Hong Xuong Bakery

Best bubble teas ever. I always have to come here when I visit Chicago! The taro, honeydew, & watermelon are super yummy. Their bubble teas taste like they use real fruit and taro. It’s a great place to come after eating Viet food in the area! Remember to bring some cash!

Triple bean freeze is the best. I love it so much. Other than that, I have no idea. I might try some bakery next time.

CASH ONLY!
Is this place being renovated? There was no signage at all! The storefront was relatively bare. Luckily we saw a group of kiddos leave with drinks in hand. After doing a double take with the numeros on the door and confirming with ze Unilocal app, we ventured inside. Post duck-​feast, we were in want of some hot milk tea for the drive. Usually there’s a variety of flavors of choose from. With Hong Xuong, it was just one: «Milk Tea». One of the ladies took our order and disappeared in the back. Maybe she was waiting for the water to reach «drinkable» temps but it was way longer than what I’m used to. While we were standing around, we browsed about the place. Barebones, abysmal offering of baked goods. Tea was decent, but not something worth returning for.

Rating is based solely on their avocado with tapioca bubble tea.
I love avocado bubble tea and what makes this place different is that I taste a hint of coconut in their version. Subtle but it’s enough for me to declare theirs as my fave makers.

Their bubble tapioca teas give Joy Yee’s a run for their money. The Che Ba Mau (triple bean dessert topped with shaved, iced coconut milk) is the best i’ve ever had.
While this place is not as fancy as Ba Le’s. It’s TLC in food emanates throughout their offerings.
Caveat: this is a mom and pop shop that does not take credit cards.

Walking into Hong Xuong Bakery immediately brought back memories of grocery shopping with my mama as a child. They had all my favorite Vietnamese sweets… from sweet bean delights to pastries and other specialties.
The ladies who run this joint are also extremely friendly! They carried on a conversation with me in Vietnamese… something I don’t get to do very often.
The prices are also very fair for the quality of product. Be sure to stop in to Hong Xuong if you’re in the area. It’s always my «dessert stop» following a meal at Tank Noodle/​Phở Xe Tang.

So, I decided to bypass Chiu Quon on my way home today, and stopped at Hong Xuong for a savory snack instead. Bad idea; I got a pork and mushroom rice cake, and it tasted like it with made with Campbell’s soup. You know, that cream of mushroom soup that your mom used to use to make sketchy casseroles? I can’t get the taste out of my mouth, am still hungry, and can’t bear to finish it.
On the other hand, their sweet tapioca desserts (look in the inconspicuous fridge to the right) are delicious… so I’ll be back.

This review is only based on their tapioca drinks. I was in one of the grocery stores and saw people drinking bubble drinks. I asked where they got the drinks and I was referred to Hong Xuong Bakery and was told it was «very good». I had ordered the taro drink and it was delicious! It was more on the sweet side but I have the biggest sweet tooth so I didnt mind. The store looked like it had a lot of baked goods and other food items (dim sum items) related to Chinese/​Vietnamese cuisine. If I wasnt full from lunch I would have purchased something.

When Chiu Quon Bakery several doors away is out of certain desserts and other foods, I go to Hong Xuong. It doesn’t have a plastic sign above the street like Chiu Quon and the interior looks dark from the outside, so it’s too easy to pass by. I actually prefer Hong Xuong Bakery over Chiu, as the latter can get too busy at times. When I go to Hong Xuong, I never have to wait and the staff is generally nicer. Sure, it’s much smaller than Chiu, but if you just want sesame balls or moon cakes, it’s a good alternative.

I’ve occasionally purchased goods from this bakery after a meal on Argyle. While it’s not my favorite bakery in the area, they do offer both Vietnamese and Chinese items, which is good if you want to have a little bit of everything. They have moon cakes, banh mi, various filled buns, sticky rice, smoothies, snacks like shrimp chips and more. There aren’t any seats inside, so everything is «to go». It’s worth checking out, especially when the other bakeries nearby are packed with people.