We went to this spot to try since my fiance used to go when he was a child with his family. Needless to say we were pleasantly surprised. The service was quick even though there was a long line. It is in a food court so it is very casual! We got: Soy milk: 4/5 standard hot soy milk Yiaotiao: 5/5 a tad pricy but well worth it for its size and freshness Salt and pepper Porkchop: 5/5 amazing flavor and it was just perfectly done. Pork stew over rice: 4/5 I loved the pickles! I actually ended up waiting in line again to buy a side of pickles. I would for sure recommend this spot if you are in town. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Pork stew over rice and Yiao Tiao - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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Located in the 'has-seen-better-days' International Mall, Chinese Cafe (along with its neighboring yu-ton dumplings) serves very flavorful, freshly wok prepared (albeit oily) Chinese food in a very casual, food court setting with inexpensive prices. It's a decent size food court, but many of the stalls were closed. Chinese Cafe was open, and became a bit busier after us. Most of the customers were non-Asian, but have read that the food court becomes quite busy with ethnic Chinese during the weekend. I was greeted in Cantonese, and even when I responded back in English, our conversation continued in that way. It ended up being fruitful, with an initial order of two lunch plates. I later came back to order a soup from the neighboring dumpling house, both being served by the same front of house. L13. Double cooked pork. L14. Mongolian Beef. ($9.25 each). Comes with choice of fried rice or white rice, egg roll, and can of soda (Coke Zero in our case). The high heat wok cooking really makes a big difference, with the smokiness in both the meats and vegetables that I really love. Can't get that at Panda Express. All the vegetables were sliced/diced with care: really loved the sliced onion in the mongolian beef, actually more than the beef itself. And the sliced pork loin was the perfect amount, with a really fragrant brown sauce that my wife enjoyed. Beef Noodle Soup ($11.95) - a good dish, with a large amount of springy noodles in a decent dark broth. It had plenty of large beef shank chunks, decently tender. It's a good rendition of beef noodle soup, especially at this price. You self bus (which is fine if only disposable items, but not so good when having to return soup bowls that stack up due to not being cleared). The food court definitely has symptoms of being not busy: not clean bathrooms and tables, and a general malaise of nobody really 'caring'. But we found the food to be good and of great value. read more

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Highlights: & Hidden gem & Potstickers so crispy on the outside Food: Potstickers were very crispy on the inside with delicious filling. 5/5 Ambiance: Its a location in the food court, so keep that in mind. But amongst the food court restaurants, Liang had a more energetic vibe. Location: Tucked inside the International Mall Food Court, this place is well-hidden. If you find yourself in the plaza for whatever reason, Liang's is a go-to. Sunday afternoon this was by far the busiest location. Sidenote: if you're feeling full and needing a place to relax, there's a foot spa right in the plaza! read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Potstickers - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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Ambiance - quiet food quart, large area for seating, family owned storefront restaurant Service - cashier was super speedy with taking orders, gives you buzzer if you're dining in Food - cheap & affordable Asian breakfast spot, fried bread stick was super crispy, soymilk sweetness was perfect read more

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The food was brilliant. Waiters were fast and super genuine. Food came out quick and the restaurant is super clean.

The spicy beef noodle soup $12-13? was one of the best we had. The soup was very flavorful, not too spicy, and beef was super tender. The only thing was the handmade noodles were too soft and not Al dente. The wait was also ridiculous. The buzzer may have been broken or something. I had to go ask about our order after probably 20 mins and the bowl was sitting there so it was Luke warm. They almost forgot to give us the fried dough $3. The mixed box of braised sides was $8 so a little pricey. It was decent but we probably wouldn't get it again. $1 for a can of soda read more

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A lot of food for the price. It tasted good but nothing that sets it apart from the other Chinese restaurants in the area. I would recommend for casual quick lunch or dinner. read more

I did not know what to expect when walking into this mall that was attached to Park to Shop. It was clearly a building that had been around for a while. The food court was a huge surprise! It is a little dark and dated inside. It was busy on a Sunday but we didn't have issues finding seating. I opted to go to Chinese Cafe since it seemed to have the options of food that I like. I ordered the tea eggs, which were just the right amount of sweetness and soy sauce, among other flavors. I ordered the pork and bamboo shoots to eat. I love bamboo shoots so I was excited to see it on the menu. The portion was generous and very reasonably priced. I would recommend the scallion pancakes as well. They were very fried and crispy. So good. I'll be coming back next time I am at the grocery store! read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Pork and bamboo shoots and fried smelt fish - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Hands down one of the most authentic and best Chinese food I've had! The restaurant is located in a food court in a mall plaza so the entrance was a bit confusing but we walked through the plaza and found a bunch of restaurants in the food court. We ordered from Chinese Cafe and got the scallion pancakes, pork and chive dumplings, and beef noodle soup. The spicy beef noodle soup was flavorful and the beef was very tender. We ordered the hand cut noodles and the portions were very big! The scallion pancakes for 4.99 was a steal and the pancakes were very crispy and well made. The pork and chive dumplings were very filling and very good as well. Service was fast and the workers were very friendly. Definitely will be back to try their other meals! read more

Part 4 of 5 Memorial Day weekend APIHM series. Very friendly and courteous service from owner-operator. I picked up side dishes to take home including fu che fan pian (sliced beef and stomach), pig ears, and spicy beef tendon. I couldn't help picking up a roasted duck when I noticed them on the counter and of course, my favorite beef chow fun. I had a bite of every dish when I got home. They were all very authentic, tasty, and delicious. The side dishes were well-seasoned and tender and perfectly cooked. They offer lunch specials except for holidays and weekends. read more

All right, friends, I think this is probably the best and most authentic Chinese food in the Chicagoland area and a true hole in the wall that seems pretty unknown other than to Chinese locals, for the most part. If you want to know want to order, I got you! Come through on a weekend at breakfast or lunch time (ideally by late morning or lunchtime), bring cash, and be prepared for a line of a bunch of Chinese locals (but the line moves fast and you should never have to wait more than 15-20 minutes and usually less). Here's what I like the best and I think you should order: Sweet Bean Milk, Fried Bread Stick, Flapjack With Pork, and Salted Rice Ball. That should be enough for one person and you can take the Salted Rice Ball with you for lunch (or part of a lunch, more like). I also like the Chive Box. My husband is big on the Salted Bean Milk and Salt Tofu Pudding--I like them too, but I have more of a sweet tooth and prefer the first set of items I mentioned. The Fried Bread Stick and either Sweet or Salted Bean Milk (it's soymilk) go together. The flapjack is not a pancake, but more like some flaky bread (not quite bread but sort of like that) with sesame with pork and cilantro inside. The Salted Rice Ball is rice in a cylindrical shape with some pork, soy egg, pickled vegetables, and fried dough pieces inside. The Salt Tofu Pudding is not really pudding--if you like hot and sour soup, you will like this, but it's not as soupy. If it's not a weekend, you can also come through for lunch, and I've gotten the Lunch Box and Pork with Bamboo Shoots (Hot), though not very spicy actually and comes with rice--both good, especially the pork with bamboo shoots. However the real reason to come is for weekend breakfast/brunch/lunch. There is plenty of booth seating although nothing fancy. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Lunch Box - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

手工牛肉面，The beef noodle at this food court is the best! My American friends liked it so much she even finished everything including the soup! Highly recommended meal if you like noodles and beef. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - 手工牛肉面 - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

I drive by this plaza daily, but haven't been in years. My husband got the spicy beef noodle soup. I got lost in the menu and ended up getting the lunch box. We shared the pork and chive dumplings, I wanted boiled but ended up getting fried. The dumplings were big and plump. The dipping sauce was good. The soup is very flavorful, my husband liked it a lot. I usually don't do spicy soups. I enjoyed the lunch box that had a little bit of everything. It had fried pork chop, fried fish fillet, sauteed tofu, marinated egg and sauteed cabbage on top of rice. It was a nice variety for someone who had no idea what to order. Serving size was very large and was a good value. We will definitely be back for legit Chinese food. read more

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Slurp Up. The warming comfort of Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup with hand pulled noodles here are terrific. The side noodles offer more of a chew. They also serve Taiwanese breakfast during weekend. Make sure you go early to avoid the long line. Their fried bread sticks are boom. Cash Only place. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Spicy Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

On a monthly basis I'll get up early and make the drive out to Westmont for some Taiwanese breakfast at Chinese Cafe. They do breakfast right, with all the traditional Taiwanese menu options. You want to get there before 10 am - after that and you're looking at a 30 min wait between arrival and getting your food (waiting in line to order + getting food after ordering). My go to's are the salted bean milk (bottom of pic), twisted cruller (top of pic), and salted rice ball (left side of pic). Also recommend the pig ears (by the container at the register) and the chives box! read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Every single thing on their menu is amazing. I've tried so many of their dishes and they've all been hits. The noodle soup with pork cutlet, the Taiwanese fried chicken, crispy smelt fish, and these pork feet. The crispy pork feet and smelt fish is a must try! They also have traditional Chinese breakfast Saturday and Sunday mornings, while supplies last. Their fried dough 油条 is great as well as the tofu pudding (I prefer the salty over sweet). read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Crispy Pork feet - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

The spicy beef noodle soup is very satisfying. The beef is tender and flavorful, and the noodles are excellent too. We enjoyed the fried tofu and pork& veggie bun. The buns are a lot bigger than I thought. I wanted to try the salty tofu jelly, but they only make it on weekends. read more

Authentic and really wide range menu items, including tofu jelly/pudding, fresy soy milk, and fried dough. Family business with the family working during the weekend. There are 4 restaurants at the International Mall food court (next to Park to Shop asian grocery store) and this place is by far the busiest. Great value and great food. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Tofu jelly pudding, fresh soy milk, fried dough - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Hidden. Gem. This place is so delicious we sad that we didn't discover it until now! You would never tell by the non-descript name and vanilla appearance of the shop but the noodle soups here are dynamite! We tried the spicy beef noodle soup and the pork chop noodle soup. Both were hot, flavorful and the noodles had great handmade texture. The pork chops were well-fried, crispy with a pleasant sweetness. The beef was tender with just the right amount of chew and both broths were bursting with flavor. The owners also run Yu Ton dumplings in the stall next door and the cabbage and pork dumplings were equally delicious. Portions are huge (easily enough for dinner and leftovers the next day), prices are reasonable and the food is prepared fresh. We'll be back to try their breakfast (though I've heard there's always a huge line)! read more

Fabulous really don't go anywhere else for spicy beef noodles soup and their fish fillet is good! Both dishes I tired packed full of authentic flavors of Northern Chinese goodness! And I am a southern Chinese descendant so that's saying pretty powerful! Yes there in door dining but social distancing so if you go during a busy time like lunch time you probably won't find a table. But I say go during early dinner hour between going home and waiting out the traffic stop in here for some delicious eats! read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Spicy salt and white pepper fish fillet - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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The feature is the weekend breakfast. Expect a long long queue for the establishments feature dish the Taiwanese breakfasts. I kind of wish they had pictures or just combinations. Much of the wait is due to the order being taken down. For sure within the entire food court this is busiest by far. Might as well shut down the rest of the other businesses because everyone only goes to China Cafe. The highlight is the fried dough which is enormous, crisp, soft and oh a must have. Keep your hands to yourself because this is not for sharing...you'd want every bite. When coupled with the sweet soy-milk for dipping, it is a perfect treat. I believe we waited for about 50mins in queue and waiting for the food to come out but it's worth it just for the fried dough. We also tried the salty soy milk which is good but it is more like a soup. Spicy marinated beef tendons $7.95 (premade for pickup) had great texture and that classic ma-lah flavor for numbing heat. I thought it could have used a bit more cilantro though. We also had a salty sticky rice roll which had tea egg, pork floss. It wasn't particularly tasty but the rice was done well and it is more like a snack. I had two orders of yao tiao (fried dough) two orders of soy milk (sweet and salty), one tendon, and one rice roll. Total came out to $28.99 after tax. Parking could be difficult to find on a Saturday, but you'll find a slot a bit further from the food court. The key I think is to phone in your order as it seemed like the cashier prioritized those as opposed to the queue. It takes me about 25 mins to get there, so I'll phone it in on my next visit for sure! The food is as expected, not spectacular other than the fried dough yao-tiao. That is worth the price of admission and a long queue. Honestly they should just have a stand that serves the yao tiao. It is so good! Best one I've ever had - and this considering that I had this type of breakfast every two weeks for the first dozen years of my life. read more

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If I remember correctly, this restaurant used to be owned by a Taiwanese family and offered excellent authentic Chinese food. I was on a business trip and visited there again, only to find that the food quality was substantially degraded (while the price has gone up substantially - which is not abnormal). The new owner appears to be quite stingy. The size of the entree was smaller, the materials used was not fresh (like tofu and meat), and the restaurant did not want to correct their mistakes when the food was not prepared according to the order. Also, it was strange that the cashier was a very young boy (not even a high schooler) who has no customer skills. My recent visit to this restaurant erased my good old memory when the restaurant was called "Chinese Cafe" without "Liang's". read more

Five stars for the braised beef noodle and the fried dough / twisted cruller. Their braised beef noodles are my favorite in the Chicago area. Generous amounts of good quality beef shank with tendon are cooked to very soft and flavorful. The soup is Taiwan style. If you ever tried "Kangshifu" instant noodle braised beef flavor, you know what I'm talking about. Of course, this is much better than the instant noodle soup. There are machine-made noodles and hand-made noodles can be chosen from. Personally, either one works for me. The fried dough / twisted cruller are only available on Weekends and Holidays. They are huge in size, so crispy outside, and very fluffy and sprinky inside. They taste the best right out of the deep fryer. Make sure to eat them right away, lol. For me, some other things on the menu such as the cold dishes, deep dried Toufu, and rice balls are also great but not outstanding. If you want to avoid long waiting times on Weekends, try to be there before 11:00 am. The situation will be much better. They accept credit cards but with $10 purchase minimum. read more

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Omg this was terrible! 2:15 pm and she is the owner and said she does not know how too cook the lunch specials and the cook is not there? Lunch specials are too 3:00 pm???? Hmmm? Then she know how too make the crispy chicken and said its really good in broken English. Then she had me pay the a la carte price? I did not realize this till I got it home for dinner which only a lunch portion of 18 small diced chicken. She said when I call the restaurant 2 hrs later right before we were ready too eat but a la carte is 19pc small diced ck? Lunch specials are 15 pcs at 9.25 and she charge us 11.95 as a large a la carte price! What a Scammers read more

Best fried bread stick within/near the Chicago area. Highly recommend. Get the sweet cold soy milk too. read more

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Best Taiwanese in Chicago! Yes the mall is old, dim, interior unsavvy, the service meh.... but the food here you can't find elsewhere! Unless you fly to California! Just think of this as an Asian experience. Honestly, many restaurants with the best food in Asia are in worse conditions :p Therefore beggars can't be choosers! Our two favorites here are: 1) The Taiwanese beef noodles here is awesome, everything from the broth, succulent tender beef to bouncy noodles. 2) Taiwanese salt & pepper deep fried chickens have the authentic Taiwanese flavors and crispy exterior. The lunch special meals of $7.25 are excellent choices with generous portions, you can pick a meat and rice/noodles. read more

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Much smaller bowl for the beef noodles but the price went way up. There were only 4 small pieces beef shanks floating in the soup, pathetic! The cooking deteriorated comparing to 12 years ago when this place was operated by different people. The steamed dumplings are dry, without a drop of the usual soup. I will not got there again. read more

Always a great visit with the best Taiwanese food available in Chicagoland. The beef noodles have a wonderful beef broth, with hand pulled noodles. The chives box looks like giant dumplings but are filled with vermicelli and chives. The rice rools are filled with crullers, tea leaf eggs and some pork floss. The star is definitely the crullers. Freshly fried, fluffy and absolutely great in taste. But be prepared for a long wait. The porridge is not like the hong kong ones, not as runny. Theirs is thicker and has pork ploss in them so that defines the taste. Generous fillings of century eggs make this a great porridge. read more

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TL:DR - GREAT Taiwanese breakfast, even when compared to stands in Taiwan. Their you tiao, pot stickers, and beef Xiao bing rival those made in Taiwan. They lose a star based on the general price and cleanliness/upkeep of the seating area. Always a go to for me. This place has some of the best Taiwanese breakfast period. And I'm literally writing this from Taipei after 2 weeks of Taiwanese breakfasts. Their you tuao (fried crullers) are some of the best anywhere. Super pillowly and create dipped in soy milk. Their rice rolls have the perfect balance of pickles veggies, pork floss, and you tuao. Their pot stickers take forever, but are also some of the best anywhere. They have a thicker skin (which I like) and are fried perfectly on the bottom. Combined with the ability to make your own dumpling sauce, it's a tough experience to beat. Their beef flapjack is also delicious, perfectly seasoned beef and rato of sauce, beef, and cilantro make this a winner. The only downside is the cost can get high, especially for what this actually cost in Taiwan and just for the amount of food you get by American standards even. In addition, the furniture and tables are still the same for the past 10 years it feels like. The cushions for the booths are all broken in at the ends where people always sit, and the tables are always sticky. read more

Good beef noodle soup not too spicy and good noodle texture. Beef was tender too. Soymilk tasted fresh and lightly sweetened. The inside was like a food court. read more

So this used to be my go to place! It was in the burbs and in a dingy food court, but it was fabulous food and very authentic. Unfortunately they changed owners recently and it's really fallen off the cliff. The noodles have about 1/3 less food in it. The tofu is not fresh and the fish was not fresh tasting. It is also clear they are using the oil to fry the fried dough well past it's prime. It's extremely disappointing that the quality has fallen so far :( read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Noodles and dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Today was not a good experience but every other time I've been here the service is good and faster then today! Been waiting for 45 mins for an order of dumplings and a cruller (they only do the cruller on weekends) they did offer me a cup of soy milk for my troubles. I'll still come here because they have the best dumplings I've ever had! It's 3 pm so it's not like they're super busy!!! read more

Food: 4 Service: 5 Cleanliness: 4 Came for the weekend breakfast/brunch featuring Taiwanese Breakfast items at Chinese Cafe. There will almost ALWAYS be a line, so make sure you get there early-don't worry there are plenty of seats though. If you're looking for an easy, casual traditional Taiwanese street breakfast, this will be your go-to. Located within a mall that's been standing for years, you'll find a very basic food court containing different mom and pop restaurants. Wouldn't say it's the best, presentable food court with winter icicle lights that have been there for years, but where else will you get some traditional brekky? Enjoyed most of it, but hey this is the closest you can get to Taiwanese Brekky in Chicago! (besides my moms cooking :D). Would recommend the Fried Dough with Sweet Soy Milk and the Dumplings! Plenty of parking in the lot. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Taiwanese Brekkie: Fried Crueller, Sweet Soy Bean, Spicy Wontons, Salty Rice Roll, Beef Flatbread - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

I don't know why this place as only 3.5 stars! If you like authentic, delicious Chinese home cooking, then this is the place to go! I'm so upset with myself for discovering this place so late in the game, but if you live in the area (or don't), I HIGHLY recommend you come, especially for the weekend breakfast. The stinky tofu, the BBQ pork bun, and the you tiao (fried cruller) are all absolutely delicious. I am so incredibly impressed that you can find such good Chinese food out in the Western Suburbs. However, if you're looking for westernized flavors, then go somewhere else because this place does not try and hide authentic bold Chinese flavors. One warning, if you go on the weekend, plan ahead because the line can get pretty long. Go try this place out! You won't regret it! read more

worst restaurants ever!!!! westmont ill! omg the place is a scammer. stated lunch special & no such thing? scam you for large order's in order too pay more for a dinner course's instead of lunch special's. jesus christ PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM A FRAUDLENT LUNCH YOU EXPECTED & ON A BUDGET. read more

Wow great find, really authentic Taiwanese breakfast. Crowded weekends so call ahead. Tried potstickers, beef noodle soup, fried tofu, soy milk and combo soy pudding. Great stuff all around. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - a person holding a hot dog wrapped in plastic wrap - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Amazing hole in the wall! I haven't had a breakfast like this since I went to China. If you're not sure what to order, here are some suggestions: you tiao (1-2 per person), hot (sweet) soymilk, smoked pork pancake, and fan tuan (the last you can eat later). read more

Here have some very athletic Chinese food. Recommend to anyone who like noodles and spicy dishes.

I only try to go on weekdays and avoid weekends just because of crowds. I feel I have to carve my schedule to go since I live 40 mins away and work full time mainly weekdays when most people are. COVID times - they won't allow me to sit and eat. I tried but they shooed me away! Because I live far, I ate the fresh youtiao in the car. Otherwise when I get home it would not be as great. I also have called my order ahead of time before. But today was a Wednesday, a random day I got off work, and they oddly did not answer. I went there and found out that they are closed on Wednesdays. So I just ordered food from the other vendors that were opened. I would recommend utilizing the call ahead to order to avoid waiting and overcrowding. I wish this place was more advertised or expands; they deserve better! read more

Previous experience were okay, but the twice cooked pork is certainly disappointing.. pretty much all vegetables with very few lean pork but not pork belly slices. read more

Liang's Chinese Cafe - Twice cooked pork with barely no meat - Chinese Near Me - Westmont, Illinois