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Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: EdgewaterLoyola (Red)
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This gem on Devon is worthy of five stars, but for one missing key item...Vietnamese Coffee!
My g/f and her friend and I dined here on a Saturday evening recently. The restaurant is very attractive...modern, sleek, and comfy. There's a lounge area with couches and overstuffed chairs up front. The large dining room is slightly to the back and side of the lounge/lobby area.
The menu offers a nice variety of appetizers and main courses...chicken, fish, and beef dishes and some vegetarian options as well. Appetizer wise, it was hard to choose from the attractive selections, so we tried three...the beef satay sticks, stuffed shrimp, and the nem. All were delicious! For the main courses, I was torn between the curry beef and the Bo Luc Lac, opting for the latter after the g/f chose the curry beef. Her bff ordered the Cochinchin. We tried each other's entrees and all were delicious. I also had the pho...a smaller portion than what I'm used to, but very tasty. Normally, pho comes with a side of bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro or Thai basil. but curiously, not here. Fortunately, the delicious broth, generous noodles, and copious amounts of beef tenderloin made up for the lack of garnish. The smaller portion was actually welcomed as I became full on the appetizers and the main course as well as the dessert.
There are a few choices for the dessert...I opted for the coconut almond rice pudding...very sweet and unique in it's firm, less than pudding-like texture. It was different from other rice puddings, deliciously different! The biggest disappointment was that there was NO VIETNAMESE COFFEE, only Folgers. I would give Viet Bistro a solid five-star review had there been the traditional sweet coffee offered.
The menu offerings are a bit on the pricey side, but the quality and quantity of the foor certainly justifies a few more $$$. The service was friendly, professional, and attentive, though the restaurant wasn't that crowded when we were there.
When we were leaving the restaurant, we picked up their lunch to go menu...there was Vietnamese Iced Coffee on the menu...guess I'm gonna have to go there for lunch for my java fix...
All in all a solid choice for Vietnamese cuisine.
I was so excited when we moved into the area and I saw this place, as I love me some tasty Asian (Thai-Chinese-Vietnamese and everything else) food, but alas, no gold was to be struck here. Brook E. said it perfectly below, it's just blah. Nothing special about this place, although I did manage to get hammered off of a couple of lychee martinis. I heard a horrific story from friends that came here and were told MULTIPLE times that the dish they ordered was not available - I mean, WTF??? How can you not have 4 different dishes on your menu? Insane.
I liked Viet Bistro the first two times I went, but it's kind of just blah. The menu is very small, and they HAVE NOT changed it since they opened. The menu offerings they do have aren't GREAT, especially for the price.
My biggest beef with Viet Bistro is actually the way they do the seating. We've gone there when the place is completely empty, except for one other table, and what do they do? Seat us one foot away from the other table. It's not even to appear full, they seat you at the very back of the dining room.
Vietnamese is my favorite cuisine and I was delighted when we moved into a new condo right around the corner from this place. It's some of the best Vietnamese I've ever had.
It's not a hole-in-wall pho place, but rather an upscale, more French-influenced Vietnamese place. It does have pho if that's what you love, but there are also some wonderful, complicated entrees. I do wish it were a little less pricey so I could eat there every week instead of once a month, but I do think in this case, you get what you pay for.
The staff is super friendly and accommodating, as well.
Viet, you have a great interior. I was impressed. EXCEPT you sat us by the window where every Rogers Park freakazoid and bag lady could walk by veeeeerrrrrry slowly and give that intense, crazy eyed stare to me. Thanks for that.
And you were really on top of your game service wise. Everything came out beautifully presented and piping hot. EXCEPT our server was a little too attentive. I went to use the restroom and he came up to Andy M and said "oh, did she leave? (as in, did I ditch and go home)". It's cool though, you guys don't know me and the scene I would make if I really were to ditch and leave. It would be, um, hard to miss.
Food was marvelous. Flavours were perfect and like I said, beautifully presented. EXCEPT I was shocked and saddened by the portions. A bowl of beef pho was not served as one normally receives on Argyle St, but about 1 1/4 cup of soup in a tiny ceramic bowl too small even for French Onion soup. And at more than double the price. Also, you know how when you order a beef skewer the meat takes up about 3/4 of the stick? Well the top two of our order were like that but then the other three hidden underneath were about the size of a half-dollar, like a beef lollipop. Now thats not cool! Come on, do ya need to be scrimping on meat that much! So, yeah, thanks for being beef tricksters. Dont think we didnt notice.
I really enjoyed when you guys ran Pasteur and was hoping for a similar experience. But this was not to be. Sorry guys we probably wont be back.
I was very pleased with this restaurant. I was a little worried when I was invited to go(After never really having Vietnamese food). I was so thrilled I can't wait to go back! I had the Bahn Tom for my appetizer(An awesome fried dish with shrimp covered in a sweet potato cake). It was so amazingly food. My entree was the Bo Luc Lak. That was also very good. It was a large enough portion that I had to take a good amount home.
There is more to enjoy about the food though. Our waiter was fantastic. He is so attentive and fun to talk to. Oh, and not to mention that Rashed's chocolate martini is killer! Thanks for an awesome time!
Sleek, chic decor. Fun front lounge with couches and a bar. We had dinner in the dining room, and enjoyed the doors that open to the outside on such a nice night.
We started with the beef skewers: tender and perfectly seasoned. Then moved on to our entrees - I had the Lemon grass Chicken, and my husband had the spicy beef curry. Both dishes were great. They were well seasoned, large portions, and served with white rice. For dessert, we shared the cappuccino cheesecake with khalua mousse topping... sinfully divine!
The staff were very friendly and quite attentive. I was just drinking water and they took care to make sure my water glass was never empty.
Minus one star for prices: the prices are quite high so we'll unfortunately not be visiting as often as we'd like.
Viet Bistro is phi thuong (wonderful)! C'mon Chicagoland diners--forget about Blago and Burris, celebrate Barack, and treat yourselves to Banh Tom--a fried sweet potato and shrimp appetizer that's to die for!
This off-the-beaten-path--Devon just east of Ridge--descendant of Pasteur was alarmingly empty of patrons this past Saturday evening. Sure it was a chilly 6 degrees and this isn't much of a walking neighborhood, but the food and comfortable setting were well worth our drive.
We kicked things off with duck spring rolls, stuffed shrimp rolls and the aforementioned banh tom--delish! For entrees, my wife went with catfish in a clay pot and I feasted on curried beef. Cute-as-a-button Courtney--a dead ringer for an actress whose name we couldn't recall--made sure we wanted for nothing, including martinis made with locally-produced North Shore vodka.
I'll be back--and I'm bringing friends!
This is not a typical hole-in-the-wall Little Saigon pho house and its waaaay the hell up in Rogers Park so my guess is that the locals go there or others (like myself) who end up in that area of town. Inside the restaurant has nifty lamps and modern leather chairs. There's also a lounge which is best for larger groups. I ordered delicious spring rolls dipped in peanut sauce as well as vegetables with rice noodles. My fiance had delicious tempura as well as seafood with veggies. The meals looked just as amazing as they tasted.
I have passed this restaurant many times, but finally went in the other day. The decor is great. Has a lounge feel. The menu is small, but the food was great. We had the duck spring rolls, and I had the ginger salmon for an entree. It was great! Different flavors than I've had before. An added treat was that we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. (That's what you get for eating at 9:00 on Cinco de Mayo!) I'll definitely be back.
Yelpers should know that the service here has really improved since the opening. Give VB another chance! We are fans of Rasheed's blood-orange martini, the hu tieu sate (spicy beef) soup, the nem, and the whole red snapper (which they will happily filet for you tableside on request).
The only downside to eating here is the noise level -- if there's a big party in the dining room, it's hard for anyone else to hear. Try going on a weeknight when it's not busy.
We ate here this evening and were pleased. Being that it was Easter, we were in luck that the restaurant was pretty much empty. Upon entering, we were impressed with the sleek decor of espresso leather chairs, clean lines all around and the pops of orange decor within their lounge/bar area. In the dining room, the exposed brick added some warmth. But overall, the ambiance of the restaurant was modern, sexy and chic.
We started our meal with green jasmine tea, served in a beautiful teapot and matching cups. Our appetizer were the stuffed shrimp - filled with a mixture of ground chicken, ginger and subtle spices, that were placed inside butterflied shrimp, coated with a light tempura batter and fried to perfection. Cost of this appetizer = $7.95 for 4 pcs.
For dinner, I had the Bam Luc Lam - tender marinated beef with a sweet & salty soy based sauce on top of a bed of fresh watercress, dotted with slices of fresh tomatoes and cucumber. This was served with a bowl of steamed white rice. The dish was good overall, however the sauce was a bit on the salty side. I probably would not order this dish again because the saltiness was a bit much for me. Cost of this dish = $20
My husband opted for the bouillabaisse - a clay pot filled with a fragrant broth chock full of mussels, shrimp, fish and vegetables. The broth tasted of lemongrass, tamarind and subtle chili. This also was served with a bowl of steamed white rice. My husband really enjoyed this dish. The balance of broth to seafood was perfect. We would definitely order this dish again. Cost of this dish = $19
To finish our meal, we ordered 2 desserts. I ordered the "Trio of Sorbets." The presentation of this was beautiful - raspberry, lemongrass and mango sorbet were encased in an eggshell of white chocolate and served split into two then drizzled with chocolate sauce. Cost of this dessert = $7 and perfect for sharing.
My husband initially ordered the chocolate & hazelnut pastry, but was told that they were out. So he ended up with the duo of chocolate - a two layer chocolate cake made with a traditional chocolate mousse and white chocolate mousse. Althought the serving was small, it was rich and delicious. Cost of this dessert = $7, enough for one person.
Overall, the dinner we had a Viet Bistro was wonderful. It is a little on the pricey side, but the experience, attentive service and hospitality we received gave us a great date night at the end. We are fortunate to have this place in our neighborhood and encourage others to give it a try.
The owners of Pasteur (a favorite) created this hot new bistro. Fantastic interior - a Sexy Asian vibe - worth the trip up to Rog Park. Open LATE for delish noshes, and BYOB (bring a dry white) - which we always love.
While I have every reason to believe this restaurant will be wonderful, give them a few weeks to get over their "new restaurant" craziness, they were seriously running out of everything the night I was there.
This place gets 4 stars on taste plus decor. The prices however, were not to my liking. Only because I can get authentic Vietnamese food at a cheaper price that roughly tastes the same. Our party ordered the whole fried snapper with sweet and spicy chili sauce (which was very spicy!), the Bo Luc Lac (filet steak beef cubes over watercress) and the Cochinchin (reminiscent of Thai Food). Overall the food tasted great and I would definitely recommend to someone looking for Vietnamese food from a restaurant that prides itself in looks. We passed on dessert only because we felt our pockets were robbed enough already.
Rashed is a genius. A mad genius, but a genius regardless. Don't listen to the people who say he does weak pours- he knows how to mix the drinks so you can't taste the booze, which is the sign of a good mixologist. Just be careful that you don't have too many and wind up puking the next morning like I did. Ask for the mango breeze or the hypnotic breeze- fantastic!
I drove by this place a lot on the way home from work. I was really excited to try it out when they opened up.
Mistake #1 - going there without reservations during opening weekend. We were unable to get seats, so we left.
Mistake #2 - trying Viet food at a Viet bistro. Being Viet, I am always on the hunt for a place that makes food just like momma does.
When I came here the second time with a friend, noone was there. Score! Service was okay. The menu came, I took a glance through it and all of the dishes were seafood.
STRIKE! I am allergic to seafood.
I look further to see what I can eat on here. Hmm...chicken with pasta. or some veggie dish.
STRIKE AGAIN! I didn't come to a Viet bistro to get pasta!! I could've gone to an Italian joint.
Because I was unable to eat anything there and not wanting to try their pasta, my friend and I got up to leave. Left the waiter $5 for our water and headed elsewhere. Total disappointment.
I really like the food here. The service was decent, though I feel like maybe were were duped into ordering larger appetizers than we meant to, then charged double. In general, it was a bit pricey - to the point that it will be out of my price range if they get their liquor license and are no longer BYOB.
The appetizers were creative and really good. The menu descriptions were fairly accurate, though it was a bit of a limited menu. Atmosphere is pretty cool, though I felt like I was under dressed in my shorts, tennis shoes, and polo shirt.
Street parking is plentiful, and there's a liquor store about 1/2 block to the west.
Hurry up and visit this place for the delicious food before they get their liquor license!
Went here a month ago with my dad and loved it so much I reserved half the lounge for my birthday celebration. Rasheed is an attentive bartender who topped off my wine glass every moment I wasn't looking and made us free samples of his specialty, a passion fruit martini that is divine and dangerous as it doesn't even taste like there's alcohol in it.
My birthday party was a blast, we ate veggie tempura and other tasty appetizers in the lounge before retiring to the dining room for dinner. At the end of the night I had free drinks poured for me and an out-of-this-world lemon ginger cheesecake that I must learn how to make.
After closing the place down, Rasheed directed us to a bar a few doors down and met us there as well. All in all, it was really a memorable night and I will definitely be back.
Viet Bistro is a cute restaurant with good food. Good food, not great food. The menu is decent size and the drink list is good. It would make and off-beat place for a date - mostly due to it's location. We ordered the Spring Rolls and they were so good we ordered a second set while we waited for our 3rd guest to join us. The waitress was great at suggesting food but not so great at helping us with our drink choices. However there is a sommelier so you can just ask for him to suggest something if you are into wine.
The food here was just mediocre to me. I did like the interior though, it was cool. However, I did go there for dinner not to be wowed by the decor. I wasnt impressed enough with my food to recommend what I ordered for an appetizer or entree but WHOA was the passion fruit cheesecake something else. It was perfect and because of it I am willing to give the restuarant another chance in the future.
We had dinner here and stuck around for a wine tasting. Great service, wonderful pho, and the bartender gave us a delicious pomegranate drink free for trying them out. We'll be back.
Really like this place...an offshoot of Pasteur, my all time favorite restaurant, but has it's own vibe. Very modern, chic, yet comfortable. Drinks are top notch thanks to Chicago's best sommelier, Rashed (and I'm not the only one that thinks that!). Food has some carryover from the Pasteur menu, which is wonderful. Their dark curry/filet dish is probably my hands down favorite of any in the world. Complex, aromatic, wonderful. Give this place a try; big enough for groups but small enough for a date. Enjoy!
whoa this joint is totally out of place in this area. a very hip trendy viet fusion restaurant neighboring loyola univ? i dun get it. place looks like it belongs on division or north avenue.
anyways, like i previously mentioned the place is decorated very modernly...which i like but the food is not overly impressive...i had ordered a dish called bo lui...and all it that is, is a beef n vegetables kabob. don't get me wrong, it was very good but cmon a beef kabob? thats not very asian to me.
this restaurant is BYOB for now, i believe they still waiting on a liquor license cuz there is a rather huge future bar and lounge area. i'd go back fo sho.
I went here the weekend it opened, and it was alright. The prices are pretty good, and the decor is very nice. My favorite was the shrimp and crab soup, that was very nice, the other things were just OK. If you don't live near here, I would be hesitant to make the trip up. It could very well be better since my time there and I'll try it again....if they ever get their liquor liscence! Back in February we were told it would be three to four weeks tops.
I agree with many of the reviewers. Viet Bistro is good food, but not great. Although the staff is very friendly and helpful at decision making, we were not wowed by the food. I had two martinis that night, and both had very little to almost no alcohol in them. Usually, I sip my martini all night, but my first choice, a Passion Fruit, had almost no taste at all, and I sucked it down, wondering if it was poured with any alcohol. We ordered shrimp rolls, meatballs, and beef skewers for appetizers. Nothing great. Then we had the salmon and beef entrees. My beef was a lot better than my boyfriend's salmon, but again, nothing great. For dessert, we had a "ginger" cheesecake, which really did not have a great ginger taste to it like we were expecting. I would be more than happy to pay the Viet Bistro price for food if it were up to par and worth each penny. But I have had better Vietnamese food for a fraction of the cost on Broadway.
I love supporting our neighborhood, but this restaurant makes it easy. With great food and superior bar and atmosphere - the only choice is YES!
this place is a great gem in the middle of still up and coming rogers park. beautiful decor and space. the food is pretty good not the best in the world because that would be my grandmas'. extensive drink menu and as i recall from co-owner Quynh they have quite an exclusive scotch selection. Rashed is awesome. great services too.
i came here for their martini's that came highly recommended by a friend and she was right, they were amazing. my beef with the place is the manager. he was freaking out! i came to sit at the bar and have a drink and relax and this guy was just making me nervous the whole time. he was running around like crazy, talking super fast, talking to waitresses in a demeaning tone...just wacko. first of all, he didn't listen to us when we said we only wanted to drink and sat us at a table anyway, and was too busy running around getting the plates and silverware for the table to listen to us telling him setting the table wasn't necessary. when we got up and went to the bar, the manager was also the bartender. i finished my first martini and he was on me, asking me if i wanted another one, almost to the point of badgering. my friend and i stuck it out until he pulled out his ipod and turned on his music as loud as it could go and played the patrick swayze song from dirty dancing. at the point it was time to leave. i was just so annoyed i felt like calling and telling someone, but who to tell when it's the manager himself that is the problem.
additionally, i thought the food was overpriced and i wasn't impressed with the menu (it was a laminated microsoft word document)
i probably wouldn't go back...and i live 3 blocks away.
I've been anxiously awaiting going to this place since I first noticed work was going on in there about a year ago. I got my chance to meet a friend for drinks. The server/bartender couldn't remember what drink I had read about in the Red Eye a few weeks ago that was supposed to be his specialty. He did make us a nice fruity martini. We ordered tempura veggies, pretty OK at best. We genuinely would have stayed longer and ordered more if we had experienced any friendly or welcoming gestures, but decided we'd rather go somewhere else. When we asked for the check, we were given the "I knew you weren't going to spend any money" treatment. The lounge area is beautiful, as is the rest of the place, and I guess would have been the appropriate place for drinks and apps, but we weren't given an option and I was turned off by the multiple TV's showing dumb reality shows in there. I am so diappointed and will not be back.
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Edgewater
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Category: Desserts
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