Highly anticipated restaurant Crying Tiger is finally open—and it's majorly enhancing River North's dining scene
It's one of the most anticipated openings of the year.
www.timeout.comHere’s the latest on Crying Tiger in Chicago.
- Crying Tiger opened in River North (the former Hub 51 space) in mid-October 2025, led by chef Thai Dang and Lettuce Entertain You. The opening was widely covered as a major new Southeast Asian concept for the group.[1][2][3]
- The restaurant features a Southeast Asian menu with bold, modern takes on regional flavors, a large wine list, and a later-stage plan for a separate cocktail bar in the lower level. Open hours initially focused on dinner service, with extended hours on weekends.[2][3][5][1]
- Press coverage from outlets like Axios, Eater, and OpenTable notes Crying Tiger as one of the year’s most anticipated openings in Chicago, highlighting Thai Dang’s background with HaiSous and the collaboration with Lettuce Entertain You.[3][4][5][6]
If you’d like, I can pull a quick snapshot of recent reviews, or help you book a table and compare menu highlights. Would you like me to pull the most recent openings or reservations status?