CloverEats! colorful Bibimbap at Evanston’s “Mandarin House”
Pretty much the only Asian restaurant up north, Mandarin House serves a mixture of Korean and Chinese food. My boyfriend and I hit it up pretty often, so much so that the waitresses know us. Last time, he ordered a dish “extra spicy,” and could barely eat it. With tears in his eyes, Martin told our waitress it was delicious, and all the waitresses laughed at us.
The Experience: Mandarin House used to have a wooden storefront that made it look deserted, but has since undergone renovations and now sports a nice glass window! It’s BYOB and has a liquor store right across the street, which is nice for college students like us.
The Food: I always get the Bibimbap, which is always yummy. The food isn’t too spectacular, especially the soups that come with the lunch special (Egg Drop is too bland; Hot and Sour is too peppery); but you can’t go wrong with Bibimbap! Martin’s had some mediocre experiences with the Bulgogi – apparently the pork is much better than the beef or chicken options.
The Bill: Mandarin House has a great lunch special deal, and isn’t too expensive for dinner either. I think it comes to $15 for lunch (for two of us), and yesterday, when we went for Dillo Day, it was only $11/person.
Overall: Mandarin House is nice for a quick bite, and never seems to get crowded. Yelp!