Went back several times since I posted my first review for this place. I loved the simple yet flavorful coconut rice, chicken kodi kuda was excellent too. Its nice to see that the owner is willing to take risks with his buffet menu. Definitely stands out.
(4)
Keerthivasan M.
Food is okay. Two stars for that. We walked in on a busy Saturday noon and nobody cared us for ten minutes. There was only one poor chap waiting on 20-30 people. So sad of him. Finally after securing a table, we were again waiting forever for someone to help us with the food. One of the worst services I have ever seen in a restaurant. Just go for a takeout and be happy.
(2)
Apara W.
This review is for their catering only. I have not been to this place yet. I was invited to a friend's home who had their catering from here. Food was one of the better ones, I had in a long time. Very South Indian, authentic, flavorful vegetarian options.
(4)
Vignesh T.
Amazing food. All Indian spices flavor.. First time I'm happy about buffet!! The review is strictly for food. Just brilliant.. !
(5)
Julie R.
BONES. I LOVE food. I HATE not being able to eat it. Indian food is delicious but I am not used to ordering it. When I called CM to place a pick up order I asked for them to make recommendations on what their menu. Everything was questionable... especially after finding the bone fragments... IF I were to dine here again, I would stick to chicken and veggie options.
(2)
Keshav R.
Best Andhra style cuisine in Chicago Period!!! Forget the ambience, the place and even the service. When i arrived there on a sunday afternoon the place was packed and that got my taste buds watering because there is no better sight than a packed place when you drive 30 miles to eat at a restaurant and unsure if it is worthwhile. We wanted to order some drinks, the guy who waited on us politely set the table with spoon and fork (again typical indian!! no Knife) and two glasses of iced water and moved on to set the next table, No question if we wanted to see the menu to ask for drinks!! Also never mind if we wanted to order from the Ala carte or not, he made the choice for us. So we set off for the buffet, My wife a vegetarian tried their uttapam (mediocre) egg puff, chutneys and i went for the tandoori chicken and masala chicken wings. This set the tone for the rest of the buffet. This is definitely a great dining option inspite of the mediocre idles, dosas and nan. It simply makes up with the great tasting entrees. The Biryani is something special and definitely hard to match anywhere outside Andhra and Bangalore!!
(5)
Abha S.
Really good indian food (I'm a fan of their andhra spicy chicken dishes), bangara baigan (eggplant) and naans/tandoori roti...and samosas... Lots of options to choose from. Not a very fancy ambience at all but most definitelt expect great food :) thumbs up !
(4)
Harshavardhan K.
If the place ain't packed you probably entered a wrong restaurant. The buffet has south Indian breakfast included the vadas are crisp, dosas soft and chutney good tasting. Chicken biriyani and curries are all good tasting. Must visit here if you are craving for an all u can eat south Indian breakfast.
(4)
Milan P.
Slow service... After we sat, it took about 10 minutes for someone to come by to take our order. We ordered egg bhurji, which wasn't on the menu, but they had a few other egg dishes so we thought the could easily make it. About 20 minutes after we ordered, the waiter came by (we were expecting our food) and told us that they don't make egg bhurji. We were pretty hungry by then and couldn't figure out why it took them 20 minutes to tell us. We just got up and left.
(1)
Vijay V.
Awesome south indian food... Buffet was one of the best I had in USA.
(5)
George H.
Food is good and served in big portions. They are not afraid to dump spices on you though. I would recommend going for mild spice, it will be the same as everyone else's high spice.
(4)
Sidekick K.
OK after repeatedly going many times I have come to a conclusion that this place is a very average place ; so if you order the curry right the pieces of chicken are so huge that is not bite size ; so when you order any curry Andhra chicken or cettinadu chicken the pieces are HUGE/LARGE and the whole parcel is just pieces of meat with light coating ; when you start eating it it the raw taste of meat comes with every bite ; so essentially what happens is the whole curry concept is done with ; perfect example is cooks who make Tandoori chicken with color with absolutely no spice or flavor and give it on sizzler ; I am sure all/most folks must have gone to an Indian Buffet .....and have had this experience ; I used to go to this place for different curries etc and then it is just getting disappointing every time ; one time I requested the chicken pieces to be smaller ; the chefs are just dumping un-flavorful meat in a curry sauce which not going to saturate the meat ; I want the chef to eat the piece of meat he/she serves in parcel in one bite ; I am sure they will throw up ... I have to make sure that this gets out ; all Indian restaurants die doing such kind of business ; they are trying to save up on spice cost etc. and serve inexpensive large chunks of meat . if we want to eat big pieces of un-flavorful meat I would go to any american fast food any days hardees; kfc, etc. etc. They are talking folks for granted.
(2)
Arun R.
Best andhra food in Chicago. I recommend this place for all those telugu ppl who miss homely food.
(5)
Bhavana R.
Love the food here..its spicy and tastes so good like restaurants In India..good job guys! Good service too sometimes it gets too crowded to serve well..
(5)
Shebz Q.
Food was awesome but highly overpriced. Can't imagine that they are ripping off people like anything. Mutton Biryani for $15 and Chili chicken for $13. There is not a single place in Chicago that would charge $3 for a naan. That's too much guys. When I started my meal I was planning to give 5 stars but looking at the prices I changed my mind as it's way too expensive. Owners need to seriously revise the prices and make it consistent and competitive with other restaurants.
(2)
Prashant C.
I was expecting good food and very average service . That's exactly what I got ...no complaints ...will be visiting here more often . I tried dum biryani and wife tried malai kofta with naan. Both were good. Price is probably tad on expensive side but then with inflation knocking the door..What else would you expect.!
(4)
Avinash K.
Buffet standard has been really going down.. I liked the Pav Bhajji today and I think Gouth-Vaangai was good ( I didnt try it).. Paneer Butter Masala was really really pathetic.. Not a good experience..!!
(3)
Amy P.
This place is decent. Average food. Friendly environment! Overall it's a good place to eat.
(4)
M M.
Vegetarian Biryani is delicious and a very large portion for a good price. Tasty food. Gajur halwa is delicious here too if you want dessert. Yum!
(4)
Shankar R.
This place is one the jewels in the crown of Indian food in Chicago area. To me this place is one of the best places for especially south Indian food. Ambiance is not so great and it's simple...crowded during the weekend buffet. So be prepared to wait in the Q over the weekends. Solid five stars are for food. Mouth watering biryani and the spicy mutton curry with puri, the best among the buffet. The biryani and the gravy curries are extra spicy and I enjoyed eating such a spicy food. I felt like I was eating the food back in Andhra. And for sure it will be burning on your palate, if you are habituated to eat moderate spicy food. The biggest complaint is that only three staff members are serving the customers and I think additional staff should be added for a quick service. For someone who is looking for south Indian authentic spicy food in and around Chicago, then this is the place to give a try.
(5)
Nick S.
Of all the Indian joints in my area Cool Mirchi has the highest average review, so I decided to start there first with some carry out. We (me and Tonia) really liked our food. We ordered a few items. The Mutter paneer, which was awesome. The spinach DAL was good and the Nan was very tasty. I was a little surprised that the entres do not come with rice, so be ready to order some (not a big deal, just saying). One thing to note is that this place is a dump on the inside. I don't think I could eat in there and I'm a dude. This place is strictly carry out. Also, the food is super spicy, so you may want to have them tone it down. The kitchen gets a high-five b/c the food was very good and everyone working there had a smile, which is always a good thing.
(4)
Tony M.
I'm so tired of Indian food that is mild and bland, fortunately at Cool Mirchi that is one problem I wont have! Turn up the heat and enjoy the spice in all its glory. If you think Jalapenos on your nachos are "too hot" then you better find another establishment. I went on a weekday for the Mini Buffet, although the choices were few all were top notch, some mango ice cream and ice cubes in the water would have made this the perfect mini lunch. Cant wait for plans to check out the full buffet choices!
(4)
Leo A.
This place has descent food, but service is really bad. There is only one server doing all the work. Its little on the high spicy end, so be sure you are ready for it. When i tell spicy, I don't mean its very hot... its full of masalas like kitchen king, Cinnamon etc.. everything a lil too much. It is not very costly and ambiance is descent. I would say if you have lot of time and feel like eating spicy food, this is the place. I would rate it 3/5. It is ok, but not great...
(3)
Nishant S.
Worst service ever and the poorest quality chicken used to cook! I visited "Cool Mirchi" with my wife on Memorial Day weekend for dinner. It was not busy and only 1 table was occupied with 6 people there. We were seated and as soon as we sat we realized that there is very intense and bad odor in the restaurant. We noticed that there was only 1 server, and he did not care to come to us and ask what we would like to eat/drink etc. Waiter was just busy with the 1 table and taking orders on the phone. We waited for 10 minutes and then waived at the waiter. He finally showed up and we asked for the water and the menus. Finally he gave us menus and water and never came back. Another 10 minutes then we waived at him and he ignored and was busy on the phone. One Lady, probably the chef herself, came from inside and took our order. We asked for tea and ordered our food. Half an hour passed nothing came on our table and they did not even care to give papad or something else to fix the situation. The waiter there was only busy with the to-go orders and no one was there to serve. In the meantime 2-3 more families came in. We noticed that it has been 45 minutes since we placed the order and the family that came after us was served the food before us. I asked my wife to leave the place and when we were about to leave the place then the same lady showed up from the kitchen and told us that our food will be ready in 5 minutes. We told her that it has been more than 1 hour sitting here and sipping water, and you guys did not care to bring even our tea. She then realized that we ordered tea also. She admitted that she forgot about tea and was cooking our food. We asked that why the people who came after us are getting food before us then she replied that these guys ordered on the phone and then came here to eat. We were like WTH, anyways get us our food. Finally, the food came and chicken pieces were the worst we ever had and so tiny and ugly that looked like scavenged chicken. We did not even eat it. I just ate 2-3 bites of my naan and then the server came with our tea. We told him that the service is horrible and you were hiding in the corner and we were just trying to make an eye contact with you to ask for our food. He was such an arrogant looser that he started talking in loud voice in his broken English that he cannot stand next to your table all the time and Indian food takes time to cook blah blah. Instead of admitting the mistake that they forgot about our tea and their service needs improvement, he was trying to dictate on us. I was like go to hell dude and left cash right on the table and left.
(1)
Victoria W.
We got some carryout. The palak paneer was very odd. Usually it's a sauce with little chunks of dark green spinach. This was more like a soft green-colored spinach puree of smoothie-like consistency. I wasn't really a fan of that, or the flavor which was a little too salty and very spicy for being a mild order. It also seemed pricey considering that it didn't come with rice. (Takeout menu lists steamed rice as an extra $3.50, meh.) (Update: My partner later ordered a dish the next day and it did come with rice. So I guess they just forgot the rice for the two entrees we ordered the first time?...) However, I really liked the "Express Lunch Box" option which they offer Mon-Thurs. I received: - A standard carryout box filled with rice, a paneer curry, a mixed veggie dish, and some really tasty veggie pakora - small containers of daal and soup - a tiny container of dessert and a tiny cup of spicy rice pudding - two huge pieces of naan At about half the price of the actual buffet, this was a great option for me. I love the variety of a buffet, but dislike the temptation to stuff myself. (Note: The website says the Vegetarian Express Lunch Box is $6.99. However, they charged me $5.99 for it.) The mango lassi, $4, was pretty good. The ordering experience on the phone was frustrating but once I got there, the person who helped me was friendly. The decor seemed nice from my short time there, except it was pretty dark around lunch time as none of the lights were on. Will be back for the lunch box!
(4)
Vi N.
Good Andhra food at reasonable prices. Service is usually OK but when its busy, forget about it . Try the Fish Fry and Hyderabad Dum Biryani. Good quantities. However, watch out for the floor leading to the rest room - it's crazy slippery. I informed the manager several times but its been like that for the last 3 times we were there. Hope they don't go out of business because someone slipped and sued them.
(3)
Artie W.
My girl M. and I were on our way to a comedy show in the suburbs, and we had time to kill. So we figured we'd get Indian food before going to the club. I picked out this place from Yelp because it had the best reviews in the area. Fast forward to a few hours later as I'm writing this review in my head while waiting for the comedy club waitress to bring us overpriced burgers and nachos... because at Cool Mirchi WE NEVER EVEN MADE IT TO THE F'ING MEAL. When we get there, things look good. Easy parking. The place smells great. Semi-crowded with Indian families, and it's always a good sign for a restaurant when people who are native to that cuisine choose to dine there. So, we get seated, handed menus and water, and we're psyched. A few minutes later the waiter comes to take our order, and we already know what we want. No problem, order placed. We've now been here 5 minutes, maybe less. Now the place is getting a little busier... in fact, soon it's nearly packed. It's been about 10 minutes now. We start noticing little things: the pictures on the wall are all slightly crooked. The table and fixtures are smeared with grease. A bunch of loose wires sticking out of the wall, wrapped in masking tape, and painted over. A random paint can is just sitting against a wall in the dining room. The whole place is just... dingy. But, no big deal, we're hungry enough to not care. Another 10 minutes go by. The waiter passes our table, bringing appetizers to people that arrived after us. We give him an inquiring look, and he says "two minutes." M. is slightly annoyed that another table is getting food, but I reason that we didn't order appetizers so it's not a problem. Two more minutes. We're so hungry! Can't wait. Ten more minutes go by. It dawns on us that there is only one waiter. On a Saturday night. In a packed restaurant. Although it's not his fault, this is just poor planning. So, M. gets up and walks to the front counter to politely ask what's up. "Two minutes," she's told simply. She sits down. It's been half an hour, we're starving, and at this point we're assessing how much time we can spend on the actual meal in order to to get to the show on time. At any other spot we'd be halfway through our Chana Masala by now. Five minutes later, dude walks by again. "Two minutes," he says, bringing appetizers to yet another table. Clearly time operates differently in this strange, dingy dimension. M. says, "let's give them 10 more minutes," figuring we can leave at that point and grab a slice of pizza somewhere before the show. Ten more minutes go by. Then 11, 12, 13... The dude is nowhere to be found, a baby is crying, and we are considering mauling the other tables for their appetizers like it's 28 Days Later. Finally we get up and walk out. No attempt is made to stop us, or apologize, or even acknowledge that we were there for 48 minutes without being given so much as a pice of nan to gnaw on. I know that things happen. Maybe a waiter called in sick. Maybe they had a new cook and that was his first day. Maybe there was an unforeseen chutney shortage and the owner had to run to Jewel-Osco to get some. Even if all of those things were true, we should have been treated like the paying customers we were. We should have been given some kind of explanation, apology, free drink, some bread, ANYTHING more than just some idiotic "two minutes" mantra meaninglessly repeated to us. Instead, we lost about an hour of our lives (including the 10 minutes it's taken to write this silly review) with nothing to show for it. I'll never go back to this place and I urge anyone reading this to avoid trying it as well- unless you are the ONLY customers, in which case you may be able to order, be served, eat, and leave before you notice the looming crapiness around you. And oh yeah, those comedy club nachos were so, so, so, good.
(1)
Bernard P.
Cool Mirchi is back, kicking ass and taking names! We went back there today for lunch and were so happy to see the newly remodeled kitchen and updated decor. They've always had 5 star food, but a few months ago, our lunch experience was anything but 5 stars. The quality of their food is back to what it was when it first opened and that is a good thing. Now I know why the Daily Herald gave them such a phenomenal review years ago. Cool Mirchi's waitstaff and managers are exceptional as well, as they definitely add to the wonderful Indian dining experience. I knew that Cool Mirchi would make a comeback and I'm so glad that they did! I never lost faith that the owners of Cool Mirchi would perhaps read my previous review or listen to some of their other loyal customers and make a change for the better. Knowing that Cool Mirchi decided to listen to their customers' concerns deserves much more than the 5 stars I've given today! In summary: a truly delicious, exceptional, authentic Indian dining experience that is second to none, in the city or out in the burbs. Mouth watering entrees, delectable desserts, and specialty breads make Cool Mirchi tops in my book! Winner, winner, welcome back you awesome Indian restaurant with the best lunch buffet and dinner!!!!
(5)
Cindy R.
No change in the good & bad here. Service is sloooow but the worst is that they never have everything on the menu. Nowhere near a 5 star place, more like a great cook in the kitchen but no one in charge who knows how to run a restaurant. Food is still great. Just tried the Chicken 65 and 3 days later I want it again. It was spicy & awesome. I guess my survivor's guide to this place is: don't expect everything on the menu to be available (I've given up on the paneer tikka, sadly) and expect slow service.
(3)
Sujith T.
Food taste varied for me between a dine in and a to go. Sometimes I would definitely give 5 stars, some times 4 and it varies again. Snack Items/Appetizers will be very good. Particularly, Gobi Manchurian, chilli chicken etc. Biryani will also be very good. Curry's and wet items are just OK. But, to go was like a 2 star. We ordered some Chicken and veg biryani. Veg was good, but the chicken biryani was really bad. Spice was like sprinkling red pepper on the already made biryani and it was a boneless chicken ! Who can expect a bone less biryani when we say chicken biryani. Completely disappointed. It was for a small get together at home.
(3)
Summer H.
One of the best Indian restaurants around schaumburg. The ambience is not that great but very tasty food! The chicken biryani is very spicy though. Definitely like the chicken entrees. Service is good too. They will usually greet you with a smile..
(4)
Daniel H.
This is the best Hyderabadi food I've had in the Chicago area. The biggest flaw from my perspective is that it's too far to make it a realistic dining option for me. However, if you're ever out there, do check this place out and you won't be disappointed. Food: Rich but not oily, which is how good desi food should be. I was surprised by the fact that they have more than one style of biryani. They have Hyderabadi and Dum biryani. Most places just have one style with only the meat changing. Their malai koftas were a Hyderabadi mughlai treat, excellent texture enchanced by a piquant cashew flavored cream gravy. Their chicken fry tastes very much like good home food, Since it's an Andra restaurant, there's a lot of fish and seafood on the menu. I don't eat fish or seafood, but if you do I would imagine you'll be in for a treat. The food gets 5 stars. Value: It's a little expensive, with dishes ranging from the mid teens to almost $20. They have a lunch buffet, and though we had an amazing dinner, I would imagine the buffet would be a better value if you can make it. In my opinion, the value issue keeps it from 5 starts; however, this is an excellent place which I would love to frequent again. Ambiance: Nice Hyderabadi fare. no problems. Service: quick and personal. good service Oh and by the way, kudos for the clever name...
(4)
vamsee P.
This is the truly authentic South Indian food i had after a long time. Food is truly tasty and getting a lunch option thali here is the real deal if you dont want to stuff yourself. coming to the food as i have said you cannot get better Indian food around this area.
(5)
Gaurang B.
I must say this was the best Indian food I have had so far in Chicago area. Thrice I have tried their lunch buffet and it was truly delicious. There are sooo many options that at the end, I was really sad that I was full.. :) Chicken tandoori, Mutton curry and south indian dishes- medoo vada, rasam, sambar, idli were the most awesome ones but even the other things are worth trying.. Service is good, cleanliness is good, absolutely spotless..
(5)
john b.
I'm from the West Coast, here on business, and what a treat to find Cool Mirchi on our last night. The food here is excellent. We had the buffet which was simple but delicious - extremely flavorful, spicy and authentic South Indian. The flavors are clean and bright and we ate until we were stuffed. Very reasonable price, too. The decor is a bit dated but who cares - the dishes are obviously prepared with care. What a pleasant surprise!
(5)
Rakesh A.
It is a really awful place. Please never go to this resturant. The price is almost same as other good places but food sucks! I will never go again!
(1)
D. T.
I'd ideally give it a 2.5 stars. The food is okay. Couple of things. This is definetly not a a nice sit down restuarant, its a strictly carryout place. Also the place is sort of messy. Chilli Chiken I got was REALLY salty but all other items I tried were good.
(3)
D P.
I have been there few times as well as have taken out few times. The food is always very spicy. Even though I have told them to make it mild, they make it very spicy.
(1)
Chicago P.
Even though I had thought that food was slightly over priced for this kind of restaurant I did venture again to order the same food I ordered last time Chicken Biryani and Korma and they turned out to be one of the best in this part of Chicago again, the overwhelming amount of cloves the last time has been corrected this time around and I thoroughly enjoyed the food, would probably visit again if they maintain this same consistency which I know is a tall ask for south Asian restaurants. The only critique I have is that the balance of meat to rice is not well matched with more amount of rice. I would now rate this 4/5 even though i still think it's slightly over priced considering the lack of consistency or a totally miss among most restaurants i visited.
(4)
Sada K.
The dum biryani, chicken biryani, chilli chicken and chettinad chicken is awesome. It is a small family run place in a low traffic strip mall. One would not notice it. The ambience inside is ok, and nothing to write about. But the food makes it up. If you are looking for some authentic Andhra (south indian) spicy (as spicy as it is in India, and not US spicy) then this is the place. Their take out service is good and we did take outs most Fridays!
(5)
Kristy G.
A solid 4 stars here. We loved the food (definitely spicy! at the upper limit for our pallets), but ordering was a bit of a pain. We opted for take-out and placed our order by phone. There were no dosas (not sure if that's a forever thing or just that night) and we ordered an appetizer that should have contained broccoli but we definitely received something else (just paneer? who knows). Everything tasted divine though so it wasn't worth a fuss. I wish I knew what we ate as the appetizer so we could order it again! The garlic basil naan was awesome, rice was tasty, and flavors and spices excellent in the mystery appetizer and chicken tikka entree.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No 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 : Yes
India is the birth place of Chicken Tikka Masala and Curries. Indian foods are prepared with a blend of finely mixed spices quite popular across the region. The spices develop the rich taste in Indian food enough to boggle your mind. The ever-increasing fan base of Indian food around the New York city is steadily increasing because of the large number of Indians who traveled to the land of dreams. The Indians also brought their very own vibrant, colorful, and aromatic authentic dishes for the people in the West. While most of the Indian population is Vegetarian, Indian food is great for people who are looking for vegan or vegetarian food option. If you are a Meat lover, don't get disappointed yet. Indian food also boasts of some popular non-vegetarian dishes too. Few examples are the famous Butter Chicken, Mutton Biryani and Tandoori Chicken are enough to satisfy your taste buds.
Indian food has gained reputation all over the world especially in the United States. You can find many places serving the appetizing Indian food across all major cities in the US. India is a diverse country with different food culture originated from different parts of the country. While the Northern region boasts tandoori dishes and korma offering royal taste, the Western Ghats offers sea foods that is made in naturally sweet tender coconut milk. The South Indian food servers a quality of different dishes made from rice accompanied with spicy chutneys, curries and famous sambhar. Also, the Indian sweets are a delight to relish. If you ever want to have a burst of sugar syrup in mouth, don't forget to try few Bengali Sweets. Be it spicy, tangy, or sweet flavor, you can find everything in the Indian cuisine. Be assured that the melody of spices will surely bring delight to you.
R G.
Went back several times since I posted my first review for this place. I loved the simple yet flavorful coconut rice, chicken kodi kuda was excellent too. Its nice to see that the owner is willing to take risks with his buffet menu. Definitely stands out.
(4)Keerthivasan M.
Food is okay. Two stars for that. We walked in on a busy Saturday noon and nobody cared us for ten minutes. There was only one poor chap waiting on 20-30 people. So sad of him. Finally after securing a table, we were again waiting forever for someone to help us with the food. One of the worst services I have ever seen in a restaurant. Just go for a takeout and be happy.
(2)Apara W.
This review is for their catering only. I have not been to this place yet. I was invited to a friend's home who had their catering from here. Food was one of the better ones, I had in a long time. Very South Indian, authentic, flavorful vegetarian options.
(4)Vignesh T.
Amazing food. All Indian spices flavor.. First time I'm happy about buffet!! The review is strictly for food. Just brilliant.. !
(5)Julie R.
BONES. I LOVE food. I HATE not being able to eat it. Indian food is delicious but I am not used to ordering it. When I called CM to place a pick up order I asked for them to make recommendations on what their menu. Everything was questionable... especially after finding the bone fragments... IF I were to dine here again, I would stick to chicken and veggie options.
(2)Keshav R.
Best Andhra style cuisine in Chicago Period!!! Forget the ambience, the place and even the service. When i arrived there on a sunday afternoon the place was packed and that got my taste buds watering because there is no better sight than a packed place when you drive 30 miles to eat at a restaurant and unsure if it is worthwhile. We wanted to order some drinks, the guy who waited on us politely set the table with spoon and fork (again typical indian!! no Knife) and two glasses of iced water and moved on to set the next table, No question if we wanted to see the menu to ask for drinks!! Also never mind if we wanted to order from the Ala carte or not, he made the choice for us. So we set off for the buffet, My wife a vegetarian tried their uttapam (mediocre) egg puff, chutneys and i went for the tandoori chicken and masala chicken wings. This set the tone for the rest of the buffet. This is definitely a great dining option inspite of the mediocre idles, dosas and nan. It simply makes up with the great tasting entrees. The Biryani is something special and definitely hard to match anywhere outside Andhra and Bangalore!!
(5)Abha S.
Really good indian food (I'm a fan of their andhra spicy chicken dishes), bangara baigan (eggplant) and naans/tandoori roti...and samosas... Lots of options to choose from. Not a very fancy ambience at all but most definitelt expect great food :) thumbs up !
(4)Harshavardhan K.
If the place ain't packed you probably entered a wrong restaurant. The buffet has south Indian breakfast included the vadas are crisp, dosas soft and chutney good tasting. Chicken biriyani and curries are all good tasting. Must visit here if you are craving for an all u can eat south Indian breakfast.
(4)Milan P.
Slow service... After we sat, it took about 10 minutes for someone to come by to take our order. We ordered egg bhurji, which wasn't on the menu, but they had a few other egg dishes so we thought the could easily make it. About 20 minutes after we ordered, the waiter came by (we were expecting our food) and told us that they don't make egg bhurji. We were pretty hungry by then and couldn't figure out why it took them 20 minutes to tell us. We just got up and left.
(1)Vijay V.
Awesome south indian food... Buffet was one of the best I had in USA.
(5)George H.
Food is good and served in big portions. They are not afraid to dump spices on you though. I would recommend going for mild spice, it will be the same as everyone else's high spice.
(4)Sidekick K.
OK after repeatedly going many times I have come to a conclusion that this place is a very average place ; so if you order the curry right the pieces of chicken are so huge that is not bite size ; so when you order any curry Andhra chicken or cettinadu chicken the pieces are HUGE/LARGE and the whole parcel is just pieces of meat with light coating ; when you start eating it it the raw taste of meat comes with every bite ; so essentially what happens is the whole curry concept is done with ; perfect example is cooks who make Tandoori chicken with color with absolutely no spice or flavor and give it on sizzler ; I am sure all/most folks must have gone to an Indian Buffet .....and have had this experience ; I used to go to this place for different curries etc and then it is just getting disappointing every time ; one time I requested the chicken pieces to be smaller ; the chefs are just dumping un-flavorful meat in a curry sauce which not going to saturate the meat ; I want the chef to eat the piece of meat he/she serves in parcel in one bite ; I am sure they will throw up ... I have to make sure that this gets out ; all Indian restaurants die doing such kind of business ; they are trying to save up on spice cost etc. and serve inexpensive large chunks of meat . if we want to eat big pieces of un-flavorful meat I would go to any american fast food any days hardees; kfc, etc. etc. They are talking folks for granted.
(2)Arun R.
Best andhra food in Chicago. I recommend this place for all those telugu ppl who miss homely food.
(5)Bhavana R.
Love the food here..its spicy and tastes so good like restaurants In India..good job guys! Good service too sometimes it gets too crowded to serve well..
(5)Shebz Q.
Food was awesome but highly overpriced. Can't imagine that they are ripping off people like anything. Mutton Biryani for $15 and Chili chicken for $13. There is not a single place in Chicago that would charge $3 for a naan. That's too much guys. When I started my meal I was planning to give 5 stars but looking at the prices I changed my mind as it's way too expensive. Owners need to seriously revise the prices and make it consistent and competitive with other restaurants.
(2)Prashant C.
I was expecting good food and very average service . That's exactly what I got ...no complaints ...will be visiting here more often . I tried dum biryani and wife tried malai kofta with naan. Both were good. Price is probably tad on expensive side but then with inflation knocking the door..What else would you expect.!
(4)Avinash K.
Buffet standard has been really going down.. I liked the Pav Bhajji today and I think Gouth-Vaangai was good ( I didnt try it).. Paneer Butter Masala was really really pathetic.. Not a good experience..!!
(3)Amy P.
This place is decent. Average food. Friendly environment! Overall it's a good place to eat.
(4)M M.
Vegetarian Biryani is delicious and a very large portion for a good price. Tasty food. Gajur halwa is delicious here too if you want dessert. Yum!
(4)Shankar R.
This place is one the jewels in the crown of Indian food in Chicago area. To me this place is one of the best places for especially south Indian food. Ambiance is not so great and it's simple...crowded during the weekend buffet. So be prepared to wait in the Q over the weekends. Solid five stars are for food. Mouth watering biryani and the spicy mutton curry with puri, the best among the buffet. The biryani and the gravy curries are extra spicy and I enjoyed eating such a spicy food. I felt like I was eating the food back in Andhra. And for sure it will be burning on your palate, if you are habituated to eat moderate spicy food. The biggest complaint is that only three staff members are serving the customers and I think additional staff should be added for a quick service. For someone who is looking for south Indian authentic spicy food in and around Chicago, then this is the place to give a try.
(5)Nick S.
Of all the Indian joints in my area Cool Mirchi has the highest average review, so I decided to start there first with some carry out. We (me and Tonia) really liked our food. We ordered a few items. The Mutter paneer, which was awesome. The spinach DAL was good and the Nan was very tasty. I was a little surprised that the entres do not come with rice, so be ready to order some (not a big deal, just saying). One thing to note is that this place is a dump on the inside. I don't think I could eat in there and I'm a dude. This place is strictly carry out. Also, the food is super spicy, so you may want to have them tone it down. The kitchen gets a high-five b/c the food was very good and everyone working there had a smile, which is always a good thing.
(4)Tony M.
I'm so tired of Indian food that is mild and bland, fortunately at Cool Mirchi that is one problem I wont have! Turn up the heat and enjoy the spice in all its glory. If you think Jalapenos on your nachos are "too hot" then you better find another establishment. I went on a weekday for the Mini Buffet, although the choices were few all were top notch, some mango ice cream and ice cubes in the water would have made this the perfect mini lunch. Cant wait for plans to check out the full buffet choices!
(4)Leo A.
This place has descent food, but service is really bad. There is only one server doing all the work. Its little on the high spicy end, so be sure you are ready for it. When i tell spicy, I don't mean its very hot... its full of masalas like kitchen king, Cinnamon etc.. everything a lil too much. It is not very costly and ambiance is descent. I would say if you have lot of time and feel like eating spicy food, this is the place. I would rate it 3/5. It is ok, but not great...
(3)Nishant S.
Worst service ever and the poorest quality chicken used to cook! I visited "Cool Mirchi" with my wife on Memorial Day weekend for dinner. It was not busy and only 1 table was occupied with 6 people there. We were seated and as soon as we sat we realized that there is very intense and bad odor in the restaurant. We noticed that there was only 1 server, and he did not care to come to us and ask what we would like to eat/drink etc. Waiter was just busy with the 1 table and taking orders on the phone. We waited for 10 minutes and then waived at the waiter. He finally showed up and we asked for the water and the menus. Finally he gave us menus and water and never came back. Another 10 minutes then we waived at him and he ignored and was busy on the phone. One Lady, probably the chef herself, came from inside and took our order. We asked for tea and ordered our food. Half an hour passed nothing came on our table and they did not even care to give papad or something else to fix the situation. The waiter there was only busy with the to-go orders and no one was there to serve. In the meantime 2-3 more families came in. We noticed that it has been 45 minutes since we placed the order and the family that came after us was served the food before us. I asked my wife to leave the place and when we were about to leave the place then the same lady showed up from the kitchen and told us that our food will be ready in 5 minutes. We told her that it has been more than 1 hour sitting here and sipping water, and you guys did not care to bring even our tea. She then realized that we ordered tea also. She admitted that she forgot about tea and was cooking our food. We asked that why the people who came after us are getting food before us then she replied that these guys ordered on the phone and then came here to eat. We were like WTH, anyways get us our food. Finally, the food came and chicken pieces were the worst we ever had and so tiny and ugly that looked like scavenged chicken. We did not even eat it. I just ate 2-3 bites of my naan and then the server came with our tea. We told him that the service is horrible and you were hiding in the corner and we were just trying to make an eye contact with you to ask for our food. He was such an arrogant looser that he started talking in loud voice in his broken English that he cannot stand next to your table all the time and Indian food takes time to cook blah blah. Instead of admitting the mistake that they forgot about our tea and their service needs improvement, he was trying to dictate on us. I was like go to hell dude and left cash right on the table and left.
(1)Victoria W.
We got some carryout. The palak paneer was very odd. Usually it's a sauce with little chunks of dark green spinach. This was more like a soft green-colored spinach puree of smoothie-like consistency. I wasn't really a fan of that, or the flavor which was a little too salty and very spicy for being a mild order. It also seemed pricey considering that it didn't come with rice. (Takeout menu lists steamed rice as an extra $3.50, meh.) (Update: My partner later ordered a dish the next day and it did come with rice. So I guess they just forgot the rice for the two entrees we ordered the first time?...) However, I really liked the "Express Lunch Box" option which they offer Mon-Thurs. I received: - A standard carryout box filled with rice, a paneer curry, a mixed veggie dish, and some really tasty veggie pakora - small containers of daal and soup - a tiny container of dessert and a tiny cup of spicy rice pudding - two huge pieces of naan At about half the price of the actual buffet, this was a great option for me. I love the variety of a buffet, but dislike the temptation to stuff myself. (Note: The website says the Vegetarian Express Lunch Box is $6.99. However, they charged me $5.99 for it.) The mango lassi, $4, was pretty good. The ordering experience on the phone was frustrating but once I got there, the person who helped me was friendly. The decor seemed nice from my short time there, except it was pretty dark around lunch time as none of the lights were on. Will be back for the lunch box!
(4)Vi N.
Good Andhra food at reasonable prices. Service is usually OK but when its busy, forget about it . Try the Fish Fry and Hyderabad Dum Biryani. Good quantities. However, watch out for the floor leading to the rest room - it's crazy slippery. I informed the manager several times but its been like that for the last 3 times we were there. Hope they don't go out of business because someone slipped and sued them.
(3)Artie W.
My girl M. and I were on our way to a comedy show in the suburbs, and we had time to kill. So we figured we'd get Indian food before going to the club. I picked out this place from Yelp because it had the best reviews in the area. Fast forward to a few hours later as I'm writing this review in my head while waiting for the comedy club waitress to bring us overpriced burgers and nachos... because at Cool Mirchi WE NEVER EVEN MADE IT TO THE F'ING MEAL. When we get there, things look good. Easy parking. The place smells great. Semi-crowded with Indian families, and it's always a good sign for a restaurant when people who are native to that cuisine choose to dine there. So, we get seated, handed menus and water, and we're psyched. A few minutes later the waiter comes to take our order, and we already know what we want. No problem, order placed. We've now been here 5 minutes, maybe less. Now the place is getting a little busier... in fact, soon it's nearly packed. It's been about 10 minutes now. We start noticing little things: the pictures on the wall are all slightly crooked. The table and fixtures are smeared with grease. A bunch of loose wires sticking out of the wall, wrapped in masking tape, and painted over. A random paint can is just sitting against a wall in the dining room. The whole place is just... dingy. But, no big deal, we're hungry enough to not care. Another 10 minutes go by. The waiter passes our table, bringing appetizers to people that arrived after us. We give him an inquiring look, and he says "two minutes." M. is slightly annoyed that another table is getting food, but I reason that we didn't order appetizers so it's not a problem. Two more minutes. We're so hungry! Can't wait. Ten more minutes go by. It dawns on us that there is only one waiter. On a Saturday night. In a packed restaurant. Although it's not his fault, this is just poor planning. So, M. gets up and walks to the front counter to politely ask what's up. "Two minutes," she's told simply. She sits down. It's been half an hour, we're starving, and at this point we're assessing how much time we can spend on the actual meal in order to to get to the show on time. At any other spot we'd be halfway through our Chana Masala by now. Five minutes later, dude walks by again. "Two minutes," he says, bringing appetizers to yet another table. Clearly time operates differently in this strange, dingy dimension. M. says, "let's give them 10 more minutes," figuring we can leave at that point and grab a slice of pizza somewhere before the show. Ten more minutes go by. Then 11, 12, 13... The dude is nowhere to be found, a baby is crying, and we are considering mauling the other tables for their appetizers like it's 28 Days Later. Finally we get up and walk out. No attempt is made to stop us, or apologize, or even acknowledge that we were there for 48 minutes without being given so much as a pice of nan to gnaw on. I know that things happen. Maybe a waiter called in sick. Maybe they had a new cook and that was his first day. Maybe there was an unforeseen chutney shortage and the owner had to run to Jewel-Osco to get some. Even if all of those things were true, we should have been treated like the paying customers we were. We should have been given some kind of explanation, apology, free drink, some bread, ANYTHING more than just some idiotic "two minutes" mantra meaninglessly repeated to us. Instead, we lost about an hour of our lives (including the 10 minutes it's taken to write this silly review) with nothing to show for it. I'll never go back to this place and I urge anyone reading this to avoid trying it as well- unless you are the ONLY customers, in which case you may be able to order, be served, eat, and leave before you notice the looming crapiness around you. And oh yeah, those comedy club nachos were so, so, so, good.
(1)Bernard P.
Cool Mirchi is back, kicking ass and taking names! We went back there today for lunch and were so happy to see the newly remodeled kitchen and updated decor. They've always had 5 star food, but a few months ago, our lunch experience was anything but 5 stars. The quality of their food is back to what it was when it first opened and that is a good thing. Now I know why the Daily Herald gave them such a phenomenal review years ago. Cool Mirchi's waitstaff and managers are exceptional as well, as they definitely add to the wonderful Indian dining experience. I knew that Cool Mirchi would make a comeback and I'm so glad that they did! I never lost faith that the owners of Cool Mirchi would perhaps read my previous review or listen to some of their other loyal customers and make a change for the better. Knowing that Cool Mirchi decided to listen to their customers' concerns deserves much more than the 5 stars I've given today! In summary: a truly delicious, exceptional, authentic Indian dining experience that is second to none, in the city or out in the burbs. Mouth watering entrees, delectable desserts, and specialty breads make Cool Mirchi tops in my book! Winner, winner, welcome back you awesome Indian restaurant with the best lunch buffet and dinner!!!!
(5)Cindy R.
No change in the good & bad here. Service is sloooow but the worst is that they never have everything on the menu. Nowhere near a 5 star place, more like a great cook in the kitchen but no one in charge who knows how to run a restaurant. Food is still great. Just tried the Chicken 65 and 3 days later I want it again. It was spicy & awesome. I guess my survivor's guide to this place is: don't expect everything on the menu to be available (I've given up on the paneer tikka, sadly) and expect slow service.
(3)Sujith T.
Food taste varied for me between a dine in and a to go. Sometimes I would definitely give 5 stars, some times 4 and it varies again. Snack Items/Appetizers will be very good. Particularly, Gobi Manchurian, chilli chicken etc. Biryani will also be very good. Curry's and wet items are just OK. But, to go was like a 2 star. We ordered some Chicken and veg biryani. Veg was good, but the chicken biryani was really bad. Spice was like sprinkling red pepper on the already made biryani and it was a boneless chicken ! Who can expect a bone less biryani when we say chicken biryani. Completely disappointed. It was for a small get together at home.
(3)Summer H.
One of the best Indian restaurants around schaumburg. The ambience is not that great but very tasty food! The chicken biryani is very spicy though. Definitely like the chicken entrees. Service is good too. They will usually greet you with a smile..
(4)Daniel H.
This is the best Hyderabadi food I've had in the Chicago area. The biggest flaw from my perspective is that it's too far to make it a realistic dining option for me. However, if you're ever out there, do check this place out and you won't be disappointed. Food: Rich but not oily, which is how good desi food should be. I was surprised by the fact that they have more than one style of biryani. They have Hyderabadi and Dum biryani. Most places just have one style with only the meat changing. Their malai koftas were a Hyderabadi mughlai treat, excellent texture enchanced by a piquant cashew flavored cream gravy. Their chicken fry tastes very much like good home food, Since it's an Andra restaurant, there's a lot of fish and seafood on the menu. I don't eat fish or seafood, but if you do I would imagine you'll be in for a treat. The food gets 5 stars. Value: It's a little expensive, with dishes ranging from the mid teens to almost $20. They have a lunch buffet, and though we had an amazing dinner, I would imagine the buffet would be a better value if you can make it. In my opinion, the value issue keeps it from 5 starts; however, this is an excellent place which I would love to frequent again. Ambiance: Nice Hyderabadi fare. no problems. Service: quick and personal. good service Oh and by the way, kudos for the clever name...
(4)vamsee P.
This is the truly authentic South Indian food i had after a long time. Food is truly tasty and getting a lunch option thali here is the real deal if you dont want to stuff yourself. coming to the food as i have said you cannot get better Indian food around this area.
(5)Gaurang B.
I must say this was the best Indian food I have had so far in Chicago area. Thrice I have tried their lunch buffet and it was truly delicious. There are sooo many options that at the end, I was really sad that I was full.. :) Chicken tandoori, Mutton curry and south indian dishes- medoo vada, rasam, sambar, idli were the most awesome ones but even the other things are worth trying.. Service is good, cleanliness is good, absolutely spotless..
(5)john b.
I'm from the West Coast, here on business, and what a treat to find Cool Mirchi on our last night. The food here is excellent. We had the buffet which was simple but delicious - extremely flavorful, spicy and authentic South Indian. The flavors are clean and bright and we ate until we were stuffed. Very reasonable price, too. The decor is a bit dated but who cares - the dishes are obviously prepared with care. What a pleasant surprise!
(5)Rakesh A.
It is a really awful place. Please never go to this resturant. The price is almost same as other good places but food sucks! I will never go again!
(1)D. T.
I'd ideally give it a 2.5 stars. The food is okay. Couple of things. This is definetly not a a nice sit down restuarant, its a strictly carryout place. Also the place is sort of messy. Chilli Chiken I got was REALLY salty but all other items I tried were good.
(3)D P.
I have been there few times as well as have taken out few times. The food is always very spicy. Even though I have told them to make it mild, they make it very spicy.
(1)Chicago P.
Even though I had thought that food was slightly over priced for this kind of restaurant I did venture again to order the same food I ordered last time Chicken Biryani and Korma and they turned out to be one of the best in this part of Chicago again, the overwhelming amount of cloves the last time has been corrected this time around and I thoroughly enjoyed the food, would probably visit again if they maintain this same consistency which I know is a tall ask for south Asian restaurants. The only critique I have is that the balance of meat to rice is not well matched with more amount of rice. I would now rate this 4/5 even though i still think it's slightly over priced considering the lack of consistency or a totally miss among most restaurants i visited.
(4)Sada K.
The dum biryani, chicken biryani, chilli chicken and chettinad chicken is awesome. It is a small family run place in a low traffic strip mall. One would not notice it. The ambience inside is ok, and nothing to write about. But the food makes it up. If you are looking for some authentic Andhra (south indian) spicy (as spicy as it is in India, and not US spicy) then this is the place. Their take out service is good and we did take outs most Fridays!
(5)Kristy G.
A solid 4 stars here. We loved the food (definitely spicy! at the upper limit for our pallets), but ordering was a bit of a pain. We opted for take-out and placed our order by phone. There were no dosas (not sure if that's a forever thing or just that night) and we ordered an appetizer that should have contained broccoli but we definitely received something else (just paneer? who knows). Everything tasted divine though so it wasn't worth a fuss. I wish I knew what we ate as the appetizer so we could order it again! The garlic basil naan was awesome, rice was tasty, and flavors and spices excellent in the mystery appetizer and chicken tikka entree.
(4)