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Red Light - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Asian Fusion Asian Fusion [Edit]
820 W Randolph(between Halsted St & Green St)
Chicago, IL 60607
Neighborhoods: Near West Side, West Loop
(312) 733-8880
- Nearest Transit:
-
Clinton-Green (Green Line, Pink Line)
Grand-Blue (Blue Line)
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Trendy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
285 reviews for Red Light
Review Highlights
"The chocolate bag was fantastic as well."
(in 50 reviews)
"The sweet potato fries are definitely a must."
(in 37 reviews)
"Mai Tai and a Mango Martini, both fantastic."
(in 22 reviews)
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285 reviews in English
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Review from Ms Beachy B.
Chicago, IL
2/21/2011
I am so glad I didn't read the reviews here before my husband and I dined here on Saturday night. We loved it! I am really surprised at the bad reviews. Our waiter, Victor, was phenomenal. He was very attentive, but not overbearing. He anticipated if we needed something. This was so nice to go out and enjoy the food, service and ambiance. Having a 2-year old, we do not get out alone very often.
The food was fantastic. Their Pad Thai is now on my top 2 list now of best I've ever had - and I order Pad Thai at every Thai or Pan Asian restaurant I go to. The coconut soup (Dtom Khaa Gai) was awesome. I just found a recipe online to try to replicate it (or come close). I could have just had bowls and bowls of this soup for my meal....I may do just that next time. I cannot remember what my husband ordered, but he enjoyed it - it was a little on the small side (portion). He had sweet rice with it that was very good.
We plan to go back here very soon! -
Review from Dan A.
Chicago, IL
2/7/2011
Dinner here with my wife and a friend was great... twice.
Love the atmosphere / ambiance. Friendly wait staff. Drinks are reasonably priced. Dinner was excellent.
Maine Lobster Mango Rolls = THE SHIZZZ!!! Excellent appetizer. Crispy, sweet, and then there's lobster. You can't miss.
Dtom Khaa Gai Soup - oh so tasty. Definitely worth it.
Wrinkled Green Beans - healthful and heavenly, if a little greasy.
I have had several of the main dishes and all are prepared in unique ways, Asian fusion is the right description and every dish has a twist, very flavorful and some pleasantly unexpected flavor surprises.
Great place to go with a good sized group. Not an "intimate" setting.
I know this is weird... but I love their bathrooms. Very unique as well. -
Review from Char Y.
Chicago, IL
10/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
We came with a coupon and thought the name was weird. However, the interior decor is even weirder. I felt like I was in a red circus, which is too distracting. We ordered
emerald jumbo prawn curry - ok, VERY spicy
duet of pork - ok, could be better
jackie's chocolate bag - the best thing in this meal!
I didn't think the price matched the food portions, and I still can't justify paying a lot for Chinese food. Even though it is technically fusion. It also doesn't help that the manager of the white sox was sitting across from us with his YOUNG date, and were getting special attention from the chef. She personally served him & gave them mountains of food that they didn't finish! While we had barely any food! AHHHH!!! -
Review from Carolyn L.
Palatine, IL
12/27/2010
I was fortunate to come here for a business dinner in October and immensely enjoyed the family-style dinner that we all sat down to. The wine was pouring, the energy was way up, and it was so nice to be able to have friendly business chats in the private room on the 2nd floor.
When the food came out, the room got noticeably quieter because we were all very excited to dig in. For appetizers, we enjoyed some delicious egg rolls. For the main course, we had plate after plate of wrinkled green beans (personally, I wouldn't include the word "wrinkled" on my menu, but the green beans were too tasty covered in garlic and soy caramel to notice the less-than-delightful word), a steak and fish option (both delicious), and plenty of other side dishes like fried rice. I recall that there was soup as well.
All of the flavors blended nicely to produce a very tasty and accessible (for those crazies who don't like Thai/Asian food) menu. We all left feeling happy and satisfied, which always makes for good business! -
Review from jim till s.
Chicago, IL
3/4/2011
$20 phad thai was enough for me to question this Restaurants authenticity. That and they have the same interior designer as Planet Hollywood. Red Light was a total let down. If it wasn't for the Christmas $50 gift certificate our sister from Wyoming bought us, we wouldn't have given this place a second chance.
The Dtom Khaa Gai was boring and bland, everything on the menu is 3 times as expensive as it should be, and the steamed pork dumplings could easily have been substituted for the frozen variety and we wouldn't have noticed.
The nail in the coffin for us was the aroma of our noodle dish, which was a cross between dry dog kibble and band-aids.
I guess we paid the- across the street and two blocks down from Oprah's studio tax.
the only plus was the $1.25 4oz pours from haymarket across the street. -
Review from Christina B.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 1/29/2011
The days of Red Light are a bygone era. Chef Jackie "resigned on New Year's Eve and 'demanded' the chocolate bag be taken off of the menu." (quote from waiter)
Service was awful. Despite having a reservation, our orders weren't put in until 40 minutes after arrival. Our waiter was lackluster and let it show. We were told 4 times by the hostesses and waiter that they are "behind". Our menu presentation was "we are out of this, no more of that, this is now shrimp..." 3 entrees garnered 1 small bowl of rice. We had to ask for our waiter, ask for more drinks, ask for more rice...etc.
The cherry on top was when the waiter asked us if despite the chocolate bag being gone, would we like dessert? When we declined he said, "you guys just wanna get out of here? Yea...me too.." and wandered away.
Won't be back...won't recommend.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/5/2011
Interior is gorgeous. Another Jerry Kleiner masterpiece. The only things I will say: Kung Pao… Read more »
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Review from Jen R.
8/23/2010
I stopped here with a friend for a nicer than usual lunch, because sometimes McD's just doesn't cut it - ya, I live large. We decided on the lobster rolls and ahi tuna as our appetizers, and both were tasty. Our entrees, the grilled hangar steak and crisp chicken, were ok and nothing special, although the wasabi mashed potatoes that came with the hangar steak were just cool and unique enough to be worth the try.
Also, although we told the waiter we would like to be in and out as soon as possible it took us 15 minutes to flag him down to get our check. When we finally did, we said we'd like to try to fit in dessert and it took him another 10 minutes to bring us the dessert menu. So ya, unfortunately I got dessert-blocked. Anyways, our two appetizers and two entrees set us back $50, which was a waste for a so-so lunch. That said, this place could be three star worthy with the right server and food selections. On a side note, after our meal I called Red Light a number of times requesting a faxed copy of our check and was totally ignored. Not cool. -
Review from Mollie H.
1/9/2011
We went with a group of friends over the summer. While waiting to eat, I asked for a glass of wine. For the brands they carry, the wine is COMPLETELY overpriced. I understand there is a mark-up, but this was overboard. So, when the waiter brought me a glass that had about three sips in it, I spoke up. (I've done this before - it happens. Sometimes the bartender is rushed and doesn't fill the it to the point where he/she is allowed. Normally, customer is right and I get a proper pour.)
The waiter was insisting that I was wrong and this was a proper pour. I kept on and he took it to the bartender. The manager finally came over (seriously, put a spit more of wine in my glass and I'll be happy. Is all this really necessary?) He said it was the 6 oz pour, which it wasn't. I brought something up about the customer always being right, etc. and he still argued with me. At that point I had given up and just wanted to get on to having dinner.
A few minutes later the manager comes back to my table with an appropriate pour in a wine glass for me. Now, this should redeem them and give them a star right? No... because the snarky asshole said, "we don't normally do this," as he dropped it off. Really???? Then don't do it. And it you are going to do it, why did we have to go back and forth on it for 15+ minutes. It was so unprofessional.
Besides that, the food was nothing to wow me and after the drink incident, I rather take my money to the other 34987 asian fusion places in the city. Hey Red Light, I thought you were connected to Opera? If so, you must be the ugly stepsister. -
Review from Annie L.
Streamwood, IL
3/6/2011
Went here with a friend for their extended restaurant week.
Drink:
Blood Orange..something. Tasted like grapefruit juice with a hint of lime.
Appetizer:
Standard pork wontons. The hoison and cognac sauce saved it.
Entree:
Emerald Prawn Curry. Tasted like a more Americanized version of green curry I ate at a normal Thai restaurant.
Dessert:
Flourless chocolate cake with strawberries. If i didn't know how easy it is to make it, I would be more impressed.
5 stars for interior design and ambiance.
4.5 stars for service.
3 stars for the food. Way too overpriced for the quality of food in my opinion. -
Review from Val B.
Chicago, IL
9/19/2010
We went into Red Light on Friday since we had a You Swoop coupon. The reviews here are pretty good so I expected a little better.
We split the lobster roll appetizer, which weren't very good. We were deciding between those and the shrimp app, and asked the waiter his opinion. Perhaps he liked neither or didn't have an opinion, but his answer was 'the lobster rolls are definitely the most popular appetizer.' Which I now realize didn't answer my inquiry.
Anyway, the lobster rolls weren't good. They were mostly just weird - it was like an egg roll, but with lobster and what looked/tasted like mushrooms and served with mango slices and a sweet/sour-ish sauce. It was like a big plate of WTF. Now I know what my mom meant when she said being popular isn't everything.
We also split the kung pao chicken and the beef curry. Both were decent - the chicken was spiced well (though not spicy at all) and the curry had a nice flavor. They give it to you with about 2 ounces of rice, so we had to ask for more, which was weird. While decent, the entrees were certainly not portioned nor prepared to their listed price - it was something like $20 for the chicken dish and $24 for the curry. $24 effing dollars for a plate of curry? Are you serious?
Fortunately we had the Swoop, but knowing the price/quality ratio I probably won't be back. Service was good, but not that good. -
Review from Lisa A.
Chicago, IL
10/19/2010
Went on a Friday night based on a recommendation. Definitely wasn't worth it.
The service was the slowest ever and they didn't give us the time of day even though there were six of us. The food wasn't great either. I ordered off the vegetarian menu, spring rolls and artichoke tempura. Spring rolls were bland, artichokes were heavier than I expected. Also got some sweet potato fries which came WAY after the rest of our meal. The waiter explained they had burned the first batch and had to remake them. Once they finally arrived, they were good -- until we found a hair in them. That's right. Hair.
Overall it was just a bad experience, I won't be going back. -
Review from Molly M.
Santa Rosa, CA
10/23/2010
I went here on a work trip with a bunch of co-workers. I am going to start out by saying that I was the only vegetarian in the bunch, so my experience was much different then everyone else's. That being said, it was pretty bad.
I started off with the vegetarian spring rolls and the rice noodles were under cooked to the point of being crunchy (seriously, how do you under cook rice noodles, they take almost not time to cook??). I followed that with the potato curry which was basically a cube of unseasoned mashed potatoes with a just okay curry sauce dumped over it.
I also got hit with food poisoning. I am not 100% sure it was from this place, but since I was the only one who ate what I ate and I was the only one who got sick, I think it probably was.
In addition to all this, we kept hearing loud banging sounds coming from the kitchen. I mean really loud, to the point of being very distracting.
The only reason I gave this 2 stars instead on 1 is because my meat eating companions all gushed and raved about how amazing their food was. The service was also pretty decent. -
Review from Phoebe W.
12/12/2010
I was so stoked to check this place out, especially since my sister gave me a $50 off coupon. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. My friend and I came in during a busy dinner rush, so service was slow and scarce. I felt like we rarely even saw our server. We ordered the mango & lobster egg rolls with chili sauce and the sweet potato fries with miso aioli. I think my friend and I should've ordered just the fries since the portion was gigantor. The miso aioli was fantastic with the fries and I plan on trying to replicate it on my own later.
When the waitress finally brought our entrees, I could tell my friend was disappointed because her bowl of curry was lukewarm. She ended up eating more of my dinner, which I had no problem with since it was also gigantic. They had a special of a whole fried catfish with a sweet bell pepper dipping sauce and white rice. My catfish was cooked perfectly and the sauce was awesome. They were even better as leftovers! We ended our dinner with one of Red Light's famous chocolate bags, which was very whimsical and tasty.
I would say that this place is pretty overrated and you could probably get a lot of the same things (except for those dreamy sweet potato fries) in a place in Chinatown at a much lower price. -
Review from David K.
Chicago, IL
6/15/2010
I agree with the other reviewers who mention that Red Light may have once been a great restaurant, but these days it is a sad reflection of the promise it once held.
After an absence of several months, I went to Red Light with my girlfriend recently to give it another try and we were disappointed by all aspects of the experience -- incredibly poor service, mediocre food in meager portions, poor value.
We made reservations for a Monday night and were seated almost immediately, but then we sat at our table for 20 minutes before the lone server assigned to the outside tables (and several more inside, apparently) stopped by for our drink orders.
We placed our orders all at once because we could see she was slammed and 20 minutes later we received our drinks. 20 minutes after that we received our appetizers...and 30 minutes after that (yes, we had been seated for an hour and a half if you're keeping score) we finally received our entrees...and one of orders was an item we hadn't ordered.
The whole experience reminded me of an episode of Fawlty Towers with John Cleese, where everything that can go wrong DOES go wrong. Bottom line: Red Light is now a "see and be seen" kind of place that seems to have abandoned its commitment to decent food and service. -
Review from John W.
Chicago, IL
2/27/2011
Asian Fusion...errrr I don't think so.
I don't see much difference between Red Light and a local chinese take out place.
Tried the Lobster Mango Rolls - again nothing to write home about.
Wasn't impressed for the $ and won't ever be back. -
Review from Minna A.
I came here for post dinner drinks/desserts. The smells in this place are.. strong. There's a strong scent of spice in the air.
The service was great, our waitress super nice. She was accommodating, even though we only planned to stay for drinks and desserts.
I had the 2009 wine from Languedoc, my friend had the pino gris. My wine was flavorful and robust, hers.. tasted like it had been opened yesterday, left open and forgotten on the counter, and hastily chilled in the last hour. In other words, ew.
We shared the Chocolate Peanut Butter Raspberry Tart, the Coconut-Banana Cream Pie, and the Condensed Milk Pound Cake. My friends enjoyed the dishes, but I thought the tart and the cake were a bit too rich. The coconut sorbet that accompanied the pie, however, was amazinggggggg..
An O-K experience, but not somewhere i'm rushing to come back to. I'd probably choose from another one of Randolph street's many choices. -
Review from Sonali K.
Chicago, IL
8/9/2010
Red Light has been around for many, many years. I remember when it first opened and my cousin's and I were really excited to try it. It used to be a favorite. I went back recently because a friend of mine was in town and he wanted to try something he hadn't had in Chicago before.
We ordered cocktails and a few appetizers off of the vegetarian menu as we are both vegetarian. The cocktails were less than exciting. I was expecting more. We ordered the Crispy Artichokes and the Eggplant Dumplings. Both were very good.
I wasn't thrilled about the entrees though. It's not that they were bad, but I was expecting more flavor and they were just disappointing.
I don't think Red Light is worth what you pay for it. It's fine to check out once, but I can't say I'd go back or recommend it as one of the "must visit" places to someone from out of town. -
Review from Brian C.
Chicago, IL
5/30/2010
5 years ago I went to this restaurant with a friend and had a wonderful meal. The service was great and the food was amazing.
My girlfriend and I went last night... And I don't know what happened to this restaurant, but something has gone terribly wrong.
The first red flag was that the menus look old, cheap and worn out... Even The Golden Nugget replaces old menus once the laminate starts peeling!. Time to switch it up Red Light! The restaurant was less than half full on a Saturday night and the service took forever. The busboys were very attentive, but the waitress seemed to think we needed 40 minutes to figure out an order.
Sweet potato fries tempura were adequate but overpriced. The crab cake had a decent flavor to it but was mushy in the middle. My girlfriend Kung Pao chicken was the best thing we had. My entree was the Mai Gha Ti and it was terrible. Let me start off by saying that for 19 dollars... an entree should be fantastic. This was bland. Flavorless. The chicken was dry and rubbery, the vegetables were insubstantial overall it was a total disappointment.
No wonder the restaurant was less than half full on a Saturday night. -
Review from Mandy A.
6/17/2010
So I had this Groupon for a really long time and decided to make reservations for our two-year-condo-living-cohabitating-in-the-city anniversary. I really just like reasons to celebrate.
I made the reservation for Friday the 4th but my husband apparently thought going to watch wrestling at Bottom Lounge was more important. So I changed it to Tuesday the 8th. What I happened to forget is that the Groupon expired on Wednesday the 9th. Which may explain the wide eyed look all of the servers had that night.
We did make reservations on Open Table and were seated right away. I noticed the two girls in front of us were told it was a 30 minute wait so glad I made the reservations. Surprised because it was a Tuesday but we got a table so no issues.
My husband and I tend to not order everything at the beginning of the meal so we have a little time to linger and talk. We ordered drinks and they took awhile. Once they did get there, yum. Mai Tai and a Mango Martini, both fantastic. But probably 15 minutes-ish before we got them. Then we ordered egg rolls to split and probably should have ordered our entrees too but didn't want them to come out simultaneously. Unfortunately when we did order entrees, it took a good 35-40 minutes to arrive. And servers seemed to be disappearing all over the place. A lot of tables looked like they were waiting for food.
Like I said, I think this was a weird night so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt but you'd think if you sold a couple hundred Groupons, you'd probably want to prepare for the last couple days before they expire.
I got the Kung Pao chicken and it was spicy! The guy even said he would make it a little milder and when they delivered the food they said "Kung Pao mild" and it was still, wow very spicy. Good though just wow. Husband got the Shrimp 99 and he said it was okay but probably wouldn't order it again. He ate about 1/3 of my dish and said he liked that better.
So I'd probably come back again, probably again during the week since we live a couple blocks away and we can avoid the crowds... but there are so many other great restaurants around, it'll probably be awhile.Listed in: West Loop is Wonderful
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Review from Melissa R.
Chicago, IL
3/8/2010
I was intrigued when I saw that this place was rated one of the top ten best Asian restaurants in America by Bon Appetit...because that's pretty serious.
I made reservations for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. but then that afternoon had to push them back an hour, which normally restaurants get kind of snooty about but they were super friendly about the whole thing. Our server was a cool guy with good suggestions, but we couldn't figure out if he was monotone or unhappy with life.
We arrived at 8:30 and had no problem finding street parking, but knowing they had valet was a nice back-up plan. The restaurant itself reminded me a lot of Marche (its sister) and seemed pretty empty which I found surprising for a Saturday night. Also, the tables were crazy close together which I find annoying...especially with such a large space. We had to move our table to get in and out of the booth so I wasn't shoving my arse in my fellow patrons' food.
I was impressed with almost everything I ate which was: Asian Paella (really fresh and flavorful with lots of yummy seafood and sausage), Mee Gha Ti (thin rice noodles, creamy coconut curry sauce, chicken, cucumbers, roasted coconut, peanuts) that I couldn't get enough of, and the heavens shined down on us when we ordered Jackie's Chocolate Bag. What's not to adore about a chocolate bag stuffed with white chocolate mousse, fresh berries, and swimming in raspberry sauce...it was incredible. The only thing I was not a huge fan of were the Tempura Sweet Potato Fries, they were way too deep fried for me.
It was a great place for a date, but I saw all different sorts of tables going on: families, work folk, groups of friends, etc. and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.Listed in: Date 'Em If You Got 'Em!
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Review from Carol J.
Chicago, IL
1/1/2010 ROTD 5/6/2010
The best way to gauge a good server is to throw a child into the mix at a place that isn't really a kiddie scene. Let me break it down:
Girls Lunch included the most adorable and precocious 8 year old you're gonna find in these parts, a very picky eater and a running late (me) ringleader. Nothing pisses a server off more than a table walking in seconds before they are done seating so my friends arrived early and got the wheels in motion. I thought it odd that they wouldn't let my friend order a drink for me until I was there, the server explained that it was really so the drink didn't get watered down...nice. And the luscious Mango puree martini was worth the nano second wait once I arrived. Lunch time service was outstanding from waitress to busser to the very gifted bartender who probably doesn't get a lot of action from 11:00-2:00pm....
Loved the Chinese Egg Rolls with the Sweet and Sour Sauce, The Teryiaki hanger steak was awesome, however the Wasabi Mashed Potatoes were a little heavy on the wasabi, so much so I couldn't enjoy. The Pad Thai and the Seven Treasures were fantastic. But really, at the end of the day, it was the Chocolate Bag (dark chocolate bag with Belgian white chocolate mousse and fresh berries....) and service that stole the show.
Great atmosphere, deep reds, luxe fabric umbrellas, JK signature metal work on the chairs. After all these years, the Red Light is still burning like beacon on this overpopulated restaurant row.
Awesome people watching on the sidewalk cafe in the summer and definitely a nice after work scene at the bar... -
Review from Brett D.
3/9/2009
Having a group of out-of-town friends in Chicago last weekend brought me back to Red Light for the first time in many moons... it was their big 'Saturday night out' selection and I was basically just there to go with the flow and enjoy the company. Personally, would I have selected Red Light for a full-fledged Chicago knock-my-socks off experience? No. It's not a bad restaurant by any means, but does it highlight the best of the best our fine city has to offer in Asian Fusion type fare? Again, No.
Our group was seated promptly and cocktails quickly gathered in front of us... personally, mine didn't really jive. I ordered the mango martini which literally arrived like a cheap daiquiri. It was icy, blended and sickeningly sweet... I was not impressed... when did martinis veer so far off the tracks by categorically become anything served in a martini glass? My dining companions seemed to enjoy their libations though so for now I'll digress and move on to some apps, all of which tasted good, not great... I'd say the highlight was definitely the crispy Maine lobster roll with a spicy kicker of a Thai mango chili sauce and the vegetarian Vietnamese spring rolls with sweet chili vinaigrette.
Dinner didn't do much to wow me either... ordered the surf and turf (hangar steak, tempura shrimp, wasabi butter, teriyaki sauce) which actually tasted great - and gave many at my table plate envy - but had one slight issue... it looked like.... well.... uh.... er.....ok, I'm just going to say it....
The 'wasabi butter' made it look like someone jizzed on my steak.
How's that for appetizing? Maybe the butter should come on the side? Maybe it shouldn't cum at all if you know what I'm sayin'.
And there you have it. The other dishes that graced our table fortunately arrived ejaculate-free and the diver scallops with porcini polenta and pork pad thai both seemed to be hits with my group. Service felt a bit rushed and our waiter made no attempts at being overtly friendly... timing of the food, also, was off. Apps too fast, dinner too slow and one busser just flat out refusing to cease filling up my friends water glass after she explicitly asked him not to. Odd.
The Red Light experience is very comparable to a PF Changs... well, minus the addictive Mongolian Beef that only PF C's does so well. Same canned 'Asian' package though... Décor is standard. Service is forgettable. Timing is inconsistent. Food is moderate. Wasabi Butter is... well... um, salty.Listed in: I've Got Stake in Steak.
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Review from Tina B.
10/13/2008
Pretty much looks like a brothel from the future up in here, dark and red, like something from a bad, futuristic Will Smith movie or something. Not that there's anything wrong with that. No, they saved wrong for the rest of the experience.
Have you ever been to a salon to get your hair done and they stick you under the dryer and when you come out it's Thursday and you're family has filed a missing person's report and you're scared and disoriented?
That's kind of like what the service is like here: "I'll be right back." - total lie. One person's drink came and then 10 minutes later the next one came and then like 10 minutes later the next one came. And you're going to have to search for your check, and start making up lies about how you've got to be somewhere, so "Do you think you could please get my check for me please." And our waiter was pretty bitchy. Lots of judgment about whether each person had ordered enough food - so bitchy that then my man started acting all bitchy, too, refusing to order anything else, so then I was having to deal a bitch-a-thon up in this bitch.
Given the time we had to wait and our vantage point of being able to watch some of the prep work didn't help matters at all - I saw someone pick some food off of the counter with their hands and then put it back on the plate and then take it out to be served....When food did come to our table, all haphazardly spaced, most of it was decent, some of it was great and some of it was school cafeteria bad.
The Black Tie Sesame Shrimp coated in black and regular sesame seeds was a standout. But they better had been, since an appetizer of eight medium-sized shrimp costs $17. The crunchy and flavorful morsels were the highlight of the janky evening. Lobster rolls were all Panda Express-ish, and if you can prove to me that there was actually some - any - actual lobster up in the ones we ate I will straight up give you a dollar.
My daughter got something (not even memorable) that came with what were supposed to be wasabi mashed potatoes, but was instead a cold and flavorless lump of blech. We sent them back and the waiter came back to tell us that owner/chef Jackie Shen was also unhappy with them and that they wouldn't be served for the rest of the night. But there was still no comp of that entree, no substitution offered, just nada. Like, now your diner doesn't have a side dish and will still cost more than $20. Why didn't the waiter just come over and call me a bitch, too? Because that would have made just about as much sense.
And after all of that - the bill? High. Way too damned high. It has been said before, and it will be said again (especially by me) but "fusion" is just code for "expensive".
Come here if you are a glutton for ho lights and painfully bad service with a side of yummy shrimp.Listed in: The Jacked, Janky and Schisty…
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Review from Melissa M.
Chicago, IL
5/21/2009
I came to Red Light earlier this week and had an enjoyable experience.
I came with a group -- and for the most part we all ordered different stuff. 2 of the guests split the pea soup -- it looked fantastic and they said they enjoyed it.
One person had the pork and said it was very good. His wife had a noodle dish I believe. I think she said she enjoyed it. I had the pre fix menu -- it was good. A lot of oil on the noodles though. Like a ton -- had to leave a lot behind.
Someone ordered the sweet potato fries -- YUM. I had 3 or 4 of them and they were really good.
This place would have gotten 4 stars for me was it not for the terrible service. Our waiter never came around -- and when he did he was short and kind of rude.
I may be back ... we'll see though. -
Review from Laura V.
Oak Park, IL
4/1/2010
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Great for visitors and special occasions!
Decor: is strikingly fantastic and unique. The colors - burgundy, gold, fire-engine red, oranges. And then there are the materials - wrought iron, copper, velvet, wood. Fantastic. I love all the fixtures too. The co-ed bathrooms are very cool and have tall vaulted ceilings.
Service: I've been here a few times and the service is way above average in attentiveness and friendliness.
Food: Vegan and vegetarian friendly! They always ask about dietary restrictions too - which is very considerate. The Kung Pao is a must try. The texture of the tofu is perfect and the spiciness level is just about right. Add the delicious veggies to the mix and the dish really is perfection. Other than that, I've tried the potato curry (very sweet but interesting flavors) and the pad see ew (lovely noodles, great smokey flavor). For appetizers - I've tried the eggplant dumplings (surprisingly delicious - even my eggplant-averse husband loved them) and the fried artichokes (trio of dipping sauces - delicious). The portions are just right and I always leave very satisfied.
Value: Red Light is in a trendy area and is a little pricey but really not too bad. I think they really get you on the alcohol. My husband and I had a full dinner (appetizers, juice, entrees and sorbet for dessert for about $65). When it comes down to it, the food, decor and service are all fantastic and for that, I pay a bit more.
I just went last night and I look forward to going again!Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Andrea R.
6/23/2007
Red Light totally dropped off my radar, but while searching on Open Table yesterday for a restaurant that could take 2 people at 8:00 on a Friday night I came across Red Light. It has been a few years since I'd been here, but i remember it being very good so my friend and I decided to give it a try.
It turned out to be a fun, delicious meal! We were seated extremely close to another couple in the restaurant...it would have been way too close in a normal situation, but they turned out to be very cool friendly yelpers so we didn't mind and even shared some of our delicious sweet potato fries with them.
Besides the sweet potato fries (and boy did I love those sweet potato fries) we started with a soft shell crab maki (a special from the evening) and then split the salmon and scallop entrees. I would order these entrees again in a heartbeat...didn't love the polenta that came with the scallops, but I'm not really a polenta type of gal to begin with. And of course had a side of sweet potato fries (a must!) and a side of green beans too because they looked too good not to order (and they tasted even better than they looked). Our waiter seemed a bit surprised we were ordering 2 sides, but hey...we like to eat!
As for the drinks we started with a mango martini, which was so thick that my friend joked she need a 7-11 straw to drink this slurpie like martini. We drank it, but wouldn't order this again and were much happier when we switched to wine.
The service was great- attentive waiter, but not annoyingly in our face. And gotta love the funky Alice in Wonderland type of atmosphere of this place as well. And I can't forget to mention the swanky bathrooms, which my friend (who I've been unsuccessfully trying to get to yelp for over a year now) said she may yelp just for the 5 star bathrooms! -
Review from Dennis S.
11/24/2009
When a bartender doesn't have the right ingredients to make the drink you request (a common drink with only two ingredients), switches ingredients, then tries to tell you his is the right way - that's bull. Even when you call him on it and he then provides you free drinks, it still bull. I won't be stopping at Red Light to drink at the bar.
But I will be there to eat! It's clear why this is considered one of Chicago's top pan-Asian restaurants (one of the country's 10 best Asian restaurants, according to Bon Appetit). Chef Jackie Shen clearly deserves all the accolades she's received. We had a fantastic meal.
We both started with the dtom hkaa gai soup - coconut broth, chicken, straw mushrooms, and galangal. Most pan-Asian and all Thai restaurants have a variation of this soup and I love to try each chef's version. This one was very refreshing, light on the coconut side, not too filling. For entrees, my wife went with the fish special and I had the spicy pan seared diver scallops with porcini mushroom polenta. The sauce with the scallops was delightfully spicy - the first bite sets you back a bit, but by the third bite you're use to it. It had a coconut base and gave a terrific Asian taste to the scallops and polenta. A generous serving, I had plenty of time and plenty of forkfulls to enjoy all the different flavors.
We only had one option for dessert. There are multiple choices, but how can we be foodies in Chicago and NOT have had Chef Shen's famous "Jackie's Chocolate Bag." It's a "bag" made of dark chocolate, filled with Belgian white chocolate mousse and fresh strawberries, with a raspberry sauce. One was enough for the two of us to share. It tastes just as good as it sounds and its fame is well-deserved. We'll probably never find out what any other desserts on the menu are like - this is too good to ever pass up.
The wine list was nice and we had a great Austrian Huber Gruner Veltiner to go with the meal. Service throughout the meal was fine, not exceptional, but fine. The décor - well, I'll let you decide for yourself. It didn't bother me, but it didn't impress me either.
If we didn't have to walk past the bar on the way out I would have forgotten about how poorly the visit had started. Red Light's food has five star potential and that's reason enough to go back. -
Review from Dawn H.
3/13/2010
I've been here a dozen of times and almost always had an excellent meal. Some dishes I highly recommend:
1) Thai Dtom Khaa Gi Soup: mildly spicy coconut broth with tender chicken, mushrooms, and chopped green and red peppers...very good soup
2) Tempura Sweet Potato Fries: super crispy and yummy!
3) Mee Gha Ti: thin noodles in a coconut curry sauce with chicken...really distinct taste and is my favorite entree here
4) Pork Duet: juicy and tender pork basked in bbq sauce served either in thick slices or chopped and blended with pineapple....surprisingly very good, especially the latter
5) Traditional Phad Thai: as you'd expect but hearty with lots of pork and eggs and a few slices of shrimp
6) Chocolate Bavarian Mousse Cake: best money I've spent in a long time....cured my daily chocolate craving and then some!
There is one dish I can't recommend -- the Shrimp Ninety-Nine. Very scant dish with a couple of shrimp. It wasn't memorable but I do remember it definitely wasn't worth the money. Service is kind of slow, but that's okay, the food is worth it overall.
I really like this place. Just prepare to spend a pretty penny... -
Review from Andrew M.
Chicago, IL
10/24/2009
Tired, dirty - needs an update.
Red Light suffers from stagnation and absentee owners. While once one of my favorites, I've found their unwillingness to update has had its effects. This place is to restaurants as is that old man we all know that still dresses like he's a teenager.
My last visit I saw the menu hadn't changed at all over the years. They still rely on their old reliable dishes, like their ribs, the chocolate bag, and something they call 'biryani' that is more accurately a mushy chicken fried rice with an overdose of curry powder.
The low point of the evening was when I was ordering, a strange expression came over the waiter, and he reached over and tried to grab the spider that was descending onto my forehead. Despite a valiant attempt, he was too slow, the spider landed, andI wiped it off my brow.
I spent the rest of the evening staring at the ceiling, observing at least 5 years of dust and grease build up on all the signature red lamp shades.
Red Light is gross.
They haven't changed the restaurant since they opened. They haven't changed the menu since they opened. They haven't cleaned sicne they opened. They haven't done a damn thing since they opened.
Red Light risks a visit from the city Dumpster task force.
Gross. -
Review from Melanie V.
Chicago, IL
12/29/2009 2 photos
"515 Bonding TIme". That's what my old college roomies dub our various get togethers. Cute, no?
On this cold Sunday night, we decided to visit Red Light (since we tend to disregard West Loop!). As soon as the (awesome) waiter asked if we wanted 'shots of tequila', I was impressed and knew it was going to be a great experience! We were also lucky enough to sit at a 'Chef's Table', which was located in front of the open-kitchen. Nice view of all the completed entrees coming out!
The decor in Red Light is Asian-esque, but with a modern, vibrant red flair. It's similiar to what you'd find in Marche or Opera, but with it's own Asian/French fusion style.
And, that's pretty much how you can describe the food! The lobster/mango spring rolls were tasty and had a unique flavor (although the portion size was a little small for the price). I ended up ordering the Emerald Jumbo Prawn curry (delicious and spicy!). Huge pieces of prawn and just the right amount of kick to the curry. I loved it! It comes with a side of white rice, but there's actually a mound of sticky rice underneath all the curry. I mistook it for fish, whoops. My friend enjoyed the Asian paella (fresh seafood mix with a basmati-esque rice). Oh, and there was a heaping pound of green beans, which were a little on the sweet side. Therefore, that was a win in my book.
Our other friend took advantage of the $21 sampler platter (salmon papaya salad, shrimp and pesto pasta and coconut sorbet). A little less Asian influence to her meal, but really good nonetheless. Not to mention a good deal!
As for desserts, that was one of the highlights of the meal. The 'chocolate bag' they have on the menu is perfection. It's literally white chocolate mousse and whipped creamed - encompassed by a wall (or a 'bag') of hardened chocolate. Whoever thought of that creation was a genius.
Red Light's manager is ever-so-charming, too. He checked in with us, joked with us and even sent over some berry pound cake for us to try! (Tip: It pairs magically with a glass of moscato.) Lovely, darling service at its finest!
So, stop in! If not for a full meal, indulge in a delicious dessert, lobster roll or a fab drink! (Red Light Manhattan, what?) You'll be happy you stopped in, I promise!
(Want a discounted gift certificate to Red LIght? Check out http://www.3oclockclub.../ and sign up!)Listed in: Asian Goodness
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Review from Vickie L.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2009
Mmm Red Light. 2 out of 4 KDK restaurants down, 2 to go. Both Red Light and Opera are 5 stars in my opinion. Both have similar menus, atmospheres, and decor, but are somehow different. They work.
Service was pretty good. Our waiter Josh seemed a little unenthusiastic, but he was attentive and very nice. Cute too, too bad I was with 2 guys and not a group of my girls. Water glasses were filled constantly, and the bus boys gave us enough time to eat before clearing our plates.
Had the fresh ginger ale. The last time I went it was not nearly as gingery as I've had in the past, maybe the soda was flat. A little disapointed as I had up-selled the ginger ale to my friends. We started off with the Sweet potato fries as appetizer - so good. Very crispy, sweet & salty. Super greasy though. It was so rich I didn't think I could eat my entree.
One guy got the Peking Duck - it was 1/2 roasted duck, on top of an orange sauce. The skin was crispy and all the meat was very moist. Came with a huge bowl of white rice on the side.
Friend and I shared the Fried Catfish and the Asian Paella. The Asian Paella came out first as our server told us the catfish would be out in a little bit as it was "a big fish." The paella was so SMALL. It looked like less than a cup of rice with about 5 mussels, 3 clams, 2 lg shrimp around it. It was very tasty though, the rice had chinese sausage in it, and they gave us this paella sauce to pour on top, which was sweet and coconutty. I'm glad we shared 2 entrees, if this was my only entree I would have been pissed for the price of the entree.
Fried catfish came out about 5-10 min after everything else. It was HUMONGOUS - I didn't think catfish could get that big! We only ate 1/2 of it. It was fried to perfection, the server prepared it for us by removing the meat from the bone and placed it in the sauce. The skin stayed crispy after being in the sauce after over 5 min. Meat was soft, yet firm, the sauce was sweet and soury vinegar.
We also got the wrinkled green beans as an appetizer and to get some veggies so we felt healthy. They were good, it was a HUGE portion, blackened. They were sweet and kind of had a vinegary flavor. We all liked Operas green beans better though.
We were celebrating my bday and they gave us a chocolate bag dessert for free, yay! So yummy, you can't say anything bad about this dessert, except that I get sad when it's all gone. Wonderful contrast with the which chocolate mousse, tarte berries and sauce, and the dark chocolate bag. Felt like a light dessert even though of course it isn't.
I didn't see the bill, but if you choose the right items (ahem, large portioned items vs small ones), it's a pretty good deal for a nice, romantic evening out with your sign other or a group of close friends.
Word of warning to the ladies - avoid sitting in the raised area that's by the bar if you are wearing a short skirt/dress, boys can see up into your business. -
Review from Brett G.
Chicago, IL
10/9/2008
If you are ready to pay for some Asian fusion food that is a step above standard Americanized Chinese food, you should come here. I've been here multiple times; and have enjoyed everything eaten, save for one dish.
The paper-seared ahi appetizer is flavorful and good, as are the fiery wings. The stir-fry edamame dish is a nice twist on the Japanese appetizer. The duck entree with orange/ginger is delicious, but I won't eat duck so I have never had it myself. The phad see ewe is a creative take on the Thai staple. I have also really liked the kung pao tofu - except there was a hair in the dish on one occasion. After bringing it up, the restaurant comped the entree and offered free dessert - hey mistakes happen and I am not holding it against them.
The portions are generous, and the restaurant itself is gorgeous and original. I also love how their head chef is a female - yey women!Listed in: Get your eat on....
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Review from Michelle F.
Rockville Centre, NY
3/8/2008
Yeah, Red Light is expensive, as other reviewers have mentioned, but I found the price tag to be worth it. Our server was very helpful in suggesting wines and champagne tastings to go with our food choices, and did not push the most expensive ones as I expected. He wasn't overly hover-y, which is sometimes the case in the more pricey places, and I didn't detect a hint of snobbiness from anyone.
Wine list had some good, reasonable choices. The food we had was phenomenal. I had the special, which was some kind of fish filet over portabella mushrooms, peppers, sweet corn, and a tomato cream sauce, and my fiance had a big bowl of steak slices with mushrooms, rice, and a tangy soy-ish sauce. mmmm!
It's really quite beautiful and romantic inside, also. Not that I wouldn't come here with friends; the whole place had a cozy but elegant feel to it. -
Review from Jessica S.
Chicago, IL
11/30/2009
Another $50 gift card my dad received from a client but a much better experience than Marche (one of the sister restaurants). This time my college roommate and I headed down at about 7:30 for a Sunday dinner. The place was pretty packed but we only had a 20 minute wait which was spent quite pleasently at the bar where we found two open seats. After ordering two glasses of Cab Sauv ($10/glass) we proceeded to dive into the appetizer menu - mango lobster rolls and pork dumplings (they were out of the fried artichoke we originally ordered). We were seated before the appetizers came out but the host/manager brought them to our table when they came out of the kitchen.
*BONUS MOMENT* - while clearing our tab at the bar, the very handsome bartender tell us that he has a comp account and that he put our wine on there because he wanted to "thank us for being so patient" (we didn't really wait all that long, so I'm pretty sure he just thought we were cute). Score!
Service was adaquete, nothing incredibly amazing but she wasn't a total fool either. She earned her 15%, nothing less, nothing more. She did help us narrow down our two dishes, so thumbs up for that. We decided on the diver scallops and the prawn curry. Both amazing (though I preferred the scallops, even though they were a much smaller portion) dishes, however, both overpriced...as is everything I'm finding at these KDK restaurants. They were $26 and $25 resepectively. Our appetizers were equally overprices considering how small the portions were but I would say the hoison sauce on the dumplings were my favorite part of the meal. Or was it the coconut infused rice paddy in the spicy curry? I can't decide...
Like Marche, this place has a killer atmosphere and is perfect for date night and girls night out alike. I liked that the executive chef, Jackie Shen, was on the floor plating the food and supervising the kitchen. You don't see that very often anymore so it reassured me that we were getting the best quality from their dishes and the presentation. Not to mention one of the cooks was equally as handsome as the bartender.
Call me? -
Review from Amanda H.
Chicago, IL
9/5/2009
EXCELLENT SERVICE... described below, so outstanding!
We started with the crab cake and the dumplings. The crab cake was somewhat standard, but good. Had the spicy sauce that was so sparingly smeared on one side of the plate topped the crab cake, it would have been excellent. The steamed dumplings were pretty good and topped with juilenned apple, which was interesting.
Oh, we ordered the Ben Marco Malbec, and our glasses were never empty because the waiter was on top of filling them. I do think that the wine list was a bit overpriced.
For his entree, my friend got the seared scallops. Amazing! Perfectly seared and served atop a sliced polenta loaf with a curry sauce. Soooo oooo good. I ordered a fish special - I don't remember the type of fish, but it was reminiscent of sea bass but flakier - that was also quite good. It was served with a sweeter sauce, probably with lots of butter, atop a bed of veggies, including red potatoes and corn. The sweet sauce paired well with the corn.
The problem with my entree, however, is that the fish was not boned well. I got two bones in my fish. I am typically pretty easy-going at restaurants because mistakes happen. I did, however, point the bones out to the waiter. The waiter thereafter offered some of the best service that I have had in a restaurant in a while. He apologized profusely... then he brought out two dessert plates and apologized again... then he brought out a complimentary dessert that was a "bag" of dark chocolate filled with white chocolate mousse and fresh berries. Really tasty, especially because the white chocolate mousse was far lighter than I expected. We also received complimentary Moscato that was lovely - not too sweet with a pear bouquet. I was a big fan.
Red Light gets four stars - if it weren't for the bone incident plus the excessively inflated prices on the wine list, I would've given five stars. Even with the bone incident, I might have given five stars because our server's attention to the matter and the complimentary dessert and wine received more than made up for it, but in combo with the overpriced wine, it's four stars. I am so ready to go back so I can update it to five stars, though. -
Review from Mike K.
Chicago, IL
2/23/2010
I'm not much for any kind of food emanating from Asia, so I've always been reluctant to come to Red Light. I finally was convinced to go to Red Light because she had a Groupon, but I remained very skeptical, especially after perusing their menu online prior to visiting and knowing I'd only be able to eat a few things off of the menu.
Boy, was I ever surprised by my experience at Red Light. The food exceeded expectations in a big way and was truly outstanding. We started with some pork dumplings in a sweet and spicy sauce. They were very good, and I began to open my mind. I had the pork duet entree with pork hash with a similar yet different sweet and spicy sauce. This dish was certainly better than any Asian type dish I'd ever had. She got the salmon and liked it a lot. We also got a side of asparagus, which was also very good. And I don't even eat asparagus!
Service was outstanding. They were attentive but didn't hover. And they were extremely courteous. Great team effort by all the service staff.
The layout of this place is similar to that of Marche across the street. The decor is kind of cool but not quite as cool as Marche. They do have a nice, long bar here where about 10 people can sit.
The only thing that would keep me from coming back here more than once a year is the price. It was approximately $100 for the two of us, including two beers and a dessert if you didn't include the Groupon. If you have two people throwing back wine or drinks you're looking at close to a C-Note and a half when you consider your tip. So it's a bit pricey.
Overall, I give Red Light four stars across the board for service, ambiance and food. -
Review from Matthew B.
Chicago, IL
11/9/2008
Cheesecake Factory meets Chinatown. If I hadn't had a $50 gift certificate to this place, I would have been irritated, and if you're reading this on Yelp, then you know that there's many better places to go for your dining experience. Still, Red Light was perfectly adequate--if someone wanted to go here, I wouldn't mind. The whole fried catfish was great, but, I'm sorry, $34 is market price for steak or lobster, or even a good cut of tuna, not catfish. And their $24 "paella" was 10 pieces total of mussels, clams and shrimp, in a curry broth. Come on! Mixed drinks were on the sugary side, with pretty weak pours. On the positive side, green beans were great, and the "chocolate bag"--a solid chocolate container filled with white chocolate mousse--was great. We had fun with the sake list--I know nothing about sake, but the sake menu was accessible at very least.
I'd say that even in the "pan-Asian" category, you can do better--maybe Tamarind?--but Red Light does have a nice Kleiner scene to it. -
Review from Peter G.
Chicago, IL
11/27/2007
The fried shrimp appetizer... reminded me of frozen coconut shrimp from a box, only not as good.
I took one bite of my entree, left the rest. The waiter asked if it was ok - I said no, it's too salty to eat (not a matter of taste, but health). Often times when your food isn't edible you don't need to pay for it, or are at least offered a substitution. The dish was duck curry - more like dried out overcooked duck leg with salty chef boyardee bright red tomato sauce in a bowl. I kind of hoped it was a joke, It was hilarious.
I think the times have changed for this theme park - it was recommended by a friend who's usually spot on.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Stina N.
Oak Lawn, IL
1/1/2009
Two words: Mango Martini.
You should absolutely go here for the mango martini if nothing else. It was nothing short of amazing. I got the Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice. It was delicious. The portion was massive too. I was stuffed, and it looked like I'd barely even touched the food. The chocolate bag was fantastic as well.
They're a little pricey, but since my boss was paying I wasn't too worried about that. -
Review from jillian d.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2010
It was an Sunday early evening and my friend and I decided to walk the near-east Randolph drag. Red Light looked, well, red, luscious and inviting. It was pretty empty which was to be expected by the time we were eating, but the menu looked pretty delicious.
Our sorry waitress paid us no attention, however the secondary staff (water, bussing) was fabulous, I must say.
Food surprisingly left much to be desired, especially for the price. I had the beef curry dish which sounded marvelous, listed with peanut butter undertones. The sauce was bland and excessive, leaving my beef swimming with floating rice patties. Great if I wanted curry soup. My friend's steak was charred, leaving less seasoned beef than carbon.
We won't be back any time soon. Sorry red light, but I really will not "stop" next time. (yuk, yuk)
