As soon as I walked in the door I knew this was going to be a amazing experience. The pho was beyond delicious, the broth is packed with flavor you literally don't have to add anything to it. Also the hospitality was amazing the gentleman who I believe is the owner checked in with us to make sure everything is okay, the staff were also extremely nice! 10/10 if you are looking for authentic pho please make Ocean Grill your first choice !!!!! read more

After living literally 5 minutes away from this lively Vietnamese hotspot, I can't believe I never was curious enough to go check it out . Well, it is kind of tucked away in a desolate area on Canal Street, but still. One of my good friends suggested we check this place out after hearing about it from a co-workers. The only thing I know about Vietnamese cuisine is pho (which for some insane reason, I've never had) and banh mi, which I tried (and loved) while visiting my fave cuz in the Bay. . I arrived early to this very large, beautifully decorated venue on a Tuesday night and was intrigued by the set-up. One side was all tables, the other side was tables and multiple gigantic screened tvs playing Family Feud and the World Cup games. Kinda crazy. I chose to sit on the big screen side while waiting for my date. He called to say he was running late and to get the order started. I had been waiting a bit, so i caught the eye of one of the workers, who came right over. He was so friendly and accommodating and answered all questions. I ordered the green Thai kumquat iced tea, spring rolls and the chicken wings he highly suggested. He rushed off to place the order. Moments later, a couple of distinguished gents walked in and sat at a huge round table cater-corner from me and soon thereafter the nice man who took my order sat down with them. I'm assuming he was the owner for obvious reasons. I gained more respect for this establishment because customer service goes a very long way with me and he obviously cared about that. Our server, a very friendly young lady, brought my drink out and I was surprised to see that it was served in what looked like a sippy cup, with a cartoon design on the lid. Kinda weird seeing as I am an adult, but it was a tasty beverage, nonetheless. My friend showed up as the spring rolls and chicken wings came out. We devoured both, which were delicious and then placed our orders. I went with lobster noodles and my friend got the beef tenderloin pho. Even though my entree presentation wasn't the best, it was a very tasty dish to both of us. The beef tenderloin pho was definitely the star of the show! The broth was fragrant and flavorful and the beef was tender beyond measure. I'm an avid ramen fan but this pho definitely had my attention and I can't wait to try more. Ocean Bar and Grill is such a cute, quirky place that caters to date night diners, groups and families. They were all in there that night and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I know I did. I'll definitely be taking my daughter when she comes home from her summer internship! read more

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My go to pho restaurant without having to drive up north. The beef pho's flavor has been consistent but the bun bo hue's flavor seems to have changed. One day they were out of beef soup so we got the chicken pho and it was really tasty. I didn't like was the Vietnamese ice coffee. It tasted like chocolate milk. The cane juice also tastes like there are additional fruits inside (maybe kumquat). They have a small parking lot but there's also additional parking in the lot next to it. The service is quick and friendly. The dinning area is spacious. read more

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This was such a gentle experience. Our waiter was so friendly and polite, the food was fresh and delicious, the drinks were good, the environment was calming.. overall it was such a nice place to have dinner. We're actually going back tonight ! read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Saw that out of 47 Chicago Banh Mi locations this restaurant was ranked 4th overall, so I had to drive down south just to stop by- I haven't tried any of the top 3, but if anybody tops this, color me surprised. From the moment we walked in, service was excellent- not only timely and attentive, but the waitstaff seemed genuinely excited to interact with the customers and see how everything came out. Place was packed but our walk-in only took 5 minutes to seat. No messing around with appetizers, drinks, sides, or any other distractions- we were here for one purpose only. We got two Banh Mi- one classic grilled pork, and one shredded pork skin just to compare. They were both fairly similar of course, and the shredded pork skin was solid, but the grilled pork was the star of the show. Not a lot of times in my life I've audibly said "wow" after biting into something, but I couldn't help myself. The grilled pork itself had a phenomenal spiced smoky flavor to it, the type of flavor that you savor for as long as you can. The bread was crisp and warm, the pickled vegetables were plentiful fresh and delicious, and the jalapeño gave it just enough spice to keep me on my toes. Cannot recommend the Banh Mi here highly enough. Will be returning. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Aesthetically the restaurant is actually very impressive and spacious. You don't really get the Asian hole in the wall feel like other Viet places in Chicago but space-wise it's honestly very aesthetically pleasing. The food can be hit and miss, but also looks very impressive. While the banh mi is large, I felt like the bread wasn't crispy enough. The pho hit the spot but felt like most other places. The cooked clam dish was fire and was the most unique thing I've tasted here. No matter what stray away from the oysters, while it's likely not the restaurant's fault, me and a friend got food poisoning from them and is why I have a slightly lower review for them here. read more

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The broth for all their phos are rich and tasty. I also love how much seafood variety they have. Their Bun Cha Hanoi is one of my favorites, the meat ball was very moist! Highly recommend! They also have sugar cane juice! read more

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This place is great for family gatherings or if you're just craving Vietnamese food. The menu has such an amazing variety and absolutely love thier spring rolls which were so fresh. The band mi was nice and warm and dispy as well. The bun bo hue was good with a little kick to it. I like the veggies on the side and it's great for sharing as well. Their grilled oysters was a nice flavors. The also have drinks options as well. We got their milk tea with boba. read more

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We went here today for lunch. We had the razor claim, snail in garlic and Vietnamese crab noodle soup. All was delicious. The sauces were great. This place was busy even at opening time today. Everything came out within a reasonable timeframe. read more

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Ocean Grill and Bar was busy when we went. It took some time before our order was taken however food turn around time was quick. We ordered (sorry many not pictured): 1. Lotus Root salad- not bad, kinda bland. 2. Grilled pork skewers- good flavor. 3. Razor clams- lived up to hype. I thought the meat was tender, and I am here for the scallion oil and shallots. 4. Clams in scallion oil- meh. Not as tender as razor clams. Should've tried a different clam dish. 5. Steamed snail / lemongrass- first time having snail. It was meaty and the flavor of the lemongrass was there- not bad! 6. Pho dac biet- it was fine. Wish the broth had a little more flavor and depth. 7. Bun bo hue- this was ok, probably wouldn't order again. 8. Bun rieu special- broth was not hearty at all (i later read the sign and it said tomato soup based..) so No crab cakes/crab pieces/anything crab in there. 9. Cafe sua da. Very tasty. Overall, would recommend for the clams and pho, perhaps. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - O22. Oc Mng Tay Nuong Mo Hnh Grilled Razor clams w/ scallion oil O8. Nghu Nuong Mo Hnh (7)Grilled clams w/ scallion oil - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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PHO-LICIOUS! The larger than large bowl of pho is a pleasant surprise of aromatic broth with a variety of leafy herbs, fresh bean sprouts, jalapeño, scallions and adequate amount of meat, with ample fresh lime to squeeze all over the dish. Most important, the broth was light and refreshing. The pork skewers was a bit grisly for my liking, but the flavor was spot on - definitely dip into the sauce provided. The Thai milk tea was very earthy tasting and a sweet compliment to the savory pho and pork skewer. The decor is nice and the dining area was spacious. They need more parking though. Lastly, the service was attentive and served with a smile. read more

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Amazing!! Ocean Grill is known for their seafood. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try it. I was craving pho. Their pho here tastes very good and they cook it traditionally. There is an option to pay an extra $1.50 for their homemade noodles, but didn't think it was worth paying for with the pho bowl being around $18. Their fish sauce wings are so flavorful. I recommended everyone to try it! I will definitely be coming back to try more. They have a large menu with great items. read more

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Love coming to this pho place since it opened. Although on the pricier side, I can't pass up on the fresh noodles they offer (for $1 extra). No other pho restaurants I know have that option. I also like this place because it's clean and service is always great. What we got: B3 Hanoi style Noodle bowl S1 rare beef noodle, but the meat was a little chewy and dry.. usually made better. I think I'll stick with the rare beef and brisket pho (S2) for more variety. Also highly highly recommend the pork banh mi, it's been a hit every time. They also have parking right outside!! read more

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Have gone here a handful of times to treat my family out to unique seafood offerings. Location isn't directly in Chinatown but worth the little bit of travel to get here as they have their own parking. With Snails and Clams, we always order a few to try. The noodle soup dishes like Pho and Bun Bo Hue are delicious and the drinks are fantastic. We order the green Thai tea and corn milk every time. Service is always fast and the kitchen keeps up. The restaurant usually is empty from what I've seen and then fills up to the brim during peak dinner time. read more

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Decent Vietnamese food. The razor clams is a must. It's perfectly cooked and seasoned. The dipping sauce is the highlight. Bun Bo is good but not super authentic. The quail eggs baluts are very well seasoned but they are all too young, and therefore too crunchy. read more

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Was craving pho so started searching and came across this cute restaurant just on the outskirts of downtown Chicago. Big plus for private parking spaces. Interesting part about this place is they served a plethora of sea snail dishes sauced with a variety of seasoning to satisfy all types of palates. I chose the recommended charred garlic sauce which wasn't too overwhelming (although would not have complained if it with pasted with garlic). The other one I wanted to try was the Tom yum sauce and lemongrass among others. Wish they had a variety option where you can pick 3 or so different flavors to try. Nevertheless more reason to come back. The pho was good but thought the broth was a little watered down than the usual soup that I've tried elsewhere. Still very tasty. Looking forward to try their sea snail with Tom yum and their razor clam appetizer the next trip. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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1. Phở Đặc Biệt - beef tenderloin, brisket, tendon, tripe, meatballs 2. Grilled razor clams with scallion oil, fried shallot and ground peanuts 3. Crabmeat Fried Rice 4. Fish Sauce Chicken Wings Pho meat was exceptional, far more tender than most other pho in Chicago which are dry. Tendons however were hard and not thoroughly cooked. I love that they have a fresh noodle option but I think it was overcooked, too soft. Broth lacked depth of flavor. Grilled clams, crab fried rice, and fish sauce wings were all properly cooked and flavorful. If I'm craving Vietnamese noodles, I would still return to try a dry noodle option. No issues with service. Plenty of tables and free parking available. read more

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Food was delicious- had the pork skewers and sandwich and was pleasantly delighted! Came by myself and there was no wait, great service and the space was super clean and pretty- Definitely coming back read more

Ocean Grill & Bar is my GO TO spot when I'm craving phở. I've been here several times, and every time it hits the spot! It's the most authentic Vietnamese spot in Chinatown in my opinion, and it reminds me of the Vietnamese restaurants in Little Saigon in Southern California. When I walk in, it feels like home :) The clientele is often very diverse but there's also a significant number of Vietnamese families that are usually here when I've been. It's clear the local Viet families enjoy Ocean Grill! The restaurant is spacious, clean, and is decorated elegantly and colorfully. The service is always quick and efficient. They never keep you waiting long! My go to order is the phở tái nạm, which is the noodle soup with the thin sliced beef which cooks in the broth and the brisket. The brisket sometimes is on the fattier side, so if that's not what you're looking for, just order the phở tái. My other favorite dish is the bún thịt nướng, which is vermicelli rice noodles with grilled pork, and lots of fresh veggies. It's served with fish sauce, and it's a flavor bomb! The meat is tender and so savory, and it pairs perfectly with the fresh herbs and veggies. I really need to come back for the seafood, but every time I come here I love ordering my usual. I'll have to bring more friends so we can try more things! For parking, I love they have their own parking lot. It's small but everytime we've been, there's enough spots. Overall, I love this place and will keep coming back! read more

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You should've seen my face when they brought out the bun Bo hue because I was so convinced they gave me pho. The waiter told us that the flavors are more catered towards Chinese people but I'm like I want the real authentic stuff!! The broth lacked flavor but some of the meat was tender. The fresh rice noodles in the pho were delicious and a great texture but again, the broth was eh. The salted coffee was delicious though, not too sweet. We also got their pork skewers which were juicy and I liked the flavor of the dipping sauce. For 1 appetizer, 1 coffee and 3 bowls of noodles, it was about $90 with tax. Ambiance and decor were nice and it's a solid place for big groups. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - S7. Bun bo - Spicy Lemongrass soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We were craving pho during our stay in Chicago, and I heard good reviews from Ocean Grill, so we decided to give it a try! The space was huge, and I loved the decor inside. We were sat and helped immediately. We started off with egg rolls for an appetizer, which were unfortunately nothing special to write about. My pho was delightful. I thought it was flavorful with a decent sized portion. I also ordered a taro matcha latte for a drink, and it was creamy, but I wish the taro and matcha flavors were stronger. The service was quick and efficient. I know they are known for their seafood, so I'll have to come back and try! read more

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The 1 point deduction is for a seafood dish that I was not a fan of. We asked the waiter which dish was pictured on the front of the menu and ordered it (crab stir fried in salted egg). For $65, it was not worth and a bit bland in my opinion. On the other hand, the pho here is delicious and the reason I'm a repeat customer! I recommend subbing for the fresh pho noodles for $1.50 extra. I prefer the softer texture and hear they're made in-house! We ordered the sliced rare beef & brisket pho. The meat could be a little more tender but overall satisfying and super filling. Staff was friendly and food arrived quickly. The atmosphere is beautiful with lots of greenery that brightens up the space. Free parking is a plus too! Overall I'll continue coming back for the pho and great service. read more

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Razor clams - fresh and beautifully cooked - Must have. (Oops, forgot to take pictures) Coconut jelly nice and refreshing. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Coconut jelly - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food is okay (3/5) - Razor clams are not cleaned well. There are sand in them. Flavors are good though. - the garlic one choi is a little hard, not cooked through Ambiance: cute (5/5) read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food everything taste delicious great preparation. Good drinks like this place.

Pho is always quick and delicious. Newly added drink menu brings it up to the next level. Staff is friendly, quick and attentive. Fun music is played at the perfect volume, always full of groups and couples on dates. Looks like they do karaoke although I've never been there for it. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Pho Thai and Chicken Pho with creme brulee milk tea - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ocean Grill and Bar has been opened for 1 year. Since then, I feel like the place has improved a lot. To start, the tables got longer and more comfortable for the big bowl of pho. There are waiters and waitress on hand, ready to go. My friends and I each ordered a pho. We went with the pho dac biet which just had every meat offered. We also ordered a chicken pho and one pho with only meatballs. Each of us left the bowl empty! It was so good. Besides the pho, we also ordered the egg rolls and chicken wings cooked with fish sauce. The chicken wing was cooked to perfection. It was moist and crispy at the same time. I would come back and order more in the future. Also, did I mention they have ample of parking spaces?!? read more

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9/10! Look at how big our PHO bowl is with just the perfect amount of flavor and the noodles were HAND MADE. Plus we got the springs rolls (LOVE the peanut sauce). It's very spacious and well decorated. Great service. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Pho Tai (Pho with rare beef) is my go to order here. Have been here more than a dozen times. It's my go to pho place. Best place to get pho in the loop area. They have options between dried vs. fresh noodles. Broth is always on point. I always request extra bean sprouts - which are provided fresh and kindly! The service is pretty quick and nice. It's actually quite a big space decorated uniquely. It's clean, modern, and aesthetic in it's own way. read more

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I dined at Ocean Grill & Bar on Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 9 pm. As a Vietnamese-American traveling to Chicago for the first time, I made sure to stop by and taste what Chicago has to offer for Vietnamese cuisine. This was my first Viet stop in Chicago and I really wanted to like this restaurant. Unfortunately, my dining experience was average. The restaurant's ambience looked clean and looked like a nice place to enjoy authentic Vietnamese foods with family and friends. The appetizer rolls were good. I usually order this staple Vietnamese appetizer and they tasted authentic and fresh. The com chien did not have any flavor and lacked that char. It reminded me of leftover fried rice from a potluck . The oysters were small and not worth the price. The snails were fresh and I thought the tamarind sauce was flavorful. Service could've been better. Very friendly, but not as attentive. Which was understandable because they were preoccupied with large birthday reservation. Overall, I think this restaurant has huge potential to be a decent Viet restaurant if they make some minor improvements in the food quality. Nothing I tasted really stood out to me. I probably won't be back next time if I'm in the area. read more

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What's better than pho on a rainy day? Nothing!! We both ordered a huge bowl of pho and instantly was warmed up. It was the perfect end to our day!! We saw people hyping up the Razor Clams (O22) online and wanted to give it a try. We both agreed that it wasn't worth the hype, but glad we tried it ourselves. Great food and quick service!! read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - O22. Oc Mng Tay Nuong Mo Hnh Grilled Razor clams w/ scallion oil - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The servers here move QUICK! One thing I noticed is how fast they deliver these big bowls of soup, sometimes carrying them across the restaurant with just one hand. Great service, and the food is impressive too. Everything we've tried has been great. Their bun bo hue is good though I prefer the pho. My favorite part is adding fish sauce to the pho broth and dipping their fresh spring rolls into the soup :) The dipping sauce that comes with the spring rolls is also very delish with crunchy flakes on top for extra flavor! read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ambiance - super cute interior, noise was mid level, full house (and we went towards closing), great for date and they can accommodate large groups Service - servers were super nice and food came out fast Food - I like the temperature of my pho extra hot so I made that request, Bánh mì was amazing read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - B1. Bánh mì thịt nướng - Grilled Pork Sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Good portion sizes and tasty pho and seafood! The restaurant design is nice and clean. Service was attentive, and though seafood takes a bit longer to prepare, the wait was reasonable. We ordered: Canada Sea Snails Stir-Fried with Butter Garlic (4/5) - The flavor was great, and the snails were well-cooked. However, there was a bit of sand in the snails. Pho Tai Nam - Sliced Rare Beef and Brisket Pho (4/5) - Large portion with a flavorful broth. Good balance of meat and vegetables. Bun Bo Hue - Spicy Lemongrass Soup Noodle (5/5) - Generous portion, perfect spice level, and an excellent broth with tender meat. Overall, a satisfying experience with quality dishes and thoughtful service! read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food is always very delicious when we go here. I usually get the combination pho, or I'll change it up with the vermicelli bowl. We get the snails as the appetizer at times too, and they are extremely flavorful. The service is always top notch, and the owner came by to ask how the food was. The ambiance consisted of a lot of space, and you can tell they put so much effort into the decor and space. The parking lot is kind of small, but they have additional parking next door as well now! read more

This place is pretty authentic and really good for what it is being in the Midwest. Upon entering, I felt I was transported back to Vietnam, especially with the decor and atmosphere. I had the bun bo hue and we ordered some clams and snails on the side. The flavors were there but I wish there was a little more. For example, the BBH could use a little more spice from the satay and the lemongrass clams could use some more lemongrass flavor. The service is what you can expect lol. We didn't come for the service. We came for the food Overall, I would visit again if I came back to Chicago. read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - BBH, pho, steamed clams, com tam - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ocean Grill is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the Chinatown area! There's a small (free) parking lot here and if it's full there's street parking right after. The prices are a bit high but the portions are large. I recently had the Bun Bo Hue (spicy lemongrass beef noodle soup). There were plenty of tender rare beef pieces which were all cooked perfectly. The broth tasted low-sodium which I liked because there was so much soup. The bean sprouts, lime, mint, and cabbage that comes as a topping were all very fresh. The noodles were perfectly al dente. I've had the pho dac biet on a previous visit, the broth is very good and you can upgrade to fresh noodles for a few dollars. The rare beef was very good. My partner got the pho with brisket, but the brisket has a bit of gristle/cartilage so if you just want tender beef I recommend the pho tai (S1). They have plenty of name brand Sriracha and hoisin sauce for dipping. I brought the grilled shrimps vermicelli noodles bowl back for my partner, the shrimps looked really good and packaging was great (no leakage of sauce). Service staff is always very friendly and there are a ton of seats available. I have never had to wait for a seat in the handful of times I have been. The ambiance is reminiscent of an Orange County vietnamese restaurant - a lot of space, tropical decor with slow Vietnamese love songs playing on the weekend. They had both food channels and telenovelas playing on their TVs. The food, service, and ambiance have all been great each time I have gone, definitely a top tier Viet restaurant outside of Argyle. read more

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When we parked, pork skewers were grilling outside, which is the best advertisement I can imagine. Those are highly recommended as appetizers, and the sauce for them is perfect. We had pho, sea snails (not a common menu item around here) and razor clams, plus banh mi (best I've had here, with the appropriately soft white rolls), peach tea, and Vietnamese iced coffee. The menu is expansive with a lot of seafood, and the quality is excellent and a good value. The restaurant is large and bright, and can accommodate groups, which is good for communal meals. We will definitely return to sample more menu items. read more

We came here on a Sunday afternoon for lunch after receiving some good recommendations from friends. There is a small parking lot and we were lucky to snag a spot. It's a pretty big restaurant with plenty of seating and there were plenty of open tables when we came. Hubby ordered the Phở Dặc Biệt (combo of eye of round, brisket, tendon, and meatballs) while I had the Bún chả Hanoi (Hanoi style grilled pork and pork patties in a papaya fish sauce). Hubby added extra noodles to his dish to share with our toddler but we realized we didn't need to when the food arrived. The portions are big and I could have easily shared my dish with my toddler (I didn't end up finishing mine so hubby did the honors of devouring mine for me). The meat from the Bún chả Hanoi was flavorful and there was a decent amount of noodles. I just wish there was more fish sauce that came with the dish. Overall, we had a good meal and will be back to try more menu options! read more

We came here to eat pho for lunch. The broth is amazing and it took away my headache. I ordered hot tea and it was the best I ever had. Outside was tricky to navigate to finally find this place and also to park, they do have limited space to park beside the restaurant. Inside was decorated very nicely compared to outdoors. The server and staff were attentive and as soon as we ordered within 10 minutes, our food came out. The bathroom was spacious, and I believe it had three stalls for the females. I'm not sure why they call this place ocean grilling bar because I thought it was American food but it's not. If I ever come back to Chicago and I am on this side of town to visit Chinatown, I will drop by! read more

Ocean Grill & Bar - Hot tea - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois