As soon as I walked in the door I knew this was going to be a amazing experience. The pho was…read morebeyond delicious, the broth is packed with flavor you literally don't have to add anything to it. Also the hospitality was amazing the gentleman who I believe is the owner checked in with us to make sure everything is okay, the staff were also extremely nice! 10/10 if you are looking for authentic pho please make Ocean Grill your first choice !!!!!

After living literally 5 minutes away from this lively Vietnamese hotspot, I can't believe I never…read morewas curious enough to go check it out . Well, it is kind of tucked away in a desolate area on Canal Street, but still. One of my good friends suggested we check this place out after hearing about it from a co-workers. The only thing I know about Vietnamese cuisine is pho (which for some insane reason, I've never had) and banh mi, which I tried (and loved) while visiting my fave cuz in the Bay. . I arrived early to this very large, beautifully decorated venue on a Tuesday night and was intrigued by the set-up. One side was all tables, the other side was tables and multiple gigantic screened tvs playing Family Feud and the World Cup games. Kinda crazy. I chose to sit on the big screen side while waiting for my date. He called to say he was running late and to get the order started. I had been waiting a bit, so i caught the eye of one of the workers, who came right over. He was so friendly and accommodating and answered all questions. I ordered the green Thai kumquat iced tea, spring rolls and the chicken wings he highly suggested. He rushed off to place the order. Moments later, a couple of distinguished gents walked in and sat at a huge round table cater-corner from me and soon thereafter the nice man who took my order sat down with them. I'm assuming he was the owner for obvious reasons. I gained more respect for this establishment because customer service goes a very long way with me and he obviously cared about that. Our server, a very friendly young lady, brought my drink out and I was surprised to see that it was served in what looked like a sippy cup, with a cartoon design on the lid. Kinda weird seeing as I am an adult, but it was a tasty beverage, nonetheless. My friend showed up as the spring rolls and chicken wings came out. We devoured both, which were delicious and then placed our orders. I went with lobster noodles and my friend got the beef tenderloin pho. Even though my entree presentation wasn't the best, it was a very tasty dish to both of us. The beef tenderloin pho was definitely the star of the show! The broth was fragrant and flavorful and the beef was tender beyond measure. I'm an avid ramen fan but this pho definitely had my attention and I can't wait to try more. Ocean Bar and Grill is such a cute, quirky place that caters to date night diners, groups and families. They were all in there that night and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I know I did. I'll definitely be taking my daughter when she comes home from her summer internship!

In the words of Rocky from Project Hail Mary: "Amaze! Amaze!" And in combination with Yoda from…read moreStar Wars if he were joining us for dinner, he might say: "Amaze! Amaze! The food is!" Another Michelin Bib Gourmand spot that left us happy and full! One thing to know before ordering: the portions here are generous, especially the bowls. We ordered the two-style combo fatty beef with green peppercorn Szechuan fish, and the dry chili pig feet as an appetizer. The green peppercorn fish delivered that signature numbing Sichuan sensation without overwhelming the other flavors, and Oh. My. God. It was fantastic and definitely yummy in my tummy. The fatty beef was rich and satisfying. The dry chili pig feet had a great balance of texture and spice and were perfect for sharing! The interior also stood out to me. Instead of the traditional red-and-gold decor often found in Chinese restaurants, Yao Yao uses a bright white and turquoise color palette that feels modern, clean, and welcoming. It gives the restaurant its own personality and makes it feel different from many other Chinese restaurants I've visited. Service was friendly and attentive throughout our meal, and our food arrived promptly. Between the flavorful dishes, generous portions, unique decor, and Bib Gourmand-worthy value, I can see why Yao Yao stands out. My only regret is having one tummy that couldn't fit all the food in !

Excellent meal!! This place does not disappoint, but you HAVE to keep an open mind if you've never…read morehad this style of food before. Pickled fish soup was incredible and unique - the menu says the medium size if for two people, but it is better suited for 4+ if you want to try other dishes as well. Bullfrog with pepper was yummy and not spicy, a good complement to all of the spicy dishes. If you don't handle spice well, opt for mild! It will still be hot, but manageable. Service was great and restaurant was clean.

Had a fantastic experience here. I ordered the steamed beef dumplings and pork bao, and both were…read moredelicious. I'm really glad I went with the steamed dumplings--the wrapper had a great texture and let the flavor of the beef come through without feeling too heavy. The pork bao were excellent too, with that soft, fluffy exterior that made them especially good. The atmosphere was part of what I liked so much. It was busy and lively, and the staff were incredibly efficient. They weren't overly attentive or constantly checking in, but they didn't need to be--they were moving quickly, getting orders out, and the whole place seemed to run like a machine. Seating is a little limited, but people turn over pretty quickly. Great food, great energy, and exactly the kind of Chinatown spot I was hoping to find. I'd absolutely come back.

To begin with, I would easily give this place 5 stars, but the seating was a bit too close for my…read moreliking. It felt a little cramped at times, which took away slightly from the overall experience. Moreover, the customer service was really good. The staff was attentive and made sure everything was running smoothly, which I definitely appreciated. Furthermore, I liked that you order through a tablet/iPad it made the process quick and convenient without having to wait around. In addition, the dumplings here were so good. They were flavorful, fresh, and definitely a highlight of the meal. On top of that, for the price, they give you a great portion, which makes it even more worth it. Overall, this is so far my favorite restaurant in Chinatown, and I would definitely come back again.

I was skeptical since it was a pho restaurant within a court, but I decided to try it. I had their…read morepho with steak and it was okay. The broth wasn't that flavorful and the noodles were cooked okay. There was only one size to picked which sucks. The ambiance was okay. It's a part of a food court so it's just standard cafeteria seating. The service was okay. You order via a kiosk. The pho didn't take long to make.

This place is located in a food court in the basement of a building. It is close to the hotel that…read morei stayed at and it opens at 8am. I decided to try this place out. I ordered the combination pho and gimbap. The pho is different than what i am used to, like having shrimps and imitation crabs in it. The gimbap is decent size. The guy that makes the food was pretty nice and quick.

I have been to the FM location twice and got seated fairly quickly (pre Fall weather though) on…read moreboth occasions. I am glad to have this location by me given the drive and long wait times at the original location. I go have gotten the tonkatsu (sub with chicken) on both visits and it's hit the crave spot. Their broth is still one of the better ones in my opinion.

Excited to try this new location after having been to the Logan Square spot a few years ago. The…read morefood was very flavorful and I like the space that the restaurant is in. Beers were good, broths were great, not too bad of price. Excellent pork belly!

My group was very pleased with our late lunch here. The special that day was half priced noodle…read moredishes, and I love a deal, so I got jajangmyeon. It was very good, but the noodles felt vaguely mushy. The sauce was top notch though, and the portion was HUGE! I got 3 meals out of it. Same for my friend's bibimbap. The rice cake appetizer was good, as was the banchan. Just wasn't a huge fan of the anchovy on the kimchi. Our server was attentive but not overbearing, considering we were the only ones inside at the time. Located really convenient to the Chinatown metro stop, it's not super far into the neighborhood, which was nice. Not a long walk after eating too much haha!

I've tried a few things from Ahjoomah's apron, all of which were not very good…read more The last time I went, I tried: - Seollongtang - Haemul soondubu - Kimchi fried rice. Seollongtang: was bland, wouldn't order this again. Soondubu: really tasted like it was made from shin ramen packets -- the flavor of the seafood was definitely overpowered by the spices in the seasoning. It tasted nothing like a high quality soondubu. Kimchi fried rice: Very oily, unfinishable because the amount of oil was so overwhelming. every grain of rice left oil spots on the plate. Banchan has improved from last time I came. There were a few options that were unusual, but they were not bad. The service was friendly and about average, and the restaurant was pretty clean. Overall, I would not come again because of the food quality.

We stopped by VinTea with a pretty large group while we were in Chicago, and honestly it worked out…read morebetter than I expected. They have a good amount of seating upstairs, so we didn't have to split up, which is always a plus when you're traveling with a bunch of people. It was also only about a 7-minute ride from our hotel in downtown, making it an easy lunch stop. One thing I really appreciated was that you order at the counter. For a big group, this made life so much easier because everyone could order exactly what they wanted and pay separately. No awkward math at the end trying to split the bill. The staff were all really sweet and patient with us, and our food came out pretty fast considering how many people we had. I ordered the Bun Cha Ha Noi. It was decent, but if I had one complaint, it'd be that the grilled beef patties needed a little more seasoning. Everything else was good, but a bit more flavor would've taken the dish up a notch. Overall, I'd come back. The convenience, quick service, friendly staff, and plenty of seating made it a great option, especially if you're traveling with a larger group.

Spring roll was fantastic. Boba smoothie was mixed. Smoothie was great, boba was too mushy for my…read morepreference, a little overcooked. Would come again for the spring roll but would also look for another option before returning for boba.

So many other reviews that mine probably won't add too much, but here's my two cents: delicious,…read morereasonable pricing, great service, quick, and clean/casual, which are all the things I'm wanting and looking for in a dining experience. The menu is super curated, so you won't get way too many options and so they can guarantee anything you order is going to be good. I was worried about there not being enough parking or seating, but neither were an issue when I went with my gaggle of gals around 1215pm on a Saturday. (side note: free parking can be found in the neighborhood pretty easily around the block and, if you're someone who doesn't mind stopping traffic and having everyone watch as you parallel park, even on the main street.) I got the bulgogi sando and the matcha creme sando (comes with strawberries), both of which were delish and not over the top. There's also a small but solid selection of Asian canned drinks available, too. Note: there is no bathroom, and expect the fruit sandos to be Asian-level sweet and light (read: not super sweet or decadent). I'll likely be back.

My son wanted to try this spot so I ordered a few sandwiches, I didn't get a chance to take…read morepictures of all the sandwiches I ordered because my son was too excited to try his orders. I got two tonkatsu sandos, one spam sando, one of tamago sando, an Ube crème sando, and a mango crepe sando with a strawberry milkis. Everything was well packaged and tasted amazing!