Eclectic lounge and Asian bistro cuisine in the heart of Wicker Park

(773) 276-7036

1530 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622 41.90936 -87.67583

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Neighborhoods: Wicker Park, West Side

rodanchicago.com/default.html

Hours:

Mon-Thurs 6pm-2am

Fri 5pm-2am

Sat 5pm-3am

Sun 6pm-2am

Last updated 8.27.11

Category:

Bars & Pubs, Singles Bars, Lounges

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining

Cuisine:

Asian

Bar & Club Type of Music:

Alternative Rock, Jazz, Funk, Soul & R&B, Techno & Industrial, Electronica

Bar & Club Special Features:

Romantic Nightlife, 21 & Over, After Work, Live Music

Minimum Age:

21

Smoking Permitted:

No

What People Are Saying About Rodan

The Owner

Rodan

Owner

Rodan is a restaurant and lounge of simple, modern design located in Wicker Park. Warm birch woodwork wraps the interior from bar through to the deep booths in the rear. The silver foil ceiling, banquette, and cement floor produce a natural contrast to the wood. Rodan offers creative Asian bistro cuisine. Traditional dishes such as Veggie Maki stand aside less traditional fare like Togarashi Burger, Hanger Steak with Yuzu Chimichurri Sauce, and Pan Seared Chili Fish. Rodan's dishes are exotic, delicious, and moderately priced. Rodan was conceived as a venue for audio and visual artists. The…

Provided by CityGrid

Read more from the owner

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – There's dynamism in the well-incorporated details of this lounge's future-forward design. A large projection screen displaying abstract patterns, video art or movies is the focal point in the rear. Handsome millwork throughout demonstrates the beauty of exotic woods and right angles. Seating for the stylish, diverse crowd ranges from bar stools and a trio of dining booths to low gray couches and electric-blue ultra-suede banquettes at silvery tables. – – The Draw – Rodan serves creative entrees (grilled fish tacos and chimichurri beef) for dinner, but…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
For a more buzzing lounge, hit Rodan on Saturday nights, but don't expect prompt service. Or come early in the week for an intimate snack for two in the back.
Know Before You Go:
Techie stuff is part of the bar's draw, with camera and video-screen bathroom "mirrors"; the women's room has a more reactive screen.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. The Mojito ice cream tasted of fresh mint!
  2. highly recommend the Salmon Curry as an entree and the plantains for dessert.
drinks
88.88999938964844% positive
  1. There is always good people watching, and it's an upscalish bar in wicker park, which makes it stand out in that area.
  2. exellent dinner food and appetizers, poor service, good bartenders, great place to meet friends for drinks.
  3. Our server was attentive and our drinks were great.
food quality
85.9000015258789% positive
  1. There food is good, I love bringing visitors from out of town here!
  2. My husband slurped up every bit of his Chicken Quinoa Stew, that had interesting ingredients, like green papaya, walnuts, cranberries and rice noodles.
  3. Such good food (from the wasabi-battered fish&chips to the sesame-tofu crepes to the empanadas to the sushi), not to mention awesome service (Jamie, Nandini, Rolan- you rock).
  4. Great food
  5. exellent dinner food and appetizers, poor service, good bartenders, great place to meet friends for drinks.
  6. The South Asian-Peruvian fusion may seem like a weird culinary marriage, but it really works, particularly with dishes such as the wasabi fries and the spicy bao.
  7. They also have a ginger-infused cocktail that's a bit pricey, but tasty.
  8. The Mojito ice cream tasted of fresh mint!
  9. The food was such a wonderful infusion of flavors.
  10. Softcore has the funkiest namebrands with some fresh new designers.
  11. Funky and artsy lounge with surprisingly wonderful food!
  12. The perfect place to grab food, chill, talk and catch up.
  13. this place was really a surprise, not a place to bring the in-laws, but a hip place with really good asian food, the wasabi fries were very good, room is kinda dark but still recommend.
overall
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. exellent dinner food and appetizers, poor service, good bartenders, great place to meet friends for drinks.
  2. Rodan Is a great place to start or end your night.
service
80.95000267028809% positive
  1. There is always good people watching, and it's an upscalish bar in wicker park, which makes it stand out in that area.
  2. Nice place to people watch.
  3. it's too dim for the daytime and service was horrible.
  4. Our server was attentive and our drinks were great.
  5. Such good food (from the wasabi-battered fish&chips to the sesame-tofu crepes to the empanadas to the sushi), not to mention awesome service (Jamie, Nandini, Rolan- you rock).
  6. exellent dinner food and appetizers, poor service, good bartenders, great place to meet friends for drinks.
  7. remember people saying how cool this place was
value
50.0% positive
  1. They also have a ginger-infused cocktail that's a bit pricey, but tasty.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/06/11

Best place to listen to music

by king hippo at Citysearch

First of all, this place is beautiful. Second of all, the place is home to what I consider the best burger in the city, the Togarashi Burger. Third and most important, it has the best DJs in the city. You can come here on any night and hear great music, from shoe-gaze to deep disco to funk and soul to hip-hop being produced in Japan and Germany.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/18/10

Great Atmosphere Great Food Great Drinks

by Vincent Grech at Citysearch

Great romantic place to take a date except weekend nights, it becomes a party. Great place for a fun date during the weekend nights. Interesting food and drinks. I highly recommend this place with or without a date.

  • Pros: Love the look of this place and the food
  • Cons: None
4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/09/09

Always There For Me

by ClassyBA at Citysearch

Rodan Is a great place to start or end your night. I hang out at events on Miwaukee a few times a week. I typically try to pregame here; but if one of those events doesn't live up to expectation - I head back over to Rodan.

I'll plan to spend my night at Rodan if I am going out with only one or two people. The perfect place to grab food, chill, talk and catch up.

Rodan is the only constant on that street. Always there for me.

  • Pros: Good Food, Chill Crowd, Drink Specials
  • Cons: Not A Place To Make New Friends
1 Star Rating: Poor

05/10/09

wrong place to be

by mssvattk at Citysearch

i remember people saying how cool this place was .. it had a vibe. fun, wih no look-down-your-nose attitude. I imagine those were the good ol' days.

Now its like a ti*&#y bar without the "class." - or the service. an also-ran with a lot stronger competition just down the block, in either direction. it had no flair except for the nice woodwork - must be their signature.

The clientele was identical to most of the crappier lincoln park bars I had the displeasure to find myself in.

the music was tired and the server seemed annoyed. (maybe with the music, too? - we never found out since we barely saw her again..)

like poe said: "never more.."

  • Pros: in wicker park (?) or is it really lincoln park..
  • Cons: EVERYTHING down to wanna-be-cool bathrooms..
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/20/08

Rodan's the place for after work drinks or Sunday brunch

by JacobBlair at Citysearch

Rodan is the place I go after work, the place I'd take someone on a first date, the place I'd go for brunch on Sunday, the place I'd go to relax on a Monday night, and the place I'd go to get rowdy on the weekend.

Such good food (from the wasabi-battered fish&chips to the sesame-tofu crepes to the empanadas to the sushi), not to mention awesome service (Jamie, Nandini, Rolan- you rock). The interior- ambiant blue lighting w/sleek wood paneling througout and projections on the back wall as well as the line waiting for the bathroom. And those trick effects mirrors above the sinks- ingenious!

The crowd can get a little uppity on the weekends, but during the week its a regular artist hangout all the way. Go on Sunday/Monday for the $3 Lychee Champagnes! Also cheap specials during the week as well.

  • Pros: Cool atmosphere & good food/service
  • Cons: Not much in the way of parking

The Details on Rodan

Place Categories:

  • great hip place
  • good asian food
  • horrible service
  • pricey gingerinfused cocktail
  • good bartenders
  • weird culinary marriage
  • highly recommend plantains
  • interesting ingredients
  • really good wasabi fries
  • wonderful infusion
  • great drinks
  • attentive server
  • like poe
  • good people
  • highly recommend salmon curry
  • not love place
  • fresh new designers
  • nice woodwork
  • fresh mint
  • great cioppino appetizer

Message from Rodan

  • A Dining and Entertainment System
  • Unique Asian food served late
  • Great beer and cocktail list

Rodan is a restaurant and lounge of simple, modern design located in Wicker Park. Warm birch woodwork wraps the interior from bar through to the deep booths in the rear. The silver foil ceiling, banquette, and cement floor produce a natural contrast to the wood. Rodan offers creative Asian bistro cuisine. Traditional dishes such as Veggie Maki stand aside less traditional fare like Togarashi Burger, Hanger Steak with Yuzu Chimichurri Sauce, and Pan Seared Chili Fish. Rodan's dishes are exotic, delicious, and moderately priced. Rodan was conceived as a venue for audio and visual artists. The main screen displays video art and becomes an ambient lighting source as VJs mix images while DJs spin various genres: afro-beat, bossa nova, electronica, indie, hip hop, soul, funk, and old school. Join us for dinner or late night, as our kitchen is open nightly until 1am.

$10 Burger with a Pint of Cold, Draft Beer On Wednesdays

Get our famous Togarashi burger with a pint of selected draft beer every Wednesday for only $10.

Rodan - 1530 N Milwaukee AveChicago, IL60622 - (773) 276-7036

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