Chit Chaat Cafe & Bar — Restaurant in Wheeling Township

Trendy little place (actually, it's pretty spacious) with a hearty assortment of snacks and chai. As other reviews have mentioned, they aren't kidding around with the spice level here. I like spicy food, so I asked for medium spice, but I actually think mild would have ensured a better flavor balance for me.

I have so far been able to try the saffron chai, two samosas, and three paneer tikka tacos. That is already a lot of food for me, but since my husband came along, I also got to try his cheese curds. The cheese curds were especially good, as they were lightly dusted in a spicy powder. As for my food, I really liked the samosas, which were stuffed to the brim and full of flavor. The tikka sauce on the tacos was my favorite, with its nice tomatoey tang. Finally, the chai was complex, and piping hot, but not exactly sweet. I went ahead and added some sugar.

Beyond all this, there are many more intriguing fusion items on the menu. We'll have to come back to try them another time. You place your order on a touchscreen, so you have a chance to ponder all of the tempting options.

I do feel they could be a little more generous with the dipping sauces. I feel like dipping sauce is a big part of eating Indian street food, but you have to pay extra if you want any. There was some ketchup on the tables, and a very small amount of mint chutney served with my samosas. My husband says he was supposed to get a tikka dipping sauce with his cheese curds, but it was missing. In any case, I don't think it would be too much for something like a yogurt sauce to be made available to dine-in customers at the least.

As for the vibe, it was rather modern and hip. I noticed a pool table and some board games, so the atmosphere encourages one to casually get together with friends and stay a while.

The service we received was very attentive (so my husband should have asked for his tikka sauce if he...

We visited Chit Chaat Café in Mount Prospect, Illinois, after seeing the viral TikTok that hyped it up. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to the expectations, despite the 30-minute drive.

We ordered two chais—karak chai and winter tea. The karak chai was extremely mild and overly milky, lacking the strong flavor it’s known for. It tasted like basic tea bag tea. The winter tea barely had any ginger or spices as advertised, leaving us disappointed.

For food, we tried the pav bhaji and pani puri. The pav bhaji was decent, but the pani puri was a letdown. The puris were tiny, the filling was minimal, and the water portion was too small, with chopped onions thrown in—nothing close to the flavor explosion you’d expect from good pani puri.

Adding to the disappointment, they were out of the Vaana Maggi, which was heavily advertised on social media. Given how common Maggi noodles are, it’s surprising they couldn’t stock this staple on a Sunday evening, especially when it wasn’t even busy.

It’s clear the café has invested in the ambiance and social media marketing (ambiance gets a solid 4/5), but the food quality needs significant improvement. Overall, we’d rate the food 3/5. The hype on TikTok just didn’t translate into a...

Chit Chaat Cafe is such a great find! If you’re craving flavorful Indian street food in a cozy and inviting spot, this is the place to go.

I tried a little bit of everything, and honestly, everything was amazing. The pani puri and sev puri were so fresh and packed with flavor—they really hit the spot. The chutney cheese sandwich was warm, toasty, and super comforting, and the Maggi ramen? WOW. It was so flavorful and nostalgic. The vada pav and samosa were fresh and delicious, and the masala fries were a total standout—crispy, perfectly seasoned, and the dipping sauce was chef’s kiss. I also loved the paneer tacos—they were so unique, packed with flavor, and such a fun twist. And of course, I had to try the chai—the masala and kadak chai were both so bold, authentic, and comforting.

The vibe here is great—it’s bright, clean, and cozy, with a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a perfect spot to hang out with friends, and they even have games and books to keep things fun. The service was awesome too—the staff is super friendly and attentive, which made the experience even better.

If you’re into Indian street food or just looking for a chill spot to grab a bite and some chai, I definitely recommend Chit Chaat Cafe. I’m already planning...