Chinese Restaurants in Chinatown, Chicago

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As you stroll through the streets past herbal medicine shops, pagodas and brightly decorated storefronts, you may feel like you're in Asia; however, this can all be found in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood. Only a few blocks from the beach-side walking trails of Lake Michigan, the area, not surprisingly, is home to a number of Chinese restaurants where you can sample cuisine both foreign and familiar. Consider a stop at one after a day of playing in the waves.

Phoenix Restaurant

Phoenix Restaurant specializes in serving classical Chinese cuisine. Dim sum and dinner are served daily. Crispy vegetable rolls, shrimp dumplings and honey-glazed barbecue pork make good appetizer options. The more adventurous eater may want to consider spicy jelly fish or smoked pork hock with rice wine instead. The vegetarian selection is quite large, featuring items such as braised tofu with Chinese mushrooms, Buddhist-style vegetarian stew and vegetable fried rice. Pork, beef, chicken and seafood entrees are offered with many choices. Exotic dishes such as Emperor's braised shark fin and braised sea cucumbers with abalone offer a very different option.

Phoenix Restaurant
2131 S. Archer Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
312-328-0848
Chinatownphoenix.com

Lee Wing Wah

Lee Wing Wah specializes in noodle, seafood and Chinese barbecue. For those wanting an early lunch before exploring the city, the restaurant opens before most other afternoon dining options. Start with a pre-meal drink of bubble tea, a drink like no other, with sweet, gummy candy pellets at the bottom. This tea is available in avocado, watermelon, red bean or papaya flavor. Proceed to an appetizer of pot-sticker dumplings, chicken wings, crab Rangoon or fried shrimp. Vegetarians have a good selection of options here with many tofu and vegetable entrees available. Poultry, beef and pork dishes are plentiful. Noodle dishes include chicken chow mein, Singapore noodles and fried noodles with bean sprouts.

Lee Wing Wah
2147 S. China Place
Chicago IL 60616
312-808-1628
Leewingwah-chicago-chinese.com

Moon Palace Restaurant

Moon Palace Restaurant, with its chic, modern décor, was renovated in 2009 and specializes in Mandarin and Shanghai cuisine. To warm up after a day in the Windy City, choose a selection from its large soup menu, which includes curry beef soup, egg drop soup, seafood bean curd soup and sizzling golden rice soup. Noodle soups also comprise a large portion of the menu with items such as Shanghai noodle soup, noodle soup with pork and mustard green and eel fish noodle soup. Pork, seafood, beef and chicken entrees are offered as well as a large vegetarian selection. The restaurant also includes a full bar.

Moon Palace Restaurant
216 W. Cermak
Chicago, IL 60616
312-225-4081
Moonpalacerestaurant.com

Resources

Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

Article Written By Sarah Schreiber

Sarah Schreiber has been writing since 2004, with professional experience in the nonprofit and educational sectors as well as small business. She now focuses on writing about travel, education and interior decorating and has been published on Trazzler and various other websites. Schreiber received a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications.

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