Ginger And Garlic

Go to dishes: fried rice, salt and pepper porkchop, spicy beef in schezhwan sauce (or something like that)
Place always hits the spot. When are they coming back?

They are closed. I called the phone # and it’s disconnected. I drive by every day. Over night they closed and it’s empty? Very weird. They usually looked busy.

Because of all the great reviews, my hubs and I decided to try this place since we were in the mood for Chinese.
First of all… they have 2 entrances and nothing telling anyone which one to use. 1 revolving door entrance to the bar side, and the other entrance seemed like the restaurant side. Naturally, since we don’t drink… we went through the regular door side thinking it was the main restaurant entrance.
We walked in and the only thing to greet us was HUGE BOWLS of fortune cookies on a side table area to the right.
The lady & gentleman at the bar saw us standing and did nothing, and said nothing. So we stand there some more… about 7 minutes thinking they clearly see us and made eye contact… surely one of them would come over to greet/​seat us…
NOPE. At about the 10 min mark… a couple entered from the Bar entrance and were greeted and seated right away by the lady and the gentleman at the bar.
Hmmm…ok?
So we walked over to the bar section literally 3 steps away, and were then greeted and seated? Again… hmmmm…ok?
We proceed through the restaurant, all the way in the back against the wall where the stairs lead up to another section. That was fine, okay cool… we sat down.
Well, let me take that back… we TRIED to sit down. We were seated at these awkwardly shaped square tables. Seems fine right… Well normally… table legs are on all four corners of the table… but not in our case. Our table… had all four legs in the middle of the table. So they had two chairs side by side, not even a gap btwn the chairs… literally the chairs where touching ea. other. My hubs and I had to sit in the middle of both chairs…
so like…1 butt cheek on each chair… LOL…NO JOKE NOT EVEN KIDDING.
We ordered food, it came fast… I don’t even care to tell you about that bc I’m so put off with their service.
The food was good, I liked it and so did the hubs.
OH YEA… HOW COULD I FORGET THIS… I did order the Green Tea… thinking it would be like authentic green tea, loose leaves and all… like my parents make it… we are middle eastern and drink a lot of green tea but we make it the proper way. ANYWAY… LONG STORY SHORT… I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED WITH THE TEA. IT WAS LUKE WARM, AND IT WAS A TEA BAG… Like REALLY? A TEAG BAG? I could’ve made that at home… and I DONT EVEN MAKE IT WITH TEA BAGS…
UGH.
We had 4 different waitress ask us over and over if we need anything else. As in… they wanted us to order more… not check up on us to be nice or courteous… at least that is the vibe we got… they were very pushy and quick…
SKIP THIS PLACE IF YOU EAT IN, BUT GIVE IT A SHOT IF YOU CARRY-​OUT. BUT DON’T GIVE IT MORE THEN ONE SHOT…

I don’t know, maybe I am a douche bag, or maybe I do not get Chinese food, because no matter what I can never get to like it; sadly, this place was no different. The atmosphere is nice, trying to be classy; my husband compared it, somewhat jokingly, to a Chinese Olive Garden. The food however was OK, at best, nothing to write home about and the prices were a little higher then I like for this kind of food. I think it was very clean though, the staff was very attentive and the restaurant is clearly trying really hard. So, if you like Chinese food this is probably the place for you.

I can’t say enough good things about this place, Im a sucker for a friendly staff, and great food added to that mix and you have a returning customer, crab rangoon is my weakness and theres was amazing, I also had the Mongolian chicken, which was juicy and sweet and spicy omg so good, great drinks and prices are fair… did i mention a awesome friendly staff? Great place!

Upscale ambiance and good food!
We ordered the whole Pekin duck which was crispy and delicious… enough for two. Also ordered the stir fried string beans. Just the right amount of crispness and great flavor. Space for private dining. Great find!

So this place has been here for a couple of years now, and we’ve only just gotten around to going. I don’t know why it took so long, because it’s definitely a place to go back to.
The interior is a little strange: a long, low-​ceilinged dark «hallway» of a dining room (lined with mirrors) that opens into a bright, high-​ceilinged room. We were sitting in the last table on the end of the «dark» part, so it seemed to be a particularly odd contrast.
Appetizers at a Chinese restaurant = Crab rangoon, at least in my mind. And the ones at Ginger And Garlic were good.
For entrees we ordered Mongolian Beef and Chow Fun noodles with roast pork and shrimp. I’d only had the Thai iteration of wide rice noodles but this interpretation was very good. The portions were large and the food satisfying.
I’d certainly return in the future! If you’re hungry for Chinese, spice up your life and have a meal at Ginger And Garlic!

Started out with Pan-​Fried Potstickers — excellent dipping sauce. Then had orders of chicken fried rice (good), chicken Chow Fun rice noodles (tasty) and Dry Spice Chicken. This last one was noted on the menu as spicy with one chili pepper graphic. It was the hottest Chinese dish either of us have ever had. Delicious but very spicy hot — rubbed with cracked Szechuan peppercorns, salt and crushed red pepper and wok fried with green onion and a boatload of dried whole red peppers. Not for those with delicate stomachs!
On an earlier lunch visit wife brought home leftover Moo Shu Pork. The leftovers were enough to make 4 rolls. Portions here are very generous — so order accordingly.
Nice décor — has a more upscale look than the other Chinese sit down restaurant in town. Its a good addition to the Naperville dining scene.

The atmosphere here is nice, with helpful waitstaff and a thorough menu. I will definitely be going back and giving it another try, having wildly different food from the «safe» Beef and Broccoli I ordered the first time.
The food was blander than I expected, with no real nuance or flavor to it. It was better as leftovers the next day once the flavors had blended a bit better.
Some of the dishes I saw at other tables, like the bird’s nest, looked delicious and I’ll definitely try something like that next time. I have a feeling the more safe food, as I ordered, will be the more bland food.
I’ll update my review when I have a bit more to go on but as it stands, it’s definitely not bad, I just can’t recommend it highly.

Alright. Here’s my issue with Ginger and Garlic (and it does come from bias): I traveled to South Korea and was slightly scarred for life because of the amount of Korean food that I ate while I was there.
With that being said, it was authentic and a quality product. The restaurant was a Korean and Chinese fusion, so you’re getting (essentially) the best of both worlds; I’ve had better of both, unfortunately. I do give them props on managing the large crowds that they had, and the staff was very friendly and patient with all of their customers.
It’s definitely a great place for groups, and you can trust that the staff will treat you well!

Met a large group for lunch here, and was impressed with the selection of lunch specials for a very reasonable price.
I went with the kung pao chicken lunch special. I was flavorful and spicy. Included with the entrée comes soup and an eggroll.
I was mostly impressed with the speed in service, and the ability for the restaurant to get us fed and on our way quickly (important for those working folks that need to get back to work).

Our first two visits were definitely better than our third. We were disappointed today. The pot stickers tasted «off,» as if they had not been refrigerated or something. The waiter took that off our bill, since we had only ½ bite each before we gave up.
In the Chow Fun dish, the noodles had been cooked stuck together, so that that some of them had no sauce. Also, the chicken was rubbery.
We came at a slow time, during the mid-​afternoon. Maybe the top chef wasn’t there. We’ll give it one last try, during a busy time, to see if the food is fresher.
The cashew chicken was OK — not outstanding, just OK.
One thing we like about this place is that the sauces are lighter than what we find in some Chinese restaurants.

Tried this place a second time. I wanted to get the lobster noodles but found out they no longer sell it for under $ 20 and is priced at almost $ 30. So I ended up getting the kung pao chicken (not much flavor, just salty soy sauce-​ish with hint of spiciness), which came with typical American Chinese sides of sweet and sour soup, fried wonton, and spring rolls. We also ordered the stir-​fried rice cakes with veggies off the Chinese menu ($ 9) which I liked much better than the kung pao chicken.
I think I’ll stick with ordering from the Chinese menu.

Excellent excellent excellent. This is my second time here. I went here the first time and sat in the restuarant. The décor inside is very nice, however, from the outside you would think it is a mexican restuarant (a complete 360 when you walk inside).
The first time I was here I ordered the beef and string beans. Last night I ordered the chicken and string beans. WOW. On top of the excellent entrée, the rice is sooooooooooooo good! I asked for extra rice when I ordered take-​out because I can eat the alone.
The prices are higher than your avg. chinese restaurant in the area (House of Emperor), but the food makes up for that. You get large portions. Just in case you are ordering out. for two people, we order one entrée (Chicken and String Beans) with a pint of rice and we had MORE than enough to feed 2 people.

Our Naperville friends suggested this since it’s a regular neighborhood restaurant for them. We almost missed the place because we weren’t looking for the Mexican-​food-​looking exterior, until we finally read the name. Odd. Inside looks a lot like your standard ‘traditional Chinese’ banquet room décor, but pretty nice, with several rooms that could be closed off for private dining. Huge bar area would be good for hanging out for happy hour.
The food was pretty good, especially the duck and the bao. Service was fine, somewhat friendly. Had a very good night.

Pretty good restaurant for the suburbs with a bit more of the «set dinner» type menus that seem to have disappeared from much of Chicagoland. The interior is spacious and the menu has a lot of variety.
The only thing that prevents me from giving this five stars is the inconsistency among dishes. Some have been great while others have been completely forgettable. For me, an establishment like this should have an «average» dish at worst, given the price of the dishes and the area this is competing in.
Highlights include:
Peking duck — One of the best ones you’ll find around Chicagoland. With that said, this is not a dish that anyone in the area I’ve found has done a spectacular job with. But this one is of a good size and tasty with reasonably crispy skin.
Szechuan eggplant — Unlike some restaurants, this is not deep fried and is sauteed nicely in a light sauce with a beautiful and colorful presentation.
Marinated jellyfish — Just an appetizer but this one was well balanced and had a good variety of textures.

Usually when I see a Chinese restaurant masquerading behind a American Southwestern adobe exterior with the neon panache of a riverboat casino, I think to myself, «Whoa. This place has gotta be good.»
And guess what…60% of the time, I’m right every time.
Don your fanciest of fancy pants here, folks, ’cause right when you walk in you are greeted by tall ceilings and about 10 people either wearing suits or bowties.
There’s a huge bar with TVs way too high to watch, so don’t plan on whiling away your afternoons here on games.
We went for my mother’s birthday and they ordered from the Chinese menu that they only give to Chinese people. We had some standard fare as well as specialties like crab and this brick of pork that you pull apart and put into fluffy white bread like a taco.
The kids had «real fruit smoothies» which we all agreed was ice cream blended with ice with no traces of fruit.
I will include my mother’s comments. Background on my mom:
–She is Chinese.
–She is opinionated.
–She cooks a lot of food.
–She successfully potty-​trained my infant son by holding him over the toilet and making grunting noises.
These were her thoughts:
«The crab is better at Tong’s.»
«Everything is too sweet.»
«We could’ve gotten twice as much food for the same price at House of Emperor.»
«We are never going back.» (This last comment included me and my own family, apparently)
And now onto the bathrooms. There’s nothing intuitive about bathroom location at this place which is a bad thing when you’re five year old is about to go boom boom. Your best bet is to ask one of the gaggle of bow tied men that hang in the bar/​lobby. It was clean overall, but the hilarious part was how it has remained untouched since the establishment was Chi Chi’s back in the 90s. Also, there is a huge nook when you walk in that had an exposed water heater just sitting there.
I also want to make a note about the wait staff. We had one main waiter and a bunch of helpers. They were all super friendly and accommodating. This one poor guy made the mistake of bringing someone’s elses dishes to our table which my mom pointed out by making a gesture like she was shooing a fly away. Then when he came back with our correct order, «Combo Fried Rice, no shrimp» he put it down and announced, «Fried Rice, extra shrimp». To which, we had a good laugh and all exclaimed at once, «Tam bo li de say de moi ya! Hey Jambo Jumbo!»
tl;dr review: Fancy interior; original Mexican themed bathrooms; my mom is Chinese.

Ginger and Garlic is a really nice Chinese restaurant with nice décor, ambience and food. Probably one of the nicest Chinese restaurants I have been to. I loved the huge bronze statues, the high ceilings, the bar area and the red paper lanterns .
We were here with extended family of around 20 people. We had a reservation and were promptly seated though they were really busy. The food was really good and my favorite was the spicy eggplant.
Our waiter was great, very helpful and patient which was good since we were a big party. The only place they messed up was with how the food was delivered. They initially brought out food that was for another table and then did not bring out our full order. Some of the items came out once we were all done. Anyways, I give them a pass since we were a big party and the rest of the experience was good.

Stopped in for my mom’s birthday dinner on the recommendation of some family members, and to be honest, was quite pleasantly surprised! At first approach, it looks like an old Mexican restaurant from outside in terms of design from the outside, but let me reassure you. this is the real deal.
Mostly his with a few misses, here’s what’s noticeable:
Ambiance — Big, spacious, and comfortable. A little cold in terms of temperature, but the layout is nice, with plenty of space between tables for comfort. Service was excellent (maybe because we spoke Mandarin?)
Peking Duck — Not the best I’ve had in Chicago, but this one is pretty respectable. The first set of «buns» to wrap the duck in came out a bit lukewarm, which marred the initial experience… but we asked for a second set, and they were fresh and perfect. Duck and skin were done well, and acoutrements were appropriate. Tasty.
Lobster noodle — These noodles, while not hand made on site, are bought from a local vendor that makes them by hand (according to the waitress). To be honest, they taste fairly fresh, so I’m apt to believe her. Big chunks of lobster mixed in, a clear winner.
Seafood tofu casserole — Lots of seafood, good chunks of tofu, and the sauce was excellent. If you haven’t had a «chinese» casserole, think of it like a single large pot mixed with a lot of great ingredients melded together in sauce that’s perfect for spooning over rice. Very good.
Fried tofu appetizer — Small cuts of tofu fried up that looks like homefries. Flavor was lacking, and nothing close to a good agedashi tofu. Not worth ordering.
Small cage buns (shiao long bao, or soup buns) — I saw these on the menu, and got excited… but was disappointed. Not much soup within bites, and the dough tasted frozen and reheated. I don’t actually think they make these fresh here… stay away from it.
Salt and pepper string beans — A classic dish that’s done perfectly here. Excellent!
Sizzling beef — An americanized dish that still tastes good… and they do a great job here as well! Again, another saucy dish that’s great over the rice.
Verdict: Surprising to find a great Chinese restaurant in the burbs. and glad it’s so close to us! Will be back for sure!

Ginger and Garlic is a nice place for the right dining opportunity. I’d say about 3.5 stars overall. It has a large space, and is nicely appointed in Chinese décor. They have a couple of large and airy dining rooms, and several private rooms. The food was OK and the service was very attentive. Water service was great, and there were numerous servers ready for whatever. Best features were comfort and décor, and the American soft mellow hotel-​type music in background, which made it feel eclectic — like we were in Shanghai or something Chinese-​European. They serve a mix of Cantonese and Mandarin dishes. The paper napkins though seemed a bit out of place for the dining style, but it’s a cost savings for them I’m sure.
We had the following for a party of four. Bottled beer (Tsing Tao) was reasonable at $ 4.50. Most of the other prices were also fairly reasonable with a whole 1 lb lobster served atop noodles being exceptional at $ 18. The beef rice noodle dish was also quite generous for $ 8.
Shanghai dumplings — probably the worse of the dishes (but ok), as they tasted of the frozen variety, and nothing like the real, succulent things.
Chinese fried chicken — tasty, but kinda pricy at $ 14
Eggplant with bamboo shoots — good
Clams with black bean sauce — good
Whole steamed lobster served atop noodles — very good
Beef rice noodles — very good
Total was $ 81 pre-​tip, so a decent value.
They gave us a complimentary almond milk gelatin for dessert. We’ll be back again I’m sure especially when in the mood for elegance, comfort, and service.