Worth every ounce of the hype. The staff is incredible, the food is even better some how, and the ambiance is intimate, small, and laid back. This is a spot I love to take myself on a solo date to. There will almost always be an hour long wait, so prepare for that, or opt for takeout which is also amazing and holds well on the way home. This is one I wish I had more regularly in my rotation and when I move back to the West Town area you will probably find me tucked away here quite often. read more

Pure comfort food. We went on a Sunday around 4pm and were quoted a 45-minute wait, but ended up getting seated in about 15 minutes. Worth the hype! The vibes were chill with pop music playing in the background. Service was solid. Our server was knowledgeable, explained the menu well, and answered questions without rushing us. The Pork & Chive Dumplings tasted like something my mom would make at home. The broth they sit in adds a lot of flavor and makes the dish even better. My only nitpick is that I personally prefer a thicker, chewier dumpling wrapper. The Dan Dan Noodles were the standout. Creamy, nutty, crunchy from the peanuts, packed with flavor, and not overly spicy. It was my first time trying dan dan noodles and now I totally understand the hype. 8/10. The Xian Bing took about 25 minutes to come out, which makes sense since they're made fresh. The lamb filling was flavorful and the outside was super crispy, almost like a scallion pancake. The bread itself was softer and thicker than I expected and could've used a little more flavor. Overall, this felt like authentic, comforting food that leaves you completely satisfied when you walk out. Next time I'd absolutely order the Dan Dan Noodles again and try the beef noodles, scallion pancakes, and beef dumplings. read more

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We went in as a group of five. The wait was short and we got a table easily. Seating is tight and the interior is basic. We started with house beer, then worked through chicken potstickers, tofu skin salad, the xian bing (freshly baked crispy bread stuffed with cumin lamb), and dan dan noodles. The dan dan noodles were the standout, tangy and spicy in a way that turned almost addictive. The xian bing was a close second, the crust crackly against the rich, cumin-heavy lamb. A solid meal in a no-frills room. read more

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Good dining experience. I ordered a spicy dou hua and a Xi'An Bing. This combo was so delicious! The staff were so friendly and the service was efficient. However, the price was too high as these two items cost about 30 bucks. Others were good. read more

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Visited Chicago from NYC and reached that point in the trip I had to have asian food or it was over. Took the trek here and this was probably the best beef noodle soup I've ever had. I don't normally eat spicy besides like kimchi level but this was the perfecttttt level of spice before I'd be bothered by it. The rich but clear broth complimented the crispy bok choy, tender beef, and smooth noodles well and had such flavor profile throughout. Most importantly, I didn't feel like it was heavy or had that saltiness sometimes left in my mouth for noodle soups - just felt clean and rich. Putting this on my go-tos every time I come to visit now. It is a bit expensive I will say for what I'm used to for a beef noodle soup but perhaps that's the nature of the city or the ingredients being high-quality? I also wish they offered a smaller size for dumplings so I wouldn't have to choose either/or considering the noodle portion is pretty sufficient. read more

Lao Peng You - Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Expecting to wait since they are always packed! The food taste homemade. It feature all the traditional Chinese dishes! The ambiance feel homey, like you are coming over your friends house for their mom's food read more

Lao Peng You - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ambience - intimate, small dining space, great for parties of 2-4 Service - exceptional, our server was attentive and food came out quickly Food - cucumber salad was packed with flavor, noodles were chewy, the broth that came with the dumplings had a slight kick read more

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Lao Peng You was so good! The meals felt really traditional and authentic. I got super lucky because I know there's always a long waitlist, but I went around 2 p.m., just after lunchtime, and I got seated right away, though the place was still packed. We ordered the beef noodle soup, which had a nice kick to it, and the dan dan noodles, which the peanut flavor was really bold. Our overall favorite fish was their beef dumplings! We also tried the xian bing, a crispy flat pie filled with red bean inside, and it was delicious. Overall, a fantastic spot and absolutely worth the visit! read more

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Great dinner at Lao! Super friendly staff. We put our names it at 4:15 on a Sunday and waited about an hour. Small restaurant with about 8 tables. Rotating specials! Pork belly special: 4.7/5 Dan dan noodles: 4.5/5 Xian bing: 4.3/5 Pork and chive dumplings: 4/5 Savory dou hua: 3.8/5 read more

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The restaurant had a cozy vibe and I liked that you could see into the kitchen. We got the pork and chive dumplings and the beef noodle soup. The dumplings were amazing, probably the best dumplings I've had! I loved the broth they were served in, it really added to the experience. Caution to people who aren't cilantro fans, but I personally loved the flavor it brought. The beef noodle soup was ok, not as flavorful as I was expecting and took longer to come out. Would definitely come back for the dumplings! read more

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I went to Lao Peng You with a group of friends. I know it can be tough to get a table because there is limited space, but thankfully we were able to get the last one! I ordered the pork and chive dumplings. They were delicious: very flavorful and warm. Probably my favorite dumplings I've ever had. They had a nice kick but weren't overly spicy. A must-try in Chicago in my opinion! read more

Lao Peng You - Pork & Chive - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My new favorite restaurant in the city. The food is amazing and so flavor. Ambiance was sophisticated and minimalistic. Service was very kind and gave us lots of recommendations. read more

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Stopped by Lao Peng You for lunch while we were in the area after hearing great things from friends who live nearby -- it definitely lived up to the hype. We went on a Sunday afternoon and there was about a 30-minute wait, but that's expected for a spot like this. It's a small, cozy place and they don't take reservations, so plan accordingly. We were especially excited to see so many vegetarian options on the menu. We admittedly over-ordered because everything sounded so good -- and honestly, no regrets. We tried the mushroom salad, cold noodles, Dan Dan noodles, and mushroom dumplings, and every single dish was a 5/5. Everything was flavorful, well-balanced, and clearly made with care. The service was also worth noting -- friendly, patient, and helpful as we decided what to order. Overall, a great experience and a spot we'd absolutely come back to. read more

Lao Peng You - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I wanted to try this place for awhile but just haven't been able to get a spot since it's always so busy. But luckily we were able to get in early and tried a few of their dishes. The sliced beef was really flavorful and I really loved the sauce. The beef sauce noodles were chewy and flavorful, no complaints there. For the beef noodle soup, I thought this was just ok. The soup felt like it could have had more seasoning, and the noodles tasted too manufactured and doesn't have that "handmade" profile which I usually look for in a good beef noodle. They weren't bouncy or as flavorful as I hoped. read more

Lao Peng You - Sliced Beef - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food here was exceptional. So full of flavor and perfect for a cold winter day. We tried the beef and green onion dumplings, Dan Dan noodles, house soup and one of the homemade breads. Cannot go wrong with any of those choices but my personal favorite was the Dan Dan noodles. As a lot of other reviews state, they do not take reservations and their wait times can get long as they have a small dining space. Get there early or be prepared to wait a bit! Or order takeout. The wait is why I docked a star, other than than it was great. Looking forward to trying more in the future! read more

Lao Peng You - Dan Dan Noodles (front) and house soup (back) - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went for a late lunch at 2:30 and didn't have to wait. I loved that they had a lot of vegetarian options. The waiter was helpful in explaining the different dishes. My favorite item was the Cold Noodles, which were very refreshing and had a nice crunch with the vegetables. We also got the Mushroom noodle soup - rich broth and delicious dumplings. I also enjoyed the Cong You Bing. Nothing super special about the ambience - we sat outside, and it's pretty basic and a busy street. But worth it for the food! read more

The perfect place for a cold day in chicago. Everything we tried was unique and exceptional. Dishes are made to share so it's perfect to order 2-3 things and split (party of 2, we left stuffed). Dumplings are a must order. The beef & green onion were great. Dan Dan noodles had a nice zest and savory flavor to them. The house noodle soup had tons of umami and the broth was so good. Xian Bing was unique and the lamb/cumin filling was a perfect mix of spice and flavor. I'm sure others have noted but they don't take reservations. You have to either order to go or walk in and put your name on the list. It got quite busy as the night went on so I can imagine wait times getting long for a table. The space is pretty small. We will definitely be back to try more off the menu. I'll be dreaming about these dumplings on another cold day.... Thanks Lao Peng You! read more

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As someone who is always on the lookout for a good bowl of noodles, I'd been eyeing Lao Peng You for a while and was excited to finally visit recently. My friend and I stopped by for lunch on a Sunday and there was a short wait. The interior is pretty small, so I'd recommend keeping your party to 4 people or fewer. We each ordered the beef noodle soup and decided to split the pork and chive dumplings, xi'an bing, and sweet dou hua. I had come with high hopes for the beef noodle soup after hearing rave reviews about the hand pulled noodles, but unfortunately this dish missed the mark for me. The beef was a bit tough and tasted as if it had been reheated. The broth was very undersalted, very light on aromatics, and a bit greasy from the large amount of chili oil. The dumplings had a good flavor and I liked the flavorful sauce. The lamb flatbread was my favorite by far- it was fluffy, perfectly seasoned, and tasted freshly baked. Highly recommend dipping in some of the chili sauce! The warm dou hua wasn't out of the ordinary, but made for a nice sweet treat at the end without being too heavy. Overall, the prices were high but we left full. I would come back for more of the flatbread and to try a different noodle dish. read more

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Yeah I mean, the beef and green onion dumplings in broth was one of the single most satisfying bites of food I have ever had. I was passing by, put an order in and sat outside and ate and chugged the broth until my container was dry. Can't comment on service or a full dining experience but if you live in Chicago this should be a take out staple on a regular basis. read more

Lao Peng You - Beef & Green Onion - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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No reservations. And a small seating area. We went around 530 on a Saturday and were told it would be a 1.5 hour wait for 3 people. We ended up lucking out because it was a little bit of a chilly day, but we were willing to eat outside under the heat lamps so we only had to wait ~25 mins! This place is known for their dumplings, which is absolutely accurate, because they are so good. We tried the pork & chive and the beef & green onion and both were excellent. They came in a really yummy broth and both had a lot of flavor. If I had to put one over the other I would probably put the beef over the pork, but I loved them both. The Dan Dan Noodle and Beef Noodle Soup, both had a little bit of that Szechuan spice because of the chili oil, the beef noodle soup more than the dan dan. I have a very low spice tolerance and both were just a little too spicy for me. The dan dan got better the farther in we got though because that's when the peanut flavor came out more and I felt that it got tastier. The beef noodle was just ok, nothing extra special, and the spice was just a little too much for me to handle. read more

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The wait was long on a Saturday evening because it's a small restaurant, but we were fine waiting. We went somewhere else until we were 2nd in line and then we waited at the restaurant. We might have ordered too much food because we couldn't decide what to get, but we took any leftovers home and it was just as good the next day! We ordered the pork & chive dumplings, cucumber salad, cold noodle, beef noodle soup, xian bing, and cong you bing. We also ordered two of their iced tea drinks. My favorite was definitely the dumplings--they were so flavorful and the broth they came in was so good with a little spice (they typically put dried shrimp in the broth but we got it without). The cold noodles and cucumber salad were refreshing. I also loved the cong you bing--they're made fresh after you order and you can tell! The bread was so soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. And just a warning to anyone who is like me and doesn't like the taste of cilantro: they put it on almost every dish here and they put a lot of it on too. I guess I should have asked to get it on the side lol. read more

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This was one of those places where you order first/pay and sit down. We came at around 12 PM and it wasn't that busy. Our food came out pretty quick as well. This definitely had that spicy numbing flavor, so if you don't like that, then beware. I really enjoyed it because I don't mind that. My favorite was the beef noodle soup. It was so comforting and flavorful read more

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Very cute spot, small space! We ordered pickup and it was ready in about 45 minutes on a Friday night! We started with the pork and chive dumplings- these are incredible. So flavorful and soft. Huge portion size too! I think it had about 8-10 dumplings! I got the beef noodle soup too. I love spicy food but this was almost too spicy and overpowering. All you can taste is chili oil. Sadly I didn't love this. I think a good idea would be to get with no chili oil and put it on the side. Everything is a bit spicier than I thought! read more

Lao Peng You - Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here on a Saturday afternoon around noon for lunch, they were busy, so we waited about 15 min before we were able to get a table for 2 inside. They do have seating both outside and inside. I like how they have vegan options, and there's some things like their Dan Dan noodles that say they can be made vegan by request. I did this and absolutely loved them. They subbed out the meat for mushrooms. Highly recommend their red bean bread (Dou Sha Bing). All their breads are made to order and take about 20-30 min, so definitely make sure to order this as soon as possible! Highly recommended and I would definitely come back here again! read more

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My dining experience felt off when my friend and I went. The hostess was slightly rude and vague. I didn't know how to perceive her attitude. We weren't greeted or informed if there was a waitlist or how to get on it. Once we were sat, she never informed us that we order our dishes at the counter. We sat for about 10 minutes before another server, who was cleaning a nearby table, told us. The cups of free water offered were all dirty to some degree - I'm talking large smudges of grease or gunk. I literally went to my car to grab a bottle of water. The food didn't take long to prepare and smelled good. The dumplings were good but the broth was a 3/5. It lacked flavor and tried to make up for it but adding an excessive amount of parsley, sesame seeds and chili oil. You can see that from the photo. The xian bing is the true star of the food experience. I would eat five of these. Made fresh to order, you are welcomed with soft moist bread filled with toasty seasonings and lamb. It's not hearty but it will leave you full and quite satisfied. read more

Lao Peng You - Xi' an bing - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I first tried them at west fest street fest. So amazing. I've been back a quite a few times since. I love the cold noodles. Lots of thin sliced veges & their fabulous house made chili oil. Noodles are perfect too. My guy always gets pork dan dan noodles. This time I tried the cong you bing bread. It's made to order so it takes a bit. The green onions & warm bread were so good. Always great service in this hip, cute little restaurant. read more

Lao Peng You - Cold Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was really good. The dumpling soup was exceptional. I will say it was overhyped because of all the publicity that it gets and how long the wait time is, I would say my expectations were even higher because of how hyped up it was. Service was very friendly and food came out pretty fast. read more

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I came here with 3 friends on a random Saturday evening. We got there around 6:30pm and the wait was about an hour. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The inside has a lively and casual vibe. We were sat inside and it was a bit stuffy inside. The staff was attentive and friendly. One of my friends has an egg allergy and they were able to verify and double-check that the pork and chive dumplings did not have any egg in them. The food came out promptly. One thing to note is that a lot of the drinks made in house were already sold out by the time we were seated at 7:30ish. I ordered the Beef Noodle Soup. I thought that the noodles were cooked well. They had a perfect bounciness to them and I liked the shape. I also thought the portion size and the amount of meat that they gave was decent for the price. The broth was a little bit of a let down for me because it tasted a bit one-dimensional. The peppercorn taste was there, but I think the soup could've been more spicy. The meat was tender. I also shared an order of pork and chive dumplings. These had a lot of filling that tasted good. The chives tasted fresh and I enjoyed the black vinegar and chili oil sauce. Overall, I thought this place was good, but I'm not sure I would wait an hour to eat here. The highlight of the meal was definitely the pork and chive dumplings. read more

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I came here with 4 other people for a Thursday lunch around 12 PM. They have outdoor and indoor seatings. The place is nicely lit, casual vibes. Also this place is vegetarian friendly! My friends and I decided to order individual dishes but also a few dishes to share. Beef Noodle Soup: Standard beef sichuan style beef noodle soup. The wide noodles were bouncy and had a good bite to it. Chicken Noodle Soup: This was what I had. It was lighter than the beef noodle soup. They used a thinner noodle here, which was good but personally I love wider noodles. The chicken was fresh and perfectly cooked. Friends that ordered beef noodle soup also thought this was the better "noodle soup." Mushroom and chives dumplings: In a chilly oil that is not too spicy more like adding depth and flavor. I thought it was pretty good. My vegetarian friend loved it. Cucumber salad: Refreshing and nicely done. Very balanced flavor. Dan Dan noodles: Least favorite--Too much vinegar! The vinegar honestly over powered the rest of the ingredients. I just had one bite. Savory Dou Hua: This is my second time eating Dou Hua savory and it was pretty good. It's basically silken tofu with chili oil. A must try. Sweet Dou Hua: If you are familiar with Cantonese cuisine, they like the Dou Hua on the sweet side--it's a dessert. Instead of chili oil, it's topped with a ginger sugar syrup. I prefer this version. Very light and easy to eat. A definite must try. read more

Lao Peng You - Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lao Peng you is full of flavor and a large variety of menu options. Their beef soup was recommended to us and was the favorite for our table! We also shared some dumplings and the Dan Dan noodles. I would recommend getting their milk tea to cool off the spice if you don't have a high tolerance for it! The dumplings come with twelve in a large bowl of Spicey broth. The dan dan noodles were delicious and very peanut forward. The outside tables can be a bit noisy on weekend nights, and are very low in comparison to the chairs so it's easier to eat "bowl-in-hand" if you decide to be seated on the patio! read more

Lao Peng You - Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Need to make a reservation otherwise it will be a very long wait since it's limited seating. I had the food to go and it was ready in 20 min. The beef noodle soup was different than I expected. There's some kind of spice in it that has your tongue numb for a bit afterwards and lingers. It was a little too strong for me so it was kind of hard to enjoy eating the dish. This is my second time here. I had the Dan Dan noodles the first time and it was so good and recommend getting it. It's noodles and sauce-based (no soup/broth) and you will need to mix it well. The noodles here have the perfect chewiness and texture which I love. read more

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Lao Peng You is a gem in the West Town area. They do not take reservations so I recommend putting your name down on the waitlist and grab a drink at a bar nearby (there are plenty of options)! I have been here two times now and the food is incredibly good. The pork and chive dumplings are the absolute best dumplings Ive ever had. The broth is a warm hug! The Dan Dan noodles is another phenomenal dish on the menu. We also got the cumin lamb biang which was so flaky and flavorful. The vegetarian options are excellent too. The mushroom and chive dumplings are also great! The mushroom noodle soup was heavenly and so was the green onion biang! The service is super fast and the servers and very friendly. The restaurant has a cosy, casual vibe to it with cool art work. Cant wait to come back here on a cold winter evening! read more

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Worst day to come to this restaurant over the weekend. It was so humid and hot inside to the point we couldn't finish our food because we wanted to escape from the heat. Don't come here without bringing your claw clip/hair tie. I'm not sure if the A/C was broken or if they just have it on low. Overall, the food was good but it wasn't anything special that makes me want to come back. We ordered the cucumber salad which was delicious, just wish it was cold. We also ordered the beef noodle soup extra spicy, Dan Dan noodles, and the beef and chive dumpling. Definitely worth checking it once. Order at the front of the restaurant and they will bring the food to you. Service was okay. The worker wanted us to sit next to people where it was crowded when there were 2 spacious tables; we understood the logic but boy it was hot in there. read more

Lao Peng You - Dan dan noodles, Beef Noodle Soup, Pork & Chive, and cucumber salad - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lao Peng You is one of those local businesses that always has a wait because it's always worth it! Come with a group to try their array of dumpling, noodle, meat, & veggie dishes! Authentically made with flavors you can't get anywhere else in Chicago, highlights are: Scallion Noodles - def mix Pork & dill dumplings in a spicy chili oil sauce Beef Noodle Soup - Szechuan peppers warning ‍ Wood Ear mushrooms - table favorite Eggplant salad Chilled Chicken - literally ate the peanuts & sauce solo afterwards Super friendly service. Love that there's outdoor seating now so more folks can be accommodated. Inside tables can get pretty packed and seating can be tight. read more

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Small space with some patio seating. First come first serve without reservations. You can only get on the waitlist when you arrive. We went for Sunday night dinner and told the wait time was 30-40mins so we took a walk around the neighborhood and ended up having to run back because we got a seat faster than expected (~20mins?). The service is fast and food comes quickly. The dishes are smaller so most people finish quickly so turn over is fast. The inside has ceiling fans but no a/c that I could see so I was sweating from the heat and then sweating more from the spice. The spicy level is mild but everything was flavorful. Nothing skimped on sauce. Everything was topped with fresh cilantro. I ended up taking two small tupperwares of the sauces (one dan dan noodle sauce and one cold chicken sauce). The price for something that's more fast casual food is a bit high. We spent around $80 for 3 people and we're pretty full by the end. Every dish has enough to share a bite across 3 people. The savory dou hua said "zha cai" which typically the stems of mustard greens but it was actually "ya cai" which is preserved mustard leaf. Fairly big distinction. The spicy dou hua had fresh garlic which added a sharper flavor that I enjoyed. Would be interested in trying the sweet version in the future. The eggplant was mostly sesame oil flavor, not bad but also not difficult to make. The green chilis inside were not spicy at all. The Dan Dan noodles were coated in sauce because it had peanut butter as a thickening agent. The Liang fen had some sliced beef on top so we got to try that too. Glad we ordered the cold chicken instead to also try that out instead of another sliced beef dish. The chicken was tender and held lots of flavor. It does have skin on but I think it was fully deboned. We tried to order the melon ice tea but they were out so can't comment on it. The place also has their own alcoholic beverage menu so it's no longer BYOB. read more

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I've been meaning to come here for years and finally carved out the time! I ordered the special beef noodle soup they have for the new year, as well as the pork & chive dumplings. I feel like I'm in the minority but I actually thought the food could be even spicier. The protein and bulk of the dishes had good flavors, but I found the broth bland in comparison. However, I would still love to come back and try more of the items on this menu! I dined alone and the final cost was a little pricey for just ordering 2 items - next time I would come with a small group. The noodle dishes and the bing look so good! The atmosphere in the restaurant was very cozy and the service was excellent. read more

Lao Peng You - Beef Noodle Soup Pork & Chive - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Husband and I came in for a midday meal around 2 or 3pm. The place is small, so the wait was about 40 minutes, but they made it feel easy by offering free bomb shrimp chips covered in mala seasoning and tiny cans of Hopewell lager for $4 while we hung out on the sidewalk. The chips were so good... we might have eaten four bags while waiting (no regrets). Once we finally sat, the food absolutely delivered. We ordered a noodle soup, the smashed cucumbers, and the dan dan noodles -- all fantastic. The broth in the noodle soup was rich and comforting, the cucumbers were cold, crunchy, and perfectly seasoned, and the dan dan noodles had that addictive balance of spice and nuttiness that keeps you going back in for "just one more bite." Totally worth the wait. Cozy spot, great hospitality, and really delicious food. We'll be back. read more

Lao Peng You is one of my very favorite restaurants. You used to order at the counter and seat yourself, but now you're seated and order from a menu at your table, which I think is nice! The ambiance is great pretty casual, but cozy. My party of two shared the mushroom and chive dumplings (no shrimp to keep it vegetarian), the Dan Dan noodles (no pork to keep it vegan) and the scallion noodles. We loved everything! The sauce on the scallion noodles is incredible, but this dish is smaller (and cheaper) than the other noodle dishes on the menu. It's so good that I wish it were full entree sized! I appreciate that there are so many vegetarian/vegan options, and you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. This is the perfect place for cozy, homemade food made with love. read more

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My first time ever ordering takeout. I usually always dine in. The food was just as delicious and consistent. When it feels like 13 degrees outside, this is the perfect cure. Service was fast and efficient. read more

Lao Peng You - Xian Bing - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Loved the dan dan noodles and beef noodle soup here. They were both rich, flavorful, and satisfying. The pork dumplings were also excellent, with a perfect bite. One thing to note: the spice level can sneak up on you. It was definitely a challenge for me to finish, but still worth it. Service was also great. You order up front and they bring the food to you. read more

Lao Peng You - pork and chive dumplings, dan dan noodles, beef noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois