What a great find! Saw a groupon for this place and decided to check it out. The groupon was perfect and the food is very good. BYOB The miso soup was delicious along with the other appetizers. You definitely get your money's worth at this restaurant and the staff is very nice. Great food, atmosphere and location!
(4)
Megan C.
I went yesterday on an impromptu date night. There was a great Groupon deal-- $18 for $35 worth of food. The atmosphere on Sunday night was quiet and quaint. The service was great, but we were one of two couples in the entire restaurant, so take that as you will. The food is...good. Nothing to write home about, but decent sushi that's pretty affordable.
(3)
Dave M.
Great Service, Great Food, Great Atmosphere!!! This place was chosen due to the fact that it was a Groupon for Sushi and Thai and was near a music venue we were going to after the Birthday dinner I had for my GF. We were the only 1 of 2 parties dining in the whole restaurant which at first thought you might think becuase the place has bad food... quite the contrary... Food was AMAZING and the Pad Thai was on point. We also ordered 5 diffrent sushi rolls and they were all fresh and presented with elegance and grace. To top it off at the end they turned off the lights and we all sang Happy Birthday to the bday girl!!! If you are in the area and are looking for the best Thai and sushi.. GO HERE
(5)
Stephanie L.
Intimate, casual, and comfy! Any attire welcome for this beautiful sushi! Pad Thai very good as well. Loved it! Will definitely be back :)
(5)
Luis C.
Fantastic service. Equally fantastic maki. I ordered the Volcano, Crunchy Dragon, and Godzilla. Each was better than the last. Compact, quiet atmosphere & great music; I was able to enjoy my maki in peace while listening to the xx. Highly recommend if you aren't into obnoxious, overwhelming, overcrowded restaurants. I will definitely be returning. Thank you to the staff at Kitchenette for an amazing experience!
(5)
Carlos G S.
I liked this place a lot. Food was good and price was right --even though portions *might* be a little on the small side. Service was prompt and courteous and place clean in general terms. It was kind of empty, but that was OK since my 2-yr old was all over the place. We will very likely go back or order for delivery or carry-out.
(4)
Adrienne T.
This will be the last time I order from a restaurant that does fusion or two cuisines in one. Grocery store style sushi plus crummy Thai curry made me question how this place has been able to survive in a city full of these restaurants. ok so breakdown time: The sushi - Ordered the spicy crab roll. Let's just say that I've had better fake maki from a Walgreens. The inside consisted of cut, imitation crab and cucumber. A spicy, water-downed sauce was drizzled on top, but did not help save this poor excuse for a cold, hand rolled rice sandwich that I received. Vegetarian Dumplings ---- I think these were handmade, however, the inside filling was not tasty. Whatever they combined with the chive did not do it for me. In the future, Kitchenette, you should stick with the pre-made frozen kind you can buy from joong-Boo Market or other Asian markets. Crab Rangoon --- A staple at most Asian restaurants in Chicago. How can you go wrong? Oh, apparently it's possible. The dough was really soft, not crispy outside you would expect from this app. Also, the filling flavor was definitely off - like it had past the expiration date. Massamum curry - The pineapple did nothing to make this dish better. Oh and the best part was it was super water downed. I took the sauce that accompanied the dumplings and dumped it in to the dish because there was no flavor. White Rice --- I've never had to yelp about bad rice, but OH, how bad and poor it was. First it was over cooked. Big NO NO. Second, it was of very low quality. It reminded me of the Minute rice my roommate has made in the past. Who knew you could go wrong with rice, too?! Overall, I would never order from this restaurant again. Another yelper mentioned about the small portions, and I would have to agree. Bye Bye, my 35 dollars.
(1)
Karen C.
Kitchenette has become my go-to place for carryout sushi/thai/etc. The fact that it is located obscenely close to my apartment is probably the main reason we started going here, but it's good so we keep going back. I'm wary of anywhere that has an all-you-can-eat sushi deal because, seriously, how good can the sushi be? So I've never partaken in that, but they seem to draw a crowd on those nights. Sushi rolls are always good, the hot dishes are great, and the crab rangoon is definitely decent (nothing will ever beat Chen's crab rangoon, IMO, but this is a solid choice when one is need of that cream cheese goodness!). They always have our food ready super fast, and the prices are very reasonable. Definitely check it out.
(4)
Aaron H.
My normal Thai restaurant closed late last year. I have since discovered Kitchenette. I ordered the Basil Leaves Chicken with brown rice. The good itself was great. However, I'm only giving the review three stars as the unsocial working the front desk was less than happy and welcoming.
(3)
Adriana G.
I been here few times . love their food . we always get the Crab Rangoon, Phai Thai with chicken , cucumber salad , Philadelphia Roll & California Roll , tempura appetizer . yumm food is great & service its good . & its BYOB I totally recommend this place.
(5)
Meghana P.
Average Thai food, a decent place for the price with good service. If you live nearby, try it out, but I wouldn't trek too far for this place.
Wanted some sushi so my sister got a Groupon and we had a nice outing. Kind of a small restaurant, but they were friendly. The sushi was pretty good. My favorite was the Squidy roll. It was very tasty. The prices were pretty good too. I hope to be back to try more rolls. Wasn't really there for the ambience more so the food. Oh and get their Thai ice coffee, they come in mason jars...cute!
(4)
Justin G.
We had to try a new carry out place for some sunday night Thai food fix. As in my other reviews, I tried the Crab Ragoon, which was not quite hot enough when we got it (might have been us waiting to pick up) but the shape was actually pretty killer. They made this ball shape at the bottom filled with Crab goodness. Very crunchy, not as smooth as other places but still solid. The chicken fried rice, and Tofu fried rice is what we got, both were very fresh. Not a ton of butter, so no upset stomachs. Also worth noting the portion size was not very large, so if you are looking to binge out, you might want to order something else to split. I don't really have a problem with smaller portions so long as it tastes pretty good. I'll definitely be ordering again from here, no complaints. I'll up the rating when I expand on their menu a little - nothing blew me away, but nothing was bad. If you want some Thai carry out, give this place a shot. Not much in terms of sitting at the place though. I suggest just carry out or delivery.
(3)
Andrey R.
This is a great local Thai & Japanese cuisine. Groupon $15 for $38. Food was great. My favorite one was Ocean Salad - wasabi, tuna, salmon and greens. Miso soup was delicious as well. Mongolian Beef was definitely a hit - perfectly cooked beef and greens were perfectly steamed. Pretty big plus - BYOB Definitely recommend this place.
(4)
Mandoos G.
This place is fantastic. We have gotten Sushi twice and Thai once. I highly urge you all to not be fooled by the small and simple interior, this place really packs a punch when it comes to their food. One of my favorite rolls was the spicy salmon in addition to the shrimp tempura. The fish is fresh and the different sauces they use with their rolls are fantastic. Take advantage of the Groupons this place has to offer and go try it!
(5)
Dean W.
Good BYOB sushi place. We usually go on Monday's all you can eat special and they are always good about bringing out more sushi in a timely manner. Not much atmosphere to speak of and the sushi isn't on par with other top joints in the city but the price is right and the service is always good.
(4)
Eric E.
Solid, well crafted sushi and authentic Thai curries. Great deals and friendly service.
(3)
Shannon N.
There's quite a few Thai/Asia fusion restaurants in the area and I've been trying to get through them all in a search for the best. Kitchenette is good enough to become my go-to for the time being. My regular order at pretty much any thai restaurant is Pad Thai and Crab Rangoons, although I sometimes venture into other dishes. The Pad Thai is not the best that I've ever had, but it definitely hits the spot. I do really like the Crab Rangoons though. I've only ever done take-out here, but the order has always been ready in a very reasonable time. The staff isn't particularly friendly, but they get the job done. My only real complaint is that they never include chopsticks/dinnerware/napkins in the to-go orders.
(4)
Eduardo M.
We found this place with decent parking (it's off Ashland, so there's main street parking) and were curious to try it out. As a big time sushi fan, I immediately went for the Japanese menu (they have a Thai one here too - I'll have to try that out next time). Let me tell you, the sushi tasted wonderful, the presentations were well put, and everything, down to the little plate the bill came on seemed well thought out. So... Food looks good.... Does it taste good? Why, yes it did! We ordered a few different rolls - all were tasty (tho' the specialty rolls had more oomph obviously). We also decided on a few pieces of sashimi. The fish (roll or sashimi) tasted fresh, and was quite delicious. The one thing about the sashimi pieces, that I will remember for next time? These pieces were HUGE. Much bigger than most places, and quite easy to share (two cuts per order). This place is definitely on my go-to list from now on.
(4)
Natalia K.
Came here alone to use a groupon and ordered two specialty rolls to fulfill the groupon total, the Godzilla and Crabby Dragon. Both had cream cheese, which I try to stay away from in a roll, but it was the perfect amount of cream cheese because it tied the roll together without adding any stickiness or flavor. I really enjoyed both of the rolls- they were packed with flavor and crunchy texture. They were quite a mouthful (that's what she said) and a delicious one at that. The service was a little slow because for some reason it was busy on a Monday night, but forgiveable, and the prices seemed right on. The decor and atmosphere is a little lacking, but it doesn't take away from the food. It's just a quick sit down, eat, and go kind of place. I would definitely come back for the sushi, and maybe try the thai side as well.
(4)
Eric L.
Bought a Groupon for this place and finally getting here to use it before it expires. Looks like a cute place and see that it's "BYOB" which apparently everyone else here knew about except me. Note to self: check out the details on a new place BEFORE you go ;) So it's a cute place - small and cozy - appropriately decorated. Music is contemporary and not too loud. No sushi bar which I sometimes like to sit at when dining alone, but no biggie. Some interesting options on the sushi menu. There's also a Thai menu but sticking with sushi tonight. First thing that sounds good is the Wasabi Shumai - only they apparently don't have that anymore. So skipping apps and going for a roll - spicy tako sounds good and they have that. Then going to add some nigiri to my chirachi so going for salmon roe but - they don't have that either. Hmmm. So next best thing is tobiko which they do have so that'll do with some smoked salmon. All set now. Despite the questionable start, the meal was fantastic! I was really impressed with the quality of the fish. Talk about a generous cut - wow! Amazing quality, well prepared, beautiful presentation and reasonable priced. Where I tend to not gravitate towards restaurants that do 2 cuisines, this one is totally an exception. Grab a bottle and go - you will not be disappointed. Ok, maybe make sure to pick a first choice option and a back-up selection or two, but whatever you end up with, I'm sure it will be great!
(4)
Christina F.
I've been meaning to leave a review about this amazing hidden gem. I've had the pleasure of dining here on about 10 different occasions. My boyfriend and I will typically order miso soup, 3 rolls AND get a Thai entree to nibble on and take to go. The miso is fantastic. The sushi is fresh and delicious. The Salmon King roll is melt in your mouth amazing! I love the Mongolian Beef here. I'm typically a Pad Thai type of gal but it wasn't my favorite at this spot. I recently moved farther north from Ashland (no longer walking distance) and when I expressed my sadness to the owner she went out of her way to surprise us with a lovely roll on the house! Needless to say we've been back and will continue to frequent this restaurant. I always leave happy and satisfied. Plus, it's BYOB!
(5)
Bri A.
I ordered yakisoba (comes with miso soup), crab rangoons and shrimp eggrolls for delivery recently. The noodles come with chicken & shrimp, but there were only two shrimp! How can you call that a shrimp dish when there are only two?! hmmph! I liked the appetizers but rangoons and egg rolls are hard to mess up. I want to come for the all you can eat sushi buffet some time.
(3)
Mike T.
Really weird name for a Thai/Suhi restaraunt, when my girlfriend said we were going here I thought it was a french restaraunt or something. Baseline is: food is pretty good on both thai and sushi side, not the best, but beats many places in Chicago. The decor leaves a little to be desired, but meh, I don't care about that, I go to a restaraunt to EAT, not to look at the wall.
(4)
Melanie V.
Thanks to the suggestion of my co-worker, my friends and I spent a lovely Friday night stuffing our faces with sushi. (Well, half of the party anyway.) I'm so glad that Jaiyen denied my reservation for 8 people because "they could only seat parties of less than 4" apparently. If it wasn't for them, we would have never been introduced to this little gem! So, it's a Friday during Lent, right? No better time to eat sushi! Kitchenette had a pretty extensive offering of rolls (from the traditional to the more fancy), so my friends and I literally had a field day deciding what to get. For the traditional rolls, my favs were the spicy shrimp, spicy scallop and the unagi with avocado. I probably could have eaten all three by myself, no lie. The Mexican maki (delish hamachi!) and the Dragon were my favs of the fancy rolls. Except for one roll that we can't remember, we LOVED everything we ordered! And..believe me...we left there so stuffed and satisfied. Best part? The price! For all these rolls, we ended up paying like $25/person! Hello, amazing. The traditional rolls average like $6, so it's definitely a great price for good food! Service was great! Our party of 8 was the only group in there on a Friday night, so I suppose they didn't mind that half of the group busted up in there half-buzzed and loud. Thankfully. Notes: + BYOB (no corkage!) + Street parking available on Ashland + For the non-sushi lovers, Kitchenette also offers soup, noodles, curry and lots of appetizer options.
(4)
Brian P.
Way more quiet than it should have been when we came for takeout, the Thai was delicious and they are very friendly also. The reviews for the sushi are excellent so we will try that next time.
(4)
G W.
We ordered a bunch of dishes off the Thai menu. Although the food was quite tasty, the portions were extremely small, probably the smallest of any Thai restaurant I've been to. Our bill was almost $60 for the 4 of us, but I left hungry and was famished within a few hours. Does it cost much to add some noodles or rice to the dishes we ordered to bulk it up a bit to be a decent normal-sized portion?!?!
(2)
Jenna G.
Kitchenette - strange name for a Thai Fusion place, but the food is great, so who cares?! Here's the run down: Atmosphere: it's fine - there are two parts to the restaurant. The area we sat in was definitely the nicer side where the sushi making station is located. The details are a little lacking: music is sometimes not on, and when it is, it's often very unfitting; some tables had lit candles, others didn't; but nothing was the end of the world. Food: That's really the most important part of dining choice, in my opinion. The stuff we ordered was fantastic! Spicy tuna roll, sweet potato roll, pad thai, soup... yum, yum, yum!!! I'm a bit of a Pad Thai snob, and this definitely won my vote of one of the better pad thai dishes I've had in the city. The sushi rolls were small which I LOVED - not these 4 inch diameter rolls that there's no way you can fit the whole thing in your mouth. They were perfect. Value: Excellent! It's BYOB, no corkage fee. We made a reservation on Groupon reserve and got 25% off the meal. Thai dishes are generally $7-$9; rolls range, but overall, the prices were great. Service: Service was fast and they were very friendly. Not much else to say here! Overall: Really enjoyed this restaurant and we'll be back! Probably wouldn't recommend taking someone here on a first date, but if you're going with friends, family, or a spouse/date you know, this place definitely is a win in my book!
(4)
Luke S.
The sushi was excellent, but the Thai was horrible. I am way too generous with my grading, therefore Kitchenette gets 4 stars! The wife and I completely forgot that we had purchased a Groupon here and waited until the last day to go. Surprisingly it wasn't very crowded, so we had no wait. Our server was a very sweet older Asian woman that was helpful and attentive. My wife had eaten sushi the night before, so decided to order the broccoli and tofu dish. The sauce that it was cooked in was repulsive and my wife probably had 2 bites of her food. The portion was also surprisingly small. Enough of the negativity though!!! The sushi was great. I ordered one of their specialty rolls and it was fresh and creative. They don't skimp on the fish. If you live nearby it's worth checking out for the sushi, just be sure to avoid the broccoli/tofu.
(4)
natalie g.
I randomly stumbled across this place when I moved into the neighborhood and have to say, I'm glad I found it! The food is delicious and I love that I can order a mixture of Thai and Sushi at the same time. The staff is very friendly and there's tons of street parking on Ashland right in front.
(5)
Mike S.
This place gets 4 stars, but not on account of the food. Let's get started... My girlfriend and I came here on a Wednesday night, and besides another dude, we were the only ones here. Kinda creepy, but what the hell, I'm adventurous. The ambiance is just like what everyone else has stated - just kinda there, nothing bad, nothing good. The wait staff was very friendly and accommodating, and the dinner progression went at a pleasant pace. We ordered the app sampler, and two sashimi dinners. Appetizer was good (great mini eggrolls) and the soup was as good as it gets for miso. Salad was fresh, and the dressing tasted homemade, which is very good. Our dinners were generous cuts of very fresh fish, no fancy arrangements, just plain and simple. Excellent quality of sashimi, would have expected that type from much more expensive restaurants. In conclusion, don't take a first date there, go with someone you feel comfortable with. Although very clean, the place could use a fresh update, so no wow factor upon entering. The thai menu looked adequately filled, will go back for that at a later date. We are returning for the AYCE on a Sunday or Monday, so I'll let you know how that pans out.
(4)
Mon P.
I really enjoyed the food here. I tried the sushi and the pieces were fresh and generously sized. I had the rice soup and it was good too. The moochi was soft and melted in your mouth. I was suprised there wasn't a big crowd in there. I was the only guest there but I got the best service. For Asian food, this hits all the marks.
(4)
Christina M.
Walked in 11/7 We were greeted promptly, and sat right away. Our table was freshly wiped, so it was wet when we sat ek. My boo ordered spider maki....Took longer than the pepper steak....we waited on it a little bit. I ordered the pepper steak, it was ok but i received it unless than ten minutes which freaked me out a bit....just felt like.....hmmm.....this was quick. The portions are not big enough to share. Prices are really inexpensive I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here again but it was OK.... and it's BYOB
(3)
Angelica P.
Pot stickers were good but they were fried and would've been a lot better steamed. Miso soup was good. Pad thai was good but very small for the price. Sushi - Alaskan was so-so and the green was refreshing and good but my boyfriend didn't like it and it wasn't filling at all despite the size of the sushi. The prices were definitely not worth the food we got.
(2)
Dawn W.
Great Value! Food quality was very good, service was excellent & no corkage fee for a BYOB. Kind of a random little place. Lots of fun!
(4)
K R.
Delightful little place- no wait, no BYOB corkage fee, and actual king crab... not K-rab, crab. That's hard to find at most neighborhood sushi joints. The decor is cute and whimsical too (my chopsticks were like little Harry Potter wands, totally fun). The service isn't super speedy but they're very friendly and you'll get a seat immediately. Good selection of vegetarian options too and for those who are raw-fish-averse, there's an extensive Thai menu as well. I had the king salmon roll, which was quite tasty. Even the miso soup was better than average (you'd think it would be hard to screw up miso soup but it can, in fact, be done). Definitely recommended for a casual date night or group outing.
(4)
Sara S.
I came here for a birthday party with about 20 people. This place is a good choice for a large party like that. It was $20 for everyone, which made it super easy at bill time. We had the whole room to ourselves, which was also nice. To start they brought out huge trays of sushi so we didn't have to wait while we ordered- a definite plus. The sushi in itself was very average. I love "Mexican" rolls anywhere but this one was a little disappointing with wayyyy too much rice. So, overall I would suggest it for an easy sushi place for a large party, knowing that you're going to mostly hang with friends and not drop a lot of money for sushi. Probably wouldn't go back on my own. At other places I could just pay $25 for some good rolls I really enjoy.
(3)
Shawn K.
If you want average sushi and good service, this is the place for you. Overall it's just sort of boring.
(3)
Elizabeth A.
I guess it is good that they give small portions because their food is very bland. I got food delivered from here and I won't be doing it again.
(3)
Julie B.
The sushi will get the job done but not the best I have ever had. I only order when it is really late and I am too lazy to pout in any effort to find another place.
(3)
Angela R.
Food tastes good, but Thai portions are a ripoff. Penang curry had 6 slivers of chicken & 3 strips of green pepper. At $8.95, I will not be back.
(1)
Katie J.
I came here after a friend said the two magic phrases: "all-you-can-eat sushi" and "I'm paying." We called and made a reservation on a Monday night just in case, but it wasn't busy. For the all-you-can-eat option, they give you a menu, you check up to three items, they bring them out alone with a new menu, and you can keep checking up to three items until you feel like you're about to explode. All for twenty dollars. The sushi was great. I'm not an expert, but I loved all of it. My vegetarian friend had a lot of options as well. The people at the next table over complimented the chefs, saying it was some of the best sushi they'd ever had in the city. And hey, it's BYOB. Another friend ordered the tofu pad thai and I tasted it. It was fantastic. The service was great. Everything came to the table really fast. The miso soup was superb. I especially loved the rainbow roll and the tempura roll. It's one of my favorite restaurants I've found so far in the city. If you're a sushi fan, you've got to try it out.
(5)
Taras B.
My favorite local sushi place. Its Byob, so bring some pearl sake From, and my favorite roll isnt on the menu but its a tampura flash cooked tuna roll. They also have a great Thai menu to mix it up from.
(5)
Mary Ann C.
I dined here today for lunch. It was very convenient to my afternoon work site. The service and food were good, not great. Food was prepared quickly, which was good during the lunch hour. I had the godzilla roll and jasmine tea. I would go back if in the area but would not make a special trip!
(3)
Sara L.
Oh how has my love for sushi has me wandering around the city. In an attempt to eat sushi and starving...google maps failed me by bringing me to every closed sushi joint. We came across this little joint. The place is quite cozy and welcoming. Sundays they have an all you can eat sushi buffet for 20 bucks...not too bad! The sushi was actually quite tasty and the selection of rolls was good. Gotta admit they are fast at filling up your water glass and getting your food back.
(3)
Nikkie H.
Right off the bat, the name of this restaurant throws me. It sounds like a diner. It should be a diner. I've said it. Moving on... I was a bit overwhelmed by the two very distinct menus to choose from at dinner. It was almost too much, and as a result I felt like I could've spent an hour debating what I wanted. The rest of my table settled (for the most part) on sushi, so I went that route too. I kind of feel like it was a bad choice. I can't remember what maki rolls I ate, because nothing stood out. I've had better sushi at so many other restaurants, including Tank. I felt like the maki rolls were pretty expensive and just not that inventive. If I had to do it over again I probably would've gone with the Thai menu, because that was my plan from the start. The positives? They were able to accommodate our large group and were very attentive to all of us. BYOB is always a huge plus. Oh, and offering all of us desserts for free was a really nice touch.
(2)
Kit W.
Sunday and Monday nights are all you can eat sushi for $20. Excellent service. Excellent sushi. Excellent atmosphere. Nuff said.
(5)
Shannon L.
I've been eating here or picking up take out since this place was called Mr. Thai back in 2000...so obviously, I must like it. They have always had good Thai food...from the basics like Pad Thai all the way to their Mussaman Curry, to their Spicey Basil Leaves, Cashew Chicken, etc. Several years ago they changed the name to Kitchenette and added sushi to the menu. I was a little leery at first but I've been pleasantly surprised. Even "All You Can Eat Sushi for $19.99" on Sundays and Mondays is pretty good (and a great deal)...not to mention it's BYOB so that's always a bonus. This place is good for consistent food quality, good prices and good tasting Thai and Japanese food. Love having it in my neighborhood.
(4)
Brianna C.
A great neighborhood BYOB, quick and friendly service,tasty food and at a very affordable price! My boyfriend and I just moved in near Kitchenette, and a few other locals had recommended that we try it- it was exactly what we were looking for! No corking fee on BYO (I just moved to the area and I don't know if corking fees are common or not here, but still- yay!), Thai food and Sushi, and I have to agree with other reviewers- it is at least one step above most "thai-and-sushi all you can eat" places. It's more than a hole in the wall, they have a simple but nicely decorated dining room, and the service was great. This will definitely become a regular spot for us.
(4)
Esther Y.
My friends and I stopped in at this neighborhood sushi joint and had a great meal. It was weirdly empty for a Saturday night at 7 (we were literally the only folks there) but that made service fantastic. It's BYOB with no corkage fee, which is awesome. I had the Alaskan roll (you can't really taste the crab, but the salmon in it was fresh and abundant) and the yakisoba, which was deliciously chewy and came with miso soup and a salad for $9! Tasty cheap eats.
(4)
adam r.
1--If you're going to try it, I recommend take out. There really is no ambiance factor here, so I don't think it's worth visiting for the complete restaurant experience. 2--As for the food, its hit or miss. I have eaten here several times, almost exclusively because it's so close to where I live. I can't figure this place out---its either really good or really bad. Some of the more exotic dishes have really impressed (Panang Curry, contemporary makis, etc) while the more staple items have really been impressively bad at times (crab ragoon, egg rolls, classic makis, etc). MY RECOMMENDATION: Try the Diet Coke. It's the only thing you can trust to taste as expected.
(3)
Anita M.
To be very honest, I am on the fence with Kitchenette as to whether it is 2 or 3 star worthy. After remembering the old dirty basement smell upon walking into the 1st dining area, I think I've got the verdict. Beyond the initial impression, I can't think of reasons that would convince me to return to this place. The staff and service are not bad but not great either. I opted for their all you can eat option and found that their menu is pretty simple and not overwhelming which is nice however the sides seemed to be very limited. The fish was okay but compared to other places I've gone to, they really skimp you on the ingredients, I mean the pieces of fish are so small I'm even a little embarrassed for them!
(2)
Scott M.
I have recently discovered that I am a huge sushi fan so when anyone wants to try a new place, I'm always up for it. We came here for a friends birthday, which was great, because it allowed us to try a bunch of different things. We kept it pretty standard...Spicy Tuna, Dragon, California, Tako and Asparagus rolls were all all very good. A couple people split one of the chicken dishes (I forgot which one) but I got to try a bit and I was very impressed. The other reason this place was so good for a birthday party was that it was BYOB. The staff was very accomodating bringing ice buckets, glasses, opening our wine, and everything else you would expect. A little out of the way, but after reading about the all you can eat sushi from others, it might be worth the drive for a night. I can safely say when I am in the area and wanting sushi, I will be back.
(4)
Doris O.
I was introduced to Kitchenette by a close friend. I don't remember how she discovered this place, but we went together one time so that I could try it. She talked about how it was a hidden little place that had amazing sushi! Now, I am not a huge sushi fan, but I decided to try it anyway and it was nice to get out of the house. She told me the best part of this restaurant is that Sunday's and Monday's there is an all-you-can-eat menu for $20! We went on a Sunday and did the all- you-can-eat option. I don't like raw sushi (I know, weird), but they have a roll called "Squiddy". It has a fried calamari on the inside of the roll and spicy mayo on top of it. I was obsessed with it. It was so tasty and yummy and definitely memorable. I get 3 rolls of Squiddy every time I go, along with 5 pot stickers, and 4 egg rolls, all for $20. If I want more, I can simply order more and the price will stay the same. The only downsides are that if you can't finish your food, you will have to pay for what is left over...so I suggest you order as you go or how much you think you can eat. Also, the bathroom is a single person bathroom and feels tight and small. All of that is workable and not the end of the world. Those are the only reasons I rated Kitchenette 4 stars instead of 5. I recommend people try it, and as a side note, it's BYOB. Their food tastes great and the miso soup is tasty too! The inside of the place is cute, nothing over the top or special, but it's comfortable and has a nice ambiance. The wait staff is very friendly and kind as well, they are always on top of things and your water glass will never be empty! Definitely do the all-you-can-eat option on Sunday's or Monday's because it's definitely worth it! Enjoy!!
(4)
Katy S.
Staff is super friendly and accommodating. They let a group of my friends set up an all-you-can-eat sushi birthday dinner. We had one entire section of the restaurant for our group. They had platters of a variety of rolls ready when we arrived. I'm no sushi expert, so I was pleased with the menu and the rolls I ordered. It was nice to be able to mingle and split the check evenly at the end. BYO which is great too.
(3)
Jamie H.
Pretty good Pad Thai and Crab Rangoon, it's close so that's a plus!
(3)
Emily S.
Solid Thai food selections, decent sushi (though if I was in the mood for sushi this would not be my first, second, or even eighth choice). BYO. Cheap as hell. Great weekend lunch specials (soup, appetizer and entree for under $8). The only must-avoid is the jalapeno miso soup. Inedibly spicy.
(4)
Michael C.
Definitely a go to place for sushi! Sundays and Mondays have all you can eat for $20 per person which, if you are an avid sushi lover, is a fantastic deal. I have been to other sushi places during all-you-can-eat nights and have not been as pleased as I am with Kitchenette. Their rice has always been good, and the rolls are neither skimpy nor overfilled. Service can be slow at times but when you receive your plate you are generally completely satisfied with the offering. Personal favorites: Dragon and Philadelphia rolls.
(4)
Leah C.
i've been heard! the service this time around was 10 times better! we were afraid to take our friends to k'nette since it had been some time since our last visit. my fear is that once a place starts getting good reviews, patrons will storm the new place til their service/food shatters. however, not the case with k'nette. i think they've improved tremendously. one lil' comment: my friend had ordered octopus and they never bothered to tell him that they were out until he attempted to order it again (for the "all-you-can" buffet). maybe they had hoped he would just forget? ;)
(5)
Jennifer J.
Ate here with my friends last night. Pretty good but as other reviewers have said, it's nothing that special. It's near my friends' house so that was one of the driving factors of going there since it's not close to me. Chances are I won't be back since I have thai places near me that I love, but it's worth it if you're in the neighborhood. I had the Vietmenese Beef Soup and it was very good, just a little on the mild side. For someone that absolutely loves Tank's (on Argyle) Pho, this wasn't quite the same. Nonetheless I finished it all and was very happy. Definitely try the fresh cold spring rolls. Very good. My friends got 2 Thai dishes and were really pleased with them. All in all, it's a good place with good food, just not one I would make a special trip for....but then again, you have to be pretty special to do that to me anyway.
(3)
Patrick G.
I am not the biggest connoisseur of sushi or Thai food so if you're looking for insight into that stop reading now. Went here late on a Sunday night and arrived about 5 minutes before close and the staff were very night and basically reopened the place for us. The food was pretty good but nothing to write home about. So if you want some late night all you can eat sushi this is probably the place for you. The prices were good and the service was also very good (probably because we were the only people there). I would hit this place up if you are in the area and in the mood for sushi or Thai. Also its BYOB so bring your B if you like to D.
(4)
Kristen H.
This is a strange place decor wise - there's carpet which is kind of creepy!! It had 2 menus - sushi & thai. I ordered a green salad with ginger dressing which was good, but really how hard is it to screw that up? Then I got the Tom Kha soup which was very tasty. The sushi however, was just meh. We had the Green which sounded awesome - Super white tuna, salmon, spring mix, asparagus, avocado, cucumber kaiware, wrapped in soy paper and ponzu sauce - it fell apart b/c it wasn't wrapped tight enough. We tried the squidy - Fried calamari, spicy mayo, scallion, tobiko, and tempura crumb - just too heavy. Also the spicy scallop and philadelphia roll, but overall the fish wasn't as fresh as I hoped. My friend had a thai dish - hot & spicy and she was satisfied with it. Guess it's a better place for Thai and not sushi. Don't think I'll be back either way.
(2)
Risa P.
Bah. Oh I was so looking forward to this dinner since we found a place that did Thai and sushi, which was perfect for the group that I was going with. That being said, I was super disappointed. The seaweed salad was good and the cucumber in it was especially yummy. The sushi was just not that good. The spicy rolls were not that spicy and the other special rolls were only okay. They looked pretty and I had high hopes but they were quickly dashed when I tried the food. I am still a sushi novice I guess (though I would say probably more intermediate since I love sushi and eat it quite often) The rolls just didnt have that punch and pizzaze or really much taste. It is BYO which is nice and I think that my other friends had fun. It was not crowded at all but they did take reservations. Probably wont be coming back, and I need a new go to sushi place!
(2)
Gwynne R.
Looooooooove this place! Not only is it literally a 3 minute walk from my apt, but it's very good and cheap. The restaurant itself consists of two fairly small, simple rooms, but that gives it a very cute, neighborhoody feel. On Sundays and Mondays, they have an all you can eat special for $20. This includes their maki rolls (even some of their specialty rolls), sushi, and appetizers. Everything is delicious! I love the crab rangoon and the volcano roll. You can do round after round after round, but you better eat it all, or else you pay for what you don't eat! I myself have only made it through 2 rounds. Service can be a little bit slow on these nights, because so many people come, so be ready for a little bit of a wait (totally worth it, though). And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, it's BYOB! Don't have a bottle of wine? No worries, bring in a plastic bag full of beer, like me and my friends did!
(5)
Dave S.
All you can ear sushi for 19.95 Fresh decent cuts, especially for an inland joint. Great time with my friends and nice and quiet!
(4)
Nicole D.
I used to live right by Kitchenette, and thankfully they still deliver to my new place. I've eaten at Kitchenette a couple of times- the decor's pretty basic, but the service has always been really prompt and friendly (and they're BYOB, so grab something before you head over there). I mostly order carry-out or delivery. When I first see "Thai and Japanese" on a menu, I figure it's probably mediocre-to-shoddy of both, but I've had a bunch of items on the menu, and I think Kitchenette's Thai options and their sushi are all pretty great. The menu has pretty basic offerings, but they're done well. Kitchenette's one of my first answers to "what in the world do I want for dinner?" Yum!
(4)
Dan S.
I was there for the $20 all you can eat sushi. It was just ok. It's BYOB, but that only applies to alcohol and not Pepsi. That rule needs to change immediately!
(3)
Julia D.
I was kind of underwhelmed with this Thai/sushi BYOB. First off, any place that combines different types of cuisines that aren't really related kinda freak me out (yes, they're both Asian and there's rice involved, but it's not enough of a connection for me). I recently moved to this area from East Lakeview where you're practically tripping over any number of awesome sushi places, so of course I went here as fast as I could to find a replacement. A friend and I went for lunch last weekend and walked into an entirely empty restaurant. Eek! It's not like we walked in at 11 am, it was after 1 pm. The prices are great, but the portions, at least for the Thai food were small. BUT you get an appetizer, soup and your entree, so it depends on how you look at it. My friend had the green curry and really liked it; he just felt like he should have ordered double to be full. I think it would have been ok for me. I had the sushi lunch special which consisted of a California Roll, a "maki" roll ( I didn't know spicy tuna fell into the maki category) and either soup or salad. Meh. Maybe it was prepared in the morning, but it definitely wasn't prepared after I ordered it--it looked like it had been sitting. It was ok, not the best but not the worst. I was full at the end of the meal and spent about $10 all in. Maybe I'll be back for Thai, but probably not sushi. I'll gladly skip on over to Southport for better sushi.
(2)
Jims L.
I like the idea of Japanese/Thai fusion - but I've really had better dishes. The sushi is the only thing that stands out at Kitchenette. The chef creates some really delicious and creative rolls. Otherwise, between the noodle soup, curry salmon, pad thai, and crab rangoon, I'd rather get my Thai at a Thai place. Also BYOB and really great Thai iced tea.
(3)
John E.
These guys have always been super nice and their all you can eat deal on Sundays and Mondays is amazing! Huge menu of rolls, nigiri, and appetizers. I've never had a bad experience, and enjoy their sushi more than other places that I've been in Chicago.
(5)
Angela C.
I've only had Kitchenette's food three times, but from what I've tried, the food is good and the quality is fresh. My boyfriend introduced me to Kitchenette when he brought me a sushi-filled dinner. We had the Mexican roll and the Dragon roll - both fresh and delicious. The miso soup is tasty as well. We went there to dine in the other day. The restaurant was quiet without the typical club music that blares in other sushi/Asian places. I once again opted for the sushi. I tried the tuna jalapeno roll - very fresh but not very spicy. The baby egg rolls are delicious, and I am happy to find a place near my apartment where I can get these tasty delights without trekking down to Taylor Street's Thai places. Service was prompt and courteous. I will definitely be adding this place to my list of delivery places as well as a solid go-to place for Asian and sushi.
(4)
Caroline M.
For a self proclaimed Thai connoisseur like myself, I was excited to find such a delicious and inexpensive Thai kitchen so close to where I lived! I recommend the daily lunch specials, something around $5.25 ranging to $6.25 which includes soup (very tasty Tom Kha Ga here), appetizer, and lunch sized portion entree (I am always a fan of Panang and Yellow Curries). Highly recommended if you live in the area.
(4)
Geovanna S.
My boyfriend and i love asian food, so when we saw Kitchenette was a few blocks away we were pretty happy. It was a monday, so we were pretty iffy about getting sushi, but he gave in and got a roll. It wasn't too great, but it wasn't bad either. I had the Tom Yum noodle soup, but requested it with only chicken rather than the seafood, but that's because i never trust it to be real crab, and it's generally always frozen and gross.. It was VERY delicious the broth had a perfect hot, sour and basil flavor. P got the Pad Kee Mao which was a pretty small portion, and a little bland when it came to spiciness. all in all it was a pretty good experience. It's BYOB and the service was excellent.
(3)
Marissa H.
Kitchenette is one of my faves in Lakeview. It also happens to be right around the corner from my apartment, so I eat there probably once a week. When I don't, I always feel a tinge of regret. As far as BYOBs, you can't beat it. There is no corking fee, and the service is usually above and beyond. They reloaded our PBR cans in an ice bucket as soon as we popped one open. Yes, PBR. They didn't judge us either. Once or twice I've had a waitress that seems less than thrilled if we order "light," but 90% of the time they are so wonderful. Both the Thai and the Sushi are good. They have a great Basil Chicken Dish, and the Sushi is usually pretty fresh. I absolutely cannot reason going to someplace like Coast or RA when this is equal or better. I have yet to do the $20 AYCE nights, but it would definitely be worth the price.
(4)
Karen A.
Service-oh was there service? Why yes there was when I went to retreive the waitstaff personally. Food-MEH. Um, just not that bad and just not that good. Not great Japanese and not great Thai. Ambiance- ZZZZZZZZ All you can Eat Sushi night: Yea, I'd go back. It's not great, it fair sushi. Butwhen you can be a sushi pig for $19.99 (without gettting ill) then this place works out just fine.
(2)
Andrew K.
Aftering hearing so much about this place from friends who live in the area, I was excited to give it a try this week. I was a little wary of the fact that a) it served both sushi and thai and b) there was no one in it (breaking the first rule of sushi eating: don't eat at a sushi place that is empty. I was pleasantly surprised. This place is muyyyy cheap AND a BYOB, while still managing to serve good food. We ordered an appetizer and a few rolls and then we each had our own thai dish, while proceeding to drink rum and cokes and the bill was pretty reasonable (with leftovers.) Sushi: Was not the best I have had, but the rolls were done very well and far exceeded expectations. Pricing was reasonable and in line with a normal sushi place. Thai: Definetly the better option, for around 6 bucks you get a healthy portion of delicious food. I had the basil chicken which was fantastically spicy and tasty. Other companions ordered noodle dishes which were just as tasty. Service: Very good, albeit we were the only ones...we brought a handle of rum and they were very attentive with the ice etc. Ambience: Standard decor, was homey...was told by companions that even when crowded it is still quiet which is a plus. Plan of attack: If looking for an inexpensive meal, then this place gets a high five. Bring some boos, I think the thai is the better part of the menu (and cheaper,) but the rolls were good. One thai dish by itself is probably not enough so go with a thai dish each and then split a roll or another dish and have enough for lunch tomorrow and still spend $10 a person. Please go and support so my friends' addiction can continue.
(5)
Jim W.
Probably closer to a 3.5 star rating, but I'll give Kitchenette the benefit of the doubt for a few reasons. We went for lunch. Not knowing if it'd be open the next day, a friend called to see what time it opened. Reason #1: Cute Engrish - "Eleven and a half" she was told. Now in getting here for the actual lunch, we came around 1145 and were a bit dismayed to find it was not open. Oddly, on the glass outside, there was printed that it was open "Mon-Tue-Thur-Fri, Sat-Sun", Wed being omitted. We were fearing the worst, but someone who had been waiting with us told us the owner was coming and that, in fact, she worked there. Fortunately, we had nothing but time, so we popped open some beers on the sidewalk (it's BYOB) and waited. Reason #2 - fresh fish. When the owners finally arrived, they came with what appeared to be, freshly bought fish from the market. There are a multitude of menu options at Kitchenette: a lunch menu, a Thai menu, and a Japanese menu. Normally I'm very against this "excess" choice as it leads to lack of expertise in any of the choices, but my friend had been before so I withheld judgement. I opted for a lunch combo of rolls. For $11, I got a California roll, and my choice of 2 hand/regular rolls, which turned into a spiny salmon and a spicy white tuna roll. The rolls were adequate, the taste of fish somewhat lost in the spicy sauce, however, i did like their artistic presentation, which still counts for something in my book. My main reason for coming here was that I was told the scallop was tasty, so I ordered one. It was a good size and delicious, although the one i had last week at Matsuya was slightly larger, tastier and cheaper. I also ordered a amaebi. Reason #3 - I got my fried shrimp head! The amaebi itself was very good, although I'm not quite sure why it had a distinct scent of lime. I've ordered amaebi in Chicago before, but most places don't keep and fry the head for you. Although the fried shell on the head was a bit much, I was just happy at having it brought back to me. There isn't much for decor at Kitchenette, but the owners are very friendly, as is required when you run a neighborhood restaurant. Given the numerous sushi choices up on the north side, I still favor Matsuya since it's cheaper and a smidgen better tasting imo. However, I would be open to returning to try their Thai menu.
(4)
Alison M.
What a great addition to the neighborhood! 1) It's BYOB 2) It's cheap as hell-- $17 for dinner for two! 3) It's really tasty-- we had the Pad See Eu and Cashew Chicken, both were fresh and light-- not greasy or overly sauced. Yum! 4) They have separate sushi and Thai menus-- something for everyone! The service was attentive and I didn't find the place super quiet-- perhaps business has picked up a bit since others have reviewed here.
(4)
Lauren G.
My boyfriend and I really like to go here because he likes Thai and I like Sushi. Its rare to find a place that does both well, but Kitchenette pulls it off at very reasonable prices. The owners are very friendly and cute and the fact that this place is often empty doesn't bother me so much (it does get a little crowded on weekends but you'll never actually have to wait)....I'm really sick of waiting 30+ min for tables at only so-so restaurants. The only bad thing is that the main waitress doesn't always understand English so its difficult to ask for recommendations. Thai appetizers of crab rangoon and pot stickers are good. Sushi rolls are fabulous in presentation and taste. My favorite is Godzilla. I hope Kitchenette survives their slightly out-of-the-way location. Really yummy, so try it!
(4)
Isla E.
3.5 stars based on my delivery order of Vietnamese Spring Rolls and steamed vegetables. The lady that took my order was very friendly and thorough. When I asked for the "mixed vegetables" steamed, rather than stir fried, she knew what I was talking about and asked if I wanted the sauce. I replied, "yes, on the side, please. and I don't really need the tofu, just vegetables". She repeated all my residence info back to me to ensure there are no mistakes. My food arrived in a timely fashion. I am disappointed that the steamed vegetable container was not full. I think if one is charging $6.95 for a "mixed vegetable" dish, that includes a protein of your choice, if one takes out the protein, the chef should put more vegetables in the dish. Maybe I should have specified to substitute vegetables for the protein but it seems like common sense to me. As for the Vietnamese Spring Rolls, I'm going to call these "sinewy sweet". They definitely have some outstanding qualities (tightly rolled, vermicelli finer than angel hair, greens almost cover the entire circumference of the roll), but the sweetness is almost cloying, I hate to say. Its the baked tofu in the roll. And the syrupy sauce. It really is syrupy, almost like maple syrup. The menu describes it as sweet and sour. Combine this with baked tofu, not regular tofu, and its a little too...synonym for sweet. But I'll still eat them. The vermicelli in there is awesome, so delicate! And really fresh lettuce, mint and cilantro.
(3)
Renee B.
I was excited to order because I'd heard good things about Kitchenette. I ordered delivery and the service was helpful over the phone, but the food came later than expected (50-60 minutes is pretty standard in the city) at almost an hour and a half. When the food arrived, it was room temperature, almost cold. Overall the flavor was good, but I'd recommend take out, not delivery.
(3)
Lyndsay G.
Besides the fact that I could not understand what they were saying, Kitchenette is a lovely little sushi restaurant. The decor is adorable and the waitresses are friendly. Ive only gone on $20 all you can eat sushi Sundays and Mondays but it's delicious, quick and BYOB-and you cant go wrong with BYOBs. Last time we brought a large jug of wine and had a grand ole time. The back of the restaurant has all the sushi makers so you can watch as they slice and dice the rice and seafood. Overall, two thumbs up.
(4)
Mila G.
Pretty decent place, helps that its around the corner for me...I had no problem with service when i was there, but since i was one of three groups in the place on a Wednesday evening, it pretty much makes sense. Tasty crab rangoon, but I had the combo platter and the shrimp dumplings may have been shrimp at one point...but i don't think it was recent...not good at all....the other nibbles on the platter were quite nice. Haven't had the sushi yet, but the various noodle dishes were delicious...when i saw mine i thought it wasn't a lot of food...then i ended up taking half of it home!! Definitely very good prices for what you get...three girls had a satisfying dinner + leftovers for 30 bucks
(4)
Manhoso C.
Ive seen this place change ownership a few times now, id say that Kitchenette is the better incarnation. The sushi was good, and the Thai dishes are bad either. The low pricepoint is great, and Im not too sure why people are bothered that its quiet.. its actually kind of refreshing
(4)
Taylor G.
I visited Kitchenette with a sizable Meetup.com group, and this BYO place was easily able to accommodate us. This place has a LOT to offer in terms of a combo Sushi/Thai join. Each fare has its own menu, but you're certainly not restricted to ordering from just one. Between the two menus, the variety of food is almost daunting. One of the first things I noticed was the low prices, but I was a bit dismayed upon the arrival of food, because those prices are commiserate with the portion sizes. While not inherently a bad thing, you may need to compensate for this when ordering, which might negate some of the value. I had a green salad with ginger dressing - standard fare - and my old standby: panang curry. The curry was decent, not great. I did, however order an extra scoop of rice ($1) to drench in the curry sauce, which made the meal a bit more filling. If you're in the area and indecisive about what type of asian food you'd like to eat, give Kitchenette a try.
(3)
Sachin M.
All-You-Can Eat Sushi.... as long as you are willing to wait. Last night I went in a group of 4 for their $20 all you can eat deal on Sunday night. After 2.5 hours we had gotten one round of orders (3 rolls max per person) and our second round had not been started. One of our party only got one roll for her $20. It might be a good deal, but they don't know how to run their restaurant and they rip off their customers in the process with no real apology, discount or other penalty. I will no visit there again even thought I live 1 block away.
(2)
Arlene A.
What a neat place to grab a bite. Love the lunch special, which is $10 and just filling enough to get you through the day. The Massumen(mispelled I know) Curry with tofu was plenty good, and the rice soup was simple and beautiful. Crispy little potstickers rounded out a great meal. Not bad for the price. It's a little out of the way, but if you're in the neighborhood, it's worth stopping in.
(3)
Pamela S.
Great Sunday & Monday all you can eat sushi deal for $20. Endamame is hot and lightly salted. Recommend the tuna and yellow tail scallion rolls. Also like the Mexican roll. Sushi is very good. Favs are salmon, tuna, yellow tail and flounder. No corkage fee and White wine placed in ice bucket. Restroom could be a bit cleaner, maybe painted as well. I've not experienced bad service in the 4 times I've been here.
(4)
una g.
This place is not the best place in the world not worse. It's aight. I've always gotten decent service.
(3)
Faye S.
I tried crab rangoon, fried rice, and Vietnamese noodle soup. They are all tasty. The beef in the soup was tender too.
(4)
Robi B.
This place is fantastic. They have a great menu and cheap eats, plus its BYOB! My friends and I love this place and I keep going back for the shrimp spring rolls and the thai peanut noodles. I think we've tried a little bit of everything and we are never disappointed. The fact that they let us sit around and do sake bombs for a few hours always helps too. Definitely a must check out place!
(4)
Donna J.
Since I see this place at least twice a month now for their All You Can Eat Sushi on Sundays and Mondays, I had to update my rating. Their fish seems very fresh and the service is great! One warning though is their fish does get a little thin on the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Maybe they don't like giving 2nd and 3rd round orders :)
(4)
Carolyn J.
They have all you can eat sushi for 20 bucks on Sundays and Mondays. They have a dragon roll that is to die. They have adorable, friendly servers. Yea, the decor is...welll. Not there. And yea, they sometimes play Christina Aguilera's first album on a loop. But for cheap, delicious sushi - it's perfection.
(5)
Elias H.
This place is BYOB and decently priced. It isn't very busy, but the atmosphere is nice, and the service is very good due to that fact. Every time I have been the food tasted very good and the sushi seemed fresh. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes sushi and Japanese food.
(3)
Sue S.
My family and I go to Kitchenette regularly. I can't comment on the Sushi. The Thai food is typical and good. My evaluation of the food isn't one of an expert, but you won't go wrong. We go because: 1. The food is quite good. 2. It is quiet 4. We have always been able to get a table even with 5 or 6 people 4. Believe it or not there is usually been FREE on-street parking available (except on Cubs home game days, I suppose) 5. The service has always been good 6. Any music played is at a non-interruptive volume. But if you think it is too loud, someone would turn it down. 8. For those who want brown rice, it is available. .If you want BYOB you might ask first. I highly recommend this place, but cannot evaluate it from a gourmet point of view. Nevertheless, I don't think you will be disappointed. The environment is rather plain but pleasant.
(4)
C. B.
I mostly love this place because it is close to my house and is priced very well. I have only dined in here once and the atmosphere was decent, but there was an odd cat-like smell that I noticed. eeeeeeeks! I just drank my BYOB wine and got over it real quick. Their fresh spring rolls were the best I have had in Chicago. They tom yum soup was also very good. I have not yet tried their Thai entree menu - I am planning to crack that soon! There sushi is very tasty and especially for the price! I always feel sad when I go into Kitchenette b/c their food is great but it is always empty! I really hope that business picks up for them b/c they really do have a good restaurant. You should try it! :)
(4)
Katy B.
Ordered delivery from here the other night. The driver was to the minute on time, food was hot and tasty. Fried veg gyoza were awesome, and so was the green curry with tofu. I'll definitely order from here again.
(4)
Rachel V.
This is a great place to get your sushi and or Thai fix at the same time. It's a small BYOB place in the not-so-crazy part of Lakeview. Street parking is always available. The $19.99 all you can eat sushi menu on Sundays and Mondays includes appetizer that include shumai, seaweed and tako salad among other items. It is definitely worth the price. The service is great. The sushi is fresh. And.. the thai dishes are your standard fare that comes fresh and hot to the table. 'Been here a couple of times and have not been disappointed.
(4)
Abbey F.
This place has decent delivery sushi-fresh fish, not that exciting rolls but affordable when you don't want to spend a ton. But for the love of god....the ordering process is excrutiating. Either the language barrier is impossible, or the person taking your order can't tell you anything about the menu and can't identify the items you're ordering. After being put on hold three times for easily a minute each, we were fed up with the whole idea of ordering at all. Our connection was lost and we ordered from Tank. 30 minutes later, the Kitchenette delivery man shows up, clueless and with our unwanted food. After calling the manager, who had no idea what we were talking about, the poor delivery guy took the food back. NOT WORTH IT!!!!
(2)
Marina S.
Im in love with my little old kitchentte, How I love you! From baby egg rolls to thai tea this place is delicious! i love everything i have ordered from here! sushi is delicious made fresh and cheap! lunch special here is crazy cheap, delicious, & filling! RUN DONT WALK!
(5)
other l.
The bf loves this place and always talked about it but I was unenthusiastic about traveling far from my bubble of the west. Thank goodness I did it! Awesome Lunch special! Good service as well. Order a Thai Ice tea and they give a huge glass of the yummy milky sweet stuff unlike so many other places that give you like an ounce of watered down condensed milk. Two of us had an excellent lunch for around 16 bucks. You cannot beat that.
(4)
Amy V.
Great place for fresh sushi at great prices and it's a BYOB to boot. The spring rolls are great and the Baja roll is yummy. I prefer dining in versus carrying out. The portions on the Thai side of the menu are small, but very tasty. The basil dish is my favorite. I usually stick with the sushi menu and have never been disappointed. The service is decent and the space is okay - they definitely could do more with it, but I go for the food not the space.
(3)
Kim J.
This place was interesting to try but I wouldn't go back. First of all, it took about an hour and a half to have the waitress take our order. Second of all, it took another hour and a half to get our order...which was not even hot when we got it! I would not recommend this place at all. The BYOB aspect was nice though, but big whoop!
(2)
Minda T.
Comfortable with a helpful waitstaff. There were many food choices, complete Thai and Sushi menus. The price is right and the fact that it's a BYOB, you can't get much better than that!
(4)
Luan N.
Wanted a quick meal along the way to Violet Hour and we heard from a friend that they have all u can eat sushi. So we thought to test the sushi out and fill up on Thai food. We shared the salmon skin roll ($5.50), spicy salmon roll ($5), spider roll ($7), salmon steak ($8.95), and Red Snapper fillet ($9.95), thai ice coffee ($2.50) and green tea ($1). Let's start with the bad news. The rolls, esp the spider roll was skimpy on the meat. It was cheap at $7 but there were only 5 pieces. The sushi rice was too damp and mushy, They cooked the rice with way too much water. I would give the rolls 1 star. What saved the day were the entrees which I was very pleased with. The Red Snapper with hot and spicy sauce had great flavor for the price. I think the skin could have been a little more crispy, but I was satisfied with it. For the health conscious, the unadorned salmon steak is a great option. FYI the all u can eat sushi is Sunday and Monday for $19.99. After last night's performance by the sushi chef, I don't know if it's worth going. I would definitely go back for the Thai food though. And the small box of chiclets with the bill was the deal closer. Hey, what can I say, I'm easily amused by nostalgic candy. If you want to check out their menu go to: grubhub.com/details.jsp?…
(3)
Deanna D.
Kitchenette is just what it sounds like it would be. Cute. Quaint. Charming. Delightful, even. Came here once with my roommates for dinner and was not disapponted. I HIGHLY recommend the sweet potato rolls, which I still fantasize about months later...
(4)
KC W.
This place is great in that it is BYOB, has the choice of sushi or thai, and is small and cozy. That being said, it does not stand out in my mind as somewhere I want to return. The first thing I noticed upon entering the restaurant was it smelled like a musty basement. Yummmmm. The second thing that caught my attention was the fact that the waitress did not come to our table until we had been there for about 15 minutes (though she did drop off wine glasses which I truly appreciated). The sushi was nothing special. The thai dish I had was good, but not worth bothering with again. Overall, I would say if this place is in your neighborhood, give it a try, but I definitely would not go out of my way to visit this restaurant.
(3)
Tara D.
BF and I have been here twice. Loved the food. Service is great. I like the atmosphere, it's a quiet place, the music is pleasant and a good volume. I just wish it wasn't BYOB, we're not that good at planning ahead.
(5)
Bernadette P.
My husband has a gluten allergy, so we eat a lot of Asian food...where gluten is typically not an issue. He pronounced Kitchenette his all time favorite restaurant...great food, incredibly good prices, pleasant/attentive staff. I had a grilled salmon dish, which is what I typically order in Asian restaurants, and it was perfectly made...fresh, well seasoned and complemented with a generous side of veggies. At 9 dollars, it was about 30% cheaper than what we've paid in other restaurants for the same size portion and preparation. My husband had broccoli and tofu, which sounds terribly bland, but was wonderful. It is not a fancy room and the service is not slick. But, it is an incredible value for top notch food.
(5)
Michael S.
I reviewed this place when it was Mr. Thai, after it had changed hands and was already mediocre having once been very good and dependable. Now, having changed hands again or having undergone a makeover and name change, it is still mediocre. I went in there and sat down to eat, which I had never done. I had always just used it as a handy take-out place. The service was terrible and worse yet, it was too dead quiet in there. Not a great backdrop for what ended up to be, I thought, very mediocre food. Reasonable prices, though.
(2)
Lise P.
still the best thai food i've had. i cannot find a better fresh spring rolls--and i've tried everywhere.
(5)
Courtney B.
I have never been disappointed here. Its BYOB and has a spacious atmosphere with two storefronts. Its pretty convenient take-out too, its right on Ashland and north enough were you can do some curb side parking... and there delivery is pretty darn quick as well. Its perfect since they have sushi and Thai because both are very yummy and you can satisfy different belly's.
(4)
Jessica P.
As someone who just transplanted to Chicago from NYC this was my first sushi experience here. The restaurant was out of a dessert I ordered and promptly called me and offered me numerous other options and was very polite. The delivery was almost to the minute that was predicted on GrubHub and the deliverer was very nice. I liked that they had quite a few options you could add to each sushi roll to customize it a little more. I spent a few years when I was growing up living in Japan in two different regions, so I think I'm a pretty good judge of sushi. While this wasn't the absolute best sushi I've ever had compared to sushi I've had in Japan or the US , it was definitely good and I'd order it again. The avocado in the avocado roll (which was free because I spent over $15. there were a few free choices which was sweet.) was really fresh. I asked for extra Ginger (which was great) and they definitely gave me extra and didn't skimp on it. I've never received that amount of ginger when I've asked for extra. I also wanted to mention that the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. All in all I'd recommend giving it a try. I only bought vegetable sushi and an appetizer so that's all I can comment on, but both were things I'd order again.
(4)
B B.
I've never dined here - only delivery or takeout. However, I have been very pleased with the food and price. Delivery can be pretty slow sometimes, but I give it a pass because the food is always quite good. I recommend pickup if you can. The menu has a wide array of sushi and Thai dishes, so must people will be able to find something they like.
(4)
erin k.
one day a friend and i were strolling around with a bottle of wine looking for a good place to open it...and voila! we found ourselves in kitchenette, feasting on edamame and spring rolls and maki (oh my!) i've since been there a dozen times and had attentive service, great food, and a great time on each occasion. the price is unbeatable - how can two people eat a fabulous meal for under $20? eat at kitchenette. (or pick up a delivery menu!)
(5)
rachel c.
This place is a good bet. They have both a Thai and Sushi menu with a nice variety including the basics. I would say the food is definitely good . . not amazing, but definitely a decent meal. I got take out and they served me tea while I was waiting. . . very nice! Reasonable prices. Nice atmosphere. Kinda out of the way on Ashland but likely to find parking. There is a 15 minute parking zone right in front if you get take out. I definitely recommend checking it out.
(3)
Cora B.
My boyfriend and I went here one afternoon when I was craving spring rolls. It had gotten good reviews and, more importantly, is very close to home, so we walked over. There were two types of spring rolls on the menu - "Spring Rolls" and "Vietnamese Spring Rolls" - so we went with the standard version, which turned out not to be what I was expecting. The wrapper was dense and doughy, and while the filling was good it was over powered by the super-sweet, thick sauce that came liberally poured on top of them; they might be for some tastes, but weren't to my liking. Next time, I know to get the Vietnamese version! I had the pad woon sen with chicken and the bf had the basil fried rice with bbq pork. Both were absolutely delicious and tasted so fresh - something I've rarely experienced in Thai restaurants. The meat was perfectly cooked, the vegetables were still a little crispy and nothing was overly sweet or salty. The prices and portion sizes are just right - you get just enough to fill you up, plus a little extra to take home for a snack when that hour-after hunger sets in. I'm looking forward to trying their sushi on my next visit!
(4)
K X.
I wish I could give this place 0 stars. I would if it were an option. The food is terrible, service is bad, and it shows because they never have any guests in there. I have seen rats in the alley behind their kitchen and they often leave their door open in the back to the kitchen. The owner, or perhaps she isn't the owner, but a woman who works there gives you dirty looks when you pass by or enter and she is not helpful at all. All you can eat Sushi from a place that never has people inside? That's scary...I would rather go to a place that has constant movement of people because who knows how long they re-use that fish at the "sushi" bar.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lauren F.
What a great find! Saw a groupon for this place and decided to check it out. The groupon was perfect and the food is very good. BYOB The miso soup was delicious along with the other appetizers. You definitely get your money's worth at this restaurant and the staff is very nice. Great food, atmosphere and location!
(4)Megan C.
I went yesterday on an impromptu date night. There was a great Groupon deal-- $18 for $35 worth of food. The atmosphere on Sunday night was quiet and quaint. The service was great, but we were one of two couples in the entire restaurant, so take that as you will. The food is...good. Nothing to write home about, but decent sushi that's pretty affordable.
(3)Dave M.
Great Service, Great Food, Great Atmosphere!!! This place was chosen due to the fact that it was a Groupon for Sushi and Thai and was near a music venue we were going to after the Birthday dinner I had for my GF. We were the only 1 of 2 parties dining in the whole restaurant which at first thought you might think becuase the place has bad food... quite the contrary... Food was AMAZING and the Pad Thai was on point. We also ordered 5 diffrent sushi rolls and they were all fresh and presented with elegance and grace. To top it off at the end they turned off the lights and we all sang Happy Birthday to the bday girl!!! If you are in the area and are looking for the best Thai and sushi.. GO HERE
(5)Stephanie L.
Intimate, casual, and comfy! Any attire welcome for this beautiful sushi! Pad Thai very good as well. Loved it! Will definitely be back :)
(5)Luis C.
Fantastic service. Equally fantastic maki. I ordered the Volcano, Crunchy Dragon, and Godzilla. Each was better than the last. Compact, quiet atmosphere & great music; I was able to enjoy my maki in peace while listening to the xx. Highly recommend if you aren't into obnoxious, overwhelming, overcrowded restaurants. I will definitely be returning. Thank you to the staff at Kitchenette for an amazing experience!
(5)Carlos G S.
I liked this place a lot. Food was good and price was right --even though portions *might* be a little on the small side. Service was prompt and courteous and place clean in general terms. It was kind of empty, but that was OK since my 2-yr old was all over the place. We will very likely go back or order for delivery or carry-out.
(4)Adrienne T.
This will be the last time I order from a restaurant that does fusion or two cuisines in one. Grocery store style sushi plus crummy Thai curry made me question how this place has been able to survive in a city full of these restaurants. ok so breakdown time: The sushi - Ordered the spicy crab roll. Let's just say that I've had better fake maki from a Walgreens. The inside consisted of cut, imitation crab and cucumber. A spicy, water-downed sauce was drizzled on top, but did not help save this poor excuse for a cold, hand rolled rice sandwich that I received. Vegetarian Dumplings ---- I think these were handmade, however, the inside filling was not tasty. Whatever they combined with the chive did not do it for me. In the future, Kitchenette, you should stick with the pre-made frozen kind you can buy from joong-Boo Market or other Asian markets. Crab Rangoon --- A staple at most Asian restaurants in Chicago. How can you go wrong? Oh, apparently it's possible. The dough was really soft, not crispy outside you would expect from this app. Also, the filling flavor was definitely off - like it had past the expiration date. Massamum curry - The pineapple did nothing to make this dish better. Oh and the best part was it was super water downed. I took the sauce that accompanied the dumplings and dumped it in to the dish because there was no flavor. White Rice --- I've never had to yelp about bad rice, but OH, how bad and poor it was. First it was over cooked. Big NO NO. Second, it was of very low quality. It reminded me of the Minute rice my roommate has made in the past. Who knew you could go wrong with rice, too?! Overall, I would never order from this restaurant again. Another yelper mentioned about the small portions, and I would have to agree. Bye Bye, my 35 dollars.
(1)Karen C.
Kitchenette has become my go-to place for carryout sushi/thai/etc. The fact that it is located obscenely close to my apartment is probably the main reason we started going here, but it's good so we keep going back. I'm wary of anywhere that has an all-you-can-eat sushi deal because, seriously, how good can the sushi be? So I've never partaken in that, but they seem to draw a crowd on those nights. Sushi rolls are always good, the hot dishes are great, and the crab rangoon is definitely decent (nothing will ever beat Chen's crab rangoon, IMO, but this is a solid choice when one is need of that cream cheese goodness!). They always have our food ready super fast, and the prices are very reasonable. Definitely check it out.
(4)Aaron H.
My normal Thai restaurant closed late last year. I have since discovered Kitchenette. I ordered the Basil Leaves Chicken with brown rice. The good itself was great. However, I'm only giving the review three stars as the unsocial working the front desk was less than happy and welcoming.
(3)Adriana G.
I been here few times . love their food . we always get the Crab Rangoon, Phai Thai with chicken , cucumber salad , Philadelphia Roll & California Roll , tempura appetizer . yumm food is great & service its good . & its BYOB I totally recommend this place.
(5)Meghana P.
Average Thai food, a decent place for the price with good service. If you live nearby, try it out, but I wouldn't trek too far for this place.
(3)Joseph G.
I really enjoy coming here for a nice quiet afternoon.... sitting in the small dining room, with it's simple decor, pop music coming from the speakers. I can sit here, looking out at Ashland away from the cold, and think about what's going on around me. They have a nice combination of food from sushi to Thai based entreé's and noodles. I have never had anything that I didn't like and everything comes out in a timely manner whether it's a busy Saturday night or a quiet Sunday afternoon. All the servers are quite pleasant. The entire building is a little awkward and the bathroom is as well but that's the only negative I have for you. If your looking for an all you can eat extravaganza or just a simple cup of miso soup I think this lil fusion spot does the trick.
(4)Faye B.
Wanted some sushi so my sister got a Groupon and we had a nice outing. Kind of a small restaurant, but they were friendly. The sushi was pretty good. My favorite was the Squidy roll. It was very tasty. The prices were pretty good too. I hope to be back to try more rolls. Wasn't really there for the ambience more so the food. Oh and get their Thai ice coffee, they come in mason jars...cute!
(4)Justin G.
We had to try a new carry out place for some sunday night Thai food fix. As in my other reviews, I tried the Crab Ragoon, which was not quite hot enough when we got it (might have been us waiting to pick up) but the shape was actually pretty killer. They made this ball shape at the bottom filled with Crab goodness. Very crunchy, not as smooth as other places but still solid. The chicken fried rice, and Tofu fried rice is what we got, both were very fresh. Not a ton of butter, so no upset stomachs. Also worth noting the portion size was not very large, so if you are looking to binge out, you might want to order something else to split. I don't really have a problem with smaller portions so long as it tastes pretty good. I'll definitely be ordering again from here, no complaints. I'll up the rating when I expand on their menu a little - nothing blew me away, but nothing was bad. If you want some Thai carry out, give this place a shot. Not much in terms of sitting at the place though. I suggest just carry out or delivery.
(3)Andrey R.
This is a great local Thai & Japanese cuisine. Groupon $15 for $38. Food was great. My favorite one was Ocean Salad - wasabi, tuna, salmon and greens. Miso soup was delicious as well. Mongolian Beef was definitely a hit - perfectly cooked beef and greens were perfectly steamed. Pretty big plus - BYOB Definitely recommend this place.
(4)Mandoos G.
This place is fantastic. We have gotten Sushi twice and Thai once. I highly urge you all to not be fooled by the small and simple interior, this place really packs a punch when it comes to their food. One of my favorite rolls was the spicy salmon in addition to the shrimp tempura. The fish is fresh and the different sauces they use with their rolls are fantastic. Take advantage of the Groupons this place has to offer and go try it!
(5)Dean W.
Good BYOB sushi place. We usually go on Monday's all you can eat special and they are always good about bringing out more sushi in a timely manner. Not much atmosphere to speak of and the sushi isn't on par with other top joints in the city but the price is right and the service is always good.
(4)Eric E.
Solid, well crafted sushi and authentic Thai curries. Great deals and friendly service.
(3)Shannon N.
There's quite a few Thai/Asia fusion restaurants in the area and I've been trying to get through them all in a search for the best. Kitchenette is good enough to become my go-to for the time being. My regular order at pretty much any thai restaurant is Pad Thai and Crab Rangoons, although I sometimes venture into other dishes. The Pad Thai is not the best that I've ever had, but it definitely hits the spot. I do really like the Crab Rangoons though. I've only ever done take-out here, but the order has always been ready in a very reasonable time. The staff isn't particularly friendly, but they get the job done. My only real complaint is that they never include chopsticks/dinnerware/napkins in the to-go orders.
(4)Eduardo M.
We found this place with decent parking (it's off Ashland, so there's main street parking) and were curious to try it out. As a big time sushi fan, I immediately went for the Japanese menu (they have a Thai one here too - I'll have to try that out next time). Let me tell you, the sushi tasted wonderful, the presentations were well put, and everything, down to the little plate the bill came on seemed well thought out. So... Food looks good.... Does it taste good? Why, yes it did! We ordered a few different rolls - all were tasty (tho' the specialty rolls had more oomph obviously). We also decided on a few pieces of sashimi. The fish (roll or sashimi) tasted fresh, and was quite delicious. The one thing about the sashimi pieces, that I will remember for next time? These pieces were HUGE. Much bigger than most places, and quite easy to share (two cuts per order). This place is definitely on my go-to list from now on.
(4)Natalia K.
Came here alone to use a groupon and ordered two specialty rolls to fulfill the groupon total, the Godzilla and Crabby Dragon. Both had cream cheese, which I try to stay away from in a roll, but it was the perfect amount of cream cheese because it tied the roll together without adding any stickiness or flavor. I really enjoyed both of the rolls- they were packed with flavor and crunchy texture. They were quite a mouthful (that's what she said) and a delicious one at that. The service was a little slow because for some reason it was busy on a Monday night, but forgiveable, and the prices seemed right on. The decor and atmosphere is a little lacking, but it doesn't take away from the food. It's just a quick sit down, eat, and go kind of place. I would definitely come back for the sushi, and maybe try the thai side as well.
(4)Eric L.
Bought a Groupon for this place and finally getting here to use it before it expires. Looks like a cute place and see that it's "BYOB" which apparently everyone else here knew about except me. Note to self: check out the details on a new place BEFORE you go ;) So it's a cute place - small and cozy - appropriately decorated. Music is contemporary and not too loud. No sushi bar which I sometimes like to sit at when dining alone, but no biggie. Some interesting options on the sushi menu. There's also a Thai menu but sticking with sushi tonight. First thing that sounds good is the Wasabi Shumai - only they apparently don't have that anymore. So skipping apps and going for a roll - spicy tako sounds good and they have that. Then going to add some nigiri to my chirachi so going for salmon roe but - they don't have that either. Hmmm. So next best thing is tobiko which they do have so that'll do with some smoked salmon. All set now. Despite the questionable start, the meal was fantastic! I was really impressed with the quality of the fish. Talk about a generous cut - wow! Amazing quality, well prepared, beautiful presentation and reasonable priced. Where I tend to not gravitate towards restaurants that do 2 cuisines, this one is totally an exception. Grab a bottle and go - you will not be disappointed. Ok, maybe make sure to pick a first choice option and a back-up selection or two, but whatever you end up with, I'm sure it will be great!
(4)Christina F.
I've been meaning to leave a review about this amazing hidden gem. I've had the pleasure of dining here on about 10 different occasions. My boyfriend and I will typically order miso soup, 3 rolls AND get a Thai entree to nibble on and take to go. The miso is fantastic. The sushi is fresh and delicious. The Salmon King roll is melt in your mouth amazing! I love the Mongolian Beef here. I'm typically a Pad Thai type of gal but it wasn't my favorite at this spot. I recently moved farther north from Ashland (no longer walking distance) and when I expressed my sadness to the owner she went out of her way to surprise us with a lovely roll on the house! Needless to say we've been back and will continue to frequent this restaurant. I always leave happy and satisfied. Plus, it's BYOB!
(5)Bri A.
I ordered yakisoba (comes with miso soup), crab rangoons and shrimp eggrolls for delivery recently. The noodles come with chicken & shrimp, but there were only two shrimp! How can you call that a shrimp dish when there are only two?! hmmph! I liked the appetizers but rangoons and egg rolls are hard to mess up. I want to come for the all you can eat sushi buffet some time.
(3)Mike T.
Really weird name for a Thai/Suhi restaraunt, when my girlfriend said we were going here I thought it was a french restaraunt or something. Baseline is: food is pretty good on both thai and sushi side, not the best, but beats many places in Chicago. The decor leaves a little to be desired, but meh, I don't care about that, I go to a restaraunt to EAT, not to look at the wall.
(4)Melanie V.
Thanks to the suggestion of my co-worker, my friends and I spent a lovely Friday night stuffing our faces with sushi. (Well, half of the party anyway.) I'm so glad that Jaiyen denied my reservation for 8 people because "they could only seat parties of less than 4" apparently. If it wasn't for them, we would have never been introduced to this little gem! So, it's a Friday during Lent, right? No better time to eat sushi! Kitchenette had a pretty extensive offering of rolls (from the traditional to the more fancy), so my friends and I literally had a field day deciding what to get. For the traditional rolls, my favs were the spicy shrimp, spicy scallop and the unagi with avocado. I probably could have eaten all three by myself, no lie. The Mexican maki (delish hamachi!) and the Dragon were my favs of the fancy rolls. Except for one roll that we can't remember, we LOVED everything we ordered! And..believe me...we left there so stuffed and satisfied. Best part? The price! For all these rolls, we ended up paying like $25/person! Hello, amazing. The traditional rolls average like $6, so it's definitely a great price for good food! Service was great! Our party of 8 was the only group in there on a Friday night, so I suppose they didn't mind that half of the group busted up in there half-buzzed and loud. Thankfully. Notes: + BYOB (no corkage!) + Street parking available on Ashland + For the non-sushi lovers, Kitchenette also offers soup, noodles, curry and lots of appetizer options.
(4)Brian P.
Way more quiet than it should have been when we came for takeout, the Thai was delicious and they are very friendly also. The reviews for the sushi are excellent so we will try that next time.
(4)G W.
We ordered a bunch of dishes off the Thai menu. Although the food was quite tasty, the portions were extremely small, probably the smallest of any Thai restaurant I've been to. Our bill was almost $60 for the 4 of us, but I left hungry and was famished within a few hours. Does it cost much to add some noodles or rice to the dishes we ordered to bulk it up a bit to be a decent normal-sized portion?!?!
(2)Jenna G.
Kitchenette - strange name for a Thai Fusion place, but the food is great, so who cares?! Here's the run down: Atmosphere: it's fine - there are two parts to the restaurant. The area we sat in was definitely the nicer side where the sushi making station is located. The details are a little lacking: music is sometimes not on, and when it is, it's often very unfitting; some tables had lit candles, others didn't; but nothing was the end of the world. Food: That's really the most important part of dining choice, in my opinion. The stuff we ordered was fantastic! Spicy tuna roll, sweet potato roll, pad thai, soup... yum, yum, yum!!! I'm a bit of a Pad Thai snob, and this definitely won my vote of one of the better pad thai dishes I've had in the city. The sushi rolls were small which I LOVED - not these 4 inch diameter rolls that there's no way you can fit the whole thing in your mouth. They were perfect. Value: Excellent! It's BYOB, no corkage fee. We made a reservation on Groupon reserve and got 25% off the meal. Thai dishes are generally $7-$9; rolls range, but overall, the prices were great. Service: Service was fast and they were very friendly. Not much else to say here! Overall: Really enjoyed this restaurant and we'll be back! Probably wouldn't recommend taking someone here on a first date, but if you're going with friends, family, or a spouse/date you know, this place definitely is a win in my book!
(4)Luke S.
The sushi was excellent, but the Thai was horrible. I am way too generous with my grading, therefore Kitchenette gets 4 stars! The wife and I completely forgot that we had purchased a Groupon here and waited until the last day to go. Surprisingly it wasn't very crowded, so we had no wait. Our server was a very sweet older Asian woman that was helpful and attentive. My wife had eaten sushi the night before, so decided to order the broccoli and tofu dish. The sauce that it was cooked in was repulsive and my wife probably had 2 bites of her food. The portion was also surprisingly small. Enough of the negativity though!!! The sushi was great. I ordered one of their specialty rolls and it was fresh and creative. They don't skimp on the fish. If you live nearby it's worth checking out for the sushi, just be sure to avoid the broccoli/tofu.
(4)natalie g.
I randomly stumbled across this place when I moved into the neighborhood and have to say, I'm glad I found it! The food is delicious and I love that I can order a mixture of Thai and Sushi at the same time. The staff is very friendly and there's tons of street parking on Ashland right in front.
(5)Mike S.
This place gets 4 stars, but not on account of the food. Let's get started... My girlfriend and I came here on a Wednesday night, and besides another dude, we were the only ones here. Kinda creepy, but what the hell, I'm adventurous. The ambiance is just like what everyone else has stated - just kinda there, nothing bad, nothing good. The wait staff was very friendly and accommodating, and the dinner progression went at a pleasant pace. We ordered the app sampler, and two sashimi dinners. Appetizer was good (great mini eggrolls) and the soup was as good as it gets for miso. Salad was fresh, and the dressing tasted homemade, which is very good. Our dinners were generous cuts of very fresh fish, no fancy arrangements, just plain and simple. Excellent quality of sashimi, would have expected that type from much more expensive restaurants. In conclusion, don't take a first date there, go with someone you feel comfortable with. Although very clean, the place could use a fresh update, so no wow factor upon entering. The thai menu looked adequately filled, will go back for that at a later date. We are returning for the AYCE on a Sunday or Monday, so I'll let you know how that pans out.
(4)Mon P.
I really enjoyed the food here. I tried the sushi and the pieces were fresh and generously sized. I had the rice soup and it was good too. The moochi was soft and melted in your mouth. I was suprised there wasn't a big crowd in there. I was the only guest there but I got the best service. For Asian food, this hits all the marks.
(4)Christina M.
Walked in 11/7 We were greeted promptly, and sat right away. Our table was freshly wiped, so it was wet when we sat ek. My boo ordered spider maki....Took longer than the pepper steak....we waited on it a little bit. I ordered the pepper steak, it was ok but i received it unless than ten minutes which freaked me out a bit....just felt like.....hmmm.....this was quick. The portions are not big enough to share. Prices are really inexpensive I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here again but it was OK.... and it's BYOB
(3)Angelica P.
Pot stickers were good but they were fried and would've been a lot better steamed. Miso soup was good. Pad thai was good but very small for the price. Sushi - Alaskan was so-so and the green was refreshing and good but my boyfriend didn't like it and it wasn't filling at all despite the size of the sushi. The prices were definitely not worth the food we got.
(2)Dawn W.
Great Value! Food quality was very good, service was excellent & no corkage fee for a BYOB. Kind of a random little place. Lots of fun!
(4)K R.
Delightful little place- no wait, no BYOB corkage fee, and actual king crab... not K-rab, crab. That's hard to find at most neighborhood sushi joints. The decor is cute and whimsical too (my chopsticks were like little Harry Potter wands, totally fun). The service isn't super speedy but they're very friendly and you'll get a seat immediately. Good selection of vegetarian options too and for those who are raw-fish-averse, there's an extensive Thai menu as well. I had the king salmon roll, which was quite tasty. Even the miso soup was better than average (you'd think it would be hard to screw up miso soup but it can, in fact, be done). Definitely recommended for a casual date night or group outing.
(4)Sara S.
I came here for a birthday party with about 20 people. This place is a good choice for a large party like that. It was $20 for everyone, which made it super easy at bill time. We had the whole room to ourselves, which was also nice. To start they brought out huge trays of sushi so we didn't have to wait while we ordered- a definite plus. The sushi in itself was very average. I love "Mexican" rolls anywhere but this one was a little disappointing with wayyyy too much rice. So, overall I would suggest it for an easy sushi place for a large party, knowing that you're going to mostly hang with friends and not drop a lot of money for sushi. Probably wouldn't go back on my own. At other places I could just pay $25 for some good rolls I really enjoy.
(3)Shawn K.
If you want average sushi and good service, this is the place for you. Overall it's just sort of boring.
(3)Elizabeth A.
I guess it is good that they give small portions because their food is very bland. I got food delivered from here and I won't be doing it again.
(3)Julie B.
The sushi will get the job done but not the best I have ever had. I only order when it is really late and I am too lazy to pout in any effort to find another place.
(3)Angela R.
Food tastes good, but Thai portions are a ripoff. Penang curry had 6 slivers of chicken & 3 strips of green pepper. At $8.95, I will not be back.
(1)Katie J.
I came here after a friend said the two magic phrases: "all-you-can-eat sushi" and "I'm paying." We called and made a reservation on a Monday night just in case, but it wasn't busy. For the all-you-can-eat option, they give you a menu, you check up to three items, they bring them out alone with a new menu, and you can keep checking up to three items until you feel like you're about to explode. All for twenty dollars. The sushi was great. I'm not an expert, but I loved all of it. My vegetarian friend had a lot of options as well. The people at the next table over complimented the chefs, saying it was some of the best sushi they'd ever had in the city. And hey, it's BYOB. Another friend ordered the tofu pad thai and I tasted it. It was fantastic. The service was great. Everything came to the table really fast. The miso soup was superb. I especially loved the rainbow roll and the tempura roll. It's one of my favorite restaurants I've found so far in the city. If you're a sushi fan, you've got to try it out.
(5)Taras B.
My favorite local sushi place. Its Byob, so bring some pearl sake From, and my favorite roll isnt on the menu but its a tampura flash cooked tuna roll. They also have a great Thai menu to mix it up from.
(5)Mary Ann C.
I dined here today for lunch. It was very convenient to my afternoon work site. The service and food were good, not great. Food was prepared quickly, which was good during the lunch hour. I had the godzilla roll and jasmine tea. I would go back if in the area but would not make a special trip!
(3)Sara L.
Oh how has my love for sushi has me wandering around the city. In an attempt to eat sushi and starving...google maps failed me by bringing me to every closed sushi joint. We came across this little joint. The place is quite cozy and welcoming. Sundays they have an all you can eat sushi buffet for 20 bucks...not too bad! The sushi was actually quite tasty and the selection of rolls was good. Gotta admit they are fast at filling up your water glass and getting your food back.
(3)Nikkie H.
Right off the bat, the name of this restaurant throws me. It sounds like a diner. It should be a diner. I've said it. Moving on... I was a bit overwhelmed by the two very distinct menus to choose from at dinner. It was almost too much, and as a result I felt like I could've spent an hour debating what I wanted. The rest of my table settled (for the most part) on sushi, so I went that route too. I kind of feel like it was a bad choice. I can't remember what maki rolls I ate, because nothing stood out. I've had better sushi at so many other restaurants, including Tank. I felt like the maki rolls were pretty expensive and just not that inventive. If I had to do it over again I probably would've gone with the Thai menu, because that was my plan from the start. The positives? They were able to accommodate our large group and were very attentive to all of us. BYOB is always a huge plus. Oh, and offering all of us desserts for free was a really nice touch.
(2)Kit W.
Sunday and Monday nights are all you can eat sushi for $20. Excellent service. Excellent sushi. Excellent atmosphere. Nuff said.
(5)Shannon L.
I've been eating here or picking up take out since this place was called Mr. Thai back in 2000...so obviously, I must like it. They have always had good Thai food...from the basics like Pad Thai all the way to their Mussaman Curry, to their Spicey Basil Leaves, Cashew Chicken, etc. Several years ago they changed the name to Kitchenette and added sushi to the menu. I was a little leery at first but I've been pleasantly surprised. Even "All You Can Eat Sushi for $19.99" on Sundays and Mondays is pretty good (and a great deal)...not to mention it's BYOB so that's always a bonus. This place is good for consistent food quality, good prices and good tasting Thai and Japanese food. Love having it in my neighborhood.
(4)Brianna C.
A great neighborhood BYOB, quick and friendly service,tasty food and at a very affordable price! My boyfriend and I just moved in near Kitchenette, and a few other locals had recommended that we try it- it was exactly what we were looking for! No corking fee on BYO (I just moved to the area and I don't know if corking fees are common or not here, but still- yay!), Thai food and Sushi, and I have to agree with other reviewers- it is at least one step above most "thai-and-sushi all you can eat" places. It's more than a hole in the wall, they have a simple but nicely decorated dining room, and the service was great. This will definitely become a regular spot for us.
(4)Esther Y.
My friends and I stopped in at this neighborhood sushi joint and had a great meal. It was weirdly empty for a Saturday night at 7 (we were literally the only folks there) but that made service fantastic. It's BYOB with no corkage fee, which is awesome. I had the Alaskan roll (you can't really taste the crab, but the salmon in it was fresh and abundant) and the yakisoba, which was deliciously chewy and came with miso soup and a salad for $9! Tasty cheap eats.
(4)adam r.
1--If you're going to try it, I recommend take out. There really is no ambiance factor here, so I don't think it's worth visiting for the complete restaurant experience. 2--As for the food, its hit or miss. I have eaten here several times, almost exclusively because it's so close to where I live. I can't figure this place out---its either really good or really bad. Some of the more exotic dishes have really impressed (Panang Curry, contemporary makis, etc) while the more staple items have really been impressively bad at times (crab ragoon, egg rolls, classic makis, etc). MY RECOMMENDATION: Try the Diet Coke. It's the only thing you can trust to taste as expected.
(3)Anita M.
To be very honest, I am on the fence with Kitchenette as to whether it is 2 or 3 star worthy. After remembering the old dirty basement smell upon walking into the 1st dining area, I think I've got the verdict. Beyond the initial impression, I can't think of reasons that would convince me to return to this place. The staff and service are not bad but not great either. I opted for their all you can eat option and found that their menu is pretty simple and not overwhelming which is nice however the sides seemed to be very limited. The fish was okay but compared to other places I've gone to, they really skimp you on the ingredients, I mean the pieces of fish are so small I'm even a little embarrassed for them!
(2)Scott M.
I have recently discovered that I am a huge sushi fan so when anyone wants to try a new place, I'm always up for it. We came here for a friends birthday, which was great, because it allowed us to try a bunch of different things. We kept it pretty standard...Spicy Tuna, Dragon, California, Tako and Asparagus rolls were all all very good. A couple people split one of the chicken dishes (I forgot which one) but I got to try a bit and I was very impressed. The other reason this place was so good for a birthday party was that it was BYOB. The staff was very accomodating bringing ice buckets, glasses, opening our wine, and everything else you would expect. A little out of the way, but after reading about the all you can eat sushi from others, it might be worth the drive for a night. I can safely say when I am in the area and wanting sushi, I will be back.
(4)Doris O.
I was introduced to Kitchenette by a close friend. I don't remember how she discovered this place, but we went together one time so that I could try it. She talked about how it was a hidden little place that had amazing sushi! Now, I am not a huge sushi fan, but I decided to try it anyway and it was nice to get out of the house. She told me the best part of this restaurant is that Sunday's and Monday's there is an all-you-can-eat menu for $20! We went on a Sunday and did the all- you-can-eat option. I don't like raw sushi (I know, weird), but they have a roll called "Squiddy". It has a fried calamari on the inside of the roll and spicy mayo on top of it. I was obsessed with it. It was so tasty and yummy and definitely memorable. I get 3 rolls of Squiddy every time I go, along with 5 pot stickers, and 4 egg rolls, all for $20. If I want more, I can simply order more and the price will stay the same. The only downsides are that if you can't finish your food, you will have to pay for what is left over...so I suggest you order as you go or how much you think you can eat. Also, the bathroom is a single person bathroom and feels tight and small. All of that is workable and not the end of the world. Those are the only reasons I rated Kitchenette 4 stars instead of 5. I recommend people try it, and as a side note, it's BYOB. Their food tastes great and the miso soup is tasty too! The inside of the place is cute, nothing over the top or special, but it's comfortable and has a nice ambiance. The wait staff is very friendly and kind as well, they are always on top of things and your water glass will never be empty! Definitely do the all-you-can-eat option on Sunday's or Monday's because it's definitely worth it! Enjoy!!
(4)Katy S.
Staff is super friendly and accommodating. They let a group of my friends set up an all-you-can-eat sushi birthday dinner. We had one entire section of the restaurant for our group. They had platters of a variety of rolls ready when we arrived. I'm no sushi expert, so I was pleased with the menu and the rolls I ordered. It was nice to be able to mingle and split the check evenly at the end. BYO which is great too.
(3)Jamie H.
Pretty good Pad Thai and Crab Rangoon, it's close so that's a plus!
(3)Emily S.
Solid Thai food selections, decent sushi (though if I was in the mood for sushi this would not be my first, second, or even eighth choice). BYO. Cheap as hell. Great weekend lunch specials (soup, appetizer and entree for under $8). The only must-avoid is the jalapeno miso soup. Inedibly spicy.
(4)Michael C.
Definitely a go to place for sushi! Sundays and Mondays have all you can eat for $20 per person which, if you are an avid sushi lover, is a fantastic deal. I have been to other sushi places during all-you-can-eat nights and have not been as pleased as I am with Kitchenette. Their rice has always been good, and the rolls are neither skimpy nor overfilled. Service can be slow at times but when you receive your plate you are generally completely satisfied with the offering. Personal favorites: Dragon and Philadelphia rolls.
(4)Leah C.
i've been heard! the service this time around was 10 times better! we were afraid to take our friends to k'nette since it had been some time since our last visit. my fear is that once a place starts getting good reviews, patrons will storm the new place til their service/food shatters. however, not the case with k'nette. i think they've improved tremendously. one lil' comment: my friend had ordered octopus and they never bothered to tell him that they were out until he attempted to order it again (for the "all-you-can" buffet). maybe they had hoped he would just forget? ;)
(5)Jennifer J.
Ate here with my friends last night. Pretty good but as other reviewers have said, it's nothing that special. It's near my friends' house so that was one of the driving factors of going there since it's not close to me. Chances are I won't be back since I have thai places near me that I love, but it's worth it if you're in the neighborhood. I had the Vietmenese Beef Soup and it was very good, just a little on the mild side. For someone that absolutely loves Tank's (on Argyle) Pho, this wasn't quite the same. Nonetheless I finished it all and was very happy. Definitely try the fresh cold spring rolls. Very good. My friends got 2 Thai dishes and were really pleased with them. All in all, it's a good place with good food, just not one I would make a special trip for....but then again, you have to be pretty special to do that to me anyway.
(3)Patrick G.
I am not the biggest connoisseur of sushi or Thai food so if you're looking for insight into that stop reading now. Went here late on a Sunday night and arrived about 5 minutes before close and the staff were very night and basically reopened the place for us. The food was pretty good but nothing to write home about. So if you want some late night all you can eat sushi this is probably the place for you. The prices were good and the service was also very good (probably because we were the only people there). I would hit this place up if you are in the area and in the mood for sushi or Thai. Also its BYOB so bring your B if you like to D.
(4)Kristen H.
This is a strange place decor wise - there's carpet which is kind of creepy!! It had 2 menus - sushi & thai. I ordered a green salad with ginger dressing which was good, but really how hard is it to screw that up? Then I got the Tom Kha soup which was very tasty. The sushi however, was just meh. We had the Green which sounded awesome - Super white tuna, salmon, spring mix, asparagus, avocado, cucumber kaiware, wrapped in soy paper and ponzu sauce - it fell apart b/c it wasn't wrapped tight enough. We tried the squidy - Fried calamari, spicy mayo, scallion, tobiko, and tempura crumb - just too heavy. Also the spicy scallop and philadelphia roll, but overall the fish wasn't as fresh as I hoped. My friend had a thai dish - hot & spicy and she was satisfied with it. Guess it's a better place for Thai and not sushi. Don't think I'll be back either way.
(2)Risa P.
Bah. Oh I was so looking forward to this dinner since we found a place that did Thai and sushi, which was perfect for the group that I was going with. That being said, I was super disappointed. The seaweed salad was good and the cucumber in it was especially yummy. The sushi was just not that good. The spicy rolls were not that spicy and the other special rolls were only okay. They looked pretty and I had high hopes but they were quickly dashed when I tried the food. I am still a sushi novice I guess (though I would say probably more intermediate since I love sushi and eat it quite often) The rolls just didnt have that punch and pizzaze or really much taste. It is BYO which is nice and I think that my other friends had fun. It was not crowded at all but they did take reservations. Probably wont be coming back, and I need a new go to sushi place!
(2)Gwynne R.
Looooooooove this place! Not only is it literally a 3 minute walk from my apt, but it's very good and cheap. The restaurant itself consists of two fairly small, simple rooms, but that gives it a very cute, neighborhoody feel. On Sundays and Mondays, they have an all you can eat special for $20. This includes their maki rolls (even some of their specialty rolls), sushi, and appetizers. Everything is delicious! I love the crab rangoon and the volcano roll. You can do round after round after round, but you better eat it all, or else you pay for what you don't eat! I myself have only made it through 2 rounds. Service can be a little bit slow on these nights, because so many people come, so be ready for a little bit of a wait (totally worth it, though). And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, it's BYOB! Don't have a bottle of wine? No worries, bring in a plastic bag full of beer, like me and my friends did!
(5)Dave S.
All you can ear sushi for 19.95 Fresh decent cuts, especially for an inland joint. Great time with my friends and nice and quiet!
(4)Nicole D.
I used to live right by Kitchenette, and thankfully they still deliver to my new place. I've eaten at Kitchenette a couple of times- the decor's pretty basic, but the service has always been really prompt and friendly (and they're BYOB, so grab something before you head over there). I mostly order carry-out or delivery. When I first see "Thai and Japanese" on a menu, I figure it's probably mediocre-to-shoddy of both, but I've had a bunch of items on the menu, and I think Kitchenette's Thai options and their sushi are all pretty great. The menu has pretty basic offerings, but they're done well. Kitchenette's one of my first answers to "what in the world do I want for dinner?" Yum!
(4)Dan S.
I was there for the $20 all you can eat sushi. It was just ok. It's BYOB, but that only applies to alcohol and not Pepsi. That rule needs to change immediately!
(3)Julia D.
I was kind of underwhelmed with this Thai/sushi BYOB. First off, any place that combines different types of cuisines that aren't really related kinda freak me out (yes, they're both Asian and there's rice involved, but it's not enough of a connection for me). I recently moved to this area from East Lakeview where you're practically tripping over any number of awesome sushi places, so of course I went here as fast as I could to find a replacement. A friend and I went for lunch last weekend and walked into an entirely empty restaurant. Eek! It's not like we walked in at 11 am, it was after 1 pm. The prices are great, but the portions, at least for the Thai food were small. BUT you get an appetizer, soup and your entree, so it depends on how you look at it. My friend had the green curry and really liked it; he just felt like he should have ordered double to be full. I think it would have been ok for me. I had the sushi lunch special which consisted of a California Roll, a "maki" roll ( I didn't know spicy tuna fell into the maki category) and either soup or salad. Meh. Maybe it was prepared in the morning, but it definitely wasn't prepared after I ordered it--it looked like it had been sitting. It was ok, not the best but not the worst. I was full at the end of the meal and spent about $10 all in. Maybe I'll be back for Thai, but probably not sushi. I'll gladly skip on over to Southport for better sushi.
(2)Jims L.
I like the idea of Japanese/Thai fusion - but I've really had better dishes. The sushi is the only thing that stands out at Kitchenette. The chef creates some really delicious and creative rolls. Otherwise, between the noodle soup, curry salmon, pad thai, and crab rangoon, I'd rather get my Thai at a Thai place. Also BYOB and really great Thai iced tea.
(3)John E.
These guys have always been super nice and their all you can eat deal on Sundays and Mondays is amazing! Huge menu of rolls, nigiri, and appetizers. I've never had a bad experience, and enjoy their sushi more than other places that I've been in Chicago.
(5)Angela C.
I've only had Kitchenette's food three times, but from what I've tried, the food is good and the quality is fresh. My boyfriend introduced me to Kitchenette when he brought me a sushi-filled dinner. We had the Mexican roll and the Dragon roll - both fresh and delicious. The miso soup is tasty as well. We went there to dine in the other day. The restaurant was quiet without the typical club music that blares in other sushi/Asian places. I once again opted for the sushi. I tried the tuna jalapeno roll - very fresh but not very spicy. The baby egg rolls are delicious, and I am happy to find a place near my apartment where I can get these tasty delights without trekking down to Taylor Street's Thai places. Service was prompt and courteous. I will definitely be adding this place to my list of delivery places as well as a solid go-to place for Asian and sushi.
(4)Caroline M.
For a self proclaimed Thai connoisseur like myself, I was excited to find such a delicious and inexpensive Thai kitchen so close to where I lived! I recommend the daily lunch specials, something around $5.25 ranging to $6.25 which includes soup (very tasty Tom Kha Ga here), appetizer, and lunch sized portion entree (I am always a fan of Panang and Yellow Curries). Highly recommended if you live in the area.
(4)Geovanna S.
My boyfriend and i love asian food, so when we saw Kitchenette was a few blocks away we were pretty happy. It was a monday, so we were pretty iffy about getting sushi, but he gave in and got a roll. It wasn't too great, but it wasn't bad either. I had the Tom Yum noodle soup, but requested it with only chicken rather than the seafood, but that's because i never trust it to be real crab, and it's generally always frozen and gross.. It was VERY delicious the broth had a perfect hot, sour and basil flavor. P got the Pad Kee Mao which was a pretty small portion, and a little bland when it came to spiciness. all in all it was a pretty good experience. It's BYOB and the service was excellent.
(3)Marissa H.
Kitchenette is one of my faves in Lakeview. It also happens to be right around the corner from my apartment, so I eat there probably once a week. When I don't, I always feel a tinge of regret. As far as BYOBs, you can't beat it. There is no corking fee, and the service is usually above and beyond. They reloaded our PBR cans in an ice bucket as soon as we popped one open. Yes, PBR. They didn't judge us either. Once or twice I've had a waitress that seems less than thrilled if we order "light," but 90% of the time they are so wonderful. Both the Thai and the Sushi are good. They have a great Basil Chicken Dish, and the Sushi is usually pretty fresh. I absolutely cannot reason going to someplace like Coast or RA when this is equal or better. I have yet to do the $20 AYCE nights, but it would definitely be worth the price.
(4)Karen A.
Service-oh was there service? Why yes there was when I went to retreive the waitstaff personally. Food-MEH. Um, just not that bad and just not that good. Not great Japanese and not great Thai. Ambiance- ZZZZZZZZ All you can Eat Sushi night: Yea, I'd go back. It's not great, it fair sushi. Butwhen you can be a sushi pig for $19.99 (without gettting ill) then this place works out just fine.
(2)Andrew K.
Aftering hearing so much about this place from friends who live in the area, I was excited to give it a try this week. I was a little wary of the fact that a) it served both sushi and thai and b) there was no one in it (breaking the first rule of sushi eating: don't eat at a sushi place that is empty. I was pleasantly surprised. This place is muyyyy cheap AND a BYOB, while still managing to serve good food. We ordered an appetizer and a few rolls and then we each had our own thai dish, while proceeding to drink rum and cokes and the bill was pretty reasonable (with leftovers.) Sushi: Was not the best I have had, but the rolls were done very well and far exceeded expectations. Pricing was reasonable and in line with a normal sushi place. Thai: Definetly the better option, for around 6 bucks you get a healthy portion of delicious food. I had the basil chicken which was fantastically spicy and tasty. Other companions ordered noodle dishes which were just as tasty. Service: Very good, albeit we were the only ones...we brought a handle of rum and they were very attentive with the ice etc. Ambience: Standard decor, was homey...was told by companions that even when crowded it is still quiet which is a plus. Plan of attack: If looking for an inexpensive meal, then this place gets a high five. Bring some boos, I think the thai is the better part of the menu (and cheaper,) but the rolls were good. One thai dish by itself is probably not enough so go with a thai dish each and then split a roll or another dish and have enough for lunch tomorrow and still spend $10 a person. Please go and support so my friends' addiction can continue.
(5)Jim W.
Probably closer to a 3.5 star rating, but I'll give Kitchenette the benefit of the doubt for a few reasons. We went for lunch. Not knowing if it'd be open the next day, a friend called to see what time it opened. Reason #1: Cute Engrish - "Eleven and a half" she was told. Now in getting here for the actual lunch, we came around 1145 and were a bit dismayed to find it was not open. Oddly, on the glass outside, there was printed that it was open "Mon-Tue-Thur-Fri, Sat-Sun", Wed being omitted. We were fearing the worst, but someone who had been waiting with us told us the owner was coming and that, in fact, she worked there. Fortunately, we had nothing but time, so we popped open some beers on the sidewalk (it's BYOB) and waited. Reason #2 - fresh fish. When the owners finally arrived, they came with what appeared to be, freshly bought fish from the market. There are a multitude of menu options at Kitchenette: a lunch menu, a Thai menu, and a Japanese menu. Normally I'm very against this "excess" choice as it leads to lack of expertise in any of the choices, but my friend had been before so I withheld judgement. I opted for a lunch combo of rolls. For $11, I got a California roll, and my choice of 2 hand/regular rolls, which turned into a spiny salmon and a spicy white tuna roll. The rolls were adequate, the taste of fish somewhat lost in the spicy sauce, however, i did like their artistic presentation, which still counts for something in my book. My main reason for coming here was that I was told the scallop was tasty, so I ordered one. It was a good size and delicious, although the one i had last week at Matsuya was slightly larger, tastier and cheaper. I also ordered a amaebi. Reason #3 - I got my fried shrimp head! The amaebi itself was very good, although I'm not quite sure why it had a distinct scent of lime. I've ordered amaebi in Chicago before, but most places don't keep and fry the head for you. Although the fried shell on the head was a bit much, I was just happy at having it brought back to me. There isn't much for decor at Kitchenette, but the owners are very friendly, as is required when you run a neighborhood restaurant. Given the numerous sushi choices up on the north side, I still favor Matsuya since it's cheaper and a smidgen better tasting imo. However, I would be open to returning to try their Thai menu.
(4)Alison M.
What a great addition to the neighborhood! 1) It's BYOB 2) It's cheap as hell-- $17 for dinner for two! 3) It's really tasty-- we had the Pad See Eu and Cashew Chicken, both were fresh and light-- not greasy or overly sauced. Yum! 4) They have separate sushi and Thai menus-- something for everyone! The service was attentive and I didn't find the place super quiet-- perhaps business has picked up a bit since others have reviewed here.
(4)Lauren G.
My boyfriend and I really like to go here because he likes Thai and I like Sushi. Its rare to find a place that does both well, but Kitchenette pulls it off at very reasonable prices. The owners are very friendly and cute and the fact that this place is often empty doesn't bother me so much (it does get a little crowded on weekends but you'll never actually have to wait)....I'm really sick of waiting 30+ min for tables at only so-so restaurants. The only bad thing is that the main waitress doesn't always understand English so its difficult to ask for recommendations. Thai appetizers of crab rangoon and pot stickers are good. Sushi rolls are fabulous in presentation and taste. My favorite is Godzilla. I hope Kitchenette survives their slightly out-of-the-way location. Really yummy, so try it!
(4)Isla E.
3.5 stars based on my delivery order of Vietnamese Spring Rolls and steamed vegetables. The lady that took my order was very friendly and thorough. When I asked for the "mixed vegetables" steamed, rather than stir fried, she knew what I was talking about and asked if I wanted the sauce. I replied, "yes, on the side, please. and I don't really need the tofu, just vegetables". She repeated all my residence info back to me to ensure there are no mistakes. My food arrived in a timely fashion. I am disappointed that the steamed vegetable container was not full. I think if one is charging $6.95 for a "mixed vegetable" dish, that includes a protein of your choice, if one takes out the protein, the chef should put more vegetables in the dish. Maybe I should have specified to substitute vegetables for the protein but it seems like common sense to me. As for the Vietnamese Spring Rolls, I'm going to call these "sinewy sweet". They definitely have some outstanding qualities (tightly rolled, vermicelli finer than angel hair, greens almost cover the entire circumference of the roll), but the sweetness is almost cloying, I hate to say. Its the baked tofu in the roll. And the syrupy sauce. It really is syrupy, almost like maple syrup. The menu describes it as sweet and sour. Combine this with baked tofu, not regular tofu, and its a little too...synonym for sweet. But I'll still eat them. The vermicelli in there is awesome, so delicate! And really fresh lettuce, mint and cilantro.
(3)Renee B.
I was excited to order because I'd heard good things about Kitchenette. I ordered delivery and the service was helpful over the phone, but the food came later than expected (50-60 minutes is pretty standard in the city) at almost an hour and a half. When the food arrived, it was room temperature, almost cold. Overall the flavor was good, but I'd recommend take out, not delivery.
(3)Lyndsay G.
Besides the fact that I could not understand what they were saying, Kitchenette is a lovely little sushi restaurant. The decor is adorable and the waitresses are friendly. Ive only gone on $20 all you can eat sushi Sundays and Mondays but it's delicious, quick and BYOB-and you cant go wrong with BYOBs. Last time we brought a large jug of wine and had a grand ole time. The back of the restaurant has all the sushi makers so you can watch as they slice and dice the rice and seafood. Overall, two thumbs up.
(4)Mila G.
Pretty decent place, helps that its around the corner for me...I had no problem with service when i was there, but since i was one of three groups in the place on a Wednesday evening, it pretty much makes sense. Tasty crab rangoon, but I had the combo platter and the shrimp dumplings may have been shrimp at one point...but i don't think it was recent...not good at all....the other nibbles on the platter were quite nice. Haven't had the sushi yet, but the various noodle dishes were delicious...when i saw mine i thought it wasn't a lot of food...then i ended up taking half of it home!! Definitely very good prices for what you get...three girls had a satisfying dinner + leftovers for 30 bucks
(4)Manhoso C.
Ive seen this place change ownership a few times now, id say that Kitchenette is the better incarnation. The sushi was good, and the Thai dishes are bad either. The low pricepoint is great, and Im not too sure why people are bothered that its quiet.. its actually kind of refreshing
(4)Taylor G.
I visited Kitchenette with a sizable Meetup.com group, and this BYO place was easily able to accommodate us. This place has a LOT to offer in terms of a combo Sushi/Thai join. Each fare has its own menu, but you're certainly not restricted to ordering from just one. Between the two menus, the variety of food is almost daunting. One of the first things I noticed was the low prices, but I was a bit dismayed upon the arrival of food, because those prices are commiserate with the portion sizes. While not inherently a bad thing, you may need to compensate for this when ordering, which might negate some of the value. I had a green salad with ginger dressing - standard fare - and my old standby: panang curry. The curry was decent, not great. I did, however order an extra scoop of rice ($1) to drench in the curry sauce, which made the meal a bit more filling. If you're in the area and indecisive about what type of asian food you'd like to eat, give Kitchenette a try.
(3)Sachin M.
All-You-Can Eat Sushi.... as long as you are willing to wait. Last night I went in a group of 4 for their $20 all you can eat deal on Sunday night. After 2.5 hours we had gotten one round of orders (3 rolls max per person) and our second round had not been started. One of our party only got one roll for her $20. It might be a good deal, but they don't know how to run their restaurant and they rip off their customers in the process with no real apology, discount or other penalty. I will no visit there again even thought I live 1 block away.
(2)Arlene A.
What a neat place to grab a bite. Love the lunch special, which is $10 and just filling enough to get you through the day. The Massumen(mispelled I know) Curry with tofu was plenty good, and the rice soup was simple and beautiful. Crispy little potstickers rounded out a great meal. Not bad for the price. It's a little out of the way, but if you're in the neighborhood, it's worth stopping in.
(3)Pamela S.
Great Sunday & Monday all you can eat sushi deal for $20. Endamame is hot and lightly salted. Recommend the tuna and yellow tail scallion rolls. Also like the Mexican roll. Sushi is very good. Favs are salmon, tuna, yellow tail and flounder. No corkage fee and White wine placed in ice bucket. Restroom could be a bit cleaner, maybe painted as well. I've not experienced bad service in the 4 times I've been here.
(4)una g.
This place is not the best place in the world not worse. It's aight. I've always gotten decent service.
(3)Faye S.
I tried crab rangoon, fried rice, and Vietnamese noodle soup. They are all tasty. The beef in the soup was tender too.
(4)Robi B.
This place is fantastic. They have a great menu and cheap eats, plus its BYOB! My friends and I love this place and I keep going back for the shrimp spring rolls and the thai peanut noodles. I think we've tried a little bit of everything and we are never disappointed. The fact that they let us sit around and do sake bombs for a few hours always helps too. Definitely a must check out place!
(4)Donna J.
Since I see this place at least twice a month now for their All You Can Eat Sushi on Sundays and Mondays, I had to update my rating. Their fish seems very fresh and the service is great! One warning though is their fish does get a little thin on the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Maybe they don't like giving 2nd and 3rd round orders :)
(4)Carolyn J.
They have all you can eat sushi for 20 bucks on Sundays and Mondays. They have a dragon roll that is to die. They have adorable, friendly servers. Yea, the decor is...welll. Not there. And yea, they sometimes play Christina Aguilera's first album on a loop. But for cheap, delicious sushi - it's perfection.
(5)Elias H.
This place is BYOB and decently priced. It isn't very busy, but the atmosphere is nice, and the service is very good due to that fact. Every time I have been the food tasted very good and the sushi seemed fresh. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes sushi and Japanese food.
(3)Sue S.
My family and I go to Kitchenette regularly. I can't comment on the Sushi. The Thai food is typical and good. My evaluation of the food isn't one of an expert, but you won't go wrong. We go because: 1. The food is quite good. 2. It is quiet 4. We have always been able to get a table even with 5 or 6 people 4. Believe it or not there is usually been FREE on-street parking available (except on Cubs home game days, I suppose) 5. The service has always been good 6. Any music played is at a non-interruptive volume. But if you think it is too loud, someone would turn it down. 8. For those who want brown rice, it is available. .If you want BYOB you might ask first. I highly recommend this place, but cannot evaluate it from a gourmet point of view. Nevertheless, I don't think you will be disappointed. The environment is rather plain but pleasant.
(4)C. B.
I mostly love this place because it is close to my house and is priced very well. I have only dined in here once and the atmosphere was decent, but there was an odd cat-like smell that I noticed. eeeeeeeks! I just drank my BYOB wine and got over it real quick. Their fresh spring rolls were the best I have had in Chicago. They tom yum soup was also very good. I have not yet tried their Thai entree menu - I am planning to crack that soon! There sushi is very tasty and especially for the price! I always feel sad when I go into Kitchenette b/c their food is great but it is always empty! I really hope that business picks up for them b/c they really do have a good restaurant. You should try it! :)
(4)Katy B.
Ordered delivery from here the other night. The driver was to the minute on time, food was hot and tasty. Fried veg gyoza were awesome, and so was the green curry with tofu. I'll definitely order from here again.
(4)Rachel V.
This is a great place to get your sushi and or Thai fix at the same time. It's a small BYOB place in the not-so-crazy part of Lakeview. Street parking is always available. The $19.99 all you can eat sushi menu on Sundays and Mondays includes appetizer that include shumai, seaweed and tako salad among other items. It is definitely worth the price. The service is great. The sushi is fresh. And.. the thai dishes are your standard fare that comes fresh and hot to the table. 'Been here a couple of times and have not been disappointed.
(4)Abbey F.
This place has decent delivery sushi-fresh fish, not that exciting rolls but affordable when you don't want to spend a ton. But for the love of god....the ordering process is excrutiating. Either the language barrier is impossible, or the person taking your order can't tell you anything about the menu and can't identify the items you're ordering. After being put on hold three times for easily a minute each, we were fed up with the whole idea of ordering at all. Our connection was lost and we ordered from Tank. 30 minutes later, the Kitchenette delivery man shows up, clueless and with our unwanted food. After calling the manager, who had no idea what we were talking about, the poor delivery guy took the food back. NOT WORTH IT!!!!
(2)Marina S.
Im in love with my little old kitchentte, How I love you! From baby egg rolls to thai tea this place is delicious! i love everything i have ordered from here! sushi is delicious made fresh and cheap! lunch special here is crazy cheap, delicious, & filling! RUN DONT WALK!
(5)other l.
The bf loves this place and always talked about it but I was unenthusiastic about traveling far from my bubble of the west. Thank goodness I did it! Awesome Lunch special! Good service as well. Order a Thai Ice tea and they give a huge glass of the yummy milky sweet stuff unlike so many other places that give you like an ounce of watered down condensed milk. Two of us had an excellent lunch for around 16 bucks. You cannot beat that.
(4)Amy V.
Great place for fresh sushi at great prices and it's a BYOB to boot. The spring rolls are great and the Baja roll is yummy. I prefer dining in versus carrying out. The portions on the Thai side of the menu are small, but very tasty. The basil dish is my favorite. I usually stick with the sushi menu and have never been disappointed. The service is decent and the space is okay - they definitely could do more with it, but I go for the food not the space.
(3)Kim J.
This place was interesting to try but I wouldn't go back. First of all, it took about an hour and a half to have the waitress take our order. Second of all, it took another hour and a half to get our order...which was not even hot when we got it! I would not recommend this place at all. The BYOB aspect was nice though, but big whoop!
(2)Minda T.
Comfortable with a helpful waitstaff. There were many food choices, complete Thai and Sushi menus. The price is right and the fact that it's a BYOB, you can't get much better than that!
(4)Luan N.
Wanted a quick meal along the way to Violet Hour and we heard from a friend that they have all u can eat sushi. So we thought to test the sushi out and fill up on Thai food. We shared the salmon skin roll ($5.50), spicy salmon roll ($5), spider roll ($7), salmon steak ($8.95), and Red Snapper fillet ($9.95), thai ice coffee ($2.50) and green tea ($1). Let's start with the bad news. The rolls, esp the spider roll was skimpy on the meat. It was cheap at $7 but there were only 5 pieces. The sushi rice was too damp and mushy, They cooked the rice with way too much water. I would give the rolls 1 star. What saved the day were the entrees which I was very pleased with. The Red Snapper with hot and spicy sauce had great flavor for the price. I think the skin could have been a little more crispy, but I was satisfied with it. For the health conscious, the unadorned salmon steak is a great option. FYI the all u can eat sushi is Sunday and Monday for $19.99. After last night's performance by the sushi chef, I don't know if it's worth going. I would definitely go back for the Thai food though. And the small box of chiclets with the bill was the deal closer. Hey, what can I say, I'm easily amused by nostalgic candy. If you want to check out their menu go to: grubhub.com/details.jsp?…
(3)Deanna D.
Kitchenette is just what it sounds like it would be. Cute. Quaint. Charming. Delightful, even. Came here once with my roommates for dinner and was not disapponted. I HIGHLY recommend the sweet potato rolls, which I still fantasize about months later...
(4)KC W.
This place is great in that it is BYOB, has the choice of sushi or thai, and is small and cozy. That being said, it does not stand out in my mind as somewhere I want to return. The first thing I noticed upon entering the restaurant was it smelled like a musty basement. Yummmmm. The second thing that caught my attention was the fact that the waitress did not come to our table until we had been there for about 15 minutes (though she did drop off wine glasses which I truly appreciated). The sushi was nothing special. The thai dish I had was good, but not worth bothering with again. Overall, I would say if this place is in your neighborhood, give it a try, but I definitely would not go out of my way to visit this restaurant.
(3)Tara D.
BF and I have been here twice. Loved the food. Service is great. I like the atmosphere, it's a quiet place, the music is pleasant and a good volume. I just wish it wasn't BYOB, we're not that good at planning ahead.
(5)Bernadette P.
My husband has a gluten allergy, so we eat a lot of Asian food...where gluten is typically not an issue. He pronounced Kitchenette his all time favorite restaurant...great food, incredibly good prices, pleasant/attentive staff. I had a grilled salmon dish, which is what I typically order in Asian restaurants, and it was perfectly made...fresh, well seasoned and complemented with a generous side of veggies. At 9 dollars, it was about 30% cheaper than what we've paid in other restaurants for the same size portion and preparation. My husband had broccoli and tofu, which sounds terribly bland, but was wonderful. It is not a fancy room and the service is not slick. But, it is an incredible value for top notch food.
(5)Michael S.
I reviewed this place when it was Mr. Thai, after it had changed hands and was already mediocre having once been very good and dependable. Now, having changed hands again or having undergone a makeover and name change, it is still mediocre. I went in there and sat down to eat, which I had never done. I had always just used it as a handy take-out place. The service was terrible and worse yet, it was too dead quiet in there. Not a great backdrop for what ended up to be, I thought, very mediocre food. Reasonable prices, though.
(2)Lise P.
still the best thai food i've had. i cannot find a better fresh spring rolls--and i've tried everywhere.
(5)Courtney B.
I have never been disappointed here. Its BYOB and has a spacious atmosphere with two storefronts. Its pretty convenient take-out too, its right on Ashland and north enough were you can do some curb side parking... and there delivery is pretty darn quick as well. Its perfect since they have sushi and Thai because both are very yummy and you can satisfy different belly's.
(4)Jessica P.
As someone who just transplanted to Chicago from NYC this was my first sushi experience here. The restaurant was out of a dessert I ordered and promptly called me and offered me numerous other options and was very polite. The delivery was almost to the minute that was predicted on GrubHub and the deliverer was very nice. I liked that they had quite a few options you could add to each sushi roll to customize it a little more. I spent a few years when I was growing up living in Japan in two different regions, so I think I'm a pretty good judge of sushi. While this wasn't the absolute best sushi I've ever had compared to sushi I've had in Japan or the US , it was definitely good and I'd order it again. The avocado in the avocado roll (which was free because I spent over $15. there were a few free choices which was sweet.) was really fresh. I asked for extra Ginger (which was great) and they definitely gave me extra and didn't skimp on it. I've never received that amount of ginger when I've asked for extra. I also wanted to mention that the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you get. All in all I'd recommend giving it a try. I only bought vegetable sushi and an appetizer so that's all I can comment on, but both were things I'd order again.
(4)B B.
I've never dined here - only delivery or takeout. However, I have been very pleased with the food and price. Delivery can be pretty slow sometimes, but I give it a pass because the food is always quite good. I recommend pickup if you can. The menu has a wide array of sushi and Thai dishes, so must people will be able to find something they like.
(4)erin k.
one day a friend and i were strolling around with a bottle of wine looking for a good place to open it...and voila! we found ourselves in kitchenette, feasting on edamame and spring rolls and maki (oh my!) i've since been there a dozen times and had attentive service, great food, and a great time on each occasion. the price is unbeatable - how can two people eat a fabulous meal for under $20? eat at kitchenette. (or pick up a delivery menu!)
(5)rachel c.
This place is a good bet. They have both a Thai and Sushi menu with a nice variety including the basics. I would say the food is definitely good . . not amazing, but definitely a decent meal. I got take out and they served me tea while I was waiting. . . very nice! Reasonable prices. Nice atmosphere. Kinda out of the way on Ashland but likely to find parking. There is a 15 minute parking zone right in front if you get take out. I definitely recommend checking it out.
(3)Cora B.
My boyfriend and I went here one afternoon when I was craving spring rolls. It had gotten good reviews and, more importantly, is very close to home, so we walked over. There were two types of spring rolls on the menu - "Spring Rolls" and "Vietnamese Spring Rolls" - so we went with the standard version, which turned out not to be what I was expecting. The wrapper was dense and doughy, and while the filling was good it was over powered by the super-sweet, thick sauce that came liberally poured on top of them; they might be for some tastes, but weren't to my liking. Next time, I know to get the Vietnamese version! I had the pad woon sen with chicken and the bf had the basil fried rice with bbq pork. Both were absolutely delicious and tasted so fresh - something I've rarely experienced in Thai restaurants. The meat was perfectly cooked, the vegetables were still a little crispy and nothing was overly sweet or salty. The prices and portion sizes are just right - you get just enough to fill you up, plus a little extra to take home for a snack when that hour-after hunger sets in. I'm looking forward to trying their sushi on my next visit!
(4)K X.
I wish I could give this place 0 stars. I would if it were an option. The food is terrible, service is bad, and it shows because they never have any guests in there. I have seen rats in the alley behind their kitchen and they often leave their door open in the back to the kitchen. The owner, or perhaps she isn't the owner, but a woman who works there gives you dirty looks when you pass by or enter and she is not helpful at all. All you can eat Sushi from a place that never has people inside? That's scary...I would rather go to a place that has constant movement of people because who knows how long they re-use that fish at the "sushi" bar.
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