Won Kow Restaurant
Categories: Dim Sum, Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Chinatown2237 S Wentworth Ave
(between 22nd Pl & Alexander St)
Chicago, IL 60616 (312) 842-7500
- Nearest Transit:
Cermak-Chinatown (Red)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
32 Reviews for Won Kow Restaurant
Agree with most of the comments regarding the dirty interior, maybe they want to give it the authentic Chinese feel? My suggestion, some bleach and some urinal cakes go a long way...As for dinner, I had the orange peel shrimp, which was good. Everyone seemed to like their choice, but not sure I would go back here.
By far the worst Chinese restaurant I have ever eaten at. Very dirty interior, disgusting bathrooms, and Miller bottles sitting at the bar from the early-90s at the latest. My group ordered the general tso's chicken, cashew chicken, and moo shu pork to share - all were below average at best; the whole group agreed that the moo shu was the worst we had ever tasted. I really wonder how this place can stay in business with all of the better options surrounding it in Chinatown.
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Honestly, I don't remember much about the food and even if I did I wouldn't feel qualified to comment as I don't really like Chinese food.
BUT, they have awesome, baroque, fruity cocktails at low, low prices. I was *quite* pleased.
You might pass up the food here, but for sure don't pass up the bar. (Don't get too drunk though...the stairs back down are super steep).
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Stopped for dinner at Won Kow Restaurant 8/8/08. Last time I had dinner there was 10 years ago and it has definately changed for the worst. The place looked unclean and dingy. Ordered beef on rice and they couldn't even cook that right. The beef tasted like rubber. During my meal the waitress approched and asked if I had finished eating, I replied no, and she walked off with my fork. I'll go elsewhere next time I visit Chinatown.
Horrible! First, the service was non-existent, all we wanted was water, for some reason, it was hard to come by. 2nd, our server, just didnt seem to like us. 3rd, we found a blue rubber band in our won tons, yippee! 4th, duck was ordered and it tasted like anything but, and it was slimy, needless to say we didnt eat it. Our other dish was decent, but the salt quotient in their food was enough for you to swear off any form of sodium for the rest of your life!! Talk about needing more water! Dont go here.
I hesitated for quite a while to review this because I'm no Chinese food expert, and particularly not that of the Chinatown variety- this was my first trip to the area! (I know, I know). There were 8 of us dining, and we had quite the feast for about $35 a person, including a few rounds of drinks. At 7 on a Friday night, there was no crowd at all (it picked up as the evening went on). I really cannot believe how much food we got for our money, and how tasty almost everything was (there was only one duck dish that I didn't like, and another dish that was just ok, but everything else was really good- and we ordered about 9 entrees to share!). The menu is giant by the way
On the extreme bonus side- drinks were strong and super cheap ($3 martinis??? $6 (I think) for big fruity tropical drinks? why do I drink anywhere OTHER than Chinatown?)
The decor was nothing to marvel at, but it was comfortable enough (aside from the steep trek up the front staircase- don't bring anyone arthritic here!) Like I said, I have nothing to compare this to in terms or quality or authenticity, but if someone was asking me if I had any recommendations for where to eat in Chinatown, I would have no problem recommending this!
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Won Kow is the oldest restaurant in Chinatown having been there since 1927. To find it look for the large green sign or just do what I do- peek in the doors along the east side of Wentworth until you find the one that is just a long flight of stairs up with swinging green doors at the top. You've arrived.
I've never eaten here so this review is for the Tiki Bar only. The service is slow as the staff, while nice, seems to finish one task before they take care of you. Case in point- we were waiting for a drink refill- but the bartender and his assistant had to finish wiping the spots off the entire rack of glassware before they could wait on us. And one in our party wanted a glass of red wine- obviously they don't get alot of requests for that as it was difficult to find a glass for wine.
We ordered what you must order here- one of their volcano drinks. Anything fruity and tropical is de riguer of the day here. You can get any tropical drink like a Mai Tai or a Pina Colada or what we had which was a Singapore Sling served in a large ceramic volcano glass (serves 4) which has some type of alcohol flame in the center. The drink comes with these amazingly long straws (guess they don't want you to burn your face!) and a couple of those little umbrellas. Yeah- kinda cheesy but it makes a good picture which the bartender will happily take for you.
And if you get bored? You can always have a "sword fight" with the straws.
Stop in- have a drink and push on. There are many more bars to see in Chinatown!
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Won Kow is Chinese for "MSG Salt Explosion In Your Mouth".
I went here last Monday with a friend who said this is one of his favorites in Chinatown. He goes here a lot too, so I took his word for it. I ordered my standard: orange chicken with extra broccoli. Had one taste and was done. Unbelievably salty, the broccoli has a really odd taste (maybe like fake orange flavor?) and I'm not all that sure that the thin little strips on my plate were chicken. Didn't look like any chicken I ever ate.
Its one good point was cleanliness. Spotless inside. I didn't go to the bathroom though, but from what I could see the place was clean. (I've been to some nasty places - see my review for the worst restaurant in Chicago, BBQ King in Chinatown Square)
This is what I think about Chinatown: If you are adventurous enough to try the foods that western palates are not accustomed to then this is your place. For americanized foods, this is not. I've never had a good experience in Chinatown and I've been to three different places.
If you want outstanding orange chicken, with real orange flavor followed by a spicy finish, with tender broccoli and brown rice (may favorite!), go to Tamarind on Harrison and Wabash. It is expensive, but it's very good.
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If you like ridiculously salty Chinese food this is your place. I don't think the fare is as authentic as many places in the neighborhood, the service is ho-hum and the prices are fare. I've been several times now and I always find myself questioning why I went back! The good news is you get a free almond cookie at the end of your salty experience. Is it worth it? Probably not but at least I have some decent beef with Chinese broccoli leftover.
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This place is awful. I went here with my husband because our favorite restaraunt did not have a lunch special that day and that was a mistake. My husband had the orange chicken which he said was the worst he has ever had. I had the sweet n' sour chicken which was salty and greasy. Just awful. Also, the service was slow and unfriendly.
Two different people have taken me here, claiming it's the best low-budget Chinese (albeit americanized) in the area. I think it's just "okay"; I don't have much of an opinion about it one way or another.
Oh, except for the pot stickers. The sauce they serve with them is gross.
Oh, so good.
So cheap.
Such fast service.
Go here for dim sum and make plans to return again with more friends so you can make use of one of the larger tables and the huge lazy susans in the middle.
and take the train. you'll have to give up your first born to find parking.
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The dim sum is very good considering the low price, and the staff is quite friendly, if sometimes English-challenged. The first time I went there I noticed that their mixed drinks came in two sizes: regular and volcano. I figured it was a problem of translation, so my friend and I ordered one just to see. Dude, they brought a volcano to our table filled with long island iced tea. They had flaming brandy in the middle. The mix was pretty strong, so Won Kow became our official Sunday brunch hangover stop. Good starchy food and a strong drink to take the edge off of the night before. Yummmmm.
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Long, long ago, I came to Won Kow and ordered off the menu. I remember it being really good and inexpensive. I most recently returned to try the dim sum. I was definitely shocked (and pleased) at how small our bill came to be by the end of our feast, but the dim sum is not the best I've had in Chinatown. I'd suggest coming here and ordering off the menu.
The dim sum service was horrible. The restaurant was not busy when we were there, and the servers took that to mean that they could stand around in the middle of the dining area and chit-chat with each other. After finishing our first round of dim sum, we sat at our table with empty plates, looking expectedly at them to roll their carts over. Only after a manager-like woman spoke to them did they come. The daikon radish cake could have been pan fried for just a little longer to make the sides crispier.
2.5 star review, rounded up to 3.
Couldn't have asked for a better place for my first dim sum experience.
With only a passing knowledge of Chinese cuisine, the best I can tell you is the food is really flavorfull. One thing that impressed me is how accomodating they were to special diet concerns. I have a shellfish allergy, and another dining partner eats kosher. With a menu heavy with shrimp and pork, I was pleasantly surpised with the selection of foods we were offered.
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I had a great time here! It was a little tough speaking with our server, but it is Chinatown, and I don't have that great of language skills.
The water was on the table before we even had our jackets off.
The Long Island Iced Tea was great, not over sweetened, which is a common problem.
Our appetizer, Crab Rangoon, came out within ten minutes of sitting down, and it was delicious.
I ordered #211, Hong Sue Tofu Seafood, and my Girlfriend ordered #216, Pearl of The Sea. The portions were huge! They brought extra plates to share, as well.
My only dislike of the entire place, was the Squid that was in the #211. It was rubbery, but I'm not a connoisseur of squid, so I'm not all that sure if it was normal, or if I was just too picky.
Overall, I now understand why this place was voted Best Chinese Food in Chicago 2004, 2005, & 2006 by AOL City Guide. Get a great treat tonight, dine @ Won Kow.
Click below for the menu, if you'd like to look.
http://chicago.menupag...
J.
This place is great for big groups. Make sure you call ahead and talk to Peter- the manager, otherwise you will be in a jam.
This place really is unforgettable. I remember as a kid thinking I climbed Everest to get to the restaurant because of the massive amounts of stairs you need to take. I recently found out that it is the original restaurant on Wentworth Ave. No one can forgot the Lazy Susan's on the table.
The food is your typical Chinese cuisine, you probably could find more authentic and better Chinese somewhere else, but everyone has to go to Won Kow just once. The experience is really what makes this place great.
The restaurant seemed nicer than most other Chinese restaurants in the area in terms of the atmosphere. Other than that, the food was alright. The Pot Stickers were decent but the Crab Rangoon could have been better. The shrimp toast is overly greasy too on the level where it felt like I was drinking grease during bites. Blech.
This was a great place to go and have chinese food. My friend and I were trying to figure out where to go while we were shopping in china town and this place was right in front of us. Fast and cheap, but good!!! Try the beef kow lunch special!!
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A staple on Wentworth, you can't miss this restaurant bc of it's sign and it's tell tale characteristic that it's on the 2nd floor.
I have been dining here for at least 10+ years with my family. It used to be my mom's favorite and we would go to celebrate all her special occasions.
However, the last time we went we were disappointed and prob. will not be returning any time soon. We had the intention of coming for dim sum and to also order off the regular menu. While I know they do not do the dim sum carts during the week, we came at 12:30 on a Sunday, prime hours for dim sum and surprise: NO CARTS! It took at least an hour to get ten plates (remember: dim sum, this should be quick). Who doesn't have quick and efficient dim sum on a Sunday?
Our entrees we ordered no longer tasted as we remembered them.
We also had trouble flagging our server down to order our main entrees.
The interior is fairly clean for Chinatown standards. It's a fairly big restaurant and I don't think I've ever been here when it completely full.
Overall, the quality and service have taken a tremendous decline, with the abundance of restaurants in Chinatown, spend your money where the food will leave you craving for your next visit.
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I heard that Won Kow is famous for being the oldest restaurant in China Town. It is on the second floor and the decor is pretty standard. They have Chinese fans, scenic photos and paintings. Unfortunately, they play the cheesiest English pop music (at least on the weekend). The dim sum is pretty good on weekends. I also love the orange peel chicken from the regular menu. The prices are reasonable too. I always come home with a doggie bag!
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If you look South down Wentworth from Cermak, you'll see a huge round green sign obnoxiously glaring at you.
That sign belong to the oldest restaurant in Chinatown.
Won Kow
Won Kow is a funny kind of place. It's not as touristy as Three Happiness, and it's not as fufu as Penang. It's the kind of place the local frequent and the old regulars always come back to.
The food is pretty standard Chinese cuisine served in a family style. The portions are large, easy to share and most tables have a lazy Susan in the center to aid in the family type thing.
Most entrees range between $10 - $15, and the service is adequate. It gets a little busy sometimes, but if you're a late diner, you can avoid any crowds because Won Kow is open until 11pm.
The huge dining room is decorated with the gaudy look of most Chinese restaurants of its day. Large lit pictures of Hong Kong Bay and reliefs of Chinese warriors and dragons are all around. Sometimes on a busy night, it looks like you're in a scene from an old Jackie Chan movie. You eat with one eye on your food and the other on the door waiting for the Triad to come bursting in.
As for Dim Sum, try another spot. Three Happiness is my pick for that.
The seafood dishes are a great pick, and the Sizzling Beef and Kung Poa are great choices also. You really can't go wrong on this menu. They have quite a bit to satisfy most.
Overall it's a nice stop for those visiting Chinatown, and a good place for a big dinner with friends and family.
Oh. By the way......
Did I mention the bar?
It's a small Tiki themed bar that serves Mai-Tai's, Zombies, and a few other cocktail in huge four person "Volcano" glasses. They also light a shot of Bacardi 151 in the center of the drink.
Along with that they have a regular nicely stocked bar.
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If you are ever visiting Chinatown, Won Kow is a great place for dinner and drinks (its one of the few places that have a liquor license). The best items to try are the Hong Kong steak (under $18), soft shell crab, and steamed oysters (they are gigantic).
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Went in on a Thursday morning for some dim sum and we stayed until 2pm. When I think of dim sum, I think of the carts but I guess that they only do that on the weekends. Here, you just put in your order and they bring it to you. Their taro balls are yum and their turnip cakes are pretty good here, too.
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Not the best Chinese in town, but still quite good. This was the first place I had dim sum since visiting Hong Kong in 2003. For all those Chicagoans who have never left the city, good dim sum is very hard to find. Cherish it. Food is served in the appropriate Chinese manner, with shared bowls in the center of a round table. Dim sum virgins, try the steamed pork bun and bamboo shoots.
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This old warhorse of a restaurant in Chinatown is located at just about the center of the main stretch of Wentworth. Its frontage is one of the more impressive ones in Chinatown, with its enormous sign and moderately elaborate entrance. There is a sign on the sidewalk mentioning that it serves dim sum now, but I have only had meals here. The food is ok but not great, as I prefer Evergreen more.
I was here for brunch on Chinese New Year. There were children with us and was a bit overwhelming for them considering the day and how packed it was. But I will say this, the kids ate everything on the table, they had no idea what they were eating but they & myself included loved just about 90% of it all. These kids are normally mac-n-cheese, pizza lovers, so the point of the day was to give these kids, mine included some more culture. Point taken, and now with inspiration from Won Kow that day we order in chinese more often! I'll be back, but maybe not on that holiday ;)
I love Asian foods and I like this place. All I had to do was take the redline to Chinatown and walk for a bit. It's a great neighborhood, no nosy people,and the restaurant is awesome. I like the food but you have to be very healthy and exercise regularly to handle this food.
Stopped here a couple of times, mostly as a kid. As I'm sure with most people , this was the place most people hit when going out on the town at Chinatown. I came back here by myself in my 20's and decided to have an "authentic " Chinese experience, I was disappointed. To be honest , I can't say this place was that bad , I just had really high hopes when I got here. It is an upstairs restaurant , and the room looked like they haven't redecorated since the 40's . I kinda dug the whole "haven't changed since we got here " vibe. The food , about the same as most other middle of the road Chinese places I've been to. I got the beef fried rice (good) , the crab Rangoon (pet peeve alert ... Call it pollack Rangoon and I will not gripe. IT IS NOT CRAB , SO DON"T CALL IT CRAB Rangoon!) wasn't that bad except for the fake crab, and the beef and Pea pods which was good. I suppose if this place was around the corner from my house , I would consider giving it a higher rating. We're talking Chinatown , and the supposed crown jewel , so I'll grade accordingly. They were throwing down the dim sung cart at the next table , that looked like it might be yummy , but I got what I got. If you haven't been here yet , I say try it. Come here with an open mind and you might like it more than I did.
Solid, cheap Chinese food. I'm not very knowledgeable about Chinese food, but everything was tasty and cheap. Service was good, but sometimes there is a wait. Tidy, appealing dining room and easy to find!
It's hard to miss this second floor restaurant with its large, vertical sign hanging from the exterior brick wall. Customers tend to be non-Asians, giving credit to its clean and pretty dining room. Foods were of mixed results. The Moo Sho Pork came to the table already rolled, which was nice. It was large, stuffed with shredded cabbage and carrots, but the pork was a little chewy, owing to its fatty cut. Getting better results was the mixed vegetables with a nice array of bok choy, a variety of mushrooms and baby corn. The chicken kow was also very good, being lean and tender. Fortune and almond cookies ended the filling and inexpensive meal.
An average greasy Chinese joint, with dim sum on the weekends. I prefer Three Happiness.
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