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    Yao's cafe

    4.3 (30 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Yao's cafe Takeout or Delivery

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    Egg drop soup and 111. Fried Wonton.
    Natalie L.

    Second time ordering takeout and I think this will become our new Homestyle Taste. We had a gift card so we ordered some repeats like shrimp fried rice, beef pan-fried noodles, pork potstickers, and egg rolls. AND we could try egg drop soup and the hot pepper fried chicken. I KNOW. We have so many leftovers! Anyway, the soup (we could not eat except to taste it) was chickeny and eggy. The hot pepper chicken (which we threw into our air fryer for a couple minutes) was so flavorful. Hidden gem.

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

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

    L15. Lo Mein with Protein Lunch Special
    Daneli H.

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

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

    Cool logo
    Tasha F.

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

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

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    18 days ago

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    2 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    21 days ago

    10/10 !! Loved it !! its near my home ! i enjoyed it !! i definitely recommend! the food is really good.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    9 months ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    2 years ago

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

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    4 years ago

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

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    4 years ago

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    Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings

    Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings

    4.4(2.1k reviews)
    2.7 miChinatown
    $$

    Located right outside of the Chinatown gates and next to the cta redline, QXY Dumplings is some of…read morethe best I've ever had. They were full immediately after opening at 11:30am on a Sunday so expect a wait if you're not right on time or early. Their skin is thinner than I usually see, so their filling doesn't have to be super packed to even out the dough ratio. The chili oil and soup are 100% on point. Overate and overstuffed myself. Staff is efficient and fast. Would come back

    we came around 8:40p on a Sunday night and the wait was only about 20 min…read more I was very excited to try this spot because I saw all the raving reviews but I would say only about half of the dishes I would order again we ordered: -- lamb skewers: 10/10 so flavorful and tender, I don't usually like lamb because it can taste gamey but this didn't at all -- cucumber salad: would order again - loved the texture -- crab roe steamed: 10/10 would order again, my bf and I both agreed it was the best dumpling flavor -- wagyu and truffle steamed: I honestly found the truffle overpowering in flavor, wouldn't get again -- lamb and dill steamed: the dill flavor was too strong, wouldn't get again we also ordered the osmanthus tea which had a light floral taste but it didn't standout to me also I will note, if I came back, I would come in the morning or afternoon - I think by the time we sat down, the staff was tired because several soup dumplings weren't wrapped tightly so the soup had spilled out before it got to our table I will say I agree with the comments about the prices here being high - it was $160 before tip because the wagyu truffle dumplings and crab roe dumplings were both market rate ($30-$35 each for 12 dumplings) I'm happy I got to try this spot because the crab roe was the best soup dumplings I've ever had but I think I will be more selective with what I order next time

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    Dai Yee's Asian Kitchen - Shrimp Broccoli, Beef Tofu (hot), Egg Fried Rice

    Dai Yee's Asian Kitchen

    4.4(223 reviews)
    10.1 miNorth Center

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

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

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    Shang Noodle - Chicago - Har Gao

    Shang Noodle - Chicago

    4.3(490 reviews)
    5.3 miNear North Side
    $$

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

    Went here on a whim last night after reading all the glowing reviews on Yelp. Before that, I…read morechecked out a few eateries on the 4th floor of the Nordstrom building, but nothing really stood out, and honestly, none of them seemed very busy and the one restaurant Lao Sze Chuan was way too expensive, $30+ entrees were average and the place wasn't busy at all. So I decided to try Shang Noodle, which was tucked away on a side street off Grand Ave., just steps from Michigan Ave. It's across from the Nordstrom building, past Labriola's, down some steps and about a block away located on the south side of the street. As soon as I walked in, and I wasn't expecting this but the restaurant was extremely loud and nearly every seat was taken and everybody seemed to be enjoying themself, families, couples and groups. I figured that was a good sign and it signaled to me that the food was probably good! At first, the host wanted me to sit at the bar, which I politely declined because I don't usually sit at bars, also, I was there to eat, not pick up somebody! I noticed a small table open, pointed it out, and he kindly let me take it. No 'tude either! As far as my server goes, she was efficient, friendly, and very helpful with recommendations since it was my first visit and probably because I didn't look like the other customers who were more familiar with the cuisine. She suggested the pot stickers over the hot and sour soup, and the beef Chow Fun instead of chicken Chow Fun. The pot stickers were a little small, but crispy and very tasty. I also asked for some sweet and sour sauce on the side which I'm glad I did because it paired nicely with the pot stickers instead of that plain vinegar sauce they usually serve you. For my main dish, I ordered the char-grilled beef Chow Fun. The portion size was more than generous, and the char-grilled beef had a great umami flavor. A few of the rice noodles were a bit firm, likely undercooked, but overall though it was quite enjoyable. What I appreciated the most about Shang Noodle was the value. $18 for the beef Chow Fun and $9 for the pot stickers felt reasonable to me, considering it was on the dinner menu, the portion sizes were humongous and the restaurant was located on the Near North Side, which is usually quite pricey. I'll definitely be back, though next time I may try lunch instead, or go with friends of mine.

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