BONSAI CAFE, Evanston - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews

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CUISINES

Asian, Thai

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Delivery, Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Table Service, BYOB

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3.5

22 reviews

Excellent

4

Very good

11

Average

5

Poor

1

Terrible

1

Jeff P

West Palm Beach37 contributions

Perfect. Quick. Good food.

Aug 2019 • family

Online ordering was smooth. Ready for pick up less than 1/2 hour after ordering. Food delicious. A great neighborhood place.

Written 1 August 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gayle M

Chicago240 contributions

Small neighborhood place for convenient tasty meal

Jan 2019 • friends

An Asian fusion cafe with big take-out following. Seating is comfortable, allowing quiet conversation. Food is well cooked, served quickly. Tea, soft drinks and specialty Thai drinks available. Fine choice for catching up with friends.

Written 28 January 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Phill

Chicago's North Shore7 contributions

Always a pleasure to go there.

Dec 2018 • couples

There's nothing fancy about this place, just a great neighborhood Asian restaurant that we visit about every 5 weeks or so. Food is always good and service is OK. The place is never crowded (they do a lot of carry-out) so it's a nice place to have a conversation. Prices are very fair and portions are reasonable Quality of ingredients always seems to be top notch and preparation is consistently good. It a nice plus that it's BYOB since we like our own wine selections.

Written 9 January 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

whyersc

100 contributions

Fantastic food, consistent quailty

May 2018 • couples

We order delivery 3-5 times a month. We love the healthy, tasty options and have never had a dish we haven't liked. I especially like Kung Pao Chicken, Panang Red Curry Chicken, the vegetable Chinese dumplings and the Basil Thai Chicken and Rice. We have also eaten there and it's a simple place with great service.

Written 4 July 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

theerika

Chicago281 contributions

Miserly portions: delivery orderers BEWARE.

Jun 2018 • family

We ordered delivery for 7 people and were all shocked at how small the portions were. Containers are a third SMALLER than those of all the other ASian restaurants in town...AND each meat dish (as well as veggie dish) was half rice, so there was almost NO MEAT and almost NO veggies. Though the food was OK, we were paying a fortune for what was mostly rice. All the other Asian restaurants in town deliver rice in a separate container--basically, this restaurant has figured out a way to sell what is mostly rice for $12-$14! We ended up with a bad tasgte in our moths. A shame, as we used to eat at this restaurant routinely a few years ago, and now we will go elsewhere.

Written 1 July 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Afocus1

Skokie108 contributions

Very Average

Sept 2017 • couples

We were disappointed in the quality and portions at Bonsai. We forgo the sushi which maybe is what is the drawing card. We had two dishes with chicken which contained skinny slices and not very much. The vegetable potstickers had barely any vegetables in them and were meager in size. Prices were too high for quantities that didn't even equal a real meal. The rating of average is for location and appearance.

Written 2 October 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cooper1110

6 contributions

Try elswhere

Jan 2017 • couples

Heard from a neighbor that we needed to give this place a try as our favorite Chinese place had closed. We won't be listening to this neighbor anymore. Food was bland at best. Lettuce wraps and Mongolian beef lacked any flavor, at least the Spicy shrimp packed a punch. There must be a better alternative in Evanston. At least it was fast and cheap.

Written 29 January 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adam M

Evanston12 contributions

Great neighborhood takeout spot

Dec 2016 • family

Bonsai Cafe is a great takeout location or fine in location in NE Evanston. Great food and exceptional service. The delivery time is always 20-30 mins max, and the quality is always great. Highly recommend. Atmosphere is moderately quiet and it is BYOB. Good for families.

Written 30 December 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wxman291

Bluffton95 contributions

Tasty Orange Chicken

Nov 2016 • couples

Came down for the weekend from Wisconsin to visit good friends who live in Evanston. Stopped at Bonsai Cafe for dinner. Had very tasty Orange Chicken for dinner. Potstickers were okay but Crab Rangoon very good. Agree with previous review that booth was shaky near front of restaurant and cold due to proximity with front door.

Written 20 November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JJ S

Evanston40 contributions

Great Place

Jul 2016 • family

I live about a block from Bonsai Cafe, so I eat here almost once a week. The atmosphere is very nice (it's a neighborhood place), the service is always friendly, and the food is very authentic and flavorful. The price is around $10 a dish. My go to dish is the chicken Pad Thai, which they do very well. They also make great appetizers, such as tofu satay and pot stickers. My father loves the curry here-- according to him, it is the best and most authentic he's ever tried. Some other dishes I've tried aren't quite as good (like the orange chicken), but on the whole, this is one of the best Thai places I've been to.

Written 6 July 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MerryBanker

Marietta201 contributions

Neighborhood Gem

Feb 2016 • none

Visited here on a whim while driving down the street, my Wilmette hostess for the weekend had heard good things about it. Our meal exceeded all expectations - great food (mix of asian kitchens), great value, great service. We shared spring rolls, lettuce wraps and a curry dish. Everything was prepared fresh to order and was delicious. Only complaint is the booths are not very sturdy and they move around a lot when people shift or get up/down. Would recommend a table if available. Will definitely return next time I'm in town.

Written 25 February 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karen M

Evanston18 contributions

Great neighborhood place

Nov 2015 • couples

I love the kung pao chicken - it has spinach in it also, which is a nice healthy addition. We also frequently get pad thai, and other things circulate in and out of our orders. And, because it is BYOB, it keeps the cost down. We do take-out from here frequently, and eat in occasionally. A pleasant atmosphere, and good service.

Written 23 November 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ndshankar

Chicago57 contributions

Been here so many times I can't count

Nov 2015 • family

I live a block away from this place and have been here well over twenty times. This restaurant has a great, cozy atmosphere -- well-lit with a nice TV and comfortable seats. The Pad Thai is very good and according to a family member the red curry is very good too. Prices are a bit uncomfortably high -- $10 for a Pad Thai, which rises to almost $12 including tips. That's a bit high, and the food doesn't quite justify a price that high (although it depends on how hungry you are). However, overall, it's a good, family-owned place that's nice to have around to get good quality Thai food. I hope it stays open and has success.

Written 8 November 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cinta B

Chicago226 contributions

Pan-Asian food

Sept 2015 • couples

We had our dinner here and I had the "Pad Sew Ewie Chicken", it's fried noodles (broad noodles) with chicken and broccoli. Not too bad. Hubby had the "Bonsai Salmon Noodles", fried rice noodles and broccoli with a good piece grilled salmon. Not too bad either.

Written 1 October 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Larry W

Evanston30 contributions

Super Sushi At The Perfect Price!

Aug 2015 • solo

I was in the mood for Sushi and visited this nice, quiet restaurant. I was greeted politely and served promptly with Miso Soup, White Dragon Maki, and Spicy Yellowtail Maki. Bonsai Cafe offers super Sushi at the perfect price! Cheers!

Written 22 August 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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