My wife and I have been coming to Dung Gia for almost 9 years, and at this point I can honestly say I've tried every single dish on the menu -- and then some. There isn't a single weak item here. Everything is consistently fresh, balanced, and made with real care. After almost a decade of eating here, I can confidently say this is the best Vietnamese food in the entire city... and yes, that includes the spots on Argyle. One of the biggest reasons Dung Gia stands above the rest is their approach to seasoning. They use little to no MSG, which is almost unheard of nowadays. A lot of Chicago restaurants -- especially around Argyle -- rely on extremely heavy MSG and oil to artificially boost flavor. It might make the food "pop" at first bite, but it's not real cooking, and you feel it afterward. Dung Gia's dishes taste clean, fresh, and naturally flavorful because they're made correctly, not covered in shortcuts. If someone is used to heavy-MSG places, they might think the flavors here taste "different" -- but that's because this is how Vietnamese food is supposed to taste. Once you adjust, everything else feels oily and artificial in comparison. And the service? Always fantastic. The staff has treated us like family for years. They're kind, attentive, and genuinely care about the experience you're having. Even when the place is busy, they're fast, friendly, and on top of everything. It's rare nowadays to find a restaurant where the food and the service are BOTH consistently this good. My wife and I hardly eat out anymore, but when we do, Dung Gia is literally the only place we choose. Even though we live closer to Argyle, we will happily drive right past all those restaurants because nothing compares to this place. The quality, the consistency, the portion sizes, the freshness -- it's unmatched. Whether you go for the pho, the clay pots, the stir-fried noodles, the salads, the broken rice dishes, or the vermicelli bowls, you're getting a meal that tastes homemade, not mass-produced. After almost a decade of dining here, I can confidently say: Dung Gia isn't just good -- it blows every other Vietnamese spot in Chicago out of the water. If you haven't been here yet, you're genuinely missing out on the best hidden gem in the city. read more

Pho Dung Gia - MENU - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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This was our go to when we lived a stone's throw away. Honestly simple and humble banh mi and pho when we didnt want to drive too far out of the way. Coming back to it, it still holds the nostalgic mom and pop feel that we remembered fondly with fast service and hot soup. Not sure if its worth going out of the way as much but if we're in the area, we'd still consider swinging by! read more

Had my first banh mi while treating my dad out to lunch for his 68th birthday! My aunt talks about it being her favorite food shes ever had in her travels. Shes right! Definitely top 5 sandwiches I've ever had. read more

Pho Dung Gia - Beef banh mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Can I interest you in a haiku? Authentic, hot fare Banh mi, pho, meat rice dishes Bubble tea here too! Haven't had Vietnamese food in forever, and I had been thinking about banh mis lately. The versions here are slightly on the small side, come with a special sauce, and cucumbers. I excluded cilantro on mine but would have liked a little pickled veg on top. The kiddos liked the egg rolls, and my husband inhaled his pho, being the noodle monster he is. The pan fried rice noodles had a satisfying crunch to the extra fried parts and came with a lot of veggies, but the sauce incorporated smelled a little sour. While it didn't taste so, it deterred the toddler diner from eating more of it. The inside of the restaurant has about 10 tables and is rather dated and could use a deep cleaning. Take out containers are an extra 50 cents. Nice neighborhood stop to try. read more

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I was not in the mood to drive to Argyle St in Chicago but was craving a Bánh mì so I searched for Vietnamese near me and it brought me here..unfortunately, I was terribly dissapointed..in service and quality. First, the lady was not very friendly fine maybe the food makes up for it....WRONG...the meat was actually undercooked and I swear I had some pieces that were actually COLD..and it had no taste and zero of the traditional garnishments a Bánh mì is supposed to come with. I couldnt even finish it, it was that bad... read more

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Checked out this nice Vietnamese place in Des Plaines awhile ago. It seemed pretty quiet, which was worrying but the feeling got better after we got to eat fortunately. Pho Dung Gia may have "shit" in the name but it doesn't taste like it though! Atmosphere is like a low key classy place yet it's casual. The food came out really fast, which was impressive because it was fresh and full of pungent flavors and spices. Big menu with a lot to choose from. It has pho of course but unfortunately it only has meaty broth so vegetarians need to look for other options. There's quite a few though. A lot of other noodles or rice dishes. It's about $15 for an entree. That's not that cheap but it's still okay though. Big portions. I got the Tofu With Vegetables. It's made with coconut milk. There's a creaminess and sweetness. Everyone else in the group had mostly good things to say. The ones who got the pho liked it, except it was a bit watery. Food came out amazingly fast. This wasn't too fast though because it was thoroughly cooked and hot. Good choice for getting Vietnamese food. It has moderately high prices but it also has pretty big portions. There's a variety for both meat eaters and vegetarians. read more

Pho Dung Gia - Tofu With Vegetables - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Dung Gia was great! As soon as I walked in I was welcomed so kindly and my order was taken. Service was friendly and fast! Definitely recommend the bahn mi beef sandwich, delicious! Definitely a cute homey ambiance as well. read more

We always order to go from here. The servers are nice. We love their pho and of course their bahn mi. I toast the bahn mi and hmmm so good. Its just smaller niw but full of meat inside. I havent ordered anything else but those are my 2 fave. The place is typical resto, nice but nothing flashy. Street parking only but there is a nearby public parking. read more

Pho Dung Gia - 1/2 of my Pork Bahn Mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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I had been eyeing this eatery for a while now, but what drove me to try it out was that my coworker had recently returned from Vietnam and couldn't stop praising how amazing the food, so I decided to have lunch there. The ambiance makes me nostalgic, with a wonderful calming Vietnamese melody playing in the background throughout the area, which has a charming decor. All of these factors make me feel at home. As an appetizer, I started with a beef roll. Marinated beef, bean sprouts, lettuce, and rice vermicelli noodles make up the filling. It's encased in a translucent rice paper skin. They also gave fish sauce as a dipping sauce because the roll tasted bland without it. The only thing I don't like is their meat. It had a mild flavor and was dry. The appearance is unappealing and reminds me of beef jerky. My entree was their pho dac biet. It was served with garnishes of bean sprouts, lime, jalapeo, and cilantro on the side. I believe their broth lacks a strong beef flavor and scent. They also omitted to include tendon, which is generally included in all pho house specials. The meat-to-noodle ratio is inconsistent because I ate more rice noodles than beef. As an addition to the pho, I ordered banh mi thit bo nuong. The bread is good and flaky, but I wish they had toasted it a little more. I prefer my bread to have a great crust. I enjoyed their onion pickles since they really bring out the acidity and sweetness. The beef was prepared in the same manner as the appetizer, which disappointed me much and compromised the flavor of the sandwich. Their service was prompt, and I received my meals in a timely manner. Customer service, on the other hand, requires some effort. I felt rushed at first, and before I could finish my order, she snatched the menu away. She barely came over to check on me. I don't agree with their business practices. I get the impression that they cheap out on the ingredients in order to save money. I recognize that food prices are high, but there must be some standards. read more

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I got to visit Dung Gia Restaurant with my cousin. Have to say the quality is unlike anywhere else. So, let me get into it! The food, oh the broth of the pho is one of the best I have ever tried. And I have traveled and had home cooked pho. The quality of the food in my opinion is the best I have tried. The service was really good. The waitress really helped my cousin and I and even offered up recommendations. I like it when the staff at a restaurant offer up Rec's as they are a hidden resources. Atmosphere or ambiance like I call it, it was very laid back and causal. And the decor really made the experience even more worth it. Overall, I would recommend DGR to anyone who wants a great bowl of Pho and an excellent broth. read more

Pho Dung Gia - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Spring rolls are so good. Also the Vietnamese pancake is also good. Healthy food, with a lot of veggies.

Service: Terrible Example: The waiter wrote down my order, and for the last 15 minutes did not give that order to cook/owner. Cook/owner of the restaurant was shouting at her kid inquiring about what did I order. Ambiance: Terrible Recommendation: do not come to this establishment. Go to Pho Nam Lua instead, quick service, welcoming environment, amazing food. read more

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT EVER !!!!! Awesome staff and incredible food !! Been coming here for over 20 years and will keep coming back !

ample street parking, good value, richly endowed dishes... nice touches. Very homey ambiance

I used to love going here until my most recent visit today. Quite possibly the worst service I have ever experienced. The staff is incredibly rude! The younger boy who took our order came to our table and didn't say anything. Just came up with a note pad and pen, then all of a sudden walked away without saying anything. He didn't return until after we had to call someone to take our order 5 minutes later. We watched other groups walking in and like my group, was told to sit anywhere while a younger girl unenthusiastically shoved menus onto their tables without saying anything. We were also never checked in on while eating our food. I used to like the food here. But the business' service outweighs the food. Also do not get their 'Real Fruit' Smoothies. My avocado smoothie was definitely not real avocado. And oh my goodness. The tapioca made me gag. Why is this even on their menu? Please take a look at the photos I've uploaded of their 'tapioca', because that is not okay to serve to your customers. It was old, chunky, and tasted like it's been sitting out for days. Never coming back here. I really don't like posting negative reviews, especially to small family businesses, but I've never experienced anything like this. Yes, their food is decent, but it's not right to treat your customers like this. read more

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Came here on a Sunday for lunch. Parking wasn't terrible. They had parking fight in front. This restaurant was not busy at all. We ordered the Bun Rieu, Hot and Sour vermicelli noodles, and also a vietnamese pancake. Everything came out delicious and good. The waitress could've came around our table to fill our waters, but overall this was a decent place. Good place to eat at after a night of drinking. Would come here again if I was in the Des Plaines area. read more

Pho Dung Gia - Vietnamese pancake - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Yum! Spring rolls w tofu, egg rolls, and chicken and meatball pho I order for pickup. I am coming from eating on argyle st. This place competes and it's cheap 32$ for a lot of food! The lady who works there was sweet as well. Order ahead on the phone. Cute place. read more

Yep!! This place was awesome!! Pho was amazing! Service was good and really great experience!

First time I stopped by I was starving and did not even think twice about snapping a pic, so I came the following day to pay my proper respects. Food was authentic Vietnamese and delicious. I will stop by for the pho next because everyone sitting around me was having it and it looked amazing. Service was just as good as the food. read more

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I had high expectations with this place. I can say that they have a huge menu that most Vietnamese places don't have. Bahn xeo- 6/10 very crispy, full of bean sprouts and meat the fish sauce was lacking so much flavor. Bun rieu-8/10 very good flavor !!! Brought back child hood memories ! Beef pho- 5/10 too much broth for the amount of noodles and beef you get. Rice with grilled pork chop and egg-4/10 sadly this is my go to plate. I was kinda upset that my egg wasn't cooked over medium like how it's supposed to be, the pork chop was to fatty & the fish sauce is supposed to be the star of the show was lacking so much flavor. Bahn mi (grilled beef with pate) 8/10 !!!! Very flavorful, I would come back here for the Vietnamese sandwiches The bubble teas were not worth it. Tasted very plain read more

Pho Dung Gia - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

We usually order carryout and the person who takes the order over the phone is consistently friendly and courteous. She always helps me with the door on my way out since both my hands are full. My go-to is the papaya shrimp salad. So fresh and refreshing! The family's usuals are beef salad, banh xeo, bun bo hue, and pho. All delicious! read more

Pho Dung Gia - Green papaya shrimp salad - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Had original plans to get sushi but they were closed in the middle of the day so me and my friend decided on this place. I wouldn't say this place is bad, but I've definitely had better. The overall pho was good but the texture of the beef was off to me. My friend got the beef sate rice plate and she let me try a piece of beef. I did not like how the beef tasted and just the look of it was kind of off-putting. The beef in both my pho and in my friends entree was super chewy. I also ordered their thai ice tea. If you don't like it super sweet, I wouldn't suggest buying it from here. I personally prefer my drinks sweet so I enjoyed it from here! Overall service was good and was greeted upon arrival and departure. Our server did a good job of checking on us throughout. If you're looking for really good pho, go on Argyle street in Chicago! read more

Pho Dung Gia - Pho Bo (sliced tenderloin beef) - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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lovely little pho spot in downtown des plaines. staff was nice enough (not sure why people say they were rude) food was super delicious and loved the place is close so i will definitely be coming back again read more

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My boyfriend and I stopped in here the other day. We got the Pho Dac Biet and Pho Bo along with some spring rolls. For this being my first time having pho, I'm pretty happy with how delicious it all was. The pho came with a big plate of bean sprouts, cilantro, lime wedges and jalapeños on the side to put in your soup, which was loaded full of beef and noodles, and so delicious. I'd recommend both of the pho's, but if you're not a fan of tripe, steer clear of the Pho Dac Biet. The restaurant itself smelled... interesting and the service left something to be desired. But overall, a very good and relaxed meal. read more

Pho Dung Gia - Spring Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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I had high hopes due to the other great reviews. I ordered some takeout for lunch - the spring rolls were fine, nothing special. The Hiu Tiu with chicken ("pan fried wide rice noodles with chicken and vegetables cooked in homemade brown sauce") had a good amount of yummy crispy and soft noodles, plenty of onion strips and suey choy, but only a bit of chicken and exactly 3 strands of bok choy. The fact that this entree cost $14.95 was ridiculous. I was pretty full after my meal, but only because I had basically gorged myself on carbs. read more

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Absolutely amazing! The food is so good and authentic. My personal favorite is the chicken pho and it is so flavorful and delicious. The service is amazing, you're quick to be seated, food is served fast and workers are so kind! Ambiance is so pretty too I love sitting inside and enjoying their food! read more

This is a nice hole in the wall Vietnamese in downtown Des Plaines. I have driven past it for years and finally got to check it out recently. My sister and I split two Banh Mi sandwiches, one chicken and one pork. Besides the pork being a tad on the sweet side, both sandwiches were flavored very well. The bread was soft and paired well with the meat and veggies. We also loved our Thai iced tea as it wasn't too sweet. Looking forward to trying other things on their menu soon! read more

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One star seems a bit too generous for this place but can't give less than that. Service was horrible and rude, the hostess/waitress didn't bother to welcome us in nor to seat us. After showing ourselves to an empty table we literally only saw the waitress at our table 3 times, to throw menus at our table, to take our order and to drop off our plates. I was so looking forward to having some pho, that's the only reason we stayed. We needed napkins, a glass of water, more toppings for our pho and waitress was nowhere to be found. To make things 10X worse we found, not one but TWO hairs in our food. Unfortunately the hairs were found towards the end of our meal and to avoid puking at the table we sprang out of our chairs to pay our check and immediately exited this place, never to return again! Long story short, if you want good pho and decent service go elsewhere ... ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE! read more

Pho Dung Gia - Long hair under salad. - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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A place to cure occasional pho craving. Looks like a family owned place. A busy lunch spot sometimes you have to wait for a table. Usually I came here for Pho noodle soup during the lunch hour. Pretty decent soup and fresh veggies. Always perfect during the winter days. Once I had a dinner here, really loved clay pot fish and beef filet cubes. Beef was grilled right and juicy. Fish was sweet and tender. Services were kind of on and off. Most times they are pretty quick and nice. read more

Pho Dung Gia - beef cubes. - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

I love Vietnamese food and pho and banh mi's are 2 dishes I hold dear to me. From the moment I stepped in I felt ignored, as if the woman (assuming the mother) and a young teen boy (assuming her son) seemed equally uneager to seat me. The mother won, so the boy took me to my seat where I waited until the mother felt she should check on me. I ordered pho ga, the banh mi thit heo nuong and a smoothie with tapioca. I wasn't checked on until 15 minutes later when my pho was brought out without the side of greens. This arrived 3-5 minutes later and I actually didn't receive my smoothie until I was ready for the check. Felt very neglected and needed napkins but the only time I was checked on was to deliver the check. Food: Bland broth. Not even a serving size of chicken in my pho ga. Only sriracha available. The banh mi was on soft, borderline soggy bread. Nothing like the crisp looking French bread on the menu. Don't recommend if you have an affinity for good food and equally good service. read more

Family owned restaurant with delicious Vietnamese food! This is my go to place for a bowl of pho and bánh mi sandwiches. The broth is rich and flavorful and the sandwiches are simple and delicious. Today, I decided to try something new and got the Vietnamese pancake also known as bánh xèo. It's nothing grand, but it is deliciously healthy! (If you know what I mean). I always thought the yellow part was eggs, but it's a flour based crepe. It's filled with mint, cucumber, shrimp, pork and bean sprouts served with lime sauce on the side. The crepe was super crispy, which I loved! I didn't know how to eat it, but the worker showed me the proper way to eat it. You simply wrap everything inside the lettuce, pour the sauce and dig in. The sauce isn't too salty or sweet, it's just right! The more sauce, the better. Don't be afraid to get messy! I had sauce dropping all over my hand Definitely give it a try! I'd definitely recommend their phos, bánh mi sandwiches and this Vietnamese pancake! My next dish on my list is the Bo Luc Lac. It's supposedly delicious and I don't doubt it. read more

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This used to be my favorite restaurant; I frequented this establishment often with friends and family. We used to have birthday parties there. Now the hostess is one of the rudest persons I have ever encountered at a restaurant. She does not offer you to be seated, she does not say hello, she takes her time in getting you a menu with no greeting at all. The food has always been good, but the last time I ordered to pick up, the Vietnamese pancake which is an appetizer, used to be $8.95, and the price has increased to $13.95. I couldn't understand why my bill was so high. I understand prices need to go up due to the issues that we're facing with Covid and supply chains, but this is excessive. You might as well consider it an entrée even though it's the same amount of food as it was before. I am going to be looking for a new Vietnamese restaurant to eat at from here on out. read more

The order of canh chua style pho was nothing but broth and shrimp. No pineapple, tomatoes, or herbs. The customer service is Zero the lady and her young son was not accommodating and very rude. They didn't ask what we would like to drink, no greeting at all. I went up to pay and her son was acting annoyed first off food was crap and customer service is lacking. Don't eat here if you are ever in Illinois. I'm from California for a visit this is very disappointing. Miles away from home can't even get a decent bowl of pho. Another thing when she brought out the egg rolls she just toss the plate on the table. Need I say more very rude! read more

Pho Dung Gia - Noooo! Not good at all! - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

The Pho was below average. I had to ask the waiter 10 minutes after our food was brought out that we were missing a meal and the waiter never asked if we needed anything. We ordered a Thai iced coffee but never received it. I would recommend Pho Tam in Morton Grove over this restaurant. read more

Pho sho = Fur Sure Very good Vietnamese food. They have stayed open and strong during this pandemic. They don't do delivery, but we've picked up food a couple times during the pandemic and the food was always good. The pho is really good. They have chicken wings as an appetizer. The wings are really small, not much meat on the bone, and are just ok. I wouldn't recommend the wings, but I'm giving 5 stars for the pho. read more

I ordered a brisket beef Pho and 95% of the beef was cartilage/fat. Overall the soup was okay but come on put at least 60% meat in it! Can we say INFLATION! read more

Pho Dung Gia - I ordered a brisket beef Pho and 95% of the beef was cartilage/fat. Overall the soup was okay but come on put at least 60% meat in it! - Vietnamese Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

I've been twice to this place so far and both times it's take out order. When I ordered the first time I got a Pho(Chicken Noodle Soup) which was delicious so I've decided to stop by again last night placed a Togo order for stir Fried Noodles(No 47) on the menu. The wait time isn't that bad, I usually had my food ready in 10-15 mins, The staff was friendly and the ambience was welcoming(Looks like a family owned place). Indoor seating is quiet good, will be good for larger groups too. They have enough room to accommodate. I never had a habit of cross checking to see if they give me the right order coz it was never messed up so far, maybe I should have this time. I went home and after an hour or so when i opened the food, I was totally disappointed. It's a completely different than what I placed., a curry dish with side of rice and soup. I could have explained it better if only I knew what it was. I can't complain after an hour of picking up the food so I ended up eating the same as I am confident the food tasted good last time I tried. It was okay though, chicken in the curry was little undercooked. I'd have given four stars for my previous experience, but it wasn't consistent this time. Overall I'd recommend .....as mistakes happen and it is very natural. Just be sure to double check when you pick the Order is what I can suggest. Also I did order papaya smoothie which was good too. read more

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I believe that this restaurant is up there with the very best Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago. It's located in Des Plaines so many people don't think to look here for amazing Vietnamese cuisines. However, it is truly a gem. They usually do not have waits unlike those located in Vietnamese town (Argyle/Broadway) I usually go with Pho Dac Biet (combination Vietnamese noodle soup, #38) and my wife gets the #41 which is some sort of beef and pork soup with lemon grass and oriental spices. She replaces the hue style noodle with the rice noodles though. I've also tried the #56 (pork chop) and #65 (beef cubes) and both are great! Top it all off with the Vietnamese coffee and you're set for an amazing, affordable lunch! (Don't drink the coffee in the afternoon; you won't be able to sleep at night!) read more

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Rude, DO NOT GO HERE! Either open a business to attend or stay home. Don't open a business to be in a bad mood.

Pho is fantastic, noodle bowls are also good. Food comes out fast, service is perfectly fine.