Hunan Bistro 湘缘

It was a Friday evening and the parking situation was a challenge but we found a spot nearby. At 6:30 pm the place was not that busy. We ordered from our phone by scanning the QR code. The servers only stopped by when there was some activity. Many dishes looked very attractive but we only tried a few. With taxes and tips, the bill was more than $97 for two, ouch! We plan to come back and try more.

We had a family gathering here and it was just perfect! Great atmosphere, large tables with a lazy Susan in the center for sharing. The food is cooked perfectly, the beef and chicken dinners were tender and delicious. Spicy is not over powering but just enough kick to make it tasty!

Great food. Nice atmosphere but don’t like ordering online and no communication until the food finally came. Everything we ate was tasty and large portion sizes. We had Wontons, House Special Spicy Pork, Stir-Fried vegetables, and rice. Delish!

This was genuinely one of the best meals of my life. Asian food is my favorite genre of food, and the more authentic the better. This place gets it right. The menu is great, plenty of options. I went with the snails , pork lungs, and steamed fish head. All were absolutely amazing and so flavorful!

Service is kind of slow. It seems like they are short staffed. The stir fry and steamed fish are very good! Also strongly recommend the steamed eggplants. I do not recommend their chicken soup. But their vegetables dish, pork belly, beer duck and fish are very good.

Hunan Bistro: A Spicy Delight in Chicago's Chinatown During a recent Monday lunch, my friends and I decided to indulge in a Hunan cuisine feast at Hunan Bistro, located in the heart of Chicago's vibrant Chinatown. Known for its bold, spicy flavors, this restaurant did not disappoint, providing a perfect setting for a spicy food catch-up. Food Highlights: -Stewed Pork Feet with Soybeans: The pork feet were remarkably tender, falling off the bone, and bursting with flavor that harmonized beautifully with the soybeans. -Beer Duck: A regional dish from the Dongting Lake area in Hunan, the duck was succulent, with the broth having a unique, savory taste from the beer infusion. -Hand-Torn Cabbage: A staple vegetable dish from Hunan that was simple yet perfectly executed. -Mashed Pepper with Preserved Egg & Eggplant: This dish was an interesting mix of textures and flavors, combining the softness of eggplant with the sharpness of preserved egg. -House Special Spicy Pork: As the name suggests, it was fiery and packed with spices, offering an authentic taste of Hunan. -Egg Fried Pepper: Another spicy & protein treat that complemented the other dishes well. Overall Impression: Hunan Bistro offers an authentic taste of Hunan cuisine with its salty and spicy dishes that are perfect when paired with a bowl of steaming rice. The flavors are robust and well-balanced, making each dish stand out. The atmosphere is welcoming, and the food is consistently prepared to showcase the richness of Hunan cooking.

Typically I don’t give out 5 stars to Chinese restaurants since I have higher standard for them because of my ethnicity, but I am truly impressed by the quality of food here. This is the best Hunan restaurant that I have ever had! Let’s start the review: 1. 麻辣大片牛肉： they used beef shank meat for this dish, thinly sliced and marinated, then stir fried to perfection. It’s spicy and numbing, seasoned with soy sauce and Chinese 5 spice. The sesame seeds adds a new dimension to the flavor. The meat is a bit chewy for beginners, but that’s how this dish is suppose to taste. The numbness will only hit you after you swallow your first bite, think of it like the after taste of a smooth sake. Highly recommended! 2. 干锅鹿茸姑: a mixture of three different kind of dried fungus and pork belly, stir fried to perfection. This is my favorite dish today. The aromatic dry mushrooms and rich pork belly complements each other well. The chewiness of the mushroom meets the rich pork belly, perfect symphony! 3. 腊鸡莴笋汤： the smoked chicken was made in house, Smokey and a bit chewy, but using it in a soup softened the chicken and add some smokiness to the soup. The nutty celtuce absorbed the chicken flavor and IMO, the best thing in the soup. This is a must order dish in the restaurant if you are into smoked meat. It was a new experience for me! 4. 长沙臭豆腐: for people who are familiar with stinky tofu, this is a piece of heaven. Most of the stinky tofu in America are similar to regular tofu, not stinky enough. This is the real deal, yet still tolerable to me. The tofu is fried and served with a special sauce. I loved it. 5. Stir fried morning glory: typical stir fried vegetable dish, perfectly cooked, but it would be better if they put less oil in the dish. Overall a great restaurant, highly recommend if you want to have an authentic Hunan cuisine in Chicago.

Absolutely outstanding Hunan cuisine! The flavors were delightful and perfectly balanced with just the right amount of spice. The service was exceptionally friendly as well. Among the dishes, the beef rice noodles stood out for their tender texture and delicious beef broth, while the mashed pepper/eggplant with preserved eggs absorbed so much flavor. The ground pork with mustard and the smoked pork and bamboo shoot dry pot were also standout dishes. Overall, every dish were super aromatic, and with so many more menu items to explore, I'm looking forward to returning for more.