Delicious food, reasonable prices and friendly staff. Kid friendly and wonderful meal sets for kids too - teriyaki chicken, gyoza, rice, veg. We come here for sushi and love it. Great neighborhood place.
(5)
Susan L.
I've been patronizing Bonsai for more than a year (originally b/c of participation in Restaurant.com which establishment discontinued months ago). The Pan-Asian & sushi entrees were generally good but today was a shocker: I ordered "Chicken Dumpling Noodle Soup." REAL title of this is Noodle-Noodle-Noodle Soup With 1 Dumpling & 1 Piece of Chicken. Description also included "Bok Choy" but there were no full bulbs - just a few leaves & 1 stem. What a disappointment! Don't EVER order "Chicken Dumpling Noodle Soup." Owner's response to my posting was extremely professional, well-considered and reasonable so perhaps this was just a slip. Will definitely try again and encourage others to give them a chance.
(3)
Sarah C.
Ordered from GrubHub to be delivered to the hospital. Food arrived on time. Our group had pork with sticky rice, chicken satay, orange chicken and crab rangoon. We all thought it was ok, but not the best we've ever had. As a side note, I didn't ask for cutlery-- by my mistake, but I guess if I was a business owner with a delivery to a hospital... I would just send (and ask the receiver) if they needed cutlery. Just my two cents as a thoughtful way to make people continue to choose this restaurant over the variety in the neighborhood.
(3)
Karen W.
We've eaten-in and had food delivered from Bonsai Cafe several times in the last two years and were always completely satisfied. Our last meal (A Saturday evening in late February) was a disappointment. New kitchen staff? As usual, I ordered the Thai Hot Pepper Basil Chicken. This time around it was missing peanuts, chilis, basil (only one small piece) and most of the chicken. They did, however substitute what appeared to be half a can of water chestnuts! An odd choice for a Thai dish. My niece ordered some rolls and Pad Thai with shrimp and enjoyed her meal. So maybe the Basil Chicken fiasco was just a fluke. My advice to Bonsai Cafe: If you don't have the ingredients on hand for a particular dish, let the customer know in advance, so they can order something else. If this is the new version of Thai Hot Pepper Basil, an update of the menu description is in order! This dinner was on Saturday, February 21, 2015 around 7 pm.
(3)
Molly L.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Evanston. I love their Szechwan green beans, California rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls, bbq pork chow fun, spicy basil noodles/chicken and steamed dumplings. I don't think I've ever had a bad meal here. It's great!
(5)
John C.
I live a half of a mile from the restaurant and I have had a few dinners and lunches ever since it opened. The waitress's are very nice and I have always had my food served in a timely fashion. I was so surprised to have dinner for two recently and have such a terrible meal. It was the most lack luster meal I have had anywhere. The meat was too chewy and cooked poorly. Boring , bland and minimal portions. They are obviously resting on the regulars that haven't eaten anywhere else and need a quick answer for a bad dinner to forget about. This could be a really great place with interesting over the top flavors, instead of par with old school carry out Chinese. Come on pick it up. Northwest Evanston deserves better.
(2)
Ashley W.
First time ordering from this restaurant while in Chicago on business. Ordered about $40 bucks worth of food. Things tasted great, until I noticed half way through my calamari appetizer that a dead roach was at the bottom of the container. Called the restaurant immediately but was only offered a replacement dish. Definitely the last time that I'll order from them while in the city.
(1)
Heidi L.
This is our new take out of choice for Chinese. We've ordered from there now several times and like it a lot overall. The portions are smaller than other asian restaurants (e.g., the rice and entree are in one container that normally is the size of just the entree). Loved the potstickers, chicken satay, crab rangoon and most of the entrees and curry dishes. Didn't love the spicy peanut noodles appetizer or the potato croquettes -- I guess you aren't going to love everything.
(4)
Czarina S.
One of the only options available for delivery through GrubHub at the time I ordered, so I decided to give their lunch special a try. Lunch special was very small, Siam Pasta gave more in comparison. Overall, food was satisfying, but it was not filling.
(3)
Tonise P.
This is such a great little local spot. We enjoy ordering out from here, but don't come enough! The food is fresh and fabulous Asian fusion. And the Thai staff is super friendly (remember that Thailand is the land of smiling people!). Don't forget to BYO!
(4)
Demetria H.
Horrible! Do not have your food delivered from them. It took me 2 hours to get my food and I lived only 10 min. Away. I could have walked there and back in less time. The food was cold and the person in the phone was horrible. First and last time I'm ordering from them. They suck!
(1)
Alan S.
Live only 5 min away from the place walking distance, I find the place to be clean with well maintenance. The chairs and tables were shiny clean. The service has been professional and waitresses to be attentive. Food had been fresh and well-prepared. Ordered a combo salmon/chicken bento along with another order of orange chicken. Both dishes had been great and the sushi was a treat along with the miso soup. Restaurant has a location within a multi mixed building. You can only find street parking.
(5)
Tracy H.
Decent food for when I don't have time to go anywhere else on my break. Will never order their bubble tea/bubble shake/smoothies again though. Drinks taste extremely powdery, and 2/2 times I went to see if I just had a bad experience, I was handed a cup with an opening too small for the straw, was alerted that they had no tapioca (I don't believe they will ever have tapioca even though it is advertised) and with the drink totally overflowing and handed to me dripping everywhere. Food was okay although pretty expensive for one piece of sushi. Usually greeted with a smile by at least one employee when I go to pick up my food although it usually seems dead empty around lunch time.
(3)
SS H.
This is soley based ob the chicken Pho'. We love Pho' from Argyle St. so we knew we were taking a chance especially since it was only $5. It smelled a little too fishy and there was no fresh basil or jalapeño and the limes were dry. We wouldn't order the Pho' again, but may try other dishes. The delivery was fast and friendly.
(3)
Katharine T.
The word that comes to mind for Bonsai Cafe is disappointing. I work across the street so it's a shame my lunch wasn't that great. I picked up an order of the Red Dragon Maki - Spicy tuna topped with tuna and avocado and I ordered the crab rangoon. The crab rangoon are just OK - pretty typical fried cream cheese. Sometimes you get lucky and find incredible, crispy, well seasoned crab rangoon and other times you get just typical, not that great but not necessarily bad crab rangoon. This stuff is just, Ehh, Ok. Nothing to talk about. The Red Dragon Maki was pretty much just not good, with very little flavor other than heat from the spicy stuff. It was ONLY saved by soy sauce it was that flavorless and pretty much just mush. For sure NOT worth $12 bucks for this roll, no way in hell. I don't know if I'll try this place again. I'm disappointed it wasn't better and wishing I could have left at least a 3 star review. I'm probably being generous even giving it 2 stars.
(2)
Rebecca M.
Nice looking inside but staff does not follow instructions and the food is not very flavorful. I am disappointed by the quality of food and will not order from here again.
(2)
Jeffrey Z.
The Kung Pao chicken here is definitely the best I've ever had. I've sorely missed it since moving away from Evanston.
(5)
Choong J.
This is byob place !!! The best spicy tuna!!! The best california!!!! I will be back..
(5)
John M.
Went to Bonsai tonight...the place had a nice vibe and a crowd at 6pm. We stuck to the sushi menu and were pretty impressed. Sweet potato roll had a nice twist on it, spicy tuna was spicy(!), Mexican roll had great flavor...spicy(!) and cilantro and the shrimp tempura was put together well. Also tried the potstickers, which were your normal potstickers....my wife really liked the mustard sauce that they came with. BYOB is nice and it's a great addition to the neighborhood. We used to hit up a lot of the sushi joints in the city and we thought this was pretty on par with some of those. Service was friendly and our dinner came out quickly.
(4)
Ted C.
Chicken pho was delicious- service was okay, around a lot but not when she was needed, had to get up to ask her for hoisin and siracha which she didn't understand and got Chinese chili sauce instead. Sushi was okay-some of it was fresh but some cuts were pretty dry. The sushi was cut kind of sloppily-I think the sushi chef was inexperienced. The shrimp in particular was really dry and when it comes to sushi that's pretty bad. I don't want to talk badly about the service but I think that being the only table in the place you would think the service would be more attentive but it was wanting. She came around but very briefly and again we had to get up and find her a few times. Aside from the Chicken pho nothing else really stood out and was kind of sub par.
(2)
J R.
So I tried Bonsai cafe for the first time last week, I was looking for great sushi. See, I live near Logan square in Chicago but I work in Evanston and I gotta say as far as Ive seen the food selection in Evanston isn't that great. Anyway, I came across this restaurant on menupages.com and I ordered sushi and soup. Delivery was on time and the delivery person was nice. Now the sushi that I ordered is didn't look that special but tasted really good it was actually one of the bust sushi meals Ive eaten, I ordered shrimp wonton soup as well and Ive never been a fan of Asian soup but this one was amazing. So I guess I found my sushi place in evanston!
(4)
Aaron P.
Good neighborhood pan-Asian that offers better quality and more interesting flavors than most delivery options. Prices are somewhat higher than typical for delivery restaurants of this type, but it is worthwhile because the quality is actually better. The kung pao chicken is very good, with more flavorful chills than most other places. Szechuan green beans are also excellent and a good value. Curries are decent. They will do a variety of dishes gluten-free.
(4)
Ed S.
This is a go to restaurant for our family. It excels at really tasty food, friendly service and kid friendly. The sushi is the best I've found outside Chicago. The Chinese and other Asian dishes are made with very high quality ingredients which separates this place from most others in the area offering the simular fare. We take out as much and eat in. Very rarely disappointed.
(4)
Charles C.
Delicious. Kungpao beef with green beans was amazing. So good I ordered it tonight too. Great egg rolls. Very pleasant lady on the phone. Nice ambiance and its byob. My new favorite place.
(5)
Gordon M.
I am surprised to see 1 star reviews on this place. The service could be better, the atmosphere isn't inspired, but the food makes up for it. The menu might seem run-of-the-mill Asian (con)Fusion, but things are not as they first appear. It seems like every dish is a reinterpretation. It is all fresh and light and everything has a wonderful blend of flavors. Try the Orange Chicken. Even if this is something you wouldn't normally order, just trust me. The makis are great and I like to get one or more for an appetizer. (Hint: order the appetizer first and the entree later so they won't come at the same time.) Really, you can order anything and I don't think you will go wrong. The prices are reasonable and BYOB makes it a bargain.
(5)
Karen M.
A good solid neighborhood place. Love that it is here, and love that it is BYOB. We do take-out and we also eat in, maybe once every month or two. Sometimes I with the selection was a bit larger, with more vegies in the dishes, but they are responsive to our requests (like, ordering rice instead of noodles with certain dishes). We haven't had anything less than delicious here. I wish they had some outside tables in the back.
(5)
Chris L.
I absolutely love this place. My family and I go here all the time when were thinking asian food. First of all its BYOB but not like a college BYO where kids are crushing full cases of beer but you usually see people bring in white wine for their meals. Being such a big eater, I usually get the chicken pad Thai for my main course which is as good as it gets. There are so many flavors just bursting in your mouth and its not too heavy either. Epic and a must! We usually get a bunch of sushi rolls to start out with. The Shogun maki is my favorite. Its got sweet potato and cream cheese which is not typically seen in restaurants topped with a sweet sauce. Its almost like a dessert roll but its legendary. We also get the shrimp tempura roll and the spicy tuna which are always slamming. It's not a flashy place and to be honest if you weren't looking for it you would never think of going but its great. The service is usually very good but the last time i was there it was a little slow but it was also because were in a hurry and everything seems slow when you trying to Eat and Run. Legendary
(5)
leDuke w.
The Thai food here is outstanding , and to be honest , I think a few steps above what's available in the rest of Evanston. Sushi is fresh. Service is consistently good. prices are reasonable. Lots to choose from & they have a super value for the 'Lunch Box' specials. Lots of yummy apps. tasty soups & the kung pao is delicious ....
(5)
Michael B.
I'm not sure what all the bad reviews are about. The staff is always friendly, the restaurant is spotless, and the food is very good. My very picky 80 year old mom loves Bonsai too. The duck moo shoo is fantastic.
(4)
V P.
Overpriced, underspiced, not so nice. The worst excuse for Thai food I have experienced to date. We ordered Pad Thai. Spicy Basil Noodles, Tom Yum soup, and sushi. Bland food, small portions, overpriced, undercooked onions. Who messes up Pad Thai, for goodness sake? Sushi was passable. Will never order from here again.
(1)
Pamela P.
There is nothing "star worthy" about this place. When I say it was terrible, that seems like an understatement. First, the place needs a good, thorough scrubbing. It was dirty and grimy and the table and floors were equally sticky. In fact, I couldn't tell which one was worse. For the first time in my life long love affair with miso soup, I hated its taste in my mouth. I had to put soy sauce in it because it was too fishy and bland. Ever heard of salt, people? The chicken teriyaki lunch special was disgusting. The chicken was smothered in some sticky, gluey, heavy sauce with days-old meat. That was next to stale, hard rice, next to some salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and two types of crunchy noodles (no yummy ginger dressing here). The kicker was the dry, bland, and OLD California roll. How do you screw up a Cali roll? What a way to fail at a bento box. That coupled with the FLAT diet RC or Rite was enough to send me running away from this awful place.
(1)
Amanda A.
this place is run by rude, unprofessional people. i ordered two vegetable dumpling soups from them, to be delivered. i took special care to ensure the menu made no mention of "vegetables and meat," but stated clearly that the dumplings were veggie-only. i got chicken dumplings. unmistakable. i called the restaurant and explained the situation, hoping to be met with a standard offer to re-make the food correctly or to refund the money. got neither. the woman on the phone told me i was wrong, that the chef had prepared meatless dumplings, and she would not help me. i asked for a refund. she said the restaurant didn't have a refund policy. i asked "you don't refund your customers when you get the order wrong?" she said yes. ultimately, she suggested that i take store credit "for next time." as if there would be a next time. bad business practices are the hardest thing to forgive in a restaurant.
(1)
Bob G.
I would probably give this new place four stars but I am giving it five to balance the one star review at the end, which I find useless and clearly wrong. We gave Bonsai Cafe a chance to get on it's feet before we went there. It was worth the wait. First of all, you can bring your own wine, which was quickly opened by our friendly waitress. We ordered two appetizers - the Vietnamese Spring rolls and the fried calamari. Be careful here; either is enough for two people (maybe four if all you want is a starter). Both were very good. The rolls (four pieces) were light and come with two sauces - one spicy, one sweet. The calamari is deep fried in tempura batter and very tasty, but almost too large of a serving! You could make a meal out of this alone. I ordered the the Sushi Platter and my wife had the Spicy Basil Noodles with chicken. The sushi was fresh tasting, nicely prepared and presented, and the slices of fish were large. The platter contained twelve pieces, each a different variety, for only $18. The Noodle dish was tasty, spicy and large enough to need a take home container. For a new neighborhood place, it is great.
(5)
Robyn K.
Wow, I am really surprised by the negative reviews. We have only eaten lunch, but we have gone there 5-6 times. I have always enjoyed my selections, but I do know that what you order somewhere will reflect how you feel about a place. The Szechuan green beans are really good and the heat varies, but I always have enjoyed the dish. My favorite dish is the Ginger Beef Chowfun. It has noodles, beef, mini bok choy, peppers, and is served in a bowl. My husband usually gets a lunch box special and is surprised at how much food you get for the cost. The homemade ginger ale is great in the summer. The place is pretty small and I think that our service has improved since we first started eating here. It is a good neighborhood place and we have never had to wait for a table at lunch time.
(5)
Megan L.
I was happy to see a newer Asian place in the neighborhood, but this one falls under the category of those pan-Asian places that don't seem to do any of the cuisines very well. The service is very friendly, and I hate to give a negative review to a nice, family owned place...but the food is just...not good. I had the Vietnamese Spring Rolls and the peanut dipping sauce was way too salty. I'm a person who loves salt, but this was practically inedible. I also ordered the Peanut Noodles small plate. It tasted like it was made with the same dipping sauce. My friend ordered the Panang Noodles - that tasted about the same as the peanut dipping sauce, except it was really spicy. The high point of my meal was their home made Ginger Soda. Very nice. We did not try the sushi. Maybe that's their strong point? I don't think I'm willing to give them another chance, though. :(
(2)
John B.
I really like Thai cuisine. Although I am no expert., I can discern the difference between bad, good and wow. My impression is that the food at Bonsai hovers around "good." The decor, I think, is nice. Another reviewer mentioned it wasn't clean enough. We were there at night, so perhaps it looks better in the dark. I'll have to take a closer look next time. But the general appearance was perfectly acceptable. Service: The service was okay until the check arrived. Then we stepped into The Twilight Zone. We had ordered a couple of maki that were priced on the menu at $6 each. The check stated $8 each. We called the waitress back to point out the error. She compared the check to the menu and informed us, "That's wrong," pointing at the menu, "The are $8." We politely insisted that any error was not ours. She went to the manager (owner) and returned with an adjusted check, without a word. The body language suggested she was peeved at us. I'm sorry, but this was bizarre. I think she owed us an apology rather than giving us a bad attitude. The owner seems to be a very nice guy, however, he needs to understand that ambiance is important to diners. As I said, the decor is nice, however, when we were there, he started talking on the phone, with the phone set to speaker. So everyone could here both him and his mother (or whoever). Very annoying, in any case; especially annoying while you are having dinner. BYOB: Yes. We like that. TV: Charlie Trotter won't even hang fine art on the walls in his establishment, wanting customers to focus on the food. A TV simply diminishes the ambiance of Bonsai. Just give us tea lights.. We'll almost certainly be back for another try, since this is in the neighborhood, but the competition is stiff, so I hope that Bonsai works to improve the ambiance. And to update the menu.
(3)
Jordan G.
Great sushi and Chinese dishes. Always welcoming when we eat there with great service.
(5)
SJ C.
We went for dinner and ordered: tempura, panang chicken curry, Chinese chicken salad, crab rangoon, spicy tuna maki, unagi, tamago, thai iced coffee. The tamago was decent. Everything else was disgusting. The tempura sauce was nothing more than brown water. The panang was soupy and had no flavor but straight up curry. The chicken salad was something that I feel like McDonalds might offer to be cultural: iceberg with hot shredded chicken on top spiced with some red pepper. The spicy tuna maki tasted like they used some fish other than tuna. Not sure how raw tuna can taste bad, but somehow here it does. The unagi had no flavor. The crab rangoon (in all fairness the menu does state "imitation crab" as the filling) was gross - like sugary imitation crab with mayo rather than whatever else is supposed to be in it. And the wantons they were in were almost elephant ears. And the worst? The thai iced coffee. It was like they dumped a cup of sugar in with the condensed milk. We didn't have any chopsticks, and had to ask for silverware. When they brought the check, we had to wait 5 minutes to get someone to bring us a pen - and the place was empty. The $60 we spent on this food was such a regrettable waste.
(1)
A.J. M.
My parents really like this place. So I've eaten there or had take out a few times. For starters, the take out portions are rather weak in my opinion. I've had the sesame chicken, mongolian beef, and kung pao from here, and besides the portions, these dishes just lacked flavor. Dry, almost. When I went to eat there once, I had the orange chicken, which was different in a bad way. Dry and just lacking flavor. I will say that the Chinese dumpling soup was delicious, but one can't just eat that small soup portion for dinner every time you eat from/at this place. Need to step up their menu.
(2)
m s.
This place is in the neighborhood and has good food. The staff is very friendly staff (although we typically do take out - at least once a week). We enjoy the apps and the shrimp and chicken meals are usually very good. Beef meals are sometimes hit or miss (although the thai beef salad is usually very good).
(3)
Annaliese V.
My family went there this evening for the first time. The food was good but I think a bit overpriced for the quantity of food. They seemed to have only one server on a Sat night and she seemed overwhelmed, basically dropped the food on the table and never came back. Never asked how the meal was, if we needed anything, a water refill, etc. Doubt we'll be back. Royin down the street is tastier with much nicer staff.
(3)
Jen G.
I just had lunch with a friend at Bonsai Cafe and could not have been more thrilled to find this tiny piece of heaven. We both had one of the lunch specials that has a little bit of everyting; miso soup, pot stickers, jasmine rice, sushi, chicken terriyaki. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful. The restaurant is cozy and pretty and makes you feel like you are some place special. I will definitely recommend to friends, family and co-workers.
(5)
Rebecca R.
So, Someone here said the food was too salty... agreed, I got Mongolian Beef, incredibly salty. Someone else said the servings were small, agreed especially considering the price. Let me put this in perspective, the day after I ordered from here I got the same dish from a different place, received the same size plastic container, only where bonsai had filled it with beef & rice, from this other place it was FULL of just the beef and the rice came in one of those rice boxes. So in other words, my serving of Mongolian beef was twice as large, and it cost $2 less. Other folks on yelp said it was the sort of place that is pan Asian and does everything badly... yup... won't be ordering again Only really positive thing I can say was the delivery was quick
(2)
Maya P.
Was not really impressed. The restaraunt tried to make the food more like american-thai. There really was no flavor on the food. It was just really sweet. I wouldn't recommend this restaraunt to ANYBODY. Go to Old Neighborhood Grill. There food is way much better.
(1)
Tom M.
I've eaten here/gotten takeout a half dozen times, and the food has ranged from very good to excellent.
(4)
Marilyn P.
I'm surprised by the negative reviews here. I ate at Bonsai with friends on Friday night; it was fairly crowded but we were still served in a timely fashion. Everything was delicious - fresh, well-prepared, and attractively served. My friends had the Szechuan green beans and said they were the best they'd ever had. My spicy peanut noodles were great, as were the individual sushi. Prices were extremely reasonable. We'll be back.
(5)
Melanie S.
Absolutely terrible service. Took over fifteen minutes for someone to take our order. The server was actually flagged down by someone at the table next to us who noted we had been sitting unacknowledged for some time. Waited for food for nearly forty-five minutes. Never brought the water we requested - which was even more frustrating because my daughter absolutely scalded her tongue when the soup finally came forty five minutes later. We were not given utensils, once again had to get up to flag a server down after several minutes. Food very average. Then.... no surprise..... had to get up again to flag down the server for the check. Waited some more.... finally ...ten minutes later brought it to the table. 2 1/2 hours later, out the door. Frustrating because I really wanted to like this place. This was our second time there (the first was only marginally better). Definitely won't go back. .
(1)
Ashley F.
Worst place to eat on Central St. The seasme chicken tasted like it was cooked in very old oil. Service was bad. Expensive if you compare it too the much better tasting Pinto or Royin up the street.
(1)
Steve J.
We are cheering for this place, but it still needs to move the food up a notch or two. We tried the potato croquettes and Vietnamese rolls. Croquettes were good; rolls boring. Then, we turned to our focus, the sushi. They failed the saba test (see my sushi list); hamachi and unagi were, at best, average, other sushi were more disappointing. Fish needs to be fresher. Rolls were OK, but flavors were not up to Chicago sushi standard. We want you to succeed; please try harder!
(2)
Jenni B.
We have been very pleased with Bonsai Cafe. We have only carried out items from the sushi menu. The people taking the order over the phone were very knowlegeable and understood what I was saying. The sushi/sashimi portions were larger than some other popular Japanese restaurants in the area.
(4)
Lauren G.
I really wanted to like this place since it's within walking distance of my place. My husband and I ordered the calamari, a salmon maki roll, kung pao chicken, and a curry dish for take out. The calamari was inedible. The breading wasn't even cooked all the way and the squid was so chewy that I had to spit it out. The roll and kung pao chicken was good but the curry was so hot and we couldn't even finish it. I understand that curry is hot and we like our spicy food but this was over the top. If they serve it that spicy, it should be noted in the menu. I called back to say that we couldn't even eat the calamari. A note was made in my account to credit me the next time we ordered. The next day we ordered a few more rolls. I asked about the credit and I was told that the credit was for another calamari. I didn't want to order the same crappy dish as last time! It took 5 minutes on the phone for the women taking my order to finally ask the owner if they could apply the credit. Then, when I picked up the order I gave her the coupon I received the day before for $5 off my order when I spent $25 but was told I couldn't use it since the credit from my calamari put my total bill to $24. Geez! Summary: Food, okay. Service, terrible. Go to Royin down the street instead. We won't be coming back to Bonsai.
(2)
robin w.
We are sushi fanatics and we gauge a sushi restaurant by the term "sushi momentum," meaning how fast the sushi flies off the shelf or the fresh factor. The sushi at Bonsai has always been fresh & served at the right temp - not cold and certainly not warm. So the momentum is good (i.e. they don't hold product too long). But if you ever went to Matsuya on Clark, there was NO better bare bones just great sushi at great prices anywhere else in the city. The sushi at Bonsai is nice, but its 2x the price. We used to have Matsuya 1x/wk at $35 for 2. Bonsai is $60/2 for same portions. Yes you can bring wine which is FAB, but they ding you for tea (zero cost) and some faint miso soup at $3/bowl. Those were always complimentary at Matsuya. We'd eat at Bonsai more often if the prices were better, since its a short walk for us. For $60 I can get a load of sushi myself at Sea Ranch in Wilmette, a pound of sticky rice & make my own dinner for 4 (and we've done it!) All is good but the $$$.
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 : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
vivian c.
Delicious food, reasonable prices and friendly staff. Kid friendly and wonderful meal sets for kids too - teriyaki chicken, gyoza, rice, veg. We come here for sushi and love it. Great neighborhood place.
(5)Susan L.
I've been patronizing Bonsai for more than a year (originally b/c of participation in Restaurant.com which establishment discontinued months ago). The Pan-Asian & sushi entrees were generally good but today was a shocker: I ordered "Chicken Dumpling Noodle Soup." REAL title of this is Noodle-Noodle-Noodle Soup With 1 Dumpling & 1 Piece of Chicken. Description also included "Bok Choy" but there were no full bulbs - just a few leaves & 1 stem. What a disappointment! Don't EVER order "Chicken Dumpling Noodle Soup." Owner's response to my posting was extremely professional, well-considered and reasonable so perhaps this was just a slip. Will definitely try again and encourage others to give them a chance.
(3)Sarah C.
Ordered from GrubHub to be delivered to the hospital. Food arrived on time. Our group had pork with sticky rice, chicken satay, orange chicken and crab rangoon. We all thought it was ok, but not the best we've ever had. As a side note, I didn't ask for cutlery-- by my mistake, but I guess if I was a business owner with a delivery to a hospital... I would just send (and ask the receiver) if they needed cutlery. Just my two cents as a thoughtful way to make people continue to choose this restaurant over the variety in the neighborhood.
(3)Karen W.
We've eaten-in and had food delivered from Bonsai Cafe several times in the last two years and were always completely satisfied. Our last meal (A Saturday evening in late February) was a disappointment. New kitchen staff? As usual, I ordered the Thai Hot Pepper Basil Chicken. This time around it was missing peanuts, chilis, basil (only one small piece) and most of the chicken. They did, however substitute what appeared to be half a can of water chestnuts! An odd choice for a Thai dish. My niece ordered some rolls and Pad Thai with shrimp and enjoyed her meal. So maybe the Basil Chicken fiasco was just a fluke. My advice to Bonsai Cafe: If you don't have the ingredients on hand for a particular dish, let the customer know in advance, so they can order something else. If this is the new version of Thai Hot Pepper Basil, an update of the menu description is in order! This dinner was on Saturday, February 21, 2015 around 7 pm.
(3)Molly L.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Evanston. I love their Szechwan green beans, California rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls, bbq pork chow fun, spicy basil noodles/chicken and steamed dumplings. I don't think I've ever had a bad meal here. It's great!
(5)John C.
I live a half of a mile from the restaurant and I have had a few dinners and lunches ever since it opened. The waitress's are very nice and I have always had my food served in a timely fashion. I was so surprised to have dinner for two recently and have such a terrible meal. It was the most lack luster meal I have had anywhere. The meat was too chewy and cooked poorly. Boring , bland and minimal portions. They are obviously resting on the regulars that haven't eaten anywhere else and need a quick answer for a bad dinner to forget about. This could be a really great place with interesting over the top flavors, instead of par with old school carry out Chinese. Come on pick it up. Northwest Evanston deserves better.
(2)Ashley W.
First time ordering from this restaurant while in Chicago on business. Ordered about $40 bucks worth of food. Things tasted great, until I noticed half way through my calamari appetizer that a dead roach was at the bottom of the container. Called the restaurant immediately but was only offered a replacement dish. Definitely the last time that I'll order from them while in the city.
(1)Heidi L.
This is our new take out of choice for Chinese. We've ordered from there now several times and like it a lot overall. The portions are smaller than other asian restaurants (e.g., the rice and entree are in one container that normally is the size of just the entree). Loved the potstickers, chicken satay, crab rangoon and most of the entrees and curry dishes. Didn't love the spicy peanut noodles appetizer or the potato croquettes -- I guess you aren't going to love everything.
(4)Czarina S.
One of the only options available for delivery through GrubHub at the time I ordered, so I decided to give their lunch special a try. Lunch special was very small, Siam Pasta gave more in comparison. Overall, food was satisfying, but it was not filling.
(3)Tonise P.
This is such a great little local spot. We enjoy ordering out from here, but don't come enough! The food is fresh and fabulous Asian fusion. And the Thai staff is super friendly (remember that Thailand is the land of smiling people!). Don't forget to BYO!
(4)Demetria H.
Horrible! Do not have your food delivered from them. It took me 2 hours to get my food and I lived only 10 min. Away. I could have walked there and back in less time. The food was cold and the person in the phone was horrible. First and last time I'm ordering from them. They suck!
(1)Alan S.
Live only 5 min away from the place walking distance, I find the place to be clean with well maintenance. The chairs and tables were shiny clean. The service has been professional and waitresses to be attentive. Food had been fresh and well-prepared. Ordered a combo salmon/chicken bento along with another order of orange chicken. Both dishes had been great and the sushi was a treat along with the miso soup. Restaurant has a location within a multi mixed building. You can only find street parking.
(5)Tracy H.
Decent food for when I don't have time to go anywhere else on my break. Will never order their bubble tea/bubble shake/smoothies again though. Drinks taste extremely powdery, and 2/2 times I went to see if I just had a bad experience, I was handed a cup with an opening too small for the straw, was alerted that they had no tapioca (I don't believe they will ever have tapioca even though it is advertised) and with the drink totally overflowing and handed to me dripping everywhere. Food was okay although pretty expensive for one piece of sushi. Usually greeted with a smile by at least one employee when I go to pick up my food although it usually seems dead empty around lunch time.
(3)SS H.
This is soley based ob the chicken Pho'. We love Pho' from Argyle St. so we knew we were taking a chance especially since it was only $5. It smelled a little too fishy and there was no fresh basil or jalapeño and the limes were dry. We wouldn't order the Pho' again, but may try other dishes. The delivery was fast and friendly.
(3)Katharine T.
The word that comes to mind for Bonsai Cafe is disappointing. I work across the street so it's a shame my lunch wasn't that great. I picked up an order of the Red Dragon Maki - Spicy tuna topped with tuna and avocado and I ordered the crab rangoon. The crab rangoon are just OK - pretty typical fried cream cheese. Sometimes you get lucky and find incredible, crispy, well seasoned crab rangoon and other times you get just typical, not that great but not necessarily bad crab rangoon. This stuff is just, Ehh, Ok. Nothing to talk about. The Red Dragon Maki was pretty much just not good, with very little flavor other than heat from the spicy stuff. It was ONLY saved by soy sauce it was that flavorless and pretty much just mush. For sure NOT worth $12 bucks for this roll, no way in hell. I don't know if I'll try this place again. I'm disappointed it wasn't better and wishing I could have left at least a 3 star review. I'm probably being generous even giving it 2 stars.
(2)Rebecca M.
Nice looking inside but staff does not follow instructions and the food is not very flavorful. I am disappointed by the quality of food and will not order from here again.
(2)Jeffrey Z.
The Kung Pao chicken here is definitely the best I've ever had. I've sorely missed it since moving away from Evanston.
(5)Choong J.
This is byob place !!! The best spicy tuna!!! The best california!!!! I will be back..
(5)John M.
Went to Bonsai tonight...the place had a nice vibe and a crowd at 6pm. We stuck to the sushi menu and were pretty impressed. Sweet potato roll had a nice twist on it, spicy tuna was spicy(!), Mexican roll had great flavor...spicy(!) and cilantro and the shrimp tempura was put together well. Also tried the potstickers, which were your normal potstickers....my wife really liked the mustard sauce that they came with. BYOB is nice and it's a great addition to the neighborhood. We used to hit up a lot of the sushi joints in the city and we thought this was pretty on par with some of those. Service was friendly and our dinner came out quickly.
(4)Ted C.
Chicken pho was delicious- service was okay, around a lot but not when she was needed, had to get up to ask her for hoisin and siracha which she didn't understand and got Chinese chili sauce instead. Sushi was okay-some of it was fresh but some cuts were pretty dry. The sushi was cut kind of sloppily-I think the sushi chef was inexperienced. The shrimp in particular was really dry and when it comes to sushi that's pretty bad. I don't want to talk badly about the service but I think that being the only table in the place you would think the service would be more attentive but it was wanting. She came around but very briefly and again we had to get up and find her a few times. Aside from the Chicken pho nothing else really stood out and was kind of sub par.
(2)J R.
So I tried Bonsai cafe for the first time last week, I was looking for great sushi. See, I live near Logan square in Chicago but I work in Evanston and I gotta say as far as Ive seen the food selection in Evanston isn't that great. Anyway, I came across this restaurant on menupages.com and I ordered sushi and soup. Delivery was on time and the delivery person was nice. Now the sushi that I ordered is didn't look that special but tasted really good it was actually one of the bust sushi meals Ive eaten, I ordered shrimp wonton soup as well and Ive never been a fan of Asian soup but this one was amazing. So I guess I found my sushi place in evanston!
(4)Aaron P.
Good neighborhood pan-Asian that offers better quality and more interesting flavors than most delivery options. Prices are somewhat higher than typical for delivery restaurants of this type, but it is worthwhile because the quality is actually better. The kung pao chicken is very good, with more flavorful chills than most other places. Szechuan green beans are also excellent and a good value. Curries are decent. They will do a variety of dishes gluten-free.
(4)Ed S.
This is a go to restaurant for our family. It excels at really tasty food, friendly service and kid friendly. The sushi is the best I've found outside Chicago. The Chinese and other Asian dishes are made with very high quality ingredients which separates this place from most others in the area offering the simular fare. We take out as much and eat in. Very rarely disappointed.
(4)Charles C.
Delicious. Kungpao beef with green beans was amazing. So good I ordered it tonight too. Great egg rolls. Very pleasant lady on the phone. Nice ambiance and its byob. My new favorite place.
(5)Gordon M.
I am surprised to see 1 star reviews on this place. The service could be better, the atmosphere isn't inspired, but the food makes up for it. The menu might seem run-of-the-mill Asian (con)Fusion, but things are not as they first appear. It seems like every dish is a reinterpretation. It is all fresh and light and everything has a wonderful blend of flavors. Try the Orange Chicken. Even if this is something you wouldn't normally order, just trust me. The makis are great and I like to get one or more for an appetizer. (Hint: order the appetizer first and the entree later so they won't come at the same time.) Really, you can order anything and I don't think you will go wrong. The prices are reasonable and BYOB makes it a bargain.
(5)Karen M.
A good solid neighborhood place. Love that it is here, and love that it is BYOB. We do take-out and we also eat in, maybe once every month or two. Sometimes I with the selection was a bit larger, with more vegies in the dishes, but they are responsive to our requests (like, ordering rice instead of noodles with certain dishes). We haven't had anything less than delicious here. I wish they had some outside tables in the back.
(5)Chris L.
I absolutely love this place. My family and I go here all the time when were thinking asian food. First of all its BYOB but not like a college BYO where kids are crushing full cases of beer but you usually see people bring in white wine for their meals. Being such a big eater, I usually get the chicken pad Thai for my main course which is as good as it gets. There are so many flavors just bursting in your mouth and its not too heavy either. Epic and a must! We usually get a bunch of sushi rolls to start out with. The Shogun maki is my favorite. Its got sweet potato and cream cheese which is not typically seen in restaurants topped with a sweet sauce. Its almost like a dessert roll but its legendary. We also get the shrimp tempura roll and the spicy tuna which are always slamming. It's not a flashy place and to be honest if you weren't looking for it you would never think of going but its great. The service is usually very good but the last time i was there it was a little slow but it was also because were in a hurry and everything seems slow when you trying to Eat and Run. Legendary
(5)leDuke w.
The Thai food here is outstanding , and to be honest , I think a few steps above what's available in the rest of Evanston. Sushi is fresh. Service is consistently good. prices are reasonable. Lots to choose from & they have a super value for the 'Lunch Box' specials. Lots of yummy apps. tasty soups & the kung pao is delicious ....
(5)Michael B.
I'm not sure what all the bad reviews are about. The staff is always friendly, the restaurant is spotless, and the food is very good. My very picky 80 year old mom loves Bonsai too. The duck moo shoo is fantastic.
(4)V P.
Overpriced, underspiced, not so nice. The worst excuse for Thai food I have experienced to date. We ordered Pad Thai. Spicy Basil Noodles, Tom Yum soup, and sushi. Bland food, small portions, overpriced, undercooked onions. Who messes up Pad Thai, for goodness sake? Sushi was passable. Will never order from here again.
(1)Pamela P.
There is nothing "star worthy" about this place. When I say it was terrible, that seems like an understatement. First, the place needs a good, thorough scrubbing. It was dirty and grimy and the table and floors were equally sticky. In fact, I couldn't tell which one was worse. For the first time in my life long love affair with miso soup, I hated its taste in my mouth. I had to put soy sauce in it because it was too fishy and bland. Ever heard of salt, people? The chicken teriyaki lunch special was disgusting. The chicken was smothered in some sticky, gluey, heavy sauce with days-old meat. That was next to stale, hard rice, next to some salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and two types of crunchy noodles (no yummy ginger dressing here). The kicker was the dry, bland, and OLD California roll. How do you screw up a Cali roll? What a way to fail at a bento box. That coupled with the FLAT diet RC or Rite was enough to send me running away from this awful place.
(1)Amanda A.
this place is run by rude, unprofessional people. i ordered two vegetable dumpling soups from them, to be delivered. i took special care to ensure the menu made no mention of "vegetables and meat," but stated clearly that the dumplings were veggie-only. i got chicken dumplings. unmistakable. i called the restaurant and explained the situation, hoping to be met with a standard offer to re-make the food correctly or to refund the money. got neither. the woman on the phone told me i was wrong, that the chef had prepared meatless dumplings, and she would not help me. i asked for a refund. she said the restaurant didn't have a refund policy. i asked "you don't refund your customers when you get the order wrong?" she said yes. ultimately, she suggested that i take store credit "for next time." as if there would be a next time. bad business practices are the hardest thing to forgive in a restaurant.
(1)Bob G.
I would probably give this new place four stars but I am giving it five to balance the one star review at the end, which I find useless and clearly wrong. We gave Bonsai Cafe a chance to get on it's feet before we went there. It was worth the wait. First of all, you can bring your own wine, which was quickly opened by our friendly waitress. We ordered two appetizers - the Vietnamese Spring rolls and the fried calamari. Be careful here; either is enough for two people (maybe four if all you want is a starter). Both were very good. The rolls (four pieces) were light and come with two sauces - one spicy, one sweet. The calamari is deep fried in tempura batter and very tasty, but almost too large of a serving! You could make a meal out of this alone. I ordered the the Sushi Platter and my wife had the Spicy Basil Noodles with chicken. The sushi was fresh tasting, nicely prepared and presented, and the slices of fish were large. The platter contained twelve pieces, each a different variety, for only $18. The Noodle dish was tasty, spicy and large enough to need a take home container. For a new neighborhood place, it is great.
(5)Robyn K.
Wow, I am really surprised by the negative reviews. We have only eaten lunch, but we have gone there 5-6 times. I have always enjoyed my selections, but I do know that what you order somewhere will reflect how you feel about a place. The Szechuan green beans are really good and the heat varies, but I always have enjoyed the dish. My favorite dish is the Ginger Beef Chowfun. It has noodles, beef, mini bok choy, peppers, and is served in a bowl. My husband usually gets a lunch box special and is surprised at how much food you get for the cost. The homemade ginger ale is great in the summer. The place is pretty small and I think that our service has improved since we first started eating here. It is a good neighborhood place and we have never had to wait for a table at lunch time.
(5)Megan L.
I was happy to see a newer Asian place in the neighborhood, but this one falls under the category of those pan-Asian places that don't seem to do any of the cuisines very well. The service is very friendly, and I hate to give a negative review to a nice, family owned place...but the food is just...not good. I had the Vietnamese Spring Rolls and the peanut dipping sauce was way too salty. I'm a person who loves salt, but this was practically inedible. I also ordered the Peanut Noodles small plate. It tasted like it was made with the same dipping sauce. My friend ordered the Panang Noodles - that tasted about the same as the peanut dipping sauce, except it was really spicy. The high point of my meal was their home made Ginger Soda. Very nice. We did not try the sushi. Maybe that's their strong point? I don't think I'm willing to give them another chance, though. :(
(2)John B.
I really like Thai cuisine. Although I am no expert., I can discern the difference between bad, good and wow. My impression is that the food at Bonsai hovers around "good." The decor, I think, is nice. Another reviewer mentioned it wasn't clean enough. We were there at night, so perhaps it looks better in the dark. I'll have to take a closer look next time. But the general appearance was perfectly acceptable. Service: The service was okay until the check arrived. Then we stepped into The Twilight Zone. We had ordered a couple of maki that were priced on the menu at $6 each. The check stated $8 each. We called the waitress back to point out the error. She compared the check to the menu and informed us, "That's wrong," pointing at the menu, "The are $8." We politely insisted that any error was not ours. She went to the manager (owner) and returned with an adjusted check, without a word. The body language suggested she was peeved at us. I'm sorry, but this was bizarre. I think she owed us an apology rather than giving us a bad attitude. The owner seems to be a very nice guy, however, he needs to understand that ambiance is important to diners. As I said, the decor is nice, however, when we were there, he started talking on the phone, with the phone set to speaker. So everyone could here both him and his mother (or whoever). Very annoying, in any case; especially annoying while you are having dinner. BYOB: Yes. We like that. TV: Charlie Trotter won't even hang fine art on the walls in his establishment, wanting customers to focus on the food. A TV simply diminishes the ambiance of Bonsai. Just give us tea lights.. We'll almost certainly be back for another try, since this is in the neighborhood, but the competition is stiff, so I hope that Bonsai works to improve the ambiance. And to update the menu.
(3)Jordan G.
Great sushi and Chinese dishes. Always welcoming when we eat there with great service.
(5)SJ C.
We went for dinner and ordered: tempura, panang chicken curry, Chinese chicken salad, crab rangoon, spicy tuna maki, unagi, tamago, thai iced coffee. The tamago was decent. Everything else was disgusting. The tempura sauce was nothing more than brown water. The panang was soupy and had no flavor but straight up curry. The chicken salad was something that I feel like McDonalds might offer to be cultural: iceberg with hot shredded chicken on top spiced with some red pepper. The spicy tuna maki tasted like they used some fish other than tuna. Not sure how raw tuna can taste bad, but somehow here it does. The unagi had no flavor. The crab rangoon (in all fairness the menu does state "imitation crab" as the filling) was gross - like sugary imitation crab with mayo rather than whatever else is supposed to be in it. And the wantons they were in were almost elephant ears. And the worst? The thai iced coffee. It was like they dumped a cup of sugar in with the condensed milk. We didn't have any chopsticks, and had to ask for silverware. When they brought the check, we had to wait 5 minutes to get someone to bring us a pen - and the place was empty. The $60 we spent on this food was such a regrettable waste.
(1)A.J. M.
My parents really like this place. So I've eaten there or had take out a few times. For starters, the take out portions are rather weak in my opinion. I've had the sesame chicken, mongolian beef, and kung pao from here, and besides the portions, these dishes just lacked flavor. Dry, almost. When I went to eat there once, I had the orange chicken, which was different in a bad way. Dry and just lacking flavor. I will say that the Chinese dumpling soup was delicious, but one can't just eat that small soup portion for dinner every time you eat from/at this place. Need to step up their menu.
(2)m s.
This place is in the neighborhood and has good food. The staff is very friendly staff (although we typically do take out - at least once a week). We enjoy the apps and the shrimp and chicken meals are usually very good. Beef meals are sometimes hit or miss (although the thai beef salad is usually very good).
(3)Annaliese V.
My family went there this evening for the first time. The food was good but I think a bit overpriced for the quantity of food. They seemed to have only one server on a Sat night and she seemed overwhelmed, basically dropped the food on the table and never came back. Never asked how the meal was, if we needed anything, a water refill, etc. Doubt we'll be back. Royin down the street is tastier with much nicer staff.
(3)Jen G.
I just had lunch with a friend at Bonsai Cafe and could not have been more thrilled to find this tiny piece of heaven. We both had one of the lunch specials that has a little bit of everyting; miso soup, pot stickers, jasmine rice, sushi, chicken terriyaki. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful. The restaurant is cozy and pretty and makes you feel like you are some place special. I will definitely recommend to friends, family and co-workers.
(5)Rebecca R.
So, Someone here said the food was too salty... agreed, I got Mongolian Beef, incredibly salty. Someone else said the servings were small, agreed especially considering the price. Let me put this in perspective, the day after I ordered from here I got the same dish from a different place, received the same size plastic container, only where bonsai had filled it with beef & rice, from this other place it was FULL of just the beef and the rice came in one of those rice boxes. So in other words, my serving of Mongolian beef was twice as large, and it cost $2 less. Other folks on yelp said it was the sort of place that is pan Asian and does everything badly... yup... won't be ordering again Only really positive thing I can say was the delivery was quick
(2)Maya P.
Was not really impressed. The restaraunt tried to make the food more like american-thai. There really was no flavor on the food. It was just really sweet. I wouldn't recommend this restaraunt to ANYBODY. Go to Old Neighborhood Grill. There food is way much better.
(1)Tom M.
I've eaten here/gotten takeout a half dozen times, and the food has ranged from very good to excellent.
(4)Marilyn P.
I'm surprised by the negative reviews here. I ate at Bonsai with friends on Friday night; it was fairly crowded but we were still served in a timely fashion. Everything was delicious - fresh, well-prepared, and attractively served. My friends had the Szechuan green beans and said they were the best they'd ever had. My spicy peanut noodles were great, as were the individual sushi. Prices were extremely reasonable. We'll be back.
(5)Melanie S.
Absolutely terrible service. Took over fifteen minutes for someone to take our order. The server was actually flagged down by someone at the table next to us who noted we had been sitting unacknowledged for some time. Waited for food for nearly forty-five minutes. Never brought the water we requested - which was even more frustrating because my daughter absolutely scalded her tongue when the soup finally came forty five minutes later. We were not given utensils, once again had to get up to flag a server down after several minutes. Food very average. Then.... no surprise..... had to get up again to flag down the server for the check. Waited some more.... finally ...ten minutes later brought it to the table. 2 1/2 hours later, out the door. Frustrating because I really wanted to like this place. This was our second time there (the first was only marginally better). Definitely won't go back. .
(1)Ashley F.
Worst place to eat on Central St. The seasme chicken tasted like it was cooked in very old oil. Service was bad. Expensive if you compare it too the much better tasting Pinto or Royin up the street.
(1)Steve J.
We are cheering for this place, but it still needs to move the food up a notch or two. We tried the potato croquettes and Vietnamese rolls. Croquettes were good; rolls boring. Then, we turned to our focus, the sushi. They failed the saba test (see my sushi list); hamachi and unagi were, at best, average, other sushi were more disappointing. Fish needs to be fresher. Rolls were OK, but flavors were not up to Chicago sushi standard. We want you to succeed; please try harder!
(2)Jenni B.
We have been very pleased with Bonsai Cafe. We have only carried out items from the sushi menu. The people taking the order over the phone were very knowlegeable and understood what I was saying. The sushi/sashimi portions were larger than some other popular Japanese restaurants in the area.
(4)Lauren G.
I really wanted to like this place since it's within walking distance of my place. My husband and I ordered the calamari, a salmon maki roll, kung pao chicken, and a curry dish for take out. The calamari was inedible. The breading wasn't even cooked all the way and the squid was so chewy that I had to spit it out. The roll and kung pao chicken was good but the curry was so hot and we couldn't even finish it. I understand that curry is hot and we like our spicy food but this was over the top. If they serve it that spicy, it should be noted in the menu. I called back to say that we couldn't even eat the calamari. A note was made in my account to credit me the next time we ordered. The next day we ordered a few more rolls. I asked about the credit and I was told that the credit was for another calamari. I didn't want to order the same crappy dish as last time! It took 5 minutes on the phone for the women taking my order to finally ask the owner if they could apply the credit. Then, when I picked up the order I gave her the coupon I received the day before for $5 off my order when I spent $25 but was told I couldn't use it since the credit from my calamari put my total bill to $24. Geez! Summary: Food, okay. Service, terrible. Go to Royin down the street instead. We won't be coming back to Bonsai.
(2)robin w.
We are sushi fanatics and we gauge a sushi restaurant by the term "sushi momentum," meaning how fast the sushi flies off the shelf or the fresh factor. The sushi at Bonsai has always been fresh & served at the right temp - not cold and certainly not warm. So the momentum is good (i.e. they don't hold product too long). But if you ever went to Matsuya on Clark, there was NO better bare bones just great sushi at great prices anywhere else in the city. The sushi at Bonsai is nice, but its 2x the price. We used to have Matsuya 1x/wk at $35 for 2. Bonsai is $60/2 for same portions. Yes you can bring wine which is FAB, but they ding you for tea (zero cost) and some faint miso soup at $3/bowl. Those were always complimentary at Matsuya. We'd eat at Bonsai more often if the prices were better, since its a short walk for us. For $60 I can get a load of sushi myself at Sea Ranch in Wilmette, a pound of sticky rice & make my own dinner for 4 (and we've done it!) All is good but the $$$.
(3)