Restaurant

JJ Thai Street Food

Name: JJ Thai Street Food
Address: 1715 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622, US
Telephone: (312) 929-4435
Price range: value

Thai•Chicago•value

JJ Thai Street Food is one of the best thai restaurants in Chicago for dinner, especially if you want a strong option in Chicago.

JJ Thai Street Food is not trying to be a destination restaurant, a neighborhood anchor, or a cultural ambassador.

Editorial review•Dec 9, 2025

JJ Thai Street Food is not trying to be a destination restaurant, a neighborhood anchor, or a cultural ambassador. It's doing something more specific and, frankly, more useful — cooking Thai street food at a price point where a $20 bill feels like a luxury budget. At price level one, this is the place for anyone tired of paying uptown prices for downtown flavors. The menu doesn't require ambient lighting or a reservation to make sense. It's a kitchen cooking for people who eat to eat, and the focus shows in what it chooses to do well. The menu leans hard into the grill, and that's where the reputation is built. The Gai Yang, grilled chicken, is known for carrying real char rather than the steamed-and-sauced approximation that passes for grilled at lesser spots. Pla Muk Yang, grilled squid, reportedly holds that same commitment to fire and smoke — diners consistently point to it as a reason to return. On the soup side, Tom Yum Koong Nam Khon is the creamy variation of the classic, with lemongrass and galangal doing structural work beneath the richness, and chile heat that reads as intentional rather than decorative. Khao Pad Phoo, the crab fried rice, is described by regulars as a quieter dish — wok-fragrant, restrained, the kind of thing that anchors a table without demanding attention. The move here is to pair the Gai Yang with the J.J. Tiger Cry — grilled beef served with what's described as a tamarind-laced dipping sauce — a combination that regulars reportedly come back for specifically. Resist the reflex toward safer, more familiar orders; by all accounts the kitchen's real identity lives in the proteins off the grill and the herbs that frame them. Come on a weeknight, go straight for the fire-cooked dishes, and plan to spend very little.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Chicago guides•Editorial team

Thai dinner takeout bold spicy thai

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Taste ID

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Rating (Google) 9.0

477 reviews

Chicago

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

9.0

Rating

Based on 477 reviews

Best used for

dinner and Thai

Price and pace

Good value

Neighborhood

Chicago · 1715 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA

Price

Good value

Google rating

9.0 from 477 reviews

Phone

(312) 929-4435

Watch

JJ Thai Street Food on video

Short: Thomas Poovathur (third-party feature) · plays on YouTube

What to order

Signature dishes at JJ Thai Street Food

Pla Muk Yang

Grilled squid served with Thai-spicy seafood sauce

Gai Satay

Grilled chicken tender on skewers served with cucumber salad, grilled toast and homemade peanut sauce

Koong Hom Pha

Fried rice paper wrapped with seasoning shrimp served with sweet&sour sauce

J.J. Tiger Cry

Charcoal grilled marinated selected ribeye served with Thai traditional dipping sauce on the side

Gai Yang

Grilled Thai herb marinated Cornish hen served with house spicy dipping sauce on the side

Why go

What makes JJ Thai Street Food worth the move

JJ Thai Street Food is a reliable thai choice in Chicago when you want something that tends to land well. Pla Muk Yang and Gai Satay also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.0 rating across 477 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.0 from 477 Google reviews

Best used for

dinner and Thai

Style

Thai in Chicago

Spend

Good value

Best for

Thai dinner takeout bold spicy thai

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.0 from 477 reviews

Price point: value

Popular dishes: Pla Muk Yang, Gai Satay, Koong Hom Pha

Website linked on this page

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for JJ Thai Street Food

Google snapshot

9.0 from 477 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez

Boka Group has a knack for making a room feel more expensive than it is, and Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna at 531 N Wells St.

Tavern style pizzacasual nighttakeout

2127 reviews

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Website Menu Rate

Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Menu Directions

Address: 1715 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA
Phone: (312) 929-4435
Price: value
TastyPals score: Coming soon
Google rating: 9.0 (477 reviews)
Cuisine: Thai
Neighborhood: Chicago

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does JJ Thai Street Food serve?

JJ Thai Street Food is a Thai restaurant located in Chicago, Chicago. JJ Thai Street Food is not trying to be a destination restaurant, a neighborhood anchor, or a cultural ambassador.

What is JJ Thai Street Food best for?

JJ Thai Street Food is best for thai, dinner, takeout, bold, spicy, thai. JJ Thai Street Food is a reliable thai choice in Chicago when you want something that tends to land well. Pla Muk Yang and Gai Satay also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.0 rating across 477 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at JJ Thai Street Food?

JJ Thai Street Food is in the Good value price range (value). Google rating: 9.0 from 477 reviews

What should I order at JJ Thai Street Food?

Start with Pla Muk Yang, Gai Satay, Koong Hom Pha and J.J. Tiger Cry. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is JJ Thai Street Food worth visiting?

JJ Thai Street Food holds a 9.0 Google rating from 477 reviews. JJ Thai Street Food is a reliable thai choice in Chicago when you want something that tends to land well. Pla Muk Yang and Gai Satay also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.0 rating across 477 Google reviews.

Where is JJ Thai Street Food located?

JJ Thai Street Food is located at 1715 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA. Directions are available via Google Maps.

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