Yen's on Clark Street: The Best Chinese Restaurant in Chicago

Everyone has their own particular likes and dislikes about Chinese food. So in choosing the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago, I considered others' opinions as well as my own. Case in point: my partner and my mother are both picky. They prefer bland, stereotypically American food like cheeseburgers and pizza. I, on the other hand, am a strict vegetarian, crave spicy food, and consider myself an adventurous eater. It's a minor miracle the three of us can agree on a restaurant.

My mother came to visit Chicago last winter, so I took her to Yen's. Between shoveling forkfuls of shrimp fried rice, she said, "This is the best Chinese food I've ever had!" More than a year later, she keeps mentioning that great restaurant I took her to.

My partner is an even bigger fan. In his opinion, Yen's is not just the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago, but the best restaurant ever. We celebrate birthdays and Christmas here.

Feed Me, Yen's!

Yen's wouldn't be the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago if the food was lousy. First, the menu is humongous. There are so many vegetarian options, in two years I haven't tried them all.

For the reaction-prone, Yen's does not use MSG. The food is neither greasy nor dripping with sauce, but just the right level of juicy. The vegetables taste so fresh I imagine them being plucked out of a secret garden out back before being tossed into the pan. My partner, who usually shoves vegetables aside to get to the beef, wolfs them down like McNuggets. The meat also looks darn tasty, and they only use white meat chicken. (No mystery meat here.)

Yen's will spice your food however you prefer. They'll make it bland for mom, pretty darn hot for my everyday needs, or eyeball-popping for when I'm trying to kick a sinus infection.

The price is reasonable-about $25 for two dinners, two sodas, and an appetizer. Tea is complementary, and they serve beer and wine. Oh, and you'll have enough leftovers for another big meal later.

Lights, Please

Another reason why Yen's is the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago is the atmosphere. Yen's is both classy and romantic enough to be a hot date spot. Think candles and bud vases on the tables. But the smiling Buddha statue and stucco make it comfortable enough for my mom not be uncomfortable eating there with me.

Service with a Discreet Smile

A server will appear at your table the moment you put down your menu or drink past the halfway mark on your water glass. But they never make you feel hovered around or fussed over. On a busy night, you might wait awhile for your food, and it's happened on occasion that entrées haven't come out together. That's the worst thing I can say, which still puts Yen's way ahead of the curve.

Location, Location, Location

Find Yen's at 2856 North Clark Street in the East Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago.