Diana Grossman Tantra Butterfly

Review of belly q / urban belly

I am a "regular" here so being highly prejudiced w...

I am a "regular" here so being highly prejudiced when I write this review I have become an "addict" and consider all food items here "comfort" food especially because I am a huge fan of dumplings and good home made broth. Urban belly has a wonderful, eclectic variety of Pho types of soups which are huge enough in portion to share with a friend and fried rice combinations where you simply order a bowl of rice and combine it with veggies, meats or tofu. I always come here on a Sunday and relax with a cup of broth, steamed rice, dumplings and sometimes their spicy fries. Today I tried their home brewed, iced Vietnamese coffee which is a wonderful value because you receive a free refill for the price of one serving. This restaurant is extremely well run and clean. All the items on the menu are priced well and delicious. My only complaint is once in a while young families might bring in a "group" of small children and so it can get quite noisy here if the parents decide not to quiet down their kids. One time I came here and two groups of children were here to celebrate a birthday party and the young birthday girl was screeching pretty high and running around on her scooter. I kind of wonder why parents think this restaurant is suitable for birthday parties? I truly think the food here is perfect for children but if you are planning on having a party perhaps Urban belly should suggest renting out the entire restaurant for these occasional gatherings because if you are paying for a meal then hopefully the environment should be reasonably peaceful for all diners and not turned into a "playground" for kids. Other than the families bringing in children I would highly encourage everyone in Wicker Park to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere here and all the waitstaff here is friendly, helpful and good at giving suggestions about what to order. Every first of the month I was told you can purchase any dumpling for a dollar! There is also free filtered still or sparkling water you can help yourself to and no one here rushes you in and out so you can relax enjoy the free wifi and not be hurried out the door. This restaurant is definitely a place I come to relax and enjoy a good view of the neighborhood as people walk past. Dishes here range from very mild to ultra spicy so you will never grow bored of the menu and the food is consistently great. This place deserves a Five but I am taking away one star due to the fact that every now and again there are just way too many parents who do not have control over their young children and it kind of ruins the tranquil vibe when you hear screeching kids. I get the idea that this place is family friendly but kids get bored easily and because there is a kid's menu and the staff never say anything the noise can get pretty bad when there are lots of young children present. I love coming here but I wish the parents understood this is NOT a Chucky Cheese. I will continue dining here every time I work or do errands in Wicker Park. This place has incredibly healthy and tasty food at reasonable prices. The desserts here are amazing too. Try the peanut butter and jelly soft serve ice cream! It's satisfying and decadent. Big hugs to all the staff you are all amazing!