The Momo World
Nepalese restaurant · Little Italy
727 W Maxwell St, Chicago, IL 60607
Highlights
Steamed, fried, and tandoori momos with spicy sauces and more
Steamed, fried, and tandoori momos with spicy sauces and more
"Whether you grab a seat at this counter-service Nepalese spot or get your meal to go, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re eating the best momos in Chicago. The Momo World specializes in (you guessed it) momos, and we’ve never ordered one we didn’t immediately want to give a standing ovation. Want something simple? Get the tender and chewy steamed. Is Mars in Scorpio and you’re in the mood for something saucy or smokey? Go for the tomato-y jhol or crispy tandoori momos served on a skewer. With so many preparations and different flavorful fillings like chicken, pork, or vegetable, there’s a celestially dictated momo for everyone." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
"This counter-service Nepali restaurant in University Village serves some great Indian dishes, like biryanis, samosas, and chana masala. But as the name suggests, you go to The Momo World for momos, and they have some wonderful Indian-fusion dumplings. Like the momo chaat, where fried momos are swimming in chana masala, and topped with tamarind and mint chutney, bhujia, papadi chips, and yogurt. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy, has all the textures you want in a chaat, and the dumplings stay crispy." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen
"The Momo World is a casual counter-service spot in University Village, and they have fantastic dumplings. There are a lot of different preparations, including the classic steamed jhol (served in a spicy soup), and options like the momo chaat or tandoori, which are steamed, fried, and then grilled. They’re all delicious, each order is under $10, and you’ll be in and out in less than an hour." - adrian kane, john ringor
"Walking into The Momo World in University Village, we were confronted with a bunch of choices - meaning a long list of momos written on the chalkboard above the register. There are roughly 6,894 options to choose from and we’ve eaten them all, but we still can’t pick which one is our favorite. Is it the fried-then-chargrilled tandoori momo? The sadeko covered in a rich sesame gravy? The momo chaat with sev, tamarind, rice crackers, yogurt, and a bunch of other delicious things? We can’t decide. The only solution is to come here and make our own 6,894-course tasting menu." - josh barnett, adrian kane
"Momo World sounds like a food-based theme park, but instead of rollercoasters and someone sweating in a dumpling costume, this counter-service spot in University Village serves the best momos in Chicago. From simple steamed or fried, to jhol momos bathed in a spiced tomato sauce, to smoky tandoori momos with a crispy pan-fried wrapper, it’s impossible to make a bad choice. There are varieties with fillings like pork, chicken, vegetable, and fish, which all have a satisfying chewy or crunchy texture depending on how the momos are prepared. The inside is a bit small, but feel free to show up with friends and curate your own momo tasting." - john ringor
