Hai Yen Restaurant

"Uptown has plenty of great Vietnamese places for certain soups or dishes, but this small spot specializes in doing everything well. Hai Yen’s shrimp-filled banh bot loc with fish sauce or beef-filled bo la lot are fantastic starters. Their spicy bún bò Huế or beefy phở dặc biệt could go for broth-to-broth with some of the city’s best bowls. And for anyone wanting some rice in the mix, pairing it with lemongrass pork chop or saucy bò lúc lắc is a wise move. Hai Yen gets busy with a rotation of regulars during dinner time, but it’s never so packed that grabbing a seat is impossible. Food Rundown Phở Dặc Biệt One of the best bowls of phở in the city. It’s beefy yet light, with enough sweetness and complexity from the rock sugar and warming spices. Each bowl comes with rice noodles and a meat medley of brisket, flank steak, eye of round, meatballs, tripe, and tendon. Bún Bò Huế For soup lovers who like a little spice, the bún bò Huế is excellent. Along with heat, the broth has plenty of lemongrass flavor and a generous amount of beef and pork. Bò Lúc Lắc Hai Yen’s shaking beef is perfectly tender, with some texture from plenty of sautéed onions. It’s covered in a salty, garlicky sauce, and you’ll want to get some of the sliced tomatoes and cucumbers involved for added freshness. Bánh Bột Lọc These shrimp-filled tapioca dumplings are one of our go-to appetizers here. They have a pleasant chew, and the nước chấm adds sweetness and umami." - John Ringor

"Hai Yen in the West Argyle Historic District has plenty of things to choose from on its menu, but the first thing we go for at this casual spot is the bò 5 món (beef 5 ways). Considered a higher-end dish fit for a celebration, bò 5 món consists of the following: 1) Gỏi bò, a cold salad of shredded papaya and carrot, with beef; 2) Bò nhúng dấm, a fondue-like dish with sliced raw beef dipped into heated sweet vinegar; 3) Bò nướng mỡ chài, grilled sausages of ground beef wrap in caul—a fatty, rich delight—wrapped in rice paper with rice noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs; 4) Bò lá lốt, ground beef sausages wrapped in the lá lốt leaf (known as “wild betel leaf”) and grilled and 5) Bò nướng sả, grilled beef with lemongrass, also eaten in a rice paper wrap. Yes, we know that's a lot of information, but we really want you to come here and order this dish." - adrian kane, courtney sprewer, veda kilaru, john ringor

"What To Order: Bò 5 Món Considered a higher-end dish fit for a celebration, bò 5 món consists of five different preparations of beef. First, there’s gỏi bò, a cold salad of shredded papaya and carrot, with beef. Then bò nhúng dấm, a fondue-like dish with sliced raw beef dipped into heated sweet vinegar. There’s bò nướng mỡ chài - grilled sausages of ground beef encased in caul fat that’s then wrapped in rice paper with rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and herbs. Bò lá lốt, which are ground beef sausages wrapped in the lá lốt leaf (known as “wild betel leaf”) and grilled - an earthy, herbaceous delight. And lastly, bò nướng sả, grilled beef with lemongrass, which is also eaten in a rice paper wrap." - celebrate argyle, hac tran

"This iconic restaurant in Uptown in the Asia on Argyle area features a homestyle DIY whole fried catfish spring roll that requires two hours of advance preparation. It’s called Cá Cuốn Bánh Tráng and is rarely seen on Vietnamese restaurant menus in Chicago." - Ashok Selvam

"Carnivores will find a host of pleasures at Hai Yen. The signature bò nướng lá lốt is an appetizer of marinated grilled beef and pork wrapped in Hawaiian leaf. In addition, the restaurant offers bò 5 món — five courses of beef prepared multiple ways, including cooked tableside. Online orders can be placed here." - Eater Staff