“ i thoroughly enjoyed the food we ordered at serai! we ordered the prata with chicken curry, and a lamb rendang nasi lemak. the prata was very good although i wish the prata portion had been a little more generous given that it was $9. the lamb rendang was very impressive! the meat was tender and juicy, not tough at all and i liked the curry a lot. the rice was also fragrant although not as ‘lemak’ as i would’ve hoped. our service was very good despite us coming in near closing time. i would like to be back! ”

“ Authentic Malaysian food & teh tarik(froth milk tea). A must order for us is the roti canai & satay chicken. My 11yr old favorite dish is oyster omelette & my 14yr old enjoyed the Malaysian oxtail soup. I loved the Hokkien Char & hubby had lamb shank rendang. Highly recommend Serai!! ”

“ I can say with confidence this restaurant is one of the best I have been to in Chicago. We had the beef rendang (phenomenal) and chicken curry. Portions were great and the food even better, an exceedingly rare combination nowadays. The coconut pudding alone is reason enough for me to bring a party of friends here soon. ”

“ It seems Serai closed and reopened, and now shares a location with Kapitan, so I guess this is a review for both restaurants. Interesting. Anyway, my friend and I came last Thursday for dinner -- really big (and no-frills) restaurant and it was not very busy. Our server was friendly and helpful with our questions, and service was prompt and efficient. We ordered the kaya toast and roti canai as appetisers. The kaya toast was yummy (and honestly a bit rare to find in the US), but I think the portion size was definitely a bit small for the price. Roti canai was yummy -- I loved how fluffy and flaky the roti was -- and the curry was delicious, if not a bit too salty. We also ordered the mee goreng, which was a bit more disappointing. The underlying flavour of ketchup was really just too strong and drowned out all the other (sweet or savoury) sauces. The noodles were also too soft / soggy, but I thought the other ingredients (veggies, tofu) were good. Finally we had the curry laksa (the serai recipe - apparently the toppings are different), which I would definitely recommend. The egg noodles were very well-cooked to a great chewiness, and I really liked the variety of tasty toppies it came with (loved the chicken and char siu, and the fish balls were soft and very flavourful). I wish there were more broth because the noodles did get dry very quickly. Overall a pretty good meal -- I'd be keen to come again :) ”

“ I’ve been to Serai a few times and I gotta say this is definitely a hidden gem! I’ve always managed to get a table on the spot which has always surprised me. Their Nonya Curry Chicken is just the best! Also tried Beef/Chicken Rendang, Laksa, Ayam Merah and Chilli Chicken and they are all really really good. Highly recommend trying this place out, I know I’ll keep coming back! ”

“ My friends from out of town wanted to check this place out so we came on a Saturday around 6:30pm. We were able to grab a table for 6 people outside. Sounds like the indoor seats are all reserved. We ordered the Serai Curry Laksa, beef rendang, nasi goreng, Hainanese chicken, sambal shrimp. We LOVED everything except the shrimp. I can’t eat spicy food and the curry laksa had a kick to it but it was tolerable for me. The bowl of rice that came out with the Hainanese chicken was also delicious! Will definitely come back to try the other dishes! ”

“ Quite enjoyed lunch here! Malaysian food options in the city are very limited sadly, but this does a pretty great job of satisfying this space. The service was good, though we were the only ones around I think at the time we went. The space is fine, but I don’t think you come here for the ambiance, you come here for the food! Looking forward to coming back and trying more options! Highlights were the nasi lemak and roti paratha. Both the beef rendang and the ayam merah were delicious for the nasi lemak. The roti paratha is buttery and wonderful and the chicken curry it comes with was rich and flavorful—we really really liked that. I would probably go with the ayam merah or the chicken curry with my nasi lemak next time, both were delicious. The beef rendang is also a solid option for those who prefer beef. Be aware it is a little fatty. Cumin lamb skewers were good but pretty straightforward in flavor. Also a small serving. We enjoyed both the dessert options, but they weren’t exceptional. Pulut hitam is on the watery end of a rice pudding type of dish, but with a deeper rounder sweetness than a typical rice pudding. I had never had something like this before and glad I tried it. The coconut pudding had a lighter and sweet flavor, with a delicate consistency served inside a coconut. I’d recommend both, but if you’re in the mood for a more robust dessert option these may not fully satisfy. ”

“ Amazing!! We got the Roti canai, Mee Siam, and Nasi Lemak Rendang Lamb. Everything was cooked excellently. The flavors were well developed and each dish was unique. Such an underrated restaurant. The best Malay food I’ve had outside of Malaysia. ”

“ Amazing food and service! The backyard is really lovely on summer evenings! I'm really surprised that there aren't more reviews bc this place is very popular! ”

“ I love Serai! So many delicious options for both vegetarians and non vegetarians. Prices and service are beyond reasonable. Definitely worth checking out!! ”