Sunday, July 14, 2019

Siam Cafe, Chicago's Oldest Thai Restaurant, "Closed For Business"


It seems that one of Uptown's longest-running restaurants has quietly closed its doors. Siam Cafe, at 4712 North Sheridan, has signs in its windows indicating it has been shuttered, if we're interpreting "Closed for Business" correctly.

We're not sure exactly how long it's been around, but long-time residents say they think this family-owned establishment has been serving hungry customers in Uptown for at least fifty years. Some call it Chicago's oldest Thai restaurant.

The other Thai restaurant that was just steps away, the similarly named Siam Noodle (a newbie at "just" 30-something years in business), moved to Buena Park in 2017 after Sarah's Circle bought the building in which it had been housed. You can still enjoy Siam Noodle's cooking at its new home at 4142 North Broadway.

We will miss Siam Cafe.

8 comments:

  1. They had the best pad Thai and iced coffee :(((
    Why ?!!!?

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  2. let me know if they open agian ok

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  3. @Edwin, have you been to Thai Pastry on Broadway? Good food.

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  4. We drove there last night only to find a Mexican flag hanging in the windows. Our worst fears realized! We had been going to Siam Café for 45 years. We were friendly w/ the owners. Our children “grew up” there. They catered our son’s wedding – his childhood request. It was not only THE best Thai restaurant, but we compared EVERY restaurant we ate at, to Siam Café. I doubt that they’ll reopen somewhere else as the owners were “of a certain age.” They made the best beef salad, satay, garlic chicken, pad Thai, fried muscles, shrimp soup…. Torture, just thinking that I’ll never be able to have another Siam Café meal ☹

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  5. Shame, I always walk past this place and wondered about trying it out

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  6. It was the best. I had been going there since 1973.

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  7. I loved this place. I always would order the Hot Pepper Shrimp, beef and chicken combo with extra onions and extra hot peppers since I was 18 yers old and pregnant with my first child. I had my now exhusband (who was my boyfriend at the time) to go it for me every weekend. The good thing about it the owner knew me so well that I didn't even have to say what I wanted because he already knew. All he would say is how many for you today, because I would order several and freeze some because I lived to far to go every weekend like I use to. I didn't learn of its closing until my daughter went to get some orders for me since she lives that way. I wish another family could have kept it going.

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  8. Very sad they closed. I was a customer for years. I ate there at least 3 times a week when I was pregnant with my son. They served the best food. The owners knew us by name.I moved from the Chicago area but alway made a 2hr trip to eat at my favorite Thai Restaurant. I will surely miss this great Restaurant. Now where do I go??? Where it's just excellent down home thai cooking with none of the fancy small portions at astronomical prices.

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