture of the peanut sauce in the egg roll. So, maybe worth a try for something different - but I won't be ordering it again. I love the fact that you can order sushi/sashimi a la carte for delivery, and I added a Hamachi (yellow fin tuna) to the order. Nice large fresh slice of tuna on sushi rice. Yum. I also ordered the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Maki. Now, when I have had tempura sushi before it was when they actually quick fried the roll itself in a light tempura batter. What I recieved was more of the roll being covered in tempura bits. Not what I expected, but not necessarily bad. Just...different.The tuna definitely had a good spicy kick to it, which was nice since most spicy tuna rolls aren't really truly spicy. Finally, I also had the raspberry jasmine tea. I love jasmine tea and this was something new for me, and I enjoyed it. In sum, the sushi was cold and good. The egg rolls, not my thing. My only other concerns are the price (as other have mentioned) and how they package their delivery. Hot items should NOT be in the same bag as the sushi, although thankfully the egg rolls didn't heat up my sushi too much. Also they use a huge plastic container for the sushi that lets it flop all around - with sashimi this could destroy the roll. I think they should invest in some smaller containers, or something with dividers to keep everything in place. After all, part of sushi is the presentation. Overall, due to its close proximity to me, its decently good food, and online delivery option I will probably order again.
(3)
Heather S.

Love this place. We primarily get the sushi. Red moon roll is one of our favorites. Spicy tuna and scallop rolls are also very good. The staff are always very friendly! We usually order ahead and then pick it up. There is a variety of food for all. Parking can be difficult at times but there is additional parking toward the back.
(5)
Ashley B.

Ordered takeout from here last night. It was okay, but nothing to write home about. I got the Asparagus roll and Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll. Neither tasted very fresh. The tuna was very bland and mushy. My husband got the Beef and Broccoli plate. It smelled good and he said it tasted okay. I would like to give the place a chance while dining in though. I'm just disappointed, because I really want to find a place close to home with great sushi, but that dream has yet to be fulfilled.
(2)
James V.

this little place isnt too bad. the problem with pan-asian places is that they don't particularly do one dish well. everything is pretty average, kind of like that feeling that you have had it before. tall the asian staples are here like terriyaki, pad thai, and spring rolls. the more i thought about it, hot woks reminded me of a poor man's joy-yees (probably the best pan-asian restaurant in chicago). the sushi is decorated well but a little mediocre. you really cant expect good sushi from a place that isnt a true sushi house. good news is that they deliver and they are pretty fast. there is some parking available, but i wouldnt trust it because you have to park at a weird angle. thankfully there are some meter parking around.
(3)
Matt J.

I ordered via Grub Hub for delivery. I was disappointed that there is a $15 minimum order for delivery. I was ordering only for myself and spending $15 for delivery and then $2.50 in delivery fees pushed my one person order to the $20 mark. The sushi was decent but warm. I'd only order here again because there is only one other sushi place in this area.
(3)
Joan K.

I love this restaurant. I am a big fan of Penang Beef and have tried this dish all over the US. My hands-down favorite was from a restaurant in Seattle until Hot Woks opened. My daughter and I live for their Penang Beef! It's absolutely the tastiest version I've ever had. My friends have told me that they enjoy many other dishes at Hot Woks, but I just can't pass up the Penang Beef. Why take a chance when you can have guaranteed deliciousness?
(5)
Demetrio P.

Tried Hot Wok Cool Sushi last night, and it was better than expected. We don't have many, or any at all if I can recall, Asian/Sushi places in the Irving Park area, so this is a good addition. As for the food, we ordered 3 types of sushi rolls which one being the spicy tuna roll and an appetizer. All were good, not great, but good. Prices seemed a tad higher than other sushi places I've been to, but still budget friendly. Service was good as well and space inside is very limited. In summary, okay food, okay prices, good service.
(3)
Erika C.

I love this place! it has the best pad thai!!! The best part is that its extremly affordable! Plus, the serving portions are huge. One plate is enough for two, or for the next day!
(5)
Ken L.

The food is quite good, decor is simple/ chic and the prices are moderate. The service is very attentive and polite. The food seems aimed at the middle and hits its mark. I hope the place is successful and continues to offer an alternative to fighting Lakeview traffic & parking.
(3)
Molly B.

I've ordered carryout here twice. The first time I got the wrong thing (avocado rolls instead of salmon avocado), so I called back and they added it to my account for my next order, which was cool and my main incentive for returning. My second time they got it wrong again, this time giving me less sushi than I had ordered. Luckily I checked when I got outside and didn't have to call back, but when I took it back in, they weren't exactly apologetic (though not terribly rude either...indifferent, it seemed) and they charged me the extra 5 bucks even though it was not my fault that I got the wrong order. I would have been glad to pay the 5 dollars and get what I ordered, but I thought since they were the ones who got it wrong and I had to wait there for them to get the right order, they should've eaten the cost. It almost felt like they thought I was trying to rip them off. To assure myself I wasn't imagining things, I checked with my S.O. and he confirmed both times that I had ordered what I expected to receive. The person who answered the phone did not speak English very well at all and I'm assuming that's the reason for the mix up. Service aside, the food just wasn't that great for the cost. That said, all I had was the sushi. As others noted, the sushi menu is a bit sparse and I've had much better. I am all about supporting my neighborhood businesses and I really wanted to like this place, but I probably won't be back here again.
(2)
marianna c.

Really cool place to check out. It feels very cozy in there but I got to say that our sushi was not excellent, but I'm not an expert so try it yourself.
(3)
Dana K.

seriously, just go and try the Fukodome roll. you will thank me for years to come. that alone is worth a trip, or a delivery call. and yes - i said delivery. their delivery peeps are awsome there!
(4)
E C.

I loved this place. My bf and I usually eat here every two weeks. When I wanted to get together with some friends I offered this restaurant. After about an hour and 15 minutes we were basically told that someone was waiting for our table. The restaurant has a top seating area that could accommodate more guests. I have eaten in a wide variety of places and have never been told to leave. Not even in places with tons of traffic. From now on I will be patronizing elsewhere.
(1)
Sarah K.

My husband & I went here last evening. It was their opening night so I expected them to be a little more attentive. Our appetizers arrived after our make rolls which was a little annoying. We ordered two make rolls (shrimp tempura & avocado/tuna). The rolls could have been sliced a little bit thinner but they tasted good. Our server barely spoke understood english and she never came back after she dropped off our food. We had our plates stacked up and I finally had to go to the front to ask for our bill. I'm giving them 3 stars because I'm hoping the service will improve! It was their first night so we'll give them a break & try them again.
(3)
Stephanie L.

Really great thai food. ingredients seemed fresh and delivery was on time. new favorite in our neighborhoood
(4)
Sarah M.

I echo the sentiment of everyone else here who is just longing for this place to be GREAT because I can easily walk here . And also SMOQUE is always so darn crowded. I have been here 2 times. Firstly, the ambiance is almost perfect, save for the echoes of the chefs pan-frying meals. I think this could be easily fixed with some acoustical sound absorbers in the ceiling. I could barely hear my friend across the table from me at times. We were sitting at the 2-seater tables by the window next to the kitchen. I got miso soup and the spider roll. The miso soup was great - not authentic (but i like it better that way). The stock didn't taste exactly Japanese. The tofu chunks were very nice. The spider roll was over-priced, too small, but delicious! I was impressed. It wasn't as good as the makizushi at Ringo, but still, a great 2nd. My friend got tempura udon. Here's where it all went downhill for me. This tempura was just like all of the other mediocre tempura that I have had here in the states. It was not light and crispy with crumbly breading and very little grease. It was the opposite of this with just the regular American-style breading (think: Long John Silvers). This ruined the dish for me. If that wasn't enough, the udon broth lacked flavor. I know it's supposed to be somewhat bland, but not this bland. It was just a little more than brown water. I have never liked udon noodles, so I can't speak for them. So then last night, I met a friend, and we brought in a big bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade to share. I had seen the sign about the $3 charge for BYOB but I guess we were prepared to pay that, even though it was more than the cost of the alcohol itself! (; Well, I sat the bottle right there on the table, in plain sight but we never got charged for it!!! I don't know if: a)this was an oversight...b)the corking charge is only for wine...or c)they changed their policy. I really hope that it's c because 3 dollars is ridiculous considering the price of their menu items. So I got Penang noodles and my friend got pad sew ewe. I regret that I didn't try hers. But my Penang noodles were pretty good. I don't have a baseline for comparing them to anything else. There was quite a bit too much sauce on the whole thing which again made it rather *heavy*. But it had a nice flavor. The chicken was fresh and tender and the carrots were crisp. I was expecting thin noodles but it came with the broad ones which I am not a huge fan of. I probably did not read the menu carefully enough. Presentation is wonderful here so far. The proprietor came by and talked to us which (as someone mentioned) was a nice touch. The convenience and general mood of the place will make me a repeat customer, but I will be wishing it would be more of a supreme dining experience. The noodle dishes are a lot more reasonable than the sushi. Our bill (2 entrees) was just over 16 bucks.
(3)
Brian W.

My wife and I went to Hot Woks on a Saturday night. My wife who loves to cook thought the food was excellent and I agree. We had more then enough for two and the bill was $47.00. The service was very good. We over heard the waitress being accommodating with another customer who was ordering something not on the menu. The first floor is very small so I would not encourage going with a large party. There is a second floor that is a little larger. We brought our own bottle of wine and their was no corkage fee. We will definitely be going back.
(5)
Rik U.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Yeah! We have a new Asian restaurant in the neighborhood that does both Japanese sushi and Thai. My 2 favorites. I was worried we wouldnt get any more good Thai food after Manee Thai burnt down. Along comes Hot Woks Cool Sushi to the rescue. This place is great! I love what they did with the interior of this place, its very inviting. I especially love the design and feel of the upstairs. Its nice to be able to look out and see the city as well. The staff is very friendly and accommodating not to mention the owner who makes the rounds to all the tables and was very nice to talk with. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and sushi which we though was excellent. The sushi was very fresh with nice thick cuts. Their sushi rolls were unique tasting and delicious. Its great to finally have a decent sushi place in the area. Chiyo was the only possibly decent sushi restaurant around but that turned out to be a major disappointment. Thank goodness we have this place now. I cant wait to try more of their food. Yummm! Better get over there soon before its too packed to get a seat! I know I will be over there a lot. Enjoy!
(4)
jonas oliver g.

finally some good quality asian food in chicago.. if youre ever in the Irving Park area and want some good mixed asian dishes, hit up a place called Hot Woks Cool Sushi.. food is amazing, and the vegan/vegetarian choices seem pretty cool. its byob so party on!loljk its a quaint little place right next to the irving park blue line station. i'm totally coming back one of these days...
(4)
Chanita S.

This place left me a good impression not only due to their food quality but their service as well. This was my first time there; I wanted to check it out because I was new to the lovely neighborhood. I aways kept on passing it because it's right off the Irving Park exit, and need I say more, their gigantic restaurant sign caught my eye which kept on calling me to go in. I sat in their outdoor patio because the weather was nice out, so I didn't get a chance to check out the indoor decor. But from what I see outside, the restraurant looked smaller than what I had expected. No big deal though, people will manage. As soon as we sat, the menu and water came right away. Shortly after, the owner came to greet our table and welcomed us to the nighborhood just like she did with other tables. She was very genuine and was able to keep up with our conversation which left me a great impression of excellent customer service. We asked for food recommendations ,and she provided her honest opinions. She even said that if the chicken is under cooked, let her know and she'll send it back to the kitchen. I ended up splitting a dragon roll and one of their special rolls that I believe was the Mount Figi roll or something along those lines. The sushi was GREAT!!! Normal pricing that you'd find elsewhere. Since I can never fill up on sushi with the short budget that I have, I decided to order a stir-fry dish which was t he yakisoba. It was pretty good, but I think the portion could had been slightly larger. I'll be back there again when I crave sushi and don't want to travel far.
(4)
Mandy C.

Hot Wok is my local sushi place. I love this place! Im a big fan of sushi and have tried many and I mean many different places in Chicago and Hot Wok is very high on my favorite places to eat sushi. The fukudome roll is amazing! The place is BYOB, and the staff is nice and attentive. Only down side, the place is very small, parking is a challenge sometimes but worth all the effort!
(4)
katrina w.

Really pleasantly surprised by this place! I live in the neighborhood and ordered when they first opened - noodle dishes and starters - blah. This time I ordered sushi and veggie mu shu and both were really good! It's not fancy randolph street sushi, but good sushi delivered to my door is a dream. We just got simple stuff - spicy tuna and salmon avocado.
(4)
Sean R.

It's nice to see some folks trying to breathe life into my sleepy little neighborhood, but the truth is if I didn't live three blocks from this place I don't think I'd make a big effort to get here. The sushi is edible but nothing to look forward to, the spicy basil wasn't that spicy, and it seemed a touch overpriced, particularly the sushi. Come to think of it the Thai selections seem to be within the standard price range so I guess it's just the sushi that's a bit dear. I rather did enjoy the Thai iced coffee though. I'll be back here once in a while during the summer just for that coffee and maybe a light appetizer.
(3)
martha n.

The food is actually decent here. I just called to place a delivery order ... and they won't deliver to me because I am TWO BLOCKS outside of their "delivery area." I used to be a regular customer....I guess they don't need customers.
(1)
Paula B.

I love having a BYO sushi & Thai place in the neighborhood that has good food! There was only 1 other Thai restaurant that delivered & they closed, so I was so excited when Hot Woks opened up. Nice friendly atmosphere & very welcoming staff.
(4)
Jill J.

I wouldn't say that Hot Woks has the best sushi in the city, but it's definitely very tasty and affordable. The restaurant is small, BYOB, and the staff is very friendly. Last time I ordered from here, I decided to try delivery...which I did on the website...and I had my food in less than 30 minutes. I love the Fukudome and the Rama Chicken. Yum.
(4)
Lizzie C.

This place has actually gotten worse in subsequent visits. The dining area is really, really cold--uncomfortably so. The waitstaff makes very little effort, and the food is overpriced. I was happy enough to have a decent eating spot in the neighborhood, but I'll drive the extra time and go back to Tank or Mirai when they have specials instead. You can taste the difference.
(2)
Flora C.

Yippeeee! A new restaurant in my neighborhood! My husband and I went to try it out and left feeling very excited and FULL! The decor and ambiance is wonderful, and the staff is very friendly and attentive. We sat upstairs which was very cozy with a great view of the skyline in the distance. We ordered an appetizer tasting platter which was delicious. Than tried the sushi. We were very impressed with it. The cuts were thick and fresh. No liquor license yet, so BYOB. But we enjoyed their own brewed raspberry iced tea. The owner came by and talked for a while. She was really cool. She explained her sushi chef was top notch from TANK and SUSHI WABI. The wok recipes are inspired by her. Next time we are going to try the wok items. The only thing that prevented me giving it 5 stars was our particular waitress...she was not very good at knowing her sushi terminology. But she was very nice and attentive all the same. Hopefully this is the start of more restaurants coming into Independence Park/Old Irving!
(4)
Brie A.

Killer eggrolls, creative Asian cuisine, and overall GREAT deals. Plus free parking! I am so glad I live near this gem, and have frequented Hot Woks more times than I care to mention in the last month. Their lunch deals can't be beat price-wise - and you're getting great food on top of that! Having lived in Asia for a time, I really appreciate the way Hot Woks uses traditional flavors with unexpected twists. The signature fried rice and noodles are excellent, and a dinner portion is more than enough to serve two hungry people. Be sure to try their untraditional eggrolls - they are unlike any eggroll you've ever had before!
(4)
Veronica H.

I am giving this place four stars because they exceeded the expectations that I had for a sushi spot in an area of Chicago that generally has sub par restaurants (not because they came close to Tank Sushi's AWESOME sushi). This place might be best for take out or delivery, given the comments from other yelpers about dining in (lack of parking, service, capacity, etc). We can't say much about the dining experience as our first experience here was delivery. We ordered spicy tuna makis (5.75), Rainbow maki (10.95) and an Akira maki (12.95). The rolls were super sizable given the price. The spicy tuna makis were especially plump, had nice big chunks of tuna and weren't smothered in mayo. The Rainbow maki was a little on the sloppy side when it came to assembly, but yummy nevertheless. The delivery was extra quick. We loved the light crispy Akira rolls--these were very neatly rolled and had generous portions of sushi in them. They gave us a one-hour ETA over the phone, but it was more like 30 minutes--bonus. Great option for those in the neighborhood. Definitely ordering from here again soon.
(4)
Jaxx H.

We ate here this eveing - a Monday night. Monday night must be family night because the place was full of young children.... including my 6 year old and I. We decided to play it safe having not been here before. We ordered Edamame and Miso soup for our app. I ordered namasake (salmon). My son had the a combo plate with chicken terriyaki, tempura and a california roll. I was pleased. The salmon was very good and tender. I could bite it and have it break very easily. Even my son took a bite and like it. How is that for adventurous! A 6 yr old eating raw salmon with out spitting it out! Everything was very good. Normally I find tempura greasy - this was light and very good. As I said we ordered a meal with low risk - it was very good , so next time we will try something different. We also had the icecream for desert - I forget what they are call the little balls. Our bill was 28.01 plus a 5.99 tip. On the expensive side for 1 adult and 1 child. I also recommend parking on pulaski. It is no parking between 4 and 6pm. So time your meal around 6pm if you can. The parking lot is risky at best. You can also park on Irving and walk around the block or on Dakin which is one way west.
(4)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Address : 3930 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL, 60641
Phone (773) 282-1818
Website https://www.hotwokscoolsushi.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

Claim Restaurant

Chinese Cuisine

The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.

Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.

There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Hot Woks Cool Sushi

3930 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL, 60641

Hot Woks Cool Sushi Menu

Appetizers

Soups

Salads

Entrees

Maki

Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for Hot Woks Cool Sushi

Appetizers

Soups

Salads

Entrees

Maki

Desserts

Ivana B.

Tanya A.

Jennifer I.

Barbara C.

Sara D.

Cristina P.

Natalija S.

Ruolin W.

Kyle H.

Adele n.

Hannah K.

Nicole R.

Ashley C.

Venessa F.

Lauren H.

Ashley F.

Phillip M.

Stephanie H.

Kritika B.

Doug B.

Nate B.

Jay F.

Sally O.

Nicole B.

Tram N.

Julie O.

Karoline R.

Jenny D.

Ken W.

Murphy G.

Rachael M.

Heloisa C.

Asma M.

Amy O.

Christina D.

Mallory O.

Bella C.

Sara N.

Mike A.

Guit B.

Malena A.

Amanda C.

Jen P.

Patrick S.

Allison K.

Dariann L.

Sam G.

Jeff S.

Emily H.

Amy A.

Sofia J.

Luis R.

Roxanne R.

Mia L.

Kelleen L.

Leo J.

Kristina O.

Jennifer M.

Bex F.

Shauna D.

Keith A.

Dan S.

Nancy A.