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Category: Thai
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, RavenswoodWestern (Brown)
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
As I'm sure you've noticed by now from the reviews prior to this one (or post even) one of the staples of Opart Thai House is their zealous use of spice. So if you are looking for bland then this restaurant is not for you my friend. The service here is very quick, friendly, to the point and correct.
Should you be a meat eater definetly jump on the curry chicken band wagon and for the veggies out there... when you taste the way they cook their tofu you are will most likely have an orgasm in your mouth.
I have never had a negative experience here.
I'm no pro at critiquing Thai food - but this place makes me want to try every place in town, now! I forget how reasonably priced, quick, fresh, and healthy Thai is...
We ordered 2 apps (chicken satay and egg rolls) and two entrees, one soda and the bill was 26? Get your spicy food "medium" and see what you think... You will be back, and can up-grade if needed, then! I have never like the flat rice noodles anywhere (hello mush!) but they can pan fry them up here - love that!
Will be back. Again, and again, and...
We just went on Tuesday because Chubby Weiners next door was closed.
I keed, I keed. I do enjoy this place because I can get my standard Thai (read: not Thai, not authentic) food, which is mixed vegetables and tofu with rice. The price is slightly high (+$1 for plain white rice for an otherwise all-veg dish? wha?) but the portions are big and there aren't things like tomatoes in the veggies.
I had a chicken egg roll last time that was nothing special really, but my companions liked their orders (pad thai and a noodly soup) and we were in and out in an hour.
The location is a plus though, since there's street and lot parking (easy spot at 6:45 on a Tuesday) plus the Brown line overhead.
Went here on Tuesday the 12th (I think) after seeing it leaving Rosded. Like Rosded, you get take the Brown line to Western if you're an El'er, though the parking lot across the stress is only $1/hr for us drivers. Place is decently big, probably sits near 100 if really busy, and split into three sections, with the first bound to be the coldest during the winter since it's the one with the door. Draft dodgers should sit in the middle or south section. Nice enough otherwise inside--all dark wood sorta cool.
The menu is as extensive as Rosded--though every item more expensive. I tried the Crab Rangoon ($4.50, $4.99 deliv)) which were good, but the sauce was underimpressive--nearly tasteless and so thin so as to not stick to the wonton at all. Wife had the Fried Tofu ($3.99) which were also okay (I sampled one), though again the accompanying sauce was marginal. I was really underimpressed by the Kuay Tiew Kee Mao (drunken noodles, $6.50, $6.99 deliv), which had very little spiciness (even though I ordered medium [in Thai] and wife ensured I got it right), was minimal in terms of taste and bulk. It was small, the beef so-so, and very little of the accompanying veggies--to top it off, it was warm at best, not close to hot. Wife got Pad Ped Pla Dook ($8.59) which is stirfried catfish which she said was only OK (not a fish guy, I dare not try), but it looked pretty--was also warmer than mine, though not spicy either.
Think this is a BYOB place, though I coulda sworn a saw a minimal bar?!?!?! Also have delivery, though keen observers will note the delivery menu--or the take out if they hand you the paper copy--has prices $0.50 or more than you'd pay eating in--don't know what that's about really, but our bill would have been about $2.50 more on the four things we ordered, not to mention a $2.50 fee on top (I'm okay with that). My guess is bill will run 15-20% more than Rosded for no added value, though still not real expensive compared to some other joints. Probably do 3.5 stars if available, but that's about it. Probably won't go back with Rosded across the street and far superior.
I used to think Opart was one of the better Thai places in the city. But now it's just hit or miss. Our delivery order came sans utensils, chili sauce, and the pad thai had no bean sprouts. I have to admit the pad thai, crab rangoon, and curry were still very good.
I went again last night with some friends and the food was just ok. Nothing stood out and the pad kee mao was just plain bad. I absolutely hate how they charge for rice. Stick to the staples here and you should be ok, but there are just so many other Thai options that are consistently good.
Been going here since the place opened when Opart was actually there. If you have to drive there, parking can be a bitch. The wait can be tough too but once seated, and I recommend not taking a table in the front room, you're in for some great Thai.
Cheap and plentiful I think.
A fave w/the lesbian crowd. They like it hot too!
Tiger cry beef, Basil beef are quite nice.
Afterward, hike over too Lincoln square proper & visit Cafe Selmarie.
More Lizzies there too (lots) but the fresh pastries will soothe the Thai burn. Srawberry roulad or banana eclair ought to do it.
Burp
Cheap, delicious and BYOB. I'm a big fan of the Pad King with rice.... and do yourself a favor, order the Tiger Cry.
Like other reviewers, I would say that they know how to kick in the spice at this place. Unlike Royal Thai, the portions are large and filling. I think it is strange to have Thai and sushi in the same restaurant, but who am I to judge?
Delivery is a bit slow, but free California Maki roll for over $25 spent. Bonus.
My family and I have been going her for years. On occasion we try other Thai places but always end up running back to Opart, craving their green curry and Tom Yum soup. Charming ambiance and good staff.
With this many reviews, pretty much everything has been said. I just wanted to chime in that while they have been hit or miss, most experiences I've had there have been great, with a very authentic flavor on the many, varied dishes that they have at a nice low price. I am pained that due to sodium restrictions, I can no longer go here. Someday, someday....
I definitely get what people are saying about the service here - it's not always an A+, certainly, but on a pass/fail scale, most nights I'd give a passing grade. Very good food, fairly fast seating even on a busy weekend night AND, when it's just packed, I love that we can leave a phone number and walk to the never-crowded bar next door to sit and relax and have a drink while we wait, and they call about 10 minutes before we'll be seated so we can pay our tab/finish our drinks and head back to the restaurant.
It's a favorite BYOB spot (bonus: no corkage fee!) among our friends.
DELISH!
This place was so delicious!! The price was not bad and the menu was like 5 pages!! I ordered some curry that the waiter recommended and it was wonderful! I got the mild and there was some serious heat to it but I ate the whole thing anyway. A little annoying you have to pay for a side of rice with curry, but whatever. So good went with a group and it is great that its BYOB too! Will definitely return!
How very disappointing.
Based on the reviews I was expecting delicious, amazing food. I came away from the meal saying 'eh'.
The service was ok. I ordered tofu panang curry (had to pay extra for rice, boo) and tom kha soup.
I got a fuck ton of soup. It came in this giant trough. It even came with it's own ladle! However, there was more quantity than quality in this dish. The broth was watered down and wasn't nearly as flavorful as other thai places (think Tac Quick and Phos). It was ok.
The panang curry was sad. It was a buttload of panang sauce with NO vegetables and a few pieces of lonely tofu. It was truly disappointing. The flavor was ok, but come on! Give me some vegetables in my curry.
Oh, Opart. I will not be back.
To update my previous bad review, I was impressed that the owner contacted me and apologized for my experience. Good PR work. For that, I'm willing to add a star. However, as anyone who has worked in the restaurant business knows (and I happen to be one of those people), if your customers have a bad experience, they won't be back and they will tell other people to not visit the establishment.
All restaurants/cooks have their bad nights when things are not going quite as well as expected, but there is little excuse for food that is not fresh and dishes that are not clean. Gray bean sprouts are unacceptable. I've had my share of Pad Thai and can say that it's not a difficult dish to prepare. My noodles were clumpy either because they were sitting for a long time, were overcooked or (and I really hope this wasn't the case) microwaved.
As mentioned previously, the prices and service were decent.
Although I think it's great customer service to offer a free or discounted meal to a disgruntled patron, I am not really interested in trying the place out again for the previously mentioned reasons. Quality control doesn't seem to be at the top of this list here and that's where my reluctance comes in.
I am new to Chicago, and in the first week here I was excited about the restaurant prospects. I went… Read more »
Re: Opart's Pad Thai
I still like opart a lot, but I'll agree with the people who say their pad thai leaves something to be desired. The noodles are a little too starchy/sticky, there's not enough flavor or crunch.
For the best Pad Thai I've had, get Thai Bowl's on Taylor St. if your by UIC (go flames!) or Sticky Rice if you're up north (but don't go there just for the Pad Thai!).
brain cells don't fail me now!... meant to review the south loop location; never been to this one,… Read more »
Since my meal here, i've been dreaming about their crab rangoons. I almost wish I were kidding.
The food was very good (quite close to great) but the service was a little rough. I was very thirsty for a good portion of the meal, but it has been brought to my attention that I'm a fast water drinker(for what that's worth). Also, the couple sitting next to us was fighting with their sticky rice, though humorous, I'd venture to say the rice was a tad too sticky.
Yes - I'll go back. Yes, I'd order the crab rangoons again, and probably the panang curry again, and I wouldn't mind having their pad thai again.
If you get anything at Opart, get the crab Rangoons. I loves me some Rangoons, but these are the ones I will be craving from now on. Oh man soooo good.
Hokay, so. We had the Pad Thai with chicken and Gaeng Panang also with chicken. The Pad Thai was a little sweeter than I'm used to and I'm not sure that I liked that about it. Don't get me wrong, it was still pretty darn good. The Gaeng was realllllly good. We got it at a medium spice level and we both felt that it was very mediumly spicy (just pretend those are real words).
The place was hopping for a Sunday night! The service was ok - my friend's water glass was empty a couple times and that kinda bugs me. We thought it would be a fab place for a group dinner. All in all, a delightful Thai experience.
This is one of the first Thai places I had ever been to, and it is still one of my favorites.
It has the hands-down BEST Crab Rangoon in Chicago. In the beginning I ordered Crab Rangoon at EVERY Thai restaurant I went to. Opart has yet to be beat.
Other than that, the food is good, the portions are pretty big, and the service is always fast and friendly. Never a disappointment!
We went here for dinner tonight and brought our own Grey Goose. We knew it was BYOB but we didn't know that its either wine or beer. Lucky for us though our server said it was okay!!! *YEY!! How nice of them right?!!*
On with the food!
We ordered:
Tiger Cry: really good! The (charbroiled) beef was so tasty and tender. The sauce that came with it has a kick to it. We loved it so much so we ordered another one =P
Peanut Lover--- We ordered chicken with it. hmm.. I dont think that's the right name-but it has cashews in it. This entree is really good =) We ordered chicken with it.
The only thing is their entree plate is so small!! lol (i guess I'm so used to big servings. ) Overall though- service is great, food is great! I have to try the other location according to Michael S. =P
Ugh *shakes fist* I haven't been here in years and thought I would return to Yelp about it. I was so disappointed with the Penang curry. The chicken and curry were good, but that's pretty much all there was. I've never had a Thai curry so plain, where are all the vegetables? Green beans, mushrooms, bamboo shoots...where were you? I don't count the little pieces of green pepper because I'm not a big fan of those. The BBQ pork Bamee (egg noodle with soup) was a bit sour, like someone had squeezed too much lime in. Besides that, it would have been great.
I must say, the Thai custard dessert saved the day. It was so coconutty and delicious, I could have eaten 10 more squares of those!! The Thai ice coffee was also good. With hundreds of Thai restaurants in the city (at least 2 nearby), I won't be coming back anytime soon...well, maybe for dessert.
PARKING: Street meter, $0.25/15 min.
Opart Thai is a good restaurant. But that's as much as a I can say. Food tasted good, but was nothing special. Prices were fine, but usually at Thai places you get a lot of food. Here that wasn't the case. It was just enough food, but not enough that I'd get to take some home too. Friendly waitstaff and we had no issues, but I woudn't go out of my way to come here again.
Delicious Thai Food with authentic options. I went for the first time upon a friend's recommendation.
You know, I don't know if "real ganstas eat thai" or not. I've been reading a lot of Raymond Chandler lately and all the gangsters in his books don't really eat at all. They mainly smoke and drink and say really pithy things. But that was the thirties and, as far as I know, Thai food hadn't been invented yet. Anyway, something to ponder.
On to the food: This is one of the few places I can remember where the delivery is actually better than dine-in, at least in my experience. Sure, the food is a little expensive for Thai, but the portions are good and it's quality eatin'. Had the Tom Yum soup (shrimp) tonight--spicy, great flavor, and packed full of perfectly lovely tender shrimpy goodness. Great curries, tasty noodles and delicious appetizers--especially the satay.
I know everyone raves about Opart- maybe the meat dishes are great (I'm a vegetarian) but everything I've had there was either not so great or average. I've eaten in there a few times as well as gotten delivery from them, so I doubt my experiences have been limited to "off days".
If I'm in Lincoln Square and getting Thai I'd much rather go to Rosded, less than a block away.
Before they jacked up the prices to cover the cost of the expansion, i would've given this place a 4 star. however, the last time i went there i was a little disappointed in the portion size, especially after the prices went up! however, they do have my favorite basil chicken. they use ground chicken and can really make it spicy! someone once said they have the best crab rangoon.... i don't think that is true. only stand out item i've had here is the basil chicken.
I have become a loyal patron of Opart Thai House since I recently relocated down the street from this delicious little place. The shrimp dumplings are so yummy! The overall quality of the food is extremely solid and it's really inexpensive.
I'm not exactly sure what else you would need from a Thai restaurant. This place has it all and it's done very well.
They have a very simple formula: good food, efficient service, and cheap prices. That's all I really need in any restaurant...
I've been going to this place for years and the Thai food has remained constant, constantly good. A menu that has over a hundred delicious selections ranging from healthy to ... and you will never get bored ordering something new or revisiting. You want it mild, a little bit spicy or hard core, they will accommodate. So maybe it is not perfect, they try.
They remodeled recently, a nice improvement and added a little more room, 50%. A lot of people come in for pickup and they also have a limited delivery range. BYOB with a conveniently located bar and liquor store in the same store front building. Across the street, city parking lot and Red Line Western Stop that can accommodate bicycle parking.
Really good thai!
My sweets got a yummy curry noodle dish that was heavenly.
Really nice service and the prices weren't bad.
Penang! Penang! Penang!
This is it guys...close up shop. This Thai joint is taking the cake on deliciousness. At first I was feeling greedy upon arrival as well as ravenous. I wanted to share one plate by myself. then I realized that I would like to try different ones and we decided to go family style. We had the penang curry, mixed spicy seafood, and shrimp Tom yum soup. The chicken Penang was by far the most flavorful and creamiest I have ever tasted and the spice wasn't too unbearable. The tom yum soup was spicy and citrus-cy with perfectly succulent shrimps and a medley of veggies. the mixed spicy seafood salad was so fresh and flavorful it made me want to get up and kiss the chef who made it. Thankfully I contained myself and resumed eating. The decor of the place was subtle and best of all , for a nominal corking fee, its BYOB with not one but TWO liquors stores on either side of the restaurant. So picking up some beers or some wine is almost impossible to NOT pick up. The place is very cozy and has a serene feel to it. I am definitely going to find an excuse to come back...because I am a Opart Thai addict and addicts make up excuses...lol.
There are many Thai restaurants on Western. Opart is the best of them.
A nice place based on cuisine alone, I also really like the interior of this place with its heavy use of wood and well placed lighting.
My favorite dish here is the Pad Thai though I have yet to try my other favorite, vegetable fried rice.
It is BYOB, right next door to a liquor store, has great take out service and is right near the Brown Line.
Like I said, there are many options for Thai right here on Western. So if you want to save yourself the trouble and pain just go here. Cause I say so. Ya heard me!
OK, after practically licking my boyfriend's bowl of his "pretty spicy" order of Khao Soy, I am more vigorously giving this place a four-star review.
We were hungry after a day of lazing around (seriously, who doesn't get hungry doing that?) so we ventured out into the melty day for some grub. I went with the pad thai with tofu...it was OK, and much better after we hunted down the waiter and I was able to red chili sauce it up.
But my boyfriend's dish: Khao Soy...like frickin' spicy heaven in a bowl. Admittedly, his taste buds can handle the spicy stuff better than mine, so him saying "pretty spicy" didn't really raise my eyebrows. But then I had a little sip of his broth and despite my slight choking, it was fantastic! It's a good spicy, a slow burn, if you will, that warms your soul. Coconut curry rocks, and with the kick Opart gives it, you'll be rockin' all night long.
Do it.
I love Thai food. I really, really do. OK, maybe I don't love "real thai food," but I love some of… Read more »
Man I had the high hopes for Opart, but according to my litmus test (Panang with tofu), they kinda fail.
Almost an hour for my delivery to arrive (ok fair enough, they quoted an hour), $15.37 for three egg rolls and one order of Panang with rice. Kinda steep.
Everything's just ok. Asked how spicy I liked, I said "medium" which I put on a 4-5 scale of hot out of 10. Turns out, it's more 6-7. No veg, just basil and hunks of tofu (good tofu, granted). Very spicy, not terribly flavorful.
I don't know, man. I'm glad they deliver all the way to me but I'm sure I can find better Thai closer. I'll try them again to see what else they have going for them, but usually if I don't like your Panang, I don't like you.
The Tom Yum Kai (chicken) soup was delicious and exactly what I needed to make me feel better when I had the flu. It had plenty of chicken, fresh straw mushrooms, and a good amount of lime. I ordered it medium spicy and they got it spot on.
I got carryout, so I can't comment on the inside yet, but I will definitely be back to try it out!
Minus one star because the guy on the phone who took my order was an impatient dick.
I only wish I had tried this place when I lived a block away...or maybe it is a good thing since I can't seem to stay away. The crab rangoon is the best in the city. I am not a seafood person at all and I could eat 2 servings of this! The spring rolls and egg rolls are worth ordering as well. My favorite dish is the Peanut lovers but I have also tried the curries and none have ever disappointed! The fact that it is BYOB (no corkage) is just the cherry on the icing on the top of the cake!
Be prepared for a wait on the weekend though!
I dined here for the first and only time a few weeks ago. Two appetizers, the Crab Rangoon and a tasty something-or-other with peanut sauce, had us all salivating for more. However, we had 4 diners and 2 of them were disappointed with their meals. Apparently our friends, who live in Lincoln Square, had enjoyed many a meal here, but something was off the night we visited. This seems consistent with the reviews of many recurring patrons- when it's good, it's really good, but when it's not, it's just okay. There are multiple Thai establishments in the area, so I'm not sure if I'd return to Opart and take a gamble, or try somewhere new and take a gamble. It's a bit of a Catch-22.
We ordered take out from Opart tonight based on my happy memory of a previous dine-in experience. My husband and I split an order of the Masaman curry with chicken, a cucumber salad, and an order of crab rangoon.
The crab rangoon are great and the sauce that comes with them is really perfect - sweet but fresh and spicy, too.
The cucumber salad comes with jalapenos and is a little spicy if you happen to eat the seeds, but otherwise it's very yummy too.
The Masaman curry was the perfect size for the two of us and was delicious! We ordered two servings of sticky rice to accompany it, but I wasn't really a fan - probably should have gotten plain jasmine rice instead.
The portions aren't enormous, but they are totally an appropriate amount of food and the prices are good.
OK- so I've only been here twice, but I can honestly say I love this place!
Definitely order the Tiger Cry and the Peanut lovers Dish.
Not a big fan of the servers (both times they seemed aloof and kind of annoyed) but they got our orders right and the food totally makes up for the pursed lips you get when you order extra sauce.
Just went, AGAIN, to my favorite Thai in the city. I know there are glittzier, more expensive places to go, but this place has plenty to offer. They are very consistent with their entrees, and the portions, though small, are filling. That, and the BYOB factor is a plus! You may want to check yourself before you say "very hot" when they ask you how spicy you want a dish. I tried to be bold once with the spicy basil fish, and ended up sweating uncontrollably! Hot, or medium are perfectly hot enough!
Also, if you don't get the fried banana dessert, you've blown it. It's a cold, mushy banana surrounded by a warm fried filo dough, all smothered in honey. Drool city. It cools the mouth off nicely when you finally stop sweating from the food! Go, and enjoy yelpers!
Pros: 1. BYOB, 2. easy on the wallet, 3. tasty food
Cons: 1.iffy service, 2. curry doesn't come with rice (you have to order a side of rice which is not a huge deal, but I found it odd), 3. compared to other thai restaurants, Opart had smaller portions
Overall, pretty good place. I'd stop by if I was in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't make a trip of it.
Came here with six friends for dinner to start out a birthday get-together. The menu is huge. Two of my friends had never had Thai before, and they had a ton of options to try. The beef satay, egg rolls, crab rangoon, curry with sweet potatoes, and pad thai were all outstanding. The dining rooms are beautifully painted and decorated with Thai artwork for a really nice ambiance. The total bill for seven of us was less than $80.
Great Thai food, really cheap. What else could anyone ask for?
You could ask for BYOB with no corking fee. They have that here too-- we polished off a few bottles of wine and beer. Now you have no excuse not to try this place.
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Near Southside
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Category: Thai
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