Khmai
Cambodian restaurant · Rogers Park ·
Traditional Cambodian noodles, skewers, and curries served
Traditional Cambodian noodles, skewers, and curries served
"Less than a mile south of Loyola Park, this is one of two Cambodian restaurants in Chicago (the other being the brilliant Hermosa), and the more casual side, Kaun Khmai, takes reservations. The dips and egg rolls provide a special kind of fuel to make you forget all your worries; you can always just forget the park and go directly to Khmai if the weather is threatening." - Ashok Selvam
"We felt completely lost when Khmai’s original space closed, leaving us to navigate a dystopia without their Cambodian beef skewers. Luckily, this Best Restaurant of 2022 reopened in a new Rogers Park location, and the skewers are still excellent. Old favorites like tangy tamarind short rib stew and chicken and taro egg rolls make a comeback, alongside newcomers like an ASMR-worthy crispy fried snapper drizzled in sweet soy sauce. They don’t take walk-ins, so snag a reservation before visiting and brushing up on your Khmer with the poster of phrases by the host stand." - team infatuation
"We felt completely lost when Khmai’s original space closed, leaving us to navigate a dystopia without their Cambodian beef skewers. Luckily, this Best Restaurant of 2022 reopened in a new Rogers Park location, and the skewers are still excellent. Old favorites like tangy tamarind short rib stew and chicken and taro egg rolls make a comeback, alongside newcomers like an ASMR-worthy crispy fried snapper drizzled in sweet soy sauce. Khmer clothing gets extra time in the spotlight, as seen in a large mural of an Apsara dancer and worn by hosts greeting people with “Chum reap su.” They don’t take walk-ins, so snag a reservation before visiting and brushing up on your Khmer with the poster of phrases by the host stand. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - john ringor, veda kilaru
"Our first time at Khmai we felt like a regular, and we left wanting to become a real one. This Rogers Park spot is only one of two Cambodian restaurants in Chicago, and there’s an undeniable magnetism the minute you’re greeted by the host. Khmai is overflowing with camaraderie—the staff and chef are always checking in and sharing stories, like how they evolved from a catering service into a full-fledged restaurant. But of course, the main draw is the food. We’re constantly looking up the rotating menu like it’s a recap of Survivor, trying to see if our favorites—fragrant and spicy somlar machu kreoung or sweet and tangy tamarind wings—survived their biweekly purge." - adrian kane, john ringor
"After moving from one edge of Rogers Park to another, Khmai 2.0 is back with even better Cambodian food. They brought back the sach ko ja kak (our favorite beef skewers from 2022) and we still want to declare our love for them from the top of a mountain. Start with sach ko ja kak and plear trei, follow up with any of the prahok dips that comes with sliced raw fruits and vegetables, order the kaw ko as a main, and the pumpkin custard for dessert. Strong flavors of lemongrass and galangal, dishes with bursts of funk, and Kaun Khmai. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - nick allen, veda kilaru, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen, nick allen, nick allen, nick allen, john ringor, veda kilaru, john ringor, john ringor, veda kilaru, veda kilaru, john ringor, john ringor
