Restaurants near Loyola University Chicago

always the best...my fave local Italian for many years. marty / andrea and his team just know hospitality and food, keeping it fresh but always delivering the classics. we will be back....as many times as possible!!

I have yet to find a dish at Khmai that isn't delicious. I made a reservation through Open Table, and the day before, a representative from Khmai called to confirm our reservation, and to check for any food allergies. The server asked again before taking our order, which made me feel very safe. We ordered cocktails, which were all delicious. The staff were very well informed about the menu, and explained each dish's main ingredients, and taught us how to pronounce the names in Khmer. The flavors were unlike anything I've had anywhere else, Khmer cooking is very distinctly different than other Southeast Asian cuisine. I don't have a high tolerance for spice, but I found that even the spicier dishes weren't overwhelming. The flavors were perfectly balanced. It's a small dining room, but they don't pack it, so the table felt private, in spite of the chatter and ambient sound. The decor is very elegant and understated so that the food takes center stage. Expect to spent a couple hours over a meal, dishes are served family style, one at a time, so it's a parade of delicious food that everyone shares. ORDER DESSERT! The Cassava cake was rich, caramelized and decadent. The mango mousse is nice and light, the fresh fruit is an excellent finish to the meal.

Our server Fernando was great. Attentive. Gave great recommendations. The gambas(shrimp) , queso de cabra, pulpo, parella marisocos were great with flavors and presentation. The Sangria was not bad. Desert tarta de queso was great with the cortado. The place itself is great for intimate settings. We will come back.

Staff is always so friendly, food is always delicious, ambiance is always cozy and welcoming. What more can you ask for?

We rarely get over to White Castle so this was a treat to have fresh sliders. We were 10 minutes early for our 8:30 pm reservation and so we only waited 5 minutes. Service was prompt and afterwards they were kind enough to take a picture for us.