Always a good experience when we come. Hole in the wall authentic. Broth is flavorful, simple, and not overly salty or sweet. Plenty of meat to noodle ratio. Lots of fresh ingredients. Love that they use ox tail because it's tender and fall apart! Wish this place had more seating and bigger. Otherwise expect a tight fit but they get you in and out quick. Friendly staff, viet speaking. We've been twice now and will continue to return every time we visit Chicago. There is a parking lot for the restaurant, not street parking, luckily! Happy eating! read more

Pho Nam Lua - 11. Pho Dac Biet (Special Noodle Soup) 41. Com Chien Duong Chau - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was very sad to see that a fire closed down my favorite spot for pho. Pho Nam Lua, So I went to a different place that I went to before I knew about Pho Nam lua it was okay but no where near to Pho Nam Lua I tried again the other day still boarded up I tried a near by place it was awful! The tendon was hard and chewy I sure hope Pho Nam Lua opens again soon we need them. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Tendon and beef 14 pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Good Vietnamese food place. Quick services and good portion of food that worth the money! Small store, so you may experience wait time if they are busy. Pho Dac Biet: 4/5 - good portion, lots of protein, tasty broth Bun Bo Hue: 4.5/5 - spicy broth, come with ox tail. All noodles dishes come with a plate of veggie! read more

See all

The first time I came here was with my family when I was in highschool. I ate here alot back in the day. Since I've moved, I haven't been able to eat here again until today. Came in for lunch and the place was packed! That made me happy that it's still popular. To start, I got the pork and shrimp spring rolls. It was very fresh and delicious. For my entree, I got the oxtail pho cause I haven't had oxtail in a while. The viet places I've been too recently don't offer oxtail so I seized my opportunity here. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Pork and shrimp spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Quick, simple, flavorful pho in a medium sized restaurant. Rating 9/10 Pros: Quick service, fair price. Cons: None. read more

Pho Nam Lua - 11. Pho Dac Biet (Special Noodle Soup) - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This is my first pho in Chicago so I can't comment on whether or not it's the best here but I can say that it is very, very good. The broth is flavorful with just the slightest amount of sweetness and they have oxtail. That's pretty special all by itself. Service is fast and efficient and the atmosphere is nonexistent. The restaurant has its own convenient parking and keep in mind that the large pho is just about bathtub-sized. I'm looking forward to trying more of the menu. read more

See all

Pho Nam Lua is consistently provides top tier Bun Bo Hue. The spicy lemongrass broth is so flavorful and hits the spot. You know it's a legit Vietnamese restaurant when it's 9am and people are already eating there. I tried their Vietnamese coffee this time which was really good and comes out really quickly. Whenever I'm hungover or not feeling well, a bowl of their pho or Bun Bo Hue always makes me feel better! read more

Pho Nam Lua is Vietnamese Heaven! Some of the BEST pho on the Northside of Chicago. Situated within the Heart border of Lincolnwood & North Chicago, this restaurant resides within the melting pot community it proudly serves. My personal favorite food aside from the Pho in this place are the flavorful appetizers found in Pho 5lua's cripsy chicken wings, crab rangoon, and their spring rolls. They also serve up big plates of fried rice when you order, enough for 4 people per plate. Service is always fast and attentive here and the ambiance this place gives is one of community & family. It may not be the biggest restaurant and it is most definitely a whole in the wall. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a solid pho restaurant. It's a small space, with about a dozen tables so you may have to wait a few minutes when they're busy on weekends. But it's worth the wait. The broth is punchy and hearty, the mark of a good pho shop. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Fried chicken wings - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

By far the best PHO experience in the game. We were appalled when we noticed another Pho establishment open up right next door...we knew we had to go to the OG mom and pop shoppe when everyone was in here on a rainy day. Really great services and really great prices. The food was fantastic from start to finish. 6 crab Rangoons for 6.00...I must have been high because that felt too good to be true. Not to mention they were packed to the brim with filling and a good crunch. Great shrimp spring rolls and a solid classic choice in their #17 flank steak pho with extra noodles. They do NOT skimp on portions here. It was a magnetic experience for a gloomy and rainy day; perfect pho weather. read more

See all

I changed my review to one star because the service here is terrible! The taste and quality of the food also deteriorated. My mother was ignored multiple times by the rude waitresses when she asked for fish sauce, they gave us a broken chipped plate to eat on till we asked for another one, the waitress grabbed the plate from the table and my father was still eating and the combination fried rice was so bland it had like zero flavor!!! I'm truly baffled how this place gets business with the kind of service they provide. We asked for to go boxes and the one they gave us had smeared blue ink all over it. I will never dine in here after today. No thank you!! All the waitresses here have zero social skills and no manners. It feels like a bad episode of M.A.S.H dining here. So depressing. Why would you serve paying customers a crusty, broken plate? Are you guys that careless? Get it together! Totally unacceptable. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Spicy chicken wings, 30. Bun Thit Heo Nuong Cha Gio - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This Vietnamese place is in a region that's close to where we were at and that we had previously been. There are parking lots (free). We got spring rolls, stir-fried egg noodles (beef) and seafood noodle soup. All were so good! They were big portions for the price. We'd like to come here again! read more

See all

I don't normally do a review after only 1 visit but thr meal that good no reason to wait for a 2nd visit Our regular Pho spot is closed on Thursday so we tried these guys out and were not disappointed at all We both got Pho Tai (Rare Beef) the Broth was on point with lots of depth and flavor The Rare beef was still pink so very fresh and the noodles weren't stuck together this was a perfect meal We both left full and very satisfied that we have a backup to our usual stop This is a small place with limited space so be patient if it busy it filled up while we were eating. just wish they made fruit smoothies for my husband. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Pho Tai - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hands down THEE best pho I've tried in Chicago and suburbs. Not only is it a generous size, the price is unbeatable for the flavor it delivers. Instantly brought comfort to my soul and peace to my heart upon sipping on this broth! Meat was soft as butter melting in my mouth 11/10. The wings were the bestttt the CROONCH was REAL! The calamari was also crunchy yet soft in the inside. Amazing everything was amazing. Will definitely be back read more

See all

I am so sad to hear you guys have closed. I hope you open up one day! Your food is amazing!!

I've been to Nam Lua many times and I feel that it has decreased in quality lately. We got a few of their dishes which we always get but it seems there's quality changes as their Goi Ga was not the same as it had been before. I do like their salt and pepper tofu but with the quality shifts going downward every-time we have gone it makes us steer clear. For the prices in comparison to other Vietnamese spots in the area it is not as worth it. read more

Amazing, authentic Vietnamese food. My favorite things to order here are the crab rangoons, shrimp tempura, Bun bo hue, Com suon, and salt and pepper tofu. They are all delicious and very flavorful and authentic. My only complaint is that the prices have been increasing and the food has gotten more on the expensive side. The restaurant is generally clean and offers hand sanitizer at the entrance. Service is fine and the waiters are friendly and normal. Food comes pretty quick, a 15 minute wait max. read more

My favorite place in the city for bun bo hue!! I also love their pho and I also always get the Combination stir fry noodle #60 - the portion is absolutely MASSIVE. Always enough for another meal afterwards. Great crab rangoons as well, perfect ratio and always comes out pipping hot. read more

See all

I saved this place on yelp a while back because I wanted to try the bun Bo hue here. I like the portion size here. I like my bun Bo hue spicy. The flavor here is missing the lemongrass taste and could be spicier. The pho is good. Lots of meat and noodle. There are two options to the pho, the bigger bowl portion pretty big. The staff are quick. The food came out pretty fast despite they are super busy today. read more

See all

Our favorite pho spot and it always hits. Their spicy chicken wings is a must, it's not that spicy and has a sweetness to it. Their brisket & meatball pho is our go-to pho and out kids always ask for more. read more

This place is my go-to pho spot. Mostly because it's closer to me than driving to Argyle, but also because I think they serve a really good bowl of pho. I usually go with the pho dac biet (aka the special/all the meats), but will occasionally mix it up with bun bo hue or com suon nuong (marinated pork). All of it is super solid and you'll get no complaints from me. Service is pretty prompt even when they're busy and ambiance is pretty cozy. Sometimes it'll get pretty packed and you'll need a wait, but I haven't had too many issues on that. Servers are always friendly and price is about on par with what you'd expect these days. Overall, really like this place and am so glad it opened up more north than Argyle. Definitely if you live in Evanston/Skokie I'd recommend saving the drive to Argyle and just getting your viet fix here. It's just as good and you don't have to deal with the chaos of Argyle parking lol. read more

Pho Nam Lua - 11. Pho Dac Biet (Special Noodle Soup) - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Okay, this has gotta be some of the best Pho of my LIFE!!!!! Genuinely so good for the price oh my goodness. I've been other places for more expensive, but Pho Nam Lua is as good if not better. I got the custom pho size small for 14 dollars and I even had leftovers. Their small is basically a large still but they do also have a large option. You definitely get what you pay for. And what my partner got was SOOO GOOD. The staff so so sweet and hardworking and the seating was tight but it felt cozy and warm. Love it here, I will be back so often read more

For those who can read, the name of this place gives it away that they have pho on the menu of course. It can be gathered the pho is the recommended item for sure. Pho Nam Lua also has other foods, but you should get the signature item though. Has a few varieties of it. There's meaty and vegetarian based options. Anyone looking for a good pho should check this place out and get a bowl. It may not be a fancy place but it has it's own kind of charm though. This is a pretty small place in a plaza on McCormick near Devon, so head a bit west from all those Indian restaurants and try out some Vietnamese. It's about $12 a bowl. We got the vegetarian one. It's the Pho Chay. This is made with a vegetable broth and has noodles and tofu. Lots of vegetables in it. There's bean sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, and more. Good prices on most of the items. It has okay but sometimes slow ass service. There's mostly pho, and get the Pho Chay if looking for something vegetarian. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Pho Chay - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

My husband and I found this vietnamese restaurant mentioned in the reviews of another vietnamese restaurant, and we decided to give it a try. On our last visit, we got summer rolls, chicken wings, pho, bun bo hue, and stir-fried wide noodles. The pho is above average. You can definitely taste a higher quality of meat compared to other restaurants, and they also give you a piece of oxtail. The meat isn't excessively fatty, cartilaged, or tough. And the portions are very filling. I got a large, and I had enough for another meal left over. The bun bo hue is also great. No complaints. The stir-fried noodles are a bit oily, but it's still delicious. The portions are very large for this dish as well. You can get shrimp, beef, or chicken, or all 3 of them, and it's all the same price. However, I wouldn't recommend ordering the chicken wings. They were lacking in flavor and dry. Of note, they weren't terribly expensive. $6 for 6 wings if you want a filling appetizer without breaking the bank. The summer rolls weren't anything special either, pretty standard. Overall, this restaurant is pretty solid. It's got a nice atmosphere and good prices. The noodle dishes taste above average, and the service is good. Plus, they have their own parking lot! read more

See all

Great food and priced well. Good for quick lunch, so much flavor on each dish. Just gonna smell like food when you get out :) . Its worth it

Cute local Vietnamese restaurant in the neighborhood. Small cozy place for the days you're craving a bowl of pho or something more. Food is flavorful so be cautious if expecting something mild. read more

See all

My fiancé's family always loves going here when they don't want to drive to Argyle for quality Vietnamese food. It never disappoints! The service is attentive. Prices are fair. Free parking in the shared plaza lot. I ordered the bun thit nuong cha gio - grilled pork with vermicelli noodles and egg rolls. Comes with fish sauce and so much protein! I feel like some places usually skimp on the protein but this was a solid portion. The egg roll (or cha gio) was also the best I've had at a restaurant hands down. My fiancé ordered the bun Bo hue - spicy beef noodle soup. Super flavorful, not overly spicy, and came with the usual veggie accompaniments. Wish we saved the broth to take home and have leftovers! Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for Vietnamese food outside of Argyle! read more

Pho Nam Lua - 29. Bun Bo Hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Ordered for delivery! The broth for both the pho tai and bon bo hue were delicious! The portion sizes were HUGE and the fried rice was one of my favorite I've tried. Definitely will be ordering again! read more

Pho Nam Lua - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Friendly serive and legit Thai food. You can smell that authentic Asian food smell right when you walk in (coming from a fellow Asian). I got the veg pan fried noodles and my co-workers all got the pho bowls. The portions were enormous and tasty. The spring rolls were also excellent. Will keep it on the list for future Chicago business trips! read more

This is a pretty nice and warm bowl of pho. Just a tad sweet. But if you had some jalapeños for spice and dip your meats in hoisin sauce... it's quite good. Don't really like the interior, makes me feel a bit claustrophobic. Service is fast read more

Pho Nam Lua - 17. Pho Tai (Rare Steak) - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My family and I have been coming here over the past few years and it's a beloved favorite. Why? They serve hearty bowls of pho and have a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes that is budget-friendly and also delicious. I love to meet my family here for weekend dinners and then order take-out to have more portions for the week. Some of the main items I love to order: Chopped Chicken Pho Spring rolls (meat & shrimp) served with 2 rolls Fried Crispy Chicken Wings Pho Dac Biet Fried Tofu with Salt Their rice vermicelli bowls are also huge portions with fresh ingredients including Thai mint, pickled shredded daikon and carrot, and mung bean sprouts atop crushed peanuts and marinated pork slices. I'm go-to usually beef pho in any other Vietnamese restaurant, but at Pho Nam Lua, their Chopped Chicken Pho here is supreme. (Not the shredded chicken, specifically the chopped chicken!) Their broth is so clear and flavorful, and served with quail eggs, giblets (like gizzard & liver), plus you'll have generous portions of dark meat and white meat; everything is tender and perfect. The bowl topped with sliced sweet onion and chopped cilantro. Comfort food for the soul. During the pandemic, they still serve pho in large white ceramic bowls with soup spoons, but serve all of their other sides on disposable plates. Their chopsticks and cutlery are also disposable - staff will bring out utensils with your food, so there isn't the usual stash of chopsticks & spoons sitting on the table in a holder by the hoisin & sriracha. A bonus is that this restaurant has its own private lot for parking. This spot is always at the top of my list for pho on the northside! read more

See all

I've not eaten a lot of Pho in my life, but theirs is incredible. Order it. You won't be disappointed. We get the beef. I could eat it happily 2-3 times/week read more

Pho is amazing here! Very tasty broth! Quick service! Lunch times are busy, but always been a table available. Their large fried rice is big enough to feed a party of 4-6 ! Yum! read more

Pho Nam Lua is a North Side treasure, and while their pho is straight-up insane--rich, aromatic broth with all the fatty beef and tender noodle goodness you could dream of--you've GOT to try the Bún Bò Huế. Hands down, it's the best I've ever had. That spicy, lemongrass-packed broth hits you with a bold, savory punch, and the pork and beef combo with those thick, round noodles? Perfection. It's got this deep, fiery soul that pho can only dream of matching. The place itself is no-frills--strip mall vibes, quick service, and a packed house at peak times--but the food speaks louder than the decor ever could. Pro tip: get there early for dinner or you're waiting. Pho's unreal, but the Bún Bò Huế stole my heart. I'm still thinking about it! read more

Pho 5Lua is a part of my family's dining out rotation. There's limited seating so you might have to wait but you're probably in a better mood to do so because there's ample free parking on site. There's art covering one wall with the rest of the space floor to ceiling windows so you don't feel cramped despite the small footprint. My family always gets some combination of fresh spring rolls, speciality/combo pho, vermicelli noodle bowls, and/or pork chop with rice. Eating here brings back great memories, highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

Pho Nam Lua - 30. Bun Thit Heo Nuong Cha Gio - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

One of our favorite local spots, good food and prices, and fast service. We come here at least a few times a month. read more

Pho Nam Lua - One of our fav local places. Good food and price, fast service. - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Authentic -- Great pho. Vietnamese style Egg rolls are great as well. Best I've had of both outside of Argyle. read more

I really like Pho 5 lua overall, but this one experience was alright. I ordered the chicken pho and was super excited when I saw it did have freshly chopped chicken pieces. The noodles were great, the broth was hot, and the chicken was chewy, as expected from fresh chicken. The only thing that made it difficult to eat was how salty the broth was. It was manageable and definitely edible, but I wished there was a lot less sodium and more chicken stock flavor. It tasted like the regular beef pho broth my mom ordered too. Complimentary water would've been nice to get rid of some of the saltiness, but probably because of the pandemic, you have to buy water bottles instead. As for the atmosphere and service, they were great! I would definitely dine in again, and also take out if covid cases rise and I want to eat at home. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Chicken pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is a gem. They have so many choices for their sandwiches, bread is out of this world. They have the best spring rolls, don't forget to ask for chili sauce. Their fruit smoothies are also delicious read more

oh my god so good. do not hesitate to order the beef rib pho. it is incredibly tender and falls apart and my goodness is it a bang for your buck. u will have enough food tk last you three or four meals. look at that fried rice. are u kidding me. huge portions and so delicious the mixed pho had so much in it it was crazy. worth it 1000% read more

Pho Nam Lua - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all