RobK wrote:The Seafood City location opened today, I saw the signs noting the 12/22 date when I was there earlier this week.

I'm talking about the one at 5033 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60630. It opened approximately 3 months ago. Is this new location also on Elston?

=R=

This is a Jollibee within Seafood City, an addition to the food court places already open.

TomInSkokie wrote:This is a Jollibee within Seafood City, an addition to the food court places already open.

Thanks, Tom. I was under the impression I was eating at Jollibee since there was already signage all over the place on that day back in October. I guess not. It was just the food court, apparently.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

TomInSkokie wrote:This is a Jollibee within Seafood City, an addition to the food court places already open.

Thanks, Tom. I was under the impression I was eating at Jollibee since there was already signage all over the place on that day back in October. I guess not. It was just the food court, apparently.

=R=

That's correct--what was open prior was just the Seafood City store offerings. I was there about 3 weeks ago and they were busy interviewing for the Jollibee. I really enjoyed the sampling of items I had at Seafood City--can't say the Jollibee menu or descriptions appeal much to me but I'll definitely be back to try more of the Seafood City selection.

You can't overstate the appeal of Jollibee. Just a month or so ago we randomly sat down next to a woman at a snack bar on the Great Wall, of all places. She heard us talking to each other and started to talk to us, she was Filipino and said she travels to Chicago regularly to visit her daughter. Talk turned to food and she mentioned that her daughter missed Jollibee more than anything. When I said "but, they just opened one" she almost fell off her seat while reaching for the phone to text her daughter.

Cathy2 wrote:Jollibee
3534 W Touhy Ave, Skokie, IL 60076
Phone: (847) 674-3900
Hours: 7AM–10PM

I was in the area this evening about 8pm and after trying two bites of a burger from M Burger & tossing the rest out, I remembered this thread so punched up Jobllibee in a search. I was surprised I had passed it as I came from East to get to M Burger & didn't remember passing it.

Upon getting to Jollibee I now knew why as every single exterior light was off, even the entryway for the drivethrough. People were in the drivethru and in the restaurant so I assumed they were still open, and they were.

I was still in a burger mood so ordered the fully dressed Big Yum. Also ordered a two piece extra spicy as one has to order chicken when here right?

Burger was passable, fries meh but didn't hit the spot I was looking for so dug into the chicken. The breading is very light, crunchy and had really nice heat, not a depth of flavor heat, just heat, my mouth was tingling in a nice way. Perhaps it was the thigh piece I had, it was cooked perfectly still very juicy, perhaps too much fat had been left on it when trimmed, perhaps it was the low bar I had set, but that thigh of fried chicken had me grinning. Really tasty with lots of crispy fat pockets & crunchy skin.

edited to add: at 8pm on a Sunday night there was no one in line, I'm sure it helped having all the exterior lights turned off.

Sweet Willie wrote:edited to add: at 8pm on a Sunday night there was no one in line, I'm sure it helped having all the exterior lights turned off.

Hi,

I have had this same experience of arriving during posted hours to find the interior lights off and the drive-through still active.

I was close to the closing time, so I wasn't totally surprised. The mango pie I ordered had to be fried, so there was a wait.

I never imagined they'd play possum two hours before posted closing hours. It is a unique business practice. I guess.

Regards,
Cathy2

.

Late to the game, finally tried Jollibee.
The chicken was good, not great with their 'spicy' version flavorful but not as hot as Popeye's. Some interesting flavors, maybe fish sauce?
I ordered the combo with the spaghetti, having never tried Filipino spaghetti. Again, interesting; somewhere between a mild barbecue sauce and Cincinnati chili, but with chunks of hot dog.

Overall? No great need to go back again. I'd rather go to Popeye's and have their dirty rice and onion rings. Certainly didn't hate it, but wasn't impressed. Service was slow too, and they didn't give me a fork for the spaghetti until I asked.

Oh, and the M Burger in that stop is gone.

Jollibee — the Filipino fast food chain best known for Chickenjoy fried chicken, Yumburger hamburgers and its eponymous anthropomorphic bee mascot — opens Thursday in a so-called cloud kitchen in the River North area of Chicago.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... story.html

Hi,

The location on Touhy was really overrun when it first opened. I recall a full sized refrigerator trailer in the parking to keep up with supplies.

This was something I noticed last year, their posted closing was 10 pm. It is well before 10 pm, but the parkway lights are off. The interior lights are on with people eating inside. If you went through the drive-thru, sometimes you felt like you were interrupting them with your request.

I happen to like their Mango handpie. After this lights out period, they will make a mango pie, but warn it will take time and it will be really hot. It sure is hot as blazes as promised. On other occasions, they have declined to make it available.

I just mention this little quirk, so if you encounter it, you are not thrown off.

Regards,
Cathy2

The location in River North is in Kitchen United. It's basically a virtual food court only serving to go. I vaguely remember there being an ordering terminal, but the vast majority of orders are placed online via a restaurant's app/website or the common interface (https://order.kitchenunited.com/chicago).
I believe they took the spot that Naf Naf Grill vacated in the kitchen, although a customer would never see that. All food is delivered to the take out depot via a dumbwaiter.

Last year, I had the opportunity to stop at Jollibee's four times October - December.

The Manhattan location was chicken-only. There was no hamburgers and no spaghetti offered on the menu. The spicy chicken is probably the best I have had anywhere. I am not sure how they get the hot sauce into the chicken but it is excellent.

You can get a mango pie free on each visit by completing the survey online.

If you order a meal combo, they will allow you to substitute fresh pineapple juice for the soda which is a good thing.

From a Twitter post = A new Jollibee restaurant was permitted to build out in place of the former Cosi at 116 S. Michigan Ave.

Tried the spicy & regular versions of the fried chicken recently (Skokie location).

Spicy fried chicken was very enjoyable, I'd go back for that if in the area and feeling like fried chicken.

I didn't care for the regular

Sweet Willie wrote:Tried the spicy & regular versions of the fried chicken recently (Skokie location).

Spicy fried chicken was very enjoyable, I'd go back for that if in the area and feeling like fried chicken.

I didn't care for the regular

I'm gonna have to give the spicy another try! The one time I had it, there wasn't any kick and just crazy salty. So I stick to the original and dunk it in the gravy!

I'd put Jollibee in the elite tier of fast food fried chicken w Popeyes and Pollo Campero. Huge fan.