Cafe Hoang
1020 W Argyle St, Chicago, IL, 60640
Cafe Hoang Menu
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Address :
1020 W Argyle St
Chicago, IL, 60640 - Phone (773) 878-9943
- Website https://www.cafehoang.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Aaron T.
Ambience/service - as you would expect in a typical viet restaurant, very casual, nothing special. Food - above average pho and bun bo hue. Good flavours. Papaya rare beef salad (forgot the name lol) was really good. Don't get the Iced beverages, so much ice. Verdict - not much else to say, 3.75/5, not bad!
(4)Trevor D.
Probably one of the better Vietnamese restaurants in viet town. Especially if you are looking for a good bowl of Bun Bo Hue. The soup had its sweet and spicy flavours that are classic to the dish. The restaurant itself is spacious and provided decent service, then again most vietnamese restaurants aren't really known for their superior service. Overall, this is the place to go for Bun Bo Hue in the Chicago area. I have not gotten the chance to try any of their other dishes but given how good their specialty dish is I can imagine that the pho or rice dishes would be just as good. Happy munching!
(4)Chad H.
I eat here at least once per week. A family run restaurant, they deliver consistent and delicious food. The owners are really nice, and if you stop in during the winter, they will treat you to hot tea while you wait for pick up. Classic Pho Ga (chicken soup) will make your bones warm and cure even the most sinister of hangovers.
(4)Lisa A.
It's inexpensive to eat here and it is clean and spacious to eat. Service is good. And I have found a new dish that I have fallen in love with...Bun Bo Hue with all the fixin's. You can order it without the pork blood and pig knuckles but it is all tasty in a shrimp paste based soup with spiciness that is done to perfection. Thanks to Don for recommending the dish. I'm sure to be back.
(5)Isabel C.
Came here on a whim with a friend on a cold Monday afternoon. Every other restaurant on the block was closed so we ended up here! Food was great! Classic pho and some egg roles. Pretty simple and delicious. Only complaint was slow service especially for how quiet it was in the restaurant.
(4)Sandra Y.
My favorite spot for bun bo hue! It's literally perfect here. Salty, spicy, sour, sweet, everything! I get cravings for it regularly. This is the one thing I will ALWAYS order. The 4 stars is for this. The banh xeo is ok, some days better than others. Their duck salad is really good too. Except one time they gave us chicken & thought we wouldn't notice..... I didn't say anything at the time, but ever since then, we've gotten duck :) I love the fish sauce with thai chili peppers. So simple, but so perfect.
(4)Kimmy N.
the best bun bo hue in chicago area!!! literally! i've been here a few times and have never been disappointed with their food! super fast, and friendly service! i love their bun bo hue. it's very flavorful and almost close to home. i'm super picky when it comes to vietnamese food considering my family makes the best hehehe. i also love the goi vit! it's amazing! lots of duck and flavor is very authentic! i also had their com dac bier. they give you a lot of meat, not enough veggies.
(4)Darren L.
I simply love this place. Everyone who is familiar with this neighborhood knows that this is the spot for the best Bun Bo Hue! For only about $8, you get a large bowl of it. The flavoring is just amazing and comes second to none. I literally eat the entire bowl - soup gone too. I usually never order anything else so I could not comment on other entrees but I'm certain they make other delicious foods. The server/waiter is very welcoming and friendly. Definitely recommend!
(5)Julie Y.
My experience here was great! I never get to eat Vietnamese too much but I was feeling sick n wanted some soup! First of all the service was outstanding! Food took a little longer than expected but I don't mind because it was obviously cause they were making everything fresh. Which it was! Everything I ate was really good except for the pancake but I can't judge cause I never liked it in the first place. (My mom n sister said it was a weird texture and too think and not crunchy enough.) Spicy duck salad was really good except I personally thought it had way too many bones which made it hard and annoying to eat. The favors were so good n perfect tho so I didn't care. The spring rolls were sooo good warm n fresh. (Best I've had in a while). Would go back just for those. And the blood soup was good too. Everything we ordered tasted good. It defiantly wasn't too salty like some Vietnamese restaurants can be. Also if you like spicy food ask for the hot pepper mixed with fish sauce. Super spicy only if u can handle it! Also these are all big servings. Had tons of food leftover. Basically only tried the soup and had the entire thing left. Don't forget to put in all the herbs!
(5)Sarah B.
This is the best Vietnamese place I've been to. The spicy lemon rare beef salad (#007) is like eating summer; it's chock full of citrus, fresh ginger, mint and basil, with onions, carrots and beef to fill it out. The Pho is fantastic. The broth is so hearty and flavorful! You're not limited to Vietnamese classics, either; try the Panang Curry--you'll be so glad you did! This is a great place to sit, talk, and drink tea--they don't rush you out. Quite the contrary--you need to ask them for the check if you ever want to leave--but why would you?
(5)Tian Y.
Ok so... I'm confused. I wanted bun bo hue yesterday and wanted to try the one the reviews have been raving about. My broth was .... Um. CLEAR. Transparent. With some chili flakes floating on top. What. Where are all the spicy delicious aromatics that make the broth that distinct red?? Looking again at the Yelp pictures I clearly did not receive the same broth I had expected. Underwhelming flavor too. Gonna go back to see if it was a fluke in a week or so, but... for now, I am deeply perplexed. Watch out for inconsistencies here and don't end up disappointing yourselves. But for what it's worth, it was served with the right kind of fixings and not the typical pho ones that other restaurants tend to give out. Also their banh xeo was too thick and overly crispy to the point of being too hard :( Good flavor though!
(2)Alex B.
I don't live in the area but we were in the mood to venture out. People I was with had been, so they recommended it was worth the trip - I can confirm. WORTH IT. Both similarities and difference to your standard Thai/Chinese menus. From little experience with Vietnamese, I was open to trying anything. So we ordered about 10 diff dishes and passed them along. So I'll try to run through these quickly because a few were stand-outs. Apps: Crab rangoon and Egg rolls were the best I've had in my entire life. No joke. The Pho soup was really awesome too, I have nothing to compare it to though. We got a few others appetizers that were decent, but get those three mentioned for sure. Moving on to main course. Catfish was bomb. And we got a few spicy chicken dishes that were also great. I don't have too much to say about the food here because I was full after stuffing my face with crab rangoon. But any room left in my stomach says it was all great. 5 stars because I loved the food, and it made a great first impression of Vietnamese food. BYOB as well.
(5)Alex B.
While I would not say Cafe Hoang is the best food in the neighborhood, it is among the best dining experiences. Decor and atmosphere are great, and the service is wonderful. I ordered spring rolls and Rare Beef Pho. The Spring Rolls were ordinary - fresh and flavorful. The Pho was very enjoyable and a very generous serving for what it cost. Overall the food was very good, but no better than any other Vietnamese restaurant on Argyle Street.
(4)Or G.
Good food, kind service . The food level is above the "neighborhood" Thai resturant. I didn't notice in the menu that my dish comes with peanuts, and they made me a new dish right away.
(5)Mike C.
Pho yo' enjoyment... You're not really going to Argyle street for awesome service, are you? C'mon let's be pho real...it's about the food. Service here is just fine...as attentive and occasionally absent as most authentic restaurants in this neighborhood. The food, though, is just wonderful. I've had pho in many variations, Vietnamese crepe (one of my faves!), their clay pot dishes, noodles, grilled pork chops, spicy beef salad. It's all delicious. The spice level is milder in my opinion, so just ask them to ramp it up if you want. BYOB is always a plus but their sinful Vietnamese coffee is delicious too. Forgot to mention it's incredibly inexpensive for what you get.
(5)Christina W.
They are know for their bun Bo hue. Best one in town!
(5)Vivian A.
The pho was fantastic. Also love that its byob with no corkage fee. The spring rolls with accompanying peanut sauce was amazing! friendly service. A solid 4 stars well deserved.
(4)Patty C.
Best spicy pork hock noodle (Bun Bo Hue) in town. This is a new location which is only half a block west of the old location. The new place is bigger with nicer tables and seats. The menu is still the same, thank God! Their crab meat noodle (Bun Rieu) is very tasty too. Service is nice, but weird. I asked for a fork and knife for my appetizer, and an extra setting. It took 3 people, five trips to get everything for me. I was getting a little annoyed, but they all did it with such a genuine smile that I just sat there waiting patiently. Other than that, it's always worth the drive for me.
(4)Ngoc N.
Standard vietnamese restaurant but I love their Bun Bo Hue. It's authentic, spicey and so so filling! Now that I'm living in a new city, I need to find replacements for my mama's cooking and this one is up there with regard to the Bun Bo Hue in my book.
(4)Ellen N.
Upsetting dining experience today. Food was fine at 1020 W. Argyle but the abundance of family members/employees sitting around in a myriad of tables along with the family's princess's phone making an upsetting lullaby sound everytime she received a message made for a distracted and uncomfortable meal. Not there again.
(2)Stanford K.
Bun bo hue is the best in uptown! Great flavor, great meat and broth! Went there from the recommendations of all of my Vietnamese friends. Now I don't get BBH from anywhere else! Probably should try their pho but their BBH is just that good!
(5)David N.
5 stars in regards to their food, especially pertaining to their Bun Bo Hue. By far, way way way better than any other place for bbh...however, the service is stupid bad most of the time. Usually, I would dock one star due to service, but it seems like the owners permits/loves to continue hiring rude idiots. Unfortunate, but I don't see myself ever eating in again. To go it is.
(3)Kevin N.
On Argyle street, Vietnamese pho places seem to be a dime a dozen. We went in here upon Yelp reviews of how good the Bun Bo Hue was. Service: 3 stars, the staff were young and somewhat attentive, but hard to get a smile on their faces. Nonetheless, they did their job perfectly fine, so nothing wrong with that! Atmosphere/decor: 3.5 stars, it was a traditional pho place, nothing too fancy, nothing too dirty, just a little dark. There wasn't enough natural light for my liking, but I guess it's hard when the only light coming in is from one side of the restaurant. Food: 5 stars, now this is where this place shines, the Bun Bo Hue was the best I've ever tasted, and my friend's Bun Rieu had also a very flavourful soup base. The side dish of veggies that you put on your noodle soup came pre-shredded and pre-mixed. Some people may like that, some may not, but to me I preferred it so I didn't have to shred my own lettuce. Conclusion: This place is definitely very tasty, and worth making the trip to Argyle st for. I have a feeling all of their soup noodles will be just as tasty as the Bun Bo Hue!
(4)Kristin H.
Tremendous spicy chicken salad! Amazing spicy, savory, sweet and tangy flavors all mixed together in a delectable way. We will be back!
(5)Keith S.
I can definitely confirm that the Bun Bo Hue is delicious. However, the service was horrible. I ordered an iced coffee, shrimp rolls, and the soup. I was then left with an empty table and a glass of water for thirty minutes. Every time I tried to find a server, they were all in the kitchen. The shrimp rolls were dropped off and the soup thirty seconds later. I couldn't even ask about the coffee as the waitstaff made absolutely no eye contact or listened to what I was saying. Halfway through my meal, I finally turned my chair around to face the kitchen until I got someone's attention. Once I was done, I had to wait even longer for the check. I was finally able to get their attention and get out of there, probably because I was the last customer still there and standing out like a sore thumb...my waitress even caught my eye and, as I waved, sighed and turned back to her smartphone (it should be noted that our only interaction up to that point had been my order and maybe one or two smiles) - I actually had to ask for my check from the guy cleaning tables for closing, who then got another member of the waitstaff to find my check. I was there for an hour and a half - thank god I had no plans to be anywhere. A laughable service experience for sure. Hopefully it was just a fluke because their food is great.
(2)Linda L.
So I came here because of the best Bun Bo Hue. I have to say, it's pretty good as people have said. If you eat spicy like I am, you might have to add more hot sauce because it wasn't spicy at all for me.
(4)Tina P.
Go here for their bun bo hue. They do it pretty well here. Otherwise, I'm still looking for a decent place in Chicago for pho. :(
(3)Amy D.
Bottom line: Authentic. Time: Late lunch around 2:00PM Occasion: Craving spicy beef noodles!!! Party of 2 (me and my stomach). Service: Good. - Attentive on my water refill because that noodle soup is spicy! Food: Spicy and awesome - Known for their spicy beef noodle soup (Bun Bo Hue). Get it first and thank me later. - Next best thing on the menu is the crabmeat noodle soup, for the non spicy eaters. Authentic for just the right price. Almost as good as how my mama makes it. Two thumbs up!
(5)Mink L.
So sad. Cafe hoang used to be my favorited Vietnamese restaurant, but I'm not sure what happened but I think they may have a new chef or it was just an off day. Bum Bo Hue is the only dish dish I order every time I come here and today the soup was bland, the pork hock was hard as a rock when usually it's fall off the bone tender. When I told the server, he just took the dish and walked away as I was talking stating," if you don't like it, I'll get a new one." The broth was completely tastelessness. So sad. Where will I get my Bum Bo Hue? Also ordered spring rolls and egg rolls as appetizers. Both were very mediocre. May have to to back to Tank.
(2)Giang L.
Great Vietnamese food at reasonable price! I especially love their bun bo Hue. It's very authentic and delicious
(5)Bri B.
I miss Vietnam like I miss my grandmama's gumbo on a cold day living up here in Chicago. So, sometimes I just feel like a delicious side of $1 old lady street food just like I had on the streets of Saigon. Well, this is about as close as I can get, so I'll take it for now. I love fried spring rolls and the Vietnamese Pancake here. Like I said, nothing like Vietnam, but still cheap by American standards and okay. Yes, the decor/service is outdated, but don't expect an extravagant location. Like I said, they serve things on the streets back in Vietnam, but I'd actually go back. After eating, I like to go to Ba Le down the street and get fresh baguettes. My Vietnamese friend decided to visit and we took her for the pho, however, we went to the location in Chinatown. I ordered the same thing...spring rolls and Vietnamese pancakes and that location was not nearly as fresh/good as this location. Could have been the day? Not sure, but I found this one to be better. My Vietnamese friend also didn't care for her pho there. She said it's not like home, but what's really like home...but home? My favorite is the Cafe Du Monde Coffee they use for the Vietnamese coffee...that's like home to me. Pretty funny...check it out for most likely some of the closest to Vietnamese cuisine you can probably get in Chicago, unless someone has another suggestion.
(3)Reginald W.
Every place pho place i go, i look for bun bo hue. This time I came here specifically for the bun bo hue. This is as close my perfect bun bo hue, but sadly it wasn't I prefer mine to have more lemongrass flavor and it was absent here. What was here though was the pork blood and pork feet, only the most authentic places actually serve these. The spring roll here wasn't anything special. It's a spring roll, same as it is everywhere else. On the other hand the durian shake was surprisingly good as i dont even like durian all that much. Definitely come here for the best bun bo hue I've had in chicago so far.
(4)Fe T.
Hue is a city located central Vietnam. Bun Bo Hue means Beef Rice Noodle Soup that is specific to Hue city. Why am I telling you this? My father is from Hue and I'm familiar with what a bowl of Bun Bo Hue looks like. I came in today and ordered in Vietnamese. The old man responded with Hue accent. His wife is also from Hue! Onto the noodles, this place is superior to Hai Yen in the bun bo dept. Check it out! Pho is overrated any way. Btw for those if you who want spicier taste, there is a container with chopped chilis. I don't know if they have different spicy levels, at least the old man never asked me any way.
(5)D M.
Well, I had written a nice review of this place while it was in my memory. But, somehow, it's disappeared. So, all I can say is that I remember the Pho being great and thinking that i'd love to go back.
(4)Debra L.
I have been going here for almost two years and it is my goto thai/vietnamese place. Some great items are their pad thai, egg rolls, spring rolls, chicken noodle soup, and pork chop. I have also had their curry which was good. The chicken noodle is basically chicken pho for beginners and I always crave this when I am sick, part of my recovery plan. It seems like it is family run which is nice and the food is always consistent. Usually a relaxing atmosphere, never too crowded. Everyone I have brought here has loved it. Also, BYOB.
(5)Nikki K.
The best bun bo hue (Soup with pig feet/pork blood/veggies) on argyle street. Very flavorful and delicious. That's the only thing I order there because it's amazing. Staff is always friendly.
(5)Sneha P.
Cute little shop, efficient service, and ok food. I tried the #20. The beef was delicious, the stock was yummy (taste was MSG-like, possibly too salty for my liking), but the pork was hard and too chewy. The spice-level was just right for a cold Chicago day, but I like my broth a little lighter and more natural tasting. The highlight of the pho was the beef; I could eat it all day.
(3)Grace C.
I'm not sure why they were saying this is one of the best place for bun bo hue. It is just okay.
(3)Susie C.
Don't like their service. There's this one guy that have been working there for many years now. Maybe he doesn't like his job or something, but he gives a bad attitude to the customer as if he doesn't want to be there. It would be a shame if he's the owner. When we went there to eat several years ago, the portions were big..now they are skimping out on the amount of food with the same price or even more expensive. Our spring roll..they used to give 2 pieces of shrimp per spring roll. Now they cut the shrimp in half making us think it's 2 pieces of shrimp. Not very happy with this place anymore. They used to be good..now they are just bored and need to look at new businesses or something to make them content while working there.
(2)John J.
I haven't been to every place on Argyle, but my favorite Vietnamese restaurant is Cafe Hoang. My favorite dish is #23: Grilled Beef, Egg Roll, Vermicelli Noodle and Veggies. I get it every time and it's so good (with some Sriracha sauce too) that I don't want anything else from here. I've ordered the same dish at other places and they do it wayyyy better here. Tank Noodle's is terrible. BYOB Closed on Tuesdays I think.
(5)Rose V.
I really only come here for one dish, delicious bun bo Hue. Their new location space is much improved. I have dined there twice since their move. The first time the broth was not as flavorful and a bit bland. My husband asked if it was a new recipe and our server suggested we add fish sauce/hot peppers to adjust it to our liking. She says some diners are adverse to those flavors. However, we gave it another try a month it two later and it was very good. Not sure of the hit or miss situation. I would suggest adding more pork to each bowl. I received a huge piece of (mostly) cartilage knuckle (that I choose not to eat) and a strip or two of pork. Otherwise it's delicious.
(4)Tim H.
After some research, I came to try the bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup) and Goi Ga (Spicy chicken salad). It was an enjoyable and inexpensive meal. For those of you that have only had pho before and not bun bo hue, I would definitely recommend you give the bun bo hue a try. Service was purposeful and efficient. I can't say it was either friendly or unfriendly. I would come back here for the bun bo hue again or to try the pho. The spicy chicken salad was great to try, but can't say that on its own would bring me back.
(4)Krissy B.
Don't order spring rolls from here.. They one give u HALF a shrimp on each roll. WTF Rip off! Bun Bo Hue is ok.. I've had better
(1)Linda T.
bun bo hue was delicious! loaded with sliced meat, 1 huge pig blood, 1 pork shank, and a plateful of bean sprouts, mint, chives, salad. spicy and clean flavor. it looked clean inside and had nice wall decorations. friend service as well!
(4)M S.
Not exactly the best bun bo Hue I've had, but not bad either. The broth is almost right--spicy and lemongrass-y, but a bit sweeter than what I'm used to. The slices of meat are more appropriate for pho than bun bo and a bit more meat to last me to the end of the bowl would've been nice. All in all, pretty good and I'll be back. Not a hole in the wall anymore, BTW. And the cha gio was delightful.
(4)F S.
I had Duck salad for carry out so good!!
(5)Melanie S.
I am really digging Vietnamese food lately and this place knows what they're doing. We were the only gringos in here on a Friday night, which I took as a good sign. We started with an order of spring rolls as well as an order of eggs rolls and both were excellent. The eggs rolls were not greasy and the spring rolls were bursting with mint and vermicelli noodles. The dipping sauces were fantastic too. For our mains, my friend and I shared the spicy lemongrass beef and shrimp with mixed vegetables. Both portions were a good size and the aromas of fresh ginger and lemongrass wafted in the air. I didn't think the beef was all that spicy, but the flavor was good. The shrimp and vegetables was out of this world. Tons of shrimp, broccoli, mushrooms, pea pods, Chinese broccoli and asparagus in a light, but gingery sauce. I also ordered a strawberry smoothie, which due to the language barrier, arrived well after our entreés. By then I was so full, I could only manage a couple of sips, but it was creamy and fruity. Prices are super reasonable, especially for the quality and portion sizes and there was no problem getting a table on a Friday night.
(4)Jared P.
Sorry, the food sucked. My Thai curry was barely spicy and had just about everything thrown into it. It was more like a soup than anything. Also, my girlfriend's pho was below average. Considering the Asian presence in the area, we were very disappointed.
(1)Mario A.
Bun bo hue is almost as good as moms (mother-in-law) but wow is it oh so delicious. Haven't tried anything else here. Extra spicy with a scoop of sate is my fav. Enjoy!
(4)Matt G.
Blah blah blah blah blah....... That's what I think of these incredibly outstanding reviews for the place and the food as well..... Blah. Maybe the Pho is great, but DO NOT get other items. I had the Spicy Beef Lemongrass. First, not a single word was uttered to me during my entire stay there. None. Really!!!??? Uninspired service topped by an uninspired dish. Beef was chewy and lightly sauteed in a unflavorful sauce of gritty nothingness. Sat around after I was finished and nearly ignored for another 10 minutes. Good to check this off of the places I need not return again.
(2)Jaci Y.
Oddly enough there is a Cafe Hoang in Chinatown, and the food at the one on Argle taste better. I felt their thai food was too pricey so we didn't order or try any of their tha dishes. We went for the traditional pho and fresh spring rolls. They were great, I loved the broth it was spot on. I would return to this location, but i have never been thrilled with their food in Chinatown on cermak.
(4)WmTomas S.
Stopped in for a late dinner on a Friday night after cocktails. The service was excellent and the food both plentiful, fresh and delicious. I will most definitely return.
(4)Janet W.
Of all the times I've come here, I've never been able to move past their chicken noodle soup. Because, it's just that damn good. This is the place I go to when I'm feeling down and need a friend to lend an ear and something simple and familiar to warm me up. It's very casual and doesn't get crazy busy. The service is above par for the area. The servers won't come by often to check on you but they are attentive and place is small enough that they'll come over if you just turn your head toward them. All of the appetizers I've tried are pretty good. From what my friends have ordered, this place seems to be known for their spicy beef stew. I'm not a huge pho lover (the sweetness mixed with the sourness in the soup takes a bit of getting used to for me), but their pho is decent. Though with so many other restaurants close by also making good pho, this might not be the place to go if you have a specific craving for just pho. For any other Vietnamese food, especially noodle soups, I'd recommend this place.
(5)Cathy B.
Hands down, the best bun (Vietnamese noodle dish thingy) I've had in my life, and I've had many. A nice diversity in the vegetables in the dish, and my tofu was prepared fresh for me, which never happens (normally, it's a re-heated soggy mess, but this was a crispy concoction cooked with love). Super-affordable. Low on ambiance, but I'm more interested in the food, and this was top notch!
(5)Angelo C.
Want late night Pho? This is the place to go! They let us in at 1020pm when every other Vietnamese place on argyl turned us away! They have Vietnamese and Thai menu, we had the Pho beef soup and porkchop over rice! Both were awesome!
(5)Jennie T.
I came here twice this week. I love their lua canh chua ca (sweet and sour catfish soup). Just love it. Every time I crave this soup, Cafe Hoang is the first place I think of -- no matter whether it's their Uptown location or their Chinatown location. I also tried frog legs for the very first time here. Had it with lemon grass. It was pretty good. I think that had I tried it anywhere else, I might not have liked it. Their traditional Vietnamese rice paper wrap dinner was pretty good too. But I thought they were a little stingy with the quantity. I could eat a lot! Speaking of stingy, they're also very stingy with your first kettle of tea. I don't what this is all about... But I think after I've asked them to refill the kettle twice, they figured out that my friend and I must really like tea! The spring rolls are also pretty good, but I like the sauce from somewhere else (I don't remember where at the top of my head right now). Oh and the duck salad is amazing!!! The service is so-so, but I come here mainly for the authentic Vietnamese food that rivals the kind of food I would get back in the Bay Area.
(5)Nicole P.
amazing! Went here for the first time last night with a few girlfriends and got the Pho House Special Soup. There is nothing special about the atmosphere, kind of cafeteria like, but you don't go there for that. Best of all, the hearty meal was only $7.95. I will be going back here! The Spring Rolls were also fabulous. I usually don't like Spring rolls because they taste bland to me, but they used some sort of rice noodle in them which made them delicious.
(5)Randy C.
The service at times is a little slow but OMG the Spring rolls! THE SPRING ROLLS - the best peanut dipping sauce! Also love the spicy chicken salad, grilled lemongrass chicken and the beef Pho.
(4)Andrea K.
Small family business Servers are ok, nice, not at attentive at times. Ordered: Bun no hue. Good. BF prefers Pho 888- which has a stronger beef flavor & more chili oil Vermicelli w/ veggies- had a large serving. Good amount of noodles, beef, & egg rolls. I liked the ratio of the veggies, noodles, beef & egg rolls Fried egg rolls- tasted fresh Pork chop w/ rice, egg & sausage- pork chop was a good cut & had a nice flavor. Egg was over easy. Chinese sausage that was cut up weird & wasn't good. Overall a good price for a good meal. Pay for Street parking. Would recommend.
(4)Reggie M.
Tired of pho? Come here and get a hot bowl of Bun Bo Hue. Extra spicy ya bish!
(5)Christina X.
Best Pho and Bo Bun Hue in Chicago! Very comparable to Cali and Philly. They've remodeled from two years ago and the atmosphere is much better and price still very good.
(4)Agnes F.
Who can resist pork blood, pork shank and slices of beef simmering in a spicy/sweet broth? i love the Bun Bo Hue at Cafe Hoang! My fiance had the pho and he was a happy guy as well the rare beef salad made a good appetizer (huge portion), and we left happy and very full :)
(4)Luciana B.
This place is awesome. That's all that needs to be said. Go. Now.
(5)Radford T.
One of the foods I was told to try in Chicago was pho, being that the pho in NYC is not that great. But in my mind the pho I've had in the DC area when I lived there has basically set the standard - a fairly big community of Vietnamese people live there. Someone had told me that the pho in Chicago is decent, so I was determined to have it while I was on my trip there. I was meeting with a friend and her sister for karaoke and I told her I wanted to have pho for dinner, so she suggested Cafe Hoang. Cafe Hoang is small and casual, not unlike a lot of other Vietnamese restaurants. In the corner mounted on the wall was a TV playing Vietnamese news and the staff watched on when they were not busy at work. They have a very good variety of Vietnamese dishes beside pho, like heu tieu, which I love and almost ordered instead of pho. Actually their pho selection was smaller than I expected, but I was not looking for some rare bowl of pho. I just wanted some pho with lean beef and beef balls. Our orders came out very quickly and my pho had plenty of delicious and fulfilling beef. The broth was also good and so was the noodles. Overall a very satisfying bowl of pho, and I would recommend Cafe Hoang to anyone visiting or who lives in Chicago.
(4)Leang E.
I was craving pho and so I came across this place I hadn't tried yet. It was a small cozy spot, and it felt comfortable and warm on a cold day. The spring rolls were very tasty as well as the pho. The service was prompt, and the price was right. You can't go wrong coming here. Yum!
(4)Gloria L.
We stumbled upon this place because another Vietnamese place down the street that we planned to go to was actually closed. We saw the Good Eats article posted on Cafe Hoang's window and decided to give it a shot. Their pho was surprisingly good. Had a good flavor, might have been just a tad too salty but I didn't feel the need to add anything else to it. We got the sliced beef and the meatballs. Those were good. We also got the lemongrass chicken, spring rolls, and an appetizer, I forgot the exact name of it but it was like a rare beef salad (served cold) and it was really nice and refreshing. The number on the menu was 007 if you're interested. Hahah. Overall, we were happily stuffed by the end of the meal and for three people, we ordered four things and that was just a little bit more than enough. I think we'll definitely go there again if we're in the area. :) Oh, the reason I only gave four stars was that the service was meh. It's sort of what can sometimes expect out of asian places but it was by no means terrible. It was just not very responsive and they always seemed be trying to rush us or take plates off the table before we were done.
(4)Nikta P.
This place is awesome. Definitely one of the highlights of the argyle restaurants. They have both Vietnamese and Thai dishes and really everything is excellent. I would say this is a great place for anyone interested in southeast Asian food, whether you have no idea what anything on the menu is or if you are a connoisseur.
(5)Tiffany G.
My husband and I used to go to Cafe Hoang at least once a week when we lived nearby. This is a hole in the wall that serves good food for cheap. My hubby usually get the noodle salad (don't know the name, we normally order by number) which comes with lots of herbs, shrimps and an egg roll. A friend introduced Bun Bo Hue to me and I loved it. Their spring rolls and lime beef appetizers are delicious. We really enjoy their food and it is BYOB which is great. Although, service is pretty much nonexistent, I can not expect much if our noodle soup and noodle salad only cost $6.95 each. Definitely only come for the food.
(4)Melissa B.
This place is phenomenal. A friend of mine goes there every Wednesday, so I tagged along. This place is run by a very nice family, and the menu is extensive. Absolutely EVERYTHING I've had there has been awesome! We tend to eat "family style" when we go there, so after 3 or 4 visits, I've eaten multiple dishes. I've loved all of it, but some of my faves were the pho, crab rangoon (best I've ever had!), ginger chicken, spring rolls, and, the absolute best: the avocado smoothie.
(5)Amy S.
Best bun bo hue in the midwest! We come here only for this and maybe springrolls! And order like 5-7 of them to bring home to Milwaukee... From reading the other reviews... I admit the service is not the best but that's how a lot of viet/asian restaurants are like.. As long as they take your order, refill your drink and serve you the food. It's not an upscale restaurant.. so you can't expect the greatest service. Plus, they don't seem to speak english well so you can't expect them to have a conversation with you.
(5)Aaron S.
I had high hopes for this place to be the alternative to the possibly-overrated Pho Xe Tang, but at least on the soup end of things, I was a little disappointed. The Pho does not seem to come with an option for all the offal normally associated with the dish (perhaps speakers of Vietnamese can ask for it special), though the thin-sliced beef had some pleasing connective tissue still on it. The Bun Bo Hue was ok, and had a nice big pig ankle in it, but lacked both the rich red color and the cake of congealed blood of its counterpart at Tank--perhaps the two go hand in hand. The garnishes for the soup were less elaborate than other places I've been--just basil, bean sprouts, and lime. And the Ban Xeo looks nothing like the picture above. It's just bean sprouts, pork, and a few shrimps.sliced lengthwise. All that said, this place is perfectly fine. I'd certainly come back to try the non-soup dishes.
(3)Terrence C.
The exploration of the Argyle neighborhood continues. For those who don't visit argyle frequently there is a certain monotonous collage of restaurants where nothing looks terribly uninviting but nothing lures you in. When i find something reasonably good, I stick with it, but in this case I am glad i deviated from the plan. The place itself was cozy and intimate, as opposed to some of the more hectic human traffic jammed places closer to Broadway. Everyone was friendly, and I was surprised to see a full house at 9:30pm on a wednesday. We had pho and bun bo hue. The pho was pretty good, but I was kinda annoyed that my bowl was filled to the brim. Maybe thats just precautionary mentality for my messy eating habits. Supposedly the bun bo hue was the talk of argyle, but after a chef change it has not been the same. I'm no expert. In hindsight, I wish i had shook my bad mood, and gotten down with some more menu items as I usually do. Spring rolls, banh xeo, porkchops and some Vietnamese coffee are on the agenda for round 2.
(4)Rahul S.
I stumbled into this restaurant on the recommendation of Huu L! I pretty much stick to Tank Noodles, Hai Yen, and Pho 777, so it was nice to check out a different place for a change! The interior is pretty non descript and small, but very homey, and also considerably less crowded than let's say Tank or Hai Yen! We started off w/ this cabbage salad w/ shrimp which was delicious! It had similar flavors to what a papaya salad might have. The spring rolls were pretty yummy also. Being my first time there, Huu told me I had to try the Bon Bo Hue (spicy beef soup). After waiting what seemed like an eternity, finally got the food and I was pleasantly surprised. The broth had a nice flavor (perhaps cuz of the huge pork shank looking thing floating around), kicked up even more after adding some sirachi sauce. My friends had the dry vermicelli noodles w/ the fish sauce...looked pretty delicious, I definitely will try that next time. If you're intimidated by the line at Tank or just want to try something different in Argyle, def hit this place up!
(4)Hubert L.
Ok, 2 rules that one should go by when reviewing authentic family owned Vietnamese/Asian Restaurants in Chicago: 1. Never compare it Cali. We get it, our food blows in comparison to the 162 registered Pho 1979 restaurants in orange county. 2. Never let poor/unfriendly service affect your ratings. Unless it takes like an hour for one spring roll to come out or there's a hair or ten in your pho. With that off my chest, Cafe Hoang is 1 of the 2 only Vietnamese restaurants that I frequent in Chicago (Pho 888 the other). Given that Chicago has yet to have a Vietnamese restaurant that makes every marquee dish perfectly, Cafe Hoang's Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) is good enough for me to come back for more! I always take a minute to stick my nose an inch from the broth to get high off all the spices and flavors, unbeatable! They also make an excellent Bun Rieu (Crab Noodle Soup). The Lau (Hot Pot) is VERY good, although you rarely see people order this since their specialty is Bun Bo Hue (says it on the menu!). For an appetizer, I would recommend the Goi (Viet coleslaw). Very refreshing, slightly spicy, very tasty! :) And it goes great with any soup, especially congee! The prices are a bit more than the average Argizzle prices, but still cheap, none the less! The staff is not so friendly most times, but hey, that's how they roll.
(4)Kathy S.
So excited about this place! Finally a Vietnamese restaurant worth going back to! The service is so attentive...the pho was delicious...spring rolls tasty.
(5)Vi N.
Cafe Hoang is a family owned restaurant and they are known for their bun bo hue (spicy noodle dish). Way too spicy for me, but then again, I'm not a fan of anything spicy to begin with. The decor and atmosphere has no modernity and screams typical Vietnamese restaurant. Their menu is more on the selective side- they don't offer a lot of variety like other neighboring Vietnamese joints. They offer a lot of traditional country side Vietnamese dishes. I love their pork rice dish and sometimes their fresh squeeze orange drink (if they have any oranges left).
(5)Eric M.
I usually come here for pho thai, spring rolls, and thai iced tea. I wish portion size was bigger since I never really get full afterwards. Another reason I prefer Cafe Hoang is its less crowded and more reasonably priced than Tank.
(4)Min Joon D.
You only go here for the Bun Bo Hue dish....other than that this restaurant is extremely weak in the other traditional dishes. The pho tastes like it took them 5 minutes to make from a instant seasoning jar. The service is terrible....so dont expect them to ask you if everything is tasting alright/ok. They are extremely rude if you criticize/complain about their food. Come on now...if you pay 6.95-8.00 for something, you better get it right. If anyone decides to come to this hole in the wall dump...please only eat the bun bo hue and nothing else...because it is the only thing that they cant possibly mess up.
(2)Terri D.
Last week I ordered Cafe Hoang's pho tai and tom yum gai. The pho was absolutely delicious! Every spoonful was yummy and the tom yum was pretty good. I prefer tom kha but their yum was tasty. Definitely will go again and try other menu items!
(4)Darren F.
my friend brought me here for pho because i told him i want to try something new beside tank noodles.. i didnt really like their soup and the fat noodles in it.. the service is great tho but not a fan of their pho, maybe it's just what i ordered that didnt taste so great. maybe one of these days i will give it another try if i dont end up going to tanks.
(2)Natalie T.
Upon arriving in Chicago, a friend of my mom's told her to come here since their Bun Bo Hue here is supposed to be super good! It even made it in the newspapers as being really good and cheap too! My mom and I both got the Bun Bo Hue only to be disappointed. At being not only a little pricey and their portions were kind of small compared to places in San Jose, they also had a funny little taste to it. I thought it was tangy and sour and also very salty. We figure, maybe this is Chicago style bun bo hue. The place is clean and in a good location. Parking wasn't hard to find at all.
(3)Vy T.
Worst service ever. Not only the service was slow, the people who work there were so busy gossiping with each other, we have to service ourselves. Would i come back here....probably not.
(1)Chris C.
I came here pretty regularly for the Bun Bo Hue during my last year in Chicago. I haven't had it anywhere else, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I think its great here and it replaced Pho as the dish I used to frequent Uptown for. In my experience, the Pho and spring rolls are pretty good as well. I took my parents here when they were visiting Chicago, and my dad still raves about the Bun Bo Hue I convinced him to order on their first night in town.
(5)Dave L.
I love Pho and Spring Rolls. Good service and definitely reminds me of Pho restaurants back in LA. Pho was nicely done and the soup appears to be chicken based. It was delicious. Spring Rolls were fairly large and the pricing was just right.
(4)PT R.
My second favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Chicago, after New Saigon. Cafe Hoang does have the best food from Central VN in the area though. I highly recommend their Bun Bo Hue (Hue style beef, pork and rice noodle) and Bun Rieu (Ground Crabmeat and Tomato with rice noodle soup). Their Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake Bean Sprouts Onions Pork and Shrimps) is all right compared to places in California, but it's the best one I've found so far. This is a tricky place to order if you don't know what's good cause you might stumble on dishes which are not their specialty. It's also easy to miss because it kind of blends in with everything else on the street and it's not one of those restaurants that's immediately next to the subway. I've been here several times and I still forget where it is sometimes.
(4)Jimmy D.
I've been to both locations, and this place was not as nice as far as decor, but it was still pretty money. I had the Bun Bo Hue (their signature dish) and it was pretty good. Not as good as moms, but what ever is? My only qualm was it wasn't spicy enough, but that's ok it was still good. My gf and bro had the pho, it was alright, sometimes pho's just pho when it's not their specialty
(4)Lina J.
I went with my family and my brother recommended Grilled shrimp&beef Vermicelli. I thought it was pretty tasty.
(3)Cindy D.
Decided to give this a restaurant a try with the bf. A friend told me their Bon Bo Hue (Spicy Pork/Beef soup) was the best in Argyle. When you put a stamp like that on a restaurant, you gotta try it. We started with beef roll with Hawaiin leaf (??) wrapped around it. It was good, but not as good as Hai Yen across the street. ($3.50) I got the Bon Bo Hue - not really good at all. It was edible, but I just wished I got something else the entire time. My mom's is 100% better. BF got pho, good, but nothing spectacular. Each dish was $6.25, so we didn't lose much cash in this meal, but wouldn't go again.
(2)Karen L.
After being good-Vietnamese-food-deprived for the past 5 months or so (I go to school in Chambana), I was really happy just being in a legit Vietnamese restaurant. I went with some friends and we ordered spring rolls and duck salad as appetizers. The spring rolls were meh- I've eaten/made better ones. BUT the duck salad was sooooooooo good! It was like the inside of a spring roll (vermicelli noodles and herbs) with slices of duck and topped with peanuts. It was ridiculously delicious. Then I ordered an extra spicy bun bo hue! After I added some Sriracha to it, it was perfect. The broth was flavorful, the beef slices were cooked just right and were tender, the fake meat slice (the sausage-y thing!) and big block of pork blood were tasty, and the big hunk of pork something (knuckles? not sure...) was really fatty and yummy too. I'm looking at a picture of it right now and it's making me drool... haha. The only issue I had with this place is the not-so-great service! The waiters just take your order, bring your food, and then leave without checking up on you or refilling your teapot. I don't care though because the food was so great and inexpensive!! This is quite possibly my new favorite Vietnamese restaurant! WHOO can't wait to come back!!
(4)M M.
I'm no expert on Vietnamese food, so I will just rate this on how much I enjoy it, period. A LOT! I would actually give it 4.5 if I could, because the service is spotty. It seems during the week, the "junior" waitstaff is on and they seem uninterested in anything like good service. Not rude, just slow and unavailable. There is a woman on the weekends who is cheery and very attentive. But- the food! We immediately fell in love with their spring rolls. Best I've ever had, although one time they apparently forgot (?) the cilantro, so that time it was bland. Otherwise, excellent. And the beef pho is awesome! I add a lot of the cilantro and lime and some of the bean sprouts, and occas hot sauce. Fabulous winter dish! Or even summer- which is when I first had it. We also love the beef salad and the chicken salad- both very flavorful, pretty spicey, fresh and refreshing. I love the claypot dishes (ginger chicken or lemongrass chicken), my bf prefers the grilled lemongrass chicken. After reading the reviews, I guess I'll have to try bun bo hue. I can't wait to go back! It's been too long.
(5)Briannon E.
Everything about this place....delicious!.....and HUGE portions for the price!!! That's really all I have to say, you'll have to take my word for it!
(5)Tony R.
Look people, I've eaten Bun Bo Hue across three states including California, which is America's pho capital, and I can safely say this is good stuff. (On a side note, when I get to Vietnam and have it there, my ego will be even bigger and I will have more authority). It is delicious, a far step ahead of the sufficiently depressing chili oil mess you find down the street at Tank. It is spicy yet firm and tangy. The fresh cilantro, mint, sprouts, and lime that accompany should all be added to complete the meal. Be sure to drink the broth too once you've eaten all the noodles, and don't be boring and skip the pork blood cakes, eat them!!! They are very spongy and yummy. My girlfriend is especially fond of the rice vermicelli bowl with the shrimp, which I think is perfect for the hotter Chicago days. Oh what else can I regale you, the Yelp-reader with, well, simply enough, you will also find Vietnamese people in here...and if my tastebuds mean anything, the moment you see a majority of local people in a place, you can pretty much guarantee that you'll have a very delicious meal...
(3)Ross R.
I went here yesterday for lunch...alone, mostly with the intent of soaking up some of the local flavor by people watching from my table inside the restaurant. It was awesome, the people watching, that is. But the food was also great. I just got the Beef Pho, with some hot tea, as I think that is a good litmus test for whether or not a vietnamese restaurant should still be in buisness. the bill came to $7.16, also awesome. The Pho was very tasty, the broth had some real depth of flavor, peppery, salty, beefy, and much better than some of the dirty dish water Pho broth I have had at other places. They have the standard accountrements on the table, the best of which was the baby thai hot chilies in vinegar (or fish sauce? not sure). The service was not very friendly, which i liked, but I did have to wait a few too many minutes to place my order, then again to get my check, I was there alone afterall, so its not as if I was deep in conversation with someone. I am not sure if this is the best Pho place on Argyle, and I probably won't return until I have tried more of the others, but it was certainly a solid meal at a great price.
(4)Phil T.
Do ma! Oh man this place has the best bun bo hue outside of...Hue! But seriously, very good food. They are known for their bun bo hue, its spicy, and its delicious. Try it the way its meant to be eaten, with the pork blood cubes and everything. Some people take it out but I think it takes away from the flavor and authenticity of the dish. You don't order pizza and ask for no cheese right? Their ban xeo appetizer is delicious, big portion that can feed 3 easily. Its a crepe with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts that you wrap in lettuce leaves and dip in fish sauce. Simply divine. Let me warn you that this is a place you go to for good food and that's it. Not much in decor, you can tell the tables and chairs have seen a lot of use. I don't care though, when I go there I go to eat the bun bo hue, not to enjoy the dining environment. If you want 5-star dining with portions leaving you still hungry after dinner, go downtown. If you want an excellent home made bowl of bun bo hue, go to Cafe Hoang. Di ia!
(5)Matt W.
Being a big Vietnamese cuisine follower, when you come to Argyle you will have many many dining options. Cafe Hoang is the place to go for authentic no nonsense Vietnamese food. You can get a bowl of pho dac biet (beef noodle soup with tripe, meatballs, steak, and flank) for under 7 bucks. Vermicelli with eggrolls and marinated beef will cost you $6.50. Let me tell you, you will not walk away hungry. The food is delicious, the service friendly, and its one of the small charms that get overlooked in a populated argyle street.
(5)Diana T.
I only order one thing from this place and it's the Bun Bo Hue. If I'm craving this rice noodle in spicy soup, I only come here. All 3 stars is for this dish only. Every place that I've gotten this noodle dish from is not comparable. Small place. Street parking. About 7 bucks.
(3)Tammy Q.
After one of my favorite restaurants in Argyle closed (which is now Tien Giang), I searched aimlessly for a place that had decent porkchops. This place is known for its bun bo hue - but their porkchops are probably the best in Argyle.
(4)Lauren D.
Authentic pho, really flavorful broth, lots of sprouts/basil/lime on the side (they don't skimp). It's usually about half full, mostly Vietnamese clientele. I also recommend the spring rolls - they offer half orders which is nice if you're there alone or if you don't want to share. They also make really nice fruit smoothies with real fruit. It's not the cheapest place to get pho on Argyle, but it's clean, delicious, friendly, and nice quick polite service. By the way I've learned you should go up to the register to pay, otherwise you'll be waiting indefinitely for your check.
(4)Paul B.
Try the vietnamese ice coffee with condensed milk, it's delicious.
(5)Jess S.
One of the first restaurants my wife and I hit up upon moving to Chicago (Uptown) this past month. We walked in on a whim and were pleasantly surprised at the caliber of food we found basically on accident. We started out with some Crab Rangoon and it was fantastic. The typical sweet dipping sauce had a home-made quality to it and proved a great match for the creamy taste and texture of the crab meat mix inside the large bulbs. Probably the best Crab Rangoon I've ever had. My wife wanted to try something Vietnamese (but not the Pho) and conveniently Cafe Hoang offers (what they referred to as) a traditional Vietnamese section on the menu. She went with a lemon chicken and rice dish. It was pretty tasty, but I'm not too big on the lemon and chicken mixture. I was in a terribly un-exotic mood and had randomly been craving a good old combo fried rice bowl for a little while so I went that direction (although I have to admit I felt pretty lame ordering it when there was so much other good stuff on the menu). Turned out to be a pretty good choice. First, the pork mix was a Vietnamese sausage and not just some grilled pork meat as I have become accustomed to. I've also been on a bit of sausage kick lately and this was quite tasty. A little sweet, a little sticky and a little spicy. The shrimp were large and well cooked. Would have been nice if they were de-tailed, but I haven't had any shrimp served that way in Chicago yet so I won't hold it against CH. The rest of the meats were tasty and the rice was of a high quality and texture. On a second visit, we went for the Pho. I went with the seafood and pork mix. It was alright. Not amazing, but not inedible either. My wife's beef and meatball mix had a much better flavor. The bite or two I had were really quite tasty. The service on both of our visits was... interesting. Apathetic, I suppose would describe it. It wasn't slow or lazy, but there was no hussle either. It wasn't offputting, but certainly wasn't friendly either. Biggest drawback and what will probably keep us from going back anytime soon is that there seem to be no lunch specials. There are so many little restaurants like this along Argyle and Broadway and most of them offer something else to bring in customers for lunch. Cafe Hoang offers a relatively cheap dinner, but a relatively expensive lunch since there is no differentiation between lunch and dinner menus. It will be hard to pass on those other deals for a little while. We'll be back eventually I'm sure, but we won't be hurrying either.
(4)