Won Kow Restaurant

(312) 842-7500

2237 S Wentworth Ave
Chicago, IL 60616 41.851784 -87.631976

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Neighborhoods: Armour Square (Chinatown), South Side, Armour Square

Hours:

Friday To Saturday From 09:00 AM To 12:00 AM

Price:

$

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Family-Friendly Dining, Brunch, Business Dining, Family Style Dining, Lunch Spot, Group Dining, Cheap Eats

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Dim Sum, Asian, Chinese

Smoking Permitted:

Yes

What People Are Saying About Won Kow Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – Open since 1927, the casual second-floor dining room bustles with a mix of Chinese families and South Loop businesspeople. During the week, dim sum is ordered by marking items on table cards. On weekends, it's traditional cart service: Just point at food that rolls by on carts. Standout items include doughy, steamed chicken buns and sticky rice rolls. Popular entrees are tender broccoli beef with wide rice noodles or the half duck, roasted Cantonese style.

Editor's Tips

Parking:
Finding a spot on Wentworth is nearly impossible, but the Chinatown Parking Lot is just a half-block north. Parking is just $1.50 for three hours with validation.
What to Drink:
A full bar offers tropical throwbacks with a nod to Trader Vic's, right down to the kitschy names and glassware. Try the popular Singapore Sling.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. The service was attentive and polite, the food was very good (and very reasonable for such huge portions), and the atmosphere was cozy.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. Highly recommend the volcano drinks, which come in a kitschy tropical bowl and have a little flaming well in the middle.
food quality
100.0% positive
  1. The service was great, and the manager came around and made sure everything was good with our meal, and even gave us some extra rice (which is nice, because we ordered an appitizer and just one entree for the both of us, and it was PLENTY!)
  2. Good food.
  3. I'm sorry honey, but it sounds like you had already constructed an "authentic" experience in your tiny mind before you set (no, not a mistake, i'm assuming your bottom is a large object rather than an integrated part of the human body) your polyester pain
  4. The food was surprisingly delicious, and the meat was so tender!
  5. FRIENDLY and FAST service, GREAT food, REASONABLE prices.
  6. Great food for the right price.
  7. The service was attentive and polite, the food was very good (and very reasonable for such huge portions), and the atmosphere was cozy.
  8. Hong Kong steak, is my favorite.
  9. My friend's crab was good, and not overpriced.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. The restaurant attracted a diverse clientele and made for a wonderful evening at a wonderful price.
service
100.0% positive
  1. The service was great, and the manager came around and made sure everything was good with our meal, and even gave us some extra rice (which is nice, because we ordered an appitizer and just one entree for the both of us, and it was PLENTY!)
  2. FRIENDLY and FAST service, GREAT food, REASONABLE prices.
  3. The service was attentive and polite, the food was very good (and very reasonable for such huge portions), and the atmosphere was cozy.
  4. PS -- The dim sum is great and the service superb!
  5. We sat down, and were brought water by a friendly waitress, but my friends cup was REALLY dirty with some kind of film on it.
value
100.0% positive
  1. Great food for the right price.
  2. The service was attentive and polite, the food was very good (and very reasonable for such huge portions), and the atmosphere was cozy.
  3. FRIENDLY and FAST service, GREAT food, REASONABLE prices.
  4. My friend's crab was good, and not overpriced.
  5. The restaurant attracted a diverse clientele and made for a wonderful evening at a wonderful price.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/10/07

Excellent Dim Sum!!!

by spandexa at Citysearch

Ummm....is it just me or does the first comment seem like it teeters on uneducated, ignorant, self-important (of the Americana variety) racism? I think so and it doesnt take an ivy wrapped diploma to sniff out the vermin in that paragraph. I'm sorry honey, but it sounds like you had already constructed an "authentic" experience in your tiny mind before you set (no, not a mistake, i'm assuming your bottom is a large object rather than an integrated part of the human body) your polyester painted junk down. Next time, sweetie, instead of "Chicago Cultured", why don't you simply aim for cultered sans the quotation marks.

PS -- The dim sum is great and the service superb! I highly recommend Won Kow......delicious!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/08/07

Nice, but only went for the 'Chinatown' aspect

by ahanson23 at Citysearch

I went there with a friend from out of town, and we picked Won Kow because a) it had a big sign and it was the nicest one of the bunch and b) had the citysearch logo on the door so I knew it was credible. When we got inside, it reminded me of my Chinese Restaurant I have in my home town in Upper Michigan, so I wasn't super impressed. We sat down, and were brought water by a friendly waitress, but my friends cup was REALLY dirty with some kind of film on it. It was...disgusting. My cup was fine, and the next cup of water she was brought was extra clean, so that was comforting. The food was surprisingly delicious, and the meat was so tender! The service was great, and the manager came around and made sure everything was good with our meal, and even gave us some extra rice (which is nice, because we ordered an appitizer and just one entree for the both of us, and it was PLENTY!). I'm picky about my crab rangoons, and these were okay. They defenitly had real crab meat in them, because the moment I bit into it, I noticed the 'fishy' taste. But, whatever. I saw live lobsters in a tank in almost every store we walked past in Chinatown, so it wasn't unusual.

I see that the Dim Sum is rated really high, and I've never had it, but I'd be willing to go back if we absolutely had nowhere else to go. Interesting experience, and feel more "chicago cultured" but Chinatown is definitly not a 'must-see'.

  • Pros: large portions, quality meat
  • Cons: kind of expensive if you're not splitting, you can get cheaper chinese food somewhere else.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/25/06

Dim Sum

by sdollx at Citysearch

One of the best places to get dim sum. Happy Chef on the new side of chinatown is the only other rival. If you like people pushing the little dim sum carts go on the weekend. Otherwise you will get the paper to fill out. Great food for the right price.

  • Pros: Great food for a great price
  • Cons: Park in the pay lot
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/13/06

Volcano Mai Tai!

by dianejoyhorvath at Citysearch

My best friend and I enjoyed a lovely Friday night dinner at the Won Kow. The service was attentive and polite, the food was very good (and very reasonable for such huge portions), and the atmosphere was cozy. We felt a little like Indiana Jones--the place had a feel very similar to the restaurant in the Temple of Doom (without the dancers and gangsters, of course). Highly recommend the volcano drinks, which come in a kitschy tropical bowl and have a little flaming well in the middle. The restaurant attracted a diverse clientele and made for a wonderful evening at a wonderful price.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

12/12/02

Very highly recommended!

by RLovell50150 at Citysearch

What a refreshing difference to some other places I've tried. FRIENDLY and FAST service, GREAT food, REASONABLE prices. A clean and pleasant place. This was a very good dining experience! I'll be back!

  • Pros: Food, Service, Prices

The Details on Won Kow Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • polite service
  • great food
  • great dim sum
  • authentic dining experience
  • favorite hong kong steak
  • nice extra rice
  • huge portions
  • recommend highly
  • good sure everything
  • refreshing difference
  • highly recommend won kow
  • wonderful evening
  • friendly waitress
  • not overpriced crab
  • wonderful price

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