Khmai

Review summary

1. E

   Elizabeth

   VIP

   Chicago

   14 reviews

   5.0

   14 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Service was outstanding…both the manager and waiter were incredibly kind and helpful! The food selections were interesting and delicious, as were the cocktails! We particularly loved the ground pork dip, the short ribs, and the Spicy Mango drink. We’ll be back!
   

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2. J

   Julia

   VIP

   Chicago

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food. Very unique, beautifil delicious. Such am amazing find
   

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3. D

   David

   Unspecified

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   Food was very good. Our server was very good. They overbook the place . They encourage you to try multiple dishes. They are brought out in quick succession. When they brought the dessert they also brought the check and we were told we had 15 minutes to leave. They needed the table. Not cool. If there’s a time limit for your meal they should tell you upfront. Not while you’re eating. We were offered a free dessert on our next visit. Not interested.
   

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4. J

   Jean

   VIP

   Chicago

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   My husband and I celebrated his birthday at Khmai and chose the Tasting Journey. Our experience was truly unforgettable—each dish was full of balanced, exciting flavors with generous portions. The staff was incredibly attentive, making the evening even more special. We’d definitely return—10/10!
   

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5. K

   Kineret

   Chicago

   46 reviews

   4.0

   46 reviews

   Dined on February 17, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   It was our first time for Cambodian food so I don't have much to compare it to but food was excellent. We liked everything we tried and we tried most of the small plates. We set at the bar and it was too busy for one bartender so service was not very good.
   

   KhmaiResponded on February 17, 2025

   Thank you for giving Cambodian cuisine a try with us! We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed the food and got to explore a variety of our small plates. We appreciate your feedback on the bar service and understand how a busy night can impact the experience. We’re always looking for ways to improve and will take this into consideration. We hope to welcome you back soon for another great meal, and we’ll do our best to make your next visit even better!
   

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6. N

   Na Rae

   Chicago

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on February 17, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   Didn’t meet the expectations. First you enter the restaurant, not even greeted by the front desk staff, literally asked us ‘what are you here for?’ and wouldn’t look at you. Even though I’m not in the field of food service, I’m pretty sure that’s not the question you ask to customers who enter the restaurant. Ordered cocktails first as soon as we were seated but was served after first course (a la carte) of meal was served. Food was good. Stuffed pancake was unique with its texture and flavor. Their signature curry was also unique with its cinnamon flavor profile. Liked the ‘family style’ to try different dishes. As we leave the restaurant passing the front desk, front desk staff didn’t acknowledge us leaving. Overall poor to fair customer service with good food.
   

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7. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   VIP

   Tampa

   8 reviews

   1.0

   8 reviews

   Dined on February 16, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 2

   So disappointing. They started by being over 30 min late to seat us, and everything went downhill from there. Outside of the server being very friendly and kind, everything else was a total let down. I’ve been wanting to try this place for a year, but it’s an hour drive and we had to make a night of it. By the time they think us to our table, the tasting menu wasn’t available. Ok, fine, we’ll order off the regular menu. No notification that abutting was out until we ordered. Then, we try to order a couple mains, both also out. We ended up just taking what we could get. Am the planning an effort to make it to this restaurant, and we aren’t seated in reasonable time of our reservation, then followed by nothing being available to order, it was a waste of a trip to the city for a long awaited date night away from the kids (Saturday after Valentine’s Day). Very sad.
   

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8. E

   Elizabeth

   VIP

   Chicago

   9 reviews

   2.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on February 16, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   We were excited to try this restaurant and saved it for a special occasion. Sadly, it did not meet our expectations and I would not recommend it. We expected a certain level of service from a fine dining restaurant that was not provided. For example, we barely saw our server, the courses for the tasting menu came out from different people at random intervals and weren't always explained, and the silverware wasn't changed out between courses. There was a point where I just had to stop using my chopsticks because they were so sticky after the crab leg course. We requested towels because it was so messy and didn't get any. Overall, it took almost 3 hours for the entire meal because it wasn't paced well. We waited soooo long, so many times. We expressed this frustration to our server and he had the manager come talk to us. She basically told us we didn't understand how long this kind of a meal takes and we should have been more aware that these tasting menus take 2.5 to 3 hours. Not only was this condescending but I also think it is a lie. Our very nice server apologized for the time it took many times and he apologized to the tables around us. The kitchen wasn't firing dishes at the right pace. That was the problem. I was not the problem and, for the most part, neither was the server. I wouldn't go back and I wouldnt tell my friends to try it.
   

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9. l

   leslie

   Chicago

   7 reviews

   5.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on February 15, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I love Khmai! It’s always a delicious adventure. Generous portions; perfect wines; gracious and friendly staff. I often leave completely satisfied and dreaming of my next meal. The flavors are so memorable. A perfect addition to Rogers Park!!
   

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10. T

    Taylor

    Columbus

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Khmai was a wonderful experience! The service and food were both excellent. My husband and I are newbies to Cambodian food, so we had lots of questions about the menu. Our waiter, Dakota, was happy to answer all of them and give recommendations based on our preferences. The staff is well-prepared to help customers, which made the experience even better. All the food was delicious. I can’t wait to go back and try something from the ever-changing menu.
    

    KhmaiResponded on February 17, 2025

    Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled that you and your husband had such a great first experience with Cambodian cuisine. Dakota and our team love helping guests explore the menu, so we're happy to hear you felt welcomed and well taken care of. We will make sure Dakota hears this great review. We can’t wait to have you back to try more from our ever-changing menu. See you again soon! 🫶🇰🇭
    

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