Cafe Hoang

Usually we would go here for noodles and I’m not a person whose easily disappointed but when it comes to to-​go drinks it’s not that hard to do. We ordered 1 fresh coconut and 1 Vietnamese iced coffee the coffee came out fine however the coconut was a problem. First of all, when opening the coconut you should not put it on the floor bare without any coverings. That’s seriously disgusting. What if there was ants or chlorine still on the floor. The bottom of your shoes has been everywhere from the bathroom to the streets I don’t know where it’s been. Second when pouring it into a cup make sure to do it carefully so you don’t spill most of it. When I received the cup it was only 55% coconut and the rest is air. Third, we payed for this drink so of course I’m expecting it to be 100% what I ordered. The attitude he gave was bad as well. It was as if he didn’t care. We left feeling sort of disappointed with the service this time. Maybe he was having a bad day. I’ll still return for the noodles tho!

One of the best Bun Bo Hue! The broth was great and not too spicy. Very generous with the portions.

We eat here at least once a month, if not more. Definitely a plus that it stays open until 10pm! Everything here is delicious!
Our regular is typically the bare beef salad and fried rice.
And for entrée, we order the bun bo hue! It’s a noodle soup that slightly spicier than phở but the flavor is amazing.

I frequently come in here alone or get takeout. Always the same thing: phở tai and a Vietnamese iced coffee. Can’t go wrong.

Perfection! Came here on a whim at 10 on Thursday. Amazing food! We got the green curry, chicken pad Thai and spring roll. Oh and also the chicken fried rice– we really enjoyed it– very fresh and not too oily or overdone.

Hands down the best bun bo hue in the city! I always find that the broth at other places lack flavor and spice. This place does it for me. $ 9 for a huge bowl I can barely finish.
They also have a huge menu that looks worthy of trying, but I always have to get the BBH because it’s that good!
Service is always top notch, but that could be because I’ve never seen it crazy busy.

Very good food. Cheap eats. The bun bo hue is delicious. The phở is also very good. Highly recommend the restaurant.

I tried their well known bun bo hue since my friend suggested. It was good, but i thought if they put less of the shrimp paste it would be better. I love shrimp paste and if bun bo hue doesnt have it in the broth it not really is bun bo hue. But café Hoang i thought it was overwhelming that it took away the beef broth aroma. However, one thing i really like about café Hoang is that they have fresh chopped chili marinated in fish sauce in replace of the plain chili oil. I eat my food spicy so the fresh chili definitely made me a fan of café Hoang already.

Everyone that wants Bun Bo Hue aka spicy beef noodle soup knows exactly one place to get it, CAFE HOANG. That is actually their special dish or their go to. It never disappoints, I have been eating here for years. What I like is their consistency in the BBH, it is exactly the same every time. Other things are good too like the bun thit nuong, springs rolls, bun rieu, rice dishes. Overall, this is a legit vietnamese restaurant. If you do not like spicy then I do not recommend the BBH, get phở instead.

Came here on a late Saturday night with some friends after catching a Blackhawks game at a bar. It is byob, so pack accordingly. We got here about 50 minutes before closing time, but the staff was super accommodating. We ordered banh xeo and shrimp fresh rolls to share as a group, and then commenced to order phở banh bo rau, and bun for entrees. I usually frequent other spots on Argyle for phở, so this was my first time trying it. The phở broth was clean, flavorful, and not too greasy or salty which usually is a problem at other phở places I’ve been to. We didn’t finish everything but the staff kindly packed up the leftovers for us. Since it was late Saturday and we had been drinking and continued to drink at dinner, our group was loud and raucous but they didn’t even bat an eye. Definitely will be back, Café Hoang!

Service was quick and polite, although our server may not have had the best English that wasn’t a problem at all. Got the green curry — dishes were over $ 10, but just one entrée was big enough to split between the two of us plus a spring roll appetizer and we both left full and happy.

Café Hoang has been in my life since my move to Chicago in 2009. It is my go-​to Vietnamese restaurant. They make a scrumptious phở with perfectly cooked rare beef and a broth so sumptuous – it’s virtually crack in the winter time. They do a lovely bun for the summertime noodle craving. And their crab rangoon is the bomb-​diggity – always freshly fried!

I’ve been coming here for years.
It’s still my favorite spot for bun bo hue and banh xeo. They actually have blood for the bun bo hue so I can always order extra. I love it.
I always order the duck salad, banh xeo, and bun bo hue. I just tried some of the phở today and that was also really good.
The food is always consistent in flavor.
If I lived closer, I’d be here every freaken day!

After a long night of dancing and drinking, my friends and I were in need of some good noodle soups. We got the banh xeo to share and it was delicious! I got the bun bo hue. My friends got the phở and a noodle soup with bamboo shoots and duck. My mom was born and raised in Hue, so needless to say she knows how to make some amazing bun bo hue. Obviously, no one will ever come close to hers, but Café Hoang did a pretty good job. It had a great balance of spice, heat, and pork, and beef flavor. Even the left overs were pretty good the next day. I tried the phở too and I thought it was good, but a bit oily. I think if they scooped some of the oil off the top before pouring the broth into the bowl, then it would be really good. My friend really liked her duck and bamboo noodle dish.

Ambience/​service — as you would expect in a typical viet restaurant, very casual, nothing special.
Food — above average phở 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!

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 phở or rice dishes would be just as good. Happy munching!

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 Phở Ga (chicken soup) will make your bones warm and cure even the most sinister of hangovers.

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.

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.

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 phở and some egg roles. Pretty simple and delicious. Only complaint was slow service especially for how quiet it was in the restaurant.