Me Dee Cafe

"Me Dee Cafe doles out all the tried-and-true Thai staples but its “secret” menu is what sets the tiny Ravenswood spot apart. Stop by in the evening (open until 12:30 a.m.) for a bowl of congee and complementary side dishes. The rice porridge is best enjoyed with items like crispy pork belly, sour pork sausage, and basil clams. Order pickup and delivery online." - Ashok Selvam

Chicago’s Best Thai Food

The 20 Best Thai Restaurants In Chicago

"Open until 1am every day, this cozy BYOB restaurant in Ravenswood is a beacon of hope for anyone looking for late-night food. The small space has room for about 20 people and a wall full of cartoon drawings of Thai dishes. And these illustrations should guide your ordering—like the hoy lai with clams cooked in chili sauce, and the crispy pork belly salad that has the golden ratio of tart, salt, and heat. Both of these are found on “The Congee Menu.” This is an apt name: If you order five dishes from that section, a large bowl of free congee magically appears. " - john ringor, veda kilaru, adrian kane

Where to Find Refreshing Cold Asian Noodles in Chicago

"Ravenswood’s Thai hideaway is open late, which is good news for its many fans in the area. The menu is long and expansive with lots of familiar standbys, but tucked in the salad section patrons will find a delectable combination glass noodles, ground pork, shrimp, and vegetables. It’s a nice counterpoint to the restaurant’s popular congee, best suited to cold temperatures." - Naomi Waxman

On the Grid : Mana Digital Dive

@onthegrid

"A gaming lounge and internet center, this place is stacked with 24 gaming computers, multiple Playstation 4s hooked up to 60” monitors, 3D printers and Virtual Reality goggles to test out. You can even rent out retro consoles like Nintendo 64s and they have Smash Brothers tournaments here every Saturday. Skip the snack stand here and go across the street to Susie’s Drive Thru for your late-night gaming hunger." - Bark Design

Me Dee Cafe - Review - Ravenswood - Chicago - The Infatuation

"Open until 1am every day, this BYOB restaurant is a beacon of hope for anyone in Ravenswood looking for a midnight snack. The cozy space only has a handful of tables and a wall full of cartoon drawings of Thai dishes. Use these illustrations to guide your ordering—get the hoy lai with clams cooked in chili sauce with Thai basil, and the crispy pork belly salad has the golden ratio of tart, salt, and heat. Both of these are at the back part of the menu, a.k.a. “The Congee Menu.” Why is it called the congee menu? If you order five dishes from that section a large bowl of free congee spontaneously appears." - John Ringor

Pablo Sierra

Google

Ended up here pretty late at night. Opened until 12:30 am. Small, quintessentially the place to eat. The service was fantastic. The young man that was taking orders, for dine in and to go orders was very informative about what was what. His suggestions were absolutely what I was craving. I got the glass noddle with crab and shrimp. I asked for it spicy which isn’t advertised as spicy but it was not a problem. And it was the perfect spicy. My lady had the me see veggie plate with shrimp and that was so fresh with the veggies cooked perfectly and the shrimp was definitely large shrimp. Table next to us got a fermented pork short rib and offered me a bite. Just wow. We started off with the shrimp dumpling and veggie rolls. And fried calamari. When I tell you everything was cooked perfectly and the flavors were out of this world, believe that that they were. I highly recommend trying this place out. Go asap! I’ve added pictures of the menu so you’ll know what you want once you get there. Enjoy yall!!

Mixx Santigul

Google

The food was great, Thai authentic taste. Open late night. The staff were friendly, attentive and polite. It was crowded when I was there. Recommended ! ❤️

Jess BoYd

Google

As the ultimate destination for authentic Thai cuisine, this restaurant excels, offering classic dishes such as rice porridge accompanied by complementary sides that showcase the nation's culinary richness. Its unassuming size conceals an expansive menu and exceptional service that surpass expectations. I look forward to returning; thank you for a memorable dinner experience tonight.

Gurveen Parhar

Google

The only vegan option I believe was the pad see ewe. Later the waitress asked us if we wanted tofu a certain way and we thought we were talking about in our dish but it was a separate side. So that was a bit confusing, and we should have clarified too. Cute art on wall

Linda Nguyen

Google

This is a smaller restaurant that has around 5 tables and seems popular with takeout orders too. I go here a lot since it's good food, opens late, and has pretty authentic Thai options. The price is decent too. I have ordered pad see ewe, panang curry, firecracker chicken, crispy tofu salad. All were good. Love to try their other entrees too.

Pablo D.

Google

Update: food is still awesomely good and they renovated the walk and changed some decoration. I’m posting pics of the food this time, it is a must!!!! Original review: Authentic Thai food in Chicago. Tried not alone, but with Thai friends, and we were all amazed by the quality, the flavor, and the price of the food! I am now a regular at Me Dee!

tong qian li

Google

The food is authentic and the atmosphere is chill! It opens until midnight, such a late night saver. Although their menu seems like the same dishes in English and Thai, but they are different food, be patience on the Thai menu because they are delicious. And if you’re not sure the combination, ask the server, she’s kind and knowledgable~ We had such a good time and will be back for sure.

Paula H

Google

Got there at 11 pm and was happily surprised with the extensive menu and friendly service. We were the only people at this small place, but while we ordered and had dinner there were maybe 10 to 12 take-out orders prepared and picked up. A couple of them were large. I came because google maps said they have pho. This place is Thai, not Vietnamese, so no pho, but they are good at what they do have. We had fried Chinese sausage, glass noodle pork and cabbage soup, and celery tilapia, which has a lot more than just celery.

Kapan S.

Yelp

They have dishes that you don't find elsewhere. My favorite is the pork blood soup....it reminds me of visiting my relatives in Thailand.

Andrew P.

Yelp

I think for Chicago Thai food standards, it does the job and is on par with many other Thai places. Maybe I just didn't order exactly the right thing, but for people saying it's their best go-to Thai food spot, I am surprised, because my Pad See Ewe take out meal was good, but nothing to write home about. I do appreciate that they made it a little spicier since I had made it clear I wanted it spicy. It definitely wasn't up to the spicy level that I truly wanted, but I appreciate it. I do really like that they're open later than a lot of other Thai places in the area which makes it easier to order when you're getting late night munchies. That would be the main reason why I'd order back again from here in the future!

Rumi I.

Yelp

A familiar feel called home. You don't have to have travelled to Thailand or lived there to be drawn to this place and wrapped blanket of comfort food. The setup is pretty minimalistic. It's tucked away in a corner. But just go in and be ready to be blown away by the food, hospitality and more food. Vegans/ Vegetarians: This place is awesome. the chive dumplings are the best way to start of any meal. I have a soft corner for Pad Kee mao and this place knocks it out of the park. the Veg version is even better. The green curry or the panang curry. either way you never go wrong. Now for the Stand outs: If you like crab, do try the crab fried rice. The spicier you ask, the tastier it gets. Its my go to hangover cure. The Veg Lad Nar is actually the best thing on the menu, even for meat eaters. This late night spot has to be on your radar. go check it out and let me know if you like it.

Steve A.

Yelp

Feed me some Me Dee. If you're around the Damen Brown Line station, head up to this little Thai place with authentic street food style and flavor. It has a bigger than expected menu for a place as small. A lot of classic dishes such as Pad Thai, various salads, and more. There's lots of healthy options, including vegetarian. Came here recently as part of a quickie date. It's conveniently located just up Damen Avenue from the Brown Line. The place looks pretty small from the outside. After heading in, the same could be said about the inside. There's only a few tables. Bring your own beer is the alcohol policy. Helps them save by not getting a liquor license, so it's understandable. As for the food, we got a few classics. The entrees are about $12, so it's moderately expensive but not bad for around here though. Almond Pad Thai was pretty awesome. This had almonds, bean sprouts, eggs, which I left off, onions, and a sweet tangy sauce. Good shit on a plate, and even better with some spice added in. She had the Kee Mao Noodles. It was a spicier entree. This had basil and jalapeños. Both come with a protein choice. We got tofu. For the price the amount was a lot. This was more affordable than many places. Good prices for good ass food. It's pretty easy for even those used to bland old American food to get into it. This for sure isn't like it's cheap, but compared to more popular places, this is affordable and there's no sacrifice in quality.

Maya P.

Yelp

Ordered takeout and had to wait an extra 40 minutes after the time given by the restaurant for pickup. Staff was not apologetic- definitely not ordering take out from here again.

Paula H.

Yelp

Julie T.

Yelp

Me Dee is the spot! Thank god I don't live closer or I woulda been here if not everyday but every week!!! Everything on the menu is superb, so tasty, flavorful and it just hits. Haven't tried the whole menu yet but near damn tried a lot of dishes here and everything was excellent. Not sure if I want to call it a hidden gem since the last fell times we've been here, it has been busy and during dinner rush so you can see it's a popular Thai spot. Parking - It's meter parking right up front since Damen is one or the main streets

MC A.

Yelp

Our go-to place when craving thai food and open late. The place is small, a handful of tables, cozy with cute wall design. The service is good and the food is even better. All the dishes ordered has always been delicious. My fave is the crab fried rice. The only con is that the path to the bathroom and the room itself is not wheelchair accessible.

Alison L.

Yelp

Cute mom and pop restaurant with cozy and warm feels. Lots of Thai people visiting this restaurant- very laid back and chill vibe. They have a "regular" menu with English and less spicy items. I noticed they have another menu that's in Thai with a lot of different options. I really enjoyed everything I got here. I think the portions were a little on the smaller side but everything was so good, I would come back. Thai green curry, tom yum soup, pad thai, glass noodles all sooooo good. I had the morning glory and my god was it delicious but so spicy I died. 10/10 would recommend this place.

Kathryn Y.

Yelp

I really loved my experience here! I ordered the fried rice and a crab & cheese (crab rangoons) and it was all very delicious. The service was really good too. I feel like places that are a smaller dining-in area can be intimidating, especially when we were the first party to be sitting in there tonight. But since we were confident and content, it really made for no big deal and there were many others who came in for dine-in/carry-out while we were there.

Pallavi S.

Yelp

Amazing food. If you're in Chicago and looking for Thai street food, this is the place to go to. The food is absolutely delicious and so flavorful. The food tastes very close to the food that you get on the streets of Thailand. It's a gem of a place. The best Thai food I have had in Chicago. If you're looking for a recommendation, try the cracker chicken salad. It's so yummy. I also tried the Tilapia celery curry and it was delicious.

Ashley K.

Yelp

Panang curry with beef is my goto but I will definitely swap that up with the shrimp wonton soup moving forward. Both are excellent.The crab n' cheese are delicious. I will not get the calamari ever again, just didn't like it.

Moose M.

Yelp

Very good food, good potions, great service, great prices. Little mom and pop neighborhood Thai restaurant, small, nothing fancy. Large menu, many selections. Will go again.

Amy L.

Yelp

Food is Amazing!!! BYOB is a plus. Staff is super friendly and attentive. Small space perfect for dates with friends and partner. Price point is super affordable.

Thea G.

Yelp

Everything you dream a Thai restaurant will be. My friends and I indulged after going to the gym and wow this place hit the SPOT. Getting a table is quick and easy after a 5 minute wait (it's real popular, especially late night on a Friday). The food is e x c e l l e n t. Each of my friends got a noodle dish: pad kee mow and pad thai. One of them said it was arguably the best pad kee mow in the city -- high praise considering how often they eat Thai food. I ordered the longan (bright, not overly sweet) and the green curry noodle (spicy, creamy, with varied textures of the fried noodle and meat and Thai eggplant to play around with). The food was excellent and the service was very efficient. I 100% will be returning here again.

Mary L.

Yelp

Mussels were rubbery and hard to chew, chicken satay was oily, over cooker/stringy, and had zero flavor, also got chicken pot stickers but the box had already been opened so couldn't eat them. I have no idea how that happened, I picked it out of the bag and that's how it was. Little worried

Adam S.

Yelp

Place slaps, and is the only place you can get food at past 9 pm in this god-forsaken part of Chicago. This has nothing to do with Mee Dee, but what is going on where every kitchen here closes by like 10 pm? Even the bars don't serve food, you have to go to Mcdonald's or Mee Dee. But yeah, the food's good. No complaints.

Monica G.

Yelp

Absolutely well-seasoned and flavorful dishes! Although we got the shared small plates, we were extremely full and took some food back home. Definitely will be coming back!

Wanda O.

Yelp

The soups were pretty delicious, but they were stingy with the shrimp. The veggie egg rolls were pretty good just a little pricey.

Jacqueline P.

Yelp

OH MY GOD THIS IS THE BEST THAI FOOD IN CHICAGO EVER. So glad we found this hole in the wall. Literally everything tastes like heaven - they don't shy away with the spices! Owner/server is always super duper sweet to us too! Once, we came at like 7pm and apparently we were their first customers that day. She thanked us so many times for being her first customers that day! Please don't ever let this place run out of business!!!

Patch11 B.

Yelp

Real Thai food. Fantastic I took vacation and looking for street Thai food Thai test This place very good. Food serve very fast and nice service .

Spencer D.

Yelp

This place is honestly lit! Like, for real, it's good. It's open very late, and I love that.

Ricardo T.

Yelp

Classic place in Chicago. It never disappoints!!!!!!!!!! Can't believe it's real!!!!!

Avval K.

Yelp

Smol little Thai restaurant with a warm staff and excellent food. They have a special late night Thai street food menu which is absolutely amazing. Everytime I go, I get the instant noodle salad which never disappoints.

Taylor H.

Yelp

Food tastes great and it was ready quick! Would definitely recommend especially the shumai appetizer

Dave K.

Yelp

Came to Me Dee Cafe on a Sunday night. We were the only ones in the restaurant. It's small space, very cozy, very casual old school interior, and most importantly it's BYOB! To be honest, we were with a friend who is Thai and she ordered food on behalf of us so my attention to detail in regards to what we actually ordered might be off. We didn't order the typical dishes that Westerners love, like Pad Thai or Pad See Ewe. I'm trying to cross check what we ate and ordered to their menu and honestly, I don't know what my friend ordered. It might be off the Thai menu or something. We ordered glass noodle with shrimp which was extremely tasty and flavorful. We also got rice congee which I don't think it's on the menu but they give it to you if you order a certain amount of food. Again, my friend ordered and requested everything in Thai. All in all, this place was solid. I would absolutely love to come back again. Every dish was exploding with flavor. This won't be my normal detailed reviews because quite frankly, I have no idea what we ordered, but what we ordered was off the Thai Menu, I can't imagine the other food off the main menu being any less better. Solid place!

Stephanie S.

Yelp

We ordered 5 items from their secret menu and got a free bowl of congee. The first 4 dishes were my bf's favorite go-to dishes. #22 Chinese sausage salad: You can't never go wrong with chinese sausage...I enjoyed the dish but it was not my favorite (but is my bf's). I'm not used to the soury/tangy sauce. You definitely need congee or a bowl of rice to pair with it #29 glass noodle salad: I also enjoyed the dish but it was not my favorite (but is my bf's). The sauce was similar to the chinese sausage salad and is best paired with congee or a bowl of rice #68 crab fried rice: this was one of my favorite dish! I love carbs anyways but the fried rice was flavorful even without the small chucks of crab which was bigger than I had expected. I had expected to just see think stringy pieces. #50 clam with basil: this was another favorite! It can be eaten alone but the sauce was amazing and would pair well with congee or white rice! I almost wanted to ask for the leftover sauce to take home haha #72 shrimp chow fun: this was an interesting dish. It was not what we expected. We thought it would be a dried noodle dish but it was a thick soupy pad see ew cousin. We'll definitely be back since it's my bf's go to late night thai place

Ada M.

Yelp

Man oh man why didn't I come here sooner? Based on my fellow yelpers' reviews I bookmarked MDC. And then I kinda forgot about it. BIG. MISTAKE. I think is one of my new fave Thai restaurants! They have things on this menu that aren't on other menus. The one thing i wish they serve that they don't are soup noodle options. But you know what? I don't even mind. The things they do serve they do very well. I can't read Thai, but I do speak Thai. And I know my Thai food. This is always helpful and most places don't mind reading me the special Thai menu. However, the "special" menu here at MDC has English subtitles so it's pretty awesome for me and anyone who doesn't read Thai. Even if you're not Thai, always ask for a recommendation from the Thai menu. Be semi specific about what you have a taste for or want to try. For example, a particular protein or something strange. Maybe something very spicy or like me, not spicy at all but still tasty. This is my best advice for you to widen your Thai tastebuds at any Thai spot. Or you can always look up pictures here on yelp and point lol. The one dish that enticed me to finally come try MeDee Cafe is the stir fried clams. It's on the Thai menu under spicy baby clam stir fried. This dish made me feel like I was back in the motherland! I can't really handle spicy foods but it was just the right amount of spice for me. Another surprise were the fried quail eggs! Also very hard to find here in the US. And the desserts. Please please get a dessert. I personally recommend the roti. Think Thai twist on a dessert crepe. Yummmmmm. I enjoyed everything we ordered. Can't wait to go back!

Cassidy B.

Yelp

I've been eyeing this neighborhood spot for awhile and I'm glad I finally was able to try it! Came in around 9pm for a late night dinner were seated immediately. The restaurant is pretty small and more of a no-frills kind of spot. The service was friendly and quick and all of our food came out hot. We ordered the Pork Stix appetizer, Tom Kha Chicken Soup and Panang Curry with Chicken. We were happily surprised by the depth of flavor in everything we ate. The Pork Stix were tender and the spice was delicious with the sweet and sour sauce. It came with sticky rice which was the perfect addition. The Tom Kha was creamy with great spice. I'm not usually a huge fan of Tom Kha but I would definitely order it from Me Dee again. Finally, the Panang Curry is always my go-to order at a new Thai restaurant and I was incredibly impressed with this one. It had much more flavor than most other places. I'd highly recommend everything we ate! After enjoying each of these dishes it will be hard to branch out and try anything else. Thrilled to live so close to such a delicious spot.

Jon D.

Yelp

Great Thai food at a good price. I usually order the panang curry max spicy, and the shumai dumplings. Been coming here for years and they never disappoint!

Holly H.

Yelp

Ordered on Amazon Restaurants. MD called and asked if I could place my order over the phone because they "don't work with amazon". My response, No, my card has been charged from Amazon. MD, "Can you call amazon and cancel?" ... WTF. I said no. "Oh ok, we will call amazon, and call you back." 15 minutes later. Text from amazon saying that they canceled my order. Not sure how the food is(because MD canceled my order) but service was 0/5

Anant G.

Yelp

First thing first, when you get here ask for the Thai Menu. It's a different menu that's different from the regular menu with your regular Pad Thai and Red Curry. You're unlocking a whole new array of options that are amazing. I went here with seasoned veterans of the place so I left all the ordering up to them. The hidden menu is mainly a Thai Style Tapas. We got a few different things. We had a Thai style salad with a lemongrass dressing, which reminded me of Thailand. There was Ong Choi which was a sautéed green vegetable - nothing special but was a good accompaniment. A sweet pickled turnip with fried eggs was my favorite. The umame of the eggs against the sweetness of the turnip - daaaamn. We also got a mushroom stir fry with three kinds of mushroom. Our last dish was chive dumplings - simple, yummy. The meat options also looked excellent.

Alana S.

Yelp

Since Covid, they have become a staple- their Tom yum soup, green curry, fried tofu salad (super spicy but you won't be able to stop eating, even when tears are running down your face), and roti dessert are just.... the best you can find in Illinois, not just the Chicagoland area. Thank you guys!

Frederick M.

Yelp

Our server at Arun's recommended Me Dee Cafe for more authentic daily Thai food. We were so happy to find that it's not far from Andersonville, right in Ravenswood. Let's get into it! Crab Pad Woon Sen or Crab Fried Rice... with beautiful street food wok flavor. We also loved the preserved egg with basil chicken. The Moo Ping pork skewers had powerful flavor too. For takeout during shelter at home, it's perfect. It's hot when you get it home and their safety protocols make us confident to order again.

Andy O.

Yelp

Atmosphere: 4/5 Small, kinda cute. They were playing a Beyonce concert on a TV... Take that for what you will Service: 5/5 Perfectly fine. Food: 7/10 Run of the mill. Curry with the salmon was good, not great. Kind of a weird combo but it was the signature curry so I thought I'd try it. Pot stickers were alright. Value: 4/5 It's pretty cheap, pretty good. If you're in the neighborhood it wouldn't be a bad option for take-out in you're in the mood for Thai.

Alexandra E.

Yelp

Delicious! We ordered the steamed shrimp dumplings (shumai), calamari, Panang curry, and Me Dee signature curry which comes with salmon. The shumai was amazing! The calamari was crispy and very good. Both curries were very delicious. My boyfriend's favorite Thai dish is Panang curry and he really enjoyed it. I ordered the signature curry and it was extremely flavorful. I loved the salmon and vegetables that came with it. Highly recommend!

Jeanne-Marie D.

Yelp

Really great place to get late night Chinese. Only eaten here a couple times, so I haven't been able to try too much. But their fried rice and potstickers are really good. It's hard to find good late night Chinese at times but this place is definitely one you'll seek out often. We stopped in here around 12am to get takeout and it only took maybe 10 mins and we were on our way. It's a very small place though, practically a hole in the wall. But that doesn't mean it's lacking in quality. Not too expensive either, so pretty good bang for your buck.

Abby K.

Yelp

As someone who is constantly homesick and missing my mother's Lao food, I find a lot of comfort in the authentic Thai food that is served since the two foods are so similar! It's like a home away from home lol, Highly recommend!!! :)

Pai B.

Yelp

Everything tastes so good. One of the best spot for Thai food. I had Pad See Eew, glass noodle with crabmeat, ground pork salad with crispy wonton, grilled pork in skewers and stir-fried clam with fresh basil and roasted chili paste.

LaVie L.

Yelp

Stopped in here on a chilly summers evening. Was happily surprised by the quality of food. Now this isn't the most appealing place as far as ambience. It's a little thai shop with seating for 18-20. But the food was great! We enjoyed the Tom yum soup with shrimp it was the best I think I've ever had. We also enjoyed the lump crab meat fried rice as well as the panang curry with fried noodles and chicken. Everything was lovely. For dessert we had the mango and strawberry mochi and the thai custard. The thai custard although a lovely shareable portion was not my favorite. It was a little heavy. All in all a flavorful meal cooked like someone cares and I will return and The stir fry clams look amazing! Fyi it's also byob.

Jacob J.

Yelp

Late night Thai. There's a place already having that name but this place blows them out of the water. Why? Because the food is consistently good, tastes good and worth the spend though it's not costly. The setting is cute, cartoony & minimal from their dining room to the miniscule space of their restrooms. As far as Thai goes, not sure it would top my best of Thai restaurants but for late night fare, it's good stuff even without booze first. Now if you have a list of late night restaurant musts throw this into your mix and bookmark it. Late night, parking can be found on the street easily. For afternoons and early evenings parking is harder to come by.

Stephanie R.

Yelp

I love Mee Dee. Food is delicious and consistent and delivery is always fast. I have moved apartments twice since discovering his place, and "within the delivery area of Mee Dee" is a very high requirement on the list. Realtors should add that to listings along with "dishwasher" and "dog friendly". Favorites are Tom kha soup, veggie pad Thai, and panang curry.

Kate K.

Yelp

Love this place. Food is always prepared well and I love so many of their dishes from fried rice to curries to noodle dishes.

Kaitlyn N.

Yelp

With so many Thai options in the area, I have to say Me Dee is hands down the best. Tried the Basil entree on my most recent visit and it's my new go-to! Honorable mention for the kee mao and of course almond pad Thai.

J H.

Yelp

I'm a fan. It's a block away from my place, and I don't know that I'd seek it out if I didn't live here, but I'm always happy with the food and service. And wrt service, it's street food, the service is serviceable, direct, and unfussy. I recommend the wasabi potstickers (omg so good)the green curry and the glass noodle salad.

Sarah B.

Yelp

One of my favorite Congee places in Chicago. Maybe the only place in Chicago. But anyways the food here Is always tastey, flavorful and just delicious. They always have Authentic Homemade Food here.

Autumn H.

Yelp

First time customer. Cracked chicken salad was delicious until I found a hair in my food :/ appetite officially ruined.

Firm C.

Yelp

This is a must Thai restaurant to come visit if you wnna find local authentic Thai food. Price is low while the taste is high!! Recommend Larb crispy pork, nam liab pork minced, soup with the pork and blood pork. And a lot more! Paired all food with boiled rice is perfect!

Bosie L.

Yelp

Superb service, food and atmosphere. This place is a must go. All you need to bring is your hunger and they satisfy. I always look for 3 things when I go out to eat;service, food and cleanliness. They cover it all.

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On the Grid : Mana Digital Dive

@onthegrid

Me Dee Cafe - Review - Ravenswood - Chicago - The Infatuation