Big Bowl Reviews

With the notable exception of very good pork pot stickers all the food we ordered was mediocre- lots of soy, lots of sweetness- no subtlety. Service was outright bad-slow and inattentive.

My daughter and I come down to Chicago every year for a bus trip during the holidays. It's our go-to for supper and the food is delicious, authentic, and consistent. I wish they had more locations closer to us because I would eat here once a week.

The menu selections are varied, also with choose your own ingredients options. We especially like the curries; for my last one I ordered grated cauliflower rather than rice and it was very good. The appetizers are very good, as are the home-made ginger ales.

I usually don’t like Chinese food, but this is really great. Tasty, good quality and different options than the ordinary.

Just as good as it was 16 years ago when I was last in Chicago. Heaps of fresh veges, tender crisp. Cooked to perfection. Delicious sauces. And the dessert menu, wow

Service was brisk, food delicious and setting comfortable. The menu offered a wide selection allowing everyone in our party to find something palatable. We each got an entree and shared among all parties, which was easily done with assist from the wait staff.

We ate at the Big Bowl between lunch and dinner. There were only a handful of customers and the service was excellent. My wife's garlic chicken dish was excellent and my spicy chicken was good. I would certainly get the garlic chicken next time, it was much better than my dinner.

Had not been to a Big Bowl for years--and we remember enjoying it. Ambiance. staff, and presentation were excellent but the food was a bit disappointing. Husband had Kung Sao chicken and I had the Asian chicken salad. We will try it again with different choices.

Great service. Great food and very nice environment. Kung Poa beef was great as well as the Pad Thai

Took my children here, both 30+ and then my wife. Both times the service was first class and the food amazing. As with all restaurants in the US of course there was far too much on the plate but it was irresistible, both quality and presentation. Absolutely worth a visit.

I know this is a chain and I am happy to report that the food is good. What I like most is this is the only place serving Asian cuisine that I have been to that offers cauliflower rice as an option! I am definitely coming back!

We had a great dinner over at the Big Bowl. Service was excellent and food was delicious, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. Since it was our first time in the restaurant, we received a complimentary cucamber salad, which was a very nice surprise. Defenitely recommended...

We had dinner here and shared some dishes. A couple of the patrons opted to get the stir fry bar which looked very tempting but I'm glad we opted for the Thai Hot Pepper Chicken Noodles. They were delicious. Or waiter Saul was great. I would eat here again.

Big Bowl's homemade Ginger Ale is a highlight of my Chicago trips. It's nothing like store bought. If you like real ginger, you need to try this.

We stopped in here for dinner on a whim. The restaurant was super crowded so we figured that we would be wowed. Service and seating were prompt. Once seated, our drinks arrived quickly as did our super spicy food. I would visit again but I would be ok if I didn't also....just ok.

Big Bowl is exceptional for its diverse menu and outstanding service. It is a well-managed restaurant that is predictably strong on all counts. The vegetarian and gluten-free dishes stand apart for their full flavors. Appetizers are worth sampling so that you can try them all in the course of several visits. Don't miss the Big Bowl Chopped Salad.

Went with my daughter on a recent visit to Chicago and was very impressed. It's a loverly restaurant and all staff from hostess to our waitress were very prompt, helpful and polite. The food was DELICIOUS!! I had the pad thai and my daughter had the curry chicken. The food was very fresh and clearly made when ordered. My only regret that my trip wasn't long enough to return before leaving Chicago. This will definitely be a must visit fro us when we are in Chicago!

Kung Pao chicken with white rice and Vietnamese chicken noodle soup...really good. Cashew chicken super disappointing.

Came here after my better half ordered a meal on grubhub (mostly because of cauliflower rice) and was blown away! I am here visiting from the west coast and I will be watching closely to see why Big Bowl makes it on the west coast! Thank you for such warm hospitality and delicious amazing meal!!! Also shout out to Burk for the very genuine service and patience with our questions the whole meal! It was truly an experience.

Visited 5/31/21 for lunch. 2 minor issues i encountered. 1. mongolian beef dish was a too salty. 2. upon receiving bill, I requested server remove covid charge. after leaving, i noticed covid charge not removed.

The GF and I walked around downtown until we found this place. It has a very nice clean atmosphere. The service was very good also. We started off with the crab rangoon which didnt look like what we traditionally get but they were very good. I order the chicken teriyaki and fried rice. The portion was huge. It was enough to share for 2 people. I liked the rice but did not care for the chicken. It may have been more authentic than what I was used to. Overall a good stop.

A great place in central Chicago. The Firecracker Chicken is amazing. Monday is buy two glasses of wine and get the rest of the bottle free. Great value and great service

I had the cashew chicken bowl which was good. A large portion. There were a lot of choices for not just bowls with rice but also salads and noodles. I had a hard time deciding what to try. Service was good and quick. Booth was comfortable.

What is unique about this restaurant is instead of selecting your meal from a menu, you actually get to select your veggies. The wait person brings you a bowl. You then go through a type of buffet line where you get to select the types of veggies you want, in the quantity you prefer. Love broccoli...no problem. You decide how much broccoli you want. You select your fresh veggies and the sauce you prefer and they do the rest. I really love this restaurant.

This was my one and only Asian meal in the States during my 3 week trip, and it was mighty nice to see some fresh veggies! I had the Kung Pao Chicken which was huge in size, it could have been a bit spicier but that's personal taste. There are a few options and the waiter was patient and helpful in answering my questions and making sure I was happy with what I received. I also want to say as a solo traveller - it was great not to have to sit at the bar! I really appreciated that - Thank You!

Katie K was our server. She was great at helping us with our menu questions for dinner. We ended up with a pot of green tea, Dumplings, Shrimp Pad Thai, and Szechuan cheesecake for desert. The portions are very large. Since we told her we were first timers, we got a special treat. Everything we had was so good. There was plenty to eat. The cheesecake was very good. Not too sweet or too filing. They had other beverages besides tea including alcohol. Total tab excluding tip was under $40.00

The portions are HUGE! We had soup for a starter, and each portion could have fed 4. The Thai main courses were big as well, and spicier than usual for Thai restaurants, but still really tasty. We struggled to finish ours, and many diners left with doggy bags. Friendly service and good value for the area.

Hadn't been to Big Bowl in years-still looks the same. The decor has stood the test of time. The service was very good and attentive. All the food was tasty. Had the sesame chicken with noodles. I'd recommend this place for Asian food if you are staying on Michigan Ave.

I'm asian. This restaurant provided an interesting take on some common food and but an interesting spin on it. Presentation of each dish that was like one of the kids that loses Masterchef kids edition. The hot and sour soup was delicious, the chicken pho needed more care then some garnishes for traditional pho. The poke isn't your Hawaiian Poke. It tasted great, however the poke was lost as one of the 10 other equally large garnish items.

If it's one thing this establishment is, they are true to their name! You definitely get a big bowl! Even the kids bowl are huge. So you would most likely want to share your bowls at this restaurant! I can't see a kid eating out their bowl - actually a kids bowl can more than adequately feed an adult. The food tasted great and the service was equally exceptional. I'd love to visit here again but would order less items. The calamari was very nice!

Combo pot stickers were a great appetizer with chicken and veggies. I had the Orange Chicken-it has to be the best I’ve ever had. Our server K was a pleasure. No complaints...try the Stout! Perfect.

We found this place when we were wandering around Downtown Chicago. Because of my wife's allergies, we usually avoid Chinese and Thai food. We talked to the manager and we liked the restaurant's positive attitude towards food allergies and food sensitivities. The waiter was extremely helpful and explained how it works. First, she picked her vegetables and had a special flagged order. The head chef came out and found out exactly what she was allergic to. The chef then personally, cooks it in a separate Wok, to order. That is unusual and much appreciated that they take allergies seriously. My wife ordered Shrimp stir fry. I had spicy chicken. I also ordered egg rolls. The food was excellent, not too spicy, served over brown rice. It was delicious. Our waiter was very attentive. I would definitely go back.

Good place with tasty food and friendly employees. Liked stir fry chicken and vegetables with teriyaki sauce and topped with sesame seeds. Very good general Tso's Chicken dish, light breading on the meat and without the usual thick gooey sauce. The portions were big and the service was great.

We had a great meal and a few beers here. A bustling venue with a wide range of dishes. We went for the chefs choice stir fry and were not disappointed, along with delicious ribs. Very popular with locals -we saw 2 lots of cops eating here.

This is good place in the heart of the city. Good for families and the Asian cuisine is solid. Appetizers are really good and the orange chicken was solid.

Must try Chinese food Thai and Asian cuisine. The dumplings are amazing. Great food and drinks. Nice relaxing sit down dinner or a quick lunch. Great place to stop at while in Chicago. Minutes off the mag mile.

Tried their teriyaki chicken and sesame chicken with fried rice. It was nice. Prices are reasonable.

Ordered delivery from Big Bowl and all our choices came piping hot. Servings are generous. Ordered Edamame - tougher skins than we’ve encountered before so we were shooting beans all over our dining room. Got to be funny after a while. The Chicken and Peanut Eggrolls are amazing and come with mustard and a sweet and sour sauce that has much less sweetness than expected which was disappointing. Our mains were Mongolian Beef and the Chicken Lettuce Wraps (on appetizer menu). The beef was really good and loaded with mushrooms but we didn’t much like the wraps. There were very crunchy bits of meat which made us feel like it was a very poor cut with untrimmed cartilage. Not pleasant to eat. The flavor was so-so though the Hoisin sauce helped. Kinda of between meh and okay.

The first thing you notice is how the restaurant is buzzing with patrons and servers are hustling between tables. The staff is friendly has well has prompt delivering your food. There are a lot of your favorites on the menu along with a few surprises. Trust me, you want to be here.

We ordered late night delivery to our hotel as this was one of the few businesses that offered gluten free options and was open after a long day of touring the city. I am normally apprehensive about ordering online due to my daughter's celiac disease, especially in an unfamiliar city, but these fears were unwarranted. The "order online" button on their site redirects to DoorDash. I ordered pad thai and pho from the gluten free menu and made a note on the order in DoorDash that read "Gluten Free - Celiac Disease". The order arrived with bright pink allergy warning labels. She felt very safe eating and did not have a reaction. The food was fresh, hot, delicious and healthy. The veggies in the pad thai were crisp and it was clearly made to order. It was high quality food at an affordable price. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. A note on tipping when ordering online through DoorDash: If you want your tip to go to the delivery driver rather than have the company use your tip to offset its own costs, tip in cash. Your driver will thank you!

The food was really good. Wide variety of selection and the restaurant had a great vibe. It was a little retro and a lot of fun. I did the stir fry bar and it was excellent. The waiter was amazing!!! Give it a try next time you are in Chicago.

Good selection of tasty, large dishes. Plenty of spice, big portions. Friendly service and a decent selection of beers. Came back for take-out.

I stopped in for a quick hot lunch and found the bar service perfect. Full menu including the stir fry bar. Great if you are by yourself!

Big bowl Chinese and Thai is a great restaurant with a broad menu catering for all things Chinese and Thai. The restaurant itself has a bar and large tables area, the menu is good with fish, meat and vegetarian options. Good portion size, great staff I will definitely be going back.

Fresh and full of flavor! This restaurant was a great change during our stay after spending a weekend eating Italian everywhere we went. The dishes were delicious and the main course we had was Shrimp Pad Thai and the portion size was huge. It was very delicious! We also had the summer appetizer summer time roll and it was amazing! Light and full of all the clean summer flavors! Everything was so fresh! We will definitely visit this restaurant the next time we come to town! The service was also top notch!

As soon as we walked in and saw the very oily dishes of other diners, our expectations were not high. We decided on two appetizers and two soups. The summer roll while not listed as having cilantro had cilantro. It was saturated in a vinegar sauce and was a poor imitation of a summer roll. Next we had the vegetable pot stickers. They were swimming in a very salty soy sauce. Again they contained cilantro. Who puts cilantro in a pot sticker!! Hot and sour soup was a poor representation of a hot and sour soup and guess what... it came with cilantro!! The other soup was the pho imitation. Just bad. If you think sesame chicken is good Chinese, then you may like Big Bowl, but don't come here thinking you will get good Asian food.

The "big" rice noodles were amazing! Kung Pao Chicken, excellent. Pad Thai, also excellent. Great service too with gluten free menu!

We went twice here this time. The food and ambience is great. I loved the kung pao chicken. The second time round I had a vegetarian Thai curry dish. That was really spicy. The dumplings were very tasty. The staff is very welcoming and friendly. We are definitely going to go back to Big Bowl the next time we are in Chicago.

They have regular menu items. What I ordered and loved was the fill your own plate.They give u a plate ,then u go to buffet , you choose what u want to eat .You leave plate on counter, they pick it up n cook it for . Then they'll bring it to your table w rice. Awesome. The servers where very nice n helpful. I would definitely go again.

We had ordered both veg and chicken Dim Sum and it was way too good to be true. Right texture, taste and overall feel good quick lunch.

We were here around 2 on a weekday and the place was almost empty. Usually that's a bad sign in a big city but we were quite delighted with our food. Our waiter was Jeremy and when we told him we had never been there he went over the entire menu with us! We ended up ordering off the lunch menu because the portions were supposed to be smaller. I ordered the teriyaki chicken bowl and my husband ordered the Mongolian Beef. My dish was excellent and I had a bite of my husband's and it was good as well. Jeremy was very attentive and brought us extra Cokes right before we were done eating "for the road". Portions were much larger than we expected and neither of us cleaned our bowls, though we did try! With over 8,000 restaurants in the city it's always hit-or-miss when you go somewhere new but this was definitely a good choice for us!

I'm sorry to say this restaurant has gone downhill. We always stop here when we come into town. This time I wish we would have gone elsewhere. The sauces are not healthy and dominated the food. It was hard to find a truly clean, healthy sauce without allergens. The watermelon margarita was way too sweet and unbalanced. The restaurant itself was not clean, including the bathroom. There were several families dining with children and the children were abnormally loud. The staff said nothing. They may not have wanted to upset them, but other tables around them were upset including us. We won't be back. Very unpleasant evening all around. This use to be a nice place. We live in Denver and use to dine at the one in Broomfield before it closed. What happened to your restaurant dignity?

Had a nice dinner in the north loop. Good pot stickers and egg rolls. I had the spicy beef good, wife had Kung pow chicken also tasty

Food was great....large portions and good variety of dishes. The choose your own stir fry is fun. Service was excellent!

Big Bowl name almost turned us off, sounded like a take out counter in an airport, Nice surprise that this is a chain with really good food. Nice room ,good service and Chinese cuisine well prepared and very tasty. We would eat here again our next time in Chicago.

We had big bowl all the time in our area and each time it has been very good. This time the food was average and the service was below average. Hardly came around to see if we needed drinks refilled or anything. The portions are good size.

Since it only 5 or 6 blocks away from the hotel it was very convenient. Although a bit pricey and not in the traditional Chinatown neighborhood we actually like their food. The Mongolian beef our server suggested was very good as was the Pad Thai we selected. The portions were huge and we had to take the leftovers home the next day. However, the egg rolls were a bit heavy for us but that’s a minor issue. Fortunately the leftovers survived the journey and were still quite tasty a couple of days later. We had made online reservations a couple of weeks ago and were able to adjust our time prior to going that day. With restaurant occupancy at 50 percent it pays to plan ahead.

Very comforting noodle bowls for a cold night! Delicious pad Thai, green curry, and peanut noodles with drinks. The drinks were kind of small, but still good.

Service, food taste, place ambient, everything was better than what i was expecting! Highly recommended when you are craving for asian food but don’t have something specific in mind. We ordered the Kung Pau Beef and some extra rice and it was enough for 2 people! Pross

Everything was very good. We got a cup chicken wonton soup & hot & sour(husband), teriyaki chicken over vegetable fried rice and curry chicken over brown rice(husband). The waitress was very good & manager great. I was glad we went here for lunch. Good experience all in all. I’d go back there.

First I ordered the best ever veggie pan fried dumplings and spring roll. Then I ordered the "pick your protien (tofu), starch (brown rice) and sauce (dont remember which one, but lot of garlic & TASTY!)" from the menu. I proceeded to the veggie bar (WOW!) and filled my red bowl full of fresh veggies (spinach, cilantro, straw mushrooms, red pepper, etc) and waited for my meal (just long enough for them to cook it up and serve) I would eat there at least once a week if I lived in Chicago! It was awsome!!

This place is amazing!! Better then Mongolian BBQ. Really good flavor and they entertain everyone’s eating habits. Very filling.

Dinner at Big Bowl was awesome. For Chinese/Thai food fans, there is something for everybody. Couldn't eat it all, but sure wanted to! Don't miss the casual, fun eatery.

The food and service were great! The food portions are generous and it tasted really good. Stop by on your next visit :)

Average "Oriental" dishes delivered warm. Would put the quality on a par with Panda Express. OK for delivery in Streeterville neighborhood.

Friendly staff - we didn't have to wait too long for a table and then the food arrived quite quickly.

Whenever we visit Chicago our family always has to go to the Big Bowl for a meal. This place has never let us down over the years and is consistently great. Service is always good and the food is always served hot and delicious. Good selection of beers on-tap, plus great mixed drinks. Fun place for the family and very convenient to many Chicago attractions.

My son and I had a late lunch and weren't really considering a sit down dinner BUT we are sure glad we did!! Figuring an Asian restaurant would allow us to have as much, or as little as we wanted, we decided on Big Bowl with the really cool big bowl on the signage. We started with the best cold sesame noodle appetizer ever, followed by a main course of orange chicken. Both were outstanding! Particular kudos goes to the homemade ginger ale - enjoy it alone or flavored with orange, or pomegranate or other nice flavoring. Mango cheesecake was the encore! I highly recommend Big Bowl. I pay just as much for mediocre Asian food at home. We were very happy to have enjoyed this restaurant!

The food there is good but the service is not acceptable. Be careful about this restaurant, they may change the tip amount. So keep the copy of receipt in case you need to defend yourself. Only few cents difference may not affect anything, however, this type of tip fraud is not at all respectful.

Exactly what I was seeking. Got sat instantly on a busy Friday night. Server took great care of us. Good delicious and quick. I had the scallops and shrimp in ginger garlic sauce, potstickers and husband had build your own stir fry. All the food was great and we left with leftovers. Made it in and out in under an hour and made it to the 9:00 architecture tour on the river. Highly recommend

Really clean and delicious freshly prepared Asian food. You can pick from a station your own selection and have it wok fried or simply choose from a big selection of Chinese, Thai foods. Service super efficient and friendly and price is more than reasonable. Recommended

Don’t expect an “authentic” Thai or Southeast Asian dish but prepare for a pretty tasty meal. I like the Penang curry Chicken with snow peas a little extra spice. Coconut curry chicken served with your choice of rice (jasmine in my case). Excellent flavors. Even non-coconut lovers kind of like it. We also had the chicken with shishito peppers (with rice). Spicy as is. Great Asian -soy/stir fry flavors. At $16 each it’s pretty good value - with some to spare for later. A good place for a value - Asian fusion meal in downtown Chicago. Will certainly visit again at some point.

In the 20 years that it had been open we have never set foot in the place but we have ordered delivery at least 12 times a year for 20 years. It serves Asian food for the American palate. No mystery proteins used. We typically order a ton of appetizers and one entree each but the portions are so hearty we get 3 meals from the order (2 dining) As I can't comment on service or ambiance my rating is based only on the food. Appetizers we order always include Crab Rangoon, a few giant crispy egg rolls, Szechuan green beans (fiery!) sesame noodles in peanut sauce, spare ribs (tiny but flavor-packed) vegetable pot-stickers. Chicken satay is sadly gone from the menu. Entrees Szechuan Beef (good cuts of meat, no fat, easy chew) with boiled rice and fierce peppers and Chicken Teriyaki Fried rice. Plates are licked, bellies busted. Orders come with a year's supply of Fortune Cookies, various dips and sauces and a small forest of chop sticks. Lipsmackingly tasty food!

Very good Pad Thai. Sat at the bar and service was excellent. Large menu with many selections. Would definitely come again.

I ate here once on my trip and returned before I left because it was so good. Great food and good service. I enjoyed the cauliflower rice -- a much healthier option than real rice for those of us who are concerned about calories.

I liked the restaurant. I got to Chicago and was craving some nice hot Chinese soup. I found big bowl. The wanton soup was mediocre. I ordered a Thai stir fry chicken dish that came with veggies and rice. It was really hot!!! I enjoyed having it. The ambience is good and the staff is friendly.

A near miss, I guess. Hot and Sour Soup that was neither, but that had lots of good stuff in it. Panang Chicken Curry that looked OK, had plenty of chicken, but no identifiable Panang Curry flavor other than heat and a mere hint of coconut milk.

Warmth. Everything abut my experience warmed my skill, my heart and my belly! The servers and others created me when I came in, I requested gluten-free they had a great menu option. The food was very tasty! The service was phenomenal. I will be back. Thank Big Bowl traveling for work is one bit easier thanks to you!

The only dish we didn't like much was the chicken penang curry. Sesame Chicken was the best of the lot. Kung Pao was very good and so were the egg rolls. Besides the food, we really enjoyed talking to our server , Michael. He was the best and simple things like the Lyft rides being outrageously expensive makes you feel comfortable . Great service and loved his interaction with us. Restaurants have taken a hit during the Pandemic so let us all support the staff by tipping them well too (if the service is good) .

This is conveniently located across from the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, and it wasn't too crowded when I went in the late afternoon. I ordered Pad Thai with shrimp, which is what I usually order when in a restaurant offering Thai food because it's not at all spicy...but this sauce was spicy and I had to send it back, a disappointment. Fortunately, the server was very gracious about it, took it off my bill, and I ordered a teriyaki dish, which was good, but a bit pricey. Overall, a good experience and recommended (especially for people who like spicy Asian food).

This was my first visit to a Big Bowl restaurant. I ordered the Chinese Firecracker Chicken from the Chinese New Year menu. It was lightly battered and fried chicken pieces tossed in a Sriracha mayo. Very good. The Cauliflower Rice was sort of unusual. I love cauliflower but this did not taste like cauliflower. Next time I would order regular steamed rice. Service was friendly and efficient. I would definitely dine here again.

We had a lovely Asian dinner at Big Bowl in downtown Chicago. The food was delicious and the prices moderate. The menu was very varied. The wait staff was professional and efficient. The décor was pleasant. It was very crowded and so had high energy. It is a "lettuce entertain you" restaurant. The location is very convenient on Ohio Street just a block west of Michigan Avenue in the "magnificent mile" area of Chicago. We recommend Big Bowl

Their entree, meal, dessert and drink special was really worth it. Nothing to write home about but certainly a great option when on low budget.

Simple ambiance.. nothing fancy but food is above average to good. We stopped in for a quick late lunch as we had an hour only. We were done in 45 mins. We had shezhuan beef, garlic tofu with veg. Fried rice and spicy chicken pad Thai.... All was great. Definitely above average.. Portion size was massive, price was a little high but I guess portion size makes up for it. Food was hot and fresh made. No complaints. We also tried their orange go get lemonade... Ah could take it or leave it.. it was ok. Not too gingerly or sweet. Will go back if short on time but don't want fast food or burger or pizza...

We walked in and we were greeted immediately and seated. I told our waited that we have one hour before heading to the movie theater next door. Our waiter was very nice and knowledge of the menu. He delivered fast and excellent service and timing was perfectly fine. Food was tasty and freshly served. We will be back again. Menu need little more options. Thank you

Food is very good. Need reservations. Make your own combination or pick a ready combo. Some VERY SPICY

Love this place. You can order healthy or not, up to you. The dumplings were tasty. We loved the bbq pork fried cauliflower rice. The crispy tofu fried rice was really yummy as well. Carlos our server was awesome. He was friendly and very attentive.

I have several food allergies, and the manager came back to my table to make sure everything was good before they cooked my food. Another manager brought my food to me. Great experience!

Bia our server was great, food was really good. We ordered a beef and broccoli. The portion is good and shareable. It was delicious. We also ordered a banana egg rolls that comes with a sweet sauce and a scoop of ice cream. Yummy.

Ate here twice on our recent trip to Chicago and although the restaurant was busy when we arrived I had no problem reserving a table via Tripadvisor. On both occasions we were served by Julia who was lovely. We all had the stir fry menu- cooked fresh, served hot and massive portions. Great prices and half price bottles of wine on Mondays. I highly recommend this place. I love Chinese/Thai food and this is the best I’ve had in a long time. Just wish we had one in Liverpool! Give it a go!

We popped in one lunch time to have something different to eat, based on TA reviews and were really pleased with our choice. It was quiet, but the service was great and the food lovely and reasonably priced. Portions the same as almost everywhere we went were huge, so couldn’t finish our food. Would recommend 😀

I stumbled upon this place on a cold day and I really wanted a bowl of soup. What better place than a restaurant called “the big bowl?” I know the title should have given it away, but the bowl was huge! I ordered a seasonal squash soup and it was pretty good. I also ordered a side of spring rolls that I did not particularly care for. They also gave me a sample of the cucumber salad, which was not great. There are so many restaurants in the city that I would probably not go back, as overall it was just ok.

The will find a place for you, welcome you, the service is excellent and warm, food is great, drinks are ok. Price fair.

We happened in here while walking around the neighborhood, and were very pleased. The make your own bowl was a great option for two picky vegetarians. The decor was cute, the food nicely spicy, and the portions huge.

We went to Big Bowl tonight for the first time ever, and we were very pleased! The service was great, especially our waiter, and the food was delicious! Will definitely be back!

Always loved this place and revisited after 9 years living overseas. Had a great meal; we love the stir fry bowls where you can pick your own veggies. Great service, well situated just off the Mile. There's discounted parking next door.

I had an early dinner here. When I came in I saw lots of people dining. That made me think this restaurant must have been good. Unfortunately I was wrong! Crab rangoon I ordered was still on average, but its chicken pho was tasted strange (see pictures). It was not rich with chicken or beef broth, instead it was sour. That was not the pho I used to taste in other Vietnamese restaurants. It might be its version of a pho, but that was not to my like. Sorry. The service however was attentive and helpful. That kept this restaurant at par to others.

I got my food to go. There was a place to sit while waiting. Being as it is in Chicago, it is cozy. The food was ok, but I was hoping for more. Workers took a large order outside to wait for a driver and blocked the sidewalk, not really caring at the disgusted looks the passerbys gave them. It was only 5 minutes and not a daily occurance, I hope.

Been coming to one Big Bowl location or another for well over twenty years, and never get tired of it. Love love love the chicken satay, particularly with the Indonesian peanut sauce. Sadly, they now only sporadically have it on the menu, which is mystifying given how good it is. Also love the Chicken Pad Thai. Bring back Blazing Flat Noodles!

A very large gluten free menu and the food comes out on different plates to designate gluten free. The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars is that the kitchen made an error on 1 person's food and they didn't get their correct meal until all the rest of us were done with no compensation (free drink, free dessert, free meal) for the inconvenience

The service was prompt, knowledgeable and friendly. We had a selection of appetizers and shared a main dish. Everything was fresh and tasty. The unexpected treat was the lava cake which we all agreed was the equal to the best we ever had. That alone would be worth stopping in for.

Wasn’t sure what to expect - but was pleasantly surprised ... Ordered Chinese and Thai dishes... Tasty... Large portions - so order to share ... Recommend .

Great service and food. Had Spicy Thai Green Vegetable Curry which was very good. Also well done pot stickers.

We had dishes from both the Chinese and Thai menue and the the food was really tasty. Service was fast and friendly, we really recommend this place!

Great ambiance and service. The food proportion was huge. The pot stickers tasted like frozen ones you can buy and reheat by yourself (vegetable ones were better tasting than meat ones). The entrees were delicious, but the featured teriyaki chicken fried rice was way too saucy and watery. The restaurant is in a good location. We didn't wait for too long to get our food, which is really nice for a group of people.

WOW, this is a really huge place. so busy and noisy. Good food and good service. I enjoyed all the dishes especially the Orange Chicken. the price is unexpectedly affordable. keep up the good work. welcome me again in advanced. I used the instapark app to parking and easy pay.

Cherry Bomb Chicken was their special but the waitress recommended to substitute shrimp for chicken. Everything was good. Service was fast, food was delicious and waitress was friendly and made good recommendations throughout.

We were unable to make reservations for a more upscale Chinese restaurant, but thought we would try Big Bowl. Reservations were easy so we didn’t expect much. We were seated immediately and our server guided us through the extensive menus. We ordered Pad Thai and Chicken Penang Curry. Our server was efficient, and attentive without being intrusive. Our meals were presented perfectly, and we were happily surprised at how wonderfully well it tasted. The meals were sumptuous and very enjoyable. We were very impressed and we vow to return.

Wanted to go here for a long time - and honestly, we were disappointed. Very commercial and Americanized - barely Chinese food at all. Would definitely not go out of my way to go back there.

Really great food. Love the noodle and rice dishes. Really nice selection on no alcoholic drinks. Also very attentive service.

We went twice to this restaurant during our visit. Great soups, the Pho and wanton ones are awesome! A wide variety of dishes as Mongolian beef, rices, chicken with noodles and vegetables... the service was also very good! Fully recommend it!

We went for lunch with friends and the first thing we noticed was that the restaurant was understaffed. Our server was working so hard and it seemed like she was the only one on the floor. Food was a decent value. The chopped salad was excellent. The pad thai was pretty good, but the sauce was runnier than is typical. I would return here, but they need to deal with the staffing issue.

Was amazing. The spicy chicken was exactly that. Will be back to try the build your own til then i will dream about the lettuce wraps.

We enjoyed our first visit so much that we returned two days later. The portions are a good size. The cost is very reasonable and the stir fry option of making your own was a particular favourite of mine. Staff were very helpful and knowledgeable. Great food.

We decided to have Thai food and Big Bowl Ohio is was the best choice in downtown Chicago. With vast menu of Thai, Chinese & Asian cuisine and to choose from vegetarian & non vegetarian food. We enjoyed Sapporo beer and Spicy vegetarian curry fried rice and Kung Pao Chinese noodles. The service is good , quick and food quantity is also good. Relax & enjoy!

Delicious food. The name shows the sizes. Even people with crital eye love it. Great waiter Jon. We really recomend it!

A very nice setting and extremely attentive and kind service and as I started to eat my first bites, I thought I might eat here at least once a week if I lived here. And by the time I finished, I decided I might eat here every day. And I returned the very next day. Fresh, cold beer. Good TVs to watch a game. But the best thing is the menu - I wanted every single dish here. The noodles are delicious and the make-your-own stirfry is a great way to pick your own vegetables.

we went here 4 colleagues and had great noodles and fry up. the service was good and very friendly. The food was good, you should take the Mongolian bbq selection.

We know the place and we love the place. The food is always very tasty and fresh. We choose this time The wonton and dumpling vegetables and after the beef Szechuan. Absolutely love the food here. But the highlight of our evening was Kierra.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We received a Top Notch Service. She was very professional and very sweet. We definitely come back soon for the Serbivr and the Food. Do not hesitate GO.

I always eat here when in Chicago on business - great menu and variety. The food this time around did not match previous visits and was not served as warm, but the hospitality of the bartender made up for it - he is a regular there and could not be friendlier. Watched World Series on tv's at the bar and had a good experience. I'll try again next time I'm in Chicago and hope the food is as good as it was the time before.

While staying in Chicago we walked by this restaurant and decided to try it based on the reviews. The food was fresh, tasted very good and was a good serving size. My wife and I shared the beef and broccoli dish which filled us up also the beef was a premium beef, not the usual cheap cuts served at most Chinese restaurants . Definitely will go back again, also our waiter was friendly and attentive.

The pad Thai was good and the waitstaff accommodated our special requests without hesitation. The portions are generous and even the lemonade is in a huge glass. Reasonable prices, good food, quick service e, what more do you need for a relaxing dinner!

It can be difficult to find Asian restaurants with gluten free options. Big Bowl had so many options, even a dessert. My daughter was ecstatic. We all agreed that the Kung Pao was probably our favorite dish. Service was also quick and very attentive. Server took extra care to bring out gluten free condiments like soy sauce and chili sauce.

Our waiter didn’t lead us wrong. The choices were overwhelming and he suggested a ? Curry chicken dish that was so tasty. Also suggested the roasted squash soup which was delish. A side salad added the right amount of green. Nice portions. Oh and Monday nights wine bottles are half off!!

The food was very good and fresh. I ordered a bowl with vegetable fried rice. It was nice to get to select the vegetables that I wanted and put them in a bowl to be prepared fresh. The portions were huge! The waiter did a great job explaining everything and was very helpful. My daughter got a vegetable bowl with low mien noodles. We went there for lunch and I thought it was a little pricey. It cost 40.00 for the 2 of us.

Good food and very nice staff. You can definitely do it. Good selection on the menu and really tasty. Good alternative to American food

I rarely write reviews but this place deserves it. Food is exceptional and service is great. Since we were first time visitors the manager came to introduce himself offering a complimentary salad. Definitely worth to try

We needed a break from the everyday food so visited Big Bowl Chinese and Thai. Firstly their cocktail menu was great and the ones we tried were really good. The food choices were many and everything we had was great. For the entree, you can choose your own ingredients for the stir fry. You tell them your meat and then you get a bowl and choose from the buffet section. They then make up your stir fry with the sauce that you have chosen. It was excellent. They are really big serves here so couldn’t eat it all but it was great. The service was a bit hit and miss - we had to catch a waiter to get more drinks a few times. No water was offered to us but offered to others. Having said that, I would definitely return here.

I was in Chicago and it was a little later, about 730 to 8 PM. Walking around downtown Chicago, almost every restaurant I tried to walk into was fully booked for another couple of hours. Opentable let me know there was room at Big Bowl, and I like Chinese and Thai food, so I headed over there. I was greeted nicely and seated promptly. The decor and atmosphere was very pleasant and relaxing. The menu was extensive with lots of choices I started with the hot and sour soup. The temperature of the soup was not hot and the soup itself was fairly watery compared to what I usually enjoy. I then had the sweet and sour shrimp on Pad Thai noodles. It was incredibly sweet. It is my experience that in the USA, too many restaurants add too much sugar for their American patrons and this restaurant fit the bill. I was frankly disappointed.

We were running out of time before going to The Second City and this was convenient. Fortunately the service and food were very good. The fried dumplings were tender and juicy. The chicken dish was a bit spicy but very good. We opted to share a main dish since they were quite big. Thanks to our server for that tip. We skipped dessert there simply because the Shake Shack next door beckoned with their chocolate shakes. This worked out well for us.

Our food arrived quickly and the service was excellent. We ordered two appetizers (edamame and potstickers) and two entrees (crispy tofu fried rice and tofu pad Thai). The appetizers were great, but the entrees were meh. As a vegetarian(ish) family, we eat our fair share of tofu. The tofu was a little underseasoned and though the menu advertised it as "crispy," it was decidedly not. The seasonal sangria was a winner, enjoyed by both adults at the table.

Good place for vegetarian options. They have designated vegetarian sauces, the ones not labeled vegetarian have fish sauce in them (not uncommon for Chinese food). They have a stir fry bar. You tell your waiter what kind of sauce, protein & carb (rice or noodles) you would like. You then get to go to the refrigerated bar, grab a bowl and tongs, and select which veggies you would like. Service was very quick. The lemonade was very refreshing (especially after walking around all day), they do make it in house. The Blueberry Hill cocktail was delicious as well. I did the stir fry bar with teriyaki, tofu, veggies and rice. They stir fry the protein, veggies, and sauce and serve it on top of the rice. It was a bit too saucy for my liking. Teriyaki sauce was not spicy so I had to add chili sauce. Service was great, my first glass of lemonade slid off the table and broke into pieces every were. Our server was very apologetic & the manager was quick to clean up the glass.

I choose this restaurant randomly: excellent surprise. food is tasty, classical stuff with a very friendly staff. This is not outstanding food but very good one, price are on the low side.

Everyone was super nice. We never felt we needed for anything. The food was served hot and quickly. Frequently we were checked on. Clean, delicious and a positive experience

My husband and I went here for lunch. Our server was friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu to help us with a decision. We opted for Rice bowls with the cauliflower rice. I had Kung Pao Chicken and my husband had the Mongolian beef. They had a stir fry buffet that also looked awesome. Portions are very hearty. Lots of choices for vegan or vegetarian. Nice menu choices. Restaurant is clean. Service was very good.

Huge portions and yummy food amd drinks. Our wait staff was excellebt and engaging. Order and share. There is way too much food to eat on your own.

We chose this restaurant because it was close to our hotel and had good reviews. We ate here for a weeknight dinner on a short trip to Chicago. The staff was friendly and attentive throughout dinner. We both had Pad Thai, and we ordered chicken potstickers as a starter. Our server also brought us a small appetizer of pickled cucumber and peppers. All of the food was good, and the Pad Thai was served in huge portions. The price was reasonable for the amount of food. I would eat here again if I was staying nearby.

A friend of mine was staying in downtown Chicago and wanted some Chinese Food. I hadn't been to Big Bowl for a while, so we gave it a try. We were seated quickly. All the workers were friendly. There are many dishes to choose from. We both opted for the stir fry dishes. Somehow, mine was overcooked and has a lot of rather salty sauce. I was not impressed. My friend didn't care for his either. He ordered a second dish, Pad Thai, which was OK. The display desserts looks totally unappetizing, so we didn't partake. There are too many good restaurants in the area to return to Big Bowl.

Went for lunch for my wife’s birthday and ordered the chicken Pad-Thai. It was great! We also had the pomegranate ginger ale which was awesome! The ginger is fresh and the portions are very generous. Our server Kerria was fantastic. This is a great place to get a great meal near the Magnificent Mile.

Stopped by for lunch after shopping with teenagers down the magnificent mile. Dumplings were delicious. Wish we had ordered 2 since my teenage boys ate them up quickly. Wonton soup was a hit as well as the Szechwan beef. The chicken fried rice and the pad Thai were sweet. Boys were more used to spicy Asian food. Restaurant was clean and the service was nice but somewhat slow.

My young daughter has celiac disease and this restaurant had good reviews for gluten free options. She was writing down what she would like and one of the owners noticed her- he personally made sure her food was safe and delicious. The curry was one of the best I ever had and the flourless chocolate was divine! It is not easy to dine out with food restrictions and he made her night extra special! The food is delicious, fresh and reasonably priced!

Stopped in for a late night takeout diner. The place was crowded for almost closing time. I order chicken dumplings and Pad See Aw. Both were good. Nice and hot even after a 5 minute city walk. One thing that impressed me was you could walk up to the kitchen, select your vegetables and protein and have them make you a customized bowl. This is for in-house or takeout. I didn’t do it but looked it over closely. Very quick service. Nice atmosphere. Good quality of food that settled well if you know what I mean!!!! Nice job.

Food was a 4. I found this restaurant adds a 3% surcharge on to your bill. Make sure you look close and ask them to remove it. Awful !!!

Stopped by because I used to visit their location in Reston, Virginia that has been closed. Was not disappointed at all. The Kung Pow chicken had spinach and green beans instead of the usual carrots and celery and I never want it the usual way again. My server, D, was excellent and I had a great meal.

The food, the service is excellent, my favorite is the Mongolian Beef so delicious. My wife and I liked Big Bowl food so much, we ate their 2 nights in a row.

Big Bowl is conveniently located just a block from Michigan Avenue.It has a varied Asian menu that is reasonably priced for either lunch or dinner. I enjoyed the Asian Chicken salad. The sampling of appetizers, could be a meal in itself. I liked the Chicken egg roll, vegetarian pot stickers and shared the spicy peanut noodles. Nice selection of reasonably priced wines plus various Sangrias.

The good: great atmosphere, friendly staff, gluten free options, generous portions. Unfortunately, the food wasn’t special. Pad Thai too fishy, cauliflower rice too mushy, stir fry too spicy.

Seven of us had a late lunch at Big Bowl after arriving in Chicago for a short visit. We always have to go since everybody loves the food. Fresh, wide variety, and affordable. Good selection of beers on-tap, as well as some nice mixed drinks.

It was busy when we arrived but there was a table available. Lot's of people but no problem with noise level. Waiter was attentive...more so when the crowd began to clear. Food was very fresh and tasted as I expected. Chicken wanton soup had lots of noodles and dumplings, and was very warm and comforting. Mongolian Beef was loaded with fresh vegetables. We will definitely stop by again.

We went here on a Saturday night - make sure you book in advance as it gets busy. Service was good and food delivered promptly. Very tasty and filling

The Big Bowl has prepared options on its menu, and I'm sure they are good, but when I go (and I go every time I'm in Chicago), I always do the stir fry bar. You tell the server what kind of sauce, starch (rice or noodles) and protein you want; you go to the bar and put the ingredients you want in a bowl; and a few minutes later the server brings you a delicious stir fry. The vegetables are fresh, and the sauce is delicious. I love this place.

the food was good and very reasonable for downtown Chicago! There was a new server in training and she did an excellent job, for example I ordered fried rice instead of the regular Rice and she informed me that it would be an additional charge. I appreciated that information.

We had a nice meal at the Big Bowl but the service was very slow. When seated our hostess did a very nice job and indicated our server would be by shortly. He didn’t come. She came back and took wine orders and even our appetizers. He was still no where. Finally he came. I think his name was Patrick. He was more interested in watching the TV above us than serving us. Our food was very good and we enjoyed the Thai Shrimp and Scallops and the stir fry chef choice. The Edamame was ok, but needs a spice. The calamari was very good. All in all a good restaurant but hopefully you get a better server.

Ordered the Beef Chinese Noodles. The waitress was very helpful and suggested several things, Was able to go and get my own vegetables for my meal. It was cooked and to my table in no time. Was very tasty and she came by several time to make sure my drink was filled and find out if I wanted anything else

Nipped in for lunch and was not disappointed. Our server Christopher was lovely. He was helpful with the menu and very attentive. The food is delicious and fresh. Will definitely be going back here in the next few days.

The serving sizes are huge here. I had the tofu poke bowl and absolutely loved it. My wife had the tofu fried rice, which was tasty, but a bit too salty. We'll be back, but will ask to go light on the salt next time.

Big Bowl is a great spot is you want creative Chinese food. It’s part of the Lettuce Entertain You brand which means e god is excellent. Everything is made fresh daily and whether you order off the menu or get the stir fry bar it will be excellent.

Had dinner here. The menu looks very inviting. We started with the chicken dumpling appetizer which was quite tasty. We then got the pork and chicken fried rice. The chicken had way too many snow peas. Neither of the rice dishes had much flavor. I was a bit disappointed because the plate presentation was very good. The portion sizes are quite large. Staff very friendly. I probably would try a different place before I'd go back.

Centrally located, quick and nice service and good food. Excellent pad thai and generous servings. Moderately priced and truely value for money. Recommended!

Food and service was GREAT and you get plenty of it (meat/veg/carb perfect ratios). Well worth price. We had leftovers, food still good next day. Seafood dishes were on point and whatever they use for sauce and dressings...so good.

We started out with hot and sour soup which had good thickness and flavor with the right amount of texture from the vegtables and tofu. Also got the vegetarian wonton soup which was excellent. The main dishes yellow curry with tofu and kung pao with tofu looked appealing just wasn’t the flavor we were expecting. Service was good. The booth we were seated at wasn’t clean still had noodles in our seat. But was taken care of when theynoticed. Atmosphere was unique.

Staying at the Marriott we stumbled upon this place for its convenient location. The food was excellent and the portions were enough for two! Keep that in mind when ordering! We also tried the lettuce wraps and they were super!

We looked for a Asian restaurant, near our hotel and found Big Bowl. We felt like having soup and fried rice with beef / or shrimps for dinner and yes we got this, well prepared, fast and friendly served and for the quality at a very moderate price. Sometimes it's very easy to be satisfied.

Big bowl is a big restaurant that can accommodate numerous groups. The food was one of the best we had in Chicago. You can make your own bowl with the ingredients you prefer. We had a pad Thai with chicken, dumplings and a Vietnamese soup. Amazing. There was a tv in he corner if you need to watch sports events. I would definitely recommend this place for Thai and Chinese food.

Delightfully fresh and delicious with superb ingredients and bursting with flavor!!!! I want to order everything on the menu. Favorites include the chicken pot stickers and the Thai scallops and shrimp. Wash it down with he house beer and you will want to come back tomorrow.