Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

If you’re craving Chinese food with a more elevated sophisticated spin, head to Chef’s Special.

Let’s start with the cocktails. We had the Lemongrass Gimlet, Blood Moon, and the Kiss of Life. All good, but the latter two were exceptional. A poorly-made martini can be overpowering with too much of an “alcohol” taste, but the Kiss of Life literally felt like it had a “kiss” of green tea, just enough to give it depth and live up to its name.

For food, we ordered the Crab Rangoons, Egg Rolls, Green Beans, Dan Dan Noodles, Eggplant w/ Spicy Lamb, and the Dry Chili Chicken. In general, the food leans a little on the saltier side, so just a heads up if you generally prefer foods less salted. I was a little underwhelmed by the Crab Rangoon as the filling did not have much structure and was rather liquidy. The Dan Dan Noodles were good, especially how perfectly al dente the noodles were cooked. I must say whoever is responsible for the “fryer” and for food texture is a legit master. Anything that was supposed to be crunchy or crispy did not disappoint when you bit into it - Optimal! The Dry Chili Chicken was just that, nicely seasoned fried chicken morsels without a sauce. It was tasty, but when you coated it with spoonfuls of the spicy oil at the bottom of the bowl, it was a game changer! The green beans were flavorful and had some crunchy bits that made them yummier. Now to the two stars of the show: the Egg rolls and the Eggplant. It seems cliche for an egg roll to be one of the best items on a Chinese food menu, but too often, they are just so-so, because they are under-stuffed, too oily, or lack crispiness. Chef’s Special makes a perfect egg roll packed with a delicious pork and shrimp filling thats light, yet substantial at the same time…needless to say it also had the ideal crunch. Finally, a most delicious eggplant - possibly the best eggplant dish I’ve ever had! Vegetarians many not like that it comes with a little ground lamb sausage, but you must give it a try - the smokiness, the texture, the umami-ness of the eggplant was just delightful and...

Last night I had the pleasure of trying Chef's Special Cocktail Bar on Western. I dined at the bar, as reservations were booked for an early dinner, It was one of the best Chinese food experiences I've had in a while. First because it was during happy hour and Egg Rolls and Crab Rangoon were about half price, they were a must try. The Eggs rolls were scrumptious with a perfect golden crust, and a savory well stuffed filling, served with a trio of sauces including hot mustard a personal favorite of mine. The Crab Rangoon was just okay nothing special.

For main courses I tried the Honey Walnut Shrimp and Mongolian Beef. The Honey Walnut Shrimp was near perfect, focusing on the savory aspects compared to a usually unnecessarily sweet flavor, these were crisp with a smooth savory flavor served over a fresh salad base, and the walnuts were chopped rather finely sprinkled on top while, which is unique and welcome twist on the dish, the star of my meal. Followed by the Mongolian Beef, which was tasty with a rich gravy over a larger amount of peppers and onions than at most Chinese food restaurants, delightfully served with perfectly cooked rice which is a must with Mongolian Beef.

Last for dessert I tried the Almond Cookies. Oh my gosh, the best Almond Cookies I've ever had, absolutely spectacular flavor, served warm. Perfect crispy crust edges, and a warm gooey center. Usually I would complain about the size of the cookies being too small but due to the perfect texture each bite allowed you to have both uniquely perfect textures making them the absolute best Almond Cookies I've ever had. Don't leave without trying them!!!

Overall a magnificent dinner with near perfect food. The atmosphere is oddly fitting, and reminiscent of a 90s Chinese dive restaurant, but ultimately it's a Cocktail Bar that serves food so a great atmosphere is a given. I can't recommend Chefs Special enough, for takeout or dine in, Happy...

So far, Chef's Special is another example of a place that takes ethnic dishes, overprices them, and delivers underwhelming results. Despite the steady stream of customers and the clear financial success, the establishment seems content with neglecting its exterior. For a business doing so well, it’s disappointing to see the lack of care given to the outside of the restaurant—it's as if customer experience ends at the door.

The food itself doesn't fare much better. The Dry Chili Chicken was a major letdown—bland, lacking in authentic Szechuan flavors, and carelessly prepared. The absence of Szechuan peppercorns and the whole, uncut chili peppers showed a lack of attention to detail that really undermines the dish. The portion size was also not fair. It felt like the kitchen is more interested in pushing out orders than in delivering quality.

And then there’s the issue of safety—finding a sharp piece in the chili oil is unacceptable. Whether it was a shard of star anise or something else, it’s clear that quality control isn't a priority here.

As for their egg rolls, they were definitely overpriced for what you get. It’s another example of the inflated pricing that seems to be the norm here, where you’re paying premium prices for mediocre food and small portions.

Chef's Special needs to take a hard look at their operation. If they’re going to charge these prices, they need to deliver on quality, both inside the kitchen and out. Until they do, there are plenty of other spots nearby that offer better and similar food at a fairer price.

Time to step up, Chef's Special, before your customers start...