Keadkao express

Thai restaurant · Loop

Keadkao express

Thai restaurant · Loop

15 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602

Highlights

Nestled in Urbanspace, Keadkao Express serves up fresh, vibrant Southern Thai eats with a focus on flavorful curries and quick service for downtown diners.

15 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 Get directions

keadkaoexpress.com

@keadkaoexpress

$10–20 · Menu

@eater

"Keadkao Express, a quick-serve stall inside the Urbanspace Washington food hall, focuses on rich and herbaceous southern Thai cuisine. It offers dishes such as green curry chicken, stir-fried vegetables, and Hadyai fried chicken. Specials include massamun curry with beef, tom yum soup with jumbo shrimp, and a popular pad Thai that sold out on opening day. Owners Patt Tongphong and chef Tom Deethian aim to provide fast, tasty midday options for workers, bringing a unique southern Thai style to downtown Chicago." - Naomi Waxman

Bangkok Natives Open Up Thai Food Stall Inside Downtown Food Hall - Eater Chicago

View Postcard for Keadkao express

@eater

"Keadkao Express, a new quick-serve stall serving Thai cuisine, debuted this week inside the Urbanspace food hall near the Richard J. Daley Center. It’s the first hospitality venture from Bangkok natives and co-founders Patt Tongphong and chef Tom Deethian, who are seeking to fill a void in fast, affordable Thai options in downtown Chicago. Stay tuned for more on this opening. Keadkao Express, 15 W. Washington Street inside Urbanspace Chicago; Open 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 7 am. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday." - Naomi Waxman

A Pair of French Landmarks Reopen in Winnetka and Eight More Openings - Eater Chicago

View Postcard for Keadkao express

Sarah Yi

Google

Ordered the massaman curry entree with chicken gyoza. The curry came with no potatoes, which was a bummer considering it’s so staple to the dish - just chicken and onions. The curry was very watery, and the flavor was okay - not spicy at all. The side of white rice looked and smelled like it had been scraped from the bottom of a burnt pan. There were black bits everywhere in the rice, so I ended up not eating more than a spoonful. I also found a small piece of egg? in the rice… weird? The chicken gyoza were pretty crispy but there’s as much dough as there is filling. I also think I got charged the full price for the gyoza ($6.50) even though the signage says that you can add an appetizer to your meal for $4.50. Unfortunately I don’t think the food was worth the price.

Honey Di

Google

Service was very slow on a weekend. Was told the wait would be 15 minutes and placed our order online. Waited by the cashier area and it took almost 35 minutes to get our food. While waiting for the food, we noticed that only one person was doing the actual cooking, she had about three woks cooking at a time. The other lady was mainly a cashier. The other one was doing the slicing and/or prepping of the ingredients. There were definitely times when the other two was just standing around. Another thing that may have contributed to the slow service was due to the order tickets being unorganized. They were set out to be according to when the orders came in but one of the ladies pulled all the tickets from the rack (not sure why she did that) so they had to take time to try and rearrange the orders. As for the food, the drunken noodle tasted great and was very filling. The spicy crispy pork was not spicy at all, and the meat didn't taste fresh. It had a weird stench. If the food tasted awesome, we wouldn't have minded the wait. Unfortunately, it's not worth it.

chintot

Google

Came one Friday around 12nn and place is not so busy but also not empty. I love that you can order in advance for pickup but also they have a combo rice bowl with 2 protein choices option. No complaints! The food is spot on delicious as well as the lime iced tea drink. Will go again for sure.

Lucile Chambily

Google

Located in the food court called Urbanspace, Keadkao Express brings Thai flavors to Chicago! Service is quick, price are reasonable, the staff is friendly and kind. The products are fresh and the portion is generous. I ate the Pad Thai, it was delicious and perfect if you can't handle spicy meals. I highly recommend you to stop by and enjoy some tasty Thai food!

Dear Ngo

Google

I’m Thai and this place passes the test for legit, authentic Thai food. Had the Tom Yum, green curry, Hat Yai chicken and crispy pork. So good!! Brought nostalgia and reminded me of great memories in Thailand.Fresh ingredients and just the right amount of spice!

Michał Czerwiński

Google

The best Thai takeout downtown. I ordered Tom Yum with shrimp. It tastes exactly like in Thailand. The best Pad Thai I had in the US. Ask for Thai limeade!

Brinda Le

Google

This restaurant is one of my very favorites. I really enjoy the flavor of the food that they serve here. They serve very authentic Thai cuisine, such as the Chicken Pad Thai and Tom Yum that I've ordered from them. I also like how relaxing and laid-back the atmosphere is inside the establishment. In addition to being pleasant, the staff is helpful, friendly, and easy to approach. They are constantly available to assist with their work. Additionally, it has a good location, and the prices of all of the dishes are at a level that is reasonable. Absolutely well worth both the money and all of your time. When I come back here, I will bring my friends here as well; we already have a date planned for our pamper day, and I think this place will be one of the locations we will visit for that set bonding of us. Very strongly recommended!

Shirley Moats

Google

I went on a week day during my lunch break. 1. Service was incredibly slow - it took 30-40 minutes for the food to be ready, 2. I asked for not spicy and my order was spicy, 3. The food was very bland, watery, and mediocre with too much fried tofu and not enough vegetables, 4. My order of basil stir fry (with tofu) was $17.33 with tax. It seemed very expensive for a casual, mediocre lunch - for that price, they could at least make it as requested/not spicy and not make the customers wait so long.

Taquanda H.

Yelp

I ordered the chicken Pad Thai from this location. The noodles were wet and soggy, the chicken appeared to be boiled and there was no flavor to this dish. There was no sauce accompaniment to enhance the flavor and the lime garnish was dry. The staff was friendly and the order came out in about 10 minutes but unfortunately the food could have been better.

Austin G.

Yelp

I was disappointed by this place. First of all, the service wasn't great. They were kind, but their system is disorganized. It takes a long time for food to arrive if there is even a slight line. My green chicken curry was great in terms of flavor, but the chicken is dark meat and almost raw. I couldn't eat the chicken.

Ernie H.

Yelp

5 stars really in a food court? Really? We'll yes. Don't judge a book by its cover. No frills food stall in urban space serving excellent green curry. They're not afraid to salt the coconut milk with green curry in perfect proportion. The tamarind extract on the pad thai sets it apart from the usual sugar/fish sauce giving it a distinct savory sensation your taste buds will notice . The garlic chicken is not bad. Portions are fair just enough to satisfy you.

Sheyenne H.

Yelp

Came one Friday around 12nn and place is not so busy but also not empty. I love that you can order in advance for pickup but also they have a combo rice bowl with 2 protein choices option. They have basil chicken which is my favorite!!! No complaints! The food is spot on delicious as well as the lime iced tea drink. Will go again for sure.

Shannon O.

Yelp

Located in Urban Space food hall, this little Thai joint Is doing it right! Everything is made fresh to order. Their drunken noodles ($13) are top notch, fresh veggies and just enough heat, still a little chew left in the noodle. I was not a fan of the Thai iced tea limeade the lime made it made it too acidic. But I have been known to order a Thai iced tea with my meal and then turn around and buy another as I walk out of the door. The staff has always been friendly and polite. If your at Urban Space Chi head to the back and grab some Thai!

Alyssa W.

Yelp

The best Thai restaurant in the Chicago area. Wok hei is 100 and owners are super friendly! I usually get the specials and flavors are super authentic.

Megan M.

Yelp

I've never had Thai food. The garlic chicken was really good. The basil chicken was spicy which it does say spicy. The Thai ice tea is like no ice tea I've ever tasted so I don't know how to compare it. It's in like a food court type area so it was pretty loud. But for $13 it was enough.

Asad R.

Yelp

This hit the spot! We got the green curry chicken rice bowl and for $10 it was super filling! Lots of chicken, rice, vegetables, and curry! It was also less than ten minutes from ordering to my food being ready. This food hall has lots of options but they can be quite expensive and also have small portions. You can't go wrong with eating here!

NaywriChi W.

Yelp

This is part of Keadkao Express but with its own booth and this is inside of Urbanspace. I had a Lemon Ginger Tee and it was very good. Mostly all the items are under eleven dollars. Staff and service is wonderful.

Stacy H.

Yelp

a great thai spot in urban space food hall and in the loop in general! i ordered the pad se-ew chicken and my husband got the pad thai with tofu (and no egg because he wanted it vegan). both entrees were filled to the brim - as i hoped it would for being $13.50 each (before tax). the taste was great. i loved the crispy onions on top of my pad se-ew. it provided good flavor and texture. i always ask for a side of chili paste with my pad se-ew and they have them already individually packed, which is nice. overall, a great place to fulfill your thai cravings! excited to come back and try the other items.

Rose S.

Yelp

Ridiculous experience, after I place my order and pay the front women tells me they have no pad Thai. I'm sure in that little stand you know what you have ma don't have. My money couldn't be refunded and she gave me the option of ordering something else. I needed up buying a dish that was not pleasant and not worth $20 for a small plate. See receipt.

Vithida S.

Yelp

love their fried chicken with fried onions , typical thai southern style the basil chicken could be more spicy but it's ok

Nupur S.

Yelp

Pad see ew was delicious! Curry was only okay. Portions were decent and price wasn't crazy, but reasonable given it being in a food court space.

Aish N.

Yelp

Saw this place while at UrbanSpace near state street. While it's located in a large food hall, the dishes here were delicious. I enjoyed the Basil Stir Fry and the people I was with also enjoyed their food. I was always on the look out for good Thai food in the Loop area and am glad to have found this place!

Melanie T.

Yelp

Fried rice was delicious!! Staff was friendly & efficient! Wait wasn't long & enjoyable atmosphere!

Ashutosh S.

Yelp

Very pleasantly surprised to find such an authentic, flavorful thai restaurant at urbanspace! We got the grilled chicken, green curry and drunken noodles, all of which were delicious and well-priced. Compliments to their chefs for the tanginess and spice in the drunken noodles especially! A true hidden gem in the middle of the loop!

C C.

Yelp

This place was disappointing. Most of the items on the menu and labeled on the glass wall was unavailable with no plans to refill for the day. I ordered the pad Thai; it was the worst pad Thai I ever had. The sauce was insanely sweet. I couldn't finish it. The chicken was freezer burned. There was no egg. The only reason I'm giving this place 2 stars is because the staff was very nice and apologetic about the food.

Rebecca G.

Yelp

Excellent service, friendly and helpful. Blueberry Limeade was perfect on a hot day, filled with fresh berries and delightfully sweet-tart.

Jim A.

Yelp

Some places are just special! The food and the people just smile right back at you. ***** no one mess with these people and rate them anything under 5 Stars.*************** (No I'm not a personal friend of theirs) Patt the owner is so lovely glowing with positive energy, and her chef partner is very talented. The dishes are authentic and so so deliciously fresh. They will win your business and you'll be back over and over. First time I ate here I ordered lunch and went back 5 min later and ordered a second lunch.

Michael Z.

Yelp

Great food, quick service and nice food court, best bet for a quick meal and great selections, green curry chicken was so good.

Gary C.

Yelp

Taste like real authentic Thai food. Got Chicken Pad Thai and Tom Yum with Tofu, comes with rice. We really dig the Pad Thai. It tasted good, there was some wok hey! It's a really good stir fry noodle dish. Also pretty large portion, it was like 3 servings for us. (Btw it's not** those sweet "ketchup" pad thai...) Tom Yum tasted legit, light tomato broth with garlic and lemongrass. Tasted very Homey with the rice. Sorry no pictures. Found them on Eater. We ate it all and then decided to give it a review. We would order from here again. Cannot find parking in the area. Had to drive it back home to reheat it.

Sean K.

Yelp

Great lunch spot - quick, easy and cheap. Also a part of a food hall so you can get a little here and a little there. The food is great. Order a bowl instead of the entree because it's cheaper and you get pretty much the same amount.

meili o.

Yelp

Food is dl bland. No chili or hot peppers available either. Irs a definite NO for a fast food lunch that vist 20 bucks a person

Kenny C.

Yelp

Just ordered an iced tea here. Staff was super friendly. Tea was fine.

Kendall C.

Yelp

Inside of urban space. Food came out quickly. The drunken noodles were so so so good. The service was fast and easy to order.

Brinda L.

Yelp

S V.

Yelp

Great spot for some authentic Pad Thai in the city. Good location too and reasonably priced.

Latricia F.

Yelp

While the food is tasty the service is HORRIBLE. It took over 27 minutes for me to get my order and keep in mind that there were only 3 people ahead of me in the line. I ordered the drunken noodles with shrimp. It was suggested to me that because didn't tip them for me walking up and placing my order, they withheld it. I counted 6 people that not only came after me but 2 ordered the same thing that I did. Only after I questioned them did they give me my order AMBIANCE IS ok I will NOT BE BACK

Oosa S.

Yelp

So convenient! Only a minute walk from Washington Blue line by the Daley Center. So impressed! The food prepared matched the photos and the flavor was as authentic as I could have asked for. The Hadyai Fried Chicken reminded me of the mouth-watering fried chicken I had from the food stalls in Thailand. The green curry had the perfect spiciness level to open up my sinuses. I also tried the Tom Yum soup, Keadkao's grilled chicken, fried rice, and the Crispy Pork Keadkao Stir-fry. The umami from all these dishes left a lasting impact on me. Definitely looking forward to my next meal there.

Pradeep S.

Yelp

Food is very bland and tasteless. They don't even carry anything on the side (condiments ) to make it eatable. The only reason Iam giving 2 stars is because staff is nice and food is served piping hot.

Matthew W.

Yelp

Mediocre at best. Ordered take out as I'm in town for business. The pad Thai was a bit sweet for me, I asked for it to be spicy so they threw a small scoop of hot peppers on top. The chicken was chunks of very dark meat, not the typical thin sliced white meat I'm used to. The gyoza was deep fried and bland, served with a pre packed packet of ponzu sauce. The best thing I had was the spring rolls, which were a flickering light of hope for the meal. I'm sure there are better options in the food hall, go try one of them instead.

Vicki V.

Yelp

I hate to write negative reviews. Omg the worst pad Thai I've ever had. Don't waste money to order pad Thai here.

Edith P.

Yelp

It closes at 7 (not 8 as listed). Was hoping to try the pad see ew but cannot. Sad vibes.

Diane S.

Yelp

Tastiest Thai food I have had in a long time. Freshly made, delicious. I had the basil chicken.

Elena L.

Yelp

The worst pad thai I've ever had. The sauce is bland and doesn't have much flavor. They also use dark meat chicken. I've never seen any other restaurant put dark meat chicken in a pad thai. I basically had to throw all the chicken away because it was chewy. At least let people know in advance the type of chicken you're using. Waste of money.

@eater

Bangkok Natives Open Up Thai Food Stall Inside Downtown Food Hall - Eater Chicago

View Postcard for Keadkao express

@eater

A Pair of French Landmarks Reopen in Winnetka and Eight More Openings - Eater Chicago

View Postcard for Keadkao express

Sarah Yi

Google

Honey Di

Google

chintot

Google

Lucile Chambily

Google

Dear Ngo

Google

Michał Czerwiński

Google

The best Thai takeout downtown. I ordered Tom Yum with shrimp. It tastes exactly like in Thailand. The best Pad Thai I had in the US. Ask for Thai limeade!

Brinda Le

Google

Shirley Moats

Google

Taquanda H.

Yelp

Austin G.

Yelp

Ernie H.

Yelp

Sheyenne H.

Yelp

Came one Friday around 12nn and place is not so busy but also not empty. I love that you can order in advance for pickup but also they have a combo rice bowl with 2 protein choices option. They have basil chicken which is my favorite!!! No complaints! The food is spot on delicious as well as the lime iced tea drink. Will go again for sure.

Shannon O.

Yelp

Alyssa W.

Yelp

The best Thai restaurant in the Chicago area. Wok hei is 100 and owners are super friendly! I usually get the specials and flavors are super authentic.

Megan M.

Yelp

Asad R.

Yelp

NaywriChi W.

Yelp

Stacy H.

Yelp

Rose S.

Yelp

Vithida S.

Yelp

love their fried chicken with fried onions , typical thai southern style the basil chicken could be more spicy but it's ok

Nupur S.

Yelp

Pad see ew was delicious! Curry was only okay. Portions were decent and price wasn't crazy, but reasonable given it being in a food court space.

Aish N.

Yelp

Melanie T.

Yelp

Fried rice was delicious!! Staff was friendly & efficient! Wait wasn't long & enjoyable atmosphere!

Ashutosh S.

Yelp

C C.

Yelp

Rebecca G.

Yelp

Excellent service, friendly and helpful. Blueberry Limeade was perfect on a hot day, filled with fresh berries and delightfully sweet-tart.

Jim A.

Yelp

Michael Z.

Yelp

Great food, quick service and nice food court, best bet for a quick meal and great selections, green curry chicken was so good.

Gary C.

Yelp

Sean K.

Yelp

meili o.

Yelp

Food is dl bland. No chili or hot peppers available either. Irs a definite NO for a fast food lunch that vist 20 bucks a person

Kenny C.

Yelp

Just ordered an iced tea here. Staff was super friendly. Tea was fine.

Kendall C.

Yelp

Inside of urban space. Food came out quickly. The drunken noodles were so so so good. The service was fast and easy to order.

Brinda L.

Yelp

S V.

Yelp

Great spot for some authentic Pad Thai in the city. Good location too and reasonably priced.

Latricia F.

Yelp

Oosa S.

Yelp

Pradeep S.

Yelp

Matthew W.

Yelp

Vicki V.

Yelp

I hate to write negative reviews. Omg the worst pad Thai I've ever had. Don't waste money to order pad Thai here.

Edith P.

Yelp

It closes at 7 (not 8 as listed). Was hoping to try the pad see ew but cannot. Sad vibes.

Diane S.

Yelp

Tastiest Thai food I have had in a long time. Freshly made, delicious. I had the basil chicken.

Elena L.

Yelp

Keadkao express

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