Returning back to the Northside after catching the Moth it was decided that Vietnamese food would be dinner. My friend searched the Yelp app for places still open near 10 pm. Cafe Hoang was one of two decent places off or near Argyle street. We scored a parking space in front and got in when we noticed it was 10:02 pm. The staff were sitting around a table since having just cleaned and prepped for the next day. We asked if it was cool to dine and were given a thumbs up! But we were told the restaurant would be closing in thirty minutes so orders had to go in fast. The table we were at was freshly cleaned. The place looks like it is kept in meticulous order. If there was more time, I would have walked around and ordered per the photos posted on walls. We both had an idea of what we wanted. So, we both ordered the combination pho and a shared plate of fried egg rolls. If my review were to end with that bowl of pho.. I'd give them 4 or 5 stars and return the following week for another bowl. BUT.. alas, some shit had to happen. But first.. that pho. The broth was tasty. Combination pho has all kinds of meat which may not agree with everyone. So, note that when ordering. When pho is ordered, patrons are given a large supply of additions to add depth of flavor. Stuff like cilantro, bean sprouts, basil leaves, onion, green onions, and lime. There is also another kind of leaf still attached to the branch that is given. I never know whether to throw the whole branch in there or just leaves.. Not to look silly, I do just the leaves. (The name of this ingredient is unknown to me, but it is aromatic) I like to add all of that stuff and more of the bean sprouts. Then stir. Add Hoisin and Sriracha. Stir and taste. Add some more Hoisin and Sriracha. Stir and taste. Add one last dash of Hoisin and Sriracha. Effing perfect! It was raining the other night and pho was the pick-me-up I needed. (After a bad cold/ fever or long night of partying, pho can make you right as rain. Now the shit. It was late and someone that was pan-handling entered the restaurant. This person tried to beeline for our table. One of the staff had stopped her at the door but she motioned like she wanted to talk to us and for whatever reason the gentleman allowed her to come in. We were still eating and it was unnerving and odd that they allowed it. The dude that helped us from the beginning looked towards us and then asked the older gent why he allowed her inside. They had a back and forth but still, they did nothing to help the situation. For fucks sake, do something, don't put responsibility on your customers! I've been in restaurants that have handled this situation differently. It reminds me of this Italian restaurant where a host approached the panhandler and told them that coming into the restaurant to beg was not appropriate. They walked the person out and then from their own pocket offered a few dollars. Fucking awesome. I remember patrons tipping the guy extra because of his deed. I mention this here because this BS is not the first time an Asian restaurant has poorly handled this kind of situation. It's happened to me, in this area of town, more than once. It is garbage and will be in memory awhile. Fuck.. and I wanted to come back for another bowl of that heavenly pho! read more

So worth switching it up to come uptown for my Asian food instead of Chinatown. Like many other Yelpers, we tried the bun bo hue and it seriously lived up to the hype. The broth was delicious, and the noodle soup had tons of meat - beef slices, the pork-quichey-spam-like thing, a giant piece of pork, and blood tofu (which I hate, so I discarded). I generally prefer flour-based noodles to rice noodles and this time was no exception; the bun bo hue isn't my favorite type of noodle but the soup was so deliciously flavorful. They gave us a plate of cut up cabbage / veggies beforehands, which I thought was a salad and started eating - I never did end up putting it in my soup. I also ordered the rare beef salad, although the beef really wasn't that rare - it was more like par-cooked. The salad was still delicious (I think I even tasted some shrimp in it), but just not what I expected with the more raw slices. Can't wait to come back and try some of the other dishes, although I honestly would probably struggle to not order the bun bo hue again. Bah! read more

My friends and I had gone here after some recommendations but were disappointed with the service. We came in on a weekend morning around when they had just opened for the day and were seated right away but then service went down hill after that. We didn't get to place any orders until 15-20 mins after being seated even after flagging down for our server. Once our order was taken, our server had brought each of our foods out individually, so half of us had our dishes while the other half was waiting for our dishes still. We also were missing orders although he had repeated our order back to us when he had taken it. We also ordered drinks which came out after we were already done with our meal. I ordered a pho dat biet which honestly was sub par. If I return to Chicago I don't plan on returning here for sure. read more

Hands down, the best bun (Vietnamese noodle dish thingy) I've had in my life, and I've had many. A nice diversity in the vegetables in the dish, and my tofu was prepared fresh for me, which never happens (normally, it's a re-heated soggy mess, but this was a crispy concoction cooked with love). Super-affordable. Low on ambiance, but I'm more interested in the food, and this was top notch! read more

It's inexpensive to eat here and it is clean and spacious to eat. Service is good. And I have found a new dish that I have fallen in love with...Bun Bo Hue with all the fixin's. You can order it without the pork blood and pig knuckles but it is all tasty in a shrimp paste based soup with spiciness that is done to perfection. Thanks to Don for recommending the dish. I'm sure to be back. read more

Cafe Hoang - Bun Bo Hue with the vegetable accompaniment and spicy fish sauce for flavoring but it wasn't needed - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Terrible service. Did not seat a group of us for 20 plus mins. No one attended to us. Do not go here.

I came here for a friend's birthday dinner. We had a party of 18 and the staff was very accommodating! We made 2 large round tables work so everyone could sit together. Our waiter was also very on top of our service - he kept out water glasses filled and had orders out in record times. A bunch of people at the table ordered their vermicelli bowls. I had the grilled beef bowl and it was very delicious. The bowl comes with vermicelli topped with 2 skewers of grilled beef (you can get chicken, shrimp or a combination of shrimp and beef as well), lettuce with shredded carrots, an egg roll (super delicious) and the bowl has crushed peanuts sprinkled on top! The dish also comes with a sweet vinaigrette dressing. The noodles were a little bland so I ended up using all of the dressing to give it some flavor. I would definitely come back to try other dishes a bunch of people at our table also ordered a variety of their phos which also looked really great. Argyle has metered street parking near the restaurant. read more

Cafe Hoang - 23. Vermicelli Grilled Beef Salad Bowl - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So I've been coming to this restaurant for a few years already. I always loved their bun bo hue, except it's been at a slowly downward quality in their broth but still they're my go to place for bun bo hue. Anything else, I would go else where. Their service is ok. At times they can be busy and can over look us from time to time. But still, I always returned. I live all the way by South Chinatown by the way. So I would drive all the way there just to have lunch or dinner there. So, tonight... My family of 5 plus 1 toddler entered their restaurant that had only one table with customers. Whole place was empty at 7:20pm!!! They wanted to seat us in the side tables for 6 by the wall that was right next the the only other customers. Even though there was a bigger table for 7-8 round table next that table. We specifically asked for a larger table since it's empty and with high chair and coats... We needed a larger table to be comfortable. But they refused us twice. With no business inside, with no other customers at dinner hour, they refused to give us a bigger table. WTH!!! I could not believe it. We could easily spent over $100 for our dinner there for noodle soups that cost around $13 a bowl and apps. But somehow, we were not worth their space?! They said they need that table in case some larger group came in. So, what else could we do?!? We LEFT!!!! Let them wait for their larger group!!! And my family will NEVER return to their insensitive service EVER again and nor would I recommend them because they are not understanding and not family or kid friendly!!! After we left we went to HaiYen across the street and enjoyed our wonderful dinner with good service! The bill with tips was over $100 so they missed out on our business tonight and FOREVER!!! BTW, I parked my car in front of their restaurant and when we left, their restaurant was still empty read more

I used to rate Vietnamese restaurants based on how good their pho is. Now I do the same but except with bun bo hue. And so based on the taste and quality of their bun bo hue, I give place a solid A! Ingredients are fresh and home made and what sets them apart from the rest is their broth. It's just a perfect combination and sweet and spicy without being too greasy. It's a bit dingy and dark looking inside so there's not much see with the decors and the ambience. If you're looking for a lively, hip and friendly place to eat. This ain't it. If you just want to savor an amazing bowl of bun bo hue in peace and quiet, this is the place of your dreams. read more

Ok, 2 rules that one should go by when reviewing authentic family owned Vietnamese/Asian Restaurants in Chicago: 1. Never compare it Cali. We get it, our food blows in comparison to the 162 registered Pho 1979 restaurants in orange county. 2. Never let poor/unfriendly service affect your ratings. Unless it takes like an hour for one spring roll to come out or there's a hair or ten in your pho. With that off my chest, Cafe Hoang is 1 of the 2 only Vietnamese restaurants that I frequent in Chicago (Pho 888 the other). Given that Chicago has yet to have a Vietnamese restaurant that makes every marquee dish perfectly, Cafe Hoang's Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) is good enough for me to come back for more! I always take a minute to stick my nose an inch from the broth to get high off all the spices and flavors, unbeatable! They also make an excellent Bun Rieu (Crab Noodle Soup). The Lau (Hot Pot) is VERY good, although you rarely see people order this since their specialty is Bun Bo Hue (says it on the menu!). For an appetizer, I would recommend the Goi (Viet coleslaw). Very refreshing, slightly spicy, very tasty! :) And it goes great with any soup, especially congee! The prices are a bit more than the average Argizzle prices, but still cheap, none the less! The staff is not so friendly most times, but hey, that's how they roll. read more

I simply love this place. Everyone who is familiar with this neighborhood knows that this is the spot for the best Bun Bo Hue! For only about $8, you get a large bowl of it. The flavoring is just amazing and comes second to none. I literally eat the entire bowl - soup gone too. I usually never order anything else so I could not comment on other entrees but I'm certain they make other delicious foods. The server/waiter is very welcoming and friendly. Definitely recommend! read more

Cafe Hoang - Amazing - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am really digging Vietnamese food lately and this place knows what they're doing. We were the only gringos in here on a Friday night, which I took as a good sign. We started with an order of spring rolls as well as an order of eggs rolls and both were excellent. The eggs rolls were not greasy and the spring rolls were bursting with mint and vermicelli noodles. The dipping sauces were fantastic too. For our mains, my friend and I shared the spicy lemongrass beef and shrimp with mixed vegetables. Both portions were a good size and the aromas of fresh ginger and lemongrass wafted in the air. I didn't think the beef was all that spicy, but the flavor was good. The shrimp and vegetables was out of this world. Tons of shrimp, broccoli, mushrooms, pea pods, Chinese broccoli and asparagus in a light, but gingery sauce. I also ordered a strawberry smoothie, which due to the language barrier, arrived well after our entreés. By then I was so full, I could only manage a couple of sips, but it was creamy and fruity. Prices are super reasonable, especially for the quality and portion sizes and there was no problem getting a table on a Friday night. read more

I can definitely confirm that the Bun Bo Hue is delicious. However, the service was horrible. I ordered an iced coffee, shrimp rolls, and the soup. I was then left with an empty table and a glass of water for thirty minutes. Every time I tried to find a server, they were all in the kitchen. The shrimp rolls were dropped off and the soup thirty seconds later. I couldn't even ask about the coffee as the waitstaff made absolutely no eye contact or listened to what I was saying. Halfway through my meal, I finally turned my chair around to face the kitchen until I got someone's attention. Once I was done, I had to wait even longer for the check. I was finally able to get their attention and get out of there, probably because I was the last customer still there and standing out like a sore thumb...my waitress even caught my eye and, as I waved, sighed and turned back to her smartphone (it should be noted that our only interaction up to that point had been my order and maybe one or two smiles) - I actually had to ask for my check from the guy cleaning tables for closing, who then got another member of the waitstaff to find my check. I was there for an hour and a half - thank god I had no plans to be anywhere. A laughable service experience for sure. Hopefully it was just a fluke because their food is great. read more

Definitely the best place for the bun bo hue. No one can beat their bun bo hue. We usually order this spicy soup with a ca phe sua da. Perfect combo!! read more

I stumbled into this restaurant on the recommendation of Huu L! I pretty much stick to Tank Noodles, Hai Yen, and Pho 777, so it was nice to check out a different place for a change! The interior is pretty non descript and small, but very homey, and also considerably less crowded than let's say Tank or Hai Yen! We started off w/ this cabbage salad w/ shrimp which was delicious! It had similar flavors to what a papaya salad might have. The spring rolls were pretty yummy also. Being my first time there, Huu told me I had to try the Bon Bo Hue (spicy beef soup). After waiting what seemed like an eternity, finally got the food and I was pleasantly surprised. The broth had a nice flavor (perhaps cuz of the huge pork shank looking thing floating around), kicked up even more after adding some sirachi sauce. My friends had the dry vermicelli noodles w/ the fish sauce...looked pretty delicious, I definitely will try that next time. If you're intimidated by the line at Tank or just want to try something different in Argyle, def hit this place up! read more

One of the foods I was told to try in Chicago was pho, being that the pho in NYC is not that great. But in my mind the pho I've had in the DC area when I lived there has basically set the standard - a fairly big community of Vietnamese people live there. Someone had told me that the pho in Chicago is decent, so I was determined to have it while I was on my trip there. I was meeting with a friend and her sister for karaoke and I told her I wanted to have pho for dinner, so she suggested Cafe Hoang. Cafe Hoang is small and casual, not unlike a lot of other Vietnamese restaurants. In the corner mounted on the wall was a TV playing Vietnamese news and the staff watched on when they were not busy at work. They have a very good variety of Vietnamese dishes beside pho, like heu tieu, which I love and almost ordered instead of pho. Actually their pho selection was smaller than I expected, but I was not looking for some rare bowl of pho. I just wanted some pho with lean beef and beef balls. Our orders came out very quickly and my pho had plenty of delicious and fulfilling beef. The broth was also good and so was the noodles. Overall a very satisfying bowl of pho, and I would recommend Cafe Hoang to anyone visiting or who lives in Chicago. read more

My second favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Chicago, after New Saigon. Cafe Hoang does have the best food from Central VN in the area though. I highly recommend their Bun Bo Hue (Hue style beef, pork and rice noodle) and Bun Rieu (Ground Crabmeat and Tomato with rice noodle soup). Their Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake Bean Sprouts Onions Pork and Shrimps) is all right compared to places in California, but it's the best one I've found so far. This is a tricky place to order if you don't know what's good cause you might stumble on dishes which are not their specialty. It's also easy to miss because it kind of blends in with everything else on the street and it's not one of those restaurants that's immediately next to the subway. I've been here several times and I still forget where it is sometimes. read more

I came with a big group of people and we ordered our food family style, so I got to try a lot of options. Some of my favorite dishes included the yellow curry, pan fried wide rice noodles, and the vermicelli noodle salad with shrimp. Also I highly recommend the banh xeo or the Vietnamese pancake! Everything was delicious, and the service was great and super prompt despite how big our group was. read more

Every place pho place i go, i look for bun bo hue. This time I came here specifically for the bun bo hue. This is as close my perfect bun bo hue, but sadly it wasn't I prefer mine to have more lemongrass flavor and it was absent here. What was here though was the pork blood and pork feet, only the most authentic places actually serve these. The spring roll here wasn't anything special. It's a spring roll, same as it is everywhere else. On the other hand the durian shake was surprisingly good as i dont even like durian all that much. Definitely come here for the best bun bo hue I've had in chicago so far. read more

On Argyle street, Vietnamese pho places seem to be a dime a dozen. We went in here upon Yelp reviews of how good the Bun Bo Hue was. Service: 3 stars, the staff were young and somewhat attentive, but hard to get a smile on their faces. Nonetheless, they did their job perfectly fine, so nothing wrong with that! Atmosphere/decor: 3.5 stars, it was a traditional pho place, nothing too fancy, nothing too dirty, just a little dark. There wasn't enough natural light for my liking, but I guess it's hard when the only light coming in is from one side of the restaurant. Food: 5 stars, now this is where this place shines, the Bun Bo Hue was the best I've ever tasted, and my friend's Bun Rieu had also a very flavourful soup base. The side dish of veggies that you put on your noodle soup came pre-shredded and pre-mixed. Some people may like that, some may not, but to me I preferred it so I didn't have to shred my own lettuce. Conclusion: This place is definitely very tasty, and worth making the trip to Argyle st for. I have a feeling all of their soup noodles will be just as tasty as the Bun Bo Hue! read more

Everyone that wants Bun Bo Hue aka spicy beef noodle soup knows exactly one place to get it, CAFE HOANG. That is actually their special dish or their go to. It never disappoints, I have been eating here for years. What I like is their consistency in the BBH, it is exactly the same every time. Other things are good too like the bun thit nuong, springs rolls, bun rieu, rice dishes. Overall, this is a legit vietnamese restaurant. If you do not like spicy then I do not recommend the BBH, get pho instead. read more

See all

I tried their well known bun bo hue since my friend suggested. It was good, but i thought if they put less of the shrimp paste it would be better. I love shrimp paste and if bun bo hue doesnt have it in the broth it not really is bun bo hue. But cafe Hoang i thought it was overwhelming that it took away the beef broth aroma. However, one thing i really like about cafe Hoang is that they have fresh chopped chili marinated in fish sauce in replace of the plain chili oil. I eat my food spicy so the fresh chili definitely made me a fan of cafe Hoang already. read more

Cafe Hoang - Bún bò hu - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My experience here was great! I never get to eat Vietnamese too much but I was feeling sick n wanted some soup! First of all the service was outstanding! Food took a little longer than expected but I don't mind because it was obviously cause they were making everything fresh. Which it was! Everything I ate was really good except for the pancake but I can't judge cause I never liked it in the first place. (My mom n sister said it was a weird texture and too think and not crunchy enough.) Spicy duck salad was really good except I personally thought it had way too many bones which made it hard and annoying to eat. The favors were so good n perfect tho so I didn't care. The spring rolls were sooo good warm n fresh. (Best I've had in a while). Would go back just for those. And the blood soup was good too. Everything we ordered tasted good. It defiantly wasn't too salty like some Vietnamese restaurants can be. Also if you like spicy food ask for the hot pepper mixed with fish sauce. Super spicy only if u can handle it! Also these are all big servings. Had tons of food leftover. Basically only tried the soup and had the entire thing left. Don't forget to put in all the herbs! read more

See all

I suggest sticking with the Vietnamese food. The pad Thai we ordered wasn't that great. The other dishes were pretty tasty.

Last week I ordered Cafe Hoang's pho tai and tom yum gai. The pho was absolutely delicious! Every spoonful was yummy and the tom yum was pretty good. I prefer tom kha but their yum was tasty. Definitely will go again and try other menu items! read more

One of the best Bun Bo Hue! The broth was great and not too spicy. Very generous with the portions. read more

Cafe Hoang - Bun Bo Hue, so yummy! - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the best Vietnamese place I've been to. The spicy lemon rare beef salad (#007) is like eating summer; it's chock full of citrus, fresh ginger, mint and basil, with onions, carrots and beef to fill it out. The Pho is fantastic. The broth is so hearty and flavorful! You're not limited to Vietnamese classics, either; try the Panang Curry--you'll be so glad you did! This is a great place to sit, talk, and drink tea--they don't rush you out. Quite the contrary--you need to ask them for the check if you ever want to leave--but why would you? read more

I haven't been to every place on Argyle, but my favorite Vietnamese restaurant is Cafe Hoang. My favorite dish is #23: Grilled Beef, Egg Roll, Vermicelli Noodle and Veggies. I get it every time and it's so good (with some Sriracha sauce too) that I don't want anything else from here. I've ordered the same dish at other places and they do it wayyyy better here. Tank Noodle's is terrible. BYOB Closed on Tuesdays I think. read more

I've had a few people recommend this place for bun bo hue so I had really high expectations. The broth was extremely bland. Service was incredibly slow for a Sunday afternoon. Usually the plate of veggies would be the first thing to come out, but we had to flag down our waiter for our veggies after we got our bowl of noodles. read more

Blah blah blah blah blah....... That's what I think of these incredibly outstanding reviews for the place and the food as well..... Blah. Maybe the Pho is great, but DO NOT get other items. I had the Spicy Beef Lemongrass. First, not a single word was uttered to me during my entire stay there. None. Really!!!??? Uninspired service topped by an uninspired dish. Beef was chewy and lightly sauteed in a unflavorful sauce of gritty nothingness. Sat around after I was finished and nearly ignored for another 10 minutes. Good to check this off of the places I need not return again. read more

The best Vietnamese and Thai restaurant in Chicago not to mention on Argyle. I can't say enough about this restaurant it's a wonderful experience. The food is always very appealing to look at, the food is always so delicious as well. It's a pleasant dining experience whether you dine alone or in a group. The service is fast when dining alone unlike most restaurants. The waitstaff are courteous and fulfill all needs. The female owner is so nice and friendly and greets me whenever I arrive and exit. The surroundings are clean and beautiful. This is a true gem on Argyle let alone in Chicago! read more

Best spicy pork hock noodle (Bun Bo Hue) in town. This is a new location which is only half a block west of the old location. The new place is bigger with nicer tables and seats. The menu is still the same, thank God! Their crab meat noodle (Bun Rieu) is very tasty too. Service is nice, but weird. I asked for a fork and knife for my appetizer, and an extra setting. It took 3 people, five trips to get everything for me. I was getting a little annoyed, but they all did it with such a genuine smile that I just sat there waiting patiently. Other than that, it's always worth the drive for me. read more

Cafe Hoang - Bun Bo Hue, Bun Rieu, Banh xeo, and Thai iced tea. - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pho yo' enjoyment... You're not really going to Argyle street for awesome service, are you? C'mon let's be pho real...it's about the food. Service here is just fine...as attentive and occasionally absent as most authentic restaurants in this neighborhood. The food, though, is just wonderful. I've had pho in many variations, Vietnamese crepe (one of my faves!), their clay pot dishes, noodles, grilled pork chops, spicy beef salad. It's all delicious. The spice level is milder in my opinion, so just ask them to ramp it up if you want. BYOB is always a plus but their sinful Vietnamese coffee is delicious too. Forgot to mention it's incredibly inexpensive for what you get. read more

This place is phenomenal. A friend of mine goes there every Wednesday, so I tagged along. This place is run by a very nice family, and the menu is extensive. Absolutely EVERYTHING I've had there has been awesome! We tend to eat "family style" when we go there, so after 3 or 4 visits, I've eaten multiple dishes. I've loved all of it, but some of my faves were the pho, crab rangoon (best I've ever had!), ginger chicken, spring rolls, and, the absolute best: the avocado smoothie. read more

Cafe Hoang is a family owned restaurant and they are known for their bun bo hue (spicy noodle dish). Way too spicy for me, but then again, I'm not a fan of anything spicy to begin with. The decor and atmosphere has no modernity and screams typical Vietnamese restaurant. Their menu is more on the selective side- they don't offer a lot of variety like other neighboring Vietnamese joints. They offer a lot of traditional country side Vietnamese dishes. I love their pork rice dish and sometimes their fresh squeeze orange drink (if they have any oranges left). read more

Everything about this place....delicious!.....and HUGE portions for the price!!! That's really all I have to say, you'll have to take my word for it! read more

The restaurant experience was alright. The service was average. My main issues is that when I received a dish that I was unhappy with they would not take the dish off of my bill or exchange it. Customer service is a major area that this restaurant it lacking in. read more

Oddly enough there is a Cafe Hoang in Chinatown, and the food at the one on Argle taste better. I felt their thai food was too pricey so we didn't order or try any of their tha dishes. We went for the traditional pho and fresh spring rolls. They were great, I loved the broth it was spot on. I would return to this location, but i have never been thrilled with their food in Chinatown on cermak. read more

Probably one of the better Vietnamese restaurants in viet town. Especially if you are looking for a good bowl of Bun Bo Hue. The soup had its sweet and spicy flavours that are classic to the dish. The restaurant itself is spacious and provided decent service, then again most vietnamese restaurants aren't really known for their superior service. Overall, this is the place to go for Bun Bo Hue in the Chicago area. I have not gotten the chance to try any of their other dishes but given how good their specialty dish is I can imagine that the pho or rice dishes would be just as good. Happy munching! read more

Me a (Cambodian man) and my girlfriend( Caucasian) walked into here with high hopes, being that a friend recommend this spot. We walked in and were the only customers at the time. After we sat down, 3 other couples walked in after us. They were helped, along with their orders got taken right away. We finally got our order taken which was the simplest thing on the menu ( 2 Beef Pho ) and after 30-45 minutes of watching couples after us get their food, we still never got ours. We ended up walking out due to not being acknowledged by the staff. I am highly disappointed in this spot. I wish it could have gone better. read more