527 Cafe

amazing, authentic taiwanese food - 10/10 recommend! i’m so happy to have found this spot. hidden between two joyee store fronts, 527 offers an infinitely better experience than its neighbor, both in terms of food and service. the food: overall everything i had was delicious and affordable. i ordered the beef noodle soup and was so pleased with the flavor of the broth and how soft and tender the pieces of beef were. at around $12 this is such great value in chicagoland where bowls of ramen go for $14+. the pork chop rice was also delicious, just like what you’d find at a local bento box place in taiwan :) crispy pork with a generous serving of rice topped with braised pork sauce and egg — you can’t go wrong! i would also highly recommend the fried mantou - crispy on the outside but soft and subtly sweet on the inside, with a delicious black sesame sauce drizzled on top, this is great as an appetizer or dessert. the service: you order at the counter and they bring the food to you. the business appears to be family run, with the daughter taking orders and the elderly man bussing the tables. the man was an absolute sweetheart and made the experience so pleasant. he was so incredibly polite i wish all servers were like him!!!

This is an amazing little cafe serving delicious Taiwanese food. Portions are extremely generous, and they don't skimp on meat. I was still finding chunks of beef in my beef noodle soup long after another restaurant's dish would have run out. For dessert, the shaved ice is highly customizable and great for sharing! Also, the employees were very nice. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone craving Taiwanese food, or trying it for the first time.

Taiwanese 527 Cafe is a must for all foodies! While the ice is not snowy like in Taiwan, the shave ice is absolutely delectable every time we have it....which is about twice a month winter and weekly summertime. During quarantine, we order curbside and the lovely staff(shoutout to jeje) will put it in a large box for us to pick up to eat in the car. Their spicy beef noodle was better than the ones we had in Taiwan; popcorn chicken was ok; three cup chicken savory; salmon fried rice light and hit the spot; Kalbi tacos are good and a whole lot more varieties to try. Go get your shave ice NOW!

Solid place to eat with decent food and prices. Their popcorn chicken is decent and the kimchi fried rice is okay. Service is always super fast and nice though so if you need to just grab a quick bite this is the place to go. The menu has a good variety of dishes, but not too many as to be concerning.

This is much better than the restaurant next door to it. It's home style, comfort food and very authentic! We almost always get the homemade dumplings and noodle soup. Kung pao chicken is very good also.

It was disappointing to discover that the restaurant is not open for dine-in, take out only. It was more disappointing that the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup was not good and ended up being about $17. The dish was very salty and the soup had too much of a herb taste. The beef shank itself was tender but way too salty. My friend ordered the Popcorn Chicken, which had the texture but no flavor and quite bland. Sadly, it was a disappointing visit to this Taiwanese Cafe.

You won’t find a better Taiwanese kitchen near Chicago area! Everyone’s taste buds are different, so it’s hard to judge on taste, but i think its very authentic. Having been to Taiwan and many other countries in Asia, this restaurant resembles Taiwanese street food, which is what Taiwan is known for. Its better than most of the so-called Taiwanese restaurants in other Asian countries. I have tried most of their Menu, and they are pretty good. You have to compare apples to apples when rating food. Please dont be like, this ramen isnt as good as the one in japanese restaurant, or, this is so oily than the Chinese restaurant down the street.... its Taiwanese style!

I've been here a few times and overall think the food is good. It's a bit more authentic than the joy yees next door or a panda express. But the food had quite a bit of fat/grease (more so than I'm used to in other Asian restaurants), and there's a lot of salt and fried things on the menu. I've been here a few times and always feel a bit slow after eating here. What makes this place stand out is the cleanliness of the place and the kindness of the owner/staff.

I've always wanted to sit down and have lunch at this place but I never got a chance to. Since the pandemic, they've changed their system to take out only. Ordering online was very simple and easy. I got the Pork with Rice, Taiwanese Pork Chop Fried Rice, Popcorn Chicken, Green Onion Pancake Egg Sandwich w/ Youtiao and Pork Floss. For drinks I got the Sweet Soy Milk and a Matcha Latte. The food was decent. My favorite item was probably the green onion pancake sandwich. I really liked the sweet soy milk as well. I would like to go back one day and try a few of their other menu items.

Hard to come by Taiwanese options outside of Chicago so had to swing by since we were in the area. The menu is very authentically Taiwanese and has all the makings of a typical mom-and-pop. Yes, they are still CARRY OUT ONLY so be sure to call and make your order ahead of time or you'll just be standing in the tight entrance waiting for your food. The big mouth jianbing was a fun twist combining flaky Taiwanese breakfast flatbread and cruellers with kimchi, egg, and a savory sauce. The porkchop fried rice hit that classic Taiwanese flavor as well. While the smoothies and noodles left a little to be desired, ultimately, 527 met our expectations for Taiwanese eats but wasn't a game changer that we'd venture to Evanston just for it. Solid 3.8 as your results may highly vary based on your order!

This is a lovely little hole in the wall Taiwanese restaurant where you can get your fix of all the staples: popcorn chicken, beef noodle soup, pork chops, Taiwanese breakfast. Food: I've been here a few times, and everything I've had has been good. My favorite thing to get here is the Big Mouth Shaobing--it's a Taiwanese sandwich with pork floss (dried seasoned meat, sort of like an Asian jerky), pickled cabbage, deep fried Taiwanese doughnut, and chipotle mayo. It's a lot of unusual and potentially unfamiliar ingredients, but it is absolutely sensational! If you are an adventurous type, I encourage you to give it a go. I've tried the popcorn chicken as well: bites of deep fried and breaded boneless chicken, seasoned with five spice and chili. In my opinion, they're not the best I've had--they're a bit dry and under-seasoned. I did enjoy the beef noodle soup, though, which is a deeply flavored, soy based stock with beef, bok choy, and pickled mustard greens over springy wheat noodles. They also have boba drinks here, which are also good. Ambience: It's a clean, well-lit space with several dining tables. It looks like a good place to study. Service: No complaints here! Everything was served in a timely manner. Parking: Right outside on Davis Street, parking is metered. If you go around the corner on Hinman, you'll be able to find some free parking.

Their spicy Taiwanese beef noodle soup is so good, out of this world! It is the best we've found anywhere around Chicago. It's better than any place we've tried in Chinatown. Highly recommend it. Also, great smoothies, they use fresh fruit.

Hmmm quite disappointing with the portion size and customer service here. First time was sooo much nicer but that was before pandemic. The reason it gets three stars is because the chestnut chicken with carrots is still quite yummy even though the price went up about $3 compared to pre pandemic. :/ Taiwan style popcorn chicken was more chewy than crunchy:(( I really hope the quality of the food and the portion sizes get better as I really loved the place before covid/)

Big sign on the front door "Our business still requires you to wear a mask". They are available for takeout and carryout only and you can stand and order from a lady in a 7x7 ft area. You can't hear her, she can't hear you, she's also rude. The drink I got was disgusting. It was advertises as their new drink, milk tea with purple rice. Just tasted like oversaturated rice. Gross. My daughter got rose tea, again gross. My husband got coconut coconut freeze with "crystal taro" (whatever that is) and it had a nasty aftertaste. No thanks. I took pictures of the menu and wasn't impressed but you can judge for yourself. Also, the medium sized drink is super small. We went next door and ordered different drinks.

Bad bad bad, I've heard good things about them from friends in the past, but I think they are no longer good. The beef noodle soup is so blend, noodles are slushy, beef is blend again, and the soup is not as concentrate it's you know what I mean for authentic Taiwanese beef noodle. Basically the whole dish is like from some generic food court noodle place. Thumbs down! You guys can compare what I get today to some pictures from other reviewers in the past, it's no longer the same!

Authentic Taiwanese breakfast items including soy milk, Chinese crullers, sesame flat bread, savory turnip cakes. They also offer a unique Taiwanese breakfast "taco" made from a scallop pancake folded in half with a fried egg, lettuce, and pork floss. You have to try it! 527 is a husband and wife team so allow for 15-20 mins during the day. Best to call ahead and pick up. You won't be disappointed.

Got the popcorn chicken, beef noodle soup and mango smoothie. Popcorn chicken was kind of bland but the sauce it came with helped. Beef noodle soup was ok but nothing out of this world. I probably won't be back since the food didn't really impress me

If I lived in Evanston or even closer to Evanston, I'd probably come here again! Stumbled upon 527 cafe as my friends and I were looking for a "snack" after going strawberry picking, but something small as to not spoil our dinner appetites. Can't speak to the drinks here, but their popcorn chicken was really good. Seems weird to have to add 75 cents for basil in popcorn chicken as that should always be included, but who knows haha. I also got the scallion pancake and egg with some soy paste sauce. Really good, but definitely overpriced for what it was. My friends also got the chive pocket which they seemed to enjoy. I think their portions are quite small for the price (which is why it's 4 stars not 5 stars), but the food was really good. It is currently take out / delivery only. You can order at the door or online.

I am a bit disappointed. After reading the rave reviews, I had hoped this place would wow me. The place is clean but lack of personality. My friend and I placed and paid our order at the register, picked up a number and seated ourselves. The popcorn chicken was very good and I loved the seasoning. The beef noodle soup was delicious and flavorful. I didn't care for the potstickers, green beans & pork and ribs. Like I said, it didn't wow me. While I sat and chatted with my friend, I saw an elderly man with a little hunchback cleaning the table. My friend and I proceeded bring our dishes to the counter and cleaned our table. I would definite come back for the popcorn chicken but I'm afraid that would be all.

Came here for their attractive boba drink menu, but very disappointed. The honey boba has no taste, egg oinon pancake is way too salty. The fried dough is hard, sweet soy milk seems from the box. The place seems very old and messy. The popcorn chicken is ok. Ended up throw away the honey boba and got another one from the nearby babo shop. Also have to throw away more then half of the egg oinon pancake, as the sauce is too salty and the onion pancak is so chewy, and only ate half of the fried dough due to it's getting difficult to chew. What a waste!

This place is a mom and pop no frills Taiwanese place. The food is okay and the prices are decent for the portion size. I got the Taiwanese pork chop and I enjoyed my dish. The dumplings were definitely homemade and not frozen store bought ones. The popcorn chicken was fried perfectly but lacked salt. Skip on the shaved ice as it is similar to a snow cone. I do like that this place is a fast casual place.

Omg are the wifey and I happy that we found this place. We have been craving Taiwanese beef noodle soup since our trip to the Philippines and layover in Taiwan at the beginning of the year. The flavors of this soup are totally different than some other popular Asian beef soups (pho, bulalo, etc.) and when you're craving it, there's nothing like it. They were super generous with how much beef they give you and they were stewed perfectly tender for melt in your mouth goodness. I love the chewy noodles that accompany this soup and the broth was the right balance of not too salty with the right amount of kick. I can't believe this restaurant has been around for years and we would literally walk past it every time we'd eat at Joy Yee's. If you're looking for legit Taiwanese food, check out 527 Cafe in Evanston.

An unassuming spot at first glance and nestled among many other boutique businesses, one would not expect 527 Cafe to have some of the most authentic bowls of Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. Coming from the East Coast where good, authentic Taiwanese cuisine is rare, I was absolutely floored by the quality of 527 Cafe's Beef Noodle Soup. This bowl contained absolutely tender, fall-apart stewed beef that was elevated by a complex, meaty broth - dark and flavorful. It also helped that the noodles were cooked perfectly al dente and were a nice vessel to help carry the oils and savoriness of the broth. Every element simply jived with one another to create a harmonious dish that stunned me into silence. Heck, even the scallion pancake I got ended up being a perfect companion to the broth. 527 Cafe's Beef Noodle Soup makes it a worthwhile stop even if you are not getting anything else!

I badly want to recommend this place BUT I cannot. The food is bland and too generic. The beef taiwanese noodle soup is just plain tasteless. I ordered twice, the vermicelli and egg noodle but it's still not stimulating my taste buds. The popcorn chicken just lacks the salt and flavor. I am not getting how people can appreciate this.

I got their chef special Taiwanese fried rice and it was super disappointing. I paid over $14 with tax and barely got any meat. And the pork was a little chewy, I could make better braised ground pork (卤肉) at home. The service was really lovely, but they are a bit understaffed so there's a wait. I highly recommend ordering online and picking up. But their other menu options seem really cool, they even have 油条！maybe I'll go back in the future, but def not the best first experience...

The popcorn chicken was not that great. The braised pork over rice was better. It can't compare to actual Taiwanese food in Taiwan. I hadn't been here in probably 5 years since I don't come back to campus much after graduating. Currently there's no dine-in, only take-out.

Kind of a hole in the wall place that can be easily glossed over because it's right next to Joy Yee's, which is probably the more mainstream option. However, I would not sleep on this place at all. 527 Cafe hits hard with its dishes. ATMOSPHERE/ARCHITECTURE: 8/10 Pretty average. It's not really restaurant style but they do serve you. You kind of order, but sit down where you want and they bring the food out to you. It seats around 25 people and there is a lot of glass on the outside to let in natural light. The white polish of the tables and chairs makes the interior look bright and cheery with I like. SERVICE : 8/10 The food came out very quickly and was brought right to our table. I don't really have any complaints here. FOOD: 9/10 I heard about several items that looked really good and so I had to try them out. Tofu with Preserved Egg and Pork Sung - A cold tofu dish that has a really nice presentation. The bland tofu is enhanced with the pork sung and sauce for a nice combination. The star here though is the preserved egg. This was a great dish in my opinion, but not a must have dish here. Kimchi Fried Rice - This is the MUST TRY dish here. It is relatively cheap but has a really nice presentation and the entire dish just comes together amazingly. This Taiwanese Korean blend is Asian fusion taken to the near highest level. You have to try this if you come here and as I write this, I kind of am craving some more of it. Chive Pocket - This is kind of like a cross between a scallion pancake and some sort of dim sum style cake. I enjoyed it but it was not as good as I expected. I would skip this next time. PROBABILITY OF RETURN: 9/10 I would easily come back here for more kimchi fried rice. TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: Come here and eat the kimchi fried rice. You'll thank me. OVERALL: 9/10

Wish I lived in Evanston so I could order from here everyday. Its hard to find authentic Taiwanese food so I'm always on the lookout. I was in Evanston over the weekend visiting my friend and she said this was one of her favorite spots. We basically ordered this to-go as my welcome meal (I wanted it again for my farewell meal too, but sadly we didn't make it back in time.) Beef Noodle Soup - Broth was tasty and slow cooked beef was juicy and tender. Pork Chop Fried Rice - For my West Coast friends, better than Din Tai Fung I dare say? Stirfry Rice Cake - Love chewy rice cakes. Chive Pocket - Nice and crispy on the outside with veggie filling inside. We each got a Purple Rice Yogurt and it was sooo goood. It's almost like a snack in a drink. My fav was passion fruit, but strawberry was yummy too! The lady taking our order was really friendly and helpful when we asked for recs.

This is a great dinner spot! It's definitely a hole in the wall, but my husband, who is from Hong Kong. confirmed that they have really authentic Taiwanese food. He loved their beef noodle soup and I had a great tofu dish!

Love the overall chill vibe here - the mom and pop shop is definitely an endearing place, it's more of a restaurant vibe though, as in I've never seen anyone bunker down and study/work from here. As others have mentioned, prices are good. Portion sizes tend to be a little on the larger size, but the only ones that are REALLY big are the fried rice items. The others you could probably finish a sitting but will just leave pretty full. The quality of the food itself is hit or miss, some things really representative of Taiwan and others missing the mark a bit. But all in all VERY happy this place exists and has lasted this long. - Beef noodle soup: From what we've had here, this is their signature dish. The beef in the dish is exceptionally tender, falls apart in your mouth, type of meat, and is amazingly flavor. Every bite you can taste the love and time spent in marinating and cooking the beef. The noodles are fine in the broth and are a good accompaniment, and the broth has some spice and kick to it, but isn't the star of the dish. It's the beef. *drool* - Popcorn chicken: This is a quintessential Taiwanese street food, and while we didn't get it with white pepper and hot pepper, since some of our party can't take heat, the meat was a little overly fried and could've used some meatier chunks and the crust on the popcorn chicken wasn't entirely like the kind in Taiwan although it was very crispy and not greasy. - Fried pork chop w/ noodle soup: Also a quintessential street food, the pork chop is similarly prepared to the popcorn chicken. It's a good amount of food, the pork chop is fried to perfection and was just enough, stayed moist, but could've used some more seasoning and flavor. The dish itself isn't exactly pulled together all that well with the noodles and the bok choy in their own soupy dish (tasted like bouillon chicken soup) and the pork chop, mustard greens, and (cold) boiled egg on the side. I would've liked it better if it had all been assembled better. - Pork chop over rice: This is similar to the noodle dish but instead of noodles in broth, it was rice with some ru rou (braised ground pork and sauce) on it. There should be some more pork sauce on the rice, it turned out to be a little dry. - Shaved ice: The fruity shaved ice was pretty good, plenty of syrup and condensed milk, and was pretty traditional. Fresh slices of strawberry (and mango when in season), but I miss the snow ice that so many places have now in Taiwan. It's creamier, but I guess this tastes slightly healthier? - Fan tuan: I'm not a huge fan of it here, the rice was hard and it was in a strange shape. The fried cruller inside also tasted a bit stale, so this would be on my list of do not recommends. They've also got a huge variety of milk teas and teas (no fruit smoothies) and is a solid place to go for some Taiwanese food in Evanston, especially if you're looking for a delicious bowl of beef noodle soup to warm you up on a fall/winter evening.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen! This was one of my go-to places for Taiwanese's breakfast, but sadly, I must report that since th pandemic, this restaurant has taken a turn for the worst. First of all, they're one of the few restaurants that still do not allow dine in. They've barricaded the entire restaurant and you must order behind plastic covers with a mask on. It appears as though it is just one person who is taking orders and making the food, because it is taking at least 45 minutes to get your order. The portions have diminished, which is commonplace now with the increased inflation.

Very long wait, food was okay. My friend and I came for lunch on a Wednesday. It took over 30 minutes to get our food after ordering. I ordered the tofu stir fry, it was quite fresh and tasty once I received it and included many veggies. My friend ordered an entree as well and a lychee tea. The tea was not brought out until the food and it was probably the worst bubble tea I have ever tasted. Also, the tapioca balls had a very unusual texture. Do not get the bubble tea! Though we did not get one, the shaved ice looked pretty great.

I ordered a vegetarian curry (with tofu, potato, carrot, onion, and rice) for pickup. The woman who answered the phone was very friendly. And the curry was delicious! It has a wonderful hearty sauce with a rich flavor (not spicy at all). If you like Thai mussamun curry, you'll like this, but it's not the same dish at all (no coconut milk or peanuts here). I will get it again.

Wonderful comfort food for carry out. Their package the noodles separately for their spicy beef noodle soup so it doesn't get soggy. Rice with pork and their chestnut chicken dish were perfect for the fall weather. We always get the popcorn chicken and sticky buns. Looking forward to picking food there again. And they use paper boxes whenever possible which is wonderful!!!

Festive and flavorful time here! Appetizer : fried tofu. The name doesn't do it justice. The tofu is lightly breaded and lightly fried, topped with a spicy mayo and Kimchi. If I could, I would order these for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. Teas: honey goji. Served hot or cold, I think this would be amazing. Sweet and refreshing. All teas seem a little pricy, but I'm not an expert on the cost of tea in Evanston. Mains : Kimchi fried rice with tofu or with beef. Spicy kick. Portions were ample. Nice technique of soft-boiled egg on top. Beef tasted bland and seemed poor quality-ate around it. Tofu was good. Both plates were a little too salty. Vegetable fried rice with tofu: Subtly flavored (peppered, maybe?) and refreshing. Perfect amount of salt. A keeper. Comes with four squares of lightly breaded tofu. Good portion size. Atmosphere : Casual and fun. Bright colors and spacious dining make this a friendly, easy, sociable dining spot. Service: Harry helped us out today. Friendly and knowledgeable. Pointed us toward popular items. Brought out food to table in very reasonable amount of time. Ask for water if you want it, they don't automatically bring it to you.

Someone who is on my friend list had sent an inquiry to me about any Taiwanese or Chinese restaurants that serve "lunch boxes." I didn't know of any, but was rather curious as to whether there were any Taiwanese restaurants in the metropolitan Chicago area. Much to my wondering surprise, there is 527 Cafe in Evanston. Green tea. Popcorn chicken. Spicy stir fry fish. The popcorn chicken makes for really good street food. I love spicy food, so this really does the trick for me. I can't say that the spicy kick is something tolerable for most, but I think you can order it toned down. Another spicy dish that I fell in love with after the first bite wsa the spicy stir fry fish. Lightly battered and stir fried with onions and bell peppers, I was hooked. The green tea was from a tea bag and that was okay. The cashier did an outstanding job of making recommendations, being that what I ordered came as her recommendation. I shall tell my friend that I found a Taiwanese restaurant, although they don't have lunch boxes. You never know. They may do special orders if you're kind.

You order your food at the register then you get a number. The food will be delivered to your table. The food was decent. N1 was the spicy beef stew noodle soup which was ok. The fried rice was decent. I was hoping it would have egg in the fried rice but it did have the dried pork thing that you normally put on porridge. Overall, just ok. Nothing special.

527 Cafe is the epitome of Taiwanese comfort food. Sometimes the best food isn't the fanciest or creative but plain and simple. The service is quick and efficient. You order and pay at the register, and the food is brought out to your table. You can dine at your leisure and when you're ready just walk out the door! We came with our friends and ordered beef noodle soup, tofu with preserved egg, pork over rice and of course popcorn chicken. Surprisingly, the popcorn chicken was my least favorite. It was a little bland but I'm not sure if that's because I'm accustomed to popcorn chicken heavily doused in MSG (mmmm). Anyway, it was still good just could've been a little saltier. The beef noodle soup broth was flavorful and had a nice depth with tender chunks of beef. No complaints here. The pork was prepared in a thick sauce which paired well when mixed with the rice.

I really love this place. Over the past 5-6 years 527 has become one of my favorite places to get food in Chicago, and even though I no longer live in Evanston, I still try to come up for a meal every once in a while. My favorite dishes here are the sausage fried rice, pork with rice, pork chop with rice, and braised short ribs (Tuesdays only). My partner loves the popcorn chicken salad. When I'm in the mood, I'll also get the scallion pancake (deliciously chewy) and chive pocket (reminds me of homemade chive eggs). Their rice based dishes always have a great crunch, usually from a sprinkling of fried shallots. I expect times are tough right now with coronavirus being a problem, but if you're able, you should absolutely come try out 527 and help support small businesses in your community. Stay safe and cheers!

My friend and I wanted a quick lunch. Little did I know that it wasn't going to be quick. It took 30 minutes from ordering to getting our food. And the food didn't live up to it's pictures. In other words, the pictures looked better than it tasted for sure. My pork rice was decent, though I don't think I'd get it again. Especially if I had to wait 30 minutes for it. The lychee green tea I ordered also came with boba that I didn't ask for and boy, was that boba gross. It was wayyy too soft and it made for a mushy texture. I avoided the boba at all cost. Worst boba ever. Things to note: -Free parking for the 1st hour in any of the nearby city owned parking garages -They accept card -Order, seat yourself, food will be brought out to you

527 Cafe is of my favorite places to visit in Evanston. The pork sauce with rice (lu rou fan) is amazingly flavorful with pork belly pieces and a luscious sauce that pairs perfectly with the rice. And their beef noodle soup has these really tender beef shank pieces that melt in your mouth. The owners are there every day and are super friendly.

Out of this world. Cheap, delicious food. Walked into this place and was pleasantly surprised to see a really clean and welcoming atmosphere. Ordered a kimchi fried rice and pork chop with rice. Kimchi fried rice was a a tad spicy but very flavorful. The pork chop with rice is a major home run. I repeat, ALWAYS ORDER THE PORK CHOP WITH RICE. It's so good, I can't even begin to describe it. I don't come to Evanston often, but if I come back, I'm definitely eating here.

Located next to the ever-so-popular, Joy Yee, I would highly suggest stopping by 527 Cafe to avoid the hustle and bustle next door. 527 is run by a couple with very few helpers. You order up front and food is brought to the table. The menu selections are unique since there are a variety of Taiwanese style dishes and other Asian fusion dishes as well. Their sweet potato plum fries are highly recommended! They are sweet with a touch of tang and crispy to perfection. I also usually order pork with rice or pork chop with rice. Just a word of caution: make sure to differentiate one or the other. I've ordered pork chop with rice and got the pork rice instead. I've also had their milk tea with boba and Taiwanese shaved ice before. I didn't really care for the milk tea (slightly overpriced) but the shaved ice was great! Overall, I highly recommend 527 Cafe if you are looking for a quiet and fast place to eat!

Was excited to come to Evanston and chomp down some Taiwanese food, especially the famed Taiwanese beef noodles! But boy were we disappointed. Bad service, over priced and bland meal. Only decent thing is their generous portion and filings. The star was meant to be the broth but unfortunately, it is far far off from what it should be. My instant noodle's soup tastes better... When I wanted to end the bland meal with a Taiwanese shaved ice that looked decent across the table, I was shocked by the unbelievable price. Shaved ice for $14.5!? We decided to walk a block and settle for Andy's fresh frozen custard, for $5.

This place is pretty brave, setting up shop with its Asian flavors next to Joy Yee's. However for me, it held its own ground. The menu is straight forward and is full of Asian fusion options. The woman behind the counter was extremely nice and gave us recommendations when my friend and I told her we were there for the first time. For the appetizer, try the fried tofu. The patties were nicely fried and topped with spicy mayo and minced kimchi, served on a plate drizzled with eel sauce. Not bad and really unique. The Taiwanese Noodle Soup was really tasty. The beef broth was fragrant and the beef tasted like pot-roast and was so tender it almost melted in my mouth. Order it with the rice noodles. My guess is that anything with "Taiwan" on the menu will be amazing. The kimchi fried rice was only okay and slightly on the bland side, but there are lots of other things on the menu to try for next time. They also had special drinks like a Taiwanese root beer and other creations. Bottom line, this is a great place that was refreshing because it was new and unique, and has dishes you cannot order next door (ahem, J.Y.'s). Their distinct menu is their strong point. Definitely give it a try!

I normally don't like leaving bad reviews but I really couldn't let this one pass. We ordered here because we read so many good things. We placed an order for takeout. The appetizers pot stickers and fish balls were ok. The two main dishes we got were the pork with their special sauce over rice and the soup with mustard greens and chicken were not edible. No flavor at all. I would compare the soup to just boiled water with chicken and absolutely no flavor at all. The pork dish had barely any pork and no flavor. Waste of money went straight to the garbage.

Delicious beef noodle, super tender beef, and very generous portion. Highly recommended. I've came here many times. This place sells legit Taiwanese food. They have very delicious Taiwanese style beef noodle soup. I like that the spicy beef broth is very flavorful, and not as thick as other places which make the broth more enjoyable. The beef is very very tender. Like they could melt in your mouth! The noodle is also very good. The other dish I like is the pork with rice. The flavor is very different than other pork dish out there. The pork is tender, salty with slight sweetness. They also sprinkle fried onion on top which gives nice crunchy texture to the dish. Another thing you should try is the popcorn chicken. The chicken is tender on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. The "spicy" version is also very good, and you can ask for it on the side. Finally, do try their bubble tea. The bubbles are softer than other places like Kung Fu tea or Joy Yee. The tea is also more flavorful and less sugar which I like. In my opinion they are way better than Joy Yee's. In short, I highly recommend this place.

Food: 4 Decor: 4 Service: 3 I came here with my gf for dinner about 30 min before closing. 1. Chive Pocket ~Pretty good, similar to how I make them at home 2. The Original Korean Taco http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/znAow_NHsTKGbpC_5x7fkg?select=Mme2B2fAuWSYjKCEjGnoig ~Pretty good. Beef was nicely marinated, and the kimchi wasn't overpowering. 3. Beef with Rice Noodle Soup http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/znAow_NHsTKGbpC_5x7fkg?userid=2fN8mN7uUjOw-QqtcgYqXQ ~Mediocre. Noodles were slightly overcooked, and it was a bit spicy. 4. Salmon Salad ~Pretty good. Salmon was cooked nicely. Next time, I'll come by and get the shaved ice since it seems to be the best thing here. The menus are pretty, but it would be better if it didn't change pictures so quickly. Service was okay, but could have been better since they brought out the entree before one of our appetizers.

My fault for ordering boba tea 15min before 8pm close on a Tuesday but wow. The taro milk tea was grainy. I had to throw it out. I've always wanted to try this place, it's cute & near me, but I won't be coming back. I usually get boba tea from Tealicious but they were closed at 7. Points for having their contactless ordering & payment in great shape seamless though.

527 felt like a solid 4. Nothing fancy, but simple quality food that was at a price reasonable for a casual dine-in, lunch or dinner. Had two dishes, the pop-corn chicken meal and braised pork. Both were good. Simple in nature, but highly enjoyable. It is better than a 3, but far from a 5 still. For this place to further improve its rating without changing its concept, it may need to get creative. Food is good, but could use a little more of a WOW. For example: 1) Maybe add small sides to each meal, 2) add side condiments such as home made spices, and 3) invent a signature dish that carries the store brand - unique to only this eatery. If in Evanston, definitely try it out. If a little further, it is still worth the trip. All is good, but it is missing the WOW factor. I look forward to seeing how this place does. I can only see it improving!

I was super happy to find 527 Cafe. I wish there were more Taiwanese restaurants around the Midwest. Finding one is like finding that unicorn in the forest. I stopped in for lunch an ordered pork chop over rice which was awesome! Great flavor for the pork chop and I liked the breading they used on it. I also loved the pork they put on top of the rice. A little more like pork belly cut up into small cubes. Nice touch. The menu is pretty extensive with a good selection of authentic Taiwanese dishes. They even have Taiwanese breakfast on the weekends. As far as drinks and dessert they have a pretty good selection of hot & cold green or black teas. I ordered a cold lychee green tea and loved it. For dessert they have a lot of shaved ice options. The staff was very friendly and helpful with questions. I definitely can't wait to come back and recommend anyone to check out 527 Cafe!

yum! I've tried their luroufan which is absolutely delicious. I even had a friend who is very familiar with Taiwanese food tell me that this is just as good as ones he can get back in Taiwan. Have also tried their taiwanese beef noodle soup, and although I am not a big fan of beef noodle soup (tastes a bit too murky for me), the one here was better than most I've tried back at home. One disappointing dish was their kimchi fried rice... maybe being korean, I shouldn't have expected much from a place that specializes in taiwanese food and not korean, but it was too oily and not flavorful at all. and for that, -1 star.

Counter-service Taiwnese Cafe with a decent variety of breakfast items and popular Taiwnese rice dishes. Most of the dishes here are comfort food. Either the pork chop rice or minced pork rice are my go to favorites. Service is very snappy and good for both sit-down and takeout.

The food here is alright. For me, it has more of the "homestyle" feel to it more than the greasy restaurant food you'll normally find elsewhere. One of the major pluses is that it is Taiwanese cuisine, which is not easy to find in the state of Illinois (or anywhere in the midwest). This is a good lighter alternative to Cantonese, Mandarin, or Szechuan cuisine in most other places in the area. One of the dishes that's very difficult to find in the area is Taiwanese shaved ice. While this wasn't spectacular, the closest thing I've been able to find around here is bing soo.

This place is a nice small Taiwanese style restaurant in a super cute area. It's right next to Joy Yee Noodle so I can imagine that the competition is fierce. R3: Pork Over Rice. Cubed braised pork over rice with some crunchy garlic pieces. Very delicious highly recommend! Jasmine Milk Tea: A bit watered down, but I appreciated that it is not overly sweet. You can definitely taste the tea. Beef Noodle Soup: The noodles and the soup are tasty and a bit spicy. Pretty good, but I would choose the pork rice dish over this one. I would definitely come back to try their dessert and appetizer dishes.

The Taiwanese beef noodle soup is the winner here, it's flavors remind me of home in california and the homeland back in Taiwan. The vibe is what's tops it, I feel like I'm sitting in a snack cafe in NorCal! This is kinda place I go to when I'm missing homemade Taiwanese food.

I haven't seen many Taiwanese cuisine places in the city, so I thought I'd try this one. I ordered the stir fry rice cakes with tofu and a green matcha milk tea. Unfortunately, the entree was small and flavorless and the milk tea was so-so. I wouldn't have been as upset by the food not tasting great if it didn't cost $14 for the entree. That is just way too expensive for a small and very bland dish! I likely wouldn't buy food from this restaurant again, unfortunately.