It was good. Great even. Is it the best pho I've had? No. Is it the best spring rolls I've had? Also no. But is is pretty damn good and will hit the spot? Yeah for sure. Food: 4/5 The pho was ....good. It didn't have the CRISP clean flavors that I was looking for...it felt like it was muddled and maybe didn't use aromatics that were toasted enough? Or the bones weren't skimmed well? Maybe it was a bad day. It was just good. Not mind blowing, not something i'd go for every day, and something I can definitely replicate, even exceed, in my own kitchen. All the different meats were good though and I enjoyed my bowl for sure. Spring rolls were a bit dry. Egg rolls were great. I can't remember what else we got but I DO remember the electricity went out and we had to leave haha. Service: They're okay. 4/5 Walks around and will come when you call for them. Typical asian restaurant stuff yaknow? Ambiance: They're popular. So it's TIGHT. Don't go with a group. Don't expect to sit right away unless you're at an off hour. They prefer cash. 3/5 Overall, there's better pho in the city. If you're in the area and desperate for pho, this place will make you happy. If you're in chicago/chicagoland looking for the best pho? let's keep looking. read more

Came in at about 8:30. They close at 9. I asked to sit in the corner. She said that I could not because someone would be sitting there soon. As soon as she sat us at the table across (no big deal), they started putting the chairs up to show they are closing. They started vacuuming and sweeping next to us while we were eating. I mean the place is small you could've waited 10 minutes for us to eat.. wasn't even closing time yet. The icing on the cake was when we ordered a chicken fried rice... had 0 vegetables in it. Chicken was dryer than the Sahara dessert. And smelled pretty rough. When I asked the manager/owner to come to my table she looked at me and said what happened? I said the chicken looks super dry and old. She turns around and rolls her eyes like I insulted her. No sugar the fact is there's other people that know how to cook to you know lol. But on the bright side she at least refunded that. Don't plan on coming back. 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 our go to Vietnamese restaurant! The food is good and we always order the same thing every time we go there! Their Fried Tofu with Salt and Pepper is a must order in my opinion as it is soooo good! Their service is great and the place is tiny but cozy at least for me. Words cannot express how good this place is! And if you haven't tried Pho Nam Lua yet I highly recommend it over the Pho place right next to it. read more

I have come here with my family many times and have never been disappointed. Food is consistent, generous portions, authentic favors, and clean! I have remembered the numbers of our must have as the pictures on the menus are so small and the descriptions are a bit ambiguous.. #89 for the rare beef salad, #29 for Hue Style spicy combo soup noodles and #30 for the grilled spork chop and egg roll on veg and vermicelli noodles! There are so many more dishes I yet have to try. Need a bigger party read more

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Hidden gem. The food and combinations of choices are outstanding. This is a great lunch or dinner place.

Craving pho on a cold day is definitely the best. First time coming here and I have to say the atmosphere is cute and cozy with all these art work on the wall. The food wise was good in my opinion. We ordered the crab rangoon, spring roll, and 2 pho's. The pho broth and noodle was delicious but the meat ball wasn't great. Everything else was delicious. They do plastic plates, cups, and of course wooden chopsticks. I'll be coming back once an awhile. read more

I was really looking to come here because of the high ratings and that The Hungry Hound said it was the best pho, a fact that they clearly are proud of. I of course got their 'special' with the oxtail in it, which is pricey but I figured was worth the price. I kind of wish I just went with the regular pho because the oxtail didn't make the broth richer and there wasn't much meat on the bone, it was just there as a showpiece basically and once I took it out it seemed like there wasn't much to it, usually there's a seeming gallon of broth left but there wasn't much. I went a second time and decided to forgo the ox tail for a simpler version which was better but not the most amazing pho I've had. read more

This is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Chicagoland. Almost everything on the menu is very good. The Pho and Bun Bo Hue are my favorites here. I eat here at least twice a month. Tip, if you order out for any stir fried foods, ask for a plastic container instead of foil and paper. They tend to pack the foods when very hot and leak as they cool. read more

There is nothing quite like a comforting bowl of pho. Pho 5lua went above and beyond in satisfying my craving for a hearty meal. I ordered the egg rolls, crab rangoon, and pho with rare slice steak. The egg rolls were crispy and tasteful. The crab rangoon didn't have my ideal filling to wonton wrapper ratio, but it was still delicious. Lastly, the pho had a great broth and great flavor. The noodles were the perfect consistency and the soup temperature was just right to cook the meat. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. As of July 2021, they require masks when you are not actively eating or drinking, so be sure to have one on hand. They have a private parking lot as well, so don't worry about having to find street parking! Great location overall. read more

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The food here is delicious and quick. The portion is big and they open very early in the morning! Service is nice and the place is clean. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The place is packed! It is a very small restaurant and the front door was crowded with people trying to order or trying to be seated. I'll give them points on how they were able to manage and multi tasking. They got all of our orders correct without taking anything down on a notepad. The shrimp fried rice was delicious. The pho was alright but the pho is my boyfriend's favorite. The Ong Choy was delicious but it has too much liquid. Other than the place is really small but customer service is fantastic. read more

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Great food, great service, genuinely Thai! Husband and I had 'spicy' pho (but not really spicy), curried snails, a dish with tofu and dandelion greens, and of course, the Tie iced coffee. Everything was delicious. read more

We ordered the oxtail pho, salted fish fried rice with shrimp, a fried chicken wings with fish sauce and iced coffee to share. Everything was great - the soup piping hot, although a little bit on the salty side, and the oxtail meat tender. The star of the table was definitely the salted fish fried rice with shrimp! It was well cooked and the salted fish not too overpowering. The shrimp was cooked just right and the rice grains separated with morsels of fried egg tying the dish together nicely. The fried chicken was crispy and was very flavorful, with onions and jalapeños adding contrasting textures, a sweetness and some heat. The iced coffee provided the sweetness we needed to wrap the meal up. The service was fast and friendly. The overall feel is a neighborhood mom and pop and it did feel homey. The artwork lining the wall gave it a much-needed color. Great job, Pho 5Lua! read more

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My family and I have been coming for years but recently the experience left much to be desired. We arrived lunch time during full house which was exciting for us to see. We sat down only to be left alone for 12 minutes waiting for a waitress or waiter to come take our order. Even the table who came after us ended up ordering and then receiving their food before us. When we received our first dish the spring rolls, they looked tasty but was not filled with much of anything as we expected herbs and such. The wrapper was also tough seemingly left in the fridge. Our Pho came out and we were happy to see the quantity of food even though it was a small. The broth itself was much sweeter than what we normally experienced. The tendons were tough and borderline inedible. Everything else was fine. We did enjoy the texture of the noodles because in other Viet restaurants, the noodles are usually overcooked. The last dish that came out was the water spinach. The first few bites were fine but after the dish cooled, you could taste the sweetness in the sauce and we could barely eat half of it. Price wise, it was okay with each bowl of noodles costing only $12 before tax. Spring rolls only 4.50, but the veggies were $15! Remember to go up to the cashier to pay because they won't come to your table. In addition to that, when we attempted to pay, we were almost overcharged by $30. Luckily I checked the machine before tapping my card. Also, be aware of the tipping. They have buttons and one is even set at 30%. If they had come over and asked how the food was or even bothered to offer water I would have considered. Truly disappointed from our most recent experience and hope they get it together because we have had some nice times at this location. Grade : B- read more

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This place was recommended by a vietnamese friend and it did not disappoint; it has quickly become the place to go for Asian cuisine. they serve good, solid food at affordable and competitive prices. located in a strip mall, it's easy to miss if you don't slow down ahead of time. The entrance is narrow and the store front doesn't face the street. As you enter the place. The aroma of fresh beef broth welcomes you as a preamble to what you are about to experience. The place is deceptively small, but they managed to fit about 50 chairs/customers. Colorfully decorated, the walls are covered with paintings from local artists, if not for the tables one may think you just entered an art gallery. Half if not more of the customers appear to be of Asian ancestry, a testament to the quality and authenticity of the food. The menu is large and can be a bit overwhelming at first. Especially for the uninitiated. With 94 items in the menu, most staple Asian dishes are represented; But most customers appear to order one of the Pho Noodle Soups. Their signature dish. Order one, and find out why. The menu lists 14 pho dishes, each with a different protein or a combination of a few. Most popular cuts of meat are represented. Two sizes are offered: small and large. The small serving is good enough, especially if an appetizer is ordered, but, I prefer the large size for the abundance of ingredients; eventhough I have never been able to finish the bowl. The portions are large, so bring your appetite and be willing to share a dish or two. Other dishes worth mentioning are: Fried Egg Noodles (try the combination beef, shrimp & chicken), The Chicken salad, shrimp soup, spring rolls & crab rangoon. So give them a visit.  Go for the pho and try one of the other dishes, chances are that you will return for more. P.S. This is a BYOB restaurant This is a no frill restaurant. I heard someone complain about the service once but I find it prompt and efficient; they take your order, they bring your order. Fast. Not many pleasantries are exchanged, but I'm here to eat and the food is the star of the show. read more

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Wanted to get some Pho because of the chilly weather. Went here on a recommendation from a friend who has been here many times. We checked out the menu in advance and ordered to go when we arrived to the restaurant. The restaurant is located in McCormick plaza on McCormick boulevard. The restaurant is very low key and casual, but, they do have interesting artwork on the walls. We ordered #2 Shrimp Spring Rolls (2 per order), #10 Pho Bo Kobe (Kobe Beef Noodle Soup) and #11 Pho Dac Biet (with slices of rare beef, well done rice noodles, briskt, flank, soft tendon, tripe, meatballs, and ox tail). A small order is $10.50 and a large one is $12.50. Our order was ready in less than 5 minutes (how awesome is that?) and it was still hot when we got it home. I was surprised at how much food was packed into my container for the Pho Dac Biet, in fact I was able to make 3 separate meals out of it. Both dishes were delicious and flavorful, but, I was really impressed with the Pho Dac Biet. I would not hesitate to order it again. The menu is extensive and we look forward to trying lot's of items on their menu and expect to return here many times. read more

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This was my go to place for pho because the broth were good the first two years of business. I don't know what happened but lately the broth flavors are not as good anymore . The last few times that I was there, the broth for chicken and beef pho were on the saltier side. The required veggies for pho are bean sprouts, basil, lime, sawtooth coriander, and jalapeño. They used to served all of them but now it has be reduced beansprout, basil, and limes. If you want jalapeños or sawtooth coriander, you need to ask for it. read more

I had begun my "countdown" to 500 reviews as Santa with "naughty or nice" and they were nice enough here...I just wasn't a fan of my meal. I ordered the beef pho, as per my usual. I'm not sure what happened on my order but the beef was just not edible. It was so fatty that it was unfortunately dripping with fat (and it was more "chewy" than easy to chew) and the noodles were unevenly cooked. The spring rolls were pretty good however. I have to think with all the good reviews that something just went sideways with my order but for the most part the meal didn't suit my taste buds. read more

Pho choices were great! I got the Bun Bo Hue and I think my husband got oxtail if I'm not mistaken. I came here straight out of surgery lol. Not too far from north shore surgical center! Complementary tea, and our server was so sweet. She checked on us regularly. Will be back! read more

they have 12 year old kids taking your order and at cash register. you already know it's bomb food. all the viet aunties in the back making the food. it feels just like Vietnam feels like a small shop in Saigon read more

Pho 5lua is located at 6261 N McCormick Blvd across the street from Home Depot. We've driven by here on many occasions and decided to stop in tonight to grab a bite to eat. When we arrived around 7pm there was only one other table occupied. While we were ordering and waiting for our food the restaurant filled up pretty quickly. By about 7:30 almost every seat was taken. Pho 5lua is a cool little Vietnamese restaurant. The interior walls are lined with artwork from various artists of unknown origin. They have a fairly large menu (5 pages) and having never been there we were trying to decide what we wanted to order. We tried asking the waitress, but she either didn't understand English or didn't seem willing to help (so much for service). For a change neither of us ordered pho, but have heard that it's pretty good here (next time). We saw a few orders coming out in these ginormous bowls. My wife ordered a dish w/Chicken, broccoli, green onions, red peppers, celery & bean sprouts stir fried w/egg noodles very similar to pancit noodles for $9. I ordered a large combo w/fried egg noodles, shrimp, chicken & beef w/bokchoy, celery, broccoli, baby corn & red peppers for $12. The crispy fried noodles added a nice texture & crunch. Both of the dishes we ordered were generous sized portions all but assuring that we would have left overs. Very nice restaurant. The food was very good, the prices are reasonable but the service was really lacking. For this reason I can only give them a 4 star rating read more

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Sometimes getting to Argyle for a bowl of pho is inconvenient, so I ventured up north to Pho 5lua. Location is off a strip mall so parking is convenient and with the pandemic, they've even opened up a little patio space for outdoor seating. Back to the food, the pho is clean, sweet and satisfying. I got the "Kobe beef" pho, which comes as slices of beef. Overall, definitely hits the spot and I generally love pho when I am a bit under the weather. I got a few other things like the cold bun rice noodles which I usually always crave and some chicken. Those items were just okay, the chicken wings were dry and was just the little drumlets from the wing. There is more than pho with some unique items I may try next time. Service is nice for take out as the girl came out to deliver my food while I waited outside. read more

My favorite place in Chicago to get pho. Every time I go there, I am never disappointed. This is the place I take my friends who are from out-of-state to eat pho. That is all. Best pho in Chicago. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great pho. Very flavourful broth and the service is great great. Looking forward to trying their other menu items.

2nd time coming here, FOOD AMAZING AMAZINGLY SCRUMPTIOUS !! The service is 10/10 so welcoming and not a long wait. the decor and just everything about this place is so amazing definitely want them to win a michelin star cause it's so so good. read more

had carried out from this place,they were nice,friendly. They had all my foods ready when I came to pick it up . The restaurant was small,not brightly light, parking was free in the small parking lot, but we didn't have problem looking for parking space, it was at lunch time on the weekdays.. We ordered the chicken phở n beef special phở. We ordered both large, it was delicious n enough for 2 people for each bowl. I highly recommend it, I bought for my family members n they both liked it a lot. They asked for the restaurant,so they can try it themselves. This would be my go to place if I want to have the best Phở in Chicago from now on. read more

Best pho in the city. I've had the #11 Pho Kobe and #17 Pho Thai over a dozen times. Sometimes I order #60 their Combination stir fried noodles with beef, shrimp, and chicken to go. Everything is incredible. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Pho Thai #17 - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Inexpensive, delish and it's a BYOB! Food is very flavorful. The beef short ribs were cooked perfectly. I will definitely be back to try other items on the menu... read more

Pho Nam Lua - Beef short ribs... - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food. I always get the Kobe beef or the oxtail soup if I'm in a group. The art is great but very old.

Very good pho small place food was absolutely delicious . I don't think I have ever food as we had this place .

One of the best Vietnamese restaurants I have been in a while. Food it was very delicious and it feels very authentic, even the restaurant decor it felt like a traditional Vietnamese house. This is a hidden gem in Lincolnwood area, definitely a must to try. If you live farther don't worry, they have all the delivery companies available. read more

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I wasn't too impressed with what we got although it was not bad and it didn't have that special zing to make it stand out form other Pho places around town. I was t sure why it was so busy and it could have been that it was the only type of restaurant within a mile radius of the area. Maybe the people who can there has creeped up from the East side if the Kimball. If this place is open really late or past midnight, it's a decent enough place to visit again if i am in the situation. It's a pleasant environment and they spent some time to decorate the place to make it interesting and unique. Lots of families with different age groups come visit and it seems like a flow of people that kept on coming in with little or no wait time. Just not sure why it is so popular. Nice people and please to give them some business. Please review my other reviews as well. Hit a few thumbs up below and my other reviews if this was helpful to you. Thanks. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Wall shot - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The service and food was unfortunately disappointing. We went here on a cold Sunday and upon arrival, we were seated at a table right by the blowing ceiling fans. We wanted to move to a different table, but unfortunately that was the only table available and it's a pretty small space. The service really bothered me at Pho Nam Lua. I had to ask the server three times before they were able to bring us water, while other customers were being served and brought waters promptly as soon as they were seated. We ordered the following for food: crispy chicken wings for appetizers, large pho special noodle soup, and grilled beef short ribs with Chinese sausage and sunny side egg. The dishes were all served at the same time. The large pho we noticed became pretty much room temperature after a few minutes because of the ceiling fan right on top of us so we couldn't enjoy the dish. What I usually crave with pho is the warm broth and how it hits as soon as you take a slurp of the soup. We were basically eating cold soup. We also ordered a soda in which they completely forgot and served it to us more than halfway through our meal. The servers also had a major attitude when we had to call them over for any kind of requests (extra napkins, soup spoons & bowls for sharing). The smaller bowls they provided for sharing had cracks and were chipped on the side which in my opinion made it unsafe to serve to customers. I was excited to try this place but I will not be returning. The food they served didn't have any "wow" factor to attract me to come back and their customer service wasn't great. There are so many other pho restaurants to choose from in Chicago so to provide this kind of service, I'd rather go elsewhere. read more

This is not my top spot, but the pho here is still really good. There's actually a newer pho spot literally right next to this, but this is much better. I normally order the pho with just tendons. I measure how good a pho is by the flavor of the broth without adding anything to it. This place is convenient for me so I will probably be back and try some of the other items. read more

Pho Nam Lua - Pho with just tendons - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was missing out by not ordering the House special pho! The broth tasted even deeper than the pho tai I usually order. Also the oxtail, it was so meaty! Also, I don't know why I didn't order the crab rangoon sooner. I'm just looking forward to the weekend so I can hurry back to order everything again! read more

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Very fresh and tasty. Price is reasonable, portion size for Large of pho quite plentiful. The #10 pho is the house special and has a good mixture of ingredients. The iced coffee was refreshing and quite strong, we added more ice to dilute and share. The #50 rice plate with pork and Chinese sausage was quite nice as an additional dish, the pork was cooked nicely, with some vegetables and rice as well. The shrimp and pork rolls were quite good and fresh, but maybe not incredible / outstanding - very solid though! We also got the bun Bo hue, which was good, a bit spicy, with a nice texture of food but maybe more 4 out of 5 than 5. Service was pretty good, it's a small & popular place, so staff definitely busy but eventually if you make sure to keep track of the stuff you requested, you will eventually get it! Friendly, sociable, and collaborative team of staff. A lot of to-go orders as well Parking lot is also a bit small and tight but sufficient. Seems like the area has an array of neat, culturally diverse restaurants. This one is a gem to have! Definitely will go back again often! read more

Pho Nam Lua - Vietnamese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been coming here for years, still the best spot in town for Pho. Best bang for your buck, but their Pho is so flavorful

So pho king good Had the oxtail pho, my daughter had the chicken pho, and we always get the fresh spring rolls too. Never disappoints

After visiting for probably the 5th or 6th time at this establishment, I can't believe I have not provided a yelp review to say that the food here is pretty delicious and well prepared. I've had the wings, spring rolls, pho, the hot pot stew, and bo bun hue and they're all good except the spring rolls which are not exceptional. Best spring rolls are still at Tank Noodles. The service is very kind and attentive every time I've been and there is a parking lot, which are both very much appreciated. But the food is not so exceptional that you should trek all the way from city center to eat here all the way out in Lincolnwood. If you're in the area and crave Vietnamese food, this is a great stop! read more

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