Food was great. I love that they are able to make most items gluten free! It’s so hard to find Asian food with a lot of GF options here. The people I was with (who are not GF) also enjoyed their food!
Sharman Jiang
We had an uncomfortable experience that I think is worth sharing.
After dining at PingPong, my friend wrote “not authentic” on the receipt. This wasn’t meant to be rude, but simply a comment on the food. We later went across the street to Wang’s Bar, which appears to share branding and likely ownership. Just before closing, a man who seemed to be the owner approached our table and abruptly asked, “Are you the ones who wrote ‘not authentic’?” He then said, “Our food is not supposed to be authentic,” and walked away immediately. There was no room for conversation, no attempt to engage. It felt more like a defensive ambush than a dialogue.
But to be honest, the issue wasn’t about authenticity anymore. It was about how they handled feedback, especially from Asian diners. As someone who has grown up eating all kinds of Chinese food, including plenty of Americanized versions, I think my friend would’ve been more accurate writing “not tasty” rather than “not authentic.”
The Bang Bang Chicken was a perfect example of poor execution. The chicken breast was dry and stringy, though there are many easy ways to keep it moist. It was drenched in an overly sweet chili sauce and paired with bitter cucumber that threw the entire dish off. The Dan Dan noodles were equally disappointing. The noodles were mushy, perhaps to accommodate gluten-free diets, but the topping was a red wine-braised minced beef, which felt out of place. And again, there was that same bitter cucumber. Do they even know what makes Dan Dan noodles what they are?
What’s frustrating is not the “fusion” or “not authentic” concept. It is the way the restaurant leans into an Orientalist aesthetic, designed to appeal to Western diners with trendy visuals and exotic cues, while showing little openness or respect toward Asian guests. When someone who actually understands the cuisine offers feedback, the response is avoidance, deflection, or hostility.
I am not against experimentation or creativity. But when it is done carelessly and feedback is dismissed by those who might actually know better, it becomes a missed opportunity. That, to me, is what’s truly disappointing.
Jennifer C
Pingpong is an incredible spot in Lakeview - the staff is extremely attentive, the food and cocktails are fantastic, and the atmosphere is just perfect. I highly recommend Pingpong for a fun dinner, it’s a perfect date spot!
Patrick McGroder
So good
Jennifer Weis
Cute restaurant with a retro flair. Very authentic (no forks offered). Gluten free options. Great service, nice atmosphere. Patio seating available.
Jake S
Great place for dinner, very comfortable atmosphere, and attentive, pleasant staff.
Abhishek Kulkarni
Great vibes! I recommend the Kung Pao and the Buddshist Delight.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M V
Sneaky. Will trick you if you upgrade to grey goose. Attention whomever is doing that. You can definitely tell the difference. Just be honest if you are out of a product and don't steal and lie.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Anonymous 113
The chips they offer are the beginning are rock hard almost broke my tooth. Dishes were too sweet. Green tea ice-cream was repulsive Worst part was when we went to pay there was an error message. The hostess turned hostile and we were taken aback. She acted as if we were criminals that came to dine and rob them. We called our bank and they told us that the business has incorrect merchant information and it has nothing to do with us. We explained and after she heard from the bank herself she offered for us to pay via Venmo. Unpleasent and experience overall.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
NSE
Food was great and came out really fast. I give this restaurant a lower rating because the service was very bizarre.
Hostess sat us without a reservation, which was very kind, considering it was just before dinner rush. However, she did not let us know that we could only use the table for an hour. Without this being explained, our server kept coming to our table to take our plates even when we weren’t finished. She came around to us around every 10 minutes. It was not even close to closing and we felt like we were being rushed out. She checked twice after two minutes to see if we put our card out to pay, when she just gave us the check.
Had someone communicated the rush to us or that the table was reserved at a certain time, they would not have gotten this rating. It was so subversive. We did not get a clear explanation for why they were rushing us until I asked flat out. If you couldn’t seat us or if we had a limited time, it would have been nice to let us know. Maybe we could have gotten a reservation or come back another time.
Vegetarian options: I got the vegetarian Buddha noodles
The only thing more audacious than my overpriced, dry chicken was learning this restaurant is owned by a January 6th insurrection attendee. In the nation’s third-largest gayborhood, no less.
Food: 1
Elan Dassani
Reallly such a lovely place and the food is to die for, like eating in a cafe from 1930s Shanghai in a Wong Kar Wai film. Highly recommended
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Green Tea Cheesecake, Singapore Noodles
T M
Would give 5 stars across the board BUT very expensive. It’s great. Staff is wonderful. Would eat here more if it was a bit more reasonable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak with Chicken Fried Rice
Blake
My chicken was dry
Michelle
The food was very good. I will say it's a bit pricey but totally worth it and the portions they give are very reasonable. Cocktails are tasty and presented nicely I'll definitely be back to try more items!
Food was great. I love that they are able to make most items gluten free! It’s so hard to find Asian food with a lot of GF options here. The people I was with (who are not GF) also enjoyed their food!
We had an uncomfortable experience that I think is worth sharing.
After dining at PingPong, my friend wrote “not authentic” on the receipt. This wasn’t meant to be rude, but simply a comment on the food. We later went across the street to Wang’s Bar, which appears to share branding and likely ownership. Just before closing, a man who seemed to be the owner approached our table and abruptly asked, “Are you the ones who wrote ‘not authentic’?” He then said, “Our food is not supposed to be authentic,” and walked away immediately. There was no room for conversation, no attempt to engage. It felt more like a defensive ambush than a dialogue.
But to be honest, the issue wasn’t about authenticity anymore. It was about how they handled feedback, especially from Asian diners. As someone who has grown up eating all kinds of Chinese food, including plenty of Americanized versions, I think my friend would’ve been more accurate writing “not tasty” rather than “not authentic.”
The Bang Bang Chicken was a perfect example of poor execution. The chicken breast was dry and stringy, though there are many easy ways to keep it moist. It was drenched in an overly sweet chili sauce and paired with bitter cucumber that threw the entire dish off.
The Dan Dan noodles were equally disappointing. The noodles were mushy, perhaps to accommodate gluten-free diets, but the topping was a red wine-braised minced beef, which felt out of place. And again, there was that same bitter cucumber. Do they even know what makes Dan Dan noodles what they are?
What’s frustrating is not the “fusion” or “not authentic” concept. It is the way the restaurant leans into an Orientalist aesthetic, designed to appeal to Western diners with trendy visuals and exotic cues, while showing little openness or respect toward Asian guests. When someone who actually understands the cuisine offers feedback, the response is avoidance, deflection, or hostility.
I am not against experimentation or creativity. But when it is done carelessly and feedback is dismissed by those who might actually know better, it becomes a missed opportunity. That, to me, is what’s truly disappointing.
Pingpong is an incredible spot in Lakeview - the staff is extremely attentive, the food and cocktails are fantastic, and the atmosphere is just perfect. I highly recommend Pingpong for a fun dinner, it’s a perfect date spot!
So good
Cute restaurant with a retro flair. Very authentic (no forks offered). Gluten free options. Great service, nice atmosphere. Patio seating available.
Great place for dinner, very comfortable atmosphere, and attentive, pleasant staff.
Great vibes! I recommend the Kung Pao and the Buddshist Delight.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sneaky. Will trick you if you upgrade to grey goose. Attention whomever is doing that. You can definitely tell the difference. Just be honest if you are out of a product and don't steal and lie.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The chips they offer are the beginning are rock hard almost broke my tooth.
Dishes were too sweet.
Green tea ice-cream was repulsive
Worst part was when we went to pay there was an error message. The hostess turned hostile and we were taken aback. She acted as if we were criminals that came to dine and rob them.
We called our bank and they told us that the business has incorrect merchant information and it has nothing to do with us. We explained and after she heard from the bank herself she offered for us to pay via Venmo.
Unpleasent and experience overall.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Food was great and came out really fast. I give this restaurant a lower rating because the service was very bizarre.
Hostess sat us without a reservation, which was very kind, considering it was just before dinner rush. However, she did not let us know that we could only use the table for an hour. Without this being explained, our server kept coming to our table to take our plates even when we weren’t finished. She came around to us around every 10 minutes. It was not even close to closing and we felt like we were being rushed out. She checked twice after two minutes to see if we put our card out to pay, when she just gave us the check.
Had someone communicated the rush to us or that the table was reserved at a certain time, they would not have gotten this rating. It was so subversive. We did not get a clear explanation for why they were rushing us until I asked flat out. If you couldn’t seat us or if we had a limited time, it would have been nice to let us know. Maybe we could have gotten a reservation or come back another time.
Vegetarian options: I got the vegetarian Buddha noodles
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Fortune Cookies
Restaurantji Recommends
The only thing more audacious than my overpriced, dry chicken was learning this restaurant is owned by a January 6th insurrection attendee. In the nation’s third-largest gayborhood, no less.
Food: 1
Reallly such a lovely place and the food is to die for, like eating in a cafe from 1930s Shanghai in a Wong Kar Wai film. Highly recommended
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Green Tea Cheesecake, Singapore Noodles
Would give 5 stars across the board BUT very expensive. It’s great. Staff is wonderful. Would eat here more if it was a bit more reasonable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak with Chicken Fried Rice
My chicken was dry
The food was very good. I will say it's a bit pricey but totally worth it and the portions they give are very reasonable. Cocktails are tasty and presented nicely I'll definitely be back to try more items!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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