Some of Chicago’s best restaurants are hidden on the outskirts of Chicago. One of the best in the Southwest suburbs is Chi Tung, located at 9560 S. Kedzie. Chi Tung offers a huge selection of Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine, all for affordable prices. A fun atmosphere and giant portions also make Chi Tung a wonderful dining experience.
The ambiance inside Chi Tung is understated but fully functional. A lounge is located off of the main entranceway, which offers a large variety of reasonably priced drinks. Most drinks average $6, with sake being the most expensive at $9 for a large. The saketinis provide an interesting choice, with peach being a standout. The signature drink is the Mai Tai, which comes in a large glass and is blended nicely. The lounge is a nice place to stop if you are waiting for friends or there is a long wait for a table.
There are two main dining rooms located off of the entryway, with plans for an addition underway as well. As the restaurant gets very busy, tables can feel a bit close together and crowded. If you’re planning a romantic dinner out, Chi Tung may not be what you’re looking for. However, if you’re looking for a good place to relax and eat some great food, go ahead and grab a seat. Chi Tung also offers a small sushi bar for those who would like to watch the chef prepare food right in front of them.
Chi Tung’s menu is diverse and a bit overwhelming, but it also offers any Japanese, Thai, or Chinese that a diner can imagine. For a large group, I would suggest starting with the Appetizer Delight, which comes with spare ribs, crab rangoon, egg rolls, shrimp toast, fried shrimp, and BBQ beef. For two people, all of this food only runs $9. I’m not a big seafood fan, but the Chinese section of the menu runs two full pages of seafood favorites.
Meat and seafood dishes also have sizeable selections.
One of my favorite dishes at Chi Tung is the Szechaun Chicken with Vegetables, which comes out on a platter. The chefs create a combination of chunks of chicken, peppers, baby corn, and peanuts, all covered in a spicy brown sauce. Although this dish is marked as spicy, I often ask the chef to make it extra spicy. Each meal is also ended with a snack of almond cookies and fortune cookies, of course.
One of the other standout elements of Chi Tung is the lunch buffet, which costs $5 per person. With a price this low, I believed that the selection would be lacking. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The buffet offers selections of Asian favorites, like Beef with Peapods and fried rice. There is also a nice selection of sushi and other side items. The buffet is always popular, so expect to wait for a table.
Although the food is superb, Chi Tung’s incredible service shines through the most. Waiters are prompt with taking orders; the food is also delivered to the table quickly.
Every server that I have had at Chi Tung has been friendly, speedy, and eager to provide excellent service to the guests. I’d recommend filling out a comment card to tell just how pleased you are with the service at the end of the meal.
Chi Tung’s popularity continues to grow, so I would recommend making a reservation. Chi Tung also offers delivery to the surrounding areas. Chi Tung also caters nicely to children; they provide bento-boxed meals, treats, and pinwheels. This is a great restaurant for a quick meal or an elaborate celebration. Either way, diners will have a memorable meal that won’t hurt their checkbooks much.
