Brightwok Kitchen and Catering

Absolutely delicious! Celiac/Gluten Free friendly. I appreciate the customer service, fresh ingredients, and gluten free sauce options. The space is clean and welcoming atmosphere. Excited to go back soon!

Good food, though they went light on the rice. However, the portions of everything else was great. Overall good tasting food, I've come back here like 3 times and it has been a good experience each time. Good atmosphere, and nice to have a chat with friends. They seem to be out of avocados regularly, which is why im giving them 4 stars.

Brightwok Kitchen is an absolute gem in the Loop! I got the Thai basil chicken bowl with jasmine rice and the sesame ginger sauce—super fresh and packed with flavor. I also tried the spicy tofu with sweet potato noodles, which had the perfect balance of heat and sweetness. Spent around $18 for everything, and it was totally worth it for the quality and portion size. The staff was friendly, and even during the lunch rush, the service was quick. The space is bright and welcoming—definitely a go-to spot for a healthy, flavorful meal in the city!

In short, great food and service. Stopped by for an early lunch during the week and it was still empty. I arrived when they first opened at 11a, so probably beat the lunch rush. Lady working the register was also training a new employee, but immediately greeted me and took my order. She was very friendly and helpful. All the bowls sounded good, but ordered the Everyday Eat Right with the addition of a Crispy Egg. It was ready in 10 minutes and they brought the bowl to my table. Bowl presentation was nice and the egg was cooked perfectly. Didn't just look good, but tasted amazing. Fresh ingredients sourced locally from the chicken to the vegetables mixed with brown rice. I'll definitely come back on my next trip to try some of the other bowls.

First time vist, both of our bowls were awsome. Definitely comming back.

Had lunch here last Friday. Their entire menu is gluten, dairy, fish, shellfish and peanut free! Their sauces are also all vegan! We ordered the Panang Chicken curry bowl and the Thai Basil chicken Bowl. I requested for the sauce to be on the side for my Thai Basil chicken bowl and they gladly accommodated my request. Both bowls were very yummy! They were loaded with veggies! I then went on to takeaway an additional bowl of the Panang curry bowl for myself for dinner! - the cashew curry sauce was very good!

​Brightwok Kitchen is a solid spot for a quick and healthy bite in the Loop. I swung by their Adams Street location and grabbed the "Earth, Curry, and Fire" bowl with chicken and brown rice—ran me about $12. The curry had a nice kick, and the veggies were fresh and crisp. I also tried their spicy edamame hummus; it was smooth with just the right amount of heat. The place has a chill vibe, and the staff was friendly and quick with the service. Definitely a go-to for a tasty, health-conscious meal downtown.

The bowl I got tasted like an instant microwave meal. The rice was undercooked in parts, the vegetables tasted like they came straight out of the freezer, and the sauce was watery and nearly flavorless. Wouldn't recommend when there are other options around.

Looks good and fresh. Just ate but wanted to check it out for next time. Based on what I saw ir will be delicious.

I always liked brightwok but it's been inconsistent recently. I placed an order online for delivery and an hour after I placed the order the delivery person informed me the restaurant was closed. Won't be ordering online again.

We ordered/scheduled ahead for a team lunch. I ordered a medium-spice BYOB with chili coconut curry sauce, white rice, tofu, onions, green kale, purple cabbage, and edamame. The bowl was delicious and a good lunch portion, however it needed more sauce as some parts of the bowl was dry. I got a medium spice level but could definitely go for hot next time as this didn't have any spice. It leaves you feeling full and healthy. Overall, I would go again and maybe try the rice noddles.

Yummy bowls - my favorite is the Eat Right Everyday bowl with chicken. Good, quick service. One of my go-to's for takeout lunch in the loop.

It seems like I had an outlier experience based on the average rating of this restaurant- but my food gave me very bad food poisoning so I would be cautious.

Brightwok kitchen is easily one of my favorite places to grab lunch in the city! I've tried multiple sauces over the past few visits and everything has been so tasty and fast:) my favorite one is probably the Thai basil but tbh you can't go wrong with any of them! The staff are all very kind and knowledgeable and the restaurant is very well maintained! I can't wait to come again soon

My go-to takeout is Earth, Curry & Fire w/ Tofu. It has the right balance of spiciness and good protein-veggie-rice ratio. You can customize it (e.g. as-is or steamed with less sauce). The staff is always welcoming and the place is cute! I have never eaten it but groups frequent this place. Many large tables for work lunch groups!

Great place for quick, healthy - and most importantly - delicious food in the Loop. Brightwok has rapidly become one of my go to lunch spots, and I highly recommend it.

Ordered a take out ( noodles with jalapeño curry and other vegetables ) . What I got is noodles with some carrots . Horrible . Example of how a good place went downhill . This used to be one of my fav take outs in Chicago . Just so bad . No sauce or any other vegetables .

Love their panang; and the ingredients are very fresh. I'll definitely come back on my next Chicago visit!

10/10 fast casual experience. Service is always fast and friendly. The flavor combinations offered are delicious (my personal fav is ordering a bowl with both CJ's BBQ sauce & Creamy Cashew sauce). Large portions. SO MANY vegetarian options. They are eco friendly; offering either compostable or reusable containers. To top it off, Brightwok also supports various nonprofits around the community & even recognizes high performing Chicagoland students via gifting complimentary bowls for A's on exams. If you live/work nearby.. this should be your daily lunch spot. I am always happy to support this local business.

The food is nothing special and extremely overpriced for what you get. The dishes/woks are dirty with old dry food from previous customers. It doesn't surprise me after witnessing how the owner treats the staff. I saw him yelling at a man in the back that was coming back and forth with woks. He seemed to be working very hard yet was bashed pretty recklessly. The long line and noise made other oblivious, and that kind of bothered me. The only other time I went there the same owner was giving off awkward creepy vibes towards females in the store. I don't recommend going here and supporting business owners of that caliber. ... Thanks for your response. Unfortunately the same man in the picture under other yelp reviews "business owner: Jeremy K." Is the one I'm talking about. I would hate for an innocent employee to get blamed for the actions of the owner. I believe low-income workers deserve respect and should not be used as a scapegoat. I would appreciate if you listened to my concerns rather than attempt to discredit them. Best regards to your employees. From what I saw, many of them are hard workers. Thank you. ***Edit*** ... And yes I just sent you an email. It explains that this occurred on the 21 Adams Street location by the State & Adams Red Line. I live and work in Chicago and frequent the area, so I've seen this man before in passing through the area. Sorry for any confusion on which location this occurred. Thank you for your time.

Ordered it for lunch at work. Had the Sweet New Year and Magic Cake. Magic cake was awful and tasted terrible. The sweet potato fritter was bitter. As if that was not enough, my stomach hurt after eating and had diarrhea! Definitely would not recommend to anyone! Negative stars if I could.

I got the Earth Curry and Fire with tofu takeout. air was tasty! I forgot to take a pic but takeout picture is not nearly as appetizing as the one on their website. so just forgot that haha. It was good with fried egg! I m not a big fan of runny yolks but the crispy fried egg white was so good! Also the green tea they have they claim is #1 is so good!

Brightwok Kitchen is one of the most healthy meal options in the Loop. There was a period before the pandemic when I attended Brightwok four times a week. The bowls are made to order, and you can select your meal spicy if that's your preference. If you want a healthy lunch option that is made to order (vegetarian or low carb) and tastes great, Brightwok is the location.

While the atmosphere is welcoming, and there is plenty of space for small to large groups to convene, the meal was not that delicious, and I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to others. Both mine and my cousin's meals were doused in sauce. There was also very little chicken added to my bowl. I liked the ease of online ordering and that the packaging materials were compostable, but the food was unenjoyable unfortunately.

TL;DR Solid fast-casual and healthy meal option in the Loop (that's even open for dinner!). The food comes out fairly quickly and I like that there is self-serve water and sriracha. The staff members are also very nice! ===== Went here for the first time for dinner on a weeknight and enjoyed it. It is bright and spacious inside with ample seating and the food came out quickly and was cooked to-order. I ordered the "Build Your Own Bowl" with rice noodles, tofu, zucchini, carrot, bean sprouts, creamy cashew sauce, and kale (which shrunk so small I almost forgot about it) ($9.15 before tax). The portion size was good (I ended up taking ~40% of it in a to-go box) and everything was all reasonably well cooked and palatable. Normally I'm on the more carnivorous side but I don't think I was really missing anything by not ordering meat. I also ordered the masala chai ($4) which was a little too sweet but well-spiced and also non-dairy! My friend ordered the "Everyday Eat Right" bowl; it smelled very good and he seemed to enjoy it. As almost always I do have a few nitpicky areas of improvement to list. The flavor of my bowl was a tad under-salted and bland for me but much improved with dollops of the sriracha sauce they had available. Some small parts of the tofu and vegetables were also slightly charred and I'm very paranoid about eating burnt food - I realize this probably adds to the flavor but the best stir-fry in my opinion has food that is nicely browned, maybe even to a darkish brown, but never, ever black. Nitpicking aside I would definitely be happy to come back and try the other things on the menu and the other, hopefully more savory, sauces!

This place is delicious! This is such a great place for lunch. You get a lot of food and you will be full. You can build your own bowl and see them make your food on the wok. It's a great place for work lunch with coworkers if you work downtown in the loop. Service was great, very kinda service. And the place is big plenty of room to sit.

Great quality food and very reasonable pricing Dining in setup is simple but authentic and staff is friendly

Awesome lunch spot in the loop! And love the ability to build your own bowl to make it as healthy as you want. Portions are big, so I often split my order in to two lunches. Def worth a try!

Walking by looking for something new. Place was empty but it looked inviting. After the lunch rush / hour so it had an almost dirty vibe to it but not enough to really keep me from entering. Not sure what to have so I settle on the Earth, Curry, Fire. Great choice! Hot, fresh, crispy veggies and just enough sauce. Food was brought to my table.. I was the only one in there at the time. Friendly staff. Good portion size. Definitely worth a try. I recommend.

Their Motto is "Eat Right, Live Bright," and That's What You Do Here. We dropped in here for a quick, cheap bite during lunch and had a great experience. Brightwok is a veggie-focused, Asian-inspired restaurant serving fresh and colorful bowls of delicious-goodness. Their sauces are all homemade and flavorful, and their menu is dairy- and peanut-free. I ordered their Kick'n Panang bowl ($9), that came with white rice, local tofu, zucchini, squash, carrots, broccoli, and onions--I added a crispy egg on top ($1.50). It was great--lots of fresh veggies and a tangy sauce I made sure to sop up with every grain of rice. My date ordered the Earth, Curry, and Fire ($10), a bowl with chili coconut curry spiced hot, white rice, local tofu, kale onions, carrots, bell peppers, and crispy egg. She loved it too. We're not from Chicago and were so glad to come here for lunch. This is a great place to have a quick, healthy meal that's easy on your wallet and easy to fit during the work day.

When I first walked in, my impressions were this place is so spacious and clean. We came on a weekend and it was mostly empty so really easy to get seating. Place is also quite large so plenty of seating. I'm guessing this place is really popular for weekday meals since it has many healthy options and easy to grab and go. I ordered the sweet umami mushroom bowl. teriyaki, rice noodle, steak, mushrooms, squash, carrots, onion, peppers, zucchini. Lots of ingredients all stir-fried together, made fresh. Concept of this place is pretty simple, but it turned out really good!

I am so impressed. Tastes as good as it looks. The line moves quick during that loop lunch rush hour. The owners did a great job making the place look bigger than it is. Also, the staff is trained so well. They give great suggestions and are patient as hell. In my opinion, if you happen to find yourself near one of these restaurants you should definitely try it!

Been here a few times since I work around the corner. No complaints on food, I think it is good. Price is a bit high, you're looking at around $20 for lunch.

Fantastic wok fare! Everything is ordered by app/phone, but it is all cooked to order and takes 5 minutes or so. We have tried four dishes and liked them all; the sweet potato fritter side is nice too. Nothing but good things to say, honestly ; nothing has disappointed. But read up on your sauce before ordering, as they really Makes it breaks each dish

Didn't really have high expectations for this spot. Relatively healthy lunch place offering up quirky creations at a reasonable price point. Saturday late afternoon and no one in line. Quickly decided on the "Earth, Curry and Fire" with chicken instead of tofu ($13ish), as well as the Iced Masala Chai ($4). Bowl is made in front of you as all the ingredients are mixed together and topped with a freshly made fried egg. Amazing taste from the coconut curry, the perfect amount of heat that went well with the chicken and veggies. Rice at the bottom wasn't overbearing as the egg softened everything up. Masala chai is a little heavy on the clove, yet a good combo for the meal. Service here is patient and there's a lot to add from the condiment station to the left. Definitely a spot I wish I had the option to go to near my office.

Excellent food and excellent service. Ive been coming here for years and it's great to have a place with healthy food but also tastes great.

I love this concept! It's like a chipotle, but for noodles. They had one noodle type and then various sauces and proteins and veggies. All of the sauces were vegan which was really nice to choose from. The veggies were all good quality and plentiful. They had kale, edamame, broccoli, various onions, tofu, etc. I got a mix of two sauces plus about 4 different veggies. Then they heat and mix it up in a wok, and voile! Also, I really judge a place by its ice tea and their iced tea was SO delicious. Really flavorful and they poured it from a growler because they only make a certain amount each day. I wish they had bright wok kitchen in California because I really think the concept would take off here! A clean, healthy, flavorful noodle house that's café style with very reasonable prices. Would definitely return, or if I found some in any area I was in I would definitely go there!

Definitely a popular spot during the weekday lunch rush. But fear not if there's a line - it moves fairly quickly. This is a casual Asian fare restaurant so just order up at the counter, pay, get a number, and wait for your meal to be stir-fryed up! For my bowl, I decided on the "Eat Right" with a brown rice base. And when asked if I wanted to add mushrooms and an egg, I just couldn't resist. The result? So good! And filling! But the extras were a little pricey (my bowl ended up being ~$14). Other than that, their whole deal is high quality and health conscious food so it leaves you feeling pretty guilt-free.

I love a good allergen friendly build-your-own type of fast casual restaurant and Brightwok didn't disappoint! All gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free with meat options for omnivores and tons of veggies and organic tofu for plant-based folks. I had a noodle bowl with the chili curry sauce and it was delish, the roasted mushrooms are definitely worth the added "premium" cost. The only reason it's not 5 stars was the price point and taste of the sides. The fritter was just ok in my opinion but my husband loved it with his BBQ tofu rice bowl. The pickles were bland and the magic cake wasn't magical in my opinion. For two bowls, pickles, fritters, and the cake it was over $60, that was with delivery though but still a bit high. I would definitely eat at Brightwok again when in the area and just stick to the bowls which were on point.

Heard a lot about this place and finally had the opportunity to go. It was noon on a Friday and there was indeed a healthy line upon arrival, but it moved very quickly. I'm going to start with their service. This has got to be one of the most efficiently run establishments I've ever seen. Yes, it is another 'Chipotle' type of assembly line, but the entire staff was super on point. Right after ordering, it was promptly picked up and being made. Then at this point, I was paying. I waited maybe two-three minutes and it was ready. I noticed about ten woks going on and four hardworking guys going at them. I even saw another staff member filling up their waters for them so they could somewhat have some comfort while cooking. Other members readily refilled the water station and cleared tables. They have a nice system going and seem to be a genuine team. Now on to the food! I got a mixed greens/brown rice bowl with their limited time jalapeno green curry sauce to be made extra spicy, chicken, bean sprouts, kale, and onions. This was very tasty and all worked together. Not only that, but it was very fresh. The spice level was satisfactory for a spice lover (though I could have handled more). To note, I wasn't initially drawn to the more Southeastern Asian flavors that Brightwok seemed to draw on, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Pricing is appropriate. Space is fresh and vibrant. Definitely will come back here.

A literal gem. I built my own bowl with 1/2 rice, 1/2 mixed green base. for my veggies, I got peppers, broccoli, carrots, and kale. Then added tofu, a fried egg, and chose the coconut curry sauce. It was so good - I love how you can see exactly what is going into your bowl, how they cook it right in front of you, and how convenient this is! A great fast-casual, healthy lunch option in the loop. My complaint is that they are only open during lunch hours - I feel like they would get a lot of business for dinner, too, and they're also closed on the weekends! Good portion size - not TOO large so that you don't leave feeling overfull. Will definitely go back!!!!

Traveled for good meal Nourished by chat with Founder The Future IS Bright #NOLA_Haiku @brightwok #GlutenFree #LocalEats #EatRightLiveBright #BrightWok #Chicago #TheFutureIsBright #DairyFree #FoodPorn #TheLoop #WindyCity

I wanted to grab a quick, late lunch/early dinner before my flight. Brightwok Kitchen fit the bill. I didn't feel like customizing my own bowl so I ordered the Crunchy Crave and a hot green tea. I had gotten food poisoning the day before (not from Brightwok) so it was comforting seeing everyone at Brightwok using gloves and proper food safety. I also like that each order is made in a separate wok and new spatula to prevent cross contamination. Maybe it was still my stomach bug speaking, but I didn't find my bowl to be ultra amazing, but it was a good portion size for the price. I did like the hot green tea though. It was a tea bag with "fresh" leaves, not the processed Lipton stuff. The tea was piping hot and strong. It hit the spot. I wouldn't necessarily seek this place out, but Brightwok is a good stop for a quick and relatively healthy lunch.

I went to an event where they were serving the tofu salad from here and I went to this location the very next day to get it. :) Don't be intimidated by all the options. It's really simple to order. Glad I added the fried egg cause that really made the salad. If you like the pic I posted here's what to order: Tofu Salad with mixed greens, carrots, broccoli, bean sprouts, onions, top with tahini ginger dressing. For a $1.50 more add the fried egg.

I'd give it 3.5 stars. We tried this make your own bowl, Asian stir fry restaurant last night for dinner. First you choose up to two sauces (I chose thai basil and green jalapeño curry), your carb (brown rice, white rice, or noodles) then your protein (chicken, tofu or steak), and finally up to four vegetables. They stir fry your bowl and call your number up when it's ready. Pretty good, and well priced at $10. My bowl was a little too heavy on sauce (which makes it too salty/strong when you get half way thru the bowl), otherwise I'd have given it 4 stars. The restaurant is clean and bright. The staff is friendly. A good place for lunch or a simple no-frills, healthy dinner.

This place has become one of my favorite Loop options. The food is fresh and super flavorful. Plentiful portions. Allergy and vegan friendly. My must-have-meat mom loves their meat stirfries. I love their tofu and veggies. It's really great when you are craving vegetables. And the sweet potato fritters-- mwah!

Filling, tasty food on the go. Kick'n Panang - 4/5. Good flavor. Lots of veggies. Medium spicy. Large portion. Came for lunch on a Friday and it was relatively busy but operates like a well oiled machine with employees busily working over their wok stations. It appears that it is a mostly order ahead business. Requested the dish with brown rice, an egg, and grilled pineapple. Something got mixed up and didn't get any of those. Brought it to the staff and they quickly added the egg and pineapple (I didn't realize the rice swap until later) and gave me a coupon for the future.

This is set up like a Chipotle. Sort of. You line up and walk down the line placing your order. Then you have to wait for them to cook your bowl in a wok while you get seated. It only takes maybe 5 minutes from start to finish. It's pretty quick. I ordered a Chicken Thai Basil with veggies and brown rice. Chicken was cooked tender. Veggies were crisp tender along with a perfect rice. Sauces were house made and all fresh and flavorful. Everything had a fire roasted flavor and was simply delicious. Iced Chai was amazing. A cashew butter, chocolate chip and vanilla cake finished off a delicious lunch. I would eat here regularly if I lived nearby. The chopsticks message on the wall was also a nice touch that adds to the ambiance.

Bright Wok is excellent offering fresh, consistently great food.

Brightwork is incredible and would literally get a meal plan with them if that was possible! I have a very sensitive stomach and my go to is always BW. (Get a well steamed bowl if you also have tummy troubles). - FB: I would love if they had my rotating vegetables and sauces. The staff is also super awesome and friendly. LOVE Brightwok

I've eaten here a few times and each time was really good! I really enjoy that they are very gluten friendly and is always so flavorful! You get enough food for 2 even 3 meals in your order!

Hallelujah! With so few gluten-free options for my celiac brother, I'm frequently stuck eating at that well known German restaurant on E Adams. But with the opening of Brightwok, I can now put that creamed spinach to rest! This place is gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free, but it's certainly not "taste-free". Brightwok is busy at lunch, but the line moves fast. I love the "Eat Right Bowl". Delicious and free of decision making since it's one of two "chef favorites". The other options are customized by the customer. The "Eat Right" is everything I love. --Chicken breast, slightly charred broccoli, onions, carrots, and peppers. It's served with brown rice and a Thai Basil sauce that is neither heavy nor scarce. -It's all perfect. Breaking my typical rule, I am compelled to eat the whole bowl. I can't help myself. And for only $9?! Thank you, thank you.

This place is the best for fresh, delicious and generally healthy food in the loop (although I think they may have other locations now too). I really never have been disappointed in any option, whether it be the fresh veggies over greens or one of the proteins over rice or noodles. My favorite sauce is the jalapeño curry!

I was diagnosed with celiac in the late 1990's, and since then, grabbing lunch at a local chicago restaurant has been an ordeal. And then came Brightwok. I can order anything and everything. And I have. YUM! A real Chicago treasure.

Brightwok Kitchen checked a lot of boxes for me. It's near school, affordable, healthy, and, for my dining buddy, gluten free. They were handing out samples of a couple dishes at the entryway, and though we already knew we were eating there it sealed the deal. The dishes were yummy and healthy! Lots of veggies without feeling like it was bogged down with an excess of health food lol. If you're downtown near the Art Institute, it's a nice Asian-Inspired lunch.

Okay, I have to give the 5 start rating for this place. I was surprised by the ambience when I walked In(My first time though), given how it looks from the outside and how confused one of my colleague, searching for the door to get in..LOL. This place is neat and and bright as it sounds. They have pretty good amount of eating for dine in. I liked the decor on the wall with chopsticks, nice touch. On the menu you will have options you s order straight in for the stir fry or you can choose to build your own bowl. Build bowl -Chicken with veggies and brown rice, this Basil sauce. To place your order is of same style you do at chipotle or most of the Mediterranean places. I went in during lunch hour, didn't have to wait for long time. It was quick. You get to choose 4 veggies for free and you have to pay extra for others and I believe some veggies come under this extra category which you have to pay ..for example mushroom which I had to pay extra. You choose your options, pay and wait. Your order number will be called when it's ready which was pretty quick in my case. Food was delicious, cooked well enough, veggies crisp and tender. Good food and healthy Choice. This is a place worth trying and even going back. The price range, I would say a bit more compared to what you pay for a stir fry in other places(Depends in what you have in your order). Food quantity and taste is pretty good for what you pay, worth it !

(Wo)man cannot live by salad alone, so I decided to come here last week for a late lunch. I was the only one in line, although there were a handful of patrons seated in the restaurant. I had wanted to try this place as I had walked by here on a few occasions and am glad that I finally stopped in. The interior was inviting and clean (love that chopstick wall art!) and the service across the board was efficient and friendly. I quickly scanned the wall menu which features a few seasonal specials in addition to the "our favorites" rotation and build-your-own options. I decided on the Kick'n Panang with brown rice, tofu, curry, and fresh carrots, yellow squash, and zucchini. The tofu provided a hit of protein and the sauce had a definite kick which I appreciated. The bowl itself was a little pricey ($10 including tax) but I felt the pricing was fair as the ingredients that went into it were fresh and it wasn't 80-90 percent rice as can so often be the case at these types of places. I look forward to returning to trying the sides and seasonal offerings.