bellyQ :: Post Bulls Game Snack

White Wine ($10/glass, $28/half litre) & Rib Tips ($8)

Rib Tips ($8)

maple bbq glaze, sesame, steamed bun

My friends and I just finished watching a Chicago Bulls vs Charlotte Hornets game at the United Center and was looking for a nice place within walking distance to have a drink and a bite to eat while we waited for the post-game traffic to die down. We got to bellyQ at around 9:15pm and had a seat at the bar since the restaurant didn't have any tables immediately available. 

The 6 of us each ordered a snack whilst some of us shared 1/2 a litre of white one. The staff at the bar were super nice and the food came out promptly. My friends ordered the sticky rice ($5), thai chicken wings ($5), crab rangoon ($5), and belly mac ($8), while I ordered the rib tips ($8). I had a taste of my friend's belly mac and it was delicious! I really loved how they combined thai curry and udon noodles into a small snack. I also really enjoyed the rib tips. The ribs were flavourful and tender and the steamed bun was soft. 

Looking through their menu and instagram geotag feed, bellyQ appeared to have an interesting selection of drinks which I would like to try one day. Also when walking into bellyQ, I saw that they had Korean BBQ grills available too. After trying the delicious snacks (which I think are quite decently priced), the pleasant bar service, and my piqued interest in their drink menu and grill, I would most definitely return if I was in the restaurant's vicinity. 

However, when I got home after my meal I realized I miscalculated my total on my receipt (subtotal was $70.72 and intended on tipping $9.60, but wrote $88.32 instead of $80.32 - [for what reasons I made this mathematical error, I have no idea, blame it on the wine]). Due to the mathematical discrepancy, I was going to contact the restaurant just to see what they would enter so I knew what to expect on my monthly statement. I went online and I couldn't find an email to contact the general manager at so I called the restaurant after hours expecting to get a voicemail since it was at around 1:30am. I pushed the extension for the general manger, but her voicemail box was full. Since it was full, I hung up and re-dialed hoping to find another place to leave a voicemail but was surprised when someone picked up the phone. She seemed a little tired and but prompted me to explain my situation. When explaining the tipping error she seemed annoyed and rudely cut me off mid sentence by saying 'we only enter the tip line into the computer'. I replied 'thanks! so to confirm only the tip line will be entered and the total line will not?' she quickly just 'mhmm-ed' me and hung up before I was able to thank her for picking up the phone. I would not have minded if the restaurant took the extra $8 due to my mathematical error, since it was my mistake, but I didn't appreciate the treatment I received on the phone. I understand that my call was quite late, but if the restaurant was closed and it was in the early hours of the morning, they didn't need to pick up the phone. If you did decide to pick up the phone, provide polite and professional customer service. Despite this post visit exchange, I would still recommend bellyQ to friends and would probably return. I'll just make an effort to double check my math before leaving a restaurant.

bellyQ
1400 W Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
312.563.1010
website