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    Yao's cafe

    4.3 (28 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    This place is great! My coworkers and I ordered for our Christmas meal and they were so accommodating! Took our order the day before and scheduled for noon the next day. They came right on time and the food was amazing! Highly recommend!

    I ordered jumbo shrimp fried rice because I'm a PESCATARIAN, rice was good until I realized there was chicken and/or beef in it. I haven't eaten this type of meat in years, now I'm sick on the day of a big event. Thanks Yao!

    L15. Lo Mein with Protein Lunch Special
    Daneli H.

    This place was so cute, the people are kind and friendly, and the food and drink I got were delicious! I wish you could see the steam coming off my food. The lunch special was a hefty portion, the beef was tender, veggies crisp, egg roll perfect. I'm so excited to go back sometime. They've only been open for 2 months but they've got it figured out! Service was fast but the food is still perfectly made. My milk tea is sweet but not overly so, and a great balanced flavor. Loved it all!

    The restaurant is catered for take out. It is clean and has only 2 tables for dine in. When you dine in, your food comes in take out containers already. There is free parking on the streets. The service was great. Workers were friendly and welcoming. I ordered beef and broccoli, salt and pepper fish, Yang chow fried rice, fried tofu, egg rolls, and 3 drinks. The food had good flavor. Their salt and pepper breading was too much. It wasn't the light and crispy batter that I was expecting but it wasn't bad. The drinks were good. I really liked the lychee green tea. The tea was refreshing and light. This is a pretty good Chinese restaurant that's not located in Chinatown. I will come here more often.

    Cool logo
    Tasha F.

    The restaurant is so cute. It is small, but well-designed. The neutral colors with adornments of greenery are perfect. The food is fresh and delicious. One of the best egg rolls I've ever had. The shrimp shumai was phenomenal. We ordered Singapore noodles and the shrimp broccoli lunch special. Everything was super fresh. We also got the mango bubble tea and a hot honey milk tea. Both were excellent and the boba in the mango was fresh and delicious. The staff is very friendly and welcoming and the space is very clean.

    Wow...delicious... on the menu the # 1002 sweet & sour beijing style pork chop...

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    1 month ago

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    9 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

    I was very impressed. I ordered L8 and strawberry & banana smoothie. Very delicious! This gonna be my go to place to eat.

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    1 year ago

    Always fresh. Great egg rolls. Neighborhood go to. It's a small place, probably best for take out. Always fast and friendly.

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    8 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    We love Yao's Food is exceptional and it's so cute inside!!! Service is pretty fast with ample parking in either sides of the streets.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious food, good portions for the price, and the cutest storefront. Yao's is one of our go-tos!

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    2 years ago

    The food is so salty we could barely eat it - took a few bites of each of the six dishes and each was salty AF!

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    3 years ago

    Great staff, tasty food, clean environment, and a family run buisness. Well recommended...

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    Dai Yee's Asian Kitchen is the underground emperor of late-night Chinese food in Chicago, the spot…read moreyour Uber driver, your bartender, and every chef in the city whispers about when they're truly hungry. Tucked into a no-frills corner on the South Side, Dai Yee's looks modest from the outside, but step in after 10 p.m. and it's pure magic. The room is packed with everybody--sneakerheads, nurses coming off shift, club kids, cops, and couples on first dates who somehow heard the legend. The vibe is chaotic in the best way: woks roaring, orders flying, and that unmistakable perfume of sizzling garlic, ginger, and chili filling the air. The food is straight-up stupid good. The Hong Kong-style salt & pepper smelts are crackly, spicy, and gone in 30 seconds. The beef chow fun has that elusive wok hei (breath of the wok) that most places only dream of, wide rice noodles slick with smoky char and tender flank steak. The black pepper beef tenderloin is velvet-soft, glossy, and aggressively peppery in a way that makes you order extra rice just to survive the happiness. The Singapore noodles are bright curry perfection, and the Mongolian beef is saucy, crispy-edged, and borderline addictive. Portions are straight out of the 90s--massive trays that could feed a family of four for under $15. Cash-only, BYOB, and everything comes out blazing hot in under ten minutes even when the place is slammed. The ladies running the show are legends: fast, funny, and they'll roast you (lovingly) if you can't handle the spice level you asked for. If you leave Chicago without hitting Dai Yee's at least once (preferably at 1 a.m. with a six-pack), you didn't really experience the city. This is real-deal, no-filter, soul-satisfying Chinese food that reminds you why we fall in love with restaurants in the first place. Dai Yee's isn't just a restaurant; it's a Chicago institution in the making. I'd wait in line in a blizzard for those smelts. See you at midnight.

    11/26/25 - I drove by here w/my wife today to eat lunch based on the reviews only to find that this…read moreis a pop up restaurant where you go & pick up your food & go. Dam I was disappointed we went away empty. Based on the reviews I really wanted to try this place but alas it wasn't meant to be. How do you give a rating to a restaurant you didn't eat at? Sorry I can't give you a 5 star rating but it's hard to judge on not eating your food

    Shang Noodle - Chicago - Har Gao

    Shang Noodle - Chicago

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    Such a pleasant, fulfilling surprise. By chance we stopped at Shang Noodle, looked in the window…read moreand was drawn inside. Atmosphere was great; a little noisy, but in a good way. Lots of friend groups and others, enjoying their together time, incredible meals, and just sharing together. Serious stuff: Ambiance was very inviting, letting all clientele the opportunity for unfettered enjoyment. Food was flavorful, sumptuous - just delicious and more than ample. Service; quick, courteous, attentive. Waitstaff proving good information on menu items and pairing suggestions. They checked on us several time, ensuring everything was to our liking. If ever back in Chicago, I will definitely be look for Shang Noodle!

    Went here on a whim last night after reading all the glowing reviews on Yelp. Before that, I…read morechecked out a few eateries on the 4th floor of the Nordstrom building, but nothing really stood out, and honestly, none of them seemed very busy and the one restaurant Lao sze chuan was way too expensive! So I decided to try Shang Noodle, tucked away on a side street off Grand Ave., just steps from Michigan Ave. It's a little off the beaten path, down a short flight of stairs and a block down. As soon as I walked in, nearly every seat was taken. The place was lively, energetic, and a bit boisterous, but in a good way. I figured that was a good sign that the food was good! At first, the host wanted to seat me at the bar, which I politely declined. I noticed a small single table open, pointed it out, and he kindly let me take it. No tude! My server was efficient, friendly, and very helpful with recommendations since it was my first visit. She suggested the pot stickers over the hot and sour soup, and the beef Chow Fun instead of chicken. The pot stickers were a little small, but very tasty. I also asked for some sweet and sour sauce, which paired nicely with them. For my main dish, I ordered the char-grilled beef Chow Fun. The portion size was generous, and the char-grilled beef had great flavor. A few of the noodles were a bit firm, likely undercooked, but overall it was still enjoyable. What I appreciated the most about Shang Noodle was the value. $18 for the beef Chow Fun and $9 for the pot stickers felt reasonable considering the portion sizes and location. I'll definitely be back, though next time I may try lunch instead.

    Sun Wah Bar-B-Que

    Sun Wah Bar-B-Que

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    Recently went to Sun Wah BBQ and had a great experience. We made same-day reservations for four,…read moreincluding pre-ordering the Peking duck, which made the process seamless, especially since weekend lines here can easily spill out onto the street. We ordered the roasted pork, Peking duck, and beef lo mein, and everything came out quickly. The highlight was easily the Peking duck, which was carved tableside right in front of us. Even better, the remaining duck was transformed into soup and fried rice included with the order, a satisfying (and delicious) bonus that made the experience feel complete. The roasted pork was perfectly salty with a crisp exterior, yet not greasy. The lo mein came with a bowl of soup, and while the noodles were a bit different than I expected, the egg noodles were still flavorful and the beef was tender. One standout detail: the chili oil. Most spots keep it fairly mild, but this was hands down the hottest I've ever had, and seriously packed with heat. Completely full and buzzing with lively chatter, it's easy to see why this place has been around for years and remains a local favorite.

    Tried a lot of dishes this time. Peking duck, BBQ pork fried rice, Fish, Beef chow fun, beef, egg…read moreplant etc. My favorites are BBQ Pork Fried Rice & Beef Chow Fun. I didn't think the others are worth the hype. Ambiance is modern, nice noisy & busy. They are really busy, so don't expect the waitress to be easily flagged down etc. Pro tip: If you are ordering Peking duck, ask to understand what it already may come with. Eg. Buns, soup, noodles, rice etc.

    Yao's cafe - chinese - Updated May 2026

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