If this is what authentic Taiwanese noodles taste like, I don't ever want to visit Taiwan. Went to visit Minyoli the first weekend they officially opened and felt I had to share for anyone out there thinking about coming here. It pains me to write bad reviews, as neither me nor the business really gain anything from it, but I feel a responsibility to paint an accurate picture of what Minyoli has to offer after giving up nearly 3 hours of my time for the abysmal meal I had. We came on a Saturday afternoon for lunch at around noon. Waited an hour for a table, 30 minutes just to order after being seated (yikes!), and then another hour for the food. This meal was not worth a 2.5 hour wait. To start, we ordered the appetizer trio, and selected: fried chicken, fish cakes, and sweet potato fries. The fried chicken was flavorless. If you've ever had Taiwanese fried chicken, you'd know it has a distinct salty taste to it. This was lacking severely at Minyoli and they only gave 4 tiny pieces. The fish cakes were also very bland. Same with the sweet potato fries; which were also soft and soggy, I would hardly call them fries. Very disappointed in this appetizer, I would recommend the fried chicken or fish cakes from Hello Jasmine if you want a taste of what Taiwanese snacks should taste like. Onto the noodle dish. I ordered the traditional braised beef noodle soup and felt that it was very salty yet had no flavor. The noodles were well made but undercooked and did not taste like anything as the broth had no taste itself. The beef was decent, but had you given me this bowl of noodles at any Chinese restaurant, I would not bat an eye or order it ever again. I'm sorry, it's truly nothing special. I'd recommend Katy's Dumpling House in Oak Park if you want some good hand made noodles. At the end of the day, as a Chinese American, I cannot in good conscience recommend this restaurant. With such a limited menu, you gotta be able to hit your dishes out of the park and there wasn't a single thing I consumed at Minyoli that made me want to come back. There are much better places to seek Chinese - Taiwanese food in Chicago. I fully expect this restaurant's ratings to be in the low 3s, if not lower. Leaving 2 stars because the ambiance was pretty nice and because the food was still edible. read more

Being Taiwanese and growing up eating Taiwanese food I was so incredibly excited to hear about the opening of Minyoli. Finally a Taiwanese place in Chicago up north! Parking was convenient, however, it is mostly paid parking around the area. The surrounding streets on a Friday night were very lively and Minyoli keeps their windows open, kind of giving the street food vibe in Taiwan. The staff were great, we had reserved a table a few weeks back so we immediately got seated. The waiter had recommended the Oolong Milk Tea and he was right, it was delicious but definitely on the pricey end of $7. We also order apple sidra from the can which is always a hit! My friends and I wanted to try a bit of everything on the menu so we ordered the following: Luwei (phoenix bean firm tofu, kombu, and sliced beef shank), Taiwanese fried chicken, Cucumber Salad, Niuroumian (Beef noodle soup), Braised Beef Zhajiangmian, Lu Rou Fan and house-made ice cream (black sesame, passion fruit sorbet and pineapple coconut). I was disheartened as each dish I tried was inauthentic, starting from the Luwei which is such a staple, the bean curd was flavorless and beef shank was lacking. The kombu was made well though! The Taiwanese fried chicken was where I was most disappointed, there seemed to have been plum powder added and the chicken was no longer savory but instead incredibly sweet. The Beef noodle soup and Zhajiangmian flavors were so unexpected, I wasn't expecting it to taste as authentic as in Taiwan but at least along the right path. The dishes that I did enjoy were the cucumber salad, lu rou fan and homemade ice cream. If there's a change in the food authenticity I'd love to try it out again. read more

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There is quite some hype around the restaurant and I am excited to have more Taiwanese food here in Chicago. I went on opening day and it was packed so I was unable to try a couple of the things I wanted but excited to come back. I got the Niu Rou Mian with beef and added pickled veggies. The noodle texture was great but the broth needed to be a bit more beef forward and a bit salty for my liking. Additionally most beef noodle soups that I have had usually come with the pickled veggies but I was surprised that they were extra add ons. I ended with the black sesame ice cream and it was good. This is what bumped it up to a 4 star for me. Although a little pricey this black sesame was not too sweet and really highlighted the nutty earth taste that black sesame has. It was a highlight that I still think about a couple weeks later. This is a small place and when I went there were no reservations and no take out orders so plan to come in weird off hours or wait a bit of time. Service is a bit slow and they are still getting acquainted so be mindful of that. Other than that, it could be a cute place to go on a date. read more

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The restaurant week menu is not worth the price for the portion sizes that you get. Service was pretty slow and I can't say any of the dishes were recommendable aside from the fried chicken. read more

Cannot recommend this restaurant enough! We brought a friend here for their birthday and it was the perfect celebratory setting, tho we look forward to returning for regular meals so we can enjoy the rest of the menu and drinks. We ate on the spacious back patio, warmed by large flame space heaters - a charming, quiet and covid-safer setting, whereas the inside has a warm, bustling, and friendly-feeling atmosphere. We started with some fried snacks: the sweet potato fries (which smell like donuts), king trumpet mushroom (delectable), fish cakes (can't stop thinking about them!, dense and almost spongy and incredibly flavorful), and sweet corn (honestly my favorite, tho the simplest) - all delicious on their own, or when dipped in the sumptuous house-made mayo and chili oil. Cucumber salad (with a slight chili bite) and wood ear mushrooms (bouncy, refreshing & bright, taught us a thing or two about mushrooms!!) provided refreshing, palate-cleansing bites as we enjoyed the rest of the meal. We also enjoyed 2 of the Ganban noodle dishes: Sesame Noodles (vegetarian, tho the fried enoki mushrooms on top are rich and meaty, balanced with cucumber/carrot and all graced with a rich toasted sesame sauce) and Spicy Tallow (even richer, warm and satisfying, with delicious braised beef shank and topped with addictive fried shallots - we could eat these plain!). The whole meal was blessed with the perfect cold-weather drinks: the SPICED HAW CIDER cocktail, fragrant with black cardamom, cinnamon, hawthorn and brandy... and DARK TAI-PHOON cocktail, sweetly spicy with Taiwanese black sugar and slices of ginger. For DESSERT we chose the seasonal specialty Ai Yu Jelly (Taiwanese fig, honey, lime and osmanthus). We're definitely coming back for the mouth-watering Tea-ramisu and house-made icecreams, but having stuffed ourselves with food, we opted for the lighter and refreshing Ai Yu Jelly that was juicey yet thirst-quenching. Know that the chef and manager are incredibly accomplished and devoted to this cuisine (check out their website!): there is so much history and care behind each high-quality dish, beverage and even ingredient. If you're lucky and the manager is around, you can learn so much about the deliciousness you're blessed to experience here! (The staff also are knowledgeable, with quick, attentive and friendly customer service.) Clean, beautiful physical space with an adorable Minyoli cat logo. Welcoming, down-to-earth yet also special occasion vibe. Highly recommend for date nights and celebrations, as well as a spontaneous dinner/drinks out. (They also do brunch!) read more

Minyoli - Starters and the warming, sweet ginger Dark Tai-phoon cocktails on the patio! - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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They offer noodle dishes that have broth and noodle dishes that have sauce. I ordered the spicy tallow, which was one of the noodles mixed with sauce. It said it was going to be spicy, but it was not spicy at all. Overall, the dish was lacking in flavor. I did think the portion size was good. It was the right amount of food - didn't feel overwhelmed by a large dish, and it didn't leave me hungry after. Lastly, the server recommended a Taiwanese apple soda I really enjoyed. read more

The food here is fantastic and attentive service! Great selection of cocktails as well.

So many issues I wanted to love this restaurant but no. Drinks confusing and made from unusual liquor. The beer is best. Better for a few snacks and a beer than a meal. read more

The food was great! Flavor was balanced well and the meat was pretty tender. The noodles were also delicious as well. Overall, the flavor of the food was great. Their chili sauce also tasted amazing as well. However I did have one issue. Wait time was horrible. Almost a 30 minute wait for food. However, they only have been open for about 3 weeks when I visited so this isn't too shocking. Additionally, with five servers, I expected a little better. There was a lack of attention when it came to water and cleaning of plates. Because of this, I have to dock a star, but this isn't a dealbreaker when it comes to the food. TL;DR Food was great, service could be better read more

Wish I could give 100 stars. I have never been to a restaurant and been surprised with the flavor We had beef noodle soup and Ganban noodle with beef Starter we had the fried chicken I'm still in ahhhhhhhhh and that's a good thing BRAVO read more

I came here two days in a row because I enjoyed the food so much the first day. Ambiance is cute and and the service is friendly and knowledgeable. Day 1: we tried the red braised beef noodle soup and the lions head meatball soup. Both were different and very flavorful. I also got their version of the old fashioned which was also very good. Day 2: we came again because I wanted to see if day 1 was a fluke because the other reviews here were kind of mid. It was not. I ordered a bit more because I wanted to try a broad assortment of foods. I got the fried chicken, fried mushroom trumpets, and fried fish cakes. My partner commented these apps were a little sweet for him but I thought it was a nice touch and I'm usually adverse to anything slightly sweet. We also got the spicy cucumbers. For entrees, we got the jjajangmian (I was very curious about this because Im Korean and very familiar with the Korean version) and the chilled sesame noodles. For drinks, I got the Taiwan beer. Again everything was SO. DELICIOUS. Such an amazing addition to the neighborhood. I will be back for more. Disclaimer: I don't know what authentic Taiwanese food is supposed to taste like but I do know what tastes good (at least to me) Feedback: I wish I could order more cocktails (they infuse their own spirits here) but the recipes all have fairly high sugar contents. read more

Still great! You have to try the sesame cocktail. So yum. All the food was great. So was the black sesame ice cream. Highly recommend the outdoor back patio. read more

As someone who is Taiwanese and grew up eating many of the dishes on their menu, I was pretty disappointed in Minyoli all around. The food was not authentic and was overpriced for the portions. We sat on the back patio, which was great. The ambiance was nice and the service was fine, although the server was a little impatient. We ordered the Taiwanese Fried Chicken to start. The breading on the chicken was really sweet and tasted like it had cinnamon in it. Something was just off and it lacked the right flavor. For the noodles we got the beef noodle soup and the Jiajiangmian. The beef noodle soup had a sichuan numbing spice flavor to it and the cuts of the beef weren't right for a traditional beef noodle soup. The texture of the noodle was good. The broth was a bit spicy and salty and again, something was just off. The jiajiangmian - again, the noodle texture was good, but the flavors were just off. The beef was not tender enough and this dish overall lacked a lot of flavor and salt. Overall, pretty disappointed in a place that boasts specializing in Taiwanese dishes. Can't say I would recommend this and won't be going back. read more

Minyoli - Beef Noodle Soup - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had brunch today at Minyoli where me and my friend share a shaobing (classic added chicken) and the rice roll Here are my reasons for 3 stars (this is purely as feedback for the restaurant as I think they have so much potential): 1. Shaobing as it was being prepared, the layers weren't fluffed up as expected. It was pretty dense and somewhat hard on the bottom. If you want any sauce, it is $1 extra and I think it should have been included to make the whole dish more cohesive. By adding the fried chicken and savory donut, it came out to a pretty good dish, but doesn't worth the $15 price tag. 2. Classic rice roll: the taste is there but the execution is not complete. The sticky rice was fragrant yet dry and hard as parts are completely cold to touch. I love the ingredients inside, but the portions of rice inside was too much, hence after a while you got tired of chewing. I would suggest reduce the amount of rice to make the ingredients inside shine a bit more. Also it is quite expensive as well. The potentials of the dishes are there but I wish it can be executed with more attention to worth the price. read more

I had high expectations as my mom is Taiwanese and makes great beef noodle soup. The appetizers and beef noodle soup were overpriced. I understand there may be variations to making beef noodle soup, but the basics were lacking. The noodles were overcooked. The broth was too salty and lacking in distinct flavor (missing the accent of the following spices-cinnamon, black cardamom, fennel seeds, star anise, cloves)  At least the beef was tender. Also, the wait time was an hour from entering, and I'm hopeful they will find better ways to manage and organize staff. I would recommend Katys Dumplings on Cass Ave in Westmont. read more

Ordered carry out and everything was pretty bad. The portions filled less than half of the containers and did not have any of the listed toppings like pickled daikon and greens. It was fairly expensive and the food was lacking flavor and greasy. read more

So pleasantly surprised! I was tired of eating typical American food all week on Clark St. and so I randomly saw this restaurant walking down the street and caught my eye. I felt like soup because it has been cold so when I saw "noodles" it made sense to try it out. Note, noodles does not mean soup! Ask the server for a soup dish bc a lot of the dishes are literally just noodles (not a bad thing!). I caught myself looking at everyone's dishes next to me bc they were so beautifully presented. I had the beef noodle soup and it contained a generous portion of beef and the broth was so unique and delicious. I've never tasted a soup so hearty - you could taste the vegetables and the beef. Server said the taste comes from the beef being braised for many hours with the tendons and bones. I also got the fried chicken and the chili oil had fermented black beans which was unique as well. I felt like this was such a new and cultural experience for me. Thank you for being a friendly staff as well. Highly recommend! Worth every penny. read more

Minyoli - Fried chicken and beef noodle - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm not Taiwanese, so I can't tell you how authentic or not some of the dishes served here are, but I can tell you I love it. The flavors range from intense to simple - all delicious. I already have several favorite cocktails and weirdly, for me, many vegetable and tofu based starters. I would go everyday just to have the blanched seasonal greens - my mom would fall over if she heard me say that. Brunch menu is also great - the sandwich bread is so good and i enjoyed their version of a chicken and waffle very much. Go to drinks for me include: Judy's AhYi's Secret and the Taiwanese Old Fashioned. Go to food: Sesame noodles, blanched seasonal greens, sweet corn, tofu, mushrooms, and (when it returns [fingers crossed]) the special night-market steak (which was the best steak I've ever had). This restaurant has become a go-to for me and I highly recommend!! Go - EAT! read more

Minyoli, has good food, excellent service, and a delightful seasonal patio in back. They have plenty of tables and take reservations, but I recommend simply dropping in and eating at the bar if your group is small. Their cocktail menu is fun, or just order a Kavalan whiskey on the rocks if you like it simple. The joint is smack in the middle of where the action is in Andersonville. My partner and I live nearby and so have eaten there several times. I tend to stick with my favorite, the sesame noodles, whereas my partner likes to try out different things each time. One of their past specials, "night market steak", was a favorite of hers (shameless plant to get it to come back one day). They really nail mushroom dishes. We all have different expectations around food and food traditions. For myself I like what Minyoli has done. The staff with their scrappy little kitchen has engaged in a dialog with the past which is grounded in the present. Their food is distinct with an identity energized by change. read more

Minyoli is relatively new and I think I can tell that they have been paying attention to the poor reviews and working hard to improve. Service was friendly and efficient. Osmanthus iced tea was delightful on a hot day. We enjoyed 2 fried apps and 1 braised app - the fried chicken pieces and king mushroom were both tasty but very similar seasoning, so I might recommend just one of each type of app next time. We got a delicious bowl of sesame noodles that I forgot to get a photo of but it was very satisfying and vegan. We also got red-braised beef noodle soup; like others have commented, I thought the soup was a bit muddy in flavor and actually lacking in salt. A stronger hit of acid from the pickled mustard greens might have also given it more definition. The beef itself was very generous and amazingly tender. Both kinds of handmade noodles were a pleasure to eat. We will be back for more. read more

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Interesting menu, great food. I highly recommend the chicken dishes -- the drunken chicken roulade and the fried chicken dusted with plum powder -- both sooo good! I don't normally eat fried chicken but this was a good one, crunchy and juicy and umami with no greasiness. The drunk chicken was so tender and full of flavor. The woodear mushroom salad is a beloved Taiwanese "small eats" item and this version is no exception. We also had the beef tallow noodles -- delicious but very rich -- this would be a great share-starch, and the consommé version of the beef noodle soup. The noodle texture was spot-on and the braised beef pieces were falling-apart soft. We sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly and service was great. read more

Really warm atmosphere. Thoughtful menu, big flavors and fun textures. Service was really friendly and the food was explained with a few back stories. Will definitely come back to try more on the menu! read more

Minyoli - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I walked out of here pissed. My friends and I waited over an hour for our orders to arrive. Each time we asked servers for an update, they said our orders would come out soon. Meanwhile, parties that arrived after us were getting their food. Finally the staff brought our orders to the table and plopped them in front of us without apologies. We waited so long only to get subpar, soulless noodle soups. This one star is for the fact that they decided to comp our meal. Frankly it was an experience no one should pay money for. read more

-inauthentic -overpriced -sat down and server came over immediately to ask for our order -food came out very slowly -to top it all off -- after the party seated next to us left, i overheard the server shit talking their food preferences read more

Very thoughtful and flavorful recipes curated by the Taiwanese chef! I liked the seasonal specials, we had the shrimp noodle dish and the ai yu fig dessert. The clear beef noodle broth had a very delicate taste. I also enjoyed the milk tea with the boba. The general manager was very knowledgeable about the recipes and gave us a very thorough introduction. There were ample Chinese translations everywhere. The outside patio had a great atmosphere and we got a gorgeous view of the Chicago sunset. It was great to support a queer owned business. read more

Service was great, atmosphere was nice. The food was just lacking very hard. $18 for a noodle bowl is fairly normal especially today, but it was barely any noodles. The beef served with my dish was cold, but like straight out of the fridge cold. Definitely wouldn't go back again :/ read more

Food, service, atmosphere all wonderful. My bespoke cocktail was surprising and delicious. We loved the Taiwanese fried chicken and Fried King Trumpet mushrooms, and our noodles were also fantastic. My husband was mad that I left only one slice of beef in the leftovers that I brought home for him. read more

I was really looking forward to go to this restaurant, but was very disappointed, the food served cold and test blend, the prices are not cheap, this is worst Taiwanese food i ever had read more

I was blown away by this little gem. Happened to be walking down Clark looking for food and stumbled on Minyoli. The server behind the bar gave us a full run down of the menu. We ordered the fried chicken starter, cucumber salad and tallow noodles. 10/10 on every dish. We ordered the old fashioned and Taiwanese lager and had a full showing of their Taiwanese and tallow washed whiskey. I looooove when the staff is excited to show us what they have to offer. Definitely coming back here for their May 1st anniversary read more

Wonderful family Taiwanese restaurant. Went with my two Taiwanese friends and they loved it, tasted like a modern twist on their classic home favorites. Sat at the bar and chatted with the very kind and helpful bartender who gave us recommendations for drinks as well as food. We enjoyed every bite. Although we don't live too close, I would still make the trip through Chicago traffic to go back. At the time we went, table seating was reservation only, but the bar seating was available for walk in. read more

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We really enjoyed our dinner and would return if we lived closer to Andersonville. We chose 3 starters, and all were outstanding. I'm not sure what they add to the king trumpet mushrooms but they are a little sweet, which makes them delicious. Sweet potatoes and fried chicken were also great. We enjoyed two of the ganban noodle dishes. I don't know how authentic they are...they were great. Good service although most of the dishes came out at once so don't expect a standard dinner presentation. Service was attentive, and I think once the bar was full, people without a reservation were being turned away. read more

Minyoli - King trumpet mushrooms, fried chicken, sweet potato fries, cucumber salad - Taiwanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Was very excited to try out this place. I grew up in Taiwan, so I'm very familiar with Taiwanese noodles. Unfortunately all the noodles were bland. Zero flavor. None of the noodles resembled Taiwanese noodles. Hopefully recipe changes soon. Would love to give it another try. read more

Great little place in Andersonville! Food was excellent - well worth the wait. Service was very friendly. They were still working out the kinks, as this is a new restaurant, but will be going back again soon to try more items on the menu! read more

Food was delicate with subtle flavors, noodles were fantastic with an excellent texture, portions were on point and the vibe was lively. Service was friendly and the space was comfortable and approachable -- Been living in Andersonville for several years now and it's great to see new restaurants coming in -- a great addition to the neighborhood. The line was long but the wait was worth it -- I will definitely return to try more things on the menu! read more

Ambiance was great. Service too. Food was less great. Sesame noodles were too salty. Fried mushrooms were also on the salty side. Extra charge for hot sauce (it was nothing special - it wasn't even spicy, despite claiming to be homemade). Vegan noodle bowl with broth was one-note--you guessed it: salty. The cucumbers were tasty. The fried tofu puffs in the noodle soup dish were yummy. The stir fried Chinese water spinach was good but for five dollars and the paltry portion, it was a bit of a joke. I hope the restaurant can punch up the flavors and adjust saltiness. If they want to continue charging extra for a small portion of hot sauce, they should make it more spicy and flavorful. Maybe for the area this restaurant is fine, and most of the customers may not know what Taiwanese dishes are supposed to taste like. The palate was on the bland side - but maybe they're catering to the crowd and local palate. read more

Very nice first dinner. Attentive and helpful service. Delicious cocktails and food. Make sure you like five spice though - it's used on many dishes. read more

A great addition to the neighborhood! The food is very fresh and well- prepared. Definitely a cut above the average Chinese restaurant where many things are just defrosted or prepackaged, They make everything here - even the boba! Fried corn was A+ - deliciously spiced. Fish cakes were super tasty as were the seasonal greens. We tried both the consommé and the red seasoned beef noodle soup. Wow! The broth was unctuous and full of flavor, the noodles freshly made. Generous helpings of beef. I couldn't finish my bowl. This soup - with the house made chili oil - is great in summer and would be perfect on a cold winter day or night. I had the rice lees cocktail which was refreshing and easy drinking. Despite the cafeteria like ambiance, this is a definite add to the list of great places to eat in A-ville. read more

Loose interpretation of what Taiwanese food should taste like and how Taiwanese service should be. To summarize, food was inauthentic, lacked flavor, and some of the dishes did not taste like it had the classic Taiwanese seasonings. Waited 1.5 hours to be seated and another 1 hour for the red-raised beef noodle soup to come out. Noodles and beef were swimming in the soup and beef were not tender as advertised. Don't get me started on the milk tea boba. No need to review every single dish we got because they are not worth writing about. Really wanted to like the restaurant but as a half Taiwanese family who grew up and frequently visits Taiwan, this restaurant was a big disappointment. Hope you do better in the future. read more

Literally so good, love the food and the hand crafted drinks. I've been there multiple times and it never disappoints. Service was so good, quick and prompt and even had a full run down of the menu. It was perfect. The ambiance was very clean and minimal, cannot wait to go again. read more

We had the best time at Minyoli. In a sea of middling restaurants on Clark, this place really stands out. We were seated at the bar, and the bartender/server was the kindest. She had us try their sichuan peppercorn infused gin and their Taiwanese scotch on the house, and walked us through the whole menu. You can tell this place is a labour of love. I'm still *dreaming* of the shallot oil infused shaoxing wine cocktail--savoury in the best way. The beef noodle soup was also so good, as was the sorghum ice cream. Can't wait to go back, highly recommend trying it out! read more