Jess Cafe
Jess Cafe — solid, no-fuss chinese in Portage Park. Walk in and you know immediately: this place is real. They don't skimp here. "The Pepper Steak tasted like the Kung Pao should have and was perfectly seasoned" — Mary Pence [$]
What 1,392 diners keep saying
What 1,392 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“This restaurant is really nice!! A friend of mine doordashed food from here the other day, I had to go back and get more food because it was so delicious. The employees were really nice and the service was fast! ☺️”

“Everything was delicious, the orange chicken tasted fresh. Would definitely be my go-to.”

“The food is just so good and so well priced! Edit: Seven years later and the food is still amazing.”

“Delivery was super fast. Portions were HUGE. And entree w rice would be more than enough for 2 people. Wish the teriyaki beef had marinated longer...will be great for lunch tomorrow. Sad that appetizers were expensive and large....would have liked a value dinner, a couple crab rangoon & 1/2 the amount of beef & mushrooms. Didn't realize they were so close. If neighbors wanna split dinner would love to try several unique items on the menu. The online service to order was too confusing🥲. Dinner split would have come to less than $10 per person. Deal for working busy couples.”

“The food here is OUT of this WORLD! My sister bought me here before my flight back to Melbourne and Oh boy was the best Pan Asian restaurant everrr. Why did she only take me here on the day I leave. Just excellent nothing to fault. They make everything fresh, so be prepared for a little wait, but I swear it’s worth it! Happy tummy happy customers!”

“I visited Jess Cafe in Chicago and was pleasantly surprised by its generous pan-Asian menu offerings; the Korean beef and baked rice bowls stood out as flavorful and filling. The crab rangoon and egg rolls were well-presented and tasty, though I found the spice level inconsistent across different dishes. The atmosphere was casual and friendly, giving the impression of a neighborhood spot where people feel comfortable coming often. Overall, the experience was satisfying and I’d return to try more items.”

“After today, I am soooo upset!!! I found a piece of metal wire in my pad thai chicken order!!!! I got so lucky that I did not swallow it or bite into it. Plus the chicken was raw still and had to cook it better at home. If you guys are in a rush and told me kitchen is closing at 8:30pm to be there very soon. I understand that ordered at 8:10pm and everyone wants to go home. Maybe don’t have people order at a certain time to ensure all goes well and such situations don’t happen like a hard wire inside people’s food and the food not being well cooked. What’s going on Jess Cafe?! This is ridiculous!Please be careful with what you use so that it doesn’t get into customer’s food…this would have ended horribly if I swallowed the metal wire. After a long time customer, I will never come here again after finding the wire in my food. Horrible. I am so upset. I still can’t believe I found a metal wire in my food.”

“Janet Jackson ate here once... Yada Yada Yada she wrote the song "Nasty". Worst asian food I have ever had. The lemon grass chicken was burnt to charcoal. Every other dish had a horrible taste to it. I do not recommend this place to anyone unless it's a revenge set up. Edit: added pic of burnt dish. Yiu can clearly see the onions and meat is burnt to hell.”
“Realmente es un restaurante que disfruto la comida cada vez que vamos. Todos los ingredientes frescos!!!”
Sounds like your kind of place?
Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.
One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.
More Chinese in Uptown & North Side
See the ranking →In the same lane · Chinese, budget
If it's packed, walk to…



More good rooms in Portage Park, minutes away.






