Chicago Diplomat Cafe

"Can’t recommend it enough. I’m a good cook and it blew my own food out of the water. I’m especially happy to have been able to finally try chacha. It’s a good thing I don’t live in Chicago because half my paycheck would be going here."

"Delicious! Definitely a hidden gem, but you have to try Georgian food. We had the baked mushrooms with cheese (pictured), the cheese pie and the lamb with potatoes and everything was great! Lovely restaurant and hospitality. We will be back!"

"Dining at Diplomat Cafe for a taste of Georgian cuisine was an absolute delight! The vibrant flavors and rich textures of the dishes transported my taste buds to a culinary haven. The star of the experience, undoubtedly, was our server Alex. His attentiveness and genuine enthusiasm elevated our dining experience, offering insightful recommendations and ensuring that every detail was met with precision. Alex's professionalism and friendly demeanor added a personal touch, making our visit memorable. I highly recommend Diplomat Cafe for its exquisite Georgian cuisine and commend the outstanding service provided by Alex. A culinary journey worth savoring!"

"Good food and exceptional service. The dumpling were too salty for my taste. The cheese pie with egg was phenomenal. The cold appetizers mix is a must try. The garlic chicken will protect you from vampires thru next life. We concluded our dinner with dry fruit (Georgian). It was pleasant surprise."

"Overall Thoughts: This is the only Georgian restaurant in Chicago and my first time trying Georgian food— it didn’t disappoint and made for an extremely hearty, filling meal (albeit on the saltier side). Extra shout out to our super kind and awesome server!! The ambience inside is beautiful—both stately and homey. We came with a dinner reservation on Friday, but it wasn’t too crowded inside so walk-ins are probably fine too. Prices were a bit high, but reasonable for the portions (~$42 pp with tax/tip). Food I tried: - Pkhali: Kind of looked and tasted like colorful, non-fried falafel without the chickpeas. These are made with various vegetables and walnuts for a robust umami flavor. They were very soft and creamy, and were quite hearty and delicious. - Imeruli Khachapuri: Khachapuri is the national dish of Georgia; our server recommended this particular one as his favorite. It was essentially a bread stuffed with various cheeses, and tasted quite good and was very filling. It was really salty though, so I was pretty thirsty after this one. - Mushroom Ojakhhuri: This is a vegetarian dish that our server recommended. The mushrooms were soft and flavorful, though the potatoes were a little too mushy for my liking. Was delicious overall though, with buttery and creamy textures. - Khinkali: For reference, these soup-filled dumplings are kind of like Chinese xiao long baos but with MUCH thicker skin and an all-meat filling, so they’re a lot heavier and more filling. They were delicious— I really liked how doughy and chewy the skin was, and the soup and filling were flavorful. You can choose how many you want (they’re $4 each). - Stewed Feijoa Kompot drink: We also tried a bottle of stewed feijoa kompot drink, which our server told us is very popular and commonly drunk in Georgia. The flavor was pretty interesting—mildly sweet, flowery, and tart. — Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5 Food: 4.3/5 Ambience: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Overall Value: 4.5/5"