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Name: Penny’s Noodle Shop
Address: 1542 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622
Telephone: (773) 394-0100
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.44

Penny’s Noodle Shop

1542 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622

(773) 394-0100
Store is closed

Penny’s Noodle Shop Menu

Appetizers

Japanese Gyoza

Crispy Rolls

Crab Rangoon

Thai Spring Roll

Vietnamese Spring Roll

Chicken Satay

Beef Salad*

Seaweed Salad

Shrimp Salad*
Soups

Tom Yum*

Tom Kha Kai*
Noodle Soups

Beef Or Chicken Soup

Barbecued Pork Soup

Vegetable Noodle Soup

Wonton Soup

Ramen

Udon*

Shrimp Noodle Soup*
Rice Plates

Roasted Pork

Pepper Beef

Red Curry*

Thai Fried Rice*

Chinese Fried Rice

Gai Kra Praow*

5-pepper Shrimp*
Vegetables

Cucumber Salad

Chilled Steamed Broccoli

Chinese Greens

Stir Fried Cabbage

Stir Fried Watercress

Stir Fried Tofu And Bean Sprouts

Steamed Jasmine Rice
Noodles In A Bowl

Sliced Beef Or Chicken

Sauteed Chicken

Egg Noodles With Barbecued Pork

Thai Ravioli

Vegetarian Bowl

Sesame Beef Noodle*

Spicy Basil*
Stir Fried Noodles

Pad Thai

Pad Se Eu

Bean Thread Noodle

Lad Nar

Hot Pepper Noodle*

Healthy Meal suggestions for Penny’s Noodle Shop

Appetizers

Japanese Gyoza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crispy Rolls [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crab Rangoon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Thai Spring Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vietnamese Spring Roll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Satay [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef Salad* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seaweed Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Salad* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soups

Tom Yum* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tom Kha Kai* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Noodle Soups

Beef Or Chicken Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Barbecued Pork Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Noodle Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wonton Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ramen [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Udon* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Noodle Soup* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Rice Plates

Roasted Pork [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pepper Beef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Red Curry* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Thai Fried Rice* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chinese Fried Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gai Kra Praow* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

5-pepper Shrimp* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vegetables

Cucumber Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chilled Steamed Broccoli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chinese Greens [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stir Fried Cabbage [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stir Fried Watercress [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stir Fried Tofu And Bean Sprouts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Jasmine Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Noodles In A Bowl

Sliced Beef Or Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sauteed Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Egg Noodles With Barbecued Pork [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Thai Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetarian Bowl [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sesame Beef Noodle* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Basil* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Stir Fried Noodles

Pad Thai [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pad Se Eu [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bean Thread Noodle [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lad Nar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hot Pepper Noodle* [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Ross H.

I wonder how many of the people who gave this place one or two stars because it was bland had Pad Thai to eat. Newsflash: Pad Thai is a BLAND dish. I suppose I should apologize to Sweet Tamarind ... (see review) Went to Penny's yesterday, albeit a little skeptical because of the poor reviews and the "bland" factor, but I was surprised to find that this place was "tasty-tasty"! We started with some Thai Spring Rolls. Had soy, cucumber and other Thai ingredients in there. They were very light and refreshing, and the sweet glaze dribbled on top made them even better. Only gripe was that the carrot garnish guy went a little overboard. I read a lot of good things about the Hot Pepper Noodle, so I ordered that. It was pretty spicy, and I kicked it up even more by adding some more chili sauce. I was sweating by the time I finished -- always a good thing in my book. Just wish there was a little more chicken and a little less red pepper (but vegetables are cheaper than meat, right?). My friends had the Pad Se Eu and the Egg Noodles With Barbecue Pork. While one might think the Pad Se Eu would be "bland," it, in fact, had flavor -- my friend dubbed it "French Toast Noodle." And the Egg Noodles had kind of a savory, smokey taste as well. Yes, it's not going to be a "flavor cornucopia" with those dishes, but it was definitely there. Just a little more reserved than the Hot Pepper Noodle. A la everyone else, the price is definitely right, and I really liked the all glass curved wall. The art in there was pretty cool as well. In short, not the best "Thai" food I've ever had, but I'll be back, I'm sure.
(4)
Ryan P.

Super quick for take out.. inexpensive.. tasty. People at the counter are always friendly and fast. I love the Hot Pepper Noodle with Chicken. I think its about 7$. Very good and filing. Eat from here at least once a week
(5)
Lacie T.

Our food was alright, I got the Red Curry (well-spiced) and Crab Rangoons (more wonton than filling, but tasty) and I was satisfied, but not overly so. The prices are good and the location is top-notch, but the service was so-so and though my meal was tasty, it wasn't anything extraordinary. I would go again, but after looking at the other reviews, I would stick to what I got last time.
(3)
Trinidad F.

My friend, Erin, recommended this place cuz she said the food was good and the prices were great. She was right. I loved the place as soon as I walked in just because half of the restaurants walls were windows and the art on the other walls called my attention. So what was awkward when the waiter came was that he had a friend who I insisted I knew!!!! Then I realized she used to work at Veggiebite and the first time I went there she was my cashier. Hehehe. Small world. We started with appetizers. I ordered the crispy rolls and my friend ordered the japanese gyoza. We were both happy with what we got. I fell in love with the crispy rolls and the sweet sour sauce that accompanied them. YUM!!!! For the main dish I ordered the Red Curry Rice plate with tofu and my friend got the pad thai. So I wasnt too excited about my rice and tofu. It wasnt as spicy as I expected and the coconut milk sauce was overpowering!!! My friend described her pad thai as "different." LOL. I liked the place overall but next time Im just gonna try something without coconut milk because that was a real turnoff. The smell of it simply bugged me.
(3)
Bob L.

Reasonable price, ok food. Friendly staffs
(4)
Gamaliel E.

I get the feeling that Penny's Noodle Shop isn't an authentic Thai restaurant, but I have to say its a solid place for a bowl of noodles. I've always been a fan of BBQ noodle soup, and other brothy noodle dishes. I always find myself adding the hot chili sauce to the dish to spice it up...but in the end it ends up being a hearty and tasty dish. I've had the same waiter here on a number of occasions, and I always find his customer service skills are top notch. I'm also a fan of the fact that they leave out a number of newspapers to read while you eat. Yeah, I'm a loser and eat alone at times. The best part is when you get your check and its under $15.
(3)
Christopher M.

This place is gross. Been here a couple of times, but I just dont think I can stomach it anymore. The food is bland, the service is terrible, I just cant understand why it is always so crowded.
(1)
Staci C.

Best thai food ever! So addicting! Great service and price also!!
(5)
Alex R.

great take out, and the soups are INSANELY GOOD! the noodles/veggies/chicken (or tofu) are separate for take out,and thus u dress ur own soup. how can you beat that? the spicy noodles, not really spicy but ok. No AMEX which is annoying, but what can you do! Really big portions, and affordable. Good bang for the buck! The jasmine rice is really stellar, and the veggies go well with the high quality ingredients
(4)
Joscelyn M.

Yes, it's not the most fabulous Asian place in the world, but let's call a spade a spade: this is a pretty good place for some cheap, yummy food when you're getting of the El after work. The vegetable noodle bowl is super yummy (and pretty healthy, too). I've had all the apps - spring rolls, dumplings, and the currys, and most of the noodles and I've never been disappointed. Is it better than food I ate in Thailand? No. Is it a better value than any other noodle place around? Yes. This is my go to for take-out, hands down.
(4)
pramod p.

food was average. If you are looking for serious foodie noodles, this is not the place, the broth was very bland, not enough flavor. However, it was very affordable and good, quick service! The seaweed salad was not bad, and the appetizers were ok, all in all just a bland, average meal.
(2)
Jason M.

Ordered carry out and the noodles (had pad thai and pad see eu) were dry and seasonless. Never coming back.
(1)
Melissa Q.

I met four girlfriends here for lunch yesterday. We are all graduate students and quite frankly are poor. We sat for a long while sipping our waters and catching up. We were able to enjoy a great meal for under 10 bucks. The amount of food you get for the price is amazing, and it's really delicious! I especially appreciated our server who did not try to rush us out, or roll his eyes at the five waters he kept having to refill. Will definitely be back!
(4)
Annamarie F.

I think there has been a mis-communication somewhere out there. I wouldn't go to Penny's if I wanted the most Thai Thai food that ever Thai'd. I'll go to Penny's for Penny's-style chow. To me, this means a heap of very crunchy, barely cooked/raw veggies with a good sauce/broth, and noodles! Noodles noodles noodles! A friend of mine from the West Coast told me the food there tastes like home to her, especially because a lot of the entrees are completed with a squeeze of lime, fresh chopped cilantro, and a dollop of hot-sauce from the pots on the table. I love Penny's most for how fresh it tastes. From the huge bowls of Udon and Ramen to the oh-so-simple Vegetarian Bowl, it's what I love on gloomy days or if I feel I've been eating too much greasy food. It's a good place to order take out from as well when freinds visit, since the food does still range from crunchy-light to heavy-filling (Hot pepper noodle, most of the rice dishes), and the items under the "Vegetables" heading are good for sharing. I'm sad to admit, I can't comment on the desserts, I'm usually too full from the huge potions to even look at that little section of the menu. Some day...
(4)
Katelyn C.

To be honest (I dont want to be mean since I work in this industry), but it wasn't anything special. The waiter could have helped a little more or asked if it was our first time, but in his defence we didnt ask any questions. The miso soup was great and the tofu was the perfect size chunks. I also ordered the spring rolls, but I wasnt aware they were served cold! My own ignorance again for not asking. They are great if you want to eat healthy but generally I like my spring rolls deep-fried. My friend got some chicken noodle dish and the noodles were small and well seasoned and the chicken was different and tasted like beef! Nothing bad, just not what I am used to! Overall, I would go there again when I am trying to eat healthy!
(4)
alan q.

This was my second time to here. The first time was fine. I got the Pad Se Eu and that was good but nothing too special. This time I got the Egg Noodle with BBQ Pork. This wasn't too good. I was expecting a stir-fry type of noodle but it came out as a bowl of noodles with BBQ Pork on top. There was no sauce at all but came with bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, and peanuts. The portion size wasn't too big either. When I was done, I was still hungry so I ate some of my wife's Red Chicken Curry. I'm not a huge curry fan, but this was ok. Again nothing too special. Penny's is a ok place, but there are better Thai places around the city.
(2)
Brent W.

Very inexpensive, very adequate Thai cuisine. Hot pepper noodle is seriously hot and seriously addictive, as is the 5 pepper shrimp; although the latter is a bit lacking in the actual number of shrimp provided (you can have them add more). Gyoza, Egg roll and Satay's are all pretty decent. Pad Thai, Sesame Noodle and Pad Se Eu all get high marks too. Overall it's a place you should have on your short list of Thai restaurants if it's in your neighborhood.
(3)
Rocky K.

Hot waiter. Food was "asian-y" and par, but the prices were good. Really, the hot waiter is the only thing to write about here. Wish he was on the menu. Haha.
(3)
Nathan H.

This review is a long time coming for this great restaurant. My girlfriend and I have been weekly regulars at this Thai eatery for going on a year now and we love it! Its not your typical Thai place. Its modern upscale environment mixed with delicious Thai recipes and a great location make this a must visit for anyone wanting a delicious and affordable meal. The Japanese gyoza and Viatnemese spring rolls are great as appetizers and the Veggie bowl and Pad Thai are two of our many favs!. the service staff is friendly and prompt. The only complaint I would have would be that they bring back the candles for Thursday night dinner! If you haven't been you've gotta visit this restaurant!
(4)
tina m.

Since I am moving away from this wondeful neighborhood that is Wicker Park, I feel as though it's necesary to review the one place my roomies and I ordered from on a weekly basis. Their Pad Thai and Veggie bowl...forget about it. They deliver, but they do have a cute and simple eating area if you wanted to get out of your house. It's in the perfect spot too, so you can get a drink at Blue Line Cafe after, or hop on the L to head downtown!
(5)
Stephanie S.

Penny's gets it done everytime. I have eaten here many a time and have always left full and happy. Flavorful meals abound with a nice range of starters, noodle dishes, soups, and rice bowls. They use plenty of spices and whatnot for flavor - -the ginger-spiked dishes are consistently peppy, and the peanut sauce nicely understated and just rich enough. I always like what I get and I have certainly poked around the menu quite a bit. The portions are more than generous and arrive basically instantaneously. It's like the Penny's cooks READ MY MIND,or something! That's a good trick! Ambiance is always pleasant with music on a low volume, enough space between tables so you don't feel as if you are unwillingly cozied up your neighbor's lap, and there's all sorts of neat art to look at. Bottom line -- good food, fast and friendly service, music not too loud, vegan/vegetarian options, groovy layout, local art on walls.
(5)
Keziah C.

The Best Thai food I've ever had for a great affordable price. My favs are: crab rangoon, Pad See Ew, Lad Nar, & Spicy Shrimp with Rice, & the mango martini. My husband's favorite is the Red Curry Chicken with Rice. The staff is great, and attentive, and the food is so flavorful, and seasoned wonderfully. This is and always have been a great neighborhood spot in the artsy Wicker Park neighborhood, I just love it here! It's also a place for people watching inside, or outside, and you can bring your woof woof when dining outside, love it!!! I love everything about this place, and it is my absolute fav affordable hangout place to eat in the city of Chicago. Please try it for yourself, I promise you won't be disappointed, and if you are, who cares you won't pay more than $25 for a meal for 2. :-)
(5)
george k.

I eat at Penny's way too often and have been eating here for YEARS (probably like 15?!!? (Wrigleyville w/ my sis is where it started)). I have had both good and bad food so I can agree with both types of reviewers on here. After experimenting with many of their dishes I have come to the conclusion that half of them are flavorless crap, and the other half is decent and worth ordering again. Things I have been happy with and repeat order are: Thai Iced Tea - usually pretty solid, had one or 2 bad ones in my day. Tom Yum Soup - Always happy with this Crab Rangoon - better quality/flavor then most it seems. Pad Thai - This is sometimes good, sometimes crap, so it is a gamble. Hot Pepper Noodle - This is usually pretty good, 1 or 2 times it has been almost too hot to eat. Lately it is very mild which I am fine with. Ask for crispy noodles if you want some extra grease/crunch. Red Curry - This is usually pretty good. Things I have had and I hated are: Spicy Basil - This is too bland for me, but my friends love it. Pad Se EWWWWWWWWWW - Flavorless Shrimp Soup 5 pepper shrimp - tried this once and it was too hot to enjoy. Shrimp noodle soup - kind of bland /weird Bean Thread Noodle - 100% flavorless I usually get delivery and find the staff very friendly. Usually I get my food within 25 minutes. I dislike how they are closed on Monday. Over the years it seems like the quality has gone down slightly (less vegetables), while the prices have gone up, but overall I still enjoy the food, and have a belly and like 100 pairs of unused chopsticks to prove it.
(3)
elisa g.

I love this place. Good noodles big portions ;) Less then $10 bucks!
(4)
Kassie B.

I love this place! I eat here at least once a week. The food is consistantly good and the waitstaff is always friendly. I typically get he Tom Kha Kai with rice or the BBQ Pork and noodles. Since the price doesn't change from lunch to dinner it's always a stand by for a great meal at a cheap cost.
(5)
Jamie B.

I am a noodle fanatic and Penny's is quite delicious! Their skinny rice noodles are not really my thing, but I love their egg noodles. If they had thicker noodles, they might just steal my heart!
(4)
M. D.

I love Penny's. A big bowl of reasonably priced tasty noodles and good drinks. Most bowls are $6.50 and full of favor!
(4)
J. K.

The best fried rice I ever had and I hate fried rice, but love Penny's. Their wonton soup is great and aromatic. Never had bad food there.
(5)
JAMES M.

DUDE! Cheap food! Its ok in taste.....nothing special. Be sure to cover it in the awesome chilli paste to give it some flavor! good spot in the neighborhood to grab some noodles for a cheap price and then go next door for the $5.00 martinis! oh yessssss
(3)
Ashley K.

I love their Pad See Eu with Chicken! Great warm dish full of noodles, sweet sauce, and veggies on a cold day! And you gotta love their prices! I will definitely be coming back for some more of that! Also, their restaurant is beautiful! I love how open it is with all of the windows. *Edit* Their rice pudding with whatever it is they put in there is highly disgusting. Even if you take that mystery fruit out, it doesn't taste right. I don't think rice pudding is that hard to mess up, but apparently these guys are masters at it.
(3)
T V.

The last time I dined at Penny's Noodle must have been a good two - three years ago. I decided to give Penny's another shot. We called in for carryout on a Tuesday night. We ordered Vietnamese spring rolls as our appetizer. In my mind, the spring rolls were small and overpriced. I ordered the spicy basil with noodles as my entree. I requested my dish to be extra spicy. My dish was bland. I could not taste the basil in my dish. It was a huge disappointment. Now I recall the last time I was there my food had no flavor. That's probably why I have not been back in a few years. If you are wanting authentic Thai food, your best bet is to go somewhere else.
(1)
Jourdan S.

Service sucks. Food sucks. If you never had pad Thai before you'll love this place!
(1)
The Coffin B.

Resonably priced, Always good, always consistant my favotite place for thai.
(5)
Nick A.

I love Penny's Noodles. Reasonable price, quick, good portions, and great taste. I've been going here since I moved to the city 10 years ago. Product consistency is always top notch and the price, to the best of my memory, has not risen more than $1/entrÃ©e during this whole time. The spicy pepper beef noodle (with the wide pan fried noodles) is my favorite. Never had a bad experience here.
(5)
Kris v.

This is mine and my friends hangover spot. 3 Reasons. 1. The food is cheap and consistent. It is not spicy at least for me it says spicy I always end up adding that hot sauce from the table to evering. The won ton soup is big and filling. The goyza well its ok. The Crab Rangoon is ok more cream cheese then crab. 2. The huge windows where you can like Ross said watch hipsters on parade there is nothing better then that on a hangover and getting a laugh or two. 3. The picture of George Micheal on the mens toilet door.
(4)
Melina P.

My fave restaurant !!! Love their sesame beef noodle and Vietnamese spring rolls!!! Yum!
(5)
Tiffany L.

Well, i'm kind of a one or two dish gal when it comes to places like these because of possible repetitious flavors... however, this is a more delicious flavor that i don't mind. i loved every time i've gone there because sit down or take out i get treated very nicely, and timely, and it's cheap! i was however disappointed in the only one huge size of soda they offered for the take out part of my excursion. All in all, definitely get what you paid for and more here. mm mm good.
(4)
Mandy B.

Only getting a 2 because the food is decent. Worst delivery in all of Chicago. One hour and forty minutes!! When I call all I get is "sorry". Are u kidding me? What kind of customer service is that? There are way too many Thai places in this city to deal with that.
(2)
Liz G.

Blah! For anyone who enjoys real Thai food, this is like the McDonald's of thai food. will not be back.
(1)
Justine N.

I should have figured with a fusion Asian place that none of the ethnic foods are done right. Pad Thai was mediocre at best and the portion was tiny. If you want cheap chinese food go to China town. If you want Vietnamese spring rolls go to Argyle street. If you want Thai food...go somewhere else.
(2)
Yukari T.

I'm usually wary of these multi-ethnic Asian cuisine establishments but I was in a bind! I only ordered from here once. It was that bad. I got the pad thai and it was pretty burnt tasting. Pad thai is not supposed to be dark brown! I also got the Vietnamese spring rolls - they were tiny, nothing like normal Vietnamese spring rolls and they were gross. I think you get what you pay for though because it is pretty cheap (at least the entrees are). I think you can probably find better tasting, cheap Asian food elsewhere.
(2)
Coco O.

I'll give them credit for being quick and easy but I have yet to really enjoy a dish that I've gotten there. The Pad Thai doesn't have a very good balance of spicy, sour and sweet and the last time I got wontons there they were friend to a crisp. There are way too many great Thai places in Chicago to waste time at Penny's.
(2)
Stephanie P.

Always great hot food, can't get much better. Their soups are perfect, and well proportioned appetizers. Yum. :)
(4)
Liz B.

Vegetarian Bowl. Phenomenal, everything in it is fresh and prepared to perfection in this light, delicate broth. With some seaweed salad on the side. Do it. You won't regret it. It's the only thing I've ever ordered, because why touch perfection? I'd give it 5, but when we get take out they use those awful styrofoamy containers. Get with the program! Use the biodegradable stuff!
(4)
Patrick M.

My girlfriend turned me onto this place, and I absolutely fell in love with their Thai Fried Rice. I haven't had much else, but I know I can still taste that dish in my head. The service was quick and friendly, but it was a Saturday early afternoon so it wasn't very busy at all. So we got in and out quick enough to not be late to the Cubs game.
(4)
Eric J.

i love this place the pricing is amazing and the food is good and at night when the light the candles so pretty great for a date night on which i always use them
(4)
Dana D.

This place is certainly cheap, however, the price equates to the quality of food and service. I ordered the Lard Nar, and it was okay tasting, but the temperature of my food was lower than the ambient temperature of the room. This is especially true with the pieces of broccoli in my dish, which I assume is cooked separately from my noodles. So naturally, I nicely asked our waiter, Will, to reheat my food. He agreed, and took the dish back to the kitchen only to return with the same dish at approximately the same temperature. So I asked Will to make a new dish. I understand, this may be mildly annoying, but what am I to do with a cold dish? Pay $6.95 only to suffer? I prefer not. At any rate, the final product was only slightly warmer in only selected locations around my dish. I gotta tell ya though, the food tasted alright, and the service, however minimal was sufficient, so this restaurant deserves a booming score of two stars from me.
(2)
Tung L.

For the $ I think its worth it. You get a ton of food for not that much. I rarely finish a whole meal there and I paid near nothing for my meal. Its not the tastiest, nor is it anywhere near anything authentic, but it's still good. Its what you would expect from an Asian fusion place imo. Its not worth a whole trip to go there, but it is worth a trip if you live near there and are hungry, or walking by and hungry. I'm a personal fan of the noodle soups, especially during the cold winters.
(3)
Joel W.

This place is great. Visited last night for the first time around 8pm, Saturday. I believe it is exactly what it is trying to be. A nice affordable place for Thai. Most meals are around $6.95 or so. Same for appetizers. I loved loved my Red Curry. My wife gets Pad Thai at every Thai place and she enjoyed hers. The appetizer (Vietnamese rolls) were really good, I thought: Light with a great sauce on the side. Very good. We got the app, 2 entrees, and I got the choc cake for $5.00 (which i thought was a bit hight, but not if sharing with 2 or 3 people, I guess) the total bill was about $27. Not freshman in college cheap, but it is definitely young, working-couple affordable. I think this place might be perfect for someone with NO interest in fast food, or greasy burrito down the street. Instead you want a decent meal, very nice environment, great location, very nice waiter (young guy, handsome, model-like[so said my wife!]), we walked right in and got a table by the window. Great place. It deserves 4 at least!
(4)
nicole h.

Yummy yum in the tummy tum! I wish I lived nearby. If I did I'd probably so full of Penny's I'd have to ROLL there. Not authentic Thai, but delightfully affordable and delicious just the same. Cool decor to boot!
(4)
Alison B.

I assumed this restaurant was a chain (in a bad way) because of the lack of ambiance, not too flavorful Americanized asian dishes, and the way I felt rushed during the meal. The dishes are cheap and taste okay. So I guess you get what you pay for. If you want good noodles please go up by Andersonville and support a small noodle shop. It will be worth the $7!
(2)
Christine U.

I don't know, is this place even worth reviewing? There are so many better options out there for "Pan-Asian" food. I will say, though, that their prices are very good, but you get what you pay for. I had not been to a Penny's Noodles in YEARS, and my friend and I decided to eat there on Friday night b/c: 1) it wasn't crowded 2) we wanted something fast and inexpensive and 3) it was just steps away from our next destination, Blue Line. We shared the Thai Spring Rolls as an appetizer. Decent, but nothing special. I ordered the Sauteed Chicken Noodles. Lacked any kind of flavor. My friend ordered the Sesame Beef Noodles. The beef was overcooked and tasted like liver, and the dish was comprised mostly of been sprouts! Won't be going here again.
(1)
James P.

Noodles here are solid! Craving noodles? Stop yelping around and go here!!
(4)
Justin F.

Had one of the best bowls of soup ever ! Thats right read it again. A bowl of soup !!
(3)
Ed R.

This is cheap, quick Thai at its finest. Nothing great, nothing bad. My favorite dishes are the Spicy Basil, Hot Pepper Noodle, and the Thai Fried Rice. Almost never eat in, but service is good when I do. Prefer this to Cozy Noodle, although Cozy has more variety. The prices are on par or cheaper than most other Thai places. It's also byob so it would make for an affordable dinner before heading out to the bars.
(4)
Regina F.

My sister was in Wicker Park neighborhood to go to Juko tonight, but we made our appointment a little later on so we could do an early dinner beforehand. This was just a last min random pick. Before entering, we both thought it was a bootleg non-authentic Asian joint. This is one of the best Thai and Viet places I've been to. From the food to the service. The casual, yet hip decor was nice. I also ordered a mango martini which was delish for a small casual joint! Prices weren't bad either!
(5)
genevieve e.

i went to penny's 2x on my last visit to chicago and i wanted it to be good, i wanted that old magic back, but it was like an awkward date with an ex. it just wasn't the way i remember it, and to be fair i even gave it 2 chances to recapture my heart. the portion sizes have gone way WAY down, and the prices have gone way up. it's a bummer, love lost... i guess we can always remain friendly.
(2)
Steven S.

This might be skewed because I had no expectations going in; it's a pretty anonymous looking place, and I thought I was in for bland food covered up by too much sauce (I was exhausted from looking at apartments, so I didn't care what I got). I got the bean thread noodles, and they were so good that that's all I've gotten since. The tofu and vegetables were plentiful and well-prepared, and I was surprised at how subtle the flavor was. So yeah, it might be the sort of place that only has the only menu item that I really like, but so what? I only ever get the falafel at Sultan's Market, and that is OK by me.
(4)
Keira S.

It doesn't matter what you order, because every dish has the same "sauce", a vaguely sweet soy concoction. They have one great thing on the menu--the vegetarian noodle soup, which is generous and fresh and very simple. Good when you're sick. I think that Penny's is probably a good place to take children, because in general, children like noodles and hate fresh vegetables and flavor.
(2)
Edward H.

I wonder if putting up 2 stars might be too generous. Maybe it's 2 stars for Penny's effort of trying to pass their food off as Asian... Or is it a 3 star penalty? I really tried to like the food here, but the noodles are pretty much blah and seems much closer to packaged ramen than stuff served up at typical noodle shops. That's not the only thing though; there's the overpriced items on the menu such as a few strands of boiled watercress served with a dash of soy (where's the creativity?). The nail in the coffin would be their "Asian raviolis." I was actually stupid enough to let my curiosity get the better of me and ordered it. Turned out to be boiled pot stickers - the EXACT same frozen stuff you get from places like CostCo. You can fool them Penny, but you can't fool me. There's absolutely nothing Asian about you.
(2)
AJ L.

Cheap. Big portions. Casual. My kind of place! I went here with a friend who I hadn't seen in 3 years and Penny's was the perfect place to gorge on yummy noodles and catch up. It was pretty busy at 7:30pm on a Tuesday but we were still able to get a table and service was quick and friendly. I loved it so much I had to restrain myself from going back the next night!
(4)
curtis c.

this place is awesome. SUPER fast service, always friendly, and always busy! but every time i order for carry out, it's ready before i get there. even from 5 minutes away! good food at a good price. and they deliver.
(4)
Jessica G.

All talk. No action. Bland and Americanized Thai. I won't be coming back.
(2)
Julie H.

Sweet Penny, give her a chance; you might like it! So many negative reviewers out there, but I'm going to throw Penny's a bone because I kind of love it. No, its not the best Thai, but its a cheap meal, and just as good as all those other noodle restaurants in Chicago that are pretending to be Thai restaurants... call it Thai for Beginners or Thai for Dummies - I just call it good. The Hot Pepper Noodle is great, but my personal favorite is the Vegetarian Bowl: its like a Pad Thai but not as greasy because it has raw/ fresh veggies in it. Wash it all down with a Thai iced tea and you've got a meal! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Service and delivery are fast, too.
(5)
Becca M.

Good food, pleasant service, great location next to the damen blue line stop...what more can you ask for? Oh almost all meals under $6, check please!
(5)
Brian B.

As always the take-out is fast and fabulous!!'. My favorites are the pad se eu and the hot pepper noodle. If you want it really spicy aak for it Thai hot.
(4)
M. J. W.

Just think, about 3-4 years ago, I my review would've been 5 stars. Over the last 2 years, this establishment has gone down hill and we've given them plenty of chances. The last straw was this weekend when we ordered for pick up: chicken phad thai, lad nar, pad se eu and egg noodle in bbq pork. And, of course, the spring rolls, the best thing about any order! All the dishes came bland. The Egg noodles w/ pork had no sauce whatsoever, it was dry and had no taste. The phad thai was overwashed with soy sauce making the chicken exceptionally brownish and too salty. And finally the lad nar had no gravy either and no wide rice noodles. We tried to call to see if there was some issue we should've been aware of, but like when you place your order, you're placed on "perma-hold." This is the end of what used to be a good order-out shop.
(2)
Lisa F.

If you're looking for authentic Thai then Penny's may not satisfy. However, that doesn't make it any less delicious! I highly recommend the Hot Pepper Noodle with tofu. Fab! You may want to ask for them to make the tofu "a little hot "which to them will mean "add more flavor". I have gotten it once or twice and it wasn't as seasoned as it usually is. Since I have probably eaten there 40 times, those aren't bad odds. Also excellent: the seaweed salad, Pad Thai (get extra cilantro), and the service.
(5)
Janette L.

Still hunting for good Thai in Wicker Park. I guess it is hard to come by the further you get outside of Lincoln Square. The waiter recommended the Hot Pepper Noodles. Noodles were overcooked and fell apart as soon as I tried to pick it up. Service was ok but the food was pretty underwhelming.
(2)
Patrick W.

Reliable. Cheap. Good. Penny's. Living three blocks away, this was always the easy choice when I came home late from a meeting or just didn't feel like cooking. The crab rangoon and crispy rolls are very good, and the stir-fried noodle dishes are great. The rice dishes are also very good; I strongly recommend the red curry with beef (think panang beef), the pepper beef, and the 5-pepper shrimp. If you like sweet things, try the Thai iced tea or coffee. Good god, I never had anything so sweet in my life. It's a bit like Thai Food for Dummies in that some of the items and their descriptions are americanized quite a bit, but it's a safe choice for people who have never tried Thai before. Takeout is incredibly fast; 90% of the time the meal was ready in about 10 minutes. Dining in, the service was usually great, I can recall only one waitress who was a bit iffy.
(4)
Kristen S.

Penny's looks like a sweet little restaurant near the Damen El Stop. The service is decent, and the abiance is just okay, but the food is very much lacking. The dishes here lack the flavor of a more authentic asian noodle restaurant. We had the thai spring rolls, beef noodle bowl, and pad thai with chicken. The spring rolls were full of yummy veggies and stir-fried tofu, but the so-called sweet and sour sauce was awful. The beef noodle bowl lacked any flavor whatsoever. The pad thai with chicken was very good but far from the authentic pad thai I have had elsewhere. I did like the use of scallions (green onions) in the dishes. It was very fresh. Overall I would not recommend this restaurant unless you needed a quick bite in Wicker Park and didn't care too much about having great food.
(3)
Natalie R.

I really like Penny's because the menu is tame enough that my picky daughter will actually try new things, but diverse enough that I can get something I like, too. I have to give kudos to the guy who took my delivery order. He made some excellent recommendations that both children enjoyed tremendously. The delivery was also quick and the order correctly filled. Brick and mortar, the place is clean, the waitstaff courteous and on the ball.
(4)
Jason S.

HOT PEPPER NOODLE WITH VERMICELLI NOODLES (BEEF). I need say no more! Delivery is most always prompt. P.S. Decent crab rangoon as well!
(3)
Ali O.

Penny's is one of those places that always delivers dependably okay food. I have probably tried more than half of the dishes on their menu in the few years that I've been coming here and most of them are reasonably priced and reasonably good. There are a few gems on the menu though. Their sea weed salad ($5.25) is super tasty, the Tom Kha Kai soup ($2.75) is rich and delicious, and the Red Curry ($6.40) is actually quite good (especially if you had some hot sauce). I'd stay away from the crab rangoon (there is just something off about them) and the noodle bowls (most of them are just sorta bleh). While there is definitely better Thai food in Chicago, I'm not sure if anyone does it FASTER. Seriously. Their take out is like lightening. They have it done in MINUTES. I live around the corner, so that works out really well for me. But, if you live farther away and want to avoid having to reheat your food, I would recommend waiting to place your order until your a few blocks away or have arrived at the restaurant. I would probably only give this place 2.5 stars, but since they have such fast take out I'm rounding up to 3.
(3)
Neha S.

A four star Thai restaurant. This in itself is an accomplishment. The reason I thin Penny's is better than most other Thai restaurants in the city can be summed up in one phrase. Spicy Pepper Noodle. This dish is incredible and I have only seen it at Penny's. It has wide egg noodles and just enough oil and spice to make it a perfect meal. Unfortunately, this is as good as it gets. Nothing besides this dish is that special to me.
(4)
Todd C.

I stop here every once in a while when riding the Blue Line home form the airport. (It's right off the Damen stop). I like the Chili Noodles with Beef. Awesome. I've tried some of their rolls and maybe it's just me, but I don't really like rolls that are served cold. That's the only reason this place doesn't get a 5.
(4)
Megan H.

This place makes the best Thai soups. I'm a big soup fan and their soups are kick ass. Not to mention they are super cheap. Love Penny's!
(4)
Jen T.

Eww...not so impressed. The pad thai was like dog food. The chicken was covered in soy sauce, not sure why. How can a thai place mess up pad thai? Nice servers, good location, but that's about all. I won't be back.
(1)
Julie A.

The restaurant is literally one big room, with windows covering 40 percent of the walls. I wouldn't call the dining room a warm, welcoming place, with tables about two feet away from one another. But as soon as you dive into the creamy, Crab Rangoon appetizer, you forget how close your dining neighbors are. The entrees on the menu are typical for Thai food: Noodles in a Bowl, Stir Fried Noodles, Noodle Soups, and Rice Plates. The Pad Thai is very good, not too sweet and not too sticky, like you can find in other places. I chose the Spicy Basil --- noodles in a bowl. It was served over vermicelli noodles with a spicy sauce and ginger, carrots, green onions, and beef. One of my friends ordered the Vegetarian Bowl, served with tofu, lettuce, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, red cabbage and carrots on a bed on thin rice noodles with a side of lime, and I found it to be a little bland, but with two spicy sauces on the table, it could be doctored up. The portions are enough to share for two, but the prices are so low that you might as well each get your own --- the highest price entre in the menu is $7.95!
(4)
Elizabeth K.

Most of Penny's food is just mediocre, but I periodically develop a mad craving for their vegetarian noodle bowl. Their spring rolls are also pretty good, as well as their Udon soup. I've never been impressed with any of their other dishes. EDIT: I wrote the above while waiting for delivery from Penny's. Delivery that NEVER came ... After waiting nearly an hour and a half we called for the second time and asked them to cancel it, since we had to make it to an appointment at 1. The manager, Kris, was very nice and apologized and offered to comp our next meal. We stopped in a short while later and she made good on her promise and once again apologized.
(4)
Pickle P.

Penny's is a fun and cheap place to eat. I love thai food - and am always up for trying out new places, especially since thai food is usually affordable, and I'm usually broke. They have some liquor selection as well, and pretty good pad thai (though it could afford to be fresher and less oily). The service is friendly, and I feel bad (though personally elated) that the bills are usually so low, so tip them well regardless!
(4)
Ilina K.

oh Penny's, how your stir-fried tofu bean thread noodles rub the spot just so on a hungover Sunday. You can definitely find better Thai (the Lad Nar is awful), and you can definitely find better service, but when you're looking for a thai place that delivers in the neighborhood this is your ticket. The location is huge as well, great for indoor people watching. Oh and what's with the '95 website?
(4)
Tricia F.

I'm forced to eat here roughly 2 times a week, because my boyfriend's an addict, and when it gets too cold, and you don't want to leave the building, it's way easier to just make the poor delivery guy drive you over some Pad Thai, especially when DELIVERY ONLY COSTS $2.00!! That said, I can't eat food with MSG, and Penny's only makes a handful of dishes without it---even if you request it. Which makes me think a whole lot less of their food, considering there are SO MANY restaurants out there that don't use MSG anymore. I like their pad thai with tofu though. it works.
(4)
Jessie B.

Yes, I know. To all my friends out there who would think I'd give Penny's 5 out of 5, well not for the customer service they provide over the phone. I've had a better time at the Diversey & Sheffield location, than the Damen location. The man on the phone was rude, and swift to get my order. And on a Tuesday night, you'd think people would slow down. He told me they were out of spring rolls, so I was trying to make another decision, and he said, "uum...HELLO??? Are you done???" I quickly said, "No, one second please." Although, they are always fast & friendly in the restaurant. Perhaps they need to work on the phone skills. My advice: go to the other locations. They are much more pleasant.
(3)
Dan C.

So, this is my first Yelp review. I've sworn to many businesses that I'd write a rave Yelp review, but unfortunately it's taken an extremely negative experience to write one. This review is particularly difficult to write becaue I've been going to Penny's roughly twice a month for six years. Tonight I ordered delivery. I was eating a Vietnamese spring roll and bit into something rock hard. It was a bit painful, and even more unsettling when I spit up a large 1 inch shard of thick glass. I immediately called Penny's but was told the manager was busy. Unable to finish my dinner, I decided to drive over to show them the evidence. The owner looked at it in disbelief and stated that "this has never happened to her before." I stated the same. She inspected it, took it somewhere out of sight, and said that they'd foot the bill. I expected that, I expected something more, but I wasn't sure what. I guess I was shaken up a bit. she said that she has no idea how it happened because the rolls are handmade. I really hope that the response wasn't an attempt to discredit my claim, or expose me as some sort of con. But if it's true, if it is impossible for glass to get in there, then it must have been put there -- even more unsettling. I guess I am at a loss for the appropriate response a customer should receive in this particular situation. But mostly, I'm upset and disappointed that I can no longer eat at Penny's.
(1)
Anna F.

I really wanted some good Thai food in Chicago but from the two menu items I tasted this is definitely not it. The pad se ew is as gross as it is reviewed ( i didn't finish reading the reviews before I ordered) so I got a chicken pad thai which may have been good had it not tasted burnt. Not going back and I saw a girl looking over the menu trying to decide to come in and I wish I could have yelled to her "Turn back!! It's not worth it!"
(1)
Cristina G.

It's not the most authentic pad thai in Chicago, but I do enjoy it. I never get anything else there! I love pad thai with tofu and that's what I order when I go to thai restaurants. I like that they deliver and I like that they are easy to get to.
(3)
Laura R.

Bland. Gross. Terrible service. Don't go here.
(1)
Liz K.

It's "Americanized" Thai--noodley and bland, but copious amounts of food, cheap. The spring rolls were standard fare, similar to Zen Noodles', but spongier, (although I must say that the ones at Usagi Ya are outstanding). Avoid the Pad Thai; it's really one-dimensional and pretty much tastes like a thin-noodle version of Pad See Ew, but with the requisite bean sprouts, cabbage, cilantro (um that's weird, actually), and crushed peanuts. Might as well just get the Pad See Ew since it's just sweetened soy sauce, essentially. The Spicy Basil Noodles are neither spicy nor basil-flavored. Penny's is not terrible, just unremarkable and homogeneous, sort of like what you'd find at a mall food court. One thing that's nice is that if you call in an order it's usually ready in 10 to 15 minutes. If you're starving around lunch time and have a taste for mediocre Pad See Ew, or you're entertaining people from out of town who hate spicy things but don't want burgers from Pontiac and Blue Line's closed (until 5pm), Penny's would be safe.
(2)
Lindsee R.

Ok, really?! I've had better asian food at Panda Express.
(1)
Matt W.

Ok people, say it with me: Pan-Asian. Penny's might hide under the guise of Thai but it doesn't take a CIA operative to uncover it's more of a fusion than a straightforward store of Siam. And for that reason it's better than a lot of people give it credit for. My personal favorite is the Thai Ravioli which is basically just a shrimp dumpling with a side of slightly fatty BBQ pork. Still, not that bad. My wife swears by their gyoza, I think they're alright. Your mileage may vary but I've heard Penny's accurately described as a slightly lesser quality Lulu's (see: Evanston). It is unfortunately smack dab in the middle of the ever-annoying Wicker Park and all the hipster traffic that comes with it. So wear those tight, tight jeans, roll your sleeves up, put those horn-rimmed glasses on and look like you're going to cry. You don't want to stand out, after all.
(4)
Sylvia T.

FLAVORLESS! I didn't even realize this place was supposed to be a Thai restaurant until I read the reviews after the fact. I had the spicy basil with chicken. Where is the spicy? This isn't even Americanized Asian food, it's below that! Talk about dumbing down the flavors. I wanted my mint, sprouts, cilantro, fish sauce, and peanuts! :( Boo...boo!!! Guess I gotta go to the hood for authentic Asian fare.
(1)
Robert B.

The Vietnamese Spring Rolls were great. Sauteed Chicken over egg noodles was great also. Don't forget to order a Singha Thai Lager to go with you meal. :)
(4)
Nana H.

Penny's is overpriced. $1.25 for rice is bullshit, utter utter BULLSHIT ( 2 stars for having to pay for rice) The only thing I'd ever get here is the Tom Kha Kai soup, $4.00. Everything else is medicore, but sadly because of its location I've been here one too many times. I feel like a cheater after every time I've gone here...and there isnt even a regular Thai spot near that i"ve been too. I feel like I'm a traiter to everything asian. I walk out always with a slight hint of shame.
(2)
Mark S.

OK, people here are being tough on Penny's. If you go to Penny's expecting authentic Thai, you're going to be disappointed. If you go expecting Asian inspired noodle and rice dishes with pretty fresh ingredients (think plump shrimp that doesn't smell, or chicken that's not dried out and cooked/boiled to death) you'll probably like it. They've a nice sampling of different Asian dishes and most people will find any of them enjoyable. So what does that make Penny's? Well, I suppose I'd call it a safe bet. Pretty often lately for a quick dinner, that's all I want, Americanized, fresh, Asian inspired food that is very consistent from one visit to the next, or from one location to the next. And it's super fast and cheap too. So it's no replacement for ma-n-pa Thai, but this isn't where I go when I want that anyway. On the down side I will say I find the staff overly friendly (sometimes in a fake way) and I get irritated when the waiter doesn't write my order anywhere, even if he does manage to memorize it. One more gripe- I've been coming to this place (OK the orig. location) for over 10 years, and their Tom Yum used to be really spicy, eye watering spicy- sadly it's not spicy at all now. And Thai Ravioli used to be called won ton bowl- I feel stupid ordering Thai Ravioli, what, won ton is too hard to pronounce? Please. So when I think about this place it's a 3-1/2 star, which I round up out of sentiment.
(4)
R to the Y.

Penny's is our (my wife and I) favorite Thai place, hands down. It's cheap, fast, and consistently delicious. I've tried almost everything on the menu, and I haven't been disappointed once. We just moved back into the city after living in Evanston for a year (one of the worst years of my life--NEVER go to Evanston, although Thai Sookdee is a very good Thai restaurant there), and one of the things we were most excited about having nearby again was a Penny's. The Vietnamese Spring Rolls are the best we've had anywhere in Chicago, aside from Joy Yee (another favorite restaurant of ours).
(5)
David P.

I know people who will go out of their way to get their Pad Thai from Penny's. Great place!
(5)
Ariel B.

The best thing about Penny's is the prices and their food. I've never had a bad meal and I love that you can make items vegetarian if you choose. The service isn't always great, so sometimes it can be a long wait, even for water which is unfortunate because a lot of their dishes are quite salty. (I said the same thing about the Lincoln Park location, as it really is the same.)
(3)
Stefan S.

A great place, a clean interior, followed by a very good price, also the serving sizes do not skimp at all. If you aren't a hefty eater you could simply have them split one bowl between two people and its still a serving size at least. My favorite are the pad se u(i think) and the hot pepper noodle, it depends on if i'm in a sweet or spicey mood but both are excellent. The desert is great as well with their no flour cake, delicious and more than enough for two people!
(4)
candace l.

Meh, this place is okay. I've had better, and worse, pad thai. I will give them an extra star though for fast and friendly service.
(3)
Caitlin O.

A decent place to stop and have a cheap bite to eat. Don't let anyone kid you into thinking this is authentic Thai cuisine by any means, but that doesn't make it bad food. It's just "safe" Thai and personally, I'm pretty okay with that. The chicken lad nar is pretty excellent - I tend to prefer my wide flat rice noodles crispy-fried instead of simply pan fried, which they do rather well. The spring rolls are alright and the tea is plentiful. It's local to me and I consider myself somewhat of a regular - but that's because it's cheap and decent enough, not because it's outstanding. The wait for food can get a little long if you're there in the late evening, so be careful - though the staff has always been pleasant to me and the service as quick as the crowd will allow. Really, it's not bad, you just accept it for what it is - a quick, decent bite to eat.
(3)
Britt C.

First of all, this isn't authentic Thai. Get over it. It is a noodle shop, and they use Asian flavors to make it unique. Normally this equation works for me but I don't know if it's just the one on Sheffield that's the good one because my recent trip to the Damen location was disappointing at best. I ordered my fave, Thai Ravioli, and they were overboiled, and the bbq pork and veggies they came with were sitting in a pool of water. Also, although the pork was very tasty, the rest of the entree was bland and all the hot sauce on the table couldn't fix that. At least it was cheap, so I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off.
(3)
Michelle F.

So I used to think this place was pretty decent but they've pretty much lost me as a customer. I'm totally vegan and as such, order my food with tofu and no egg. These rubes delivered me chicken Thai fried rice, which I bit into unwittingly. After being thoroughly disgusted, I spit it back into the dish, and called to complain. They had the vegan version sent out to me. Fine, whatever. BUT, when the driver came, he said I had to give him the chicken version. I told him he couldn't have it 'cause I'd thrown it away. He said his manager told him he had to bring it back so ensure that it was actually chicken and not tofu. This is when I proceeded to hit the fucking roof. Yeah guy, I had the funds to pay for one meal, but decided to grift a second one from you anyway. I called back and told the guy on the phone what happened, and he was equally as dickish as the driver. He basically accused me of lying about the food being chock full of chicken, and told me he wasn't going to refund my money. Oh, and he also hung up on me. After another call I got Penny herself on the phone to refund me, but at this point, big fucking deal! In a nutshell, I waited 45 minutes for the original dish, bit into some gray flesh, waited another 40 minutes for the correct dish, argued with two employees, had to make three phone calls, and FINALLY got my money back. By the time it was all over with, I didn't give two shits about the Thai fried rice. This place can definitely kiss my ass. Their barely authentic Thai is defs not worth all the bull!
(1)
Queenie R.

OMG! I miss this place soooooo much! I seriously get un-natural cravings for the tofu pad thai and crispy rolls. Yummy, yummy, yummy!
(4)
Diana N.

Let's face it, the restaurant scene in Wicker Park is utterly tedious. Everything is expensive and kind of sucky, and the people suck even more and the servers are rude and the bartenders always act like they're doing you some huge favor. And now, suddenly, there are people wearing Cubs paraphernalia around! You would think the hipsters would scare them off, but I guess not. Penny's, for me, is a no-brainer. Yes, it's a chain. Yes, it's not an authentic mom-and-pop place. And yes, there are better restaurants out there. But Penny's is fast, it's fresh and it is delicious. And you don't have to mortgage your life to afford it. The Thai iced coffee is a little too sweet, but the Hot Pepper Noodle is bangin. They make their own rice noodles, and the noodles in this dish are not what you expect; they're large, free-form discs of deliciousness, topped with carrots and red cabbage and broccoli and an addictive combination of spices. And for reals, am I the only one that didn't take this place for a Thai restaurant? Because if I'm not mistaken, Crab Rangoon and Seaweed salad are not native Thai dishes. The place is Asian-fusion (can't believe I just typed that, doing e-penance later). But the Damen location is airy and open, and I've waited in drive-thrus that take longer. So take Penny's for what it is: cheap, fast, Americanized and yummy. And if that doesn't sell you, they've got a couple of cute waiters.
(3)
Ross R.

The only reason to go here is to get a seat by the big windows so you can watch the Hipsters parade down Damen Ave, while you wonder why your waitress is ignoring you.
(2)
Y V.

I didn't enjoy my meal, but not really surprised. This is to Thai food what Panda Express is to Chinese food. My basil chicken lacked flavor. It tasted so... generic. Very BLAND. I've had authentic Thai food before, and this ain't it. Just find yourself a Thai friend and eat at her mom's house.
(1)
Law S.

so good, so cheap. They deliver and everyone is nice. Plus, you can have a drink at Violet hour right after!
(4)
mike l.

Vanessa M. - dead on. thanks for writing the review for me. feh.
(1)
Amanda L.

I frequent this noodle establishment quite a bit. I love it! It's quick and you don't spend a lot. I get it for pick up and it's only takes about 10min and you get so much food! I usually have two meals when i get it for pick up. They use great re-usable containers too! I love the beef soup, the spicy basil is to die for and gyoza are great too!
(4)
Carolina P.

They have the best Thai Iced Tea that I've ever had. All the basic thai food is great and cheap too! Be warned this one is not open on Mondays. The one on Diversey is though. Check it out.
(4)
William D.

Been going to Penneys for years. High quality, clean, good prices, unique, Penneys is the best !
(5)
G B.

I frequently ordered Penny's from the Diversey location when I lived in Lincoln Park, as they make my favorite Pad See Ew (& I've tried a lot!) I have also eaten this dish at the Wrigleyville location, and it was great (just like it is at Diversey). I now live in the South Loop but felt like Penny's today so I ordered from Wicker Park and had to drive the fifteen minutes out of my way to pick it up. I got back home and was immediately disappointed. The noodles had no flavor at all! I could see a little bit of sauce (much less than normal) but there was absolutely no taste. I called the restaurant and told them about it & they could only offer me a store credit. I tried to eat the dish, but even the broccoli and shrimp were overcooked and not tasty. I threw away the entire dish & just called a thai place in the South Loop and am waiting for it to arrive. This really sucks, Penny's, thanks for allowing me to take out crappy food and waste $10. And to be honest, I don't want the store credit because I am afraid I'll have to find a new thai standby and won't be heading back to the Wicker Park Penny's ever again.
(1)
Jeannie M.

Penny's is one of the best noodle shop in Chicago. I absolutely love their menu. The service is fast, cheap and the food is delicious.
(4)
Kevin J.

For quick food its good for reasonable prices. Its Americanized Thai. Don't go here looking for a 5 star destination restaurant and you will be happy.
(3)
Sam S.

If anyone has a problem with this place, then they must not like anything different. Any shortcoming this restaurant has is completely justified by the REALLY affordable prices--so affordable, that it's amazing to me that there are waiters and tables to sit at. They're always really kind; it's a great place to go after work (being so close to the Blue Line) and the staff is kind and accommodating; my friend only drinks her own tea (I don't want to get into that) and they were nice enough to bring her a cup of hot water and a steeper. Who does that? (the restaurant, not my friend).
(5)
sofia g.

Fantastic!! i go to Penny's noodles all the time and i just can't get enough of it! the Thai food slightly americanized is perfect and a great hang out for lunch or dinner. Awesome atmosphere with great service. I've been to all 3 restaurants in Chicago all so good.highly, HIGHLY, recommenced!!
(5)
Autumn C.

I lived in Chicago for 5 years, and now that I have moved I miss Penny's so much! I love the Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Sliced Chicken. My food was always amazing, and the price is right!
(5)
Noah B.

Closed on Mondays! I love this place, but I've been burned with the Monday thing a ton. I guess I should write it down so I'll remember it or something. Anywho... the chicken pad tai, hot pepper noodle, and crab rangoon are my favorites here. The delivery service has always been reliable and I've never had to wait for a table when I dine-in. I love hyphens.
(4)
Robert T.

Great noodle dishes here. This place has the best Tom Ka Gai...awesome!
(4)
Benjie P.

Maybe not the highest quality food in all of Chicago, but I just love it so much. Best gyoza (potstickers) I've had - they're just crispy goodness. (Makes my mouth water just thinking about 'em!). The pad thai is great too. I'm not a vegetarian, but I love to get it with tofu. Their service is quick and friendly, and the prices are just right.
(5)
Leilani F.

I've lived in the city for 7 years. I eat Penny's at least once, sometimes twice a week. If it's authentic Thai noodle dishes you are looking for, than scram... you won't find them here. If it's inexpensive, tasty, clean, FAST, fresh tasting noodles with no frills your after, this is the place. I love the vegetarian noodle bowl and the vegetarian noodle soup so much, that I crave it on a weekly basis. My boyfriend loves the spicy basil chicken and the hot pepper noodle. It's about $14 for dinner for both of us when we order takeout, and if you place your order in your car at North and Ashland, by the time you get through the door, your order is waiting, it is FAST! The best thing about it is I don't feel like I've eaten crap afterwards, what I order always seems pretty healthy. I love Penny's.
(4)
J. M.

I have only ordered Penny's for take-out or delivery. The beef pad Thai is one of my favorites in the city (not incredibly authentic, but very tasty). I also like their Ramen soups.
(4)
Karla M.

What can I say, I love this place. This place has great food at great prices, friendly service in a great neighborhood. I have tried almost all the items on the menu but my all time favorite is Hot Pepper Noodle. This dish is wide noodles stir fried with egg, tomatoes, onion, red bell pepper, hot pepper and basil. You have a choice of beef, chicken, shrimp or make it combo. If you want a twist on this dish ask for crispy noodles, this is my favorite way of having it. I must have an appetizer and it's either Japanese gyoza or Tom Yum soup, accompany the meal with an iced coffee. So many other things on the menu are also good, the soups are great on that cold winter day. The shrimp soup specially is good or order the wonton soup the "old way". What's the "old way", well some years ago the wonton soup was wonton and noodles now it's just wontons. So if you want noodles say the old way or half and half, they'll know what you mean. The other cool thing about this place is that they support artists so on the walls you will notice the paintings are for sale and after some time they will put someone else's art work. I have tried other Thai restaurants but none make me feel more welcome like Penny's does.
(5)
Daniel E.

I've eaten here a couple times. The food is pretty good - but never spectacular. If it were a little fresher it would be 4 stars - and if they had better drinks and nicer decor maybe 5. Probably the best thing going is the service. They are really quite impressive with the speed of the cooking, the attention to your party and managing the massive number of carry-out orders throughout the dinner hour. There's not a lot of great Thai in the city - maybe Spoon is your best bet - but if you're in the neighborhood or making a stop before a pub crawl its not bad at all.
(3)
Nikki B.

my favorite place for noodles! i love spicy basil with beef. thai fried rice is also one of my fav. you must try thai iced tea! oh so refreshing n delicious! love it.. i usually get seated right away. they also have a outdoor seating in the summer.
(4)
Dee W.

Horrid - Everything has been Americanized and is so bland We ordered the Lad Nar and another noodle soup thing here - my lad nar was crispy - tasted like a glorified potato chip and my meat was soaking in some sweet and sour sauce that just didn't seem right. And my friend's noodle soup was like the cheap ramen. So disappointed - I've tried it too many times than I'd like to admit since people keep on telling me that I'm wrong about Penny's.
(1)
Angela C.

One of my cult takeout favorites. I especially love the tom yum soup and the thai fried rice. Always cheap, fast, fresh.
(5)
Alexis H.

Yuck. That is exactly how I would describe Penny's... Or as a girl I know put it: "It looks like dog food." Penny's food is flat out not good. They somehow manage to mess up every single Thai and Chinese dish they create, and the flavors are always off. It's not even that cheap! There are other noodle places in Bucktown that can serve you just as quickly at around the same price. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.
(1)
Elizabeth F.

I absolutely love this place! We use to always order delivery after a long day of snowboarding or after a long day at work on a Friday night. I'm in love with the tofu pad Thai! Spring rolls are OK. Delivery was always quick and affordable. Portions are huge though.
(5)
Gretchen V.

The four stars is mainly for the Tom Yum soup, which hit the spot for me on a cold November day. It was temperature-warm, spicy and delicious. The fact that it's under $4.00 is also a definite plus. I also had the hot pepper noodles, which were pretty good. For the price and the array of options on the menu, I will definitely be back.
(4)
Max Y.

Pad Se Ue - 1.5. Not what I expected for this dish. Egg noodles with bbq pork 3. would order this again. Vietnamese rolls - 4. good flavor, would order again.
(3)
annie c.

I can't for the life of me figure out why this place is always crowded. It sucks. Last night after realizing my favorite "go to" place, Goddess and Grocer was closed I popped into Penny's for the first time and was very disappointed. I will never ever go back, I don't even want to walk on that side of the street anymore.
(1)
Chas S.

Love this place with a passion. The Hot Pepper Noodle dish is to die for, but you must order it with the crunchy noodles. Pad Thai isn't bad, but way too many bean sprouts. I just ask for none, and they always oblige. I've been to the other Penny's Noodles in the city, but this one is the most unique and airy. Good prices, great menu.
(5)
Justin G.

I don't really get the appeal of this place, so many like it and I don't know why. It is okay. Sometimes good, but not great, and sometimes not so good. Between the better and low part of average. Basically, YOU CAN FIND BETTER. I also wasn't full the first time I went. I went to Sultan's on North Ave. afterward to get an after dinner falafel.
(3)
Parker ..

Fairly inexpensive for the amount you get. The staff could use some friendliness training so I usually just pick it up and go home. Once the cashier gave me change for a twenty instead of the ten I gave him..realizing this as I got to my car I went back and told him about it..he barely looked up, took the change and muttered 'thanks'..you know..for saving him a probable lecture and cut in his paycheck. The older (owners?) staff members tend to be very warm and appreciative. I can't figure out why no place in Chicago serves squash in their red curry though..I really miss it after leaving Madison.
(4)
Whitney R.

consistent, dependable noodle shop. not authentic, not spicy, but fresh and inexpensive. if you like some heat, the house-made chile sauce will liven up everything there. not going to impress any foodies with this one, but if you want a quick, tasty, mild-mannered noodle meal for less than 10 bucks, it's a good place. also, had the creme brulee once on a whim and was pleasantly surprised- a nice custard, not overly sweet, with a delicate sugar crust. drinks are kind of pricey compared to the menu- have never sampled.
(3)
H C.

Eating at Penny's after a 10-year hiatus was a true disappointment. I don't know if the owners changed or they're skimping on quality and and making no effort whatsoever now but my meal was the worst-tasting food I've ever had. EVER. Hungry and nostalgic, my friends and I went to Penny's for what used to be a reliable, cheap and tasty place to eat. WRONG. I ordered the shrimp pad see eu. No flavor, precooked, reheated, lifeless noodles & shrimp that drove me to full-on vegetarian mode. I got food poisioning from whatever I ate. I thought the shrimp was just shrimpy-tasting but no. It had probably gone bad and it made me sick for 3 days. I'm never going back ever again.
(1)
Jonathan B.

I was there with a friend tonight. Our first shot was a green tea to try to warm up and so we did. We tried the spicy basil and the sauteed chicken that were tasty and already too much for our small stomachs while I insisted at taking a look at the deserts. We finally shared a "Floureless Chocolate Cake" and were shocked ! this thing was just incredible ! I highly recommend it anytime in the day, night, morning, afternight ...
(4)
Jesse B.

I liked this place. It isn't trying to be anything but what it is. Simple Thai in a relaxed atmosphere. Service is a tad slow, but it's a great place to have a slow meal with friends, chat, have a few drinks and share a bunch of appetizers and salads. I've had a good time the times I've gone with a few people to chill and eat for a bit. It's not too expensive either. Portions are big too.
(5)
Beth W.

Penny's is great! My fiance and I love the BBQ pork noodles and their pad thai is tasty. If you stop by, order the thai ice tea-they are pretty good here.
(4)
Amelie D.

Satisfying and well-priced every time. Especially high marks are due for the oft overlooked sides selection: try the stir-fried tofu with bean sprouts or the chilled broccoli with dijon/soy sauce. The crispy rolls are vegetarian, but delightfully savory, thanks to the non-overpowering mushrooms. The only downside to Penny's occurs if you order vietnamese spring rolls after a certain time of day (depends on the day), they are sometimes sold out. Also, you might try substituting the peanut sauce that normally comes with the Viet.Spring Rolls with the "crispy roll sauce." Just sayin.
(5)
andrea m.

Good, cheap, Thai food. It isn't the best but it isn't the worst by any means. I LOVE the Vietnamese spring rolls. I like this location the best, however it's really cold if you sit by the window in the winter. I wish I remembered my favorite server's name, he was REALLY good. :( He is Asian and has a big watch.
(4)
Sarah Z.

Penny's is like Ikea. Cheap, fast, pretty good. I will be back!
(3)
Rob N.

I do like Penny's. I have been going to various Penny's when I have lived in Chicago for over 10 year. I like Penny's 'cause you get a lot of food for not a lot of money. I like Penny's sliced chicken bowls. I like watching folks come off the train while sitting at this Penny's. I like this Penny's because when I have gone there is no line. I remember back in the day waiting under the tracks to get in, in boystown when Penny's was one of the only noodle places around.
(4)
Rebekah K.

I debated between giving Penny's two or three stars, then decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. This menu is EXTREMELY hit or miss, I was convinced Penny's was decent to good when I consistently ordered the lad Nar or the Bean Thread Noodles but every time I have ordered anything different it has been OK to terrible. Often their mixtures of hot and cold are flat out vile: before I was vegetarian (so all opinions on dishes with meat are, admittedly outdated) I had the chicken sautee and it was extremely sweet (ignore the "lightly" before the "sweetened soy sauce" it is SWEET) and they kind of throw cold sprouts on top. It was really gross. I also had the bbq pork with Egg noodles and this was AWFUL. Piles of cold cilantro (overwhelming) and topped with stale peanuts. I have never had the pad thai, but several friends have and they were extremely disappointed. The pepper beef, red curry, And Thai fried rice were all bland and forgettable. The gyoza was passable, but sometimes extremely salty. Another problem: this place is LOUD. It is small and echoey, and only needs to be about a quarter full before it it is painfully, unpleasantly, loud. Throw in a couple babies and it is near torturous. I still occasionally stop in for Lad nar, bean thread noodles, or hot pepper noodle (hold the basil please), but generally: Penny's is pretty darn mediocre to bad. I must say though: Prices are great, food is abundant and FAST. Their jasmine tea and coffee are both very good.
(3)
Martha Z.

I used to like Penny's when I knew someone who worked there. It's always fun to patronize a place that a friend works at. I think I was into the beef salad and the lad nar, the noodles are nice and thick. But since he doesn't work there anymore it's definitely lost it's appeal. The food is very bland and disappointing. Here's the grossest tho, I ate in there once and had my leftovers boxed. I didn't realize they gave me somebody else's leftovers until I extracted a long curly black hair from my mouth when I was digging into my carryout box later that night. EWWW ewwww EWWWW
(1)
T. T.

I've been to 2 locations and both were MEDIOCRE. If you want Thai food, then I suggest you go to a legitimate Thai restaurant. If you want Chinese, then go to a Chinese restaurant. Otherwise, this place can only guarantee to fill the emptiness in your stomach.
(1)
Sarah F.

They have so-so Thai food in a decent environment. The patio is pretty nice and it is set back off of Damon. There is nothing that amazing about the place, but the prices are decent. Chicago has so much good Thai food that I guess I have gotten spoiled.
(3)
jenise r.

i was taken here in the past by some friends and i had the pad see eiw. i was hesitant at first because im pretty picky about my thai food.... i recall not enjoying it. i went there a few weeks ago and decided to give it another try. i was really hungry that day so i got tom yum soup(which i forgot to ask for chicken or plain and was freaked out by a huge shrimp!) it was tasty. i also got some pot stickers which were ok, and pad see eiw again....ah it tasted like cinnamon or something i dont know. but i didnt like it. it also came with an egg roll that was super greasy. =( service was fast though.
(1)
Andy E.

Absolutely loved their pad thai last summer; just had to throw in my two cents.
(4)
Sunny W.

Have to admit I enjoy the Pad Siew Ew(sp?). I think I also need to admit that as am embarrased as I am about it, I guess I like Americanized Thai food quite a bit.
(3)
Laura O.

I went here to grab something to eat before going home on the blue line. The waiter was friendly. The people who come in here seem to come from all walks of life. Do sit by the window-if you can- great place to people watch :-) The food was good and affordable.
(4)
Jessica H.

Our waitress was quick and attentive. The food was good and fast. The margarita was delicious and inexpensive. This restaurant is a great value and the large windows provide great people watching.
(5)
Erica K.

I am semi-addicted to their Vegetarian Bowl as a quick, too-lazy-to-cook-dinner meal... It's not anywhere near authentic Thai food, but it's pretty cheap for Wicker Park, and a huge step above Swank Frank's and Flash Taco.
(3)
Julia C.

Cheap & fast. I've only eaten here once, but I pick up from Penny's Noodle Shop all the time. It's not the best thai food in the city, but it's really good for the price! I usually stick with their vegetarian options.
(4)
Jennifer G.

Went here last night and it was delicious. Fun environment and the food was delicious. The Hot Pepper Noodle with Beef was fantastic. We definitely will be going here again.
(4)
Beth O.

Before, a last minute staple of my diet. Last two visits have produced noodles take out that ended up in the trash for their slimy flavorlessness. Is it just take out, or has Penny's forgotten how to make its own recipes?
(1)
Oona B.

the only good item is the "hot pepper noodle", with a nice cold/crisp singha bier.
(3)
Erin J.

I like going here. Service could definitely be improved, but it isn't terrible, either. I'm a big fan of their Thai fried rice (no tomatoes, please). Since I, oddly, do not ever get noodle dishes there, I can only vouch for their rice dishes, which are very good.
(4)
Erin W.

Yes it's true, Penny's Noodles is not really Thai food. It's American Pan-Asian cuisine. But even after accepting that, it's still not that great. The dishes are kind of boring and they're not big on spice. Also, I found egg shells in my drunken noodle last time I was there.
(2)
Tanya M.

not horrible but nothing special. i've had alot better. but they serve alcohol.
(2)
Michael P.

you can't even say this food is bland, it is the absence of flavor. you'll want to say it was utterly forgettable, but chances are you'll never forget the night you went there for dinner and blew your own hard earned money on this awful crap. and wasted not only that, but your own time, and an opportunity to eat, almost ANYWHERE else. no thank you.
(1)
Erica B.

sure there is better thai food out there, but pennys is cheap, fast, not disgustingly greasy and very veggie friendly.
(3)
Ishaq L.

Really, it's 3.5 stars. You're being silly if you bring a date here. It's decent food if you're in the neighborhood, don't want standard American fare, and only have $10 in your pocket. The Thai Fried Rice is good eats on the cheap.
(3)
Kevin C.

Great food, Cheap, Fast
(5)
Miss O.

penny's never fails me... when i order the basics. they ware always good. i just discovered the thai fried - spicy. love it. my new favorite. i would stick to the basics - pad thai, pad-si-ew, fried rice.
(4)
Alexandria G.

Wow! People nailed this place right on the head, service is horible and the waiters are snobs. I still love the Hot Pepper Noodle with chicken. So I order over the phone and pick it up. Trust me this is the way to go; this way you can enjoy good food in the comfort of your own home. You won't have to worry about tipping a piss poor waitress or fitting in the with the trendy bums who frequent this place. Again, I swear by the chicken Hot Pepper Noodle.
(2)
Lisa A.

I enjoyed the Thai Ravioli (dumplings and BBQ pork) at Penny's last week with an old college friend. The dish was decent for $6, and their Thai iced tea wasn't overly saccharin-sweet. Our server was super-patient with the lagging pace of our catch-up lunch and didn't pressure us to get on our way at all. Our table for two right in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows was perfect for the sunny Friday afternoon.
(3)
Shawn L.

Good lunch spot. Relatively cheap. Nothing fantastic. Just decent food.
(3)
Mark B.

nothing really too spectacular about this place but if you're at all a fan of spicy dishes and or shrimp, order the 5 pepper shrimp. in my opinion, its the only dish on the menu that has stood out. maybe i haven't been ordering the right things but it's not comparable to authentic thai restaurants. (sticky rice!)
(3)
Liliana S.

I dont care too much for Pennys. I think there are better Noodle Shops in the city let alone the neighborhood. The staff is rude and I just dont think the food is great.
(2)
Ryan K.

Ah, Penny's House of Mediocrity! I was in Wicker Park for the festival yesterday and stopped off at Penny's because it was to the side of the stage and figured we could enjoy some noodles while we listen to some good music. Good thing the music was good! Penny's is completely average. The prices are cheap, around $5 or $6 for most plates, but the quality leaves something to be desired. I had the Thai fried rice and it had some seriously weird looking pieces of chicken and egg. My wife really liked her Pad-something-or-other consisting of noodles, chicken, and broccoli with "lightly sweetened" soy sauce. Maybe my taste buds were off but all I could taste was pancake syrup. Pancake syrup is good but usually not an entire bottle of it on noodles, chicken, and broccoli. We also had the crab rangoon that was no more than cream cheese and a few specs of red the menu described as "seafood." YUM! Oh, I'm going to bump this review from a 1 to a 2 star because they have an okay drink menu including K Cider, something I haven't seen in any other restaurants. Now here comes the cheesy conclusion: Save your pennys and get some good Thai elsewhere... like Sticky Rice!!!
(2)
Jason R.

When it comes to Thai food...this place can't be beat. I am completely obsessed with the hot pepper noodle and Thai ravioli. Most of the time I will order for take out or delivery and it never disappoints. The few times I do end up eating in I am even more impressed with the service I am provided with. The portions are beyond generous and the price can't be beat. I am a huge fan and recommend it to anyone who will isten.
(5)
Olivia R.

Lately I seem to be craving Penny's Noodle Shop pretty often! I'm a huge fan of anything with noodles in it so I absolutely love eating at Penny's. Some of my friends have complained that the dishes here have no taste, but I'm a pretty plain eater (I hate spicy food!) so I love it! It's very good and you can eat for under $10!
(4)
Chloe M.

If you are as big of a fan of noodles as I am you'll love Penny's Noodle Shop. It's not only really good, but it's beyond cheap. Honestly an entire entree here is pretty much the price of a beer.
(4)
Andrea O.

i don't understand why Penny's got an overall bad review. i mean the food is cheap and its in large quantities. it's right by the blue line so easy to get there. I've come here with many different sorts of people and they've all loved it too. leave penny's alone!
(5)
Urszula H.

Really great food. Inexpensive. Great location. Good service. It's a little too well lit for me, but that is the ONLY negative. Last year, my friends and I got together to go to Around the Coyote and we decided to eat there before hand. We enjoyed ourselves so much, that we ended up missing most of the festival. If you ever want noddles, Penny's Noddle Shop is great.
(4)
Jenny I.

After looking at the other reviews for this, I'm glad I'm not alone. This place is the epitome of underwhelming. The space and location is perfect, but the food always disappoints. It's flavorless and dull. Think LeeAnn Chin with a benefactor.
(2)
Honest Mama M.

I was looking forward to this place, but it was gross. I ordered the Pad Thai and spring rolls. Spring rolls were bland, and the Pad Thai was HORRIBLE. Gross and no flavor. The chicken looked like beef. And there were no peanuts, barely any eggs...ugh! I wanted yummy pad thai so bad. I called for a refund and they were very hesitant. We will see if it actually goes through.
(1)
Mike H.

I used to go eat here a lot with my friends until we figured out we all hated it. You get a lot of food for your money, but about halfway through your meal you begin to realize you're bored with how it tastes.
(2)
Nicholle H.

The food here was alright, but the noodles were tasteless. The price was right though, and you can get just about any meal for under $7. The service was great and the people were friendly. I was in a hurry and I got in and out with no problem!
(3)
Mary W.

I love penny's b/c it was my first thai food experience and it was good! It is also resonibly priced and you always get sat right away!
(5)
Amy L.

The food is pretty mediocre. It tastes like it's missing a few things.
(2)
Julia B.

Good location but I thought the food wasn't that great. The dish I had did not have very much taste..pretty bland.
(1)
Stephanie C.

Sorry can't say I loved it. I was in Chicago for a few days on business. My friend texted me to try this place and I wanted to come to the youthful Wicker Park neighborhood. The decor looks sports- bar ish, or take out ish. And it is a take out Thai place. It's Thai btw, not a Japanese or Asian in general noodle shop. I came around 9, and got a table alone. I ordered the acclaimed hot pepper noodle. It was basically drunken noodle, but with tomatoes in it? Not really sure what was up with that- it made the dish overall extremely watery. Otherwise, the dish was fine but blah. Good noodles, but too many peppers and not any basil. Yes there was cracked black pepper but so what? To me, this is a too-Westernized version of Thai food. I expected more from Chicago! Overall, the noodles were some $8 (cheaper than NYC, my home), and the service was fast and really polite. They filled up my water just fine. Can't say much about the decor. There was a bar, tables, and a nice flat screen for sports watching. I guess it was kind of like a better version of a cafeteria? If I'm back in town, I would definitely try some more authentic places.
(2)
Ashton G.

Ate here while staying in Bucktown last weekend. We were expecting the food to be better, but everything we had was just mediocre. Drink prices are great and they do have a good beer selection. Service was also great, they just need to try a little harder with the food.
(3)
S P.

I consider myself sidebar of an expert on Thai f foods in Chicago. I've been to almost every restaurant, like at least 30 of them. The only reason this place is popular is location, it is well located in the heart of wicker. I was Unimpressed.
(1)
Deanna P.

I love Penny's Chicken Pad Thai. I've tried a couple other dishes, but this is my fav. I love the fresh vegetables and the added spicy-ness. One complaint however; sometimes when I order, the "chicken" looks questionable - like it may be beef or pork. I get a little peeved because I like to know what I'm eating and I like to eat what I order.
(3)
Tera D.

I wasn't expecting much with Penny's - it seems so big and impersonal, compared to my favorite whole in the wall Thai places. But I live close and it deserved a try. Surprise surprise - it was great! We dined in on a weekday night. They get a pretty solid crowd, mostly families and people coming by after work. Service was good and fast, as expected for Thai. We got the Japanese Gyoza, which were little fried dumplings with delicious minced meat inside. Yum. For entrees I got the red curry and the boy got the hot pepper noodles. Neither was particularly spicy, but they were both flavorful and ingredients were fresh and well cooked. The menu isn't quite as extensive as some places, and it's not BYOB, so one less star for that, but otherwise great success!
(4)
Lindsay Y.

Best pad thai in the city! It was and very tasty and not to mention, it was under $8.00!
(5)
Lauren G.

Okay, this has to be my favorite Thai food place in all of Chicago. Maybe you're wondering why I gave it a 3 star. Well, even though the food is the bomb.com the parking is the worst, the service is a hit or miss, and it's not B.Y.O.B. like their original location on Sheffield in Wrigleyville. Okay, maybe I'm being meladramatic but it's the truth, B.Y.O.B. at one location but not the rest? Well I choose to go to the Damen location because you can really forget about parking in Wrigleyville and that location is much smaller. I deflect. The gyoza is absolutely the BEST gyoza I have ever had in my life. Honestly. It is. My mouth salvates talking about it. yumm :) The food is more "Americanized" but it's not as Americanized as let's say, Noodles & Co. You won't be disappointed when it comes to the food, and it's SO cheap! You get what you pay for doesn't apply when it comes to Pennys. I've had pretty much the whole menu and I have nothing negative to say about any of their options. The service on the other hand, most are friendly but there never seems to be the same people there and there's always a new face so it's really a hit or miss. I've had terrible service there before and I've had great service there before. I really just go for the food not the experience.
(3)
Aly H.

Decided to go to Penny's with my boyfriend after a long day and it was the perfect calm atmosphere :) at first you think it may be too dark, but the dimmed lights prompt reflection and intimacy. We went around 7:30pm and it wasn't too busy. Our meals were out in no time- I can personally vouch for the shrimp noodle soup :) portions were huge! I'll definitely be coming back :)
(4)
Christina M.

Jenny was server and she was alright...but not very attentive. The food is always great at pennys and pleased not to have a wait on a saturday night. The prices are so inexspensive. This isn't my favorite thai restaurant of all time. But I get the padthai shrimp, and thai fried rice and it's always pretty good.
(3)
Ann D.

Love this place!! Food is AWESOME! Just didn't appreciate the waiter with the blond ponytail sticking a bill on the table in the middle of dinner....... Maybe I wanted another drink??
(4)
Mundo M.

I've been going to penny's since the 90's and their food has never let me down. Favorite spot is Wicker Park/ Bucktown. It's not hardcore Thai food but I would not call it the Taco Bell of Thai food either. The dishes are fresh and simple. Get the lad nar it's a good intro to Thai food and Penny's is BYOB.
(5)
Larissa A.

HOLY CRAP YUM!!! We walked into Penny's after spending the better part of the day traveling to Chicago. Honestly at that point I would have been happy with anything that was moderately edible. Thankfully Penny's in more than just edible. The Tom Yum Soup was my favorite, some of the best I have ever had. Both myself and the Boy got noodle bowls. MIne was a BBQ Pork and it was AMAZING!! I would eat these two things everyday if I could. One of the things I really enjoyed about the place it's self was the art. It was this odd portraits that reminded me of the old photos people would take of their loved ones after they passed. Creepy and sad yet beautiful. IT was not typical of restaurant art but that is a good thing.
(5)
Foodie S.

I've been eating Penny's Noodles for years. I have eaten at every location and I'm happy to say every location prepares the dishes exactly the same. I love dining in at this location. The staff is always friendly and attentive! My favorite entree is the SautÃ©ed Chicken but you can't go wrong with whatever you order here. Last night we ordered a feast for 4 people for a mere $30. The dishes are pretty large as well. You get a lot for the small amount of money that you pay! All ingredients are fresh and delicious!
(5)
Patrick S.

Yay! I'm a fan! I had a fabulous Saturday afternoon lunch here with my newest Yeep friend Tory W. She is so cool and honestly we are so cool together that we spent a good deal of time here just chillin" out and talking after our delicious meal of yummy noodles served hot and fast. I could tell it was a chain, but that didn't detract from the overall experience, in fact it added to it by being very professional and experienced. Everything from the menu to the service to the food was top notch. It;s not gourmet, it;s just good hot food served fast and priced cheap. I'll definitely be back again and hopefully with my friend Tory too. Cheers!
(4)
Rits M.

I love Penny's. I discovered it on the way to the station and walked in. The place is pretty much a diner, layout and seating utilitarian rather than decorative. The actual decor is kind of creepy and morbid- I'm talking about the pictures on the wall. But I go there when I'm hungry and at that point I only have eyes for the food. I wouldn't say this place is super authentic, but they do dish up a really great meal. My favourties there are the bean thread noodle, the hot pepper noodle and i love love love the tom kha gai soup - it reminds me of my grandma's prawn curry, its super delicious and really filling. Just what you need on a cold day. I can say that whenever I go there, that's the first thing I think to order. They have really large portions and most of their main courses are about $7 - not bad for a meal. I can usually make it stretch to 3 meals, but I have a small appetite. Also, i find the food really fresh and filling. One thing I would whine about would the the amount of veggies- its not a lot and I like my veggies. One surprise- they have a really killer chocolate cake. Yes I'm as surprised as you are and I wouldn't have even known about it if I didn't have a craving that day. Its mousse-y in the middle with a dark chocolate base and comes with raspberry sauce. I'm not a fan of that sauce but I am of the cake. When I go there with friends, we don't stop till the cake plate is licked clean!
(4)
Andrew L.

Great food great price and we are veggies, my wife loves the mango margarita and so does my British mother in law when she visits, the best drink ever, my wife will only drink 1 and its the only place she will take a drink, the food is the best bang for the buck, my 5 year old daughter says its her favorite food (pad thai tofu ) i love the ramen pad thai curry great food service is good not great keep up all the great work
(5)
Rob S.

Great if you like long, thick black hair in your noodles.... So disappointed, I was so hopeful :(
(1)
Anna N.

AHHHHHH!!! Oh how I miss my staple noodle locale. Ate here at least once a week. Thai ravioli is like crack, I'm addicted. You nailed in. Really the best item on the whole menu. The sauce and lettuce bottom just melt in your mouth. Pad Thai is also yummy. Really everything is pretty good, I haven't been disappointed by any dishes. Also love the Tom Kha Kai soup. And thank you for not having huge chunks of lemongrass in it that choke me by surprise like other restaurants tend to do. Since moving I still crave Penny's so if you could open up a location in Batavia that would be fabulous.
(5)
Jen L.

This noodle shop is good, but nothing special. If anything it is a step up from Noodles and Company (the fast food version of a real noodle shop). It's a small chain of Noodle shops in the Chicago area, but I think it's more trendy than focused on authentic noodle dishes. I've been to this one and the one in Northfield and they both are pretty similar. In addition to good noodles, they do have some fresh salads that are also very good. I think i prefer their salads over their noodles. The noodle selection is very good, but they specialize in Asian Fusion type dishes, so no Italian dishes here. They use very fresh ingredients and very well balanced sauces. But the flavors themselves don't really "WOW" me. The prices are VERY good! That's probably why people highly recommend this place. You get some very large portions so be prepared to eat for cheap! They are also very kid friendly. My friend had her daughter there with us and they were really accommodating with high chairs and service to make our meal kid friendly. I would go back again, but it's not a place that I would think of when looking for good noodle shops in the Chicago area.
(3)
Ellie K.

Service was very fast for take out- what more you could you ask for?!. Chicken pad Thai wasn't my favorite- the chicken was also very dry... but the Pad See Eu with beef was yummy! Will come back to try the soups and maybe re-review my review
(3)
B C.

We went here for lunch today and ordered apps and our mains. Our apps came out and the crispy rolls had long black hair in it. We called our server over to show her and she did not seem surprised at all. We then spoke to the manager who stated that while the cooks wear hair nets, hair is every where in the air (!!!!!) and that it could not be helped but really they were a very clean establishment and that we should just try to eat the food because we would be very pleased. Sadly we could not bring ourselves to eat there and cancelled the rest of our order and left.
(1)
Shilpy S.

This is my go-to Thai place in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area. Pot Pan down the street had a better selection of curries though. Penny's doesn't have chicken panang which is such a basic Thai dish. But they make up for it by other great dishes - their red curry is excellent. Their Tom ka gha soup is so good as well! The service is good and whenever I've carried out, my meal is ready VERY quickly. Great location. Right under Damen blue line stop.
(4)
James C.

Great staple that is consistent and priced right. This location has the best restaurant location in the city as its one of the cornerstone's of the wickerpark/bucktown areas.
(4)
Todd M.

This is one of our go-to Thai places (the other being Anong in Logan Square). I pretty much always get the Thai fried rice and never regret it. We usually get take-out, but the atmosphere is actually really nice to dine in. Of course, the location is pretty perfect too.
(5)
Linda K.

Just an average Thai restaurant, nothing special.
(2)
Victoria M.

With almost 400 reviews, I am not going to add anything to the discussion except to say this place is CHEAP, the food is decent and it serves beer and has a TV inside. My bill today was 10 bucks for a huge bowl of beef noodle soup and a Thai iced tea.
(5)
Paula L.

I've been craving Thai soup for about a week. The place the I normally go to doesn't deliver so I decided to go with Penny's. I know that I would want soup 2 days in a row so I ordered the chicken noodle. It was decent, but the Tom Yum soup was great. It was very flavorful and full of huge shrimp and enoromous mushrooms. Love shrimp, hate mushrooms. My husband got the bbq pork bamee noodle soup. It tasted semi-homemade, The broth was authentic, the pork was fatty and the noodles taste like Ramen. The egg rolls were bland.
(2)
Rachel S.

Mediocre. Cheap, yes. Large portions, yes. Better elsewhere? Most likely. My Thai fried rice had an alarming amount of chili. I like spice, but this was a battle to eat this meal. Also, paltry amount of basil, which was very sad... The seaweed salad was fine; the crab rangoon were tiny! My cocktail was ok. Not being a take-out eater, I will most likely not patronize this establishment again.
(2)
Meghan B.

Not the best Thai/Asian food, nor the most "authentic", but if I'm in a hurry after work, their Thai friend rice with tofu really hits the spot AND the portions are so large, it can last for two meals or so. The people that work here are also really friendly. I've had a couple mediocre noodle dishes at Penny's, but the crab rangoon and the Thai fried rice are winners.
(3)
Wanda C.

Delicious. Everytime I've come here. Friendly and fast service.
(4)
Tim S.

Nothing says Tree Trimming like Thai Take out, Penny's was the place. It has been years since I have been to Penny's, no reason always loved the place. Just took a suggestion by a friend to get me back. Japanese Gyoza, Crispy rolls to start and some Vegie Lad Nar and Pepper Beef for entrees.. Delicious and so much of it we had leftovers for the fridge. This is going to make the rotation again.
(4)
Ashe D.

I got the vegetarian noodle bowl and it was delicious! The noodles were perfectly cooked, the veggies were fresh, and the small amount of broth was equally salty and sweet. I wish I could find the recipe so I could make this at home!
(5)
Tony W.

The best cheap eats in the city
(4)
Renee F.

Penny's is consistent, fresh, and delicious. When my boyfriend and I have Friday night date nights, we always pick up Penny's for dinner. Anytime his mom and step dad are in town, we eat Penny's. And it's always good! The Crab Rangoons are amazing. Usually, I get the Hot Pepper Noodle with rice vermicelli noodles, no broccoli and extra tomatoes. Sometimes I get chicken, sometimes I just stick with the egg. I always order it extra spicy and holy moly they nail it. Their peanut sauce is delicious as well. Once, when I was sick, I had the chicken soup and it was GREAT. The Chinese Fried rice is amazing also!
(5)
Tram L.

I lived in the wicker park and had to take the Blue line from Damen everyday. So I could spot out right away that Penny had the most traffic compared with the stores around. Yet the food there does not really play justice for Penny's. I'm an Asian foodie so I tried different dish here to see what they have. But their Vietnamese spring roll was really disappointing. Don't know where they got the name from but it's nowhere close to the authentic spring roll. It's actually a veggie and there was no shrimp. Worse, the waitress were always busy (even though I could see some of them were just hang there, didn't really do anything at all. But a good thing is that Penny's have a good selection of Asian dessert. Plus no one can beat their location!
(3)
Margot H.

I've been happily eating the Pad Thai here for 7 years, until we moved a half mile outside of delivery range. Wah. I would pay a bigger delivery fee for the additional .5 mile to Kedzie Avenue. It's not like I'm asking you to send it to Oak Park! Please consider this, I don't want to eat anyone else's Pad Thai besides yours. Thanks, Penny's!!!
(2)
Khadijah L.

You know what I like about Penny's Noodle Shop? The sound. The sweet sound of the wok being fired up, and sizzling stir fry action is probably what makes this place really authentic in terms of ambiance. I like walking in here, it's like a real non-tablecloth asian restaurant in asia. spot on. The food is average to decent. I actually like that they have a separate side dish of vegetables on the menu, you can order a side of chinese greens. YES. and a side of soup. The price is reasonable. My favorites: Pad Thai - not traditional, but it has lots of flavor and texture, and it comes with loads of nontraditional vegetables like shredded red cabbage Spicy Basil noodle bowl- can't go wrong with this one. I usually ask for half chicken/half tofu. Win. Tom Yum Kha - very rich coconut based soup. I'd eat this with rice, but not on its own. Chinese greens with oyster sauce - this has a home cooked feeling This is a casual place to eat, I could eat here/takeout once a week or more. Not a place I'd travel to, but I am SO glad it is in my neighborhood.
(4)
CJ B.

The food here is pretty good the only down fall is that when you do carry out or delivery, the quality is not consistent. But when you dine in, it's always good! I love how they have counter/bar type seating so it's more comfortable when you stop in for a quick bite alone. I generally don't like pad thai but this is the one place I enjoy it from! One of the best places to go when you're in the mood for something quick but with better quality!
(4)
Harvs K.

Hello cute waiter! Ok I had to get that out of my system (what? he was cute!) On my first day in Chicago after dropping off my luggage, we found this place right off the metro exit. It looked interesting, and we were all starving so in we went! After looking around the restaurant, I realized that all the paintings were kinda creepy. Um.. really? A guy with a fish head? Black nose? A guy breaking another ones neck? PRETTY AWESOME!!!! I actually liked the creepy decor cause it gave the restaurant a totally oddball feel! For my order, red curry with chicken and brown rice- other orders were the spicy basil noodle (which turned out not to be so spicy), the hot pepper noodle which was good, and for drinks I had me a mango margarita. I will tell you that it was nothing like a margarita except for the fact that it was tequila... I think they used mango juice, and salted the rim of a martini glass. I requested it blended, I got it shaken. However I will not complain, because that drink was SO good! I hate tequila normally and I couldnt even tell with that one. I was definitely happy with that :) The red curry was really good- had a great kick to it, and the hot pepper noodles were good too, although I did like my red curry a lot more. Great food, strong drinks, awesome decor and a cute waiter. What more could a girl want!
(4)
Derrick T.

Years ago, before there was Yelp... before I become a foodie, a group of hungry college students discovered a rarity in Chicago: a noodle shop that served up eclectic Asian noodle dishes fairly well. Fast forward to current day, and my fiancee and I are looking for something to eat before she continues with her studies. With a noodle craving in mind, we headed to Penny's to fulfill the noodle craving. Crab rangoon: Pretty standard stuff. Nothing stood out. Not much crab, lots of cream cheese and onions. Thai iced tea: While the fiancee wasn't a fan, it tasted fine to me. A little less sweet than the ones we've grown accustomed to, but it's not such a bad thing as the flavor of the tea came out more. Beef Pad See Ew: Bland. That's all that can describe the dish. It wasn't salted right, and either the soy sauce they used lacked sodium, or they watered the dish down significantly. Was there fish sauce in here at all? The dish just had no flavor overall, and the beef was overcooked. Edible, but not enjoyable. Udon Noodle Soup: Yes, there was a lot of soup. But the broth itself lacked in flavor. There was a "pepperiness" to it that seemed to attempt to make up for the blandness of the broth, but there was no enjoyable note... there really was just no umami flavor to it for satisfaction. Verdict: Sure, it's a dollar cheaper across the board, sure it's a trendy little spot... but ultimately, this place fails in terms of putting together a memorable dish that can be enjoyed. Friendly and fast service, but forgettable food. I wish this place was as I remembered it years ago...
(2)
Marc Z.

The tofu in these dudes Pad Thai is always on point. De-lish x10! Don't sleep on this place just cause its a chain, broham.
(5)
Marlene D.

Love the neighborhood! I always come here and sit by the windows and just enjoy everything that goes on. Service was average Food was Great! I recommend the Chicken Lag Nar & THE DESSERTS WERE YUMMY! In particular a Rasberry Dark Chocolate cake I believe, you know it had to be good if im not even a big fan of desert but I loved theirs!
(4)
Linda H.

Penny's Noodle Shop has a special place in my heart. Specifically the small table in the corner by the window. =) Pennys is always great for a quick bite. I used to have them on speed dial and call in my order while on the train. 15 minutes later, I would be picking up a delicious hot meal for dinner, all the while hoping to avoid judgement from the woman working the register who probably saw me 2-3x per week when I lived nearby. Sadly, they are not open on Mondays, which is when I am most prone to takeout binges, it being Monday and all. My faves: Pad Thai (on the sweet side, not a spicy pad thai like at other places) Spicy Pepper Noodle Pad Se Eu (although I want more broccoli!!) Crab Rangoon
(5)
Anna G.

sometimes you will eat at Penny's all the time and forget how great it is, and then eat someone ELSE'S noodle dish and fall in love with Penny's all over again. The food is super fresh tasting, with none of that weird, vaguely chemical aftertaste that I seem to get from a lot of noodle places. And the portions are huge and it's cheap so you know I'm in. Also, considering how insane prices at nearby bars are, you might as well just do your drinking and eating at the same time. Items of note: Tom Yum soup (YUM! very spicy and so much stuff in it!!) Veggie Bowl (I have tried ordering other things and I just love this so I gave up) Seaweed Salad (chewy + salty = all I need to be happy. Plus, doesn't seaweed have some nutrient we're supposed to get more of and don't? I'm sure it does) Crab Rangoons - these are among the tastiest, and I know they're pretty much good everywhere but sometimes they're not and it's heartbreaking when that happens, so I wanted you to know you are in good hands here
(5)
Katie C.

Was pleasantly surprised by this place when my friend and I stopped there for lunch. The food was excellent, as was the service and the location (and the patio). I had the pork noodle bowl and my friend had a spicy noodle dish, both of which were delicious. If you are looking for an authentic thai hole in the wall noodle shop this is probably not your place, as I would describe the food as "asian fusion" or something along those lines, however what they do they do WELL!
(5)
Jonathan S.

Amazing noodles. I've tried a few dishes and all were fresh and tasty. Probably some of the best pad se eu I've had. Always good for delivery or pick up on a week night. Only problem I've had is: don't try to call when the weather is bad, you'll have a hard time getting through to place an order.
(4)
Armani B.

This review was long overdue! I love love love Penny's. I always get great service and their Pad Thai is always AMAZING!! Tip: Try the Creme Brulee, but DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SHARE...it's simply too delicious!
(5)
Andre W.

Was in the mood for some thai tonight so we decided to make the walk over to Penny's. Delivery was discussed, but it was so nice out, I thought it would be better if we walked over. Started out with the vietnamese spring rolls for an appetizer and they were really good. The hot pepper noodle with chicken was very much good as well as spicy. The margaritas/martinis were really good. The mango magarita was something special and the raspberry martini was cool also. The menu was pretty nice with many delicious dishes to choose from. Their beef soup is something to talk about...yum! I really like the look of the place. It doesn't have the look of the usual thai places, but it really has flavor. I love the big windows walking by them from the outside and sitting on the inside staring out of them. They have a pretty cool plasma television on the inside and some very swanky pics on the wall as well. The table setup they have is cool as well. They deliver as well! Good place and good food!
(5)
Shayna N.

Totally standard Thai food, not too pricey, but nothing special. The miso soup was a little too salty and imbalanced tasting, otherwise my Pad Se Ew was fine, not bad but not great and a little on the greasy side. Over all everything was AOK.
(3)
Kelsey P.

Cheap. Fast. Friendly. This is a staple for me and my friends when we go to a show at the Double Door, since it is just across the street. I've never had a bad experience here. They get you in and out and on your way with a belly of decent noodles or rice. I like the Lad Nar myself, the pad thai is good, and the Thai Fried Rice is another favorite. Oh, and if you have a chance to try the raspberry martini, go for it. It's pretty delicious.
(4)
Kim W.

do get: - bean thread noodles w/ tofu do not get: - any cocktail - pad thai
(3)
Christina M.

Meh with a capital M!!! The pad thai (veganized by excluding the egg) was bland and nothing to write home about. The tofu they put in it tasted funny and was mushy (yuck). I will say that Noodles & Company (a restaurant on the same level as Penny's) blows this place away...
(2)
T B.

I am not sure why people like this place! There are soooo many better places in Chicago, it just must be that most people don't know good food! I haven't eaten there in a long time, because I don't think it's good, but my friend wanted to go there, so I gave it another chance. Still dissapointed. My food was really greasy and the crab rangoon wasn't even cooked all the way. My friends was also really greasy, so much so that it dripped all over her shorts. If you want good Thai, go to Thai Bowl on Taylor street. You won't be dissapointed.
(2)
Joram C.

this place is a thai place like a lot of others, but....but... penny`s could honestly have that soundbite from the lonley island`s "like a boss" play after everything they do operationally and it wouldn`t be weird. see below: fast service? "like a boss" short food wait? "like a boss" crab rangoon? "like a boss" red curry? "like a boss" nice beer list? "like a boss" spacious dining room? "like a boss" hipster waiters ( that dont have a superiority complex) "like a boss" you know, you get the idea. i dont have to keep going for you....
(4)
Angie M.

Penny's isn't going to win any awards in the authenticity category. We all know that. It's Americanized. Deal. If you want authentic Thai food, pack it up and take it somewhere else. I, however, love Penny's because of the consistency. I always know what I'm getting, it tastes good, and I'm happy. The pad se eu is respectable, if not a little greasy, for my taste. I'm a big fan of the pad thai with chicken. I know, I know. I'm not wearing my adventure pants when ordering pad se eu or pad thai, but we're talking comfort food here, folks. If I want to get crazy, I'll go to San Soo Gab San and sample all of the little dishes of unidentifiable food. Delivery is extra-super fast. I ordered last night at about 5:30 (hello daylight savings!) and dinner was served at about 6:00. And how about those prices? Almost everything on the menu is under ten bucks. So order up Penney's on your next movie night in. Because when you're watching Showgirls with your pals, brown rice and vegetables just won't do. ;)
(4)
Teschia B.

OMG! I wish they had a Penny's Noodle Shop by my house in Pilsen. I was never a fan of Thai food. Either it was tooooo sweet or toooo spicy and it never worked for me, but Penny's Noddle Shop has put thai food on the top of my list. Me and three of my friends decided to try out this noodle place when one of my friends moved to the Wicker Park area a few weeks ago. The restaurant decor was very cute and spacious. But the food was the best. I had the Pad Thai which was very good. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious. We also ordered the Pot Stickers and Crab Ragoon. I would pass on the Crab Ragoon a little dry and fried a little to hard, but the main courses made up for the appetizers. My friend had the BBQ Pork Ramen bowl which was delicious from the few bites that I stole from her plate :), but overall the food was good and I will be heading back to Penny's Noodle Shop before the snow comes in :) If you want cheap Thai food...please go to Penny's, BUT be aware of the wait staff. I completely understand keeping your wait staff authentic...which is what I love, but the wait staff must speak English very well and also understand it. We ordered some extra things off the menu that she did not bring. My friend asked for a doggy bag for her food...which we did not receive. I guess you have to speak loud and speak clearly.
(4)
Joshua N.

I've come here since and I always really like it. Just off the Blue Line stop at Damen in the heart of Wicker Park, it's a great location. I usually come here a while after lunch but just before dinner which makes the service really fast. The noodle dishes are always flavorful and LAGRE! I tend to come when my eyes are bigger than my stomach and get spring rolls, soup, and then a noodle dish. Ooops, I'm usually struggling to finish the noodles. Can you find more authentic versions of these dishes? Probably, but I love these. I also love the outdoor seating.
(4)
Amy X.

the epitome of a-ok. great to have in the neighborhood, but definitely not a destination restaurant. however, penny's has been good to me. she feeds me when i am too tired to cook, and she is FAST. pick-up is ready within 10 minutes of ordering. food is cheap and dependable. for that, how can you complain? times in which penny's has been there for me. 1. i get off work around 9 PM. i call penny's in the cab home, as i'm getting off the highway onto north avenue. from the time it takes me to drive down north avenue to 6 corners and pay the cabbie, MY FOOD IS READY. folks, do you realize how insane this is?! that's like 8 minutes from zero to TOM YUMMY YUM SOUP. 2. my then-boyfriend got food poisoning. something about eating oysters in months than don't include the letter "r." anyway, after throwing up continuously for about 6 hours, i made the executive decision that we need to head to the emergency room. but wait! i hadn't eaten dinner yet! no vending machine dinner for me... i call up penny's, and in 10 minutes i am eating the vegetarian special. 20 minutes later, me, the then-boyfriend, and a red bucket make our way to the emergency room where we spend the next 6 hours waiting for an IV. yay triage. do i need anymore examples? i kind of feel like i've exhausted the positive points of penny's. it's AWESOME if you need something fast. don't be afraid to use her and abuse her -- pretty sure penny's is that friend who likes you waaaaay more than you like her and will be by your side in 4 minutes if you're sad. downside: she gives bad advice and has bad breath :(
(3)
Desirae K.

Warning: I'm not a Thai food aficionado. But I do love this place, yummy good sized portions for a decent price. If I lived in Wicker Park, I'd be ordering from this place a least once a week. Try: (+) 5-pepper shrimp (+) Crab Rangoon (+) Thai Ravioli (+) Tom Kha Kai Generally I order take-out, but there's plenty of seating and the staff is always pleasant when I've taken the time to have a seat.
(4)
tages t.

Good food, while still not exactly what I'm looking for in the way of fried rice, it was a great atmosphere and very friendly staff! The portion size was large and they had no problem letting my partner and I split a dish! I will definitely go back to try their other dishes!
(3)
Kevin F.

Best hot toddy ever, phenomenal rangoons and omg the spicy pepper noodles! Fast inexpensive and delish.
(5)
Jacob J.

This is Thai food? Overrated. Too many people who go to these chain locations and think this shit is the real deal. Do yourself a favor and try a family owned business or smaller restaurant. Review them instead, tons of flavor out there which isn't found at Penny's. Bland food which I regret paying for.
(1)
Brit W.

Me and my boyfriend's favourite restaurant to go to downtown. We have always ordered the same thing since the first time we went! I think we've gone at least 5 times by now... and we live an hour and a half away from downtown! Here's our order everytime: - Edamame - Crab Rangoons - SHRIMP NOODLE SOUP! To die for!! We want to try other dishes but we just can't get past the shrimp noodle soup! Haha. The ambiance is great; love the local art hanging on the walls. Love all the windows too, so you can eat delicious food and stare out into the city. Great service, and the cooks really know what's up. Can't wait to go back! Again and again!
(5)
Justine F.

My last experience here was something to be desired. The lad nar ($6.95) was too oily and the crunch factor on the overly fried noodles made it impossible to eat. The ginger was really intense, which I enjoy, but that was the only flavor I could find in the mess of fried noodles. I asked for extra veggies instead of protein and I ended up with a small handful of shredded carrots and onions, a few chunks of red bell peppers, and (I counted) 9 pieces of broccoli. I would hate to see how many veggies they fork over with the protein. This place used to be cheap and delicious. Now it's just cheap.
(1)
Suzan W.

Went this past weekend and ordered a Spicy Basil Noodle Bowl w/Tofu. The noodles were horribly overcooked vermicelli (Really? That's Thai?). What's worse is that the Tofu was coated in a mixture of cinnamon, sugar and a couple spices that I am not 100% positive on but most likely clove and cardamon....really the most disgusting thing I have ever had. I tried to be a trooper and eat this slop but the cinnamon and sugar har permeated the thin sauce that the noodles were swimming in. Advised the waitress that I can't eat this. She apologized and went to the kitchen to talk to someone. Came back and said that the owner told her they put a "spice" on the tofu for this dish and they may have overdone it. She never took the dish away even though I again said I'm not eating this. The bill came and she sweetly apologizes and tells us not to tip. Turn the bill over and shocked to find that my dish is on there. Steam starts coming out of my fiance's ears. We decided to have more class than them and pay the bill in full with a 22% tip. Most shocking about this is that the owner was there (according to the waitress). Also, we decided to be seated inside as it was a bit chilly in the shade outside. However, their gigantic ceiling fans and A/C were both on...I was so cold that I was shivering. We have been to Penny's several times in the past (same location) and have not had this type of experience. But, we got to thinking, and realized that we always went when absolutely starving and kept coming back because the food was never terrible. Never terrible is a poor excuse to revisit a restaurant. This past incident is a perfect excuse to never go again.
(1)
Ed R.

We were wandering the neighborhood and just needed a quick bite. The Pad Thai was great. Service was fast, if not overly friendly. Portions were large. Not a place I would go out of my way to visit, but if I lived in the neighborhood, I'd probably stop by from time to time. Decent, cheap food.
(3)
Nisa D.

Ughhhh for Thai food there is way better places you can go.. The food portions are really small and lacking flavor. Crab ragoon were really tiny and only 5 i mean 5 if they are meant to share you are gonna fight for the last one! make it an even number.
(2)
Elvin Y.

I was introduced to Penny's when I was a senior in high school. My then boyfriend took me here on our very first date. Although this was 11 years ago, I still remember exactly what we ordered. An order of pork gyoza and two orders of their delicious Ramen soup. He taught me how to eat with chopsticks that night. We had a blast making fun of my lacking skills and talking the night away. We closed the shop. It's been 11 years since my first date with Penny's....and I keep going back (although I've never been there on another date!). It's just solid, cheap food. Here is a sampling of my favorites: Panang Cury, Tom Ka Kae soup (I like substituting the chicken for tofu), Crispy Egg Rolls, Red Curry w/shrimp, Lad Naar and of course the RAMEN NOODLES! There are three locations. They are all adorable, open aired and have fast/friendly service. So go there. Take a date, take friends, just take yourself, eat at the bar, chat with the staff. It's like home. And if you see two teenagers there on a first date, just smile to yourself and enjoy watching the innocence of first love....over noodles!
(4)
Kammie G.

Although the food was very inexpensive and tasted good, it was missing a major WoW factor. I got bean spring noodle and it tasted, well, boring. Major plus for the service though- I've never seen my Thai food come out this quickly it's like they predicted what we were gonna get and just made it (like we waited maybe 3 min for it!), the waters were getting refilled on a good basis. The place wasn't totally packed during lunch time on Friday but there was a decent amount of people here.
(4)
Sara R.

I had never had Thai food before, so when my co-workers suggested coming here - I was a bit apprehensive. After eating here, I am upset I haven't tried Thai food earlier! We got the crab rangoon and also the Thai Fried Rice with chicken. It was amazing and I would highly recommend it to anyone who was willing to take a chance and dive into Thai food. We went during lunchtime on a Tuesday, and were seated immediately with the option to be outside if we wanted. We did and it was a beautiful fall day with great company and great food. The server was very soft-spoken, and I suppose that would be my only complaint about the place (and that's not even a legit concern!). The food came out fast, was delish, reasonably priced and I would certainly eat Thai food again (soon), especially from Penny's.
(5)
Joel T.

Penny's isn't a strictly traditional "authentic" Thai restaurant. I'm not sure that what they do could be called "fusion," but they do have some non-traditional offerings and desserts. Their flavor is full but subtle, not over the top or intended for cheap sensation. I'm a sucker for the pad thai...Penny's is among the best I've had.
(4)
Varsha L.

Penny's is known for cheap food, its not trying ot be fancy, I like the tofu pad thai.... We also had the crab rangoon, you can tell they just warmed it up in the oven, it wasnt piping hot at all.... i did like the raspberry lemonade martini! delicious!
(4)
Ryan M.

I have actually had a hard time finding good thai food since I moved to Chicago. The thai restaurants in Detroit were the Bomb and the Chicago ones I have been to have not matched up. Penny's is good thai good at a good price. I usually get the chicken curry or the Pad Thai. Service is fast for dine in or carry out. The Tom Yum soup is really good as well but is you have an aversion to spicy than stay away. I usually ask for wooden chopsticks instead of the plastic ones they have on the table. The wooden ones I feel are more sanitary and make it easier to handle the food.
(4)
Jillian H.

Everything was great. Server was a little lackluster, but I expect people to serve like myself. High standards. Industry types are the hardest to serve, right? Patio was pretty nice, minus big stars new intercom system calling numbers out every five minutes or so. That's minimal though. Happy to see 40 year olds in a new kids on the block tees headed to the concert. 'twas the icing on the cake. That and the gigantic cups of coffee.
(5)
Anne K.

It's all about what you order here....it's kind of hit or miss. I highly recommend the Pad Thai. The boyfriend really liked the Spicy Basil. And the tofu here, in any dish, is great. I made the mistake of ordering a spicy noodle dish unspicy though and they brought it out with no sauce on it whatsoever. It was rather confusing. But aside from that: great service, plenty of seating, and overall good food.
(4)
Amanda Z.

Two cold, hungry walkers were trekking about one day, in search of food before they both got irritable, as they are both apt to do...p.s. the walkers were me and my beau. We went with Penny's, cuz, well, I love Thai food, and soup sounded like it might shake the chill I developed while trekking around our neighborhood. Shrimp soup with noodles for me, BBQ pork with noodles for him. He clearly won the ordering round this time...his dish was perfect bites of BBQ pork and skinny little egg noodles topped with crushed peanuts. Truly, this is the stuff of which Thai food cravings are made. My soup was adequate in warming me up, but a little skimpy on the flavor. Service was adequate and the prices were right....if it were a bit closer, I might put this one onto my take out radar, but for now, it'll be filed under the "I'd eat there in the neighborhood" file.
(3)
Chantal L.

On a hunt for Thai, Penny's is right off the blue line so a straight shot from my place ....in a large city where I loath driving, simple alternative options is always a plus! Casual setting with friendly staff. I ordered the Chicken rice noodle soup, which was presented with a plate of veggies. The soup was good, however a bit bland so i put some of the spicy thai sauce on the table which did the trick...quite the kick. The veggies were very fresh and the noodles were tasty. The server was friendly however forgot a couple of things we requested and it was not excessively busy, thus the 3 star rating. Nothing like Pho Real or Thai Taste in Charlotte NC but overall, I'd give them another try.
(3)
Ericka A.

I'm still not sure what to think about this place. I didn't extremely enjoy it, nor did I hate it. It was simply OK. Most of the sauces were rather bland. I couldn't stand the sweet and sour. Peanut sauce was really delicious. The bowl of noodles with beef wasn't too bad, but the beef wasn't very flavorful. Everything ended up tasting a bit like the sauce instead of having varying flavors. They have different fancy drinks, but expect to pay as much for a Margarita as you will for your entire bowl of noodles. I went here on a date and for 2 Beers, 1 Margarita, an order of Vietnamese Spring Rolls and 2 bowls of Noodles it was $36 before tip. It seemed a bit too pricey for what it was. Next time I'll just order a bowl of noodles and call it a day.
(2)
Jill N.

I love Penny's! The food is so good and the portions are great. Service is fast and the prices haven't changed in forever! I have had almost every dish on the menu and have never been disappointed. Love the Pad Thai, Lad Nar, Sliced Beef, Hot Pepper noodle, Spicy Basil, The list goes on. Definitely a place to go to.
(5)
Mary T.

I'm not a Thai food expert, and this may not be the best Thai food in the city of Chicago. In fact, it really probably is not. But for the price and the amount of food you get, it is great. Nice atmosphere for dining in. Casual. Staff are friendly. Prompt service. If I lived close by I would do take-out often. I ordered the Sauteed Chicken, which was less than $6, and it was a very filling meal - I had leftovers for lunch the next day. It was full of flavor too. I loved it.
(4)
Ryan T.

Love this place! Great in a rainy day. Fast and flavorful. Pad thai and crab rangoon is my most frequent order. But I highly recommend their soups.
(4)
Tita P.

After several years away from Birmingham I am still on my quest for my new favorite Thai place. Penny's is close. The environment is very casual and the food is delicious and they know how to do extra spicy! Penny's I plan to come back often in hopes that I have finally found a replacement for what I have missed for years in Birmingham.
(4)
Krystin H.

There are so many great places to eat in the city . . . why waste your appetite here? It is always busy, which I never will understand. I went back a few times thinking that obviously people must like it. I thought maybe that I picked the wrong item to order. The one thing that I am "okay" eating here is the red curry. If a group of friends suggests going here and you do not want cause a scene, I would stick to the curry.
(1)
Mally S.

I love Penny's. LOVE. I love each and every dish that comes out of their kitchen and even dream about their steamed beef with peanuts and sauce. I will take a train AND two buses to get there - that's how much I love Penny's!
(5)
Amy W.

I moved out to DC for a year and tried as hard as I could to find a tom yum soup that would satisfy me as much as Penny's to no avail. They've got great food at great prices, and they are just so gosh darn quick with your order. Nothing beats penny's when you just want a good pad thai takeout on a weeknight to go along with your favorite TV show.
(5)
John M.

My review is a little biased because I'm simply not a big fan of Asian cuisine. However, this location in Wicker Park was my first introduction to crab rangoon, and now I'm hooked. I sort of wonder if they have changed their recipe lately, because the crab rangoon I had yesterday was not as tasty as I remember it being. At any rate, this place is all about noodles and noodle soups. Green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds: these are not things I'm big on. If you're not typically into this kind of food, the chicken satay (on the appetizers menu) is a good safe bet. They serve it with their own peanut sauce, which I like, but your mileage may vary. Take my review with a grain of salt. I've tried different things there and it's just not my thing. I'd go again if someone else in the group really wanted to, but I know I'd be ordering the chicken satay and crab rangoon.
(2)
Rachel Z.

Looking for some good Thai food? Do you love cheap Asian food? Then Penny's Noodle Shop is the place for you. My boyfriend is a picky eater. So we were definitely "wow-ed" when we looked at the menu. Sapporo imported beer for $4? $5 glasses of wine or margaritas? That is super cheap for a dinner drink. I ordered a Thai iced coffee to wake me up and my boyfriend ordered a beer and a diet coke. I love Thai iced coffee, I'm addicted. We started off with the Japenese Dumplings, which were tasty. I love dumplings! I got the "Sliced Beef" which included rice noodles covered in peanut sauce, cilantro, onions, bean sprouts, and of course beef, very healthy and yummy. My boyfriend got the fried rice, which looked delicious and had a little spice to it. I had food envy. I wanted to finish the meal with some flour less chocolate cake and raspberry sauce, but that will be for my next visit. This is a great Wicker Park spot!
(4)
Kortney M.

Middle of the road, nothing special! Don't come here wanting traditional thai food, their soup was yummy, and it's hard to mess up crab ragoons! The Pad Thai had a rich dark sauce and very very very thin rice noodles, just about as far from traditional as one can get. I'll come back for my delightful cream cheese pillow cravings on my way home from work.
(3)
Ellie B.

Super fast, cheap, and good eats. Penny's serves Pad Thai the way I crave it (with cilantro and lime), so much so, that most other places are disappointing to me. I don't know about authentic, but it's delicious and the portions are huge and tasty for the price.
(5)
Dan D.

Authentic.... not "really." but who cares with such cheap eats and great service in the middle of Wicker Park! Penny's offers high quality food at a very budget-friendly price. Order some soup and bring another friend. Yup, its a large bad boy of soup. The noodle dishes are quite the value as well. These dishes are all tasty and some are a bit imaginative. (But don't be hating if you are looking for authenticity.... not here fellas). The Bottom Line: Good food at a decent price right in the heart of Wicker Park!
(3)
Justin B.

Every time I hit up Penny's, I expect it to be better than the last time. Yet, every time I remain disappointed. I feel obligated in some strange way to order a noodle dish. One would assume that it was their specialty. Maybe because it's labeled a "noodle shop." Maybe because the place is freakin' called "Penny's Noodles!" Yet, each time I order "Pad Se Eu" or Pad Thai, I crave the sauce to be just a bit sweeter, the noodles not to completely clump together or for my taste buds to dance at a savory new flavor. And that's the other thing...they can't keep the amount of sauce consistent. At times my noodles are drowning and others when I felt the noodles were dry. I end up leaving a little sad inside each and every time. But fear not! There are some decent things on the menu. Personally, I can't get enough of their Japanese Gyoza. I should just get three orders and grub. Penny's is cheap and easy, but doesn't blow my mind (reminds me of a date I had once). The service can be hit or miss. Overall, a bit crazy and inconsistent (yet another date). Crazy - not in the, "going to send you to an insane asylum" kind, but the sort of crazy that reminds you of that neighbor who's off just a little bit, yet the neighborhood wouldn't be the same without him. Oh yeah, they deliver too.
(2)
Janet X.

Pluses: Serving sizes are almost always perfect, there's never a wait, alcohol is cheap and they're really speedy with bringing out your food. Minuses: The food that they bring out. Yeah, I know it's only $8 for an entree but I can get a pretty awesome sandwich or a few tacos in the neighborhood for about as much. They obviously don't believe in vegetables, since the one time my friend asked for extra veggies they added three broccoli florets.
(2)
matt w.

Good Food.. Nice lil Beer selection and the prices and Kablamo! ( meaning good.. :) Where else can you get these portions in Wicker Park for these prices.. Penny's is a staple!
(4)
Rachelle B.

A good thing about living on the Blue Line again, and just a few stops past where I used to live, is that we can quickly go to Wicker Park and visit the restaurants that we used to like going to when I lived in East Ukrainian Village. Penny's is a pan-Asian restaurant with a few locations around Chicago. We really like it and used to order food to be delivered to my old house a lot... until that one time when the delivery driver's car got stolen. On Friday night we went to Penny's and had huge bowls of soup. Hit the spot since we've both been sick and the weather is turning cold again.
(4)
Krsna V.

I have been to Penny's a couple of times and my experiences have been mixed. The first time I ordered the basil chicken which was spicy. The dish was flavorful. I also ordered gyoza and the mango margarita. I did not taste any alcohol in the margarita, just watered down mango juice. Pot stickers tasted like they came from Costco. My partner got the pad Thai which was just OK. The second time I ordered sauteed chicken and spring rolls. The spring rolls were stale and the chicken was dry and felt like I was chewing rubber. The egg noodles were dry on one side and bland. It was very unappetizing. The spring rolls were alright. My partner got the vegetable noodle dish which was just a bunch of stir fried vegetable and noodles in soy sauce. The prices are cheap. I was surprised to see that my sauteed chicken cost only $4.95. No wonder it tasted awful.
(2)
Kyle B.

There really is nothing spectacular about this noodle shop. I enjoy Thai food as much as the next hip Chicago-an, but it's just not spectacularly tasty. I do like how they have beers on the cheap and pretty large portions. I've had a few of the noodle dishes (Pad Thai, Pad Se Eu, etc.) and they all pretty much taste the same. I feel compelled to go there more often since I live close enough to walk, but always talk myself out of it when see how many people are in there waiting for mediocre food. I really wish they were open way later because they would kill it with the nightlife in Wicker Park. I'll bet I would put up a different review with more beers in me. But I guess we'll never know...
(3)
Jinna H.

Solid 4-stars. I was having a group and they were nice enough to put the tables together as well as set up for them. The group didn't really figure in the end, so it was me and two other people. I like the food, getting the pad sie ew (as always). Tasted like any other. My friend got this insanely spicy rice that was SO GOOD but made me cry and sniffle. Would come back again. :D
(4)
Tiff H.

Ok, please forgive me if there are a lot of typos/grammatical errors in this review since I am oogling at Gavin Rossedale and Shemar Moore in season 5 of "Criminal Minds" as I type this out courtesy of Netflix. *sigh* and *yum* Was Penny's yum? I walked in after an incredibly bad hangover due to mixing about 6 types of alcohol...and not in a Long Island Iced Tea. Service: My actual server was lovely. However, the manager or guy at the front was kind of aloof. Maybe he was hungover too...bc I asked him twice for a napkin and he never heard me. Food: I ordered some type of roast pork noodle, similar to bamee noodles. It wasn't what I expected...I thought I had ordered some type of greasy noodle....I ended up with something relatively healthy with lots of greens. Don't get me wrong; it was good but not so great for a hangover. Would have been better if I wasn't hung over....after a heavy work out. I also ordered the gyoza...which was pretty good. Nothing special. Just satisfied my taste for greasy dumplings. Do you see a pattern here? Drink: I ordered a Thai iced coffee...and holy cow, it was so sweet, my teeth hurt after the first sip. However, my server was so sweet; she kept giving me coffee to decrease the sugary/syrupy taste. Price: With tip, it was roughly under $20. This place is a good change of pace from Zen after a heavy work out if I'm in the mood for noodles. Also, the atmosphere is better at Penny's.
(3)
Julia H.

Yum yum yum. Cheap cheap cheap. = Hard to find in Chicago. I tried the seaweed salad here : good and standard. I also ordered a bowl of the Tom Yum soup - It had large yummy pieces of shrimp and a sweet and spicy broth. The waiter recommended a zinfandel that was fruity and robust. My gal pal and I loved this place for the affordability, the good service - and penny's always has some good art up. There are a few Jason Brammer pieces (maybe permanently here) and that's always nice to see a familiar artist.
(4)
ben c.

Not good. I got the pepper beef, and it lacked any sort of flavor at all. The beef was dry, and there were about 3 small pieces of pepper in the dish. Sure, it was fast, and it was cheap, but I really expected better. I guess you get what you pay for. I'd have paid a bit more for some sauce on my meal...
(2)
Keith A.

is this really a thai place? modern and fairly sleek with a definite contemporary slant, this isn't what you'd expect walking into a thai restaurant. But, its pretty damn tasty. There is a nice selection of dishes on the menu and many of them are very thai. The menu does read a bit more like a asian/fusion style than a straight up thai restaurant, but that's not a problem at all. I ordered up some dumplings and some crab rangoon to split with my friend so that I could try more stuff. The crab rangoon was just packed with meat and cheese and was really damn good. It was where one could easily order several orders of teh rangoon and be very satisfied. The dumplings were very nice. The casing on them was good and they were cooked just right which doesn't always happen with dumplings (i mean really, how often do places overcook dumplings, way too often IMO) I then also got a rice dish with minced chicken and I asked them to spice it up some more. To my delight they did and I got something more in line with what I generally want when having a spicy thai dish. It also had a bit of salad on the side, which was perfect with the heat of the spices. The service was really good and attentive. I liked the food a good bit, but it isn't in that next level of thai food that can be found around town. Its at a great price though, you have to try real hard to get out of there paying more than $15 which is always appreciated
(3)
Tiffany K.

Huge portions for a small price tag - that's what i like! On a rainy morning, my friends and i stopped in for a quick lunch. I ordered beef noodles (pho) and i was very pleased with the taste of everything. The cilantro tasted really fresh and the noodles were not overcooked the slightest bit. However, the broth was a little too sweet for me. But that was the only bad part. The servers and everything are great, and this place is tasty and affordable. Good place to go for a quick bite to eat for not a lot of money.
(4)
Nicole L.

This review was meant for the Sheffield location. Sorry. Peanut sauce & spring rolls how I love you so! My heart always flutters for Penny. There are only 3 locations and though I've personally not ventured to the other two I hear they don't compare to Wriggleyville restaurant. Great service, small restaurant but amazing food. I do suggest everything on the menu! but If your stomach is smaller than your eyes the Tom Kah Coconut Chicken soup is simply delicious! The spring rolls are the best I've ever had and the Chicken Pad Thai and Plain Pad Se Eu is their best dishes! I've been coming here for over 3 years and same faces know us by name which makes the dining experience more enjoyable. The prices are great and b.y.o.b. is always a plus in my books. Rock on Penny!
(5)
Derek G.

I recently went to Penny's after not being there for quite some time. I have to say that the food has not skipped a beat. Penny's is located just south of the CTA train stop and right smack dab in the middle of "Hipster Haven." As a result, it can get a little busy so going earlier rather than later, is recommended. The prices are comparable to most other Thai based restaurants, but I believe it is one of the better ones. The actual dining area is not that large so it can become a bit loud and I would not recommend bringing a party of more than four-six there. Average service, difficult parking, but tasty Thai, and comparable prices, make Penny's a place to visit.
(4)
L H.

Meh. It's an OK place to satisfy an Asian fix but definitely not the best. Penny's plus points are that it is cheap, easy and fast. But the noodles are bland and super toned down. If you eat here, I would get the rice dishes and ask them for the rice separately - ie: don't have them mix the rice in with the meat or vegetables you order. It is always much more flavorful that way.
(2)
Kori E.

YUM! I really enjoy Penny's every time I eat there or get take away! The prices are very reasonable and you get a TON of food! The only thing I wasn't too fond of was the Pad Thai, it was only OK, I've definitely had better. BUT, their spicy chicken noodle dish is honestly to die for! My little sister was in town visiting, and she had it and to this day will call me up craving for it! Delish!
(4)
Julie H.

Had I known this Thai place made cocktails, gal-pal and I would've stopped here sooner. It hits all the necessities of a noodle shop: Speed: Reasonably Quick! Water refills: Often! Variety: Excellent! The menu has all of your stand-bys. Chili noodles, Curry, Pad Se Eu, etc. But they also have many other options. Meat lovers can play the field here. Thai Ravioli? (Shrimp and Pork dumplings) That's wild! My friends, you'll be happy to know my dish was up to spicy standards. Rarely can a place hit those expectations but the Spicy Basil knocked my socks off. As for the drinks, the raspberry martini did not disappoint. In this instance puree is acceptable. Absolutely lip-smacking!
(4)
Fritzie H.

MSG and I are not friends. It's a well known fact. I try to avoid it but sometimes the sneaky little devil makes its way into my body. I've been to Penny's a few times and I clearly asked the waiter if the pad thai contained MSG and he assured me it didn't. I ordered the pad thai and after the first bite, I felt my body balloon up. My thoughts ranged from "Either that dish had MSG or someone plugged my ass into a helium tank" to "SON OF A BITCH!" because I immediately started to swell up. Does this have MSG? "No ma'am!" Don't lie to me you trendy little bastard! I know it does! I was not a happy camper! (that phrase is severely underutilized)
(2)
L C.

Great vegetarian Phad Thai with tofu. The shrimp noodle soup with tomatoes is great too. Tasty and quick. I'm always amazed at the speed of this place, despite it usually being packed.
(3)
Jenny T.

I was underwhelmed to say the least. I have heard pretty good things about Penny's & was often tempted to try it, but was too lazy to venture away from my usual noodle spots. Maybe I'm not wasn't that big of a fan due to my major gin & tonic induced hangover or the fact it was closed & I was kind of cranky, but it just wasn't that good. I had some sort of darkened chicken dish & substituted rice for noodles. It was much sweeter than I was hoping for, so that was a major disappointment. Ryan got some sort of yummy spicy noodle dish, but I was too upset to try his due to the disappointment of my own. Baby much? We also got the crab rangoon, which was okay. Too much fake crab for this little lady. Also, their thai iced tea had a weird after taste. Okay, enough. I'm just complaining for the sake of complaining at this point. I'll give Penny's another shot & maybe it up it a star or two, but for now sorry sweet Penny you just didn't do it for me.
(2)
Maura F.

For the money, it's great. The service is wonderful and timely. Good place to go with friends, or alone. Some restaurants can really pester the lone diner, but not Penny's. Also, some nights they put candle on the table which is adorable. Beware of anything fried on the menu, they tend to be heavy and greasy, not like other fried Asian-style food I've had. If you go get the thai dumping dinner, with the barbecue pork. It was delicious. Also, the ramen noodle bowl is miraculous. Got two of these to go when feeling ill, and ate them over the next few days. Each time I would forget how good it was and be surprised. You can tell they marinate their meat/veggies well. Plus, the portions are generous so you'll invariably be brining home leftovers to munch on later.
(4)
Justin G.

Best pad thai in the area. I've not had a bad meal from these guys yet.
(4)
Brandon B.

I have been here several times and find it consistently quick service, very decent food, and very low cost for decent portions. It doesn't really go for a "Thai" feel but I suppose that's what it is based on the selections; perhaps not authentic, but it still satisfied my stupid Americanized palate. Maybe not the biggest menu compared to similar places but I don't judge based on that. One the few good, cheap, fast places on that corner of overpriced, overcrowded, and loud establishments.
(5)
Nikita W.

I LOVE Penny's Noodle Shop! If you're talking about quick, cheap, and always delicious Thai food...you should be talking about Penny's Noodles. I love this place for so many reasons. Their food is very very reasonably priced. My husband and I always go there and SPLIT the pad thai (which they graciously allow w/ no extra fees or snide remarks.) One order is totally enough food for the two of us, and they will actually put it on separate plates for you before they bring it out...and that's amazing considering one order of the pad thai is delicious and only $7! I've never had anything bad from here. Being vegetarian, I love the veggie bowl. It comes with this great sweet sauce over the noodles and veggies that is light and not too sweet but just sweet enough. Total perfection. Really anything is good from here. I also love the Crispy Roll appetizer which have cabbage and different types of mushrooms inside, a really nice take on a regular egg roll. My husband (the meat eater) loves the Pot Sticker appetizer. One amazing feature is their lightening speed. At least once a week I'll walk in and order from their take out counter and literally about 3 mins later my food is ready to go. This speed doesn't just go for take out, they're super fast when you eat in as well. In this tough economy (or anytime) you really can't go wrong with Penny's!
(5)
Matt Z.

Penny's is one of my favorite noodle shops across town. I'm a big fan of their ramen soup and their beef soup both which are served in a huge servings. They have a small bar, one big tv And a great little outdoor seating area for the summer weather. Fixed in the heart of wicker park this place is awesome.
(4)
Gracie G.

I'm not the kind of person that makes a big stink about many things, I rarely give bad reviews honestly, but this most recent experience at Penny Noodles on Damen was just exceptionally bad. If I could give this restaurant no stars, that would be more accurate. Bugs in your food and all over the windows where you are sitting is unacceptable. I love Penny Noodles, but for some reason, this location is crap. It is very inconsistent. Knowing this I probably shouldn't have gone this afternoon, but it was nearby and I hadn't quite gotten bugs in my food yet. I was willing to tolerate bland food, a horse fly hanging out near my table, and I even thought I could get rid of the flying ant (which later flew out of the napkin I thought I had squashed it in), but the fruit fly swimming in the dressing of my cucumber salad, no. When I brought it to the attention of the server, all she did was take it away and offer to move us. No apology from the manager, no consolation offering. I've worked in restaurants before, had this happened on my watch, I would have been mortified and the manager would have gone to the table to apologize profusely and offer to somehow rectify the problem. Sure, I didn't get charged for the salad that I hardly touched (thank goodness), but I hardly consider that customer service. Don't go to this location, yea its in Wicker Park, but don't assume that means you're getting food that is at the very least up to health code.
(1)
Laura N.

Yummy! Pennys delivered delicious food to my apartment in the snow. Great price, many vegetarian and vegan options, friendly drivers. The vegetarian noodle soup is delicious! PLUS! They came in a blizzard!
(4)
Michelle S.

We are big fans of Pennys Noodle Shop. The food is consistant-something that is often an issue at Asian restaurants- and always yummy! The portions are generous and they never skimp you on the meat! Delivery is prompt and arrives at my house hot! A HUGE plus. The Crispy Rolls and Pad Se Eu are a family fave!
(4)
Erin B.

Our road trip took us to Chicago. Staying with a friend and getting into town late (after an apparent tornado scare?!), we were hungry and looking to fill our stomachs. We walked around the area and found Penny's. Nice place and helpful staff. Despite being late, we were able to have a decent meal. Had chicken pad thai and would definitely have it again!
(3)
Anthony R.

Bleh. A bit tipsy and peckish after leaving the Violet Hour next door, I wandered into Penny's on a spicy food hankering. Probably the best thing here was that the wine is cheap. The noodles were bleh, the Thai spring rolls were decent, although the wrappers were a bit chewy and very out-of-the-fridge tasting. The highlight of the meal was the tom yum soup, which was.. standard. I'd say Penny's is a big skip. It's often hard to find above-and-beyond Thai food, but Penny's is a notch or two below average.
(2)
Kate F.

Huge portions and good food! Lame atmosphere and almost bad service the one time I have been. I liked it enough to give it another try!
(3)
Erin P.

After rave reviews from Angie M., my boyfriend and I decided that take out from Penny's was worth a try. On a Sunday afternoon the restaurant was very busy. Fortunately they took our to-go order right away and it was promptly ready about 8 minutes later! The guy who took our order was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped me to to order items taking into account my my cilantro aversion. Sadly they Vietnamese spring rolls are pre-rolled in the morning with cilantro. Oh well- you can't win 'em all. For under $20 we picnicked in my living room with our take out feast from Penny's. We split the Crab Rangoon (4 to an order) which was cream cheesy and yummy. I got the Ramen- miso broth and shiitake mushrooms sounded like perfect comfort food on a cold Chicago day (not your $0.99 college years -ramen). My boyfriend's choice of the "Hot Pepper Noodle" was the winner! It was wide, flat, pan-fried noodles with choice of meat (he got chicken) bell peppers and this amazing spicy vinegar chili sauce on the side to pour over the noodles to your liking. I liked his more than mine and I had to sneak bites of it while he wasn't looking. Penny's also delivers (and quickly from what I have been told) so next time we are craving it we don't even need to brave the cold or try to find parking in Wicker Park. This is a great find- thanks Angie!
(4)
J. W.

There is no Asian in this Asian food. I do not know why this place has such a following. I have tried Penny's 3 times over the last 6 years and have yet to find anything to celebrate. Champion of Bland. I can suggest 10 other Thai/ Asian restaurants, without fail, that produce much more tasty fare. One tip of the hat is freshness. Penny's high volume does promote them serving fresh food products. I would just be happy if they figured out how to make it taste like Thai cuisine. Not a fan, always under-whelmed. Cheap menu prices and you get for what you pay. Waste of my time.
(1)
Cynthia S.

What happened to the Ramen? Used to order it on any day I was feeling down and felt better right way. Fresh noodles, never freeze dried was what I came to expect. Had them to go tonight and it tasted just like college, at about 7 times the price. The noodles had the thin kinky bent up shape that we all recognize rather than the the hearty thick noodles that you knew had never been flash dried with palm oil. Now my stomach is upset, my wallet is lighter, and I'm not going back to Penny's because rather than just not serve the quality ingredients they used to serve, they skimped and cost themselves a customer.
(1)
Justin H.

I go here for lunch usually about 2 times a week. Very fast and reasonably priced for the massive amount of food you receive. I love the sliced chicken. Just make sure to give it a good mix. The Thai iced tea is pretty good too!
(4)
Mary B.

I ventured here to meet a friend and was so pleased I can't wait to go back. Had the Tom Yum soup and Vietnamese spring rolls: very fresh, tasty, and healthy. Had a glass of wine that was a good size glass as well. The prices were great, not expensive at all. Dining area clean and open, liked the full windows. Parking is as expected in that area: Good Luck. Walk, get dropped off, take public transit instead
(4)
Gaurang S.

Another shining example of perfectly mediocre food in that long illustrious list of bad Chinese and Asian food in Wicker Park. This has been a problem that has nagged me for over 9 months now. How can you not have either one of *one* good Thai, Chinese or Indian place in all of Wicker Park? I'm not asking for all three. Just one. Any one. I have no horror stories here. The food is never bad. Just completely, make-me-miss-my-own-cooking kind of unremarkable. It's a pity, really.
(3)
Anna E.

I'm surprised that so many people said the service was bad...maybe it's because I'm Asian? So far, the staff have been pleasant and fast. Regardless of the service, I could (and often do) eat here at least once a week. Mostly because it's close to my house, but also because it's a great value for the large portions. If you're looking for traditional Thai, I will agree with everyone else...it's not. The sauce for the Pad Thai has somehow gone awry. However, the Hot Pepper Noodle with chicken and the Spicy Basil noodles are excellent.
(4)
Ray E.

Its hard to find decent thai food for cheap anywhere, not to mention in the heart of a hipster neighborhood where we all are vegetarians or vegans or trying to be (no offense WP, I heart you). Penny's is tottally that though, you get pad thai for like 6 bucks and theres enough to take home and have as a snack before bed. They've got some interesting variety too. I'd agree on the lack of veggies in meals though. I happen to like the atmosphere, where you can watch a game on tv, and see the counter, but if youre going for a relaxing, quiet one on one dinner its not the place... it almost reminds me of a cafeteria. Cheap drinks were right up my ally, I'd deff reccomend.
(5)
Kiyana B.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Order the Bean Thread Noodle and you will be in heaven. It's something $7 and I can never finish the HUGE portions they give....it's quality and fresh fresh made to order food. The Pad Thai is also excellent. This place is always hopping but they some how are able to serve you in a jiffy and take-out has never been more then 15min. (They deliver as well in the greater Wicker Park/Bucktown area)
(5)
Amanda M.

So my roommate and I picked up Penny's last night after she graciously came and got me from Midway. We were both hungry and wanted something fast so we decided to stop here. My roommate got the SautÃ©ed Chicken and I got the Sliced Chicken. Both are pretty simple dishes, with the difference being the Sliced Chicken has rice vermicelli noodles and ground peanuts and the SautÃ©ed Chicken had egg noodles and sesame seeds. The sauce was also different supposedly, one with "sweet soy sauce" and the other a "dark sauce." Though there were these differences listed on the menu we couldn't for the life of us decipher which was which when we got home. I finally found some peanuts in one and conceded that was mine. The similarities didn't stop there. We also got the "Crispy Rolls," which seemed to have the same noodles in the roll as the main dishes. They weren't that great, pretty bland. Even though my food was the same as my roommate's disguised under a different name, it was tasty. I think to really appreciate Penny's though you need to go the spicy route, as this seems to be more their specialty.
(3)
Edie J.

I went there with a friend after a failed visit across the street. The service was good, the atmosphere was good would like to come back again maybe on a rainy day because the windows are lovely. My friend really liked her ramen, but I made a mistake in ordering. I have to try again next time . . . it wasn't made badly or anything I just didn't like it. The dish had very subtle flavors and I like my noodles to have a powerful sauce. I was so surprised when we recieved the bill . . . it was completely reasonable . . :D I would try it if you are in the area, it's rainy and you want some noodles.
(3)
Tish N.

I really enjoyed the shrimp noodle soup, I have to try other things. I'm intrigued.
(3)
Tom A.

Pretty solid, quick cheap stuff. It's also absurdly fast -- they've got a well organized line in the kitchen. Many veggie dishes, and they are labeled such on the men, thanks. The sides are pretty cool. Nice little bowl of veggies. Had the watercress last night. Worth spitting one for sure. They only carry one local beer (Half Acre) which is a shame -- I never like seeing a long list of why-was-this-flown-across-the-ocean beers. Still, the Half Acre hits the spot. Great location for those of us on the blue line who want an easy dinner in the mega-intersection district-- it's all of 20 feet from the station.
(4)
Lori Taylor R.

If you are craving Thai food this is not the place to go, but if you're looking for a solid noodle dish Penny's is the place. It's a good spot for tasty, quick, and inexpensive noodles. The portions are enormous and there's a good amount of meat in each dish, especially for the $7 price tag. Highly recommend the Hot Pepper Noodle dish!
(4)
Sara A.

I was trying to give Penny's the benefit of the doubt, and have since gone back two more times. Mostly because the are right around the corner from where I work, and family meal at my restaurant isn't intended for non-meat eaters. So I went yesterday and ordered the Shrimp Tomato soup right before I had to be in for work. And while it tasted decently before going down, I thought the shrimp they used was kinda fishy. You could tell they were frozen before, had their tails removed, and where not pretty in form either. Plus, they tasted weird. Well, that weird taste disagreed with me about an hour later, and I have been dealing with it since. If I knew how to say no bueno in Thai, I would. Gross.
(1)
Anne W.

It's cheap I suppose.. but to me, the food is not really that great. And the food is cheap, like the price. I agree... the sauce or soup is roughly the same for every dish. I guess it's a good deal if you're just looking for something.. but I'd skip it if you were thinking it'd be something fantastic. It is crowded at lunch or brunch times.. so be prepared for a wait if you go.
(2)
Sara K.

I've been ordering for Penny's for well over 10 yrs and it's one of my favorites. But the past 3-4 times I've ordered (always the same thing, chicken lad nar) they skimp on how much they give you. Barely a full order and hardly any chicken. I mentioned this when I called the last time but they didn't seem to care because it was the same sorry order. It breaks my heart cause' I love it so but I guess like so many others, the bigger they get the less consistent they are. Too bad, one I'll really miss.
(2)
Lea S.

This place is great if you are looking to get a seat quickly, not pay a ton, and get enough food to have left overs the next day. I had the spicy basil with beef dish and it was really good. The spice was powerful, but no so much that you couldn't taste the flavors. I would suggest not sitting by the windows in the winter, since there was a serious draft freezing my right arm while I ate.
(4)
Anjee J.

This interior of this place is very cute and sitting next to their spacious windows makes for great people watching (or people watching you back as you inhale your food during your lunch break...), but I have to say that I wasn't very impressed with the food itself. While it's not *bad*, it's a far cry from authentic Thai food. I always measure a Thai place by their Pad Thai first, and theirs was... Well, it didn't actually taste like Pad Thai at all. Cilantro? Chicken that resembled beef due to heavy marinating? Light, soy-based (?) sauce? Like I said, it wasn't bad, but it definitely didn't taste like Thai food in the slightest. Didn't have the right texture or flavors. I guess they're trying to "Americanize" it or something. While I don't regret going, I also don't think I'll be coming back. If you find traditional Thai food to be too heavy or spicy, this place might be for you. Also, it is a little cheaper than other Thai places, which is a nice plus.
(3)
lola d.

It seems the few times that I have visited this joint have been for convenience and cheap eats. The food is just ok, but can be brought up a few notches with the awesome spicy sauce on the table. Go here for good service, cheap food, and the big window facing Damen Avenue. It's a circus out there and I love watching it!
(3)
Luis C.

I can never go wrong when i go to Penny's. This place has been a favorite spot for my wife and I. We chose Ramen with a which was fantastic because of the miso. For sides we had the chicken satay which was good. The service was friendly.
(4)
Ellen M.

I'll call this one a safe choice for the mixed group, i.e., those who love thai eating with those who still aren't sure where thailand is. I like my thai much spicier than this, but the meal was still pretty satisfying. The service was fine. Not a big selection of entrees or alcohol but they do serve Sapporo beer, so not bad. I'll say this - good value. Four of us had two appetizers, an entree apiece, a soda and four beers. Total paid was $60 including tip. Well-scrubbed dining room with pretty paint and nice floors. A little loud for chatting. Plenty of elbow room and you could probably careen around the tables pretty quickly without hurting anyone if you had a rocket tied to your back. Inoffensive, but not offensively so.
(3)
erica m.

I would give this place stars if the waiters and waitresses weren't so rude. They have really good cheap food. The Shrimp noodle soup is great on cold days and the thia ice tea and coffee will keep you cool on those warm summer days. I think all of their pasta dishes are amazing. As well as the Spicy Basil but I recommend you get take out to avoid the rude waiting staff. The food comes out really fast.
(4)
Chris C.

Portions seemed smaller and had too many noodles to protein/vegetables.
(2)
Sam B.

This place rocks. Awesome thai at a low price. This is my go to place for fast thai food. It's more of a lunch spot, or a take out place though. I wouldn't favor it for a dinner date, or dinner with friends. Its a bit too casual for that.
(4)
Vanessa P.

Ok, the only thing I will get from here is their Spicy Tofu noodle thing. It's spicy (surprise, surprise!) and not all that bad. Key is to take out the noodles and ask for extra veggies. However, I still wouldn't go out of my way to come here and there are far, far better places to go for Thai food.
(2)
John L.

The first time I looked at Penny's menu and saw the little " * " that denotes "spicy" next to many of the dishes and because there was the little " * " next to the Basil Chicken and Hot Pepper Noodle dishes, self said, "this shit is going to be awesome and I hope it's spicy!" Well, Penny's is basically Americanized Thai food, i.e., not bad by any means, but bland compared to authentic Thai. The Basil Chicken is pretty good but lacking in both spiciness and the lack of basil used; and I'm always a sucker for the wide noodles in the Hot Pepper Noodle dish. But, in addition to being pretty bland, Penny's tends to be oilier than other Thai food I've had. Oily isn't always bad. I expect the oil in fried foods, but Penny's on Damen tends to be excessively oily. I bet that Penny has to unfortunately withhold the spice because her typical clientele would not be able to handle true Thai spices. So for the taste-bud-timid, you'll probably dig Penny's. It's kind of like how you might think the Spice Girls are super-hot until you see them up close. Penny's looks and smells great and isn't bad, but when you taste it, there's more to be desired.
(3)
Cathaleya C.

I only came here to celebrate my brother in law's promotion (or new job). It's a nice place in a nice location. The restaurant is quite modern and sophisticate. Given the locale, the cost of dishes are more on the pricey side. Also, don't let the name fool you. It's more than just noodles. So, I ordered thai noodles. I don't remember which one because essentially, all traditional noodles should taste like traditonal thai. I'm only saying this because I consider myself a slight expert with thai cuisine. I did not expect it to have strange ingredients that made it taste eclectic. I think it's a fusion dish. I didn't like it, but I had to hide the truth from the in laws to make them feel confident. Besides, he footed the bill and I don't have time to be rude. The only outlet to my dining there again is for someone else to pay.
(1)
Katie A.

Penny's is near and dear to me. I've been eating here for as long as I can remember - ten years? This was some of the first Thai food I ever had, and although it isn't the most authentic, it's solid solid solid. I've always been a fan of the pad siew, the prices, and the views. Seriously - it's super cheap and consistent. My only complaint? They're not open on Mondays, and for some weird reason, that was ALWAYS the day I'd be craving it. Weird.
(4)
Crystal P.

Penny's is good for a cheap quick lunch. Here is the low-down on the best/worse of this staple. -hot pepper noodle -one of the best things on the menu tofu beef or chicken it is yummy. The Star of the menu. -Bean spouts an tofu- This is more flavorful than it sounds- I add some hot sauce cause I like it like that. -Red curry chicken- eh good if you have never had curry before- but it is a lil weak if you have had the real thing. its like curry training wheels. -chicken pad se ew- too sweet- way too sweet avoid -pad Thai not memorable (but is pad Thai?) - Thai Ice tea and coffee- a must with the hot pepper noodle. I have had many other things but this is what sticks in my head. Really If anyone wants a review on any dish there, with few exceptions I can give it!! This place has been a life saver for like 7 years of lunches and dinners for me.
(4)
Geoff H.

Just picked up lunch there. While I admit my order was totally unimaginitive (chicken pad thai and crispy rolls), the food was thoroughly 'meh'. I don't mean it was, like, BAD, it was just really bland, and no amount of peanut sauce or chili paste (on the pad thai) would save it, really. Also, what's with the stringy noodles and dark-as-if-soyed-already sauce? Pad Thai usually has somewhat broad noodles, from what I remember. The crispy rolls were not-so-much; kinda mushy-ish outside and in, with the spongy/stringy/greasy indiscernable veggies in the middle and no real spice. They might as well have been french fries. I think in general, I could have been just as happy with one of those dehydrated pad thai-in-a-box things you pick up at Walgreen's for two bucks. Really. Alas, the portion was big, it was packaged nicely and ready very quickly, so one star for that. I've had other things from Penny's that were better, so I'm not throwing the baby out just yet....I'll come again. Still, as 'cheap' as everyone claims Penny's is, I could have had a (bigger and better) lunch special at my local Chinese joint (Chen's Garden), with a drink included, for literally half what I spent at Penny's, and saved myself the drive to annoying Wicker clusterfuck. Oh, well.
(3)
Jason W.

Been here tons of times to get the Gai Kra Prow (they don't serve at the other locations). Went back after a year, and it just was not as good as it used to be. The other items we ordered were kind of bland as well. A bit disappointed, but not going to drop them to 1-2 stars yet...
(3)
Denice D.

Thai fried rice is delicious! Very easy and quick to order to pick up or to go! Great price, unique dishes, and fresh ingredients.
(4)
Erika K.

I absolutely love Penny's! Being a broke college student attributes to that - the prices may be a little spendy, but I always get the Tai fried rice and it's enough for two meals, which helps offset the cost quite a bit. We eat here all the time and it's just as wonderful of an experience as the first time. The Wicker Park stop is right off the blue line, so it makes it very easy to get there during the cold winter months.
(5)
Michele B.

The first time I went I was pretty pleased. Split some Thai Spring rolls, and I ordered the Spicy Beef Salad and a Thai Iced Tea. It was good. The next time I ordered Lad nar and I did NOT enjoy it. It tasted like a funnel cake at a dirty street fair. Too sweet. My date also felt sick after. He has eaten there a few more times and we have come to the conclusion that it's the grease they use, as my salad was wonderful, but other times resulted in very upset stomachs.
(2)
Keith R.

First visit in a LONG TIME... Not atthis particular location, but I haven't eaten in Penny's in a good 10 years or so, so it was nice to come for lunch after a day of photographing the canine action in the dog park at Wicker. With the heat, we opted to sit inside to hopefully cool down and simultaneously dry off(not just the sweat, but the water rubbed onto us and splashed on us from the oh so friendly doggies at the park). Unfortunately, they had the doors near the outdoor area wide open, so the temp inside was probably about the same as it was outside. Ordered the Vietnamese spring rolls as an appetizer, a good way to start a summer lunch as they aren't fried and won't weight you down. I just wish they could have come with shrimp inside as an option. Maybe it does, but I didn't ask. Mel got the VeevMo, an acai spirit based mojito with Pellegrino Limonata and other stuff I can't remember. I do remember being jealous that all I ordered was an Oberon. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but theres something about minty soda-ey(is that even a word) cocktails that just have a cooling effect on a hot day. As far as my entree, I was torn between ordering my old standby of Pad Thai with chicken, spicy and something different. A quandary, as I'd never eaten at this Penny's location, and haven't had Penny's in so long. I wanted something familiar so I could gauge, but decided I just wanted something new in the end. Ended up ordering the Egg Noodles with BBQ pork. I can't resist pork. I love egg noodles. It's a steal at $6.50. I asked them to make it spicy. It came out mildly mild. Lucky for me, there is chili sauce on the table. I ate half and took the rest for dinner. It was a nice reunion, and an old friendship that I'll be sure to revisit more frequently in the future!
(4)
I J.

The food is amazing, and the prices are just right; however, the waiters are strange and will do something to make you feel uncomfortable. I've only had one good waiter here and his name was Andrew or something similar. Order to carry out because you'll definitely feel sort of uncomfortable.
(3)
Alexandria T.

I'd been to Penny's once before and didn't like the dish I ordered at all. I decided to give it a second try and ordered some carryout a couple of weeks ago. I got an order of the crispy rolls and the hot pepper noodles with tofu. I walked in to place my order and the food was ready in just over ten minutes. The crispy rolls were really good, but also really greasy. The noodles were pretty standard, not anything amazing, but not bad either. I'd probably go to Penny's again just because there aren't very many other good noodle shops in the area.
(3)
NY Q.

Had some very average and bland coconut soup and pad thai noodles here. Not worth it.
(2)
Magen M.

It's not top of the line, but it was good. The service was nice, the place was nice and clean. The food was yummy. It won't knock your socks off but i'd still say its worth a repeat visit.
(3)
Josh C.

I love this place. I don't get out to Chitown all too often - grad school and work tends to get in the way. But now and again I find myself sneaking over, whether for research or pure pleasure, and I always come back to stay in Wicker Park. Fun, youthful part of town, not to mention easy Blue Line access, and Penny's Noodles. Came out last weekend for the Lawrence Arms show in Wrigleyville. Dropped by Penny's for dinner with my traveling companions. What I love is how affordable this place is - in the context of Chicago, that's saying something. Also, the food is delicious, and most diets can be accommodated here - two of us were vegan and the other vegetarian, and we were all able to stuff our faces to satisfaction. Yet, there were plenty of carnivorous offerings for those who would be so inclined. Also, the environment appears quite classy while having an informal feel. It's great - like Noodles and Co that has been given a makeover (including the menu). I had the Pad Se Eu (obviously minus egg, and with Tofu); my roommates had the Vegetable Noodles Soup and Red Curry (with Tofu). All the food looked awesome. Mine definitely was; they commented quite the same. It wasn't my first visit to Penny's and it won't be my last.
(4)
Steven M.

Really good service and the Thai ravioli is pretty good. Nothing complicated going on here: bbq pork slices and steamed shrimp dumplings with a healthy portion of crushed peanuts. I wanted something more like an appetizer in an entree size and I got just that. Mmm.
(3)
Leanne M.

Penny's is my favorite thai takeout! I've been going here for over 6 years and they have the best food. The cooks are extremely quick, I've never waited more than 10 minutes for my food - takeout or dining in.
(5)
Marcie G.

For some reason, my Tofu Pad Si Eu tasted heavily like cinnamon. Anyone else?
(2)
phil e.

enter into penny's. a clean fast food joint at best? but then the menu. yes, the child caricature on the menu is arguably racially offensive. is Penny the child? the food is instant laxative. o joy of penny's porcelain throne! overpriced. without taste. it's like eating strips of air-flavored poisoned "food." people who are ignorant may find this place good. I call them APPLEBY'S PEOPLE.
(1)
Ryan C.

We like to come down here for lunch when we are craving Thai. I love the Hot Pepper Noodles, and my wife loves the Pad See Ew. We then both put a lot more of that hot sauce from the table into it as well to really kick it up. The food is always consistently excellent and they are really nice. We came with a group one time and we thought it was a BYOB, so we brought our own booze in. They were nice enough to let us drink it and not force us to order their booze. We get this place delivered sometimes as well, and it travels nicely as well. I feel like you get smaller portions though. We will definitely keep going back.
(4)
Hilda M.

Love this place. It's my fav go to when In wicker park! I always get the pad Thai and Thai iced coffee. The gyoza appetizer is pretty great as well.
(4)
Joey C.

I've eaten at the Lakeview location many times and enjoyed it. Moved to Bucktown and ordered from the Wicker/Bucktown location tonight. Delivery man got lost. He called us several times. He finally arrived with a wrong (and cold) order. Items missing, one item arrived that wasn't ordered. I took a bite of the Pad Thai and it was awful. Angel hair pasta with chicken and veggies. No sauce, no flavor, it was just terrible. My friend's soup was cold, my other friend said he'd never eat there again. We called for a refund (only on the incorrect item). They hung up. Called again and was transferred to "Penny" herself. I explained the situation and she offered a refund. I walked over and grabbed the money. Thanks for the refund, but I won't be coming back again.
(1)
Michelle L.

Never ever going back here again for chinese/thai food. I ordered the Vietnamese spring rolls and they were such a disappointment (ok, I should have prefaced this with the fact that I am Vietnamese so I know good Vietnamese food). The spring rolls were bland and they sauce was so sweet...nothing like what the sauce is supposed to taste like. Then I order the Pad See Eu (sp?). Again, the sauce so so sweet that it ruined the dish. I also ordered Thai coffee and half the glass was cream so after two sips I was done with it. Maybe I happened to choose three of the worst items off their menu in one visit? Who knows but I wouldn't recommend this place to my friends.
(2)
Irene G.

I like this place - even though the Thai food is pretty typical, I still very much enjoyed my Hot Pepper Noodle dish and Tom Yum Soup. What else can I say? I love spicy food! The service was excellent, too.
(4)
Cristie F.

I don't know what it is. Something about Penny's continues to bring me back to Chicago from the 'burbs. Maybe it's the memories of eating there throughout my college years, sharing good times with old friends and family. Maybe I just like the food - who knows. The food is good, not exceptional, but tasty nonetheless. If you're looking for traditional Thai food, I'm not sure this is the place for you. I like to think of it as a noodle shop (literally) that serves noodle dishes with a hint of Asian flair and flavor. Service is always fast and friendly. Never in 12 years of eating at Penny's has my water glass been left empty. (((Side note: Huge points in my book - I'm like a freakin' camel with the amount of water I drink.)) The food is good and very inexpensive which can be a challenge to find these days. Long Time Faves: * Japanese Gyoza - Ground pork and veggie dumplings fried to perfection with a sweet soy sauce. Drool. * Pad Se Eu with beef - Love the sweetened soy sauce with egg & broccoli * Sliced Beef Noodles - Or chicken. Or tofu. It's a simple dish, but always a go to. * Lad Nar - Crispy, pan-fried rice noodles. Enough said. The only thing I haven't enjoyed at Penny's was the BBQ pork. It's just not my thing. As for everything else on the menu, it all makes me pretty happy. I love the apps. Love the soups. Love the noodles. Love Penny's.
(4)
Dave G.

The best unique thing about this noodle joint is the awesome cocktails concocted with home made liquors and mixers. I had the Bangkok Sunrise with fresh lime sour and hibiscus flavored rum. Delicious! The noodles were just okay. My spicy basil tofu bowl was pretty bland and needed a healthy dose of soy sauce. Not even spicy, my 2 & 4 year olds ate more of it than me! Extremely vegetarian and kid friendly. I also really appreciated the sturdy reusable chopsticks instead of cheap disposable wooden ones.
(3)
A L.

Got the chicken pad thai with tofu -- they ask you if you want both or you can do half and half (without an extra charge). The pad thai was okay. It's not your traditional pad thai -- I'd say they use more of a soy sauce based sauce than the typical tamarind/fish sauce since their noodles are darker. Kind of a new age pad thai, if you will. It's worth a try, if anything.
(3)
Chicago A.

Hands down, Penny's is the best Thai / Noodle shop in the city. They have their own twist for each "go-to" Thai dish that just makes everything better. The Thai Ravioli is simply amazing and the crispy spring rolls are a must. Order in or have it at home Penny's is simply the best.
(5)
Bizzle Z.

We love Penny's. Easy, cheap, & pretty darn tasty. Fun option for delivery as well - just don't order sodas. (I've failed to have them included with my order the past 3 times and they are always unapologetic when I call. "You can drive down and pick them up if you'd like". Why the heck did I order delivery idiot? A simple "I'm sorry" would have been nice ;) So aside from the occasional disinterest in customer service, we like this spot. Any of the locations actually. Pad Thai, Red Curry, Pepper Beef, Crispy Rolls - all our faves.
(4)
Klima K.

even it's a chain restaurant, but I have to say this damen location penny's noodle shop have the BEST PAD THAI I ever have!! cheap beer make additional point!
(5)
Jim C.

Ordered a bowl of veggies and asked for a side of fried rice and they would only sell me white or brown rice for some reason that even the waiter could not explain. So much for taking care of the customer... Food is mediocre
(2)
Anthony M.

I have been coming to this location for years and have never had a bad meal. I can hardly believe I haven't written a review. We are really set in our ways when we come to eat here. Our night goes like this. We start out with two Apple Ciders with a nice 5.6% Alcohol Kick. Then we go to the Goya...the ground pork dumplings are so delicious. In the past, I would get three and my wife would have one but that has all changed...now my little girl gets all 4 and then starts begging for us to order more for her! Things do change when you have a family. Then my wife and I each order the Hot Pepper Noodle with Chicken. I eat with chopsticks, while my wife rolls with a fork...I think Asian food tastes better with chopsticks. Then the chili sauce starts kicking in and our noses start running! My wife gets half of her noodles packed in a container and we leave Penny's happier, then when we walked in. I could use some Hot Pepper Noodles right now!!!
(5)
Anne M.

Sinead O'Connor said it best: "Nothing Compares 2 U". And this time I'm not crying, thinking about a boy; no, no... this time, I'm thinking about a big ol'plate o'noodles. Delicious, delicious noodles. The snippets: ------------------ Penny's, you're my #1! Penny's is what I judge every other noodle dish against. Penny's is the gold standard for chicken pad se eu and lad nar. I'm forever in debt to a special man for introducing me to Penny's Noodle Shop. The details: --------------- Consistent service, fair-prices, large portions, great flavor/texture of dishes. This place has mastered the semi-crunchy yet soft noodle dish. I'm not getting a big plate of soggy, slimy noodles (like many other thai places), here they are really cooked to perfection. The pad se eu is a little sweet, smokey, crunchy/chewy wide noodles, served with lots of chicken, scrambled egg bits, and broccoli. It is so. good. Lad nar is an even crunchier noodle that gets soggy/more chewy the longer it sits in the gravy it is served with - has a nice ginger spice flavor, served with shredded carrot, broccoli, and lots of chicken. This location in particular, is our go-to for thai/noodle dishes. Have also tried several apps, and everything has been top notch.
(5)
Andre E.

Whenever i just have to have Thai food the choice is this noodle shop. The food is very good and the prices are average and about what you would expect to pay if you eat Thai on a regular basis. I recommend the Chicken Satay or Spring Rolls to start and for your entree' the chicken fried rice or vegetable fried rice is a must. It's BYOB which is great, but beware parking is very difficult to find so public transportation is your best bet.
(4)
Dan M.

Simply delicious! My wife and I tried penny's noodles for the first time last week Friday and were very pleased with the whole experience. The service was fast and friendly. The servings big and plentiful not to mention delicious. We had the chicken pad Thai which was to die for! They also bring u hot chili sauce on the side to add to your liking. The bill was less than $20 which was a bargain for such great food and service. I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Monica Z.

I LOVE this place and always will. 5 stars for sure! I always order the beef salad, order of gyoza and 5-pepper shrimp. It is as hot as it gets but it is sooooo delish. Wash it down with a glass of cold Sapporo and your night is perfect! I also like their wonton soup and crab rangoon. Friendly and fast service, great food, fun location and clean restaurant!
(5)
Kristen H.

Great pad thai, and unique sauces that they bring out to the table just make the food even more flavorful. The prices are reasonable, and their asian rice pudding was amazing! My boyfriend who is never satisfied when it comes to spicy food, absolutely loved his three times spicy noodle dish. We did not have a chance to try out the drinks, but they sure looked tasty. The dishes are pretty big as well.
(5)
Nicolas H.

It's good. Well, it's decent. They have some good appetizers and the entrees are pretty good. Nothing is spectacular though. I usually stick with the noodles, or soup or some rice dish. The prices are a little high for the quality of the food, but its pretty fast and friendly service...
(3)
Dianne S.

I like my Thai. I like it cheap. I like it in large quantities. I like it clean. $6.95 chicken pad thai. Huge portions, had more than enough leftover for lunch the next day. Loved the fresh & crunchy bean sprouts, but could have used a bit more cilantro. Decent selection of Chicago beers-try Half Acre Over Ale. Hip local art work hanging on boldly painted walls. Big plus...Sox game on the tele...on the northside. Our waitress was even wearing a White Sox cap. Love it. Parking may be a problem since this location is right smack dab in the middle of Wicker Park's night scene, but you can still find street parking if you're patient & lucky.
(4)
Neha N.

Living in Wicker Park, I am usually trying to scope out food that is tasty and inexpensive AND vegetarian friendly....which isn't the easiest thing to do.... Penny's has SEVERAL vegetarian options including crispy rolls which actually has shitake mushrooms in it and vietnamese spring rolls. I feel like I sometimes get a confused look when I ask for eggrolls without actual egg in it, and Penny's completely delivers on that. I had the vegetable noodle soup, it was perfect for a healthy but tasty meal. It's not packed with flavor, but you can use the hot sauce to spice it up to your liking. I love that they bring the veggies on the side, so you can actually choose what you want in your soup. Customizable meal for $7.50...count me in! I had the spicy gingerale and that was a miss... it tasted like someone dropped some hot sauce and mixed it in with the gingerale, not really a good taste. Other options on the menu that I can't wait to try are the spicy basil that you can substitute with tofu and the tom yum soup.
(4)
Jessica V.

Cheap Thai food? Of course I'll be eating here! Their menu is pretty straight forward. Drinks, Apps, Soups, Rice Dishes, Noodle Dishes, && Desserts. Whether you are a vegetarian, meat-lover, or you can not eat flour sweets... well then Penny's is the right choice for you! Despite the fact that a woman was recently robbed infront of this Penny's I would still come here! Of course with a can of pepper spray! =) Onto the food.... Everyone swears by the pepper noodle with beef or chicken and so do I! I enjoy their gyoza app, as well as their pad thai. Tom Yum Soup is pretty delish too! Has plenty of broth&seafood&veggies&flavor to sit well in your stomach on a cold afternoon! You can get tofu in any of your main entrees which makes this place vegetarian friendly. Also, for dessert you can treat yourself to some flourless cake! Wash it all down with some traditional Thai Iced Tea & you're golden! How bout them chopsticks! Their servings are huge and the prices are cheap for what you get. Is this place a fine dining spot? No... Does this place get crowded? Yes, at times Will you be full? Yes, & you will be full when you eat your leftovers as well Is it tasty ? Hell yeah Will I come back? I already been back ! =)
(5)
Adam D.

Like getting kicked in the nuts by a hot chick, Penny's Noodles was an experience that was memorable but i could have done without. The food wasn't a huge issue. It was what you'd expect from a place with noodles in the name. Noodles. They're pretty hard to screw up. Screwing up the service on the other hand was what they excelled at. This dude was just too cool for school and for us for that matter. I'm sorry if i haven't decided on what to order by the time you walked up. Go ahead and roll those eyes, I'm sure it helps your hipster mustache grow faster or something. I guess I'll take an order of condescension with a side of surliness. After our server didn't pay attention to what my mother had ordered, and brought the wrong plate, my wife ended up taking it to him and telling him it was wrong to which he replied he'd have to check with his manager. No dude. you screwed it up. Not us. Bring us what we ordered. After that debacle, he avoided our table like the plague and when my mom's correct order showed up at the counter for him to bring it over, he waited a few more minutes before he did. The place wasn't packed so you weren't that busy and i watched you look at the order slip next to the plate and walk away from it. When he finally did come back, it was like he couldn't be bothered to poor me some water. Don't worry dude. I'll just choke on your ordinary noodles for the fun of it. That's just what i like to do. So, unless you're in a bind or have a hankering for some over priced Top Ramen Noodles with Oscar the Grouch as a server, skip it. Maybe dude was just mad because he couldn't get that dirt off his upper lip.
(2)
Steve Y.

I'm an "authentic snob," but authenticity aside, this place gets 5 stars from me for being my personal getaway when I'm in Chicago. I only go here for one thing and that is Pad Thai. It's got a harmony of all that I love personally. It's got the crunch from the red cabbage and bean sprouts. It's chewy, nutty, and extra cilantro and lime really make it refreshing. I add spoon fulls of the chili pepper paste (on every table) to make it spicy to finish it off. I love looking at all the local art work that line the walls and looking at the L train go by. When I worked in Chicago for 4 years, I came here to getaway from work, often bringing colleagues who also brought others. Soon people I never took were coming up to me and thanking me for introducing Penny's to whoever that took them here. The place just FEELS like Chicago (esp. to a non local like me). Eating a Pad Thai and drinking Thai iced tea by the window, watching the L train above feeds my soul, not just my stomach. That's what I love about Penny's. I recently went back after 2 years and Penny actually recognized me!
(5)
Amanda C.

Ohhhh Penny's, how I missed thee. Came in for a much needed fix, & left satisfied. For appetizer we had crab rangoon (my cousin who was with me claims they're the best) & it was delicous!!! Onto the main dish... Beef Pad Thai. Oh yum!!!!!! Yum, yum & more yum. I ordered & forgot to say no cilantro but caught them in time! I devoured mine...& so did she. My cousin had Pad Thai with shrimp & tofu. I had a taste & it was delish. Tofu was tastier than I thought it would be. For dessert we had the creme brulee... She had never had it. She loved it... The burnt sugar was perfect, nice & crunchy. Texture of the creme brulee was perfect & flavor was spot on! I appreciated the fact that my water was always full even when we sat for a while after dinner & talked. We weren't neglected after we paid the bill. Penny's... Can't wait to visit again!!!!
(5)
Kat D.

This is my favorite Thai restaurant in the city. They offer really speedy delivery and the food is awesome. We usually get Vietnamese spring rolls, crispy rolls, pad Thai and Thai fried rice. Everything is always delicious and reasonably priced.
(5)
Amily T.

If you're looking for authentic Asian / Thai food, this is not the place for you.
(2)
Vaidehi T.

It is at best a 3 - star rating. Was here last night for dinner. Its a nice, clean place with good service. The problem is the food. We ordered the crispy rolls for appetizers and for the main course we got the vegetable soup (pho) and the Lard nar with tofu. None of the dishes were memorable. The crispy rolls were very bland. The menu description said it has mushrooms, cabbage and thin noodles but all it had was the thin noodles. It was very funky smelling and not in a very good way. The vegetable soup was decent ... it was not great pho, but no complaints. The Lard nar was not good at all. Very greasy, with no real taste at all. The server never asked what kind of heat levels we wanted in our food and the Lard nar had no flavor, no spice whatsoever. Overall, the food was quite disappointing.
(3)
Karen V.

I absolutely love this place!!! Anytime I am in town, we make sure we get in there for the hot pepper noodle and the Thai iced tea. Love it!
(5)
Steve M.

I ordered Penny's on Saturday night, and this was my experience: #1 - The delivery guy refused to bring the food up to my door, so I had to go downstairs and pick it up from his car. Really? #2 - I felt sick for 48 hours after eating there. I could not eat or drink anything without it coming back up. Now - I know this is a serious allegation, and I'm not out to hurt anyone's business. All I know is what I experienced. The following also occurred: - Penny's refunded my money immediately. - They sent me multiple reassurances about the seriousness with which they conduct their food safety practices. I do believe that they care 100% about the health and safety of their customers. They were responsive and professional through and through throughout a less than perfect situation.
(1)
Ashley B.

Cute little patio (with herbs planted next t you!) and the drinks are pretty tasty. I had the chicken noodle soup, which are the kinds of dishes I order all the time, and it was not that great. My boyfriends stir fried rice looked much better. I want to come back and try it again and find something I like. I'm determined since it's just so close!
(3)
Randy F.

I live a few hundred feet from Penny's and love Thai food, so I had high hope for this place when I moved to the neighborhood. I order from here regularly because it is so convenient, but the food is really just okay as far as Thai food goes. I will say the crispy rolls are some of the best spring/egg rolls ever, but I've found the entrees lack the flavor I look for in good Thai food.
(3)
Dennis J.

I hadn't seen my sister in a while because we'd both been travelling for work, so we thought we'd get together and eat some good food. We stopped by Au Cheval, but since there was a wait just to put down your name (seemed like something out of a Key & Peele skit), we jumped in a cab (only because my sister has started to hate taking the train for some reason, I would have taken the Blue line) and went to Wicker Park. We were on our way to Antique Tacos when my sister pointed to Penny's and said she liked their pad thai. Since that meant a stoppage to walking and eating sooner than later, I said why not, even though Yelp had it at a solid 3.5. Well, we got chicken pad thai, the both of us, with a nice heaping side dish of food poisoning. You might say - how can you be sure it was Penny's? We both ate completely different things the whole rest of the day and ate the same exact meal here. I don't know if it was the bland noodles, the overcooked chicken or the awful hot sauce, but somewhere therein lies danger. Never. Again.
(1)
Cole G.

Good food, great service, and friendly staff. Try the hot pepper noodle but ask for crispy noodles.
(4)
Stephanie L.

Absolutely delicious! I'm not going to be in Chicago for much longer, but I would love to come here again! I got the roasted BBQ pork noodles with vermicelli noodles and it definitely hit the spot! Especially in this 20 degree weather. My friends had a sip of my soup and they loved it too! They had the hot pepper noodle with chicken and that was yummy as well. My friends also loved the $4 mango margaritas. I definitely recommend this place. Pricing was fair. Service was on point as well.
(5)
Tamir A.

Nice atmosphere and service, but the kitchen is inflexible with substitutions and my pad see eu was burnt to a char. The other guests I went with also didn't find their meals (spicy basil noodles and Thai fried rice) too appetizing.
(1)
Jessica Y.

3 words - TOM YUM SOUP! This was the second stop on our Friday night food crawl and my brother and I shared a pad thai ($7.95)and the tom yum soup ($3.50). Even if I was only eating here for the night sharing would have been enough food. In that case I would probably have ordered one more dish. Our server was great. He offered to split our dishes when I told him we were going to share. THE SOUP was addicting. It was quite spicy but left me wanting more. I wish I could have some now. The pad thai had great flavors and noodles were not over cooked. DÃ©cor reminds me of Chipotle with the urban warehouse/garage look. Penny's is a low key, clean restaurant, tasty food, fast service neighborhood joint. Noodles/soup for those cold Chicago winter days hits the spot!
(4)
Lyndsie L.

Very disappointing. Prices on yelp menu are not accurate. Coming from southern Cali, I have yet to try a good Asian restaurant or even a decent bowl of pho in Chicago. I keep hoping there is that hidden gem in the culinary mecca that is Chicago and wanted to give Penny's a try, especially after seeing their reasonable prices online. $20 for the red curry and shrimp noodle soup is outrageous. There were 5 small shrimps in the soup and some measly chicken scraps in the curry. The curry was watery and lacked seasoning. For $8.75, the amount of chicken they used was ridiculously cheap. Even more enraging was the shrimp noodle soup. The shrimps looked like U50's which for a restaurant, especially a chain like Penny's, would probably get a pound for $3. I've noticed a trend of Asian restaurants in Chicago of being very stingy, maybe because the lack of competition but 5 shrimps in a vegetable broth for $8.95? There is nothing costly in this dish. It's a vegetable broth that tasted like an onion, celery and carrot base so that costs barely anything either. I don't mind paying for quality but this lacked in quality as well as quantity.
(2)
Emma G.

Pad Thai is good and their drink specials are a nice way to get you in the door but I haven't been enthralled with anything so far.
(3)
Reuben H.

On one of my most recent antisocial escapades (with my good buddies- me, myself, and I), I found myself at Penny's, alone, sitting across from no one and getting ready to attend the concert of one of my all-time favorite bands once again, alone. Why Penny's? Because Penny's doesn't judge me for running solo. They've been around for awhile and don't seem to try to be anything more than who they are- a simple noodle spot that isn't quite authentic (Thai), but is good and offered at a good price. What all Americanized "ethnic" places should be, or at least strive to be. As I sat there and watched the suckers at Big Star form an orderly line for beer and tacos, I was able to enjoy a lightly spiced dish with wide rice noodles, tofu and various wok-fried vegetables- all for about $8.00. Not a ton of food, but freshly made, tasty and definitely enough for one. I also enjoyed a tall boy of Daisey Cutter from Half Acre for $5.00. A pretty good bargain for a restaurant if you ask me. I like Penny's for what it is. Decent food and drink at a decent price. Plus, they don't look at me weird when I come in alone.
(3)
Joseph D.

This place is ridiculous lunch for two cost $30 and that was WITH a drink each. The food is wonderful. We were going to Big Star and if was just crammed with Hipsters so we tried this place and couldn't have made a better decision. I will be back.
(5)
Stefan W.

Oh, Penny's. You sly, sly minx. For years, I've thought of Penny's as generic but totally acceptable Thai food. I finally had the experience needed to shake me from this daze. At best, Penny's is mediocre; at worst, a pale and pitiful comparison to the other great nearby options for Thai. The servers are always friendly enough, but I have become more and more convinced that they have a back room stocked to the rafters with tubs of "I can't believe it's not Thai food." I was getting started on my palatable enough entree when my lady noticed that something was not quite right with her order. On my Momma, that tofu tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We flagged the waitress and notified her of the confusingly spiced and sickeningly sweet condition of the dish. The waitress returned and confirmed that the kitchen had used too much of the wrong spices on the dish. Having just stopped in for a quick bite, we didn't want to wait for a replacement and asked her to take the uneaten dish away. A few minutes later, a busboy asked if we wanted this culinary experiment wrapped to go. We sure didn't, so he took it away. The waitress came by with the check, told us she spoke to the manager (I believe the owner), apologized, and instructed us to not tip her. Uh huh, that's odd. Looking at the bill, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is still on there. Livid. I've waited tables. I've run restaurants. The fact that the manager left the dish on the bill, told our server to instruct us not to tip her, then watched this girl come to our table to make sure we were told not to tip her is enough to keep me from ever supporting that owner and the way she runs her business.
(1)
Carolynne M.

Penny, you made me fall in love with your Red Curry years ago. But your execution of it at this location was a bit...flat to say the least. The coconut flavour did not really come through as strong as it should have and what was up with the onion quarters? That's a lot of onion to be chewing! Slices, people, slices. But I thought the decor and size of this location was pretty rockin, and we had a cool server. But I think I will stick to my Wrigleyville location from now on.
(3)
Sammuel P.

Penny's is a great and inexpensive place for a quick bite to eat. I ordered the spring rolls which were not that good. They really didn't have much flavor. However, the Tom Yum was excellent, they serve a pretty good size bowl of the soup and plenty of shrimp, it was also spicy. I also recommend the Thai fried rice (spicy), a lot of flavor, and pretty big portion. Overall, I would go again, I live in the area, the food and price are just right.
(4)
Nikki M.

I'm kind of shocked to see a lot of people not liking this place. I really dig their pad thai. Honestly, I think it's the best I've ever had in the city. Try to prove me wrong people! I am absolutely obsessed with their Shrimp Noodle Soup, though. The tomato broth with cilantro and bean sprouts with the thin noodles and obviously big pieces of shrimp are heavenly to me. I usually come in and order it to go but if I do eat in, I haven't had any problems with service. The last time I was there, though, this lady at the table next to me gave me the pleasure of watching her change her daughter's diaper. Why she didn't use the bathroom, I don't know.
(3)
Ali A.

Thai chicken fried rice was my choice here. Its right off the blue line Damen stop. I added extra spice to my dish and I immediately regretted that. I wasn't sure how spicy it was going to be. The dish actually packed a lot of heat on its own. It was however still really tasty. I will go back again.
(5)
Cherie E.

I tend to shy away from reviewing chains (and I consider Penny's a quasi-chain) but given its convenient location under the el, I get takeout from there too often to continue avoiding a review. So - it's good for takeout. The menu is diverse, the food is of OK quality and the prices are reasonable. Best of all, you usually wait only 5 minutes for the food to be prepared (I typically get the veggie bowl, so perhaps that explains why it's so quick.) As for dining in, it's alright. The service is usually consistent and it's a good choice for a quick meal. Not what I would consider a dinner destination (for out of town guests, for example) but it serves its purpose in the neighborhood. I like this location a bit better than the one on Diversey b/c there the dining area seems a bit brighter/more open and because there's an outdoor seating area. All in all, even if some complain it's not the most authentic Thai, it's a nice place to have in the neighborhood.
(3)
Kate G.

Just tried the beef pad Thai. First time at this place. Loving it! Finally a Thai place that listens when saying SPICY! They even gave me extra hot sauce. I usually don't get beef, but it tastes amazing in this dish so I'll definitely be getting it again. Portion is huge! Probably for 2. Price of $9 and some change is definitely worth it.Can't wait to eat the leftovers.
(5)
Joe M.

I'll start by saying I've only been there once, but I would never go back because our food was borderline inedible. I ordered Lard Nar and I was served deep fried rice noodles instead of the normal soft creamy rice noodles you are normally served. Im all for innovation but these noodles were greasy and really off-putting; it felt like I was eating a bowl of oil-ladden fried wonton skins. The sauce which is normally a thick and subtly flavored brown gravy was a soupy sticky, cloyingly sweet sauce with dry rubbery chunks of chicken and shredded carrot. My wife ordered a vermicelli rice noodle dish and it was even sweeter than mine and honestly gross. Neither one of us finished more than a 1/4 of our plates and the waiter didn't even think to inquire why. All around it was a disappointing experience. Perhaps we ordered the wrong things, but it would take a lot of convincing for me to try this place a second time which is rare for me to say.
(1)
Chrissey N.

Delicious pad see ew, the noodles were nice and thick, and the broccoli was crunchy and fresh. The beef was tender and delicious, and overall the dish was very flavorful and yummy. I would not say that this is authentic Thai, but it was really spectacular. However, my water had a small bug in it, and because of that, I have to remove a star. All they did was replace it with a new glass, and awkwardly take my old glass so that no other customers would notice.
(3)
Sharon L.

Everyone salivated over the ramen but I was in the mood for a vegetable noodle soup. After a night of drinking, the nourishing soup hit the spot. Tofu was of the yellow fried variety. The vegetables consisted of sprouts, cabbage, and carrots. My cousin ordered the vegetable noodle bowl (sans soup) and received the same dish that I ordered except there was no soup. Clean, friendly service.
(4)
Jill T.

Fast service, good for kids (high chairs) and yummy food. Vegetarian Bowl was great for me (vegan) Our waitress was very accommodating: the staff seems very friendly.
(4)
Trevor H.

Food is cheap, fast and delicious! They always have a drink special which is appealing to those of us that need Thai and drink at the end of the day.
(5)
Roxane P.

One of my favorite places in the city to get Thai! Their dishes are always full of flavor and each portion can feed up to two people! Their Pad See Eww is to die for! With just right amount of everything, this wonderful dish is brought to life at Penny's! This was my first time at their Wicker Park location and my experience was great! The location is convenient and the service was awesome! Also this location is much bigger than their other ones, making it easier to have dinner with friends!
(4)
Joshua M.

I've been here a couple of times with inconsistent results. The Pad Thai is normally pretty good. However, the bean sprouts they use seem somewhat less-than-fresh. They also are the only Thai restaurant in the area that puts cilantro in their Pad Thai, which I don't particularly like (and always forget to ask them to omit because I don't think of cilantro as something that goes in Pad Thai). In my last visit, I tried the beef Pad See Eiw. It looked really appetizing, was the right color, etc. However, it tasted like nothing. All I could taste was gummy wide rice noodles with zero hint of broccoli, beef, or sweet soy flavor. Zero seasoning, and it just wasn't good. For a restaurant that's got "Noodle" in the name, I expect more out of their noodle dishes.
(2)
Cat H.

Food is not authentic nor good at all. When I asked to remove an item from the shrimp spring rolls, I was told they can't since they're "already premade". Huge red flag for me. Do yourself a favor and head over to Sticky Rice on Western Ave instead for some really fresh amazing Thai food. Great drinks though I must say. I'd probably only be back for those.
(2)
Natalie C.

Came here after a yoga class at Nature Sanctuary - temperatures were starting to plummet and we spotted Penny's Noodle and my friend and I thought "ahhh steamy hot soup noodles would hit the spot!". We sat near the window, got an order of the vietnamese spring rolls to start with. I ordered the shrimp noodle soup with roasted tomatoes and my friend ordered the ramen. The spring rolls were pretty bland and the sauce to dunk them in was weird... I'm use to viet spring rolls coming with a plum sauce of sorts, this one was sort of sour and sort of sweet.. but not terribly flavorful all round. Our noodles came out, mine was vermicelli in a clear broth with some very red tomatoes and a few pieces of shrimp. The broth seemed like a light chicken stock (not very shrimpy) and there weren't many pieces of shrimp, but it got the job done, warming up my belly. The tomato pieces were a good acidic pop to the not-so-flavorful broth, and so a redeeming quality of the dish. My friend's ramen looked pretty basic - thin noodles with some bamboo shoots and randomly, some bean sprouts. Overall the meal was pretty lack luster. I would rate it a 2.5 based on the food (not offensive by any means, just not very tasty), but the service was friendly and efficient, and the meal was pretty cheap. With all the amazing noodle joints (ramen, pho, wonton soup, etc) in the city, I probably won't be back.
(3)
Amanda S.

Arrived for an early dinner with a friend on a Friday evening: we asked to be seated outside so I could stare at Big Star, where I wanted to be BUT my "friend" said NO...we have to try this place, it was recommended to me by a friend. Whatever!! Realistically, we probably wouldn't have had time for Big Star because that place was POPPIN, as I hear it always is. Anyway, no one was in the restaurant. I believe there were four patrons sitting inside when we arrived. The hostess led us to our table and we sat outside and waited...and waited. And no one came. I went inside and asked the bartender if someone was coming out. A few moments later, our very polite and seemingly young waitress arrived. I ordered a mango margarita (why I thought that was a good idea, not sure). This drink sucked. It was just straight up gross and syrupy and had no redeeming quality whatsoever. My friend had a bottle of Corona, and was happy with his choice. We had seaweed salad and spring rolls as appetizers. The spring rolls were good: crunchy, light flavor and thoroughly cooked. The seaweed salad was terrible. It actually tasted spoiled and was basically inedible, grossed me out. For an entrÃ©e, I ordered the tofu pad Thai extra spicy, which is my go to at Thai restaurants. The portion was huge, the flavor was very good and I like how they added heaping portions of fresh purple cabbage on top to mix in. Not the best I've had, but very good. Overall: if I lived in Wicker Park, I would order the pad Thai to go for lunch. The service wasn't great and the seaweed salad and drink were atrocious. I won't be returning. They must be doing something right since there are three locations but I wasn't blown away and pad Thai is readily available at about a million places in the city and burbs. Sidenote: my sister told me the location on Diversey is better.
(2)
Allie H.

Penny's has some of the best Chicken Pad Thai ever! I love the ambience of the restaurant and the wait staff is friendly and helpful from start to finish. You can't go wrong with anything you order here.
(5)
Melanie T.

Came on a cold Sunday night with my family. It wasn't busy so that was good for us since my kids are loud. Service was quick, which we loved and appreciated! My husband and I ordered soups, my tween ordered a pork and rice dish and my two younger kids had chicken satay. My soup tasted just like how Mama would make it! It was so warm and filling! Everyone cleaned off their plates without me having to yell at them to...so you know the food was good!
(5)
Heather U.

The food here is awesome and the staff is very friendly. Danielle was our server and she was funny and always made sure everything was ok. We will be coming back more often. :)
(5)
Renee D.

After trying Thai food many places, this is still my favorite I miss my favorite location on Sheffield, but have never found Thai food I like this much.
(5)
Michelle V.

Finding a place that wasn't obnoxiously loud during a hawks game seemed impossible until we got to penny's. Besides keeping my hearing I was also happy that the food wasn't over priced for wicker park which ment I was able to order a daquri without feeling guilty. Waiter was nice and was kind enough to explain the difference of the dishes we ordered. Bill was under 30 for two people so I know where to go in wicker.
(5)
Jannis W.

Imagine a Thai version of Pick Up Stix...POOF you have Penny's Noodles. The food here is a few notches above mediocre at best. It is a very watered down version of real Thai food. Trust that I know what real Thai food is. I was born and raised in SoCal where there is a plethora of Thai restaurants. More importantly, I have roots that trace back to Thailand and grew up eating this cuisine. I have also visited the country six times and have had the opportunity to eat from bug carts, street side, country side and at fine establishments. I dined in for my first experience and ordered take-out for the second. I have to say, the restaurant is pretty immaculate and the service was great. The satay chicken was on the dry side and the peanut sauce was nothing worth mentioning. The sauce for the lad nar was tasty but the consistency was very watery, which is not typical. Another thing that is not typical is the cruchy large noodles. I was surprised when I received the lad nar and even argued that it was the wrong dish, until I read the description. The curry was delicious. I enjoyed the spicy basil fried rice, tasted pretty baseline. The pad sa eew was the worst I had ever had anywhere! Holy moly the noodles were so big. It had a cardbox taste to it and I'm certain the shelf life of these packaged noodles had to be a minimum of 20 years. This dish tasted kind of like pre-packaged asian food that you throw in the microwave. Side note, I ate the leftovers for breakfast and consequently had food poisoning. Of course I will go back. The food is not bad. If you expect fast food quality and price, you will not be dissappointed.
(3)
M H.

Go to dish is hot pepper noodle with tofu. Going on years that I have had it and delivers every time. Great spot.
(5)
Sarah V.

Dined in twice, ordered out once and won't do either again. I really wanted to like Penny's. The staff is nice, the prices are reasonable and it's just up the block from me. I ordered the pepper beef each time. It was okay, just kind of lacked seasoning. That fateful day: I slept late, skipped breakfast and ordered Penny's for lunch. As always the staff was kind and the food was ready pretty quick. Less than hour after eating I started to feel sick. As a frequent visitor of third world counties, I know that feeling and it's not good.... Needless to say, I won't be going back.
(2)
Jun J.

it was good pad. thai was good. nice open space. nice waitress. the drink was okay as well. it was cheap.$5
(4)
Michelle K.

Delicious Chicken Pad Thai! This may be the best I've ever had; definitely the best I've tried in the area. I went with a friend for lunch on a week day and service was very quick. Portions are big and prices are very fair.
(5)
Andrew G.

Love this place. Great food. A bit pricey, but worth it. Love it in the summer, has out door seating that's off Damen Damen location is the best one. On Diversey it's more salty, and the atmosphere isn't as nice.
(5)
Peter D.

Not bad but not amazing. Will probably be our go-to Thai spot in the neighborhood given its proximity and pricepoint. Service was solid and efficient and that's all I ask for. Bell's Oberon is only $3.50 here which is pretty good as well. Consider Penny's if you want a quick Thai fix in Wicker Park.
(3)
Heather S.

Awesome little Thai noodle shop in my old neighborhood.. Wicker Park has really grown and a ton of awesome little jewels have sprung up since I was here last. I have always loved how diverse Chicago was , but now that I'm older I really appreciate it so much more. It was cold and rainey so when we strolled past this place we had to stop and try it- besides if it smells amazing outside how could one resist?? Small place, but very modern and minimal inside- also loved that it is on a corner so make sure you sit by the window- great people watching. We were seated right away- and given water without asking. Jai floated over and took our drink orders- they have a full bar and I was just on the blue line all day- so tequila martini it is! They have Corazon on the bar menu- tequila, blood orange juice with a salt and pepper rim- perfect to warm me up! I asked Jai what she suggested and she mentioned she had the dumpling soup for lunch but with half noodles- SOLD! It came out promptly and at the perfect eating temperature. The broth was the most amazing heavenly liquid I have ever tasted! I really just wated to skip all the add-ins and drink it alone. But I made sure to eat my shrimp dumplimgs, braised beef, bok choy and noodles while scooping up the broth in every bite. I can't wait to come back and try more!
(5)
Amanda P.

I've been coming here for years, I know a lot of people who call this American Thai but whatever to them, it's good. Really good actually, I'll hop off at Damen on my way home grab it to go and hop back on the blue for takeout! They are so fast, good price and tastes great! Also, if you want beer/wine, etc those are reasonable as well. I love the Tofu option in everything which isn't always available everywhere. They also have a pick up zoned parking spot in front for to go!
(4)
Lisa H.

Excellent, inexpensive Thai food. And still BYOB. I have since moved away from Chicago, but every time I return I get chicken Lad Nar. This is the best Lad/lard Nar I've ever found. I've darn near ordered it 20 times across the U.S. No one else crisps the rice noodles like Penny's. And their Pad Thai is what you will compare everyone else's to - it's the bench mark. Are there better, fancier, more refined Thai restaurants? Absolutely, but this one is where you will go weekly.
(5)
Vaishu P.

Fantastic food, Fantastic prices and Fantastic service! I really couldn't ask for anything better. The restaurant is never that crowded, atleast everytime I went there, so it's a very pleasant experience for when you want to have long conversations over great food. Finding this place happened by fluke one day, and I'm so thankful for it. This is the only Thai place I go to now. I always have their miso soup and crab rangoon! The chicken Satay was delish too.
(5)
Mai T.

This was my first time at Penny's and it won't be my last! The food was delicious and my waiter was very nice. I had the pad Thai and it was really good. The location is very convenient, just right off the Damien stop on the Blue Line.
(5)
Naisa F.

My boyfriend and I love this place. Always get the pad Thai. Portions are big so worth your money. Good and service are great! Parking a bit difficult to find but its right next to the damen blue line train. Will definitely be going back.
(4)
Kelly N.

This will always be one of my favorite Thai cuisine restaurants. Such wonderful memories took place at Penny's. When I turned 21 it is where I purchased my first alcoholic beverage. They always have such lovely artwork on display. Plenty of tables and a great atmosphere to go with that. It can get pretty busy though on certain days. Staff is always more than attentive and pleasant! Always will recommend the Pad Thai with tofu.
(5)
Patrick D.

Great food, good service. Last time, the waiter was somewhat quiet and it was hard to understand him when Blue Line was roaring next door. Always get the Pad Thai with Chicken and it's always delicious and priced affordable. Definitely one of my favorite noodle spots in the area.
(4)
Migdalia D.

I came here in the summer. My dish had bra spouts, chicken, ramen noodles and green onion. I forgot the name of the dish due to the lack of any flavor or seasoning. I had put tons of soy sauce and hot sauce to get any taste. But coming here to pinch a penny, nothing less is expected. Maybe I'll order something with beef next time.
(2)
Eric S.

Uuuhhhh gross. I'd literally rather eat boxed ramen than the bland, canned noodle soup at this place. Skip this, just go straight to Stan's instead.
(1)
Jenny H.

Yum! I love me some Thai food, and this place did not disappoint! Convenient location right by the Devon stop on the blue line, and it is a large restaurant with lots of seating. We went for lunch on Sunday. I ordered a Thai ice tea, and a chicken pad Thai. I have to say, that was one of the best pad Thais I have ever had! Plus, the portion was huge. It's probably big enough for two people, but I enjoyed it so much that I managed to finish it all. My friend got a mojito, which was just $3! She also got the beef pad see Ew. She didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my dish. You could barely see or taste the eggs in it, but someone (manager maybe?) came over right away when he noticed us looking around and looking confused. He had the cooks cook a small dish of eggs and brought it over for my friend to add to her entree, which was very nice. Overall, this is a great restaurant, and I will definitely be back. The food, prices (7.95), and portions can't be beat!
(5)
N P.

Love - can't go wrong.
(5)
Jack F.

Wasn't blown away by the food here. I'd go here again if there was nothing else open in the area. Nice place to sit down though. Typical quality food.
(3)
Kyle H.

After a few more pop-ins to Penny's, I'm upgrading to three stars. It's perfectly fine for a red curry and rice, washed down with a beer or their amazingly flavorful Spicy Ginger Beer (with Basil). Service is helpful and courteous, and they have a nice beer and drinks menu.
(3)
Jen C.

This place is always a good (cheaper) go-to spot for us in wicker. Their curry is awesome and they usually have some really good beer specials. They also have a great patio that is rarely crowded. It's wonderful to sit there with great food, and stare at everyone across the street eat at big star at their super crowded tables ;)
(4)
Kristin K.

A haiku for this delicious restaurant: Friendly, yummy, clean Best pad thai I've had around I will return here
(4)
Rebecca S.

Penny's is a pretty solid choice if you're in the mood for Asian fusion food. The noodle dishes are tasty--especially the Lad Nar and the Pad Se Eu. What made my last meal there really tasty was the Gai Kra Praow rice dish! It was the best thing I've tried at Penny's. "Stir fried minced chicken with hot pepper basil sauce served over rice." Flavorful but not overwhelming. Would definitely go again!
(4)
Dr M.

Love Penny's. Been there about ten times. Food is always good and prices always reasonable.
(5)
Abe K.

Ate there on Saturday Jan. 17, 2015 @ 9:30 pm . Meh. The food was OK. We ordered an appetizer and two entrees. The entrees showed up first and the appetizer showed up 5 minutes later. The server said she thought we wanted everything at the same time? Stupid response. Other servers kept showing up at our table at the end of the meal every 5 min asking if we were done. Annoying The food tasted boring and the drinks were weak. Probably won't return,
(2)
Clint B.

Great place with yummy food and great service! Really enjoyed my Chicken Pad Thai and Tom Kha Kai Soup! Of course it was too much food for 1 person, but I ate it all anyway!
(4)
Vanessa H.

This my go to Thai place in the neighborhood. My fiance and I have ordered at least a dozen times. However, with my delivery, for some reason this time I was charged a fee for hot sauce? No big deal, but I mean, come on... Otherwise, five stars. Love the Pad Thai, Hot Pepper Noodle, Red Curry, and Tom Yum soup.
(4)
Jonathan N.

During my travels for work I find all the good and shit Thai food when I reach a new town. I'm always in search of a perfect Pad Thai and lucky for me the best I've had is in my own back yard. Pennys is the first place I hit every time I make it back to Chicago because I crave their food.
(5)
Amy W.

My friends and I ended up in this area of Chicago for a band signing. While in line, looked up the reviews for this restaurant and decided to give it a try. Amazing. Totally amazing. The restaurant itself is small with tables only, no booths. The vibe of the restaurant very much matches that of bucktown. I'm vegetarian so it's always refreshing to see a menu with more options than salad. I ordered the Tofu Pad Thai. Although I was not crazy about the tofu, the noodles were the BEST I have ever had. The staff was so friendly and the wait felt like less than 10 minutes. I most defiantly recommend to anyone who loves noodles.
(5)
Desiree M.

After years of ordering the beef pad thai for carryout I finally came to Penny's for dine in. The neighborhood is horrible for parking, so we walked and decided to sit outside and enjoy the patio. Penny's wins points for having a relaxing patio, even in the heart of a hectic neighborhood. We ordered the beef pad thai and pepper steak, with crab rangoon for an appetizer. Everything was fresh and tasty. I could have used a bit more flavor on the pepper steak, but it was still enjoyable. The quality of the beef is definitely better than your typical Asian faire. And the prices are very reasonable. The service was also good, although there was an awkward moment in the beginning of the meal where they sent one waiter out. He very briefly talked to us, then disappeared. A couple of minutes later a new waiter came over and took care of us. He was very good, so I can't complain. Just not sure why we got the switch up.
(5)
Nikki K.

I always get take out here - great neighborhood spot that's quick and yummy. My husband loves the Chicken Pad Thai with Tom Kha soup and I'm a big fan of the beef soup and gyoza. Simple order but it always delivers with full flavor and enough for leftovers too!
(4)
Eduardo D.

Me and my girlfriend go here maybe about 2x a month, sometimes even 3x...our favorite place! Food is awesome! Service is awesome. Great place to go if on a date, brunch, dinner no matter what time of day. Hot pepper noodle is to die for, and so is there grai kraw pow! Thai iced tea is awesome as well! Great for all ages too.
(5)
Miss S.

A friend had told us to never bother eating here--we did not listen and wasted $25! Take heed, save your $$$!! When I walk into an Asian joint, if there are no Asians eating, I usually take that as a bad sign. However, when I wandered into Penny's one hungry afternoon, there was 1 Asian family stuffing their faces--I was cruelly deceived! My go to dish is always red curry with tofu and I've had many, many versions. When I order red curry I want just a few things: sticky jasmine rice, heat, and flavorful sauce. Penny's gave me none of those things. The rice literally tasted like it had been zapped in a microwave, the sauce was very thin and runny and so flavorless it was impressive. Red curry is a spicy dish and there was no kick of any kind, it was a dead dish. Even the "chili sauce" on the table was not spicy! The dish had large chunks of crunchy onion that were unpleasant to eat. I had about 2 bites before I gave up on it all together. The only saving grace for this place is the staff, very friendly and attentive. However, not a place to head to if you want even just a mediocre meal.
(1)
Morgan B.

I have been coming to this Penny's for 5+ years and it never lets me down. Their Crab Rangoon is the best in town for sure
(5)
Shannon S.

My husband and I go about once a week. Between the two of use we have had just about everything and we have no complaints. Well that's not true. I've asked for a few beers on the menu and several times they have been out. No big deal, really. My other half is a big eater so we can get two apps, two entrees and maybe a soup plus the hubs gets extra meat and I don't think we have ever paid more than $40.
(5)
Jerome M.

YUM! This isn't the most consistent place I've been to, but it's not bad either. I used to LOVE a few noodle dishes (spicy basil and hot pepper noodle) but after several times of it not being so consistent we found a new order. We start with one of their tasty appetizers (usually Crispy Rolls), followed by Tom Kha Kai soups, and split a Lad Nar. If we feel like we could still use some extra foods, we get the delicious Rice Pudding. The past 5 orders haven't disappointed! As an added bonus, the prices are super reasonable.
(4)
Fabiola B.

Got the chicken pad thai and my boyfriend got the beef pad see ewe, so not too adventurous, but both were solid! Not the best Thai food I've had, but the service was fast & friendly and the location is pretty much unbeatable. Did I mention the portions are huge? I had some serious walking to do afterwards.
(4)
april w.

They always have drink specials around $4-5! One of peach cocktails I tried had salt sprinkled on the glass, which I wasn't too fond of. But my friend really likes their pad Thai! I tried their pad woon sen once and it wasn't too good - the menu said it's supposed to come with eggs, but it didn't. I did ask them about it so they brought a plate of eggs out to me, which was nice, but I was still not too impressed by the taste in general.
(3)
Connie C.

The day I ate at Penny's was the day I learned that a generic ethnic name does nothing for authenticity. As I previously chose places like "Gold Garden" for my chinese and "Thai House" for my thai food. Penny's has broken that for me because I found dishes that I've never tried in other restaurants. I tried the hot pepper noodle and it was absolutely delicious! It's actually one of the many dishes I still dream about here in rainy San Francisco. The "wide" noodles were unusual for me because it was more square shaped than my standard long, wide noodles. All the ingredients were super fresh with a flavorful base and meat. Mango margaritas had the perfect balance of fruit to liquor. We came back twice during our trip :X and that's how you know its good if you're willing to come back during your same vacation!
(4)
Megan C.

I come here for the food, not the service. I like the Chicken Pad Thai, and the crab rangoons. As far as the service, the waiters are usually HORRIBLE. I was there today and our waiter didn't even welcome us, just walked up and asked for our order. He never once checked on us. I looked over and he was just sitting at the bar doing nothing. The bus boy came by and checked on us but that's not even his job! The waiter acts like he hates his life and job and I have NEVER seen him happy or smile. Maybe because he gets low tips of a result of his attitude. I like a smile and a greeting from a waiter.
(3)
Jessi Q.

So delicious! Contrary to the yelp attributes, Penny's totally has cocktails, which are cheap ($4 specials!), delicious, and pretty. The rasberry martini is like delectible alcoholic sorbet. We had the udon, which had super flavorful broth, and the dumplings (called "thai ravioli,") which come with bonus slices of bbq pork. All of it so good!
(5)
Ariadna P.

The Pad Thai is delicious! The service is great and we loved the ambience. This was a great discovery and I'll definitely come back!
(5)
Josh C.

I love this place. I don't get out to Chitown all too often - grad school and work tends to get in the way. But now and again I find myself sneaking over, whether for research or pure pleasure, and I always come back to stay in Wicker Park. Fun, youthful part of town, not to mention easy Blue Line access, and Penny's Noodles. Came out last weekend for the Lawrence Arms show in Wrigleyville. Dropped by Penny's for dinner with my traveling companions. What I love is how affordable this place is - in the context of Chicago, that's saying something. Also, the food is delicious, and most diets can be accommodated here - two of us were vegan and the other vegetarian, and we were all able to stuff our faces to satisfaction. Yet, there were plenty of carnivorous offerings for those who would be so inclined. Also, the environment appears quite classy while having an informal feel. It's great - like Noodles and Co that has been given a makeover (including the menu). I had the Pad Se Eu (obviously minus egg, and with Tofu); my roommates had the Vegetable Noodles Soup and Red Curry (with Tofu). All the food looked awesome. Mine definitely was; they commented quite the same. It wasn't my first visit to Penny's and it won't be my last.
(4)
Dave G.

The best unique thing about this noodle joint is the awesome cocktails concocted with home made liquors and mixers. I had the Bangkok Sunrise with fresh lime sour and hibiscus flavored rum. Delicious! The noodles were just okay. My spicy basil tofu bowl was pretty bland and needed a healthy dose of soy sauce. Not even spicy, my 2 & 4 year olds ate more of it than me! Extremely vegetarian and kid friendly. I also really appreciated the sturdy reusable chopsticks instead of cheap disposable wooden ones.
(3)
A L.

Got the chicken pad thai with tofu -- they ask you if you want both or you can do half and half (without an extra charge). The pad thai was okay. It's not your traditional pad thai -- I'd say they use more of a soy sauce based sauce than the typical tamarind/fish sauce since their noodles are darker. Kind of a new age pad thai, if you will. It's worth a try, if anything.
(3)
Chicago A.

Hands down, Penny's is the best Thai / Noodle shop in the city. They have their own twist for each "go-to" Thai dish that just makes everything better. The Thai Ravioli is simply amazing and the crispy spring rolls are a must. Order in or have it at home Penny's is simply the best.
(5)
Bizzle Z.

We love Penny's. Easy, cheap, & pretty darn tasty. Fun option for delivery as well - just don't order sodas. (I've failed to have them included with my order the past 3 times and they are always unapologetic when I call. "You can drive down and pick them up if you'd like". Why the heck did I order delivery idiot? A simple "I'm sorry" would have been nice ;) So aside from the occasional disinterest in customer service, we like this spot. Any of the locations actually. Pad Thai, Red Curry, Pepper Beef, Crispy Rolls - all our faves.
(4)
Klima K.

even it's a chain restaurant, but I have to say this damen location penny's noodle shop have the BEST PAD THAI I ever have!! cheap beer make additional point!
(5)
Jim C.

Ordered a bowl of veggies and asked for a side of fried rice and they would only sell me white or brown rice for some reason that even the waiter could not explain. So much for taking care of the customer... Food is mediocre
(2)
Anthony M.

I have been coming to this location for years and have never had a bad meal. I can hardly believe I haven't written a review. We are really set in our ways when we come to eat here. Our night goes like this. We start out with two Apple Ciders with a nice 5.6% Alcohol Kick. Then we go to the Goya...the ground pork dumplings are so delicious. In the past, I would get three and my wife would have one but that has all changed...now my little girl gets all 4 and then starts begging for us to order more for her! Things do change when you have a family. Then my wife and I each order the Hot Pepper Noodle with Chicken. I eat with chopsticks, while my wife rolls with a fork...I think Asian food tastes better with chopsticks. Then the chili sauce starts kicking in and our noses start running! My wife gets half of her noodles packed in a container and we leave Penny's happier, then when we walked in. I could use some Hot Pepper Noodles right now!!!
(5)
Anne M.

Sinead O'Connor said it best: "Nothing Compares 2 U". And this time I'm not crying, thinking about a boy; no, no... this time, I'm thinking about a big ol'plate o'noodles. Delicious, delicious noodles. The snippets: ------------------ Penny's, you're my #1! Penny's is what I judge every other noodle dish against. Penny's is the gold standard for chicken pad se eu and lad nar. I'm forever in debt to a special man for introducing me to Penny's Noodle Shop. The details: --------------- Consistent service, fair-prices, large portions, great flavor/texture of dishes. This place has mastered the semi-crunchy yet soft noodle dish. I'm not getting a big plate of soggy, slimy noodles (like many other thai places), here they are really cooked to perfection. The pad se eu is a little sweet, smokey, crunchy/chewy wide noodles, served with lots of chicken, scrambled egg bits, and broccoli. It is so. good. Lad nar is an even crunchier noodle that gets soggy/more chewy the longer it sits in the gravy it is served with - has a nice ginger spice flavor, served with shredded carrot, broccoli, and lots of chicken. This location in particular, is our go-to for thai/noodle dishes. Have also tried several apps, and everything has been top notch.
(5)
Andre E.

Whenever i just have to have Thai food the choice is this noodle shop. The food is very good and the prices are average and about what you would expect to pay if you eat Thai on a regular basis. I recommend the Chicken Satay or Spring Rolls to start and for your entree' the chicken fried rice or vegetable fried rice is a must. It's BYOB which is great, but beware parking is very difficult to find so public transportation is your best bet.
(4)
Dan M.

Simply delicious! My wife and I tried penny's noodles for the first time last week Friday and were very pleased with the whole experience. The service was fast and friendly. The servings big and plentiful not to mention delicious. We had the chicken pad Thai which was to die for! They also bring u hot chili sauce on the side to add to your liking. The bill was less than $20 which was a bargain for such great food and service. I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Monica Z.

I LOVE this place and always will. 5 stars for sure! I always order the beef salad, order of gyoza and 5-pepper shrimp. It is as hot as it gets but it is sooooo delish. Wash it down with a glass of cold Sapporo and your night is perfect! I also like their wonton soup and crab rangoon. Friendly and fast service, great food, fun location and clean restaurant!
(5)
Kristen H.

Great pad thai, and unique sauces that they bring out to the table just make the food even more flavorful. The prices are reasonable, and their asian rice pudding was amazing! My boyfriend who is never satisfied when it comes to spicy food, absolutely loved his three times spicy noodle dish. We did not have a chance to try out the drinks, but they sure looked tasty. The dishes are pretty big as well.
(5)
Nicolas H.

It's good. Well, it's decent. They have some good appetizers and the entrees are pretty good. Nothing is spectacular though. I usually stick with the noodles, or soup or some rice dish. The prices are a little high for the quality of the food, but its pretty fast and friendly service...
(3)
Dianne S.

I like my Thai. I like it cheap. I like it in large quantities. I like it clean. $6.95 chicken pad thai. Huge portions, had more than enough leftover for lunch the next day. Loved the fresh & crunchy bean sprouts, but could have used a bit more cilantro. Decent selection of Chicago beers-try Half Acre Over Ale. Hip local art work hanging on boldly painted walls. Big plus...Sox game on the tele...on the northside. Our waitress was even wearing a White Sox cap. Love it. Parking may be a problem since this location is right smack dab in the middle of Wicker Park's night scene, but you can still find street parking if you're patient & lucky.
(4)
Neha N.

Living in Wicker Park, I am usually trying to scope out food that is tasty and inexpensive AND vegetarian friendly....which isn't the easiest thing to do.... Penny's has SEVERAL vegetarian options including crispy rolls which actually has shitake mushrooms in it and vietnamese spring rolls. I feel like I sometimes get a confused look when I ask for eggrolls without actual egg in it, and Penny's completely delivers on that. I had the vegetable noodle soup, it was perfect for a healthy but tasty meal. It's not packed with flavor, but you can use the hot sauce to spice it up to your liking. I love that they bring the veggies on the side, so you can actually choose what you want in your soup. Customizable meal for $7.50...count me in! I had the spicy gingerale and that was a miss... it tasted like someone dropped some hot sauce and mixed it in with the gingerale, not really a good taste. Other options on the menu that I can't wait to try are the spicy basil that you can substitute with tofu and the tom yum soup.
(4)
Jessica V.

Cheap Thai food? Of course I'll be eating here! Their menu is pretty straight forward. Drinks, Apps, Soups, Rice Dishes, Noodle Dishes, && Desserts. Whether you are a vegetarian, meat-lover, or you can not eat flour sweets... well then Penny's is the right choice for you! Despite the fact that a woman was recently robbed infront of this Penny's I would still come here! Of course with a can of pepper spray! =) Onto the food.... Everyone swears by the pepper noodle with beef or chicken and so do I! I enjoy their gyoza app, as well as their pad thai. Tom Yum Soup is pretty delish too! Has plenty of broth&seafood&veggies&flavor to sit well in your stomach on a cold afternoon! You can get tofu in any of your main entrees which makes this place vegetarian friendly. Also, for dessert you can treat yourself to some flourless cake! Wash it all down with some traditional Thai Iced Tea & you're golden! How bout them chopsticks! Their servings are huge and the prices are cheap for what you get. Is this place a fine dining spot? No... Does this place get crowded? Yes, at times Will you be full? Yes, & you will be full when you eat your leftovers as well Is it tasty ? Hell yeah Will I come back? I already been back ! =)
(5)
Adam D.

Like getting kicked in the nuts by a hot chick, Penny's Noodles was an experience that was memorable but i could have done without. The food wasn't a huge issue. It was what you'd expect from a place with noodles in the name. Noodles. They're pretty hard to screw up. Screwing up the service on the other hand was what they excelled at. This dude was just too cool for school and for us for that matter. I'm sorry if i haven't decided on what to order by the time you walked up. Go ahead and roll those eyes, I'm sure it helps your hipster mustache grow faster or something. I guess I'll take an order of condescension with a side of surliness. After our server didn't pay attention to what my mother had ordered, and brought the wrong plate, my wife ended up taking it to him and telling him it was wrong to which he replied he'd have to check with his manager. No dude. you screwed it up. Not us. Bring us what we ordered. After that debacle, he avoided our table like the plague and when my mom's correct order showed up at the counter for him to bring it over, he waited a few more minutes before he did. The place wasn't packed so you weren't that busy and i watched you look at the order slip next to the plate and walk away from it. When he finally did come back, it was like he couldn't be bothered to poor me some water. Don't worry dude. I'll just choke on your ordinary noodles for the fun of it. That's just what i like to do. So, unless you're in a bind or have a hankering for some over priced Top Ramen Noodles with Oscar the Grouch as a server, skip it. Maybe dude was just mad because he couldn't get that dirt off his upper lip.
(2)
Steve Y.

I'm an "authentic snob," but authenticity aside, this place gets 5 stars from me for being my personal getaway when I'm in Chicago. I only go here for one thing and that is Pad Thai. It's got a harmony of all that I love personally. It's got the crunch from the red cabbage and bean sprouts. It's chewy, nutty, and extra cilantro and lime really make it refreshing. I add spoon fulls of the chili pepper paste (on every table) to make it spicy to finish it off. I love looking at all the local art work that line the walls and looking at the L train go by. When I worked in Chicago for 4 years, I came here to getaway from work, often bringing colleagues who also brought others. Soon people I never took were coming up to me and thanking me for introducing Penny's to whoever that took them here. The place just FEELS like Chicago (esp. to a non local like me). Eating a Pad Thai and drinking Thai iced tea by the window, watching the L train above feeds my soul, not just my stomach. That's what I love about Penny's. I recently went back after 2 years and Penny actually recognized me!
(5)
Amanda C.

Ohhhh Penny's, how I missed thee. Came in for a much needed fix, & left satisfied. For appetizer we had crab rangoon (my cousin who was with me claims they're the best) & it was delicous!!! Onto the main dish... Beef Pad Thai. Oh yum!!!!!! Yum, yum & more yum. I ordered & forgot to say no cilantro but caught them in time! I devoured mine...& so did she. My cousin had Pad Thai with shrimp & tofu. I had a taste & it was delish. Tofu was tastier than I thought it would be. For dessert we had the creme brulee... She had never had it. She loved it... The burnt sugar was perfect, nice & crunchy. Texture of the creme brulee was perfect & flavor was spot on! I appreciated the fact that my water was always full even when we sat for a while after dinner & talked. We weren't neglected after we paid the bill. Penny's... Can't wait to visit again!!!!
(5)
Stephanie C.

Sorry can't say I loved it. I was in Chicago for a few days on business. My friend texted me to try this place and I wanted to come to the youthful Wicker Park neighborhood. The decor looks sports- bar ish, or take out ish. And it is a take out Thai place. It's Thai btw, not a Japanese or Asian in general noodle shop. I came around 9, and got a table alone. I ordered the acclaimed hot pepper noodle. It was basically drunken noodle, but with tomatoes in it? Not really sure what was up with that- it made the dish overall extremely watery. Otherwise, the dish was fine but blah. Good noodles, but too many peppers and not any basil. Yes there was cracked black pepper but so what? To me, this is a too-Westernized version of Thai food. I expected more from Chicago! Overall, the noodles were some $8 (cheaper than NYC, my home), and the service was fast and really polite. They filled up my water just fine. Can't say much about the decor. There was a bar, tables, and a nice flat screen for sports watching. I guess it was kind of like a better version of a cafeteria? If I'm back in town, I would definitely try some more authentic places.
(2)
Ashton G.

Ate here while staying in Bucktown last weekend. We were expecting the food to be better, but everything we had was just mediocre. Drink prices are great and they do have a good beer selection. Service was also great, they just need to try a little harder with the food.
(3)
S P.

I consider myself sidebar of an expert on Thai f foods in Chicago. I've been to almost every restaurant, like at least 30 of them. The only reason this place is popular is location, it is well located in the heart of wicker. I was Unimpressed.
(1)
Deanna P.

I love Penny's Chicken Pad Thai. I've tried a couple other dishes, but this is my fav. I love the fresh vegetables and the added spicy-ness. One complaint however; sometimes when I order, the "chicken" looks questionable - like it may be beef or pork. I get a little peeved because I like to know what I'm eating and I like to eat what I order.
(3)
Tera D.

I wasn't expecting much with Penny's - it seems so big and impersonal, compared to my favorite whole in the wall Thai places. But I live close and it deserved a try. Surprise surprise - it was great! We dined in on a weekday night. They get a pretty solid crowd, mostly families and people coming by after work. Service was good and fast, as expected for Thai. We got the Japanese Gyoza, which were little fried dumplings with delicious minced meat inside. Yum. For entrees I got the red curry and the boy got the hot pepper noodles. Neither was particularly spicy, but they were both flavorful and ingredients were fresh and well cooked. The menu isn't quite as extensive as some places, and it's not BYOB, so one less star for that, but otherwise great success!
(4)
Lindsay Y.

Best pad thai in the city! It was and very tasty and not to mention, it was under $8.00!
(5)
Lauren G.

Okay, this has to be my favorite Thai food place in all of Chicago. Maybe you're wondering why I gave it a 3 star. Well, even though the food is the bomb.com the parking is the worst, the service is a hit or miss, and it's not B.Y.O.B. like their original location on Sheffield in Wrigleyville. Okay, maybe I'm being meladramatic but it's the truth, B.Y.O.B. at one location but not the rest? Well I choose to go to the Damen location because you can really forget about parking in Wrigleyville and that location is much smaller. I deflect. The gyoza is absolutely the BEST gyoza I have ever had in my life. Honestly. It is. My mouth salvates talking about it. yumm :) The food is more "Americanized" but it's not as Americanized as let's say, Noodles & Co. You won't be disappointed when it comes to the food, and it's SO cheap! You get what you pay for doesn't apply when it comes to Pennys. I've had pretty much the whole menu and I have nothing negative to say about any of their options. The service on the other hand, most are friendly but there never seems to be the same people there and there's always a new face so it's really a hit or miss. I've had terrible service there before and I've had great service there before. I really just go for the food not the experience.
(3)
Aly H.

Decided to go to Penny's with my boyfriend after a long day and it was the perfect calm atmosphere :) at first you think it may be too dark, but the dimmed lights prompt reflection and intimacy. We went around 7:30pm and it wasn't too busy. Our meals were out in no time- I can personally vouch for the shrimp noodle soup :) portions were huge! I'll definitely be coming back :)
(4)
Christina M.

Jenny was server and she was alright...but not very attentive. The food is always great at pennys and pleased not to have a wait on a saturday night. The prices are so inexspensive. This isn't my favorite thai restaurant of all time. But I get the padthai shrimp, and thai fried rice and it's always pretty good.
(3)
Ann D.

Love this place!! Food is AWESOME! Just didn't appreciate the waiter with the blond ponytail sticking a bill on the table in the middle of dinner....... Maybe I wanted another drink??
(4)
Mundo M.

I've been going to penny's since the 90's and their food has never let me down. Favorite spot is Wicker Park/ Bucktown. It's not hardcore Thai food but I would not call it the Taco Bell of Thai food either. The dishes are fresh and simple. Get the lad nar it's a good intro to Thai food and Penny's is BYOB.
(5)
Larissa A.

HOLY CRAP YUM!!! We walked into Penny's after spending the better part of the day traveling to Chicago. Honestly at that point I would have been happy with anything that was moderately edible. Thankfully Penny's in more than just edible. The Tom Yum Soup was my favorite, some of the best I have ever had. Both myself and the Boy got noodle bowls. MIne was a BBQ Pork and it was AMAZING!! I would eat these two things everyday if I could. One of the things I really enjoyed about the place it's self was the art. It was this odd portraits that reminded me of the old photos people would take of their loved ones after they passed. Creepy and sad yet beautiful. IT was not typical of restaurant art but that is a good thing.
(5)
Foodie S.

I've been eating Penny's Noodles for years. I have eaten at every location and I'm happy to say every location prepares the dishes exactly the same. I love dining in at this location. The staff is always friendly and attentive! My favorite entree is the SautÃ©ed Chicken but you can't go wrong with whatever you order here. Last night we ordered a feast for 4 people for a mere $30. The dishes are pretty large as well. You get a lot for the small amount of money that you pay! All ingredients are fresh and delicious!
(5)
Patrick S.

Yay! I'm a fan! I had a fabulous Saturday afternoon lunch here with my newest Yeep friend Tory W. She is so cool and honestly we are so cool together that we spent a good deal of time here just chillin" out and talking after our delicious meal of yummy noodles served hot and fast. I could tell it was a chain, but that didn't detract from the overall experience, in fact it added to it by being very professional and experienced. Everything from the menu to the service to the food was top notch. It;s not gourmet, it;s just good hot food served fast and priced cheap. I'll definitely be back again and hopefully with my friend Tory too. Cheers!
(4)
Rits M.

I love Penny's. I discovered it on the way to the station and walked in. The place is pretty much a diner, layout and seating utilitarian rather than decorative. The actual decor is kind of creepy and morbid- I'm talking about the pictures on the wall. But I go there when I'm hungry and at that point I only have eyes for the food. I wouldn't say this place is super authentic, but they do dish up a really great meal. My favourties there are the bean thread noodle, the hot pepper noodle and i love love love the tom kha gai soup - it reminds me of my grandma's prawn curry, its super delicious and really filling. Just what you need on a cold day. I can say that whenever I go there, that's the first thing I think to order. They have really large portions and most of their main courses are about $7 - not bad for a meal. I can usually make it stretch to 3 meals, but I have a small appetite. Also, i find the food really fresh and filling. One thing I would whine about would the the amount of veggies- its not a lot and I like my veggies. One surprise- they have a really killer chocolate cake. Yes I'm as surprised as you are and I wouldn't have even known about it if I didn't have a craving that day. Its mousse-y in the middle with a dark chocolate base and comes with raspberry sauce. I'm not a fan of that sauce but I am of the cake. When I go there with friends, we don't stop till the cake plate is licked clean!
(4)
Andrew L.

Great food great price and we are veggies, my wife loves the mango margarita and so does my British mother in law when she visits, the best drink ever, my wife will only drink 1 and its the only place she will take a drink, the food is the best bang for the buck, my 5 year old daughter says its her favorite food (pad thai tofu ) i love the ramen pad thai curry great food service is good not great keep up all the great work
(5)
Rob S.

Great if you like long, thick black hair in your noodles.... So disappointed, I was so hopeful :(
(1)
Anna N.

AHHHHHH!!! Oh how I miss my staple noodle locale. Ate here at least once a week. Thai ravioli is like crack, I'm addicted. You nailed in. Really the best item on the whole menu. The sauce and lettuce bottom just melt in your mouth. Pad Thai is also yummy. Really everything is pretty good, I haven't been disappointed by any dishes. Also love the Tom Kha Kai soup. And thank you for not having huge chunks of lemongrass in it that choke me by surprise like other restaurants tend to do. Since moving I still crave Penny's so if you could open up a location in Batavia that would be fabulous.
(5)
Jen L.

This noodle shop is good, but nothing special. If anything it is a step up from Noodles and Company (the fast food version of a real noodle shop). It's a small chain of Noodle shops in the Chicago area, but I think it's more trendy than focused on authentic noodle dishes. I've been to this one and the one in Northfield and they both are pretty similar. In addition to good noodles, they do have some fresh salads that are also very good. I think i prefer their salads over their noodles. The noodle selection is very good, but they specialize in Asian Fusion type dishes, so no Italian dishes here. They use very fresh ingredients and very well balanced sauces. But the flavors themselves don't really "WOW" me. The prices are VERY good! That's probably why people highly recommend this place. You get some very large portions so be prepared to eat for cheap! They are also very kid friendly. My friend had her daughter there with us and they were really accommodating with high chairs and service to make our meal kid friendly. I would go back again, but it's not a place that I would think of when looking for good noodle shops in the Chicago area.
(3)
Ellie K.

Service was very fast for take out- what more you could you ask for?!. Chicken pad Thai wasn't my favorite- the chicken was also very dry... but the Pad See Eu with beef was yummy! Will come back to try the soups and maybe re-review my review
(3)
B C.

We went here for lunch today and ordered apps and our mains. Our apps came out and the crispy rolls had long black hair in it. We called our server over to show her and she did not seem surprised at all. We then spoke to the manager who stated that while the cooks wear hair nets, hair is every where in the air (!!!!!) and that it could not be helped but really they were a very clean establishment and that we should just try to eat the food because we would be very pleased. Sadly we could not bring ourselves to eat there and cancelled the rest of our order and left.
(1)
Shilpy S.

This is my go-to Thai place in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area. Pot Pan down the street had a better selection of curries though. Penny's doesn't have chicken panang which is such a basic Thai dish. But they make up for it by other great dishes - their red curry is excellent. Their Tom ka gha soup is so good as well! The service is good and whenever I've carried out, my meal is ready VERY quickly. Great location. Right under Damen blue line stop.
(4)
James C.

Great staple that is consistent and priced right. This location has the best restaurant location in the city as its one of the cornerstone's of the wickerpark/bucktown areas.
(4)
Todd M.

This is one of our go-to Thai places (the other being Anong in Logan Square). I pretty much always get the Thai fried rice and never regret it. We usually get take-out, but the atmosphere is actually really nice to dine in. Of course, the location is pretty perfect too.
(5)
Linda K.

Just an average Thai restaurant, nothing special.
(2)
Victoria M.

With almost 400 reviews, I am not going to add anything to the discussion except to say this place is CHEAP, the food is decent and it serves beer and has a TV inside. My bill today was 10 bucks for a huge bowl of beef noodle soup and a Thai iced tea.
(5)
Paula L.

I've been craving Thai soup for about a week. The place the I normally go to doesn't deliver so I decided to go with Penny's. I know that I would want soup 2 days in a row so I ordered the chicken noodle. It was decent, but the Tom Yum soup was great. It was very flavorful and full of huge shrimp and enoromous mushrooms. Love shrimp, hate mushrooms. My husband got the bbq pork bamee noodle soup. It tasted semi-homemade, The broth was authentic, the pork was fatty and the noodles taste like Ramen. The egg rolls were bland.
(2)
Rachel S.

Mediocre. Cheap, yes. Large portions, yes. Better elsewhere? Most likely. My Thai fried rice had an alarming amount of chili. I like spice, but this was a battle to eat this meal. Also, paltry amount of basil, which was very sad... The seaweed salad was fine; the crab rangoon were tiny! My cocktail was ok. Not being a take-out eater, I will most likely not patronize this establishment again.
(2)
Meghan B.

Not the best Thai/Asian food, nor the most "authentic", but if I'm in a hurry after work, their Thai friend rice with tofu really hits the spot AND the portions are so large, it can last for two meals or so. The people that work here are also really friendly. I've had a couple mediocre noodle dishes at Penny's, but the crab rangoon and the Thai fried rice are winners.
(3)
Wanda C.

Delicious. Everytime I've come here. Friendly and fast service.
(4)
Tim S.

Nothing says Tree Trimming like Thai Take out, Penny's was the place. It has been years since I have been to Penny's, no reason always loved the place. Just took a suggestion by a friend to get me back. Japanese Gyoza, Crispy rolls to start and some Vegie Lad Nar and Pepper Beef for entrees.. Delicious and so much of it we had leftovers for the fridge. This is going to make the rotation again.
(4)
Steven M.

Really good service and the Thai ravioli is pretty good. Nothing complicated going on here: bbq pork slices and steamed shrimp dumplings with a healthy portion of crushed peanuts. I wanted something more like an appetizer in an entree size and I got just that. Mmm.
(3)
Leanne M.

Penny's is my favorite thai takeout! I've been going here for over 6 years and they have the best food. The cooks are extremely quick, I've never waited more than 10 minutes for my food - takeout or dining in.
(5)
Marcie G.

For some reason, my Tofu Pad Si Eu tasted heavily like cinnamon. Anyone else?
(2)
phil e.

enter into penny's. a clean fast food joint at best? but then the menu. yes, the child caricature on the menu is arguably racially offensive. is Penny the child? the food is instant laxative. o joy of penny's porcelain throne! overpriced. without taste. it's like eating strips of air-flavored poisoned "food." people who are ignorant may find this place good. I call them APPLEBY'S PEOPLE.
(1)
Ryan C.

We like to come down here for lunch when we are craving Thai. I love the Hot Pepper Noodles, and my wife loves the Pad See Ew. We then both put a lot more of that hot sauce from the table into it as well to really kick it up. The food is always consistently excellent and they are really nice. We came with a group one time and we thought it was a BYOB, so we brought our own booze in. They were nice enough to let us drink it and not force us to order their booze. We get this place delivered sometimes as well, and it travels nicely as well. I feel like you get smaller portions though. We will definitely keep going back.
(4)
Hilda M.

Love this place. It's my fav go to when In wicker park! I always get the pad Thai and Thai iced coffee. The gyoza appetizer is pretty great as well.
(4)
Joey C.

I've eaten at the Lakeview location many times and enjoyed it. Moved to Bucktown and ordered from the Wicker/Bucktown location tonight. Delivery man got lost. He called us several times. He finally arrived with a wrong (and cold) order. Items missing, one item arrived that wasn't ordered. I took a bite of the Pad Thai and it was awful. Angel hair pasta with chicken and veggies. No sauce, no flavor, it was just terrible. My friend's soup was cold, my other friend said he'd never eat there again. We called for a refund (only on the incorrect item). They hung up. Called again and was transferred to "Penny" herself. I explained the situation and she offered a refund. I walked over and grabbed the money. Thanks for the refund, but I won't be coming back again.
(1)
Michelle L.

Never ever going back here again for chinese/thai food. I ordered the Vietnamese spring rolls and they were such a disappointment (ok, I should have prefaced this with the fact that I am Vietnamese so I know good Vietnamese food). The spring rolls were bland and they sauce was so sweet...nothing like what the sauce is supposed to taste like. Then I order the Pad See Eu (sp?). Again, the sauce so so sweet that it ruined the dish. I also ordered Thai coffee and half the glass was cream so after two sips I was done with it. Maybe I happened to choose three of the worst items off their menu in one visit? Who knows but I wouldn't recommend this place to my friends.
(2)
Irene G.

I like this place - even though the Thai food is pretty typical, I still very much enjoyed my Hot Pepper Noodle dish and Tom Yum Soup. What else can I say? I love spicy food! The service was excellent, too.
(4)
Cristie F.

I don't know what it is. Something about Penny's continues to bring me back to Chicago from the 'burbs. Maybe it's the memories of eating there throughout my college years, sharing good times with old friends and family. Maybe I just like the food - who knows. The food is good, not exceptional, but tasty nonetheless. If you're looking for traditional Thai food, I'm not sure this is the place for you. I like to think of it as a noodle shop (literally) that serves noodle dishes with a hint of Asian flair and flavor. Service is always fast and friendly. Never in 12 years of eating at Penny's has my water glass been left empty. (((Side note: Huge points in my book - I'm like a freakin' camel with the amount of water I drink.)) The food is good and very inexpensive which can be a challenge to find these days. Long Time Faves: * Japanese Gyoza - Ground pork and veggie dumplings fried to perfection with a sweet soy sauce. Drool. * Pad Se Eu with beef - Love the sweetened soy sauce with egg & broccoli * Sliced Beef Noodles - Or chicken. Or tofu. It's a simple dish, but always a go to. * Lad Nar - Crispy, pan-fried rice noodles. Enough said. The only thing I haven't enjoyed at Penny's was the BBQ pork. It's just not my thing. As for everything else on the menu, it all makes me pretty happy. I love the apps. Love the soups. Love the noodles. Love Penny's.
(4)
Marlene D.

Love the neighborhood! I always come here and sit by the windows and just enjoy everything that goes on. Service was average Food was Great! I recommend the Chicken Lag Nar & THE DESSERTS WERE YUMMY! In particular a Rasberry Dark Chocolate cake I believe, you know it had to be good if im not even a big fan of desert but I loved theirs!
(4)
Linda H.

Penny's Noodle Shop has a special place in my heart. Specifically the small table in the corner by the window. =) Pennys is always great for a quick bite. I used to have them on speed dial and call in my order while on the train. 15 minutes later, I would be picking up a delicious hot meal for dinner, all the while hoping to avoid judgement from the woman working the register who probably saw me 2-3x per week when I lived nearby. Sadly, they are not open on Mondays, which is when I am most prone to takeout binges, it being Monday and all. My faves: Pad Thai (on the sweet side, not a spicy pad thai like at other places) Spicy Pepper Noodle Pad Se Eu (although I want more broccoli!!) Crab Rangoon
(5)
Kelsey P.

Cheap. Fast. Friendly. This is a staple for me and my friends when we go to a show at the Double Door, since it is just across the street. I've never had a bad experience here. They get you in and out and on your way with a belly of decent noodles or rice. I like the Lad Nar myself, the pad thai is good, and the Thai Fried Rice is another favorite. Oh, and if you have a chance to try the raspberry martini, go for it. It's pretty delicious.
(4)
Kim W.

do get: - bean thread noodles w/ tofu do not get: - any cocktail - pad thai
(3)
Anna G.

sometimes you will eat at Penny's all the time and forget how great it is, and then eat someone ELSE'S noodle dish and fall in love with Penny's all over again. The food is super fresh tasting, with none of that weird, vaguely chemical aftertaste that I seem to get from a lot of noodle places. And the portions are huge and it's cheap so you know I'm in. Also, considering how insane prices at nearby bars are, you might as well just do your drinking and eating at the same time. Items of note: Tom Yum soup (YUM! very spicy and so much stuff in it!!) Veggie Bowl (I have tried ordering other things and I just love this so I gave up) Seaweed Salad (chewy + salty = all I need to be happy. Plus, doesn't seaweed have some nutrient we're supposed to get more of and don't? I'm sure it does) Crab Rangoons - these are among the tastiest, and I know they're pretty much good everywhere but sometimes they're not and it's heartbreaking when that happens, so I wanted you to know you are in good hands here
(5)
Katie C.

Was pleasantly surprised by this place when my friend and I stopped there for lunch. The food was excellent, as was the service and the location (and the patio). I had the pork noodle bowl and my friend had a spicy noodle dish, both of which were delicious. If you are looking for an authentic thai hole in the wall noodle shop this is probably not your place, as I would describe the food as "asian fusion" or something along those lines, however what they do they do WELL!
(5)
Jonathan S.

Amazing noodles. I've tried a few dishes and all were fresh and tasty. Probably some of the best pad se eu I've had. Always good for delivery or pick up on a week night. Only problem I've had is: don't try to call when the weather is bad, you'll have a hard time getting through to place an order.
(4)
Andre W.

Was in the mood for some thai tonight so we decided to make the walk over to Penny's. Delivery was discussed, but it was so nice out, I thought it would be better if we walked over. Started out with the vietnamese spring rolls for an appetizer and they were really good. The hot pepper noodle with chicken was very much good as well as spicy. The margaritas/martinis were really good. The mango magarita was something special and the raspberry martini was cool also. The menu was pretty nice with many delicious dishes to choose from. Their beef soup is something to talk about...yum! I really like the look of the place. It doesn't have the look of the usual thai places, but it really has flavor. I love the big windows walking by them from the outside and sitting on the inside staring out of them. They have a pretty cool plasma television on the inside and some very swanky pics on the wall as well. The table setup they have is cool as well. They deliver as well! Good place and good food!
(5)
Shayna N.

Totally standard Thai food, not too pricey, but nothing special. The miso soup was a little too salty and imbalanced tasting, otherwise my Pad Se Ew was fine, not bad but not great and a little on the greasy side. Over all everything was AOK.
(3)
Christina M.

Meh with a capital M!!! The pad thai (veganized by excluding the egg) was bland and nothing to write home about. The tofu they put in it tasted funny and was mushy (yuck). I will say that Noodles & Company (a restaurant on the same level as Penny's) blows this place away...
(2)
T B.

I am not sure why people like this place! There are soooo many better places in Chicago, it just must be that most people don't know good food! I haven't eaten there in a long time, because I don't think it's good, but my friend wanted to go there, so I gave it another chance. Still dissapointed. My food was really greasy and the crab rangoon wasn't even cooked all the way. My friends was also really greasy, so much so that it dripped all over her shorts. If you want good Thai, go to Thai Bowl on Taylor street. You won't be dissapointed.
(2)
Joram C.

this place is a thai place like a lot of others, but....but... penny`s could honestly have that soundbite from the lonley island`s "like a boss" play after everything they do operationally and it wouldn`t be weird. see below: fast service? "like a boss" short food wait? "like a boss" crab rangoon? "like a boss" red curry? "like a boss" nice beer list? "like a boss" spacious dining room? "like a boss" hipster waiters ( that dont have a superiority complex) "like a boss" you know, you get the idea. i dont have to keep going for you....
(4)
Armani B.

This review was long overdue! I love love love Penny's. I always get great service and their Pad Thai is always AMAZING!! Tip: Try the Creme Brulee, but DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SHARE...it's simply too delicious!
(5)
Angie M.

Penny's isn't going to win any awards in the authenticity category. We all know that. It's Americanized. Deal. If you want authentic Thai food, pack it up and take it somewhere else. I, however, love Penny's because of the consistency. I always know what I'm getting, it tastes good, and I'm happy. The pad se eu is respectable, if not a little greasy, for my taste. I'm a big fan of the pad thai with chicken. I know, I know. I'm not wearing my adventure pants when ordering pad se eu or pad thai, but we're talking comfort food here, folks. If I want to get crazy, I'll go to San Soo Gab San and sample all of the little dishes of unidentifiable food. Delivery is extra-super fast. I ordered last night at about 5:30 (hello daylight savings!) and dinner was served at about 6:00. And how about those prices? Almost everything on the menu is under ten bucks. So order up Penney's on your next movie night in. Because when you're watching Showgirls with your pals, brown rice and vegetables just won't do. ;)
(4)
Desirae K.

Warning: I'm not a Thai food aficionado. But I do love this place, yummy good sized portions for a decent price. If I lived in Wicker Park, I'd be ordering from this place a least once a week. Try: (+) 5-pepper shrimp (+) Crab Rangoon (+) Thai Ravioli (+) Tom Kha Kai Generally I order take-out, but there's plenty of seating and the staff is always pleasant when I've taken the time to have a seat.
(4)
Teschia B.

OMG! I wish they had a Penny's Noodle Shop by my house in Pilsen. I was never a fan of Thai food. Either it was tooooo sweet or toooo spicy and it never worked for me, but Penny's Noddle Shop has put thai food on the top of my list. Me and three of my friends decided to try out this noodle place when one of my friends moved to the Wicker Park area a few weeks ago. The restaurant decor was very cute and spacious. But the food was the best. I had the Pad Thai which was very good. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious. We also ordered the Pot Stickers and Crab Ragoon. I would pass on the Crab Ragoon a little dry and fried a little to hard, but the main courses made up for the appetizers. My friend had the BBQ Pork Ramen bowl which was delicious from the few bites that I stole from her plate :), but overall the food was good and I will be heading back to Penny's Noodle Shop before the snow comes in :) If you want cheap Thai food...please go to Penny's, BUT be aware of the wait staff. I completely understand keeping your wait staff authentic...which is what I love, but the wait staff must speak English very well and also understand it. We ordered some extra things off the menu that she did not bring. My friend asked for a doggy bag for her food...which we did not receive. I guess you have to speak loud and speak clearly.
(4)
Joshua N.

I've come here since and I always really like it. Just off the Blue Line stop at Damen in the heart of Wicker Park, it's a great location. I usually come here a while after lunch but just before dinner which makes the service really fast. The noodle dishes are always flavorful and LAGRE! I tend to come when my eyes are bigger than my stomach and get spring rolls, soup, and then a noodle dish. Ooops, I'm usually struggling to finish the noodles. Can you find more authentic versions of these dishes? Probably, but I love these. I also love the outdoor seating.
(4)
Amy X.

the epitome of a-ok. great to have in the neighborhood, but definitely not a destination restaurant. however, penny's has been good to me. she feeds me when i am too tired to cook, and she is FAST. pick-up is ready within 10 minutes of ordering. food is cheap and dependable. for that, how can you complain? times in which penny's has been there for me. 1. i get off work around 9 PM. i call penny's in the cab home, as i'm getting off the highway onto north avenue. from the time it takes me to drive down north avenue to 6 corners and pay the cabbie, MY FOOD IS READY. folks, do you realize how insane this is?! that's like 8 minutes from zero to TOM YUMMY YUM SOUP. 2. my then-boyfriend got food poisoning. something about eating oysters in months than don't include the letter "r." anyway, after throwing up continuously for about 6 hours, i made the executive decision that we need to head to the emergency room. but wait! i hadn't eaten dinner yet! no vending machine dinner for me... i call up penny's, and in 10 minutes i am eating the vegetarian special. 20 minutes later, me, the then-boyfriend, and a red bucket make our way to the emergency room where we spend the next 6 hours waiting for an IV. yay triage. do i need anymore examples? i kind of feel like i've exhausted the positive points of penny's. it's AWESOME if you need something fast. don't be afraid to use her and abuse her -- pretty sure penny's is that friend who likes you waaaaay more than you like her and will be by your side in 4 minutes if you're sad. downside: she gives bad advice and has bad breath :(
(3)
tages t.

Good food, while still not exactly what I'm looking for in the way of fried rice, it was a great atmosphere and very friendly staff! The portion size was large and they had no problem letting my partner and I split a dish! I will definitely go back to try their other dishes!
(3)
Kevin F.

Best hot toddy ever, phenomenal rangoons and omg the spicy pepper noodles! Fast inexpensive and delish.
(5)
Jacob J.

This is Thai food? Overrated. Too many people who go to these chain locations and think this shit is the real deal. Do yourself a favor and try a family owned business or smaller restaurant. Review them instead, tons of flavor out there which isn't found at Penny's. Bland food which I regret paying for.
(1)
Brit W.

Me and my boyfriend's favourite restaurant to go to downtown. We have always ordered the same thing since the first time we went! I think we've gone at least 5 times by now... and we live an hour and a half away from downtown! Here's our order everytime: - Edamame - Crab Rangoons - SHRIMP NOODLE SOUP! To die for!! We want to try other dishes but we just can't get past the shrimp noodle soup! Haha. The ambiance is great; love the local art hanging on the walls. Love all the windows too, so you can eat delicious food and stare out into the city. Great service, and the cooks really know what's up. Can't wait to go back! Again and again!
(5)
Justine F.

My last experience here was something to be desired. The lad nar ($6.95) was too oily and the crunch factor on the overly fried noodles made it impossible to eat. The ginger was really intense, which I enjoy, but that was the only flavor I could find in the mess of fried noodles. I asked for extra veggies instead of protein and I ended up with a small handful of shredded carrots and onions, a few chunks of red bell peppers, and (I counted) 9 pieces of broccoli. I would hate to see how many veggies they fork over with the protein. This place used to be cheap and delicious. Now it's just cheap.
(1)
Kammie G.

Although the food was very inexpensive and tasted good, it was missing a major WoW factor. I got bean spring noodle and it tasted, well, boring. Major plus for the service though- I've never seen my Thai food come out this quickly it's like they predicted what we were gonna get and just made it (like we waited maybe 3 min for it!), the waters were getting refilled on a good basis. The place wasn't totally packed during lunch time on Friday but there was a decent amount of people here.
(4)
Tita P.

After several years away from Birmingham I am still on my quest for my new favorite Thai place. Penny's is close. The environment is very casual and the food is delicious and they know how to do extra spicy! Penny's I plan to come back often in hopes that I have finally found a replacement for what I have missed for years in Birmingham.
(4)
Suzan W.

Went this past weekend and ordered a Spicy Basil Noodle Bowl w/Tofu. The noodles were horribly overcooked vermicelli (Really? That's Thai?). What's worse is that the Tofu was coated in a mixture of cinnamon, sugar and a couple spices that I am not 100% positive on but most likely clove and cardamon....really the most disgusting thing I have ever had. I tried to be a trooper and eat this slop but the cinnamon and sugar har permeated the thin sauce that the noodles were swimming in. Advised the waitress that I can't eat this. She apologized and went to the kitchen to talk to someone. Came back and said that the owner told her they put a "spice" on the tofu for this dish and they may have overdone it. She never took the dish away even though I again said I'm not eating this. The bill came and she sweetly apologizes and tells us not to tip. Turn the bill over and shocked to find that my dish is on there. Steam starts coming out of my fiance's ears. We decided to have more class than them and pay the bill in full with a 22% tip. Most shocking about this is that the owner was there (according to the waitress). Also, we decided to be seated inside as it was a bit chilly in the shade outside. However, their gigantic ceiling fans and A/C were both on...I was so cold that I was shivering. We have been to Penny's several times in the past (same location) and have not had this type of experience. But, we got to thinking, and realized that we always went when absolutely starving and kept coming back because the food was never terrible. Never terrible is a poor excuse to revisit a restaurant. This past incident is a perfect excuse to never go again.
(1)
Ed R.

We were wandering the neighborhood and just needed a quick bite. The Pad Thai was great. Service was fast, if not overly friendly. Portions were large. Not a place I would go out of my way to visit, but if I lived in the neighborhood, I'd probably stop by from time to time. Decent, cheap food.
(3)
Nisa D.

Ughhhh for Thai food there is way better places you can go.. The food portions are really small and lacking flavor. Crab ragoon were really tiny and only 5 i mean 5 if they are meant to share you are gonna fight for the last one! make it an even number.
(2)
Elvin Y.

I was introduced to Penny's when I was a senior in high school. My then boyfriend took me here on our very first date. Although this was 11 years ago, I still remember exactly what we ordered. An order of pork gyoza and two orders of their delicious Ramen soup. He taught me how to eat with chopsticks that night. We had a blast making fun of my lacking skills and talking the night away. We closed the shop. It's been 11 years since my first date with Penny's....and I keep going back (although I've never been there on another date!). It's just solid, cheap food. Here is a sampling of my favorites: Panang Cury, Tom Ka Kae soup (I like substituting the chicken for tofu), Crispy Egg Rolls, Red Curry w/shrimp, Lad Naar and of course the RAMEN NOODLES! There are three locations. They are all adorable, open aired and have fast/friendly service. So go there. Take a date, take friends, just take yourself, eat at the bar, chat with the staff. It's like home. And if you see two teenagers there on a first date, just smile to yourself and enjoy watching the innocence of first love....over noodles!
(4)
Sara R.

I had never had Thai food before, so when my co-workers suggested coming here - I was a bit apprehensive. After eating here, I am upset I haven't tried Thai food earlier! We got the crab rangoon and also the Thai Fried Rice with chicken. It was amazing and I would highly recommend it to anyone who was willing to take a chance and dive into Thai food. We went during lunchtime on a Tuesday, and were seated immediately with the option to be outside if we wanted. We did and it was a beautiful fall day with great company and great food. The server was very soft-spoken, and I suppose that would be my only complaint about the place (and that's not even a legit concern!). The food came out fast, was delish, reasonably priced and I would certainly eat Thai food again (soon), especially from Penny's.
(5)
Joel T.

Penny's isn't a strictly traditional "authentic" Thai restaurant. I'm not sure that what they do could be called "fusion," but they do have some non-traditional offerings and desserts. Their flavor is full but subtle, not over the top or intended for cheap sensation. I'm a sucker for the pad thai...Penny's is among the best I've had.
(4)
Varsha L.

Penny's is known for cheap food, its not trying ot be fancy, I like the tofu pad thai.... We also had the crab rangoon, you can tell they just warmed it up in the oven, it wasnt piping hot at all.... i did like the raspberry lemonade martini! delicious!
(4)
Ryan M.

I have actually had a hard time finding good thai food since I moved to Chicago. The thai restaurants in Detroit were the Bomb and the Chicago ones I have been to have not matched up. Penny's is good thai good at a good price. I usually get the chicken curry or the Pad Thai. Service is fast for dine in or carry out. The Tom Yum soup is really good as well but is you have an aversion to spicy than stay away. I usually ask for wooden chopsticks instead of the plastic ones they have on the table. The wooden ones I feel are more sanitary and make it easier to handle the food.
(4)
Jillian H.

Everything was great. Server was a little lackluster, but I expect people to serve like myself. High standards. Industry types are the hardest to serve, right? Patio was pretty nice, minus big stars new intercom system calling numbers out every five minutes or so. That's minimal though. Happy to see 40 year olds in a new kids on the block tees headed to the concert. 'twas the icing on the cake. That and the gigantic cups of coffee.
(5)
Anne K.

It's all about what you order here....it's kind of hit or miss. I highly recommend the Pad Thai. The boyfriend really liked the Spicy Basil. And the tofu here, in any dish, is great. I made the mistake of ordering a spicy noodle dish unspicy though and they brought it out with no sauce on it whatsoever. It was rather confusing. But aside from that: great service, plenty of seating, and overall good food.
(4)
Amanda Z.

Two cold, hungry walkers were trekking about one day, in search of food before they both got irritable, as they are both apt to do...p.s. the walkers were me and my beau. We went with Penny's, cuz, well, I love Thai food, and soup sounded like it might shake the chill I developed while trekking around our neighborhood. Shrimp soup with noodles for me, BBQ pork with noodles for him. He clearly won the ordering round this time...his dish was perfect bites of BBQ pork and skinny little egg noodles topped with crushed peanuts. Truly, this is the stuff of which Thai food cravings are made. My soup was adequate in warming me up, but a little skimpy on the flavor. Service was adequate and the prices were right....if it were a bit closer, I might put this one onto my take out radar, but for now, it'll be filed under the "I'd eat there in the neighborhood" file.
(3)
Chantal L.

On a hunt for Thai, Penny's is right off the blue line so a straight shot from my place ....in a large city where I loath driving, simple alternative options is always a plus! Casual setting with friendly staff. I ordered the Chicken rice noodle soup, which was presented with a plate of veggies. The soup was good, however a bit bland so i put some of the spicy thai sauce on the table which did the trick...quite the kick. The veggies were very fresh and the noodles were tasty. The server was friendly however forgot a couple of things we requested and it was not excessively busy, thus the 3 star rating. Nothing like Pho Real or Thai Taste in Charlotte NC but overall, I'd give them another try.
(3)
Ericka A.

I'm still not sure what to think about this place. I didn't extremely enjoy it, nor did I hate it. It was simply OK. Most of the sauces were rather bland. I couldn't stand the sweet and sour. Peanut sauce was really delicious. The bowl of noodles with beef wasn't too bad, but the beef wasn't very flavorful. Everything ended up tasting a bit like the sauce instead of having varying flavors. They have different fancy drinks, but expect to pay as much for a Margarita as you will for your entire bowl of noodles. I went here on a date and for 2 Beers, 1 Margarita, an order of Vietnamese Spring Rolls and 2 bowls of Noodles it was $36 before tip. It seemed a bit too pricey for what it was. Next time I'll just order a bowl of noodles and call it a day.
(2)
Jill N.

I love Penny's! The food is so good and the portions are great. Service is fast and the prices haven't changed in forever! I have had almost every dish on the menu and have never been disappointed. Love the Pad Thai, Lad Nar, Sliced Beef, Hot Pepper noodle, Spicy Basil, The list goes on. Definitely a place to go to.
(5)
Mary T.

I'm not a Thai food expert, and this may not be the best Thai food in the city of Chicago. In fact, it really probably is not. But for the price and the amount of food you get, it is great. Nice atmosphere for dining in. Casual. Staff are friendly. Prompt service. If I lived close by I would do take-out often. I ordered the Sauteed Chicken, which was less than $6, and it was a very filling meal - I had leftovers for lunch the next day. It was full of flavor too. I loved it.
(4)
Ryan T.

Love this place! Great in a rainy day. Fast and flavorful. Pad thai and crab rangoon is my most frequent order. But I highly recommend their soups.
(4)
Krystin H.

There are so many great places to eat in the city . . . why waste your appetite here? It is always busy, which I never will understand. I went back a few times thinking that obviously people must like it. I thought maybe that I picked the wrong item to order. The one thing that I am "okay" eating here is the red curry. If a group of friends suggests going here and you do not want cause a scene, I would stick to the curry.
(1)
John M.

My review is a little biased because I'm simply not a big fan of Asian cuisine. However, this location in Wicker Park was my first introduction to crab rangoon, and now I'm hooked. I sort of wonder if they have changed their recipe lately, because the crab rangoon I had yesterday was not as tasty as I remember it being. At any rate, this place is all about noodles and noodle soups. Green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds: these are not things I'm big on. If you're not typically into this kind of food, the chicken satay (on the appetizers menu) is a good safe bet. They serve it with their own peanut sauce, which I like, but your mileage may vary. Take my review with a grain of salt. I've tried different things there and it's just not my thing. I'd go again if someone else in the group really wanted to, but I know I'd be ordering the chicken satay and crab rangoon.
(2)
Rachel Z.

Looking for some good Thai food? Do you love cheap Asian food? Then Penny's Noodle Shop is the place for you. My boyfriend is a picky eater. So we were definitely "wow-ed" when we looked at the menu. Sapporo imported beer for $4? $5 glasses of wine or margaritas? That is super cheap for a dinner drink. I ordered a Thai iced coffee to wake me up and my boyfriend ordered a beer and a diet coke. I love Thai iced coffee, I'm addicted. We started off with the Japenese Dumplings, which were tasty. I love dumplings! I got the "Sliced Beef" which included rice noodles covered in peanut sauce, cilantro, onions, bean sprouts, and of course beef, very healthy and yummy. My boyfriend got the fried rice, which looked delicious and had a little spice to it. I had food envy. I wanted to finish the meal with some flour less chocolate cake and raspberry sauce, but that will be for my next visit. This is a great Wicker Park spot!
(4)
Kortney M.

Middle of the road, nothing special! Don't come here wanting traditional thai food, their soup was yummy, and it's hard to mess up crab ragoons! The Pad Thai had a rich dark sauce and very very very thin rice noodles, just about as far from traditional as one can get. I'll come back for my delightful cream cheese pillow cravings on my way home from work.
(3)
Ellie B.

Super fast, cheap, and good eats. Penny's serves Pad Thai the way I crave it (with cilantro and lime), so much so, that most other places are disappointing to me. I don't know about authentic, but it's delicious and the portions are huge and tasty for the price.
(5)
Ashe D.

I got the vegetarian noodle bowl and it was delicious! The noodles were perfectly cooked, the veggies were fresh, and the small amount of broth was equally salty and sweet. I wish I could find the recipe so I could make this at home!
(5)
Tony W.

The best cheap eats in the city
(4)
Renee F.

Penny's is consistent, fresh, and delicious. When my boyfriend and I have Friday night date nights, we always pick up Penny's for dinner. Anytime his mom and step dad are in town, we eat Penny's. And it's always good! The Crab Rangoons are amazing. Usually, I get the Hot Pepper Noodle with rice vermicelli noodles, no broccoli and extra tomatoes. Sometimes I get chicken, sometimes I just stick with the egg. I always order it extra spicy and holy moly they nail it. Their peanut sauce is delicious as well. Once, when I was sick, I had the chicken soup and it was GREAT. The Chinese Fried rice is amazing also!
(5)
Tram L.

I lived in the wicker park and had to take the Blue line from Damen everyday. So I could spot out right away that Penny had the most traffic compared with the stores around. Yet the food there does not really play justice for Penny's. I'm an Asian foodie so I tried different dish here to see what they have. But their Vietnamese spring roll was really disappointing. Don't know where they got the name from but it's nowhere close to the authentic spring roll. It's actually a veggie and there was no shrimp. Worse, the waitress were always busy (even though I could see some of them were just hang there, didn't really do anything at all. But a good thing is that Penny's have a good selection of Asian dessert. Plus no one can beat their location!
(3)
Margot H.

I've been happily eating the Pad Thai here for 7 years, until we moved a half mile outside of delivery range. Wah. I would pay a bigger delivery fee for the additional .5 mile to Kedzie Avenue. It's not like I'm asking you to send it to Oak Park! Please consider this, I don't want to eat anyone else's Pad Thai besides yours. Thanks, Penny's!!!
(2)
Khadijah L.

You know what I like about Penny's Noodle Shop? The sound. The sweet sound of the wok being fired up, and sizzling stir fry action is probably what makes this place really authentic in terms of ambiance. I like walking in here, it's like a real non-tablecloth asian restaurant in asia. spot on. The food is average to decent. I actually like that they have a separate side dish of vegetables on the menu, you can order a side of chinese greens. YES. and a side of soup. The price is reasonable. My favorites: Pad Thai - not traditional, but it has lots of flavor and texture, and it comes with loads of nontraditional vegetables like shredded red cabbage Spicy Basil noodle bowl- can't go wrong with this one. I usually ask for half chicken/half tofu. Win. Tom Yum Kha - very rich coconut based soup. I'd eat this with rice, but not on its own. Chinese greens with oyster sauce - this has a home cooked feeling This is a casual place to eat, I could eat here/takeout once a week or more. Not a place I'd travel to, but I am SO glad it is in my neighborhood.
(4)
CJ B.

The food here is pretty good the only down fall is that when you do carry out or delivery, the quality is not consistent. But when you dine in, it's always good! I love how they have counter/bar type seating so it's more comfortable when you stop in for a quick bite alone. I generally don't like pad thai but this is the one place I enjoy it from! One of the best places to go when you're in the mood for something quick but with better quality!
(4)
Harvs K.

Hello cute waiter! Ok I had to get that out of my system (what? he was cute!) On my first day in Chicago after dropping off my luggage, we found this place right off the metro exit. It looked interesting, and we were all starving so in we went! After looking around the restaurant, I realized that all the paintings were kinda creepy. Um.. really? A guy with a fish head? Black nose? A guy breaking another ones neck? PRETTY AWESOME!!!! I actually liked the creepy decor cause it gave the restaurant a totally oddball feel! For my order, red curry with chicken and brown rice- other orders were the spicy basil noodle (which turned out not to be so spicy), the hot pepper noodle which was good, and for drinks I had me a mango margarita. I will tell you that it was nothing like a margarita except for the fact that it was tequila... I think they used mango juice, and salted the rim of a martini glass. I requested it blended, I got it shaken. However I will not complain, because that drink was SO good! I hate tequila normally and I couldnt even tell with that one. I was definitely happy with that :) The red curry was really good- had a great kick to it, and the hot pepper noodles were good too, although I did like my red curry a lot more. Great food, strong drinks, awesome decor and a cute waiter. What more could a girl want!
(4)
Derrick T.

Years ago, before there was Yelp... before I become a foodie, a group of hungry college students discovered a rarity in Chicago: a noodle shop that served up eclectic Asian noodle dishes fairly well. Fast forward to current day, and my fiancee and I are looking for something to eat before she continues with her studies. With a noodle craving in mind, we headed to Penny's to fulfill the noodle craving. Crab rangoon: Pretty standard stuff. Nothing stood out. Not much crab, lots of cream cheese and onions. Thai iced tea: While the fiancee wasn't a fan, it tasted fine to me. A little less sweet than the ones we've grown accustomed to, but it's not such a bad thing as the flavor of the tea came out more. Beef Pad See Ew: Bland. That's all that can describe the dish. It wasn't salted right, and either the soy sauce they used lacked sodium, or they watered the dish down significantly. Was there fish sauce in here at all? The dish just had no flavor overall, and the beef was overcooked. Edible, but not enjoyable. Udon Noodle Soup: Yes, there was a lot of soup. But the broth itself lacked in flavor. There was a "pepperiness" to it that seemed to attempt to make up for the blandness of the broth, but there was no enjoyable note... there really was just no umami flavor to it for satisfaction. Verdict: Sure, it's a dollar cheaper across the board, sure it's a trendy little spot... but ultimately, this place fails in terms of putting together a memorable dish that can be enjoyed. Friendly and fast service, but forgettable food. I wish this place was as I remembered it years ago...
(2)
Marc Z.

The tofu in these dudes Pad Thai is always on point. De-lish x10! Don't sleep on this place just cause its a chain, broham.
(5)
Dan D.

Authentic.... not "really." but who cares with such cheap eats and great service in the middle of Wicker Park! Penny's offers high quality food at a very budget-friendly price. Order some soup and bring another friend. Yup, its a large bad boy of soup. The noodle dishes are quite the value as well. These dishes are all tasty and some are a bit imaginative. (But don't be hating if you are looking for authenticity.... not here fellas). The Bottom Line: Good food at a decent price right in the heart of Wicker Park!
(3)
Justin B.

Every time I hit up Penny's, I expect it to be better than the last time. Yet, every time I remain disappointed. I feel obligated in some strange way to order a noodle dish. One would assume that it was their specialty. Maybe because it's labeled a "noodle shop." Maybe because the place is freakin' called "Penny's Noodles!" Yet, each time I order "Pad Se Eu" or Pad Thai, I crave the sauce to be just a bit sweeter, the noodles not to completely clump together or for my taste buds to dance at a savory new flavor. And that's the other thing...they can't keep the amount of sauce consistent. At times my noodles are drowning and others when I felt the noodles were dry. I end up leaving a little sad inside each and every time. But fear not! There are some decent things on the menu. Personally, I can't get enough of their Japanese Gyoza. I should just get three orders and grub. Penny's is cheap and easy, but doesn't blow my mind (reminds me of a date I had once). The service can be hit or miss. Overall, a bit crazy and inconsistent (yet another date). Crazy - not in the, "going to send you to an insane asylum" kind, but the sort of crazy that reminds you of that neighbor who's off just a little bit, yet the neighborhood wouldn't be the same without him. Oh yeah, they deliver too.
(2)
Janet X.

Pluses: Serving sizes are almost always perfect, there's never a wait, alcohol is cheap and they're really speedy with bringing out your food. Minuses: The food that they bring out. Yeah, I know it's only $8 for an entree but I can get a pretty awesome sandwich or a few tacos in the neighborhood for about as much. They obviously don't believe in vegetables, since the one time my friend asked for extra veggies they added three broccoli florets.
(2)
matt w.

Good Food.. Nice lil Beer selection and the prices and Kablamo! ( meaning good.. :) Where else can you get these portions in Wicker Park for these prices.. Penny's is a staple!
(4)
Rachelle B.

A good thing about living on the Blue Line again, and just a few stops past where I used to live, is that we can quickly go to Wicker Park and visit the restaurants that we used to like going to when I lived in East Ukrainian Village. Penny's is a pan-Asian restaurant with a few locations around Chicago. We really like it and used to order food to be delivered to my old house a lot... until that one time when the delivery driver's car got stolen. On Friday night we went to Penny's and had huge bowls of soup. Hit the spot since we've both been sick and the weather is turning cold again.
(4)
Krsna V.

I have been to Penny's a couple of times and my experiences have been mixed. The first time I ordered the basil chicken which was spicy. The dish was flavorful. I also ordered gyoza and the mango margarita. I did not taste any alcohol in the margarita, just watered down mango juice. Pot stickers tasted like they came from Costco. My partner got the pad Thai which was just OK. The second time I ordered sauteed chicken and spring rolls. The spring rolls were stale and the chicken was dry and felt like I was chewing rubber. The egg noodles were dry on one side and bland. It was very unappetizing. The spring rolls were alright. My partner got the vegetable noodle dish which was just a bunch of stir fried vegetable and noodles in soy sauce. The prices are cheap. I was surprised to see that my sauteed chicken cost only $4.95. No wonder it tasted awful.
(2)
Kyle B.

There really is nothing spectacular about this noodle shop. I enjoy Thai food as much as the next hip Chicago-an, but it's just not spectacularly tasty. I do like how they have beers on the cheap and pretty large portions. I've had a few of the noodle dishes (Pad Thai, Pad Se Eu, etc.) and they all pretty much taste the same. I feel compelled to go there more often since I live close enough to walk, but always talk myself out of it when see how many people are in there waiting for mediocre food. I really wish they were open way later because they would kill it with the nightlife in Wicker Park. I'll bet I would put up a different review with more beers in me. But I guess we'll never know...
(3)
Jinna H.

Solid 4-stars. I was having a group and they were nice enough to put the tables together as well as set up for them. The group didn't really figure in the end, so it was me and two other people. I like the food, getting the pad sie ew (as always). Tasted like any other. My friend got this insanely spicy rice that was SO GOOD but made me cry and sniffle. Would come back again. :D
(4)
Tiff H.

Ok, please forgive me if there are a lot of typos/grammatical errors in this review since I am oogling at Gavin Rossedale and Shemar Moore in season 5 of "Criminal Minds" as I type this out courtesy of Netflix. *sigh* and *yum* Was Penny's yum? I walked in after an incredibly bad hangover due to mixing about 6 types of alcohol...and not in a Long Island Iced Tea. Service: My actual server was lovely. However, the manager or guy at the front was kind of aloof. Maybe he was hungover too...bc I asked him twice for a napkin and he never heard me. Food: I ordered some type of roast pork noodle, similar to bamee noodles. It wasn't what I expected...I thought I had ordered some type of greasy noodle....I ended up with something relatively healthy with lots of greens. Don't get me wrong; it was good but not so great for a hangover. Would have been better if I wasn't hung over....after a heavy work out. I also ordered the gyoza...which was pretty good. Nothing special. Just satisfied my taste for greasy dumplings. Do you see a pattern here? Drink: I ordered a Thai iced coffee...and holy cow, it was so sweet, my teeth hurt after the first sip. However, my server was so sweet; she kept giving me coffee to decrease the sugary/syrupy taste. Price: With tip, it was roughly under $20. This place is a good change of pace from Zen after a heavy work out if I'm in the mood for noodles. Also, the atmosphere is better at Penny's.
(3)
Keith A.

is this really a thai place? modern and fairly sleek with a definite contemporary slant, this isn't what you'd expect walking into a thai restaurant. But, its pretty damn tasty. There is a nice selection of dishes on the menu and many of them are very thai. The menu does read a bit more like a asian/fusion style than a straight up thai restaurant, but that's not a problem at all. I ordered up some dumplings and some crab rangoon to split with my friend so that I could try more stuff. The crab rangoon was just packed with meat and cheese and was really damn good. It was where one could easily order several orders of teh rangoon and be very satisfied. The dumplings were very nice. The casing on them was good and they were cooked just right which doesn't always happen with dumplings (i mean really, how often do places overcook dumplings, way too often IMO) I then also got a rice dish with minced chicken and I asked them to spice it up some more. To my delight they did and I got something more in line with what I generally want when having a spicy thai dish. It also had a bit of salad on the side, which was perfect with the heat of the spices. The service was really good and attentive. I liked the food a good bit, but it isn't in that next level of thai food that can be found around town. Its at a great price though, you have to try real hard to get out of there paying more than $15 which is always appreciated
(3)
Tiffany K.

Huge portions for a small price tag - that's what i like! On a rainy morning, my friends and i stopped in for a quick lunch. I ordered beef noodles (pho) and i was very pleased with the taste of everything. The cilantro tasted really fresh and the noodles were not overcooked the slightest bit. However, the broth was a little too sweet for me. But that was the only bad part. The servers and everything are great, and this place is tasty and affordable. Good place to go for a quick bite to eat for not a lot of money.
(4)
Nicole L.

This review was meant for the Sheffield location. Sorry. Peanut sauce & spring rolls how I love you so! My heart always flutters for Penny. There are only 3 locations and though I've personally not ventured to the other two I hear they don't compare to Wriggleyville restaurant. Great service, small restaurant but amazing food. I do suggest everything on the menu! but If your stomach is smaller than your eyes the Tom Kah Coconut Chicken soup is simply delicious! The spring rolls are the best I've ever had and the Chicken Pad Thai and Plain Pad Se Eu is their best dishes! I've been coming here for over 3 years and same faces know us by name which makes the dining experience more enjoyable. The prices are great and b.y.o.b. is always a plus in my books. Rock on Penny!
(5)
Derek G.

I recently went to Penny's after not being there for quite some time. I have to say that the food has not skipped a beat. Penny's is located just south of the CTA train stop and right smack dab in the middle of "Hipster Haven." As a result, it can get a little busy so going earlier rather than later, is recommended. The prices are comparable to most other Thai based restaurants, but I believe it is one of the better ones. The actual dining area is not that large so it can become a bit loud and I would not recommend bringing a party of more than four-six there. Average service, difficult parking, but tasty Thai, and comparable prices, make Penny's a place to visit.
(4)
Mally S.

I love Penny's. LOVE. I love each and every dish that comes out of their kitchen and even dream about their steamed beef with peanuts and sauce. I will take a train AND two buses to get there - that's how much I love Penny's!
(5)
Amy W.

I moved out to DC for a year and tried as hard as I could to find a tom yum soup that would satisfy me as much as Penny's to no avail. They've got great food at great prices, and they are just so gosh darn quick with your order. Nothing beats penny's when you just want a good pad thai takeout on a weeknight to go along with your favorite TV show.
(5)
Julia H.

Yum yum yum. Cheap cheap cheap. = Hard to find in Chicago. I tried the seaweed salad here : good and standard. I also ordered a bowl of the Tom Yum soup - It had large yummy pieces of shrimp and a sweet and spicy broth. The waiter recommended a zinfandel that was fruity and robust. My gal pal and I loved this place for the affordability, the good service - and penny's always has some good art up. There are a few Jason Brammer pieces (maybe permanently here) and that's always nice to see a familiar artist.
(4)
ben c.

Not good. I got the pepper beef, and it lacked any sort of flavor at all. The beef was dry, and there were about 3 small pieces of pepper in the dish. Sure, it was fast, and it was cheap, but I really expected better. I guess you get what you pay for. I'd have paid a bit more for some sauce on my meal...
(2)
L H.

Meh. It's an OK place to satisfy an Asian fix but definitely not the best. Penny's plus points are that it is cheap, easy and fast. But the noodles are bland and super toned down. If you eat here, I would get the rice dishes and ask them for the rice separately - ie: don't have them mix the rice in with the meat or vegetables you order. It is always much more flavorful that way.
(2)
Kori E.

YUM! I really enjoy Penny's every time I eat there or get take away! The prices are very reasonable and you get a TON of food! The only thing I wasn't too fond of was the Pad Thai, it was only OK, I've definitely had better. BUT, their spicy chicken noodle dish is honestly to die for! My little sister was in town visiting, and she had it and to this day will call me up craving for it! Delish!
(4)
Julie H.

Had I known this Thai place made cocktails, gal-pal and I would've stopped here sooner. It hits all the necessities of a noodle shop: Speed: Reasonably Quick! Water refills: Often! Variety: Excellent! The menu has all of your stand-bys. Chili noodles, Curry, Pad Se Eu, etc. But they also have many other options. Meat lovers can play the field here. Thai Ravioli? (Shrimp and Pork dumplings) That's wild! My friends, you'll be happy to know my dish was up to spicy standards. Rarely can a place hit those expectations but the Spicy Basil knocked my socks off. As for the drinks, the raspberry martini did not disappoint. In this instance puree is acceptable. Absolutely lip-smacking!
(4)
Fritzie H.

MSG and I are not friends. It's a well known fact. I try to avoid it but sometimes the sneaky little devil makes its way into my body. I've been to Penny's a few times and I clearly asked the waiter if the pad thai contained MSG and he assured me it didn't. I ordered the pad thai and after the first bite, I felt my body balloon up. My thoughts ranged from "Either that dish had MSG or someone plugged my ass into a helium tank" to "SON OF A BITCH!" because I immediately started to swell up. Does this have MSG? "No ma'am!" Don't lie to me you trendy little bastard! I know it does! I was not a happy camper! (that phrase is severely underutilized)
(2)
L C.

Great vegetarian Phad Thai with tofu. The shrimp noodle soup with tomatoes is great too. Tasty and quick. I'm always amazed at the speed of this place, despite it usually being packed.
(3)
Jenny T.

I was underwhelmed to say the least. I have heard pretty good things about Penny's & was often tempted to try it, but was too lazy to venture away from my usual noodle spots. Maybe I'm not wasn't that big of a fan due to my major gin & tonic induced hangover or the fact it was closed & I was kind of cranky, but it just wasn't that good. I had some sort of darkened chicken dish & substituted rice for noodles. It was much sweeter than I was hoping for, so that was a major disappointment. Ryan got some sort of yummy spicy noodle dish, but I was too upset to try his due to the disappointment of my own. Baby much? We also got the crab rangoon, which was okay. Too much fake crab for this little lady. Also, their thai iced tea had a weird after taste. Okay, enough. I'm just complaining for the sake of complaining at this point. I'll give Penny's another shot & maybe it up it a star or two, but for now sorry sweet Penny you just didn't do it for me.
(2)
Maura F.

For the money, it's great. The service is wonderful and timely. Good place to go with friends, or alone. Some restaurants can really pester the lone diner, but not Penny's. Also, some nights they put candle on the table which is adorable. Beware of anything fried on the menu, they tend to be heavy and greasy, not like other fried Asian-style food I've had. If you go get the thai dumping dinner, with the barbecue pork. It was delicious. Also, the ramen noodle bowl is miraculous. Got two of these to go when feeling ill, and ate them over the next few days. Each time I would forget how good it was and be surprised. You can tell they marinate their meat/veggies well. Plus, the portions are generous so you'll invariably be brining home leftovers to munch on later.
(4)
Justin G.

Best pad thai in the area. I've not had a bad meal from these guys yet.
(4)
Brandon B.

I have been here several times and find it consistently quick service, very decent food, and very low cost for decent portions. It doesn't really go for a "Thai" feel but I suppose that's what it is based on the selections; perhaps not authentic, but it still satisfied my stupid Americanized palate. Maybe not the biggest menu compared to similar places but I don't judge based on that. One the few good, cheap, fast places on that corner of overpriced, overcrowded, and loud establishments.
(5)
Nikita W.

I LOVE Penny's Noodle Shop! If you're talking about quick, cheap, and always delicious Thai food...you should be talking about Penny's Noodles. I love this place for so many reasons. Their food is very very reasonably priced. My husband and I always go there and SPLIT the pad thai (which they graciously allow w/ no extra fees or snide remarks.) One order is totally enough food for the two of us, and they will actually put it on separate plates for you before they bring it out...and that's amazing considering one order of the pad thai is delicious and only $7! I've never had anything bad from here. Being vegetarian, I love the veggie bowl. It comes with this great sweet sauce over the noodles and veggies that is light and not too sweet but just sweet enough. Total perfection. Really anything is good from here. I also love the Crispy Roll appetizer which have cabbage and different types of mushrooms inside, a really nice take on a regular egg roll. My husband (the meat eater) loves the Pot Sticker appetizer. One amazing feature is their lightening speed. At least once a week I'll walk in and order from their take out counter and literally about 3 mins later my food is ready to go. This speed doesn't just go for take out, they're super fast when you eat in as well. In this tough economy (or anytime) you really can't go wrong with Penny's!
(5)
Matt Z.

Penny's is one of my favorite noodle shops across town. I'm a big fan of their ramen soup and their beef soup both which are served in a huge servings. They have a small bar, one big tv And a great little outdoor seating area for the summer weather. Fixed in the heart of wicker park this place is awesome.
(4)
Gracie G.

I'm not the kind of person that makes a big stink about many things, I rarely give bad reviews honestly, but this most recent experience at Penny Noodles on Damen was just exceptionally bad. If I could give this restaurant no stars, that would be more accurate. Bugs in your food and all over the windows where you are sitting is unacceptable. I love Penny Noodles, but for some reason, this location is crap. It is very inconsistent. Knowing this I probably shouldn't have gone this afternoon, but it was nearby and I hadn't quite gotten bugs in my food yet. I was willing to tolerate bland food, a horse fly hanging out near my table, and I even thought I could get rid of the flying ant (which later flew out of the napkin I thought I had squashed it in), but the fruit fly swimming in the dressing of my cucumber salad, no. When I brought it to the attention of the server, all she did was take it away and offer to move us. No apology from the manager, no consolation offering. I've worked in restaurants before, had this happened on my watch, I would have been mortified and the manager would have gone to the table to apologize profusely and offer to somehow rectify the problem. Sure, I didn't get charged for the salad that I hardly touched (thank goodness), but I hardly consider that customer service. Don't go to this location, yea its in Wicker Park, but don't assume that means you're getting food that is at the very least up to health code.
(1)
Laura N.

Yummy! Pennys delivered delicious food to my apartment in the snow. Great price, many vegetarian and vegan options, friendly drivers. The vegetarian noodle soup is delicious! PLUS! They came in a blizzard!
(4)
Michelle S.

We are big fans of Pennys Noodle Shop. The food is consistant-something that is often an issue at Asian restaurants- and always yummy! The portions are generous and they never skimp you on the meat! Delivery is prompt and arrives at my house hot! A HUGE plus. The Crispy Rolls and Pad Se Eu are a family fave!
(4)
Erin B.

Our road trip took us to Chicago. Staying with a friend and getting into town late (after an apparent tornado scare?!), we were hungry and looking to fill our stomachs. We walked around the area and found Penny's. Nice place and helpful staff. Despite being late, we were able to have a decent meal. Had chicken pad thai and would definitely have it again!
(3)
Anthony R.

Bleh. A bit tipsy and peckish after leaving the Violet Hour next door, I wandered into Penny's on a spicy food hankering. Probably the best thing here was that the wine is cheap. The noodles were bleh, the Thai spring rolls were decent, although the wrappers were a bit chewy and very out-of-the-fridge tasting. The highlight of the meal was the tom yum soup, which was.. standard. I'd say Penny's is a big skip. It's often hard to find above-and-beyond Thai food, but Penny's is a notch or two below average.
(2)
Kate F.

Huge portions and good food! Lame atmosphere and almost bad service the one time I have been. I liked it enough to give it another try!
(3)
Erin P.

After rave reviews from Angie M., my boyfriend and I decided that take out from Penny's was worth a try. On a Sunday afternoon the restaurant was very busy. Fortunately they took our to-go order right away and it was promptly ready about 8 minutes later! The guy who took our order was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped me to to order items taking into account my my cilantro aversion. Sadly they Vietnamese spring rolls are pre-rolled in the morning with cilantro. Oh well- you can't win 'em all. For under $20 we picnicked in my living room with our take out feast from Penny's. We split the Crab Rangoon (4 to an order) which was cream cheesy and yummy. I got the Ramen- miso broth and shiitake mushrooms sounded like perfect comfort food on a cold Chicago day (not your $0.99 college years -ramen). My boyfriend's choice of the "Hot Pepper Noodle" was the winner! It was wide, flat, pan-fried noodles with choice of meat (he got chicken) bell peppers and this amazing spicy vinegar chili sauce on the side to pour over the noodles to your liking. I liked his more than mine and I had to sneak bites of it while he wasn't looking. Penny's also delivers (and quickly from what I have been told) so next time we are craving it we don't even need to brave the cold or try to find parking in Wicker Park. This is a great find- thanks Angie!
(4)
J. W.

There is no Asian in this Asian food. I do not know why this place has such a following. I have tried Penny's 3 times over the last 6 years and have yet to find anything to celebrate. Champion of Bland. I can suggest 10 other Thai/ Asian restaurants, without fail, that produce much more tasty fare. One tip of the hat is freshness. Penny's high volume does promote them serving fresh food products. I would just be happy if they figured out how to make it taste like Thai cuisine. Not a fan, always under-whelmed. Cheap menu prices and you get for what you pay. Waste of my time.
(1)
Cynthia S.

What happened to the Ramen? Used to order it on any day I was feeling down and felt better right way. Fresh noodles, never freeze dried was what I came to expect. Had them to go tonight and it tasted just like college, at about 7 times the price. The noodles had the thin kinky bent up shape that we all recognize rather than the the hearty thick noodles that you knew had never been flash dried with palm oil. Now my stomach is upset, my wallet is lighter, and I'm not going back to Penny's because rather than just not serve the quality ingredients they used to serve, they skimped and cost themselves a customer.
(1)
Justin H.

I go here for lunch usually about 2 times a week. Very fast and reasonably priced for the massive amount of food you receive. I love the sliced chicken. Just make sure to give it a good mix. The Thai iced tea is pretty good too!
(4)
Mary B.

I ventured here to meet a friend and was so pleased I can't wait to go back. Had the Tom Yum soup and Vietnamese spring rolls: very fresh, tasty, and healthy. Had a glass of wine that was a good size glass as well. The prices were great, not expensive at all. Dining area clean and open, liked the full windows. Parking is as expected in that area: Good Luck. Walk, get dropped off, take public transit instead
(4)
Gaurang S.

Another shining example of perfectly mediocre food in that long illustrious list of bad Chinese and Asian food in Wicker Park. This has been a problem that has nagged me for over 9 months now. How can you not have either one of *one* good Thai, Chinese or Indian place in all of Wicker Park? I'm not asking for all three. Just one. Any one. I have no horror stories here. The food is never bad. Just completely, make-me-miss-my-own-cooking kind of unremarkable. It's a pity, really.
(3)
Anna E.

I'm surprised that so many people said the service was bad...maybe it's because I'm Asian? So far, the staff have been pleasant and fast. Regardless of the service, I could (and often do) eat here at least once a week. Mostly because it's close to my house, but also because it's a great value for the large portions. If you're looking for traditional Thai, I will agree with everyone else...it's not. The sauce for the Pad Thai has somehow gone awry. However, the Hot Pepper Noodle with chicken and the Spicy Basil noodles are excellent.
(4)
Ray E.

Its hard to find decent thai food for cheap anywhere, not to mention in the heart of a hipster neighborhood where we all are vegetarians or vegans or trying to be (no offense WP, I heart you). Penny's is tottally that though, you get pad thai for like 6 bucks and theres enough to take home and have as a snack before bed. They've got some interesting variety too. I'd agree on the lack of veggies in meals though. I happen to like the atmosphere, where you can watch a game on tv, and see the counter, but if youre going for a relaxing, quiet one on one dinner its not the place... it almost reminds me of a cafeteria. Cheap drinks were right up my ally, I'd deff reccomend.
(5)
Kiyana B.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Order the Bean Thread Noodle and you will be in heaven. It's something $7 and I can never finish the HUGE portions they give....it's quality and fresh fresh made to order food. The Pad Thai is also excellent. This place is always hopping but they some how are able to serve you in a jiffy and take-out has never been more then 15min. (They deliver as well in the greater Wicker Park/Bucktown area)
(5)
Amanda M.

So my roommate and I picked up Penny's last night after she graciously came and got me from Midway. We were both hungry and wanted something fast so we decided to stop here. My roommate got the SautÃ©ed Chicken and I got the Sliced Chicken. Both are pretty simple dishes, with the difference being the Sliced Chicken has rice vermicelli noodles and ground peanuts and the SautÃ©ed Chicken had egg noodles and sesame seeds. The sauce was also different supposedly, one with "sweet soy sauce" and the other a "dark sauce." Though there were these differences listed on the menu we couldn't for the life of us decipher which was which when we got home. I finally found some peanuts in one and conceded that was mine. The similarities didn't stop there. We also got the "Crispy Rolls," which seemed to have the same noodles in the roll as the main dishes. They weren't that great, pretty bland. Even though my food was the same as my roommate's disguised under a different name, it was tasty. I think to really appreciate Penny's though you need to go the spicy route, as this seems to be more their specialty.
(3)
Edie J.

I went there with a friend after a failed visit across the street. The service was good, the atmosphere was good would like to come back again maybe on a rainy day because the windows are lovely. My friend really liked her ramen, but I made a mistake in ordering. I have to try again next time . . . it wasn't made badly or anything I just didn't like it. The dish had very subtle flavors and I like my noodles to have a powerful sauce. I was so surprised when we recieved the bill . . . it was completely reasonable . . :D I would try it if you are in the area, it's rainy and you want some noodles.
(3)
Tish N.

I really enjoyed the shrimp noodle soup, I have to try other things. I'm intrigued.
(3)
Tom A.

Pretty solid, quick cheap stuff. It's also absurdly fast -- they've got a well organized line in the kitchen. Many veggie dishes, and they are labeled such on the men, thanks. The sides are pretty cool. Nice little bowl of veggies. Had the watercress last night. Worth spitting one for sure. They only carry one local beer (Half Acre) which is a shame -- I never like seeing a long list of why-was-this-flown-across-the-ocean beers. Still, the Half Acre hits the spot. Great location for those of us on the blue line who want an easy dinner in the mega-intersection district-- it's all of 20 feet from the station.
(4)
Lori Taylor R.

If you are craving Thai food this is not the place to go, but if you're looking for a solid noodle dish Penny's is the place. It's a good spot for tasty, quick, and inexpensive noodles. The portions are enormous and there's a good amount of meat in each dish, especially for the $7 price tag. Highly recommend the Hot Pepper Noodle dish!
(4)
Sara A.

I was trying to give Penny's the benefit of the doubt, and have since gone back two more times. Mostly because the are right around the corner from where I work, and family meal at my restaurant isn't intended for non-meat eaters. So I went yesterday and ordered the Shrimp Tomato soup right before I had to be in for work. And while it tasted decently before going down, I thought the shrimp they used was kinda fishy. You could tell they were frozen before, had their tails removed, and where not pretty in form either. Plus, they tasted weird. Well, that weird taste disagreed with me about an hour later, and I have been dealing with it since. If I knew how to say no bueno in Thai, I would. Gross.
(1)
Stefan W.

Oh, Penny's. You sly, sly minx. For years, I've thought of Penny's as generic but totally acceptable Thai food. I finally had the experience needed to shake me from this daze. At best, Penny's is mediocre; at worst, a pale and pitiful comparison to the other great nearby options for Thai. The servers are always friendly enough, but I have become more and more convinced that they have a back room stocked to the rafters with tubs of "I can't believe it's not Thai food." I was getting started on my palatable enough entree when my lady noticed that something was not quite right with her order. On my Momma, that tofu tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We flagged the waitress and notified her of the confusingly spiced and sickeningly sweet condition of the dish. The waitress returned and confirmed that the kitchen had used too much of the wrong spices on the dish. Having just stopped in for a quick bite, we didn't want to wait for a replacement and asked her to take the uneaten dish away. A few minutes later, a busboy asked if we wanted this culinary experiment wrapped to go. We sure didn't, so he took it away. The waitress came by with the check, told us she spoke to the manager (I believe the owner), apologized, and instructed us to not tip her. Uh huh, that's odd. Looking at the bill, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is still on there. Livid. I've waited tables. I've run restaurants. The fact that the manager left the dish on the bill, told our server to instruct us not to tip her, then watched this girl come to our table to make sure we were told not to tip her is enough to keep me from ever supporting that owner and the way she runs her business.
(1)
Carolynne M.

Penny, you made me fall in love with your Red Curry years ago. But your execution of it at this location was a bit...flat to say the least. The coconut flavour did not really come through as strong as it should have and what was up with the onion quarters? That's a lot of onion to be chewing! Slices, people, slices. But I thought the decor and size of this location was pretty rockin, and we had a cool server. But I think I will stick to my Wrigleyville location from now on.
(3)
Anne W.

It's cheap I suppose.. but to me, the food is not really that great. And the food is cheap, like the price. I agree... the sauce or soup is roughly the same for every dish. I guess it's a good deal if you're just looking for something.. but I'd skip it if you were thinking it'd be something fantastic. It is crowded at lunch or brunch times.. so be prepared for a wait if you go.
(2)
Sara K.

I've been ordering for Penny's for well over 10 yrs and it's one of my favorites. But the past 3-4 times I've ordered (always the same thing, chicken lad nar) they skimp on how much they give you. Barely a full order and hardly any chicken. I mentioned this when I called the last time but they didn't seem to care because it was the same sorry order. It breaks my heart cause' I love it so but I guess like so many others, the bigger they get the less consistent they are. Too bad, one I'll really miss.
(2)
Lea S.

This place is great if you are looking to get a seat quickly, not pay a ton, and get enough food to have left overs the next day. I had the spicy basil with beef dish and it was really good. The spice was powerful, but no so much that you couldn't taste the flavors. I would suggest not sitting by the windows in the winter, since there was a serious draft freezing my right arm while I ate.
(4)
Anjee J.

This interior of this place is very cute and sitting next to their spacious windows makes for great people watching (or people watching you back as you inhale your food during your lunch break...), but I have to say that I wasn't very impressed with the food itself. While it's not *bad*, it's a far cry from authentic Thai food. I always measure a Thai place by their Pad Thai first, and theirs was... Well, it didn't actually taste like Pad Thai at all. Cilantro? Chicken that resembled beef due to heavy marinating? Light, soy-based (?) sauce? Like I said, it wasn't bad, but it definitely didn't taste like Thai food in the slightest. Didn't have the right texture or flavors. I guess they're trying to "Americanize" it or something. While I don't regret going, I also don't think I'll be coming back. If you find traditional Thai food to be too heavy or spicy, this place might be for you. Also, it is a little cheaper than other Thai places, which is a nice plus.
(3)
lola d.

It seems the few times that I have visited this joint have been for convenience and cheap eats. The food is just ok, but can be brought up a few notches with the awesome spicy sauce on the table. Go here for good service, cheap food, and the big window facing Damen Avenue. It's a circus out there and I love watching it!
(3)
Luis C.

I can never go wrong when i go to Penny's. This place has been a favorite spot for my wife and I. We chose Ramen with a which was fantastic because of the miso. For sides we had the chicken satay which was good. The service was friendly.
(4)
Ellen M.

I'll call this one a safe choice for the mixed group, i.e., those who love thai eating with those who still aren't sure where thailand is. I like my thai much spicier than this, but the meal was still pretty satisfying. The service was fine. Not a big selection of entrees or alcohol but they do serve Sapporo beer, so not bad. I'll say this - good value. Four of us had two appetizers, an entree apiece, a soda and four beers. Total paid was $60 including tip. Well-scrubbed dining room with pretty paint and nice floors. A little loud for chatting. Plenty of elbow room and you could probably careen around the tables pretty quickly without hurting anyone if you had a rocket tied to your back. Inoffensive, but not offensively so.
(3)
erica m.

I would give this place stars if the waiters and waitresses weren't so rude. They have really good cheap food. The Shrimp noodle soup is great on cold days and the thia ice tea and coffee will keep you cool on those warm summer days. I think all of their pasta dishes are amazing. As well as the Spicy Basil but I recommend you get take out to avoid the rude waiting staff. The food comes out really fast.
(4)
Chris C.

Portions seemed smaller and had too many noodles to protein/vegetables.
(2)
Sam B.

This place rocks. Awesome thai at a low price. This is my go to place for fast thai food. It's more of a lunch spot, or a take out place though. I wouldn't favor it for a dinner date, or dinner with friends. Its a bit too casual for that.
(4)
Vanessa P.

Ok, the only thing I will get from here is their Spicy Tofu noodle thing. It's spicy (surprise, surprise!) and not all that bad. Key is to take out the noodles and ask for extra veggies. However, I still wouldn't go out of my way to come here and there are far, far better places to go for Thai food.
(2)
John L.

The first time I looked at Penny's menu and saw the little " * " that denotes "spicy" next to many of the dishes and because there was the little " * " next to the Basil Chicken and Hot Pepper Noodle dishes, self said, "this shit is going to be awesome and I hope it's spicy!" Well, Penny's is basically Americanized Thai food, i.e., not bad by any means, but bland compared to authentic Thai. The Basil Chicken is pretty good but lacking in both spiciness and the lack of basil used; and I'm always a sucker for the wide noodles in the Hot Pepper Noodle dish. But, in addition to being pretty bland, Penny's tends to be oilier than other Thai food I've had. Oily isn't always bad. I expect the oil in fried foods, but Penny's on Damen tends to be excessively oily. I bet that Penny has to unfortunately withhold the spice because her typical clientele would not be able to handle true Thai spices. So for the taste-bud-timid, you'll probably dig Penny's. It's kind of like how you might think the Spice Girls are super-hot until you see them up close. Penny's looks and smells great and isn't bad, but when you taste it, there's more to be desired.
(3)
Cathaleya C.

I only came here to celebrate my brother in law's promotion (or new job). It's a nice place in a nice location. The restaurant is quite modern and sophisticate. Given the locale, the cost of dishes are more on the pricey side. Also, don't let the name fool you. It's more than just noodles. So, I ordered thai noodles. I don't remember which one because essentially, all traditional noodles should taste like traditonal thai. I'm only saying this because I consider myself a slight expert with thai cuisine. I did not expect it to have strange ingredients that made it taste eclectic. I think it's a fusion dish. I didn't like it, but I had to hide the truth from the in laws to make them feel confident. Besides, he footed the bill and I don't have time to be rude. The only outlet to my dining there again is for someone else to pay.
(1)
Katie A.

Penny's is near and dear to me. I've been eating here for as long as I can remember - ten years? This was some of the first Thai food I ever had, and although it isn't the most authentic, it's solid solid solid. I've always been a fan of the pad siew, the prices, and the views. Seriously - it's super cheap and consistent. My only complaint? They're not open on Mondays, and for some weird reason, that was ALWAYS the day I'd be craving it. Weird.
(4)
Crystal P.

Penny's is good for a cheap quick lunch. Here is the low-down on the best/worse of this staple. -hot pepper noodle -one of the best things on the menu tofu beef or chicken it is yummy. The Star of the menu. -Bean spouts an tofu- This is more flavorful than it sounds- I add some hot sauce cause I like it like that. -Red curry chicken- eh good if you have never had curry before- but it is a lil weak if you have had the real thing. its like curry training wheels. -chicken pad se ew- too sweet- way too sweet avoid -pad Thai not memorable (but is pad Thai?) - Thai Ice tea and coffee- a must with the hot pepper noodle. I have had many other things but this is what sticks in my head. Really If anyone wants a review on any dish there, with few exceptions I can give it!! This place has been a life saver for like 7 years of lunches and dinners for me.
(4)
Geoff H.

Just picked up lunch there. While I admit my order was totally unimaginitive (chicken pad thai and crispy rolls), the food was thoroughly 'meh'. I don't mean it was, like, BAD, it was just really bland, and no amount of peanut sauce or chili paste (on the pad thai) would save it, really. Also, what's with the stringy noodles and dark-as-if-soyed-already sauce? Pad Thai usually has somewhat broad noodles, from what I remember. The crispy rolls were not-so-much; kinda mushy-ish outside and in, with the spongy/stringy/greasy indiscernable veggies in the middle and no real spice. They might as well have been french fries. I think in general, I could have been just as happy with one of those dehydrated pad thai-in-a-box things you pick up at Walgreen's for two bucks. Really. Alas, the portion was big, it was packaged nicely and ready very quickly, so one star for that. I've had other things from Penny's that were better, so I'm not throwing the baby out just yet....I'll come again. Still, as 'cheap' as everyone claims Penny's is, I could have had a (bigger and better) lunch special at my local Chinese joint (Chen's Garden), with a drink included, for literally half what I spent at Penny's, and saved myself the drive to annoying Wicker clusterfuck. Oh, well.
(3)
Jason W.

Been here tons of times to get the Gai Kra Prow (they don't serve at the other locations). Went back after a year, and it just was not as good as it used to be. The other items we ordered were kind of bland as well. A bit disappointed, but not going to drop them to 1-2 stars yet...
(3)
Ross H.

I wonder how many of the people who gave this place one or two stars because it was bland had Pad Thai to eat. Newsflash: Pad Thai is a BLAND dish. I suppose I should apologize to Sweet Tamarind ... (see review) Went to Penny's yesterday, albeit a little skeptical because of the poor reviews and the "bland" factor, but I was surprised to find that this place was "tasty-tasty"! We started with some Thai Spring Rolls. Had soy, cucumber and other Thai ingredients in there. They were very light and refreshing, and the sweet glaze dribbled on top made them even better. Only gripe was that the carrot garnish guy went a little overboard. I read a lot of good things about the Hot Pepper Noodle, so I ordered that. It was pretty spicy, and I kicked it up even more by adding some more chili sauce. I was sweating by the time I finished -- always a good thing in my book. Just wish there was a little more chicken and a little less red pepper (but vegetables are cheaper than meat, right?). My friends had the Pad Se Eu and the Egg Noodles With Barbecue Pork. While one might think the Pad Se Eu would be "bland," it, in fact, had flavor -- my friend dubbed it "French Toast Noodle." And the Egg Noodles had kind of a savory, smokey taste as well. Yes, it's not going to be a "flavor cornucopia" with those dishes, but it was definitely there. Just a little more reserved than the Hot Pepper Noodle. A la everyone else, the price is definitely right, and I really liked the all glass curved wall. The art in there was pretty cool as well. In short, not the best "Thai" food I've ever had, but I'll be back, I'm sure.
(4)
Ryan P.

Super quick for take out.. inexpensive.. tasty. People at the counter are always friendly and fast. I love the Hot Pepper Noodle with Chicken. I think its about 7$. Very good and filing. Eat from here at least once a week
(5)
Lacie T.

Our food was alright, I got the Red Curry (well-spiced) and Crab Rangoons (more wonton than filling, but tasty) and I was satisfied, but not overly so. The prices are good and the location is top-notch, but the service was so-so and though my meal was tasty, it wasn't anything extraordinary. I would go again, but after looking at the other reviews, I would stick to what I got last time.
(3)
Trinidad F.

My friend, Erin, recommended this place cuz she said the food was good and the prices were great. She was right. I loved the place as soon as I walked in just because half of the restaurants walls were windows and the art on the other walls called my attention. So what was awkward when the waiter came was that he had a friend who I insisted I knew!!!! Then I realized she used to work at Veggiebite and the first time I went there she was my cashier. Hehehe. Small world. We started with appetizers. I ordered the crispy rolls and my friend ordered the japanese gyoza. We were both happy with what we got. I fell in love with the crispy rolls and the sweet sour sauce that accompanied them. YUM!!!! For the main dish I ordered the Red Curry Rice plate with tofu and my friend got the pad thai. So I wasnt too excited about my rice and tofu. It wasnt as spicy as I expected and the coconut milk sauce was overpowering!!! My friend described her pad thai as "different." LOL. I liked the place overall but next time Im just gonna try something without coconut milk because that was a real turnoff. The smell of it simply bugged me.
(3)
Bob L.

Reasonable price, ok food. Friendly staffs
(4)
Gamaliel E.

I get the feeling that Penny's Noodle Shop isn't an authentic Thai restaurant, but I have to say its a solid place for a bowl of noodles. I've always been a fan of BBQ noodle soup, and other brothy noodle dishes. I always find myself adding the hot chili sauce to the dish to spice it up...but in the end it ends up being a hearty and tasty dish. I've had the same waiter here on a number of occasions, and I always find his customer service skills are top notch. I'm also a fan of the fact that they leave out a number of newspapers to read while you eat. Yeah, I'm a loser and eat alone at times. The best part is when you get your check and its under $15.
(3)
Christopher M.

This place is gross. Been here a couple of times, but I just dont think I can stomach it anymore. The food is bland, the service is terrible, I just cant understand why it is always so crowded.
(1)
Staci C.

Best thai food ever! So addicting! Great service and price also!!
(5)
Alex R.

great take out, and the soups are INSANELY GOOD! the noodles/veggies/chicken (or tofu) are separate for take out,and thus u dress ur own soup. how can you beat that? the spicy noodles, not really spicy but ok. No AMEX which is annoying, but what can you do! Really big portions, and affordable. Good bang for the buck! The jasmine rice is really stellar, and the veggies go well with the high quality ingredients
(4)
Joscelyn M.

Yes, it's not the most fabulous Asian place in the world, but let's call a spade a spade: this is a pretty good place for some cheap, yummy food when you're getting of the El after work. The vegetable noodle bowl is super yummy (and pretty healthy, too). I've had all the apps - spring rolls, dumplings, and the currys, and most of the noodles and I've never been disappointed. Is it better than food I ate in Thailand? No. Is it a better value than any other noodle place around? Yes. This is my go to for take-out, hands down.
(4)
pramod p.

food was average. If you are looking for serious foodie noodles, this is not the place, the broth was very bland, not enough flavor. However, it was very affordable and good, quick service! The seaweed salad was not bad, and the appetizers were ok, all in all just a bland, average meal.
(2)
Jason M.

Ordered carry out and the noodles (had pad thai and pad see eu) were dry and seasonless. Never coming back.
(1)
Melissa Q.

I met four girlfriends here for lunch yesterday. We are all graduate students and quite frankly are poor. We sat for a long while sipping our waters and catching up. We were able to enjoy a great meal for under 10 bucks. The amount of food you get for the price is amazing, and it's really delicious! I especially appreciated our server who did not try to rush us out, or roll his eyes at the five waters he kept having to refill. Will definitely be back!
(4)
Annamarie F.

I think there has been a mis-communication somewhere out there. I wouldn't go to Penny's if I wanted the most Thai Thai food that ever Thai'd. I'll go to Penny's for Penny's-style chow. To me, this means a heap of very crunchy, barely cooked/raw veggies with a good sauce/broth, and noodles! Noodles noodles noodles! A friend of mine from the West Coast told me the food there tastes like home to her, especially because a lot of the entrees are completed with a squeeze of lime, fresh chopped cilantro, and a dollop of hot-sauce from the pots on the table. I love Penny's most for how fresh it tastes. From the huge bowls of Udon and Ramen to the oh-so-simple Vegetarian Bowl, it's what I love on gloomy days or if I feel I've been eating too much greasy food. It's a good place to order take out from as well when freinds visit, since the food does still range from crunchy-light to heavy-filling (Hot pepper noodle, most of the rice dishes), and the items under the "Vegetables" heading are good for sharing. I'm sad to admit, I can't comment on the desserts, I'm usually too full from the huge potions to even look at that little section of the menu. Some day...
(4)
Katelyn C.

To be honest (I dont want to be mean since I work in this industry), but it wasn't anything special. The waiter could have helped a little more or asked if it was our first time, but in his defence we didnt ask any questions. The miso soup was great and the tofu was the perfect size chunks. I also ordered the spring rolls, but I wasnt aware they were served cold! My own ignorance again for not asking. They are great if you want to eat healthy but generally I like my spring rolls deep-fried. My friend got some chicken noodle dish and the noodles were small and well seasoned and the chicken was different and tasted like beef! Nothing bad, just not what I am used to! Overall, I would go there again when I am trying to eat healthy!
(4)
alan q.

This was my second time to here. The first time was fine. I got the Pad Se Eu and that was good but nothing too special. This time I got the Egg Noodle with BBQ Pork. This wasn't too good. I was expecting a stir-fry type of noodle but it came out as a bowl of noodles with BBQ Pork on top. There was no sauce at all but came with bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, and peanuts. The portion size wasn't too big either. When I was done, I was still hungry so I ate some of my wife's Red Chicken Curry. I'm not a huge curry fan, but this was ok. Again nothing too special. Penny's is a ok place, but there are better Thai places around the city.
(2)
M. D.

I love Penny's. A big bowl of reasonably priced tasty noodles and good drinks. Most bowls are $6.50 and full of favor!
(4)
J. K.

The best fried rice I ever had and I hate fried rice, but love Penny's. Their wonton soup is great and aromatic. Never had bad food there.
(5)
JAMES M.

DUDE! Cheap food! Its ok in taste.....nothing special. Be sure to cover it in the awesome chilli paste to give it some flavor! good spot in the neighborhood to grab some noodles for a cheap price and then go next door for the $5.00 martinis! oh yessssss
(3)
Ashley K.

I love their Pad See Eu with Chicken! Great warm dish full of noodles, sweet sauce, and veggies on a cold day! And you gotta love their prices! I will definitely be coming back for some more of that! Also, their restaurant is beautiful! I love how open it is with all of the windows. *Edit* Their rice pudding with whatever it is they put in there is highly disgusting. Even if you take that mystery fruit out, it doesn't taste right. I don't think rice pudding is that hard to mess up, but apparently these guys are masters at it.
(3)
T V.

The last time I dined at Penny's Noodle must have been a good two - three years ago. I decided to give Penny's another shot. We called in for carryout on a Tuesday night. We ordered Vietnamese spring rolls as our appetizer. In my mind, the spring rolls were small and overpriced. I ordered the spicy basil with noodles as my entree. I requested my dish to be extra spicy. My dish was bland. I could not taste the basil in my dish. It was a huge disappointment. Now I recall the last time I was there my food had no flavor. That's probably why I have not been back in a few years. If you are wanting authentic Thai food, your best bet is to go somewhere else.
(1)
Jourdan S.

Service sucks. Food sucks. If you never had pad Thai before you'll love this place!
(1)
The Coffin B.

Resonably priced, Always good, always consistant my favotite place for thai.
(5)
Nick A.

I love Penny's Noodles. Reasonable price, quick, good portions, and great taste. I've been going here since I moved to the city 10 years ago. Product consistency is always top notch and the price, to the best of my memory, has not risen more than $1/entrÃ©e during this whole time. The spicy pepper beef noodle (with the wide pan fried noodles) is my favorite. Never had a bad experience here.
(5)
Kris v.

This is mine and my friends hangover spot. 3 Reasons. 1. The food is cheap and consistent. It is not spicy at least for me it says spicy I always end up adding that hot sauce from the table to evering. The won ton soup is big and filling. The goyza well its ok. The Crab Rangoon is ok more cream cheese then crab. 2. The huge windows where you can like Ross said watch hipsters on parade there is nothing better then that on a hangover and getting a laugh or two. 3. The picture of George Micheal on the mens toilet door.
(4)
Melina P.

My fave restaurant !!! Love their sesame beef noodle and Vietnamese spring rolls!!! Yum!
(5)
Tiffany L.

Well, i'm kind of a one or two dish gal when it comes to places like these because of possible repetitious flavors... however, this is a more delicious flavor that i don't mind. i loved every time i've gone there because sit down or take out i get treated very nicely, and timely, and it's cheap! i was however disappointed in the only one huge size of soda they offered for the take out part of my excursion. All in all, definitely get what you paid for and more here. mm mm good.
(4)
Mandy B.

Only getting a 2 because the food is decent. Worst delivery in all of Chicago. One hour and forty minutes!! When I call all I get is "sorry". Are u kidding me? What kind of customer service is that? There are way too many Thai places in this city to deal with that.
(2)
Liz G.

Blah! For anyone who enjoys real Thai food, this is like the McDonald's of thai food. will not be back.
(1)
Justine N.

I should have figured with a fusion Asian place that none of the ethnic foods are done right. Pad Thai was mediocre at best and the portion was tiny. If you want cheap chinese food go to China town. If you want Vietnamese spring rolls go to Argyle street. If you want Thai food...go somewhere else.
(2)
Yukari T.

I'm usually wary of these multi-ethnic Asian cuisine establishments but I was in a bind! I only ordered from here once. It was that bad. I got the pad thai and it was pretty burnt tasting. Pad thai is not supposed to be dark brown! I also got the Vietnamese spring rolls - they were tiny, nothing like normal Vietnamese spring rolls and they were gross. I think you get what you pay for though because it is pretty cheap (at least the entrees are). I think you can probably find better tasting, cheap Asian food elsewhere.
(2)
Coco O.

I'll give them credit for being quick and easy but I have yet to really enjoy a dish that I've gotten there. The Pad Thai doesn't have a very good balance of spicy, sour and sweet and the last time I got wontons there they were friend to a crisp. There are way too many great Thai places in Chicago to waste time at Penny's.
(2)
Stephanie P.

Always great hot food, can't get much better. Their soups are perfect, and well proportioned appetizers. Yum. :)
(4)
Liz B.

Vegetarian Bowl. Phenomenal, everything in it is fresh and prepared to perfection in this light, delicate broth. With some seaweed salad on the side. Do it. You won't regret it. It's the only thing I've ever ordered, because why touch perfection? I'd give it 5, but when we get take out they use those awful styrofoamy containers. Get with the program! Use the biodegradable stuff!
(4)
Patrick M.

My girlfriend turned me onto this place, and I absolutely fell in love with their Thai Fried Rice. I haven't had much else, but I know I can still taste that dish in my head. The service was quick and friendly, but it was a Saturday early afternoon so it wasn't very busy at all. So we got in and out quick enough to not be late to the Cubs game.
(4)
Eric J.

i love this place the pricing is amazing and the food is good and at night when the light the candles so pretty great for a date night on which i always use them
(4)
Dana D.

This place is certainly cheap, however, the price equates to the quality of food and service. I ordered the Lard Nar, and it was okay tasting, but the temperature of my food was lower than the ambient temperature of the room. This is especially true with the pieces of broccoli in my dish, which I assume is cooked separately from my noodles. So naturally, I nicely asked our waiter, Will, to reheat my food. He agreed, and took the dish back to the kitchen only to return with the same dish at approximately the same temperature. So I asked Will to make a new dish. I understand, this may be mildly annoying, but what am I to do with a cold dish? Pay $6.95 only to suffer? I prefer not. At any rate, the final product was only slightly warmer in only selected locations around my dish. I gotta tell ya though, the food tasted alright, and the service, however minimal was sufficient, so this restaurant deserves a booming score of two stars from me.
(2)
Tung L.

For the $ I think its worth it. You get a ton of food for not that much. I rarely finish a whole meal there and I paid near nothing for my meal. Its not the tastiest, nor is it anywhere near anything authentic, but it's still good. Its what you would expect from an Asian fusion place imo. Its not worth a whole trip to go there, but it is worth a trip if you live near there and are hungry, or walking by and hungry. I'm a personal fan of the noodle soups, especially during the cold winters.
(3)
Joel W.

This place is great. Visited last night for the first time around 8pm, Saturday. I believe it is exactly what it is trying to be. A nice affordable place for Thai. Most meals are around $6.95 or so. Same for appetizers. I loved loved my Red Curry. My wife gets Pad Thai at every Thai place and she enjoyed hers. The appetizer (Vietnamese rolls) were really good, I thought: Light with a great sauce on the side. Very good. We got the app, 2 entrees, and I got the choc cake for $5.00 (which i thought was a bit hight, but not if sharing with 2 or 3 people, I guess) the total bill was about $27. Not freshman in college cheap, but it is definitely young, working-couple affordable. I think this place might be perfect for someone with NO interest in fast food, or greasy burrito down the street. Instead you want a decent meal, very nice environment, great location, very nice waiter (young guy, handsome, model-like[so said my wife!]), we walked right in and got a table by the window. Great place. It deserves 4 at least!
(4)
nicole h.

Yummy yum in the tummy tum! I wish I lived nearby. If I did I'd probably so full of Penny's I'd have to ROLL there. Not authentic Thai, but delightfully affordable and delicious just the same. Cool decor to boot!
(4)
Alison B.

I assumed this restaurant was a chain (in a bad way) because of the lack of ambiance, not too flavorful Americanized asian dishes, and the way I felt rushed during the meal. The dishes are cheap and taste okay. So I guess you get what you pay for. If you want good noodles please go up by Andersonville and support a small noodle shop. It will be worth the $7!
(2)
Christine U.

I don't know, is this place even worth reviewing? There are so many better options out there for "Pan-Asian" food. I will say, though, that their prices are very good, but you get what you pay for. I had not been to a Penny's Noodles in YEARS, and my friend and I decided to eat there on Friday night b/c: 1) it wasn't crowded 2) we wanted something fast and inexpensive and 3) it was just steps away from our next destination, Blue Line. We shared the Thai Spring Rolls as an appetizer. Decent, but nothing special. I ordered the Sauteed Chicken Noodles. Lacked any kind of flavor. My friend ordered the Sesame Beef Noodles. The beef was overcooked and tasted like liver, and the dish was comprised mostly of been sprouts! Won't be going here again.
(1)
James P.

Noodles here are solid! Craving noodles? Stop yelping around and go here!!
(4)
Justin F.

Had one of the best bowls of soup ever ! Thats right read it again. A bowl of soup !!
(3)
Ed R.

This is cheap, quick Thai at its finest. Nothing great, nothing bad. My favorite dishes are the Spicy Basil, Hot Pepper Noodle, and the Thai Fried Rice. Almost never eat in, but service is good when I do. Prefer this to Cozy Noodle, although Cozy has more variety. The prices are on par or cheaper than most other Thai places. It's also byob so it would make for an affordable dinner before heading out to the bars.
(4)
Regina F.

My sister was in Wicker Park neighborhood to go to Juko tonight, but we made our appointment a little later on so we could do an early dinner beforehand. This was just a last min random pick. Before entering, we both thought it was a bootleg non-authentic Asian joint. This is one of the best Thai and Viet places I've been to. From the food to the service. The casual, yet hip decor was nice. I also ordered a mango martini which was delish for a small casual joint! Prices weren't bad either!
(5)
genevieve e.

i went to penny's 2x on my last visit to chicago and i wanted it to be good, i wanted that old magic back, but it was like an awkward date with an ex. it just wasn't the way i remember it, and to be fair i even gave it 2 chances to recapture my heart. the portion sizes have gone way WAY down, and the prices have gone way up. it's a bummer, love lost... i guess we can always remain friendly.
(2)
Steven S.

This might be skewed because I had no expectations going in; it's a pretty anonymous looking place, and I thought I was in for bland food covered up by too much sauce (I was exhausted from looking at apartments, so I didn't care what I got). I got the bean thread noodles, and they were so good that that's all I've gotten since. The tofu and vegetables were plentiful and well-prepared, and I was surprised at how subtle the flavor was. So yeah, it might be the sort of place that only has the only menu item that I really like, but so what? I only ever get the falafel at Sultan's Market, and that is OK by me.
(4)
Keira S.

It doesn't matter what you order, because every dish has the same "sauce", a vaguely sweet soy concoction. They have one great thing on the menu--the vegetarian noodle soup, which is generous and fresh and very simple. Good when you're sick. I think that Penny's is probably a good place to take children, because in general, children like noodles and hate fresh vegetables and flavor.
(2)
Edward H.

I wonder if putting up 2 stars might be too generous. Maybe it's 2 stars for Penny's effort of trying to pass their food off as Asian... Or is it a 3 star penalty? I really tried to like the food here, but the noodles are pretty much blah and seems much closer to packaged ramen than stuff served up at typical noodle shops. That's not the only thing though; there's the overpriced items on the menu such as a few strands of boiled watercress served with a dash of soy (where's the creativity?). The nail in the coffin would be their "Asian raviolis." I was actually stupid enough to let my curiosity get the better of me and ordered it. Turned out to be boiled pot stickers - the EXACT same frozen stuff you get from places like CostCo. You can fool them Penny, but you can't fool me. There's absolutely nothing Asian about you.
(2)
AJ L.

Cheap. Big portions. Casual. My kind of place! I went here with a friend who I hadn't seen in 3 years and Penny's was the perfect place to gorge on yummy noodles and catch up. It was pretty busy at 7:30pm on a Tuesday but we were still able to get a table and service was quick and friendly. I loved it so much I had to restrain myself from going back the next night!
(4)
curtis c.

this place is awesome. SUPER fast service, always friendly, and always busy! but every time i order for carry out, it's ready before i get there. even from 5 minutes away! good food at a good price. and they deliver.
(4)
Jessica G.

All talk. No action. Bland and Americanized Thai. I won't be coming back.
(2)
Julie H.

Sweet Penny, give her a chance; you might like it! So many negative reviewers out there, but I'm going to throw Penny's a bone because I kind of love it. No, its not the best Thai, but its a cheap meal, and just as good as all those other noodle restaurants in Chicago that are pretending to be Thai restaurants... call it Thai for Beginners or Thai for Dummies - I just call it good. The Hot Pepper Noodle is great, but my personal favorite is the Vegetarian Bowl: its like a Pad Thai but not as greasy because it has raw/ fresh veggies in it. Wash it all down with a Thai iced tea and you've got a meal! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Service and delivery are fast, too.
(5)
Becca M.

Good food, pleasant service, great location next to the damen blue line stop...what more can you ask for? Oh almost all meals under $6, check please!
(5)
Brian B.

As always the take-out is fast and fabulous!!'. My favorites are the pad se eu and the hot pepper noodle. If you want it really spicy aak for it Thai hot.
(4)
M. J. W.

Just think, about 3-4 years ago, I my review would've been 5 stars. Over the last 2 years, this establishment has gone down hill and we've given them plenty of chances. The last straw was this weekend when we ordered for pick up: chicken phad thai, lad nar, pad se eu and egg noodle in bbq pork. And, of course, the spring rolls, the best thing about any order! All the dishes came bland. The Egg noodles w/ pork had no sauce whatsoever, it was dry and had no taste. The phad thai was overwashed with soy sauce making the chicken exceptionally brownish and too salty. And finally the lad nar had no gravy either and no wide rice noodles. We tried to call to see if there was some issue we should've been aware of, but like when you place your order, you're placed on "perma-hold." This is the end of what used to be a good order-out shop.
(2)
Lisa F.

If you're looking for authentic Thai then Penny's may not satisfy. However, that doesn't make it any less delicious! I highly recommend the Hot Pepper Noodle with tofu. Fab! You may want to ask for them to make the tofu "a little hot "which to them will mean "add more flavor". I have gotten it once or twice and it wasn't as seasoned as it usually is. Since I have probably eaten there 40 times, those aren't bad odds. Also excellent: the seaweed salad, Pad Thai (get extra cilantro), and the service.
(5)
Janette L.

Still hunting for good Thai in Wicker Park. I guess it is hard to come by the further you get outside of Lincoln Square. The waiter recommended the Hot Pepper Noodles. Noodles were overcooked and fell apart as soon as I tried to pick it up. Service was ok but the food was pretty underwhelming.
(2)
Patrick W.

Reliable. Cheap. Good. Penny's. Living three blocks away, this was always the easy choice when I came home late from a meeting or just didn't feel like cooking. The crab rangoon and crispy rolls are very good, and the stir-fried noodle dishes are great. The rice dishes are also very good; I strongly recommend the red curry with beef (think panang beef), the pepper beef, and the 5-pepper shrimp. If you like sweet things, try the Thai iced tea or coffee. Good god, I never had anything so sweet in my life. It's a bit like Thai Food for Dummies in that some of the items and their descriptions are americanized quite a bit, but it's a safe choice for people who have never tried Thai before. Takeout is incredibly fast; 90% of the time the meal was ready in about 10 minutes. Dining in, the service was usually great, I can recall only one waitress who was a bit iffy.
(4)
Kristen S.

Penny's looks like a sweet little restaurant near the Damen El Stop. The service is decent, and the abiance is just okay, but the food is very much lacking. The dishes here lack the flavor of a more authentic asian noodle restaurant. We had the thai spring rolls, beef noodle bowl, and pad thai with chicken. The spring rolls were full of yummy veggies and stir-fried tofu, but the so-called sweet and sour sauce was awful. The beef noodle bowl lacked any flavor whatsoever. The pad thai with chicken was very good but far from the authentic pad thai I have had elsewhere. I did like the use of scallions (green onions) in the dishes. It was very fresh. Overall I would not recommend this restaurant unless you needed a quick bite in Wicker Park and didn't care too much about having great food.
(3)
Natalie R.

I really like Penny's because the menu is tame enough that my picky daughter will actually try new things, but diverse enough that I can get something I like, too. I have to give kudos to the guy who took my delivery order. He made some excellent recommendations that both children enjoyed tremendously. The delivery was also quick and the order correctly filled. Brick and mortar, the place is clean, the waitstaff courteous and on the ball.
(4)
Jason S.

HOT PEPPER NOODLE WITH VERMICELLI NOODLES (BEEF). I need say no more! Delivery is most always prompt. P.S. Decent crab rangoon as well!
(3)
Ali O.

Penny's is one of those places that always delivers dependably okay food. I have probably tried more than half of the dishes on their menu in the few years that I've been coming here and most of them are reasonably priced and reasonably good. There are a few gems on the menu though. Their sea weed salad ($5.25) is super tasty, the Tom Kha Kai soup ($2.75) is rich and delicious, and the Red Curry ($6.40) is actually quite good (especially if you had some hot sauce). I'd stay away from the crab rangoon (there is just something off about them) and the noodle bowls (most of them are just sorta bleh). While there is definitely better Thai food in Chicago, I'm not sure if anyone does it FASTER. Seriously. Their take out is like lightening. They have it done in MINUTES. I live around the corner, so that works out really well for me. But, if you live farther away and want to avoid having to reheat your food, I would recommend waiting to place your order until your a few blocks away or have arrived at the restaurant. I would probably only give this place 2.5 stars, but since they have such fast take out I'm rounding up to 3.
(3)
Neha S.

A four star Thai restaurant. This in itself is an accomplishment. The reason I thin Penny's is better than most other Thai restaurants in the city can be summed up in one phrase. Spicy Pepper Noodle. This dish is incredible and I have only seen it at Penny's. It has wide egg noodles and just enough oil and spice to make it a perfect meal. Unfortunately, this is as good as it gets. Nothing besides this dish is that special to me.
(4)
Todd C.

I stop here every once in a while when riding the Blue Line home form the airport. (It's right off the Damen stop). I like the Chili Noodles with Beef. Awesome. I've tried some of their rolls and maybe it's just me, but I don't really like rolls that are served cold. That's the only reason this place doesn't get a 5.
(4)
Brent W.

Very inexpensive, very adequate Thai cuisine. Hot pepper noodle is seriously hot and seriously addictive, as is the 5 pepper shrimp; although the latter is a bit lacking in the actual number of shrimp provided (you can have them add more). Gyoza, Egg roll and Satay's are all pretty decent. Pad Thai, Sesame Noodle and Pad Se Eu all get high marks too. Overall it's a place you should have on your short list of Thai restaurants if it's in your neighborhood.
(3)
Rocky K.

Hot waiter. Food was "asian-y" and par, but the prices were good. Really, the hot waiter is the only thing to write about here. Wish he was on the menu. Haha.
(3)
Nathan H.

This review is a long time coming for this great restaurant. My girlfriend and I have been weekly regulars at this Thai eatery for going on a year now and we love it! Its not your typical Thai place. Its modern upscale environment mixed with delicious Thai recipes and a great location make this a must visit for anyone wanting a delicious and affordable meal. The Japanese gyoza and Viatnemese spring rolls are great as appetizers and the Veggie bowl and Pad Thai are two of our many favs!. the service staff is friendly and prompt. The only complaint I would have would be that they bring back the candles for Thursday night dinner! If you haven't been you've gotta visit this restaurant!
(4)
tina m.

Since I am moving away from this wondeful neighborhood that is Wicker Park, I feel as though it's necesary to review the one place my roomies and I ordered from on a weekly basis. Their Pad Thai and Veggie bowl...forget about it. They deliver, but they do have a cute and simple eating area if you wanted to get out of your house. It's in the perfect spot too, so you can get a drink at Blue Line Cafe after, or hop on the L to head downtown!
(5)
Stephanie S.

Penny's gets it done everytime. I have eaten here many a time and have always left full and happy. Flavorful meals abound with a nice range of starters, noodle dishes, soups, and rice bowls. They use plenty of spices and whatnot for flavor - -the ginger-spiked dishes are consistently peppy, and the peanut sauce nicely understated and just rich enough. I always like what I get and I have certainly poked around the menu quite a bit. The portions are more than generous and arrive basically instantaneously. It's like the Penny's cooks READ MY MIND,or something! That's a good trick! Ambiance is always pleasant with music on a low volume, enough space between tables so you don't feel as if you are unwillingly cozied up your neighbor's lap, and there's all sorts of neat art to look at. Bottom line -- good food, fast and friendly service, music not too loud, vegan/vegetarian options, groovy layout, local art on walls.
(5)
Keziah C.

The Best Thai food I've ever had for a great affordable price. My favs are: crab rangoon, Pad See Ew, Lad Nar, & Spicy Shrimp with Rice, & the mango martini. My husband's favorite is the Red Curry Chicken with Rice. The staff is great, and attentive, and the food is so flavorful, and seasoned wonderfully. This is and always have been a great neighborhood spot in the artsy Wicker Park neighborhood, I just love it here! It's also a place for people watching inside, or outside, and you can bring your woof woof when dining outside, love it!!! I love everything about this place, and it is my absolute fav affordable hangout place to eat in the city of Chicago. Please try it for yourself, I promise you won't be disappointed, and if you are, who cares you won't pay more than $25 for a meal for 2. :-)
(5)
george k.

I eat at Penny's way too often and have been eating here for YEARS (probably like 15?!!? (Wrigleyville w/ my sis is where it started)). I have had both good and bad food so I can agree with both types of reviewers on here. After experimenting with many of their dishes I have come to the conclusion that half of them are flavorless crap, and the other half is decent and worth ordering again. Things I have been happy with and repeat order are: Thai Iced Tea - usually pretty solid, had one or 2 bad ones in my day. Tom Yum Soup - Always happy with this Crab Rangoon - better quality/flavor then most it seems. Pad Thai - This is sometimes good, sometimes crap, so it is a gamble. Hot Pepper Noodle - This is usually pretty good, 1 or 2 times it has been almost too hot to eat. Lately it is very mild which I am fine with. Ask for crispy noodles if you want some extra grease/crunch. Red Curry - This is usually pretty good. Things I have had and I hated are: Spicy Basil - This is too bland for me, but my friends love it. Pad Se EWWWWWWWWWW - Flavorless Shrimp Soup 5 pepper shrimp - tried this once and it was too hot to enjoy. Shrimp noodle soup - kind of bland /weird Bean Thread Noodle - 100% flavorless I usually get delivery and find the staff very friendly. Usually I get my food within 25 minutes. I dislike how they are closed on Monday. Over the years it seems like the quality has gone down slightly (less vegetables), while the prices have gone up, but overall I still enjoy the food, and have a belly and like 100 pairs of unused chopsticks to prove it.
(3)
elisa g.

I love this place. Good noodles big portions ;) Less then $10 bucks!
(4)
Kassie B.

I love this place! I eat here at least once a week. The food is consistantly good and the waitstaff is always friendly. I typically get he Tom Kha Kai with rice or the BBQ Pork and noodles. Since the price doesn't change from lunch to dinner it's always a stand by for a great meal at a cheap cost.
(5)
Jamie B.

I am a noodle fanatic and Penny's is quite delicious! Their skinny rice noodles are not really my thing, but I love their egg noodles. If they had thicker noodles, they might just steal my heart!
(4)
Liz K.

It's "Americanized" Thai--noodley and bland, but copious amounts of food, cheap. The spring rolls were standard fare, similar to Zen Noodles', but spongier, (although I must say that the ones at Usagi Ya are outstanding). Avoid the Pad Thai; it's really one-dimensional and pretty much tastes like a thin-noodle version of Pad See Ew, but with the requisite bean sprouts, cabbage, cilantro (um that's weird, actually), and crushed peanuts. Might as well just get the Pad See Ew since it's just sweetened soy sauce, essentially. The Spicy Basil Noodles are neither spicy nor basil-flavored. Penny's is not terrible, just unremarkable and homogeneous, sort of like what you'd find at a mall food court. One thing that's nice is that if you call in an order it's usually ready in 10 to 15 minutes. If you're starving around lunch time and have a taste for mediocre Pad See Ew, or you're entertaining people from out of town who hate spicy things but don't want burgers from Pontiac and Blue Line's closed (until 5pm), Penny's would be safe.
(2)
Lindsee R.

Ok, really?! I've had better asian food at Panda Express.
(1)
Matt W.

Ok people, say it with me: Pan-Asian. Penny's might hide under the guise of Thai but it doesn't take a CIA operative to uncover it's more of a fusion than a straightforward store of Siam. And for that reason it's better than a lot of people give it credit for. My personal favorite is the Thai Ravioli which is basically just a shrimp dumpling with a side of slightly fatty BBQ pork. Still, not that bad. My wife swears by their gyoza, I think they're alright. Your mileage may vary but I've heard Penny's accurately described as a slightly lesser quality Lulu's (see: Evanston). It is unfortunately smack dab in the middle of the ever-annoying Wicker Park and all the hipster traffic that comes with it. So wear those tight, tight jeans, roll your sleeves up, put those horn-rimmed glasses on and look like you're going to cry. You don't want to stand out, after all.
(4)
Sylvia T.

FLAVORLESS! I didn't even realize this place was supposed to be a Thai restaurant until I read the reviews after the fact. I had the spicy basil with chicken. Where is the spicy? This isn't even Americanized Asian food, it's below that! Talk about dumbing down the flavors. I wanted my mint, sprouts, cilantro, fish sauce, and peanuts! :( Boo...boo!!! Guess I gotta go to the hood for authentic Asian fare.
(1)
Robert B.

The Vietnamese Spring Rolls were great. Sauteed Chicken over egg noodles was great also. Don't forget to order a Singha Thai Lager to go with you meal. :)
(4)
Mark S.

OK, people here are being tough on Penny's. If you go to Penny's expecting authentic Thai, you're going to be disappointed. If you go expecting Asian inspired noodle and rice dishes with pretty fresh ingredients (think plump shrimp that doesn't smell, or chicken that's not dried out and cooked/boiled to death) you'll probably like it. They've a nice sampling of different Asian dishes and most people will find any of them enjoyable. So what does that make Penny's? Well, I suppose I'd call it a safe bet. Pretty often lately for a quick dinner, that's all I want, Americanized, fresh, Asian inspired food that is very consistent from one visit to the next, or from one location to the next. And it's super fast and cheap too. So it's no replacement for ma-n-pa Thai, but this isn't where I go when I want that anyway. On the down side I will say I find the staff overly friendly (sometimes in a fake way) and I get irritated when the waiter doesn't write my order anywhere, even if he does manage to memorize it. One more gripe- I've been coming to this place (OK the orig. location) for over 10 years, and their Tom Yum used to be really spicy, eye watering spicy- sadly it's not spicy at all now. And Thai Ravioli used to be called won ton bowl- I feel stupid ordering Thai Ravioli, what, won ton is too hard to pronounce? Please. So when I think about this place it's a 3-1/2 star, which I round up out of sentiment.
(4)
Nikki M.

I'm kind of shocked to see a lot of people not liking this place. I really dig their pad thai. Honestly, I think it's the best I've ever had in the city. Try to prove me wrong people! I am absolutely obsessed with their Shrimp Noodle Soup, though. The tomato broth with cilantro and bean sprouts with the thin noodles and obviously big pieces of shrimp are heavenly to me. I usually come in and order it to go but if I do eat in, I haven't had any problems with service. The last time I was there, though, this lady at the table next to me gave me the pleasure of watching her change her daughter's diaper. Why she didn't use the bathroom, I don't know.
(3)
Ali A.

Thai chicken fried rice was my choice here. Its right off the blue line Damen stop. I added extra spice to my dish and I immediately regretted that. I wasn't sure how spicy it was going to be. The dish actually packed a lot of heat on its own. It was however still really tasty. I will go back again.
(5)
Sammuel P.

Penny's is a great and inexpensive place for a quick bite to eat. I ordered the spring rolls which were not that good. They really didn't have much flavor. However, the Tom Yum was excellent, they serve a pretty good size bowl of the soup and plenty of shrimp, it was also spicy. I also recommend the Thai fried rice (spicy), a lot of flavor, and pretty big portion. Overall, I would go again, I live in the area, the food and price are just right.
(4)
Cherie E.

I tend to shy away from reviewing chains (and I consider Penny's a quasi-chain) but given its convenient location under the el, I get takeout from there too often to continue avoiding a review. So - it's good for takeout. The menu is diverse, the food is of OK quality and the prices are reasonable. Best of all, you usually wait only 5 minutes for the food to be prepared (I typically get the veggie bowl, so perhaps that explains why it's so quick.) As for dining in, it's alright. The service is usually consistent and it's a good choice for a quick meal. Not what I would consider a dinner destination (for out of town guests, for example) but it serves its purpose in the neighborhood. I like this location a bit better than the one on Diversey b/c there the dining area seems a bit brighter/more open and because there's an outdoor seating area. All in all, even if some complain it's not the most authentic Thai, it's a nice place to have in the neighborhood.
(3)
R to the Y.

Penny's is our (my wife and I) favorite Thai place, hands down. It's cheap, fast, and consistently delicious. I've tried almost everything on the menu, and I haven't been disappointed once. We just moved back into the city after living in Evanston for a year (one of the worst years of my life--NEVER go to Evanston, although Thai Sookdee is a very good Thai restaurant there), and one of the things we were most excited about having nearby again was a Penny's. The Vietnamese Spring Rolls are the best we've had anywhere in Chicago, aside from Joy Yee (another favorite restaurant of ours).
(5)
David P.

I know people who will go out of their way to get their Pad Thai from Penny's. Great place!
(5)
Ariel B.

The best thing about Penny's is the prices and their food. I've never had a bad meal and I love that you can make items vegetarian if you choose. The service isn't always great, so sometimes it can be a long wait, even for water which is unfortunate because a lot of their dishes are quite salty. (I said the same thing about the Lincoln Park location, as it really is the same.)
(3)
Stefan S.

A great place, a clean interior, followed by a very good price, also the serving sizes do not skimp at all. If you aren't a hefty eater you could simply have them split one bowl between two people and its still a serving size at least. My favorite are the pad se u(i think) and the hot pepper noodle, it depends on if i'm in a sweet or spicey mood but both are excellent. The desert is great as well with their no flour cake, delicious and more than enough for two people!
(4)
candace l.

Meh, this place is okay. I've had better, and worse, pad thai. I will give them an extra star though for fast and friendly service.
(3)
Caitlin O.

A decent place to stop and have a cheap bite to eat. Don't let anyone kid you into thinking this is authentic Thai cuisine by any means, but that doesn't make it bad food. It's just "safe" Thai and personally, I'm pretty okay with that. The chicken lad nar is pretty excellent - I tend to prefer my wide flat rice noodles crispy-fried instead of simply pan fried, which they do rather well. The spring rolls are alright and the tea is plentiful. It's local to me and I consider myself somewhat of a regular - but that's because it's cheap and decent enough, not because it's outstanding. The wait for food can get a little long if you're there in the late evening, so be careful - though the staff has always been pleasant to me and the service as quick as the crowd will allow. Really, it's not bad, you just accept it for what it is - a quick, decent bite to eat.
(3)
Britt C.

First of all, this isn't authentic Thai. Get over it. It is a noodle shop, and they use Asian flavors to make it unique. Normally this equation works for me but I don't know if it's just the one on Sheffield that's the good one because my recent trip to the Damen location was disappointing at best. I ordered my fave, Thai Ravioli, and they were overboiled, and the bbq pork and veggies they came with were sitting in a pool of water. Also, although the pork was very tasty, the rest of the entree was bland and all the hot sauce on the table couldn't fix that. At least it was cheap, so I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off.
(3)
Chrissey N.

Delicious pad see ew, the noodles were nice and thick, and the broccoli was crunchy and fresh. The beef was tender and delicious, and overall the dish was very flavorful and yummy. I would not say that this is authentic Thai, but it was really spectacular. However, my water had a small bug in it, and because of that, I have to remove a star. All they did was replace it with a new glass, and awkwardly take my old glass so that no other customers would notice.
(3)
Kate G.

Just tried the beef pad Thai. First time at this place. Loving it! Finally a Thai place that listens when saying SPICY! They even gave me extra hot sauce. I usually don't get beef, but it tastes amazing in this dish so I'll definitely be getting it again. Portion is huge! Probably for 2. Price of $9 and some change is definitely worth it.Can't wait to eat the leftovers.
(5)
Joe M.

I'll start by saying I've only been there once, but I would never go back because our food was borderline inedible. I ordered Lard Nar and I was served deep fried rice noodles instead of the normal soft creamy rice noodles you are normally served. Im all for innovation but these noodles were greasy and really off-putting; it felt like I was eating a bowl of oil-ladden fried wonton skins. The sauce which is normally a thick and subtly flavored brown gravy was a soupy sticky, cloyingly sweet sauce with dry rubbery chunks of chicken and shredded carrot. My wife ordered a vermicelli rice noodle dish and it was even sweeter than mine and honestly gross. Neither one of us finished more than a 1/4 of our plates and the waiter didn't even think to inquire why. All around it was a disappointing experience. Perhaps we ordered the wrong things, but it would take a lot of convincing for me to try this place a second time which is rare for me to say.
(1)
Sharon L.

Everyone salivated over the ramen but I was in the mood for a vegetable noodle soup. After a night of drinking, the nourishing soup hit the spot. Tofu was of the yellow fried variety. The vegetables consisted of sprouts, cabbage, and carrots. My cousin ordered the vegetable noodle bowl (sans soup) and received the same dish that I ordered except there was no soup. Clean, friendly service.
(4)
Jill T.

Fast service, good for kids (high chairs) and yummy food. Vegetarian Bowl was great for me (vegan) Our waitress was very accommodating: the staff seems very friendly.
(4)
Trevor H.

Food is cheap, fast and delicious! They always have a drink special which is appealing to those of us that need Thai and drink at the end of the day.
(5)
Roxane P.

One of my favorite places in the city to get Thai! Their dishes are always full of flavor and each portion can feed up to two people! Their Pad See Eww is to die for! With just right amount of everything, this wonderful dish is brought to life at Penny's! This was my first time at their Wicker Park location and my experience was great! The location is convenient and the service was awesome! Also this location is much bigger than their other ones, making it easier to have dinner with friends!
(4)
Joshua M.

I've been here a couple of times with inconsistent results. The Pad Thai is normally pretty good. However, the bean sprouts they use seem somewhat less-than-fresh. They also are the only Thai restaurant in the area that puts cilantro in their Pad Thai, which I don't particularly like (and always forget to ask them to omit because I don't think of cilantro as something that goes in Pad Thai). In my last visit, I tried the beef Pad See Eiw. It looked really appetizing, was the right color, etc. However, it tasted like nothing. All I could taste was gummy wide rice noodles with zero hint of broccoli, beef, or sweet soy flavor. Zero seasoning, and it just wasn't good. For a restaurant that's got "Noodle" in the name, I expect more out of their noodle dishes.
(2)
Cat H.

Food is not authentic nor good at all. When I asked to remove an item from the shrimp spring rolls, I was told they can't since they're "already premade". Huge red flag for me. Do yourself a favor and head over to Sticky Rice on Western Ave instead for some really fresh amazing Thai food. Great drinks though I must say. I'd probably only be back for those.
(2)
Melanie T.

Came on a cold Sunday night with my family. It wasn't busy so that was good for us since my kids are loud. Service was quick, which we loved and appreciated! My husband and I ordered soups, my tween ordered a pork and rice dish and my two younger kids had chicken satay. My soup tasted just like how Mama would make it! It was so warm and filling! Everyone cleaned off their plates without me having to yell at them to...so you know the food was good!
(5)
Heather U.

The food here is awesome and the staff is very friendly. Danielle was our server and she was funny and always made sure everything was ok. We will be coming back more often. :)
(5)
Natalie C.

Came here after a yoga class at Nature Sanctuary - temperatures were starting to plummet and we spotted Penny's Noodle and my friend and I thought "ahhh steamy hot soup noodles would hit the spot!". We sat near the window, got an order of the vietnamese spring rolls to start with. I ordered the shrimp noodle soup with roasted tomatoes and my friend ordered the ramen. The spring rolls were pretty bland and the sauce to dunk them in was weird... I'm use to viet spring rolls coming with a plum sauce of sorts, this one was sort of sour and sort of sweet.. but not terribly flavorful all round. Our noodles came out, mine was vermicelli in a clear broth with some very red tomatoes and a few pieces of shrimp. The broth seemed like a light chicken stock (not very shrimpy) and there weren't many pieces of shrimp, but it got the job done, warming up my belly. The tomato pieces were a good acidic pop to the not-so-flavorful broth, and so a redeeming quality of the dish. My friend's ramen looked pretty basic - thin noodles with some bamboo shoots and randomly, some bean sprouts. Overall the meal was pretty lack luster. I would rate it a 2.5 based on the food (not offensive by any means, just not very tasty), but the service was friendly and efficient, and the meal was pretty cheap. With all the amazing noodle joints (ramen, pho, wonton soup, etc) in the city, I probably won't be back.
(3)
Amanda S.

Arrived for an early dinner with a friend on a Friday evening: we asked to be seated outside so I could stare at Big Star, where I wanted to be BUT my "friend" said NO...we have to try this place, it was recommended to me by a friend. Whatever!! Realistically, we probably wouldn't have had time for Big Star because that place was POPPIN, as I hear it always is. Anyway, no one was in the restaurant. I believe there were four patrons sitting inside when we arrived. The hostess led us to our table and we sat outside and waited...and waited. And no one came. I went inside and asked the bartender if someone was coming out. A few moments later, our very polite and seemingly young waitress arrived. I ordered a mango margarita (why I thought that was a good idea, not sure). This drink sucked. It was just straight up gross and syrupy and had no redeeming quality whatsoever. My friend had a bottle of Corona, and was happy with his choice. We had seaweed salad and spring rolls as appetizers. The spring rolls were good: crunchy, light flavor and thoroughly cooked. The seaweed salad was terrible. It actually tasted spoiled and was basically inedible, grossed me out. For an entrÃ©e, I ordered the tofu pad Thai extra spicy, which is my go to at Thai restaurants. The portion was huge, the flavor was very good and I like how they added heaping portions of fresh purple cabbage on top to mix in. Not the best I've had, but very good. Overall: if I lived in Wicker Park, I would order the pad Thai to go for lunch. The service wasn't great and the seaweed salad and drink were atrocious. I won't be returning. They must be doing something right since there are three locations but I wasn't blown away and pad Thai is readily available at about a million places in the city and burbs. Sidenote: my sister told me the location on Diversey is better.
(2)
Allie H.

Penny's has some of the best Chicken Pad Thai ever! I love the ambience of the restaurant and the wait staff is friendly and helpful from start to finish. You can't go wrong with anything you order here.
(5)
Renee D.

After trying Thai food many places, this is still my favorite I miss my favorite location on Sheffield, but have never found Thai food I like this much.
(5)
Michelle V.

Finding a place that wasn't obnoxiously loud during a hawks game seemed impossible until we got to penny's. Besides keeping my hearing I was also happy that the food wasn't over priced for wicker park which ment I was able to order a daquri without feeling guilty. Waiter was nice and was kind enough to explain the difference of the dishes we ordered. Bill was under 30 for two people so I know where to go in wicker.
(5)
Jannis W.

Imagine a Thai version of Pick Up Stix...POOF you have Penny's Noodles. The food here is a few notches above mediocre at best. It is a very watered down version of real Thai food. Trust that I know what real Thai food is. I was born and raised in SoCal where there is a plethora of Thai restaurants. More importantly, I have roots that trace back to Thailand and grew up eating this cuisine. I have also visited the country six times and have had the opportunity to eat from bug carts, street side, country side and at fine establishments. I dined in for my first experience and ordered take-out for the second. I have to say, the restaurant is pretty immaculate and the service was great. The satay chicken was on the dry side and the peanut sauce was nothing worth mentioning. The sauce for the lad nar was tasty but the consistency was very watery, which is not typical. Another thing that is not typical is the cruchy large noodles. I was surprised when I received the lad nar and even argued that it was the wrong dish, until I read the description. The curry was delicious. I enjoyed the spicy basil fried rice, tasted pretty baseline. The pad sa eew was the worst I had ever had anywhere! Holy moly the noodles were so big. It had a cardbox taste to it and I'm certain the shelf life of these packaged noodles had to be a minimum of 20 years. This dish tasted kind of like pre-packaged asian food that you throw in the microwave. Side note, I ate the leftovers for breakfast and consequently had food poisoning. Of course I will go back. The food is not bad. If you expect fast food quality and price, you will not be dissappointed.
(3)
M H.

Go to dish is hot pepper noodle with tofu. Going on years that I have had it and delivers every time. Great spot.
(5)
Sarah V.

Dined in twice, ordered out once and won't do either again. I really wanted to like Penny's. The staff is nice, the prices are reasonable and it's just up the block from me. I ordered the pepper beef each time. It was okay, just kind of lacked seasoning. That fateful day: I slept late, skipped breakfast and ordered Penny's for lunch. As always the staff was kind and the food was ready pretty quick. Less than hour after eating I started to feel sick. As a frequent visitor of third world counties, I know that feeling and it's not good.... Needless to say, I won't be going back.
(2)
Jun J.

it was good pad. thai was good. nice open space. nice waitress. the drink was okay as well. it was cheap.$5
(4)
Michelle K.

Delicious Chicken Pad Thai! This may be the best I've ever had; definitely the best I've tried in the area. I went with a friend for lunch on a week day and service was very quick. Portions are big and prices are very fair.
(5)
Andrew G.

Love this place. Great food. A bit pricey, but worth it. Love it in the summer, has out door seating that's off Damen Damen location is the best one. On Diversey it's more salty, and the atmosphere isn't as nice.
(5)
Peter D.

Not bad but not amazing. Will probably be our go-to Thai spot in the neighborhood given its proximity and pricepoint. Service was solid and efficient and that's all I ask for. Bell's Oberon is only $3.50 here which is pretty good as well. Consider Penny's if you want a quick Thai fix in Wicker Park.
(3)
Heather S.

Awesome little Thai noodle shop in my old neighborhood.. Wicker Park has really grown and a ton of awesome little jewels have sprung up since I was here last. I have always loved how diverse Chicago was , but now that I'm older I really appreciate it so much more. It was cold and rainey so when we strolled past this place we had to stop and try it- besides if it smells amazing outside how could one resist?? Small place, but very modern and minimal inside- also loved that it is on a corner so make sure you sit by the window- great people watching. We were seated right away- and given water without asking. Jai floated over and took our drink orders- they have a full bar and I was just on the blue line all day- so tequila martini it is! They have Corazon on the bar menu- tequila, blood orange juice with a salt and pepper rim- perfect to warm me up! I asked Jai what she suggested and she mentioned she had the dumpling soup for lunch but with half noodles- SOLD! It came out promptly and at the perfect eating temperature. The broth was the most amazing heavenly liquid I have ever tasted! I really just wated to skip all the add-ins and drink it alone. But I made sure to eat my shrimp dumplimgs, braised beef, bok choy and noodles while scooping up the broth in every bite. I can't wait to come back and try more!
(5)
Amanda P.

I've been coming here for years, I know a lot of people who call this American Thai but whatever to them, it's good. Really good actually, I'll hop off at Damen on my way home grab it to go and hop back on the blue for takeout! They are so fast, good price and tastes great! Also, if you want beer/wine, etc those are reasonable as well. I love the Tofu option in everything which isn't always available everywhere. They also have a pick up zoned parking spot in front for to go!
(4)
Lisa H.

Excellent, inexpensive Thai food. And still BYOB. I have since moved away from Chicago, but every time I return I get chicken Lad Nar. This is the best Lad/lard Nar I've ever found. I've darn near ordered it 20 times across the U.S. No one else crisps the rice noodles like Penny's. And their Pad Thai is what you will compare everyone else's to - it's the bench mark. Are there better, fancier, more refined Thai restaurants? Absolutely, but this one is where you will go weekly.
(5)
Vaishu P.

Fantastic food, Fantastic prices and Fantastic service! I really couldn't ask for anything better. The restaurant is never that crowded, atleast everytime I went there, so it's a very pleasant experience for when you want to have long conversations over great food. Finding this place happened by fluke one day, and I'm so thankful for it. This is the only Thai place I go to now. I always have their miso soup and crab rangoon! The chicken Satay was delish too.
(5)
Mai T.

This was my first time at Penny's and it won't be my last! The food was delicious and my waiter was very nice. I had the pad Thai and it was really good. The location is very convenient, just right off the Damien stop on the Blue Line.
(5)
Naisa F.

My boyfriend and I love this place. Always get the pad Thai. Portions are big so worth your money. Good and service are great! Parking a bit difficult to find but its right next to the damen blue line train. Will definitely be going back.
(4)
Kelly N.

This will always be one of my favorite Thai cuisine restaurants. Such wonderful memories took place at Penny's. When I turned 21 it is where I purchased my first alcoholic beverage. They always have such lovely artwork on display. Plenty of tables and a great atmosphere to go with that. It can get pretty busy though on certain days. Staff is always more than attentive and pleasant! Always will recommend the Pad Thai with tofu.
(5)
Patrick D.

Great food, good service. Last time, the waiter was somewhat quiet and it was hard to understand him when Blue Line was roaring next door. Always get the Pad Thai with Chicken and it's always delicious and priced affordable. Definitely one of my favorite noodle spots in the area.
(4)
Migdalia D.

I came here in the summer. My dish had bra spouts, chicken, ramen noodles and green onion. I forgot the name of the dish due to the lack of any flavor or seasoning. I had put tons of soy sauce and hot sauce to get any taste. But coming here to pinch a penny, nothing less is expected. Maybe I'll order something with beef next time.
(2)
Eric S.

Uuuhhhh gross. I'd literally rather eat boxed ramen than the bland, canned noodle soup at this place. Skip this, just go straight to Stan's instead.
(1)
Clint B.

Great place with yummy food and great service! Really enjoyed my Chicken Pad Thai and Tom Kha Kai Soup! Of course it was too much food for 1 person, but I ate it all anyway!
(4)
Vanessa H.

This my go to Thai place in the neighborhood. My fiance and I have ordered at least a dozen times. However, with my delivery, for some reason this time I was charged a fee for hot sauce? No big deal, but I mean, come on... Otherwise, five stars. Love the Pad Thai, Hot Pepper Noodle, Red Curry, and Tom Yum soup.
(4)
Jenny H.

Yum! I love me some Thai food, and this place did not disappoint! Convenient location right by the Devon stop on the blue line, and it is a large restaurant with lots of seating. We went for lunch on Sunday. I ordered a Thai ice tea, and a chicken pad Thai. I have to say, that was one of the best pad Thais I have ever had! Plus, the portion was huge. It's probably big enough for two people, but I enjoyed it so much that I managed to finish it all. My friend got a mojito, which was just $3! She also got the beef pad see Ew. She didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my dish. You could barely see or taste the eggs in it, but someone (manager maybe?) came over right away when he noticed us looking around and looking confused. He had the cooks cook a small dish of eggs and brought it over for my friend to add to her entree, which was very nice. Overall, this is a great restaurant, and I will definitely be back. The food, prices (7.95), and portions can't be beat!
(5)
N P.

Love - can't go wrong.
(5)
Jack F.

Wasn't blown away by the food here. I'd go here again if there was nothing else open in the area. Nice place to sit down though. Typical quality food.
(3)
Kyle H.

After a few more pop-ins to Penny's, I'm upgrading to three stars. It's perfectly fine for a red curry and rice, washed down with a beer or their amazingly flavorful Spicy Ginger Beer (with Basil). Service is helpful and courteous, and they have a nice beer and drinks menu.
(3)
Jen C.

This place is always a good (cheaper) go-to spot for us in wicker. Their curry is awesome and they usually have some really good beer specials. They also have a great patio that is rarely crowded. It's wonderful to sit there with great food, and stare at everyone across the street eat at big star at their super crowded tables ;)
(4)
Kristin K.

A haiku for this delicious restaurant: Friendly, yummy, clean Best pad thai I've had around I will return here
(4)
Rebecca S.

Penny's is a pretty solid choice if you're in the mood for Asian fusion food. The noodle dishes are tasty--especially the Lad Nar and the Pad Se Eu. What made my last meal there really tasty was the Gai Kra Praow rice dish! It was the best thing I've tried at Penny's. "Stir fried minced chicken with hot pepper basil sauce served over rice." Flavorful but not overwhelming. Would definitely go again!
(4)
Dr M.

Love Penny's. Been there about ten times. Food is always good and prices always reasonable.
(5)
Abe K.

Ate there on Saturday Jan. 17, 2015 @ 9:30 pm . Meh. The food was OK. We ordered an appetizer and two entrees. The entrees showed up first and the appetizer showed up 5 minutes later. The server said she thought we wanted everything at the same time? Stupid response. Other servers kept showing up at our table at the end of the meal every 5 min asking if we were done. Annoying The food tasted boring and the drinks were weak. Probably won't return,
(2)
Jonathan N.

During my travels for work I find all the good and shit Thai food when I reach a new town. I'm always in search of a perfect Pad Thai and lucky for me the best I've had is in my own back yard. Pennys is the first place I hit every time I make it back to Chicago because I crave their food.
(5)
Amy W.

My friends and I ended up in this area of Chicago for a band signing. While in line, looked up the reviews for this restaurant and decided to give it a try. Amazing. Totally amazing. The restaurant itself is small with tables only, no booths. The vibe of the restaurant very much matches that of bucktown. I'm vegetarian so it's always refreshing to see a menu with more options than salad. I ordered the Tofu Pad Thai. Although I was not crazy about the tofu, the noodles were the BEST I have ever had. The staff was so friendly and the wait felt like less than 10 minutes. I most defiantly recommend to anyone who loves noodles.
(5)
Desiree M.

After years of ordering the beef pad thai for carryout I finally came to Penny's for dine in. The neighborhood is horrible for parking, so we walked and decided to sit outside and enjoy the patio. Penny's wins points for having a relaxing patio, even in the heart of a hectic neighborhood. We ordered the beef pad thai and pepper steak, with crab rangoon for an appetizer. Everything was fresh and tasty. I could have used a bit more flavor on the pepper steak, but it was still enjoyable. The quality of the beef is definitely better than your typical Asian faire. And the prices are very reasonable. The service was also good, although there was an awkward moment in the beginning of the meal where they sent one waiter out. He very briefly talked to us, then disappeared. A couple of minutes later a new waiter came over and took care of us. He was very good, so I can't complain. Just not sure why we got the switch up.
(5)
Nikki K.

I always get take out here - great neighborhood spot that's quick and yummy. My husband loves the Chicken Pad Thai with Tom Kha soup and I'm a big fan of the beef soup and gyoza. Simple order but it always delivers with full flavor and enough for leftovers too!
(4)
Eduardo D.

Me and my girlfriend go here maybe about 2x a month, sometimes even 3x...our favorite place! Food is awesome! Service is awesome. Great place to go if on a date, brunch, dinner no matter what time of day. Hot pepper noodle is to die for, and so is there grai kraw pow! Thai iced tea is awesome as well! Great for all ages too.
(5)
Karen V.

I absolutely love this place!!! Anytime I am in town, we make sure we get in there for the hot pepper noodle and the Thai iced tea. Love it!
(5)
Miss S.

A friend had told us to never bother eating here--we did not listen and wasted $25! Take heed, save your $$$!! When I walk into an Asian joint, if there are no Asians eating, I usually take that as a bad sign. However, when I wandered into Penny's one hungry afternoon, there was 1 Asian family stuffing their faces--I was cruelly deceived! My go to dish is always red curry with tofu and I've had many, many versions. When I order red curry I want just a few things: sticky jasmine rice, heat, and flavorful sauce. Penny's gave me none of those things. The rice literally tasted like it had been zapped in a microwave, the sauce was very thin and runny and so flavorless it was impressive. Red curry is a spicy dish and there was no kick of any kind, it was a dead dish. Even the "chili sauce" on the table was not spicy! The dish had large chunks of crunchy onion that were unpleasant to eat. I had about 2 bites before I gave up on it all together. The only saving grace for this place is the staff, very friendly and attentive. However, not a place to head to if you want even just a mediocre meal.
(1)
Morgan B.

I have been coming to this Penny's for 5+ years and it never lets me down. Their Crab Rangoon is the best in town for sure
(5)
Shannon S.

My husband and I go about once a week. Between the two of use we have had just about everything and we have no complaints. Well that's not true. I've asked for a few beers on the menu and several times they have been out. No big deal, really. My other half is a big eater so we can get two apps, two entrees and maybe a soup plus the hubs gets extra meat and I don't think we have ever paid more than $40.
(5)
Jerome M.

YUM! This isn't the most consistent place I've been to, but it's not bad either. I used to LOVE a few noodle dishes (spicy basil and hot pepper noodle) but after several times of it not being so consistent we found a new order. We start with one of their tasty appetizers (usually Crispy Rolls), followed by Tom Kha Kai soups, and split a Lad Nar. If we feel like we could still use some extra foods, we get the delicious Rice Pudding. The past 5 orders haven't disappointed! As an added bonus, the prices are super reasonable.
(4)
Fabiola B.

Got the chicken pad thai and my boyfriend got the beef pad see ewe, so not too adventurous, but both were solid! Not the best Thai food I've had, but the service was fast & friendly and the location is pretty much unbeatable. Did I mention the portions are huge? I had some serious walking to do afterwards.
(4)
april w.

They always have drink specials around $4-5! One of peach cocktails I tried had salt sprinkled on the glass, which I wasn't too fond of. But my friend really likes their pad Thai! I tried their pad woon sen once and it wasn't too good - the menu said it's supposed to come with eggs, but it didn't. I did ask them about it so they brought a plate of eggs out to me, which was nice, but I was still not too impressed by the taste in general.
(3)
Connie C.

The day I ate at Penny's was the day I learned that a generic ethnic name does nothing for authenticity. As I previously chose places like "Gold Garden" for my chinese and "Thai House" for my thai food. Penny's has broken that for me because I found dishes that I've never tried in other restaurants. I tried the hot pepper noodle and it was absolutely delicious! It's actually one of the many dishes I still dream about here in rainy San Francisco. The "wide" noodles were unusual for me because it was more square shaped than my standard long, wide noodles. All the ingredients were super fresh with a flavorful base and meat. Mango margaritas had the perfect balance of fruit to liquor. We came back twice during our trip :X and that's how you know its good if you're willing to come back during your same vacation!
(4)
Megan C.

I come here for the food, not the service. I like the Chicken Pad Thai, and the crab rangoons. As far as the service, the waiters are usually HORRIBLE. I was there today and our waiter didn't even welcome us, just walked up and asked for our order. He never once checked on us. I looked over and he was just sitting at the bar doing nothing. The bus boy came by and checked on us but that's not even his job! The waiter acts like he hates his life and job and I have NEVER seen him happy or smile. Maybe because he gets low tips of a result of his attitude. I like a smile and a greeting from a waiter.
(3)
Jessi Q.

So delicious! Contrary to the yelp attributes, Penny's totally has cocktails, which are cheap ($4 specials!), delicious, and pretty. The rasberry martini is like delectible alcoholic sorbet. We had the udon, which had super flavorful broth, and the dumplings (called "thai ravioli,") which come with bonus slices of bbq pork. All of it so good!
(5)
Ariadna P.

The Pad Thai is delicious! The service is great and we loved the ambience. This was a great discovery and I'll definitely come back!
(5)
Kat D.

This is my favorite Thai restaurant in the city. They offer really speedy delivery and the food is awesome. We usually get Vietnamese spring rolls, crispy rolls, pad Thai and Thai fried rice. Everything is always delicious and reasonably priced.
(5)
Amily T.

If you're looking for authentic Asian / Thai food, this is not the place for you.
(2)
Vaidehi T.

It is at best a 3 - star rating. Was here last night for dinner. Its a nice, clean place with good service. The problem is the food. We ordered the crispy rolls for appetizers and for the main course we got the vegetable soup (pho) and the Lard nar with tofu. None of the dishes were memorable. The crispy rolls were very bland. The menu description said it has mushrooms, cabbage and thin noodles but all it had was the thin noodles. It was very funky smelling and not in a very good way. The vegetable soup was decent ... it was not great pho, but no complaints. The Lard nar was not good at all. Very greasy, with no real taste at all. The server never asked what kind of heat levels we wanted in our food and the Lard nar had no flavor, no spice whatsoever. Overall, the food was quite disappointing.
(3)
Steve M.

I ordered Penny's on Saturday night, and this was my experience: #1 - The delivery guy refused to bring the food up to my door, so I had to go downstairs and pick it up from his car. Really? #2 - I felt sick for 48 hours after eating there. I could not eat or drink anything without it coming back up. Now - I know this is a serious allegation, and I'm not out to hurt anyone's business. All I know is what I experienced. The following also occurred: - Penny's refunded my money immediately. - They sent me multiple reassurances about the seriousness with which they conduct their food safety practices. I do believe that they care 100% about the health and safety of their customers. They were responsive and professional through and through throughout a less than perfect situation.
(1)
Ashley B.

Cute little patio (with herbs planted next t you!) and the drinks are pretty tasty. I had the chicken noodle soup, which are the kinds of dishes I order all the time, and it was not that great. My boyfriends stir fried rice looked much better. I want to come back and try it again and find something I like. I'm determined since it's just so close!
(3)
Randy F.

I live a few hundred feet from Penny's and love Thai food, so I had high hope for this place when I moved to the neighborhood. I order from here regularly because it is so convenient, but the food is really just okay as far as Thai food goes. I will say the crispy rolls are some of the best spring/egg rolls ever, but I've found the entrees lack the flavor I look for in good Thai food.
(3)
Dennis J.

I hadn't seen my sister in a while because we'd both been travelling for work, so we thought we'd get together and eat some good food. We stopped by Au Cheval, but since there was a wait just to put down your name (seemed like something out of a Key & Peele skit), we jumped in a cab (only because my sister has started to hate taking the train for some reason, I would have taken the Blue line) and went to Wicker Park. We were on our way to Antique Tacos when my sister pointed to Penny's and said she liked their pad thai. Since that meant a stoppage to walking and eating sooner than later, I said why not, even though Yelp had it at a solid 3.5. Well, we got chicken pad thai, the both of us, with a nice heaping side dish of food poisoning. You might say - how can you be sure it was Penny's? We both ate completely different things the whole rest of the day and ate the same exact meal here. I don't know if it was the bland noodles, the overcooked chicken or the awful hot sauce, but somewhere therein lies danger. Never. Again.
(1)
Cole G.

Good food, great service, and friendly staff. Try the hot pepper noodle but ask for crispy noodles.
(4)
Stephanie L.

Absolutely delicious! I'm not going to be in Chicago for much longer, but I would love to come here again! I got the roasted BBQ pork noodles with vermicelli noodles and it definitely hit the spot! Especially in this 20 degree weather. My friends had a sip of my soup and they loved it too! They had the hot pepper noodle with chicken and that was yummy as well. My friends also loved the $4 mango margaritas. I definitely recommend this place. Pricing was fair. Service was on point as well.
(5)
Tamir A.

Nice atmosphere and service, but the kitchen is inflexible with substitutions and my pad see eu was burnt to a char. The other guests I went with also didn't find their meals (spicy basil noodles and Thai fried rice) too appetizing.
(1)
Jessica Y.

3 words - TOM YUM SOUP! This was the second stop on our Friday night food crawl and my brother and I shared a pad thai ($7.95)and the tom yum soup ($3.50). Even if I was only eating here for the night sharing would have been enough food. In that case I would probably have ordered one more dish. Our server was great. He offered to split our dishes when I told him we were going to share. THE SOUP was addicting. It was quite spicy but left me wanting more. I wish I could have some now. The pad thai had great flavors and noodles were not over cooked. DÃ©cor reminds me of Chipotle with the urban warehouse/garage look. Penny's is a low key, clean restaurant, tasty food, fast service neighborhood joint. Noodles/soup for those cold Chicago winter days hits the spot!
(4)
Lyndsie L.

Very disappointing. Prices on yelp menu are not accurate. Coming from southern Cali, I have yet to try a good Asian restaurant or even a decent bowl of pho in Chicago. I keep hoping there is that hidden gem in the culinary mecca that is Chicago and wanted to give Penny's a try, especially after seeing their reasonable prices online. $20 for the red curry and shrimp noodle soup is outrageous. There were 5 small shrimps in the soup and some measly chicken scraps in the curry. The curry was watery and lacked seasoning. For $8.75, the amount of chicken they used was ridiculously cheap. Even more enraging was the shrimp noodle soup. The shrimps looked like U50's which for a restaurant, especially a chain like Penny's, would probably get a pound for $3. I've noticed a trend of Asian restaurants in Chicago of being very stingy, maybe because the lack of competition but 5 shrimps in a vegetable broth for $8.95? There is nothing costly in this dish. It's a vegetable broth that tasted like an onion, celery and carrot base so that costs barely anything either. I don't mind paying for quality but this lacked in quality as well as quantity.
(2)
Emma G.

Pad Thai is good and their drink specials are a nice way to get you in the door but I haven't been enthralled with anything so far.
(3)
Reuben H.

On one of my most recent antisocial escapades (with my good buddies- me, myself, and I), I found myself at Penny's, alone, sitting across from no one and getting ready to attend the concert of one of my all-time favorite bands once again, alone. Why Penny's? Because Penny's doesn't judge me for running solo. They've been around for awhile and don't seem to try to be anything more than who they are- a simple noodle spot that isn't quite authentic (Thai), but is good and offered at a good price. What all Americanized "ethnic" places should be, or at least strive to be. As I sat there and watched the suckers at Big Star form an orderly line for beer and tacos, I was able to enjoy a lightly spiced dish with wide rice noodles, tofu and various wok-fried vegetables- all for about $8.00. Not a ton of food, but freshly made, tasty and definitely enough for one. I also enjoyed a tall boy of Daisey Cutter from Half Acre for $5.00. A pretty good bargain for a restaurant if you ask me. I like Penny's for what it is. Decent food and drink at a decent price. Plus, they don't look at me weird when I come in alone.
(3)
Joseph D.

This place is ridiculous lunch for two cost $30 and that was WITH a drink each. The food is wonderful. We were going to Big Star and if was just crammed with Hipsters so we tried this place and couldn't have made a better decision. I will be back.
(5)
Denice D.

Thai fried rice is delicious! Very easy and quick to order to pick up or to go! Great price, unique dishes, and fresh ingredients.
(4)
Erika K.

I absolutely love Penny's! Being a broke college student attributes to that - the prices may be a little spendy, but I always get the Tai fried rice and it's enough for two meals, which helps offset the cost quite a bit. We eat here all the time and it's just as wonderful of an experience as the first time. The Wicker Park stop is right off the blue line, so it makes it very easy to get there during the cold winter months.
(5)
Michele B.

The first time I went I was pretty pleased. Split some Thai Spring rolls, and I ordered the Spicy Beef Salad and a Thai Iced Tea. It was good. The next time I ordered Lad nar and I did NOT enjoy it. It tasted like a funnel cake at a dirty street fair. Too sweet. My date also felt sick after. He has eaten there a few more times and we have come to the conclusion that it's the grease they use, as my salad was wonderful, but other times resulted in very upset stomachs.
(2)
Keith R.

First visit in a LONG TIME... Not atthis particular location, but I haven't eaten in Penny's in a good 10 years or so, so it was nice to come for lunch after a day of photographing the canine action in the dog park at Wicker. With the heat, we opted to sit inside to hopefully cool down and simultaneously dry off(not just the sweat, but the water rubbed onto us and splashed on us from the oh so friendly doggies at the park). Unfortunately, they had the doors near the outdoor area wide open, so the temp inside was probably about the same as it was outside. Ordered the Vietnamese spring rolls as an appetizer, a good way to start a summer lunch as they aren't fried and won't weight you down. I just wish they could have come with shrimp inside as an option. Maybe it does, but I didn't ask. Mel got the VeevMo, an acai spirit based mojito with Pellegrino Limonata and other stuff I can't remember. I do remember being jealous that all I ordered was an Oberon. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but theres something about minty soda-ey(is that even a word) cocktails that just have a cooling effect on a hot day. As far as my entree, I was torn between ordering my old standby of Pad Thai with chicken, spicy and something different. A quandary, as I'd never eaten at this Penny's location, and haven't had Penny's in so long. I wanted something familiar so I could gauge, but decided I just wanted something new in the end. Ended up ordering the Egg Noodles with BBQ pork. I can't resist pork. I love egg noodles. It's a steal at $6.50. I asked them to make it spicy. It came out mildly mild. Lucky for me, there is chili sauce on the table. I ate half and took the rest for dinner. It was a nice reunion, and an old friendship that I'll be sure to revisit more frequently in the future!
(4)
I J.

The food is amazing, and the prices are just right; however, the waiters are strange and will do something to make you feel uncomfortable. I've only had one good waiter here and his name was Andrew or something similar. Order to carry out because you'll definitely feel sort of uncomfortable.
(3)
Alexandria T.

I'd been to Penny's once before and didn't like the dish I ordered at all. I decided to give it a second try and ordered some carryout a couple of weeks ago. I got an order of the crispy rolls and the hot pepper noodles with tofu. I walked in to place my order and the food was ready in just over ten minutes. The crispy rolls were really good, but also really greasy. The noodles were pretty standard, not anything amazing, but not bad either. I'd probably go to Penny's again just because there aren't very many other good noodle shops in the area.
(3)
NY Q.

Had some very average and bland coconut soup and pad thai noodles here. Not worth it.
(2)
Magen M.

It's not top of the line, but it was good. The service was nice, the place was nice and clean. The food was yummy. It won't knock your socks off but i'd still say its worth a repeat visit.
(3)
Y V.

I didn't enjoy my meal, but not really surprised. This is to Thai food what Panda Express is to Chinese food. My basil chicken lacked flavor. It tasted so... generic. Very BLAND. I've had authentic Thai food before, and this ain't it. Just find yourself a Thai friend and eat at her mom's house.
(1)
Law S.

so good, so cheap. They deliver and everyone is nice. Plus, you can have a drink at Violet hour right after!
(4)
mike l.

Vanessa M. - dead on. thanks for writing the review for me. feh.
(1)
Michelle F.

So I used to think this place was pretty decent but they've pretty much lost me as a customer. I'm totally vegan and as such, order my food with tofu and no egg. These rubes delivered me chicken Thai fried rice, which I bit into unwittingly. After being thoroughly disgusted, I spit it back into the dish, and called to complain. They had the vegan version sent out to me. Fine, whatever. BUT, when the driver came, he said I had to give him the chicken version. I told him he couldn't have it 'cause I'd thrown it away. He said his manager told him he had to bring it back so ensure that it was actually chicken and not tofu. This is when I proceeded to hit the fucking roof. Yeah guy, I had the funds to pay for one meal, but decided to grift a second one from you anyway. I called back and told the guy on the phone what happened, and he was equally as dickish as the driver. He basically accused me of lying about the food being chock full of chicken, and told me he wasn't going to refund my money. Oh, and he also hung up on me. After another call I got Penny herself on the phone to refund me, but at this point, big fucking deal! In a nutshell, I waited 45 minutes for the original dish, bit into some gray flesh, waited another 40 minutes for the correct dish, argued with two employees, had to make three phone calls, and FINALLY got my money back. By the time it was all over with, I didn't give two shits about the Thai fried rice. This place can definitely kiss my ass. Their barely authentic Thai is defs not worth all the bull!
(1)
Queenie R.

OMG! I miss this place soooooo much! I seriously get un-natural cravings for the tofu pad thai and crispy rolls. Yummy, yummy, yummy!
(4)
Diana N.

Let's face it, the restaurant scene in Wicker Park is utterly tedious. Everything is expensive and kind of sucky, and the people suck even more and the servers are rude and the bartenders always act like they're doing you some huge favor. And now, suddenly, there are people wearing Cubs paraphernalia around! You would think the hipsters would scare them off, but I guess not. Penny's, for me, is a no-brainer. Yes, it's a chain. Yes, it's not an authentic mom-and-pop place. And yes, there are better restaurants out there. But Penny's is fast, it's fresh and it is delicious. And you don't have to mortgage your life to afford it. The Thai iced coffee is a little too sweet, but the Hot Pepper Noodle is bangin. They make their own rice noodles, and the noodles in this dish are not what you expect; they're large, free-form discs of deliciousness, topped with carrots and red cabbage and broccoli and an addictive combination of spices. And for reals, am I the only one that didn't take this place for a Thai restaurant? Because if I'm not mistaken, Crab Rangoon and Seaweed salad are not native Thai dishes. The place is Asian-fusion (can't believe I just typed that, doing e-penance later). But the Damen location is airy and open, and I've waited in drive-thrus that take longer. So take Penny's for what it is: cheap, fast, Americanized and yummy. And if that doesn't sell you, they've got a couple of cute waiters.
(3)
Ross R.

The only reason to go here is to get a seat by the big windows so you can watch the Hipsters parade down Damen Ave, while you wonder why your waitress is ignoring you.
(2)
Amanda L.

I frequent this noodle establishment quite a bit. I love it! It's quick and you don't spend a lot. I get it for pick up and it's only takes about 10min and you get so much food! I usually have two meals when i get it for pick up. They use great re-usable containers too! I love the beef soup, the spicy basil is to die for and gyoza are great too!
(4)
Carolina P.

They have the best Thai Iced Tea that I've ever had. All the basic thai food is great and cheap too! Be warned this one is not open on Mondays. The one on Diversey is though. Check it out.
(4)
William D.

Been going to Penneys for years. High quality, clean, good prices, unique, Penneys is the best !
(5)
Cristina G.

It's not the most authentic pad thai in Chicago, but I do enjoy it. I never get anything else there! I love pad thai with tofu and that's what I order when I go to thai restaurants. I like that they deliver and I like that they are easy to get to.
(3)
G B.

I frequently ordered Penny's from the Diversey location when I lived in Lincoln Park, as they make my favorite Pad See Ew (& I've tried a lot!) I have also eaten this dish at the Wrigleyville location, and it was great (just like it is at Diversey). I now live in the South Loop but felt like Penny's today so I ordered from Wicker Park and had to drive the fifteen minutes out of my way to pick it up. I got back home and was immediately disappointed. The noodles had no flavor at all! I could see a little bit of sauce (much less than normal) but there was absolutely no taste. I called the restaurant and told them about it & they could only offer me a store credit. I tried to eat the dish, but even the broccoli and shrimp were overcooked and not tasty. I threw away the entire dish & just called a thai place in the South Loop and am waiting for it to arrive. This really sucks, Penny's, thanks for allowing me to take out crappy food and waste $10. And to be honest, I don't want the store credit because I am afraid I'll have to find a new thai standby and won't be heading back to the Wicker Park Penny's ever again.
(1)
Jeannie M.

Penny's is one of the best noodle shop in Chicago. I absolutely love their menu. The service is fast, cheap and the food is delicious.
(4)
Kevin J.

For quick food its good for reasonable prices. Its Americanized Thai. Don't go here looking for a 5 star destination restaurant and you will be happy.
(3)
Sam S.

If anyone has a problem with this place, then they must not like anything different. Any shortcoming this restaurant has is completely justified by the REALLY affordable prices--so affordable, that it's amazing to me that there are waiters and tables to sit at. They're always really kind; it's a great place to go after work (being so close to the Blue Line) and the staff is kind and accommodating; my friend only drinks her own tea (I don't want to get into that) and they were nice enough to bring her a cup of hot water and a steeper. Who does that? (the restaurant, not my friend).
(5)
sofia g.

Fantastic!! i go to Penny's noodles all the time and i just can't get enough of it! the Thai food slightly americanized is perfect and a great hang out for lunch or dinner. Awesome atmosphere with great service. I've been to all 3 restaurants in Chicago all so good.highly, HIGHLY, recommenced!!
(5)
Autumn C.

I lived in Chicago for 5 years, and now that I have moved I miss Penny's so much! I love the Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Sliced Chicken. My food was always amazing, and the price is right!
(5)
Noah B.

Closed on Mondays! I love this place, but I've been burned with the Monday thing a ton. I guess I should write it down so I'll remember it or something. Anywho... the chicken pad tai, hot pepper noodle, and crab rangoon are my favorites here. The delivery service has always been reliable and I've never had to wait for a table when I dine-in. I love hyphens.
(4)
Robert T.

Great noodle dishes here. This place has the best Tom Ka Gai...awesome!
(4)
Nana H.

Penny's is overpriced. $1.25 for rice is bullshit, utter utter BULLSHIT ( 2 stars for having to pay for rice) The only thing I'd ever get here is the Tom Kha Kai soup, $4.00. Everything else is medicore, but sadly because of its location I've been here one too many times. I feel like a cheater after every time I've gone here...and there isnt even a regular Thai spot near that i"ve been too. I feel like I'm a traiter to everything asian. I walk out always with a slight hint of shame.
(2)
Benjie P.

Maybe not the highest quality food in all of Chicago, but I just love it so much. Best gyoza (potstickers) I've had - they're just crispy goodness. (Makes my mouth water just thinking about 'em!). The pad thai is great too. I'm not a vegetarian, but I love to get it with tofu. Their service is quick and friendly, and the prices are just right.
(5)
Leilani F.

I've lived in the city for 7 years. I eat Penny's at least once, sometimes twice a week. If it's authentic Thai noodle dishes you are looking for, than scram... you won't find them here. If it's inexpensive, tasty, clean, FAST, fresh tasting noodles with no frills your after, this is the place. I love the vegetarian noodle bowl and the vegetarian noodle soup so much, that I crave it on a weekly basis. My boyfriend loves the spicy basil chicken and the hot pepper noodle. It's about $14 for dinner for both of us when we order takeout, and if you place your order in your car at North and Ashland, by the time you get through the door, your order is waiting, it is FAST! The best thing about it is I don't feel like I've eaten crap afterwards, what I order always seems pretty healthy. I love Penny's.
(4)
J. M.

I have only ordered Penny's for take-out or delivery. The beef pad Thai is one of my favorites in the city (not incredibly authentic, but very tasty). I also like their Ramen soups.
(4)
Karla M.

What can I say, I love this place. This place has great food at great prices, friendly service in a great neighborhood. I have tried almost all the items on the menu but my all time favorite is Hot Pepper Noodle. This dish is wide noodles stir fried with egg, tomatoes, onion, red bell pepper, hot pepper and basil. You have a choice of beef, chicken, shrimp or make it combo. If you want a twist on this dish ask for crispy noodles, this is my favorite way of having it. I must have an appetizer and it's either Japanese gyoza or Tom Yum soup, accompany the meal with an iced coffee. So many other things on the menu are also good, the soups are great on that cold winter day. The shrimp soup specially is good or order the wonton soup the "old way". What's the "old way", well some years ago the wonton soup was wonton and noodles now it's just wontons. So if you want noodles say the old way or half and half, they'll know what you mean. The other cool thing about this place is that they support artists so on the walls you will notice the paintings are for sale and after some time they will put someone else's art work. I have tried other Thai restaurants but none make me feel more welcome like Penny's does.
(5)
Daniel E.

I've eaten here a couple times. The food is pretty good - but never spectacular. If it were a little fresher it would be 4 stars - and if they had better drinks and nicer decor maybe 5. Probably the best thing going is the service. They are really quite impressive with the speed of the cooking, the attention to your party and managing the massive number of carry-out orders throughout the dinner hour. There's not a lot of great Thai in the city - maybe Spoon is your best bet - but if you're in the neighborhood or making a stop before a pub crawl its not bad at all.
(3)
Nikki B.

my favorite place for noodles! i love spicy basil with beef. thai fried rice is also one of my fav. you must try thai iced tea! oh so refreshing n delicious! love it.. i usually get seated right away. they also have a outdoor seating in the summer.
(4)
Dee W.

Horrid - Everything has been Americanized and is so bland We ordered the Lad Nar and another noodle soup thing here - my lad nar was crispy - tasted like a glorified potato chip and my meat was soaking in some sweet and sour sauce that just didn't seem right. And my friend's noodle soup was like the cheap ramen. So disappointed - I've tried it too many times than I'd like to admit since people keep on telling me that I'm wrong about Penny's.
(1)
Angela C.

One of my cult takeout favorites. I especially love the tom yum soup and the thai fried rice. Always cheap, fast, fresh.
(5)
Alexis H.

Yuck. That is exactly how I would describe Penny's... Or as a girl I know put it: "It looks like dog food." Penny's food is flat out not good. They somehow manage to mess up every single Thai and Chinese dish they create, and the flavors are always off. It's not even that cheap! There are other noodle places in Bucktown that can serve you just as quickly at around the same price. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.
(1)
Megan H.

This place makes the best Thai soups. I'm a big soup fan and their soups are kick ass. Not to mention they are super cheap. Love Penny's!
(4)
Jen T.

Eww...not so impressed. The pad thai was like dog food. The chicken was covered in soy sauce, not sure why. How can a thai place mess up pad thai? Nice servers, good location, but that's about all. I won't be back.
(1)
Julie A.

The restaurant is literally one big room, with windows covering 40 percent of the walls. I wouldn't call the dining room a warm, welcoming place, with tables about two feet away from one another. But as soon as you dive into the creamy, Crab Rangoon appetizer, you forget how close your dining neighbors are. The entrees on the menu are typical for Thai food: Noodles in a Bowl, Stir Fried Noodles, Noodle Soups, and Rice Plates. The Pad Thai is very good, not too sweet and not too sticky, like you can find in other places. I chose the Spicy Basil --- noodles in a bowl. It was served over vermicelli noodles with a spicy sauce and ginger, carrots, green onions, and beef. One of my friends ordered the Vegetarian Bowl, served with tofu, lettuce, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, red cabbage and carrots on a bed on thin rice noodles with a side of lime, and I found it to be a little bland, but with two spicy sauces on the table, it could be doctored up. The portions are enough to share for two, but the prices are so low that you might as well each get your own --- the highest price entre in the menu is $7.95!
(4)
Elizabeth K.

Most of Penny's food is just mediocre, but I periodically develop a mad craving for their vegetarian noodle bowl. Their spring rolls are also pretty good, as well as their Udon soup. I've never been impressed with any of their other dishes. EDIT: I wrote the above while waiting for delivery from Penny's. Delivery that NEVER came ... After waiting nearly an hour and a half we called for the second time and asked them to cancel it, since we had to make it to an appointment at 1. The manager, Kris, was very nice and apologized and offered to comp our next meal. We stopped in a short while later and she made good on her promise and once again apologized.
(4)
Pickle P.

Penny's is a fun and cheap place to eat. I love thai food - and am always up for trying out new places, especially since thai food is usually affordable, and I'm usually broke. They have some liquor selection as well, and pretty good pad thai (though it could afford to be fresher and less oily). The service is friendly, and I feel bad (though personally elated) that the bills are usually so low, so tip them well regardless!
(4)
Ilina K.

oh Penny's, how your stir-fried tofu bean thread noodles rub the spot just so on a hungover Sunday. You can definitely find better Thai (the Lad Nar is awful), and you can definitely find better service, but when you're looking for a thai place that delivers in the neighborhood this is your ticket. The location is huge as well, great for indoor people watching. Oh and what's with the '95 website?
(4)
Tricia F.

I'm forced to eat here roughly 2 times a week, because my boyfriend's an addict, and when it gets too cold, and you don't want to leave the building, it's way easier to just make the poor delivery guy drive you over some Pad Thai, especially when DELIVERY ONLY COSTS $2.00!! That said, I can't eat food with MSG, and Penny's only makes a handful of dishes without it---even if you request it. Which makes me think a whole lot less of their food, considering there are SO MANY restaurants out there that don't use MSG anymore. I like their pad thai with tofu though. it works.
(4)
Jessie B.

Yes, I know. To all my friends out there who would think I'd give Penny's 5 out of 5, well not for the customer service they provide over the phone. I've had a better time at the Diversey & Sheffield location, than the Damen location. The man on the phone was rude, and swift to get my order. And on a Tuesday night, you'd think people would slow down. He told me they were out of spring rolls, so I was trying to make another decision, and he said, "uum...HELLO??? Are you done???" I quickly said, "No, one second please." Although, they are always fast & friendly in the restaurant. Perhaps they need to work on the phone skills. My advice: go to the other locations. They are much more pleasant.
(3)
Dan C.

So, this is my first Yelp review. I've sworn to many businesses that I'd write a rave Yelp review, but unfortunately it's taken an extremely negative experience to write one. This review is particularly difficult to write becaue I've been going to Penny's roughly twice a month for six years. Tonight I ordered delivery. I was eating a Vietnamese spring roll and bit into something rock hard. It was a bit painful, and even more unsettling when I spit up a large 1 inch shard of thick glass. I immediately called Penny's but was told the manager was busy. Unable to finish my dinner, I decided to drive over to show them the evidence. The owner looked at it in disbelief and stated that "this has never happened to her before." I stated the same. She inspected it, took it somewhere out of sight, and said that they'd foot the bill. I expected that, I expected something more, but I wasn't sure what. I guess I was shaken up a bit. she said that she has no idea how it happened because the rolls are handmade. I really hope that the response wasn't an attempt to discredit my claim, or expose me as some sort of con. But if it's true, if it is impossible for glass to get in there, then it must have been put there -- even more unsettling. I guess I am at a loss for the appropriate response a customer should receive in this particular situation. But mostly, I'm upset and disappointed that I can no longer eat at Penny's.
(1)
Anna F.

I really wanted some good Thai food in Chicago but from the two menu items I tasted this is definitely not it. The pad se ew is as gross as it is reviewed ( i didn't finish reading the reviews before I ordered) so I got a chicken pad thai which may have been good had it not tasted burnt. Not going back and I saw a girl looking over the menu trying to decide to come in and I wish I could have yelled to her "Turn back!! It's not worth it!"
(1)
Elizabeth F.

I absolutely love this place! We use to always order delivery after a long day of snowboarding or after a long day at work on a Friday night. I'm in love with the tofu pad Thai! Spring rolls are OK. Delivery was always quick and affordable. Portions are huge though.
(5)
Gretchen V.

The four stars is mainly for the Tom Yum soup, which hit the spot for me on a cold November day. It was temperature-warm, spicy and delicious. The fact that it's under $4.00 is also a definite plus. I also had the hot pepper noodles, which were pretty good. For the price and the array of options on the menu, I will definitely be back.
(4)
Max Y.

Pad Se Ue - 1.5. Not what I expected for this dish. Egg noodles with bbq pork 3. would order this again. Vietnamese rolls - 4. good flavor, would order again.
(3)
annie c.

I can't for the life of me figure out why this place is always crowded. It sucks. Last night after realizing my favorite "go to" place, Goddess and Grocer was closed I popped into Penny's for the first time and was very disappointed. I will never ever go back, I don't even want to walk on that side of the street anymore.
(1)
Chas S.

Love this place with a passion. The Hot Pepper Noodle dish is to die for, but you must order it with the crunchy noodles. Pad Thai isn't bad, but way too many bean sprouts. I just ask for none, and they always oblige. I've been to the other Penny's Noodles in the city, but this one is the most unique and airy. Good prices, great menu.
(5)
Justin G.

I don't really get the appeal of this place, so many like it and I don't know why. It is okay. Sometimes good, but not great, and sometimes not so good. Between the better and low part of average. Basically, YOU CAN FIND BETTER. I also wasn't full the first time I went. I went to Sultan's on North Ave. afterward to get an after dinner falafel.
(3)
Parker ..

Fairly inexpensive for the amount you get. The staff could use some friendliness training so I usually just pick it up and go home. Once the cashier gave me change for a twenty instead of the ten I gave him..realizing this as I got to my car I went back and told him about it..he barely looked up, took the change and muttered 'thanks'..you know..for saving him a probable lecture and cut in his paycheck. The older (owners?) staff members tend to be very warm and appreciative. I can't figure out why no place in Chicago serves squash in their red curry though..I really miss it after leaving Madison.
(4)
Whitney R.

consistent, dependable noodle shop. not authentic, not spicy, but fresh and inexpensive. if you like some heat, the house-made chile sauce will liven up everything there. not going to impress any foodies with this one, but if you want a quick, tasty, mild-mannered noodle meal for less than 10 bucks, it's a good place. also, had the creme brulee once on a whim and was pleasantly surprised- a nice custard, not overly sweet, with a delicate sugar crust. drinks are kind of pricey compared to the menu- have never sampled.
(3)
H C.

Eating at Penny's after a 10-year hiatus was a true disappointment. I don't know if the owners changed or they're skimping on quality and and making no effort whatsoever now but my meal was the worst-tasting food I've ever had. EVER. Hungry and nostalgic, my friends and I went to Penny's for what used to be a reliable, cheap and tasty place to eat. WRONG. I ordered the shrimp pad see eu. No flavor, precooked, reheated, lifeless noodles & shrimp that drove me to full-on vegetarian mode. I got food poisioning from whatever I ate. I thought the shrimp was just shrimpy-tasting but no. It had probably gone bad and it made me sick for 3 days. I'm never going back ever again.
(1)
Jonathan B.

I was there with a friend tonight. Our first shot was a green tea to try to warm up and so we did. We tried the spicy basil and the sauteed chicken that were tasty and already too much for our small stomachs while I insisted at taking a look at the deserts. We finally shared a "Floureless Chocolate Cake" and were shocked ! this thing was just incredible ! I highly recommend it anytime in the day, night, morning, afternight ...
(4)
Jesse B.

I liked this place. It isn't trying to be anything but what it is. Simple Thai in a relaxed atmosphere. Service is a tad slow, but it's a great place to have a slow meal with friends, chat, have a few drinks and share a bunch of appetizers and salads. I've had a good time the times I've gone with a few people to chill and eat for a bit. It's not too expensive either. Portions are big too.
(5)
Beth W.

Penny's is great! My fiance and I love the BBQ pork noodles and their pad thai is tasty. If you stop by, order the thai ice tea-they are pretty good here.
(4)
Laura R.

Bland. Gross. Terrible service. Don't go here.
(1)
Amelie D.

Satisfying and well-priced every time. Especially high marks are due for the oft overlooked sides selection: try the stir-fried tofu with bean sprouts or the chilled broccoli with dijon/soy sauce. The crispy rolls are vegetarian, but delightfully savory, thanks to the non-overpowering mushrooms. The only downside to Penny's occurs if you order vietnamese spring rolls after a certain time of day (depends on the day), they are sometimes sold out. Also, you might try substituting the peanut sauce that normally comes with the Viet.Spring Rolls with the "crispy roll sauce." Just sayin.
(5)
andrea m.

Good, cheap, Thai food. It isn't the best but it isn't the worst by any means. I LOVE the Vietnamese spring rolls. I like this location the best, however it's really cold if you sit by the window in the winter. I wish I remembered my favorite server's name, he was REALLY good. :( He is Asian and has a big watch.
(4)
Sarah Z.

Penny's is like Ikea. Cheap, fast, pretty good. I will be back!
(3)
Rob N.

I do like Penny's. I have been going to various Penny's when I have lived in Chicago for over 10 year. I like Penny's 'cause you get a lot of food for not a lot of money. I like Penny's sliced chicken bowls. I like watching folks come off the train while sitting at this Penny's. I like this Penny's because when I have gone there is no line. I remember back in the day waiting under the tracks to get in, in boystown when Penny's was one of the only noodle places around.
(4)
Rebekah K.

I debated between giving Penny's two or three stars, then decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. This menu is EXTREMELY hit or miss, I was convinced Penny's was decent to good when I consistently ordered the lad Nar or the Bean Thread Noodles but every time I have ordered anything different it has been OK to terrible. Often their mixtures of hot and cold are flat out vile: before I was vegetarian (so all opinions on dishes with meat are, admittedly outdated) I had the chicken sautee and it was extremely sweet (ignore the "lightly" before the "sweetened soy sauce" it is SWEET) and they kind of throw cold sprouts on top. It was really gross. I also had the bbq pork with Egg noodles and this was AWFUL. Piles of cold cilantro (overwhelming) and topped with stale peanuts. I have never had the pad thai, but several friends have and they were extremely disappointed. The pepper beef, red curry, And Thai fried rice were all bland and forgettable. The gyoza was passable, but sometimes extremely salty. Another problem: this place is LOUD. It is small and echoey, and only needs to be about a quarter full before it it is painfully, unpleasantly, loud. Throw in a couple babies and it is near torturous. I still occasionally stop in for Lad nar, bean thread noodles, or hot pepper noodle (hold the basil please), but generally: Penny's is pretty darn mediocre to bad. I must say though: Prices are great, food is abundant and FAST. Their jasmine tea and coffee are both very good.
(3)
Martha Z.

I used to like Penny's when I knew someone who worked there. It's always fun to patronize a place that a friend works at. I think I was into the beef salad and the lad nar, the noodles are nice and thick. But since he doesn't work there anymore it's definitely lost it's appeal. The food is very bland and disappointing. Here's the grossest tho, I ate in there once and had my leftovers boxed. I didn't realize they gave me somebody else's leftovers until I extracted a long curly black hair from my mouth when I was digging into my carryout box later that night. EWWW ewwww EWWWW
(1)
T. T.

I've been to 2 locations and both were MEDIOCRE. If you want Thai food, then I suggest you go to a legitimate Thai restaurant. If you want Chinese, then go to a Chinese restaurant. Otherwise, this place can only guarantee to fill the emptiness in your stomach.
(1)
Sarah F.

They have so-so Thai food in a decent environment. The patio is pretty nice and it is set back off of Damon. There is nothing that amazing about the place, but the prices are decent. Chicago has so much good Thai food that I guess I have gotten spoiled.
(3)
jenise r.

i was taken here in the past by some friends and i had the pad see eiw. i was hesitant at first because im pretty picky about my thai food.... i recall not enjoying it. i went there a few weeks ago and decided to give it another try. i was really hungry that day so i got tom yum soup(which i forgot to ask for chicken or plain and was freaked out by a huge shrimp!) it was tasty. i also got some pot stickers which were ok, and pad see eiw again....ah it tasted like cinnamon or something i dont know. but i didnt like it. it also came with an egg roll that was super greasy. =( service was fast though.
(1)
Andy E.

Absolutely loved their pad thai last summer; just had to throw in my two cents.
(4)
Sunny W.

Have to admit I enjoy the Pad Siew Ew(sp?). I think I also need to admit that as am embarrased as I am about it, I guess I like Americanized Thai food quite a bit.
(3)
Laura O.

I went here to grab something to eat before going home on the blue line. The waiter was friendly. The people who come in here seem to come from all walks of life. Do sit by the window-if you can- great place to people watch :-) The food was good and affordable.
(4)
Jessica H.

Our waitress was quick and attentive. The food was good and fast. The margarita was delicious and inexpensive. This restaurant is a great value and the large windows provide great people watching.
(5)
Erica K.

I am semi-addicted to their Vegetarian Bowl as a quick, too-lazy-to-cook-dinner meal... It's not anywhere near authentic Thai food, but it's pretty cheap for Wicker Park, and a huge step above Swank Frank's and Flash Taco.
(3)
Julia C.

Cheap & fast. I've only eaten here once, but I pick up from Penny's Noodle Shop all the time. It's not the best thai food in the city, but it's really good for the price! I usually stick with their vegetarian options.
(4)
Jennifer G.

Went here last night and it was delicious. Fun environment and the food was delicious. The Hot Pepper Noodle with Beef was fantastic. We definitely will be going here again.
(4)
Beth O.

Before, a last minute staple of my diet. Last two visits have produced noodles take out that ended up in the trash for their slimy flavorlessness. Is it just take out, or has Penny's forgotten how to make its own recipes?
(1)
Oona B.

the only good item is the "hot pepper noodle", with a nice cold/crisp singha bier.
(3)
Erin J.

I like going here. Service could definitely be improved, but it isn't terrible, either. I'm a big fan of their Thai fried rice (no tomatoes, please). Since I, oddly, do not ever get noodle dishes there, I can only vouch for their rice dishes, which are very good.
(4)
Erin W.

Yes it's true, Penny's Noodles is not really Thai food. It's American Pan-Asian cuisine. But even after accepting that, it's still not that great. The dishes are kind of boring and they're not big on spice. Also, I found egg shells in my drunken noodle last time I was there.
(2)
Tanya M.

not horrible but nothing special. i've had alot better. but they serve alcohol.
(2)
Michael P.

you can't even say this food is bland, it is the absence of flavor. you'll want to say it was utterly forgettable, but chances are you'll never forget the night you went there for dinner and blew your own hard earned money on this awful crap. and wasted not only that, but your own time, and an opportunity to eat, almost ANYWHERE else. no thank you.
(1)
Erica B.

sure there is better thai food out there, but pennys is cheap, fast, not disgustingly greasy and very veggie friendly.
(3)
Ishaq L.

Really, it's 3.5 stars. You're being silly if you bring a date here. It's decent food if you're in the neighborhood, don't want standard American fare, and only have $10 in your pocket. The Thai Fried Rice is good eats on the cheap.
(3)
Kevin C.

Great food, Cheap, Fast
(5)
Miss O.

penny's never fails me... when i order the basics. they ware always good. i just discovered the thai fried - spicy. love it. my new favorite. i would stick to the basics - pad thai, pad-si-ew, fried rice.
(4)
Alexandria G.

Wow! People nailed this place right on the head, service is horible and the waiters are snobs. I still love the Hot Pepper Noodle with chicken. So I order over the phone and pick it up. Trust me this is the way to go; this way you can enjoy good food in the comfort of your own home. You won't have to worry about tipping a piss poor waitress or fitting in the with the trendy bums who frequent this place. Again, I swear by the chicken Hot Pepper Noodle.
(2)
Lisa A.

I enjoyed the Thai Ravioli (dumplings and BBQ pork) at Penny's last week with an old college friend. The dish was decent for $6, and their Thai iced tea wasn't overly saccharin-sweet. Our server was super-patient with the lagging pace of our catch-up lunch and didn't pressure us to get on our way at all. Our table for two right in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows was perfect for the sunny Friday afternoon.
(3)
Shawn L.

Good lunch spot. Relatively cheap. Nothing fantastic. Just decent food.
(3)
Mark B.

nothing really too spectacular about this place but if you're at all a fan of spicy dishes and or shrimp, order the 5 pepper shrimp. in my opinion, its the only dish on the menu that has stood out. maybe i haven't been ordering the right things but it's not comparable to authentic thai restaurants. (sticky rice!)
(3)
Liliana S.

I dont care too much for Pennys. I think there are better Noodle Shops in the city let alone the neighborhood. The staff is rude and I just dont think the food is great.
(2)
Ryan K.

Ah, Penny's House of Mediocrity! I was in Wicker Park for the festival yesterday and stopped off at Penny's because it was to the side of the stage and figured we could enjoy some noodles while we listen to some good music. Good thing the music was good! Penny's is completely average. The prices are cheap, around $5 or $6 for most plates, but the quality leaves something to be desired. I had the Thai fried rice and it had some seriously weird looking pieces of chicken and egg. My wife really liked her Pad-something-or-other consisting of noodles, chicken, and broccoli with "lightly sweetened" soy sauce. Maybe my taste buds were off but all I could taste was pancake syrup. Pancake syrup is good but usually not an entire bottle of it on noodles, chicken, and broccoli. We also had the crab rangoon that was no more than cream cheese and a few specs of red the menu described as "seafood." YUM! Oh, I'm going to bump this review from a 1 to a 2 star because they have an okay drink menu including K Cider, something I haven't seen in any other restaurants. Now here comes the cheesy conclusion: Save your pennys and get some good Thai elsewhere... like Sticky Rice!!!
(2)
Jason R.

When it comes to Thai food...this place can't be beat. I am completely obsessed with the hot pepper noodle and Thai ravioli. Most of the time I will order for take out or delivery and it never disappoints. The few times I do end up eating in I am even more impressed with the service I am provided with. The portions are beyond generous and the price can't be beat. I am a huge fan and recommend it to anyone who will isten.
(5)
Olivia R.

Lately I seem to be craving Penny's Noodle Shop pretty often! I'm a huge fan of anything with noodles in it so I absolutely love eating at Penny's. Some of my friends have complained that the dishes here have no taste, but I'm a pretty plain eater (I hate spicy food!) so I love it! It's very good and you can eat for under $10!
(4)
Chloe M.

If you are as big of a fan of noodles as I am you'll love Penny's Noodle Shop. It's not only really good, but it's beyond cheap. Honestly an entire entree here is pretty much the price of a beer.
(4)
Andrea O.

i don't understand why Penny's got an overall bad review. i mean the food is cheap and its in large quantities. it's right by the blue line so easy to get there. I've come here with many different sorts of people and they've all loved it too. leave penny's alone!
(5)
Urszula H.

Really great food. Inexpensive. Great location. Good service. It's a little too well lit for me, but that is the ONLY negative. Last year, my friends and I got together to go to Around the Coyote and we decided to eat there before hand. We enjoyed ourselves so much, that we ended up missing most of the festival. If you ever want noddles, Penny's Noddle Shop is great.
(4)
Jenny I.

After looking at the other reviews for this, I'm glad I'm not alone. This place is the epitome of underwhelming. The space and location is perfect, but the food always disappoints. It's flavorless and dull. Think LeeAnn Chin with a benefactor.
(2)
Honest Mama M.

I was looking forward to this place, but it was gross. I ordered the Pad Thai and spring rolls. Spring rolls were bland, and the Pad Thai was HORRIBLE. Gross and no flavor. The chicken looked like beef. And there were no peanuts, barely any eggs...ugh! I wanted yummy pad thai so bad. I called for a refund and they were very hesitant. We will see if it actually goes through.
(1)
Mike H.

I used to go eat here a lot with my friends until we figured out we all hated it. You get a lot of food for your money, but about halfway through your meal you begin to realize you're bored with how it tastes.
(2)
Nicholle H.

The food here was alright, but the noodles were tasteless. The price was right though, and you can get just about any meal for under $7. The service was great and the people were friendly. I was in a hurry and I got in and out with no problem!
(3)
Mary W.

I love penny's b/c it was my first thai food experience and it was good! It is also resonibly priced and you always get sat right away!
(5)
Amy L.

The food is pretty mediocre. It tastes like it's missing a few things.
(2)
Julia B.

Good location but I thought the food wasn't that great. The dish I had did not have very much taste..pretty bland.
(1)

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Address : 1542 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL, 60622
Phone (773) 394-0100
Website https://www.pennysnoodleshop.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :Closed
Mon : Closed
Tue

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Penny’s Noodle Shop

1542 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622

Penny’s Noodle Shop Menu

Appetizers

Soups

Noodle Soups

Rice Plates

Vegetables

Noodles In A Bowl

Stir Fried Noodles

Healthy Meal suggestions for Penny’s Noodle Shop

Appetizers

Soups

Noodle Soups

Rice Plates

Vegetables

Noodles In A Bowl

Stir Fried Noodles

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