A culinary delight! If you haven't had Burmese food before, this is the real deal and is worth the trip from Chicago. My partner is Burmese and also loved the food. We had the tea leaf salad, which had just the right blend of crunch and spice. The samusas were hot and flesh and the flavor of both the mohinga and coconut chicken noodle dish I had were phenomenal. And of course the service was impeccable. The owner was very friendly and accommodating. We can't wait to be back and try the tofu salad and Shan noodles next time. read more

See all

I was visiting from the San Francisco Bay area, and a lifelong friend took me to lunch here. It definitely reminded me of the flavors and quality of the Burmese food from home. I'd rate it on par, or even better, than San Francisco's Burmese options. Service was much friendlier here, that's for sure! Tawk was a delightful host...making jokes along with dish recommendations. Sadly, we gobbled up the food before I remembered to take photos. D'oh! I highly recommend the Tea Leaf salad--a Burmese staple and a real treat if you haven't had it before. Very flavorful and just a hint of spice (don't eat the sliced peppers if you're spice-adverse, but we devoured them). We also had Shan Noodles (B8). I also recommend that. A mild to medium spice level and very tasty. Generous portions. Two dishes was enough for two though I wish we had tried the spring rolls or samosas too--we might have had leftovers if we had! The restaurant itself is inviting and clean. They did a good job considering the location in a strip mall. The lighting looks nice, and the textured walls add to the inviting ambience. read more

Pa Lian - Interior lighting. - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

Wonderful hospitality greeted us as we sat down for a late dinner. The place was nearly empty but we were made extra comfortable and offered hot tea as we perused the menu. Pretty quiet for a Saturday night, however with nice music playing in the background I felt right at home. Rare to find Burmese restaurants outside of the West Coast. Naturally, the first thing I ordered was the tea leaf salad, followed by moh-hin-gar and nangyi dok with beef. All 3 dishes were delicious and I would order them again. There were a lot of vegan options too. I don't often think of the suburbs as a dining destination, but this was certainly worth the stop on the way back the city from West Chicago. read more

See all

What's wonderful experience! We walked in not knowing much about Burmese food and walked out with 2 favorite dishes. Luckily the host/server recognized our lack of experience and immediately took control to tell us what we needed to get based on any food allergies and what our spice tolerance was. Great hospitality! He recommended the Tea Leaf Salad, we both enjoyed the crunchy fava beans, peanut against a plain backdrop of cabbage. The fermented tea leaves brought a wonderful tartness and Unami to the dish. Second course was KaukSwe-Thoke with Chicken was delightfully sweet and spicy at the same time. The room is nicely laid out in a storefront near the Jewel. read more

Pa Lian - Tea- Leaf Salad ( Gluten free) - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

Overall, an authentic Burmese place with cozy vibes! We went on a Friday morning and it was quiet and peaceful. They gave water bottles instead of cups, and that was a new experience! The coconut curry noodle was a 10/10! It was creamy with lots of fried beans. Rakhine Monte was too spicy for me even though they did say it's for spicy lovers! They have much bigger portion than we expected and the fried tofu was super yummy too! I'd definitely come back when I am in the area next time :) read more

See all

This was my first time trying Burmese food, and I was pleasantly surprised by the amazing flavors and the wide variety of vegan and vegetarian options. The restaurant is clean, cozy, and conveniently located in a strip mall next to Chinese and Indian restaurants . Chef-owner Tom greeted us warmly and got us seated right away. It's BYOB, so feel free to bring your favorite drink to enjoy with your meal! We ordered quite a spread -- the fried tofu with chimichurri sauce (so good!), their famous green tea salad (unique and flavorful, definitely an acquired taste), coconut curry noodles, goat curry, and vermicelli noodles. Everything was fresh, delicious, and beautifully presented. Would love to come back with the family. read more

See all

Update April 2025: This Burmese gem has been our go-to since 2019, and it continues to exceed expectations every single time. Whether it's a casual dinner or an outing to lift a friend's spirits--as it was on this visit--the experience is always exceptional. The ambiance is simple yet joyful, with bright splashes of color that echo the vibrant flavors of the food. We shared some of our favorites: the classic Tea Leaf Salad (a must!), the savory Beef with Fermented Black Bean, and the comforting Pe-Eih-Kyar-Kwe--crispy fried bread with chickpea, perfect for sharing. One of the things I love most is being able to bring my own wine from my collection, which makes the experience feel even more personal and festive. A special shoutout to Tawk, who always greets us with a smile and makes us feel like we're having dinner at a friend's home--warm, welcoming, and full of heart. And congrats on finally launching a website--long overdue and well deserved! This place is a treasure. Consistently delicious, lovingly run, and a joy to return to again and again. _______________________________________ read more

See all

Well, I finally got this renowned Burmese restaurant off of my bookmark list.   It's a little out of the way for us, but the wife and I had a fun and delicious weekday lunch time visit.  They have a lot of interesting looking menu items but we went with B03 Khao-Swe or coconut chicken ramen noodle soup ($17.99) and B08 Shan noodle with shredded beef curry ($18.99).   I'll go with 4 stars for our outing.  Both of the dishes were served lukewarm and would have been better if served hotter.  There was only us and another party of 2 at our Wednesday lunch time.  It didn't take long for the food to arrive and that actually made the lukewarm temperature even more surprising.  Tawk was our friendly server though he kind of shook off my temperature observation, noting that the dishes will get colder sooner or later, lol right.  We really liked the flavor of the B03 coconut chicken noodle soup and the thick ramen noodles were good and fresh.  We got both dishes medium spice and that was about right for us though B08 had a little more kick with the chili oil used.  Both dishes were unique and very flavorful.  The proteins in both dishes were in numerous small shredded pieces.  The portion size of B03 was fine but we thought the $18.99 B08 shan noodle dish was a little pricey for the portion size. The strip mall restaurant is cozy and contemporarily decorated.  Their table setting comes with a bottled water serving. They also had a nice easy listening YouTube like video playing that sounded like the Coffee House SiriusXM music station and that was a nice touch.  Overall, nice place to have a somewhat unique and flavorful meal. read more

See all

Every dish was really good. The flavors are amazing, and you can tell that the sauce has a lot of different flavors in it like cilantro, garlic, onion, chili, coconut, milk, curries, and lime juice, and so much more. It's amazing how flavorful food is and we were so impressed with every single dish. The owner is very responsive and works very hard, and the chef was amazing. The ambience is really good. Free Parking in an area with a strip mall. No wonder they have a 4.9 average on Google with 1500 reviews. Now we see why. We will definitely come back again. It's not easy to find Burmese food in general and definitely not such an excellent restaurant or Burmese food. Plus we really enjoyed the music! It included the videos w the music. read more

See all

Excellent food and service. The tea leaf salad and the Mohingar were so tasty! Not too fishy at all. We really enjoyed chatting with our server and the ambience is very casual and pleasant. read more

Just wow. I'd been craving Burmese food and this truly hit the spot. The khao swe, nangyi dok, shrimp curry and tea leaves salad were all 10 out of 10. The flavors are sublime. It is so so worth the drive. read more

Oh man! There are nearly zero restaurants of this cuisine here--it's so hard to find. We came with a group and I'm so glad this place exists. The restaurant is clean and the staff are so helpful and thoughtful. What we got: Tea leaf salad - Solid, staple order. You can choose your spiciness level. It has so many fun textures and packed with flavor. Mohinga (catfish noodle soup) - I grew up having an aunt that made this for us. So this holds a special place in my belly and my heart. Again, you can choose your level of spiciness. If you think catfish is weird, it's not. You hardly realize it's there. I'm used to a wider rice noodle, but this was good too. It's savory but bright from the squeezed lemon (I'm used to lime). This one had a fun ingredient that added a bit of a crispy bite to some spoonfuls--maybe it was like a fried broad bean or something? Not sure, but 100% hit the spot. Fries chickpea? - This was surprisingly more delicious than I expected. The chickpea was more like tofu texture, and the batter flavor was just really tasty. Portions are pretty generous, so depending on how hungry you are you could definitely share and eat family style. read more

See all

We came here on 04/23/25 as a group of 19 for an ethnic dining meetup event. Tom and his staff provided excellent service for our group and the food came out in relatively the same order that it was prepared. It was bursting with flavor and not extremely pricey either! People enjoyed it and I heard no complaints. The ambiance is very ordinary which is fine. The place is clean, thats what counts. This venue alliws you to bring your own beer and wine. I highly recommend it and they offer separate checks. read more

See all

The food and service are always amazing. I love the Moh-Hin-Gar so much that it's hard to order anything else, but the fried tofu, tea leaf salad, beef with pickled mango, and Nangyi Dok have all been excellent too. This is easily one of my favorite restaurants and our go-to spot when we want an incredible meal. I live 45 minutes away, but the drive is always worth it. Highly recommend! read more

Pa Lian - Fried Tofu Kyaw - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

Excellent food and service! If you have never tried Burmese cuisine before, I highly recommend Pa Lian.

Ordered Tea leaf salad to go and it was delicious and excellent service while waiting must try. And looking forward to coming here again

Tofu Gyaw: this tofu was delicious!! I've never had chickpea tofu before. It came out piping hot and crisp on the outside but silky smooth on the inside. Sauce was great Moh hin gar: I loved the crunchy bean parts. Tbh I couldnt even find the catfish. Was it just catfish broth? In any case, it was a nice noodle soup Kyarzan Thoke: this was very unique and delicious as well. Medium wasn't too spicy. Portion sizes are pretty big. prices are a bit high though ($17-20). Decor is very nice. The dim lighting and clean interior make it a great date spot. They give you water bottles instead of water, which u thought was kind of an odd choice. Service was fast and friendly. read more

This restaurant is amazing ! The owners is very nice and helpful ! We didn't know what we wanted and his recommendation was delicious!! I went earlier in the week and had to go back again in the same week to try a different dish, highly recommend. The ambiance is also nice and the restaurant was very clean read more

Pa Lian - Tea- Leaf Salad ( Gluten free Kaukswe- Thoke ( Vegan Top Hit - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

First time trying Burmese food at Pa Lian!!! What a lovely place with amazing customer service. We got Tea Leaf Salad and Shan Noodle with Chicken. Both were so yummy. Tea Leaf salad has a bunch of mix nuts which added a great crunch to the salad. I didn't realize I took a blurry picture of Shan noodles, but trust me it's so good. We asked for medium spice and it was perfect for us. They have a wide range of menu from vegan to non-veg dishes. The Owner of this place was wonderful and friendly. The place is big with plenty of seatings. I would definitely go back to try their other dishes. read more

Pa Lian - Shan Noodle with Beyond Meat ( Gluten Free - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

Solid Burmese restaurant that was recommended by a friend who is familia with authentic Burmese cuisine. I got the Tea leaf salad and the Khow Suey. I wish the salad came with a protein option, considering its price point. The broth was very tasty and the lentil crisps was a nice touch. Overall, the food was very fresh and tasty. They do have limited hours so please check before planning a trip, so we especially if you're going from the city since it is a hike. read more

Pa Lian - B03. Ohn-No-Kauk-Swe ( Popular Dish ) Halal - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

Everything was amazing. The simple pleasure of a hot, fresh, delicious meal made with a lot of love and care! GO HERE! Lovely friendly staff always make you feel at home! The vibe is warm and welcoming. read more

What a lovely halal restaurant!! Such a gem. Great service and very cute ambiance. The playlist was great! read more

See all

6/5 stars! As a Southeast Asian person whose partner is Burmese, I am so happy that Pa Lian offers amazing Burmese dishes that satisfy my soul :) Flavors are incredible, the service is outstanding, and the restaurant is clean, classy, and homey all at the same time. The drive from Chicago to this restaurant is absolutely worth it, everytime. (It ranges from 45-90 minutes depending on traffic. Because of the drive, we also take it as an opportunity to visit the Morton Arboretum, which is about 15-20 min drive from the restaurant. The perfect day!) We have eaten at the restaurant and ordered takeout. We enjoy doing both! Eating in and then ordering takeout for the next few days. Must Try: - Tea Leaf Salad: It's savory and has incredible textural variety. - Moh-Hin-Gar (the national dish): My favorite Burmese dish of all time, this is a catfish soup with rice noodles, a boiled egg, fried lentil, and other toppings that will delight your taste buds. Perfect for a cold day but really for any season! I love how this is presented when you eat in the restaurant (see my photos). It's also a perfect portion size! Additional Must Try (to be honest, the whole menu probably but here's what I had! I loved it all): - Tofu gyaw: Burmese yellow fried chickpea tofu. Crispy and delightful especially with the sauce. - Tofu salad: Burmese tofu is often made of chickpeas! So yum and fun texture, with very savory taste. - KaukSwe Thoke: wheat flour noodles in Burmese sauce - Nangyi Dok: Rice udon noodle in Burmese sauce *A note on spice level: I handle spice pretty well, and even the mild level felt pretty hot! They don't play around with their spice!! I love this place. And every time we see the owner, he is always smiling and welcoming! It's clear how much care he puts into the food and restaurant, and it is so appreciated. Thank you for bringing Burmese cuisine to the greater Chicago area! read more

See all

Pa Lian is a true gem in Wheaton. The tea leaf salad is a must-try, and every dish is packed with flavor. Easily one of the best and most authentic spots around. read more

Hidden gem located in a strip mall in Wheaton! Clean, cozy, affordable. Finding good tasting vegan options in the Chicago suburbs can be tough but this place definitely lived up to our expectations! We let the owner order for us and everything we had was fabulous! The chickpea tofu with a sour and spice dipping sauce was so different than any tofu we have had and it was delicious! Really missing out if you haven't ate here yet! Only thing we didn't like was they use water bottles. Hoping that's something they can change in the future to be more planet friendly read more

See all

The place is clean and modern, the service is impeccable. The food is the star of the Show. My daughter and I have been there twice now. We always start with the Tea Leaf Salad. It's the best combination of crunch, spice and sweet. It's so good. Portions are perfect for sharing. We ordered a noodle dish with chicken and the beef dish with rice. We are not only full but we usually have a little something to take home for later. Our server Tawk never led us astray with recommendations read more

See all

Pa Lian is a family owned and run Burmese restaurant located in Wheaton. It's the only Burmese restaurant that I'm aware of in Chicagoland. Even more reason why you should check it out! The exterior is very unassuming. Once you enter, the interior is very clean and feels a touch upscale. Service is very friendly and you're greeted by the owners or family. I came with a couple friends and started with the tofu gyaw which is made with chickpeas. It comes with a delicious red sauce that's sweet and spicy. We also had the kaw-pyan gyaw appetizer, a crispy egg roll filled with noodles, cabbage, and carrots. This comes with a sweet chili sauce. In terms of main dishes, my friends and I went family-style and had the tea leaf salad, KaukSwe Thoke, and goat curry. The tea leaf salad was so varied in all the different textures and crunch that accompanied each bite. Definitely a light yet satisfying salad. The KaukSwe Thoke was a wheat flour noodle dish with broccoli. We chose chicken for the protein, and it was delicious. I love curries and the goat curry reminded me why. It was spicy, seasoned with ginger, garlic, and onion and the goat was tender. The potatoes also soaked up the curry beautifully. This dish came with rice, but we asked for more since it came with a small bowl to start. This was my first Burmese meal, and it definitely won't be my last. Pa Lian is a must try. read more

See all

Everything we ordered was delicious! The portions were small but packed with the protein that we ordered with the dish. Will definitely go there again! read more

Super good food!!!! Ramen was good and so was their spring roll salad!!!! BUT LET ME TELL YOU- their green tea cheese cake IMMACULATE! Service was also great and the music playlist a vibe for sure! Definitely will be coming back! read more

Pa Lian - Desert options! S01. Green Tea Cheesecake and S02. Mochi Ice Cream - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

Truly such a fantastic Burmese restaurant! My sister and I came here on a Sunday and had the whole place to ourselves. The owner, who was just absolutely incredible and generous, was our server and was always willing to help explain any food item. The place itself is bigger inside than it seems from the outside, and it was super clean. I've never had Burmese food so I really didn't know what to expect. My favorite item was the Ohn-No-Kauk-Swe which is almost like ramen except with a creamier broth. All the additions and noodles came on the side which I loved! This soup was so rich and the extras were delicious, too. I loved the Shan noodle dish, too - the closest thing I think I can compare it to is almost like pad Thai. The fried tofu was phenomenal with the accompanied sauce. The flavors here are definitely different and very yummy. We got the tea leaf salad which I see was a popular salad; it was good but VERY bitter. Definitely an acquired taste. I will absolutely come here again to try more Burmese dishes! Such a great owner, space, and food. read more

See all

Really good food and service. Burmese is something I can't find very often. Had the national soup dish. It was delicious. It had a lentil base and lots of things to put in. The tea leaf salad was good and a must try if you have never had it. We also got the Kaukswe Thoke. It was very tasty but be warned, we ask for hot and it was really really really hot. read more

See all

A meetup group of 15 went to Pa Lian for dinner. I tried the ginger salad and thought it was excellent. Everyone else liked their meals. The place is small. Parking was adequate. The service was very good. I'd go back read more

Tea Leaf Salad is amazing. Great food and friendly service. Nice dine in experience and lovely mural decor.

I've been jonesing to try Pa Lian for a few months & finally went today for the first time. The positive reviews & unique entrees was the draw. Kind of in an ambiguous spot near downtown Wheaton strip mall. Glad I used GPS for location. Okay so had the tea leaf salad & a small cup of ginger chicken broth soup which was very tasty & unique (salad) hard to describe but let's just say a party of flavors in my mouth~nutty, crunchy crispy, citrusy & fresh! Oh and small slices of peppers on the side if you prefer a kick of spiciness! I've NEVER had Burmese food before which is a blend of India China & Thailand Needless to say worth a visit Especially if you have a palate for something different than typical Asian or Indian fare. Your taste buds will thank you! read more

Pa Lian - Tea- Leaf Salad ( Gluten free) - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

See all

Highly recommend. I walked in having looked at the menu but didn't know what I wanted. The restaurant was clean, staff was very helpful and friendly. To be honest, I don't know what I got but it was a vegan noodle dish and very good. My mother had the beef with black bean, but the best item was the GINGER SALAD! I said it was my first time and asked for recommendations. The salad was amazing! I cannot begin to describe what it's similar to. It's not sweet it's a more savory salad. It's gingery but doesn't taste like cleaner. Very crunchy and fresh. It's just delightful. read more

Pa Lian - Ginger salad (what we left before I thought to take a pic) - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

I have had this place bookmarked to try for a while. Depending on the source, I've read we have only one or two Burmese restaurants in the entire state of Illinois. Either way, Pa Lian is the only one I'm familiar with. Husband and I were finally in the area and had a chance to stop in. My first impression was that the interior decorating is very nice. The restaurant is long and narrow, but plenty of room when we visited for lunch. We were seated right away, by, I presume, the owner. He could not have been more attentive and helpful. Cannot fault the service! Similar to some local Indian restaurants, our table came pre-stocked with bottled water. So, no free tap water here. Just pretend you're on vacation! I ordered the somewhat famous Ohn-No-Kauk-Swe, or as I've heard it call, Burmese Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup. Husband was indecisive for a bit about what to order, but with some guidance from the owner, he ultimately settled upon the beef (chicken optional) udon dish. I think it's called Nangyi Dok. Our food came out quickly. My soup arrived with the broth in a bowl and the noodles and such in a separate dish. I was told this was so all the ingredients would hold up in the event I needed to bring home leftovers. It was not too much for me, however, and I finished it all. The broth registered to me as thin, but tasty. It had a bit of a kick, but not too spicy (indeed, you add the chili flakes yourself from the toppings dish). I would eat this again, but if given the choice between this dish, or pho, or panang curry, I have to say I would prefer either of the latter. But those are some of my top tier favorite dishes. Between our two meals, my husband and I both preferred mine, which is not to say his was bad. I think either the udon or the coconut chicken noodle soup would be safe choices for a first foray into Burmese food. I have also heard good things about the fermented tea leaf salad, or the fried tofu appetizer (which is actually chickpeas), so if I come again, I would try those too. I will note that this was a pretty pricey lunch, though - about $50, all told. So that might forestall too quick a return trip. I would say Pa Lian is worth a stop in, just for the chance to try something a little different. It was a very welcoming environment to learn about a different type of cuisine, and to mix up our usual dining routine a little bit. read more

Pa Lian - Ohn-No-Kauk-Swe - Coconut chicken noodle soup. You mix in the ingredients from the dish yourself. Add only what you want (and can finish)! - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

We happened to be in the area and were excited to know that there's a burmese place...after trying quite a few of the dishes, I should have known to set my expectation accordingly. After all, we are in the midwest. After having said that - i would order the following again : The tea leaf salad (though it's very salty for some reasons, but I enjoyed the spices and texture of the salad) The Shan Noodles - good texture and flavour. Stay away from: Any beef dishes (we got 3 out of the 4 beef entrees, all the beef "cubes" are like beef jerky cubes swimming in brown sauce. Sauces are toned down so each dish's distinct flavour is very subtle (almost lost). It's as if they just pour different brown sauces to the same beef jerky for these 3 dishes. KaukSwe Thoke - I am probably the only asian who doesn't like mushy noodles. Moh-Hin-Gar - the worst moh-hin-gar I had - again, flavour is so toned down that it's almost bland. A tip if you go - Ordered the "authentic spicy" level for a slight kick. It's not really spicy at all. read more

Khao suey with tofu was excellent! Perfect flavor and spice. Crunch of the peanuts in the sauce was lovely. read more

Pa Lian - Khao suey with tofu - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

The food quality here is pretty good. A lot of different flavors come out and this is the only Burmese place in this area. Quality- the Siam noodles were my favorite. It had a bit of heat and tasted fresh. The noodles were light and the toppings (peanuts, green onions, chicken bits, onion, sesame seeds and lime) added a lot of textures to it. The fish was pretty good, it was fried well and there a good amount of meat that comes off it. The beef and potato was over cooked. The beef was super dry because of it. Quantity- we didn't get much for each entre. The fish was smaller than expected for a 21 dollar dish. The beef and potato dish barely had 5 pieces of beef. I would have liked more. Also,rice is not included which is insane. An entree should come with rice automatically and not include a 2 dollar charge. If it's really hurting the bank then include it in the original cost of the dish. This place feels a bit cheap for that reason. At least they didn't charge for the bottled water. Atmosphere- nice welcoming clean atmosphere. Service- the owner is pretty nice. read more

See all

The Moh-Hin-Gar was amazing, and the bottle of water was a thoughtful gesture by the host. Not everyone likes drinking from a cup, so I really appreciated that. The host was very kind and brought the food out quickly--it was delicious! If anyone is craving Burmese food, I highly recommend this place. read more

Pa Lian - B01. Moh-Hin-Gar ( National Dish) (Halal) - Burmese Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois