YooYee 喜又 — Restaurant in Lake View Township

Nestled in the heart of Argyle in Chicago, YooYee stands out as a gem of contemporary Chinese cuisine, blending time-honored traditions with a modern flair that feels both innovative and deeply respectful to its roots. From the moment I stepped in, the warm ambiance and attentive service set the stage for an unforgettable dining experience. I started with the Taiwan Yuzi tofu, a dish that exemplifies YooYee’s commitment to authenticity. The golden-fried tofu puffs were incredibly delicate, with a crispy exterior giving way to a silky, custardy interior—clearly handmade with precision. Topped with vibrant snow peas and carrots in a light, savory sauce, each bite captured the essence of Taiwanese street food elevated to fine dining, without losing that homely, genuine flavor.

Next came the sweet Leshan duck, inspired by Sichuan’s bold culinary heritage but given a contemporary twist with a glossy, caramelized glaze sprinkled with sesame seeds. The meat was tender and succulent, falling off the bone with a perfect balance of sweetness and subtle smokiness. It’s evident how much care goes into the preparation; the duck is slow-roasted to achieve that melt-in-your-mouth delicacy, honoring Leshan’s regional authenticity while appealing to modern palates.

The Hong Shao pork rounded out the meal beautifully—a classic Shanghainese braise reimagined with chunks of pork belly simmered to perfection in a rich, aromatic sauce. Accompanied by colorful bell peppers, onions, carrots, and quail eggs, the dish was a symphony of textures and flavors, each ingredient treated with such finesse that it felt like a work of art. The pork’s fatty layers were rendered delicately, absorbing the soy-based sauce without overwhelming the palate, staying true to traditional Hong Shao methods.

What truly elevated the evening was the fun, engaging conversation with the owner. Her passion for preserving authenticity while experimenting shone through, making me feel like a welcomed guest rather than just a customer.

YooYee isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a celebration of Chinese culinary artistry. If you’re craving dishes made with delicate craftsmanship and genuine heart, this is the spot. Highly...

if i could give the service 0 stars, i would. the service was so extremely bad, coming from a server. we waited over 10 minutes at the table before even getting menus. (my friend physically walked up to the host stand to grab menus because they took so long, granted the restaurant was full at this point (12 tables total + 6 bar seats) @ 8 pm on a Monday night. so i gave that grace and it really didn’t matter to me to have to grab the menus. we ordered all the food/drinks when the server came. we got the string beans, crispy shrimp, spicy braised beef hand pulled noodles, and cucumber salad. the table next to us was seated and ordered after us, and still their drinks way before us. our drinks (diet coke & thai iced tea) never came until we brought it up (15-20 minutes later) to a server (which takes forever to get their attention, they literally won’t make eye contact with you) and then he went to the bar and got our drinks. by then we had half our food. we needed napkins since they only give you 1 each (which would be fine if they would be attentive enough to give you the chance to ask for more napkins). you would think after messing up with our drinks, they would realize that their service is a tad lacking at least. now once we finished eating and i cleaned up the table/stacked up all the plates & bowl, i had to wait an additional 10 minutes to be able to ask ANY of the 3 servers for a box when there’s only 8 PEOPLE TOTAL (4 tables) dining at this point.

now the food was fine, i wouldn’t order the cucumber salad again, but the string beans were great! the crispy shrimp was yummyy, and the hand pulled noodles were decent, just not a decent portion of meat to noodles. i live close enough to chinatown so i wouldn’t say i would drive all the way up here again just for their hand pulled noodles great. my friend loves the food here though! everyone’s taste buds are different, so i don’t like reviewing food much because those are...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We visited YOO YEE Chicago on a weekday evening, and the place was absolutely bustling—always a promising sign for any restaurant. It was busy enough that we had about a 15–20 minute wait to be seated, which wasn’t too bad but did set the tone for a slightly slow pace overall. Service was friendly, just a bit on the slower side given how packed they were.

Prices here are pretty standard for Chicago Asian spots—good value for what you get. The pot stickers, unfortunately, were a real miss for us. They were either not properly defrosted or undercooked, with an unpleasant texture that made them easily the worst I've had in a while.

Luckily, the rest of the meal was much better. The combination chow mein and the spicy beef chow mein were standouts—generous portions of perfectly cooked noodles with just the right amount of chew, tossed in savory, well-balanced sauces that clung beautifully to the ingredients. The combination chow mein was loaded with a good mix of meats and veggies, each component cooked just right, while the spicy beef chow mein delivered a satisfying kick without overwhelming the flavors.

We also tried the beef brisket noodle soup. The broth itself was delicious—rich, flavorful, and deeply comforting. The hand-braised noodles were excellent, with that fresh, chewy texture that makes a big difference. The only real downside was the portion of beef itself, which was pretty skimpy given the name of the dish.

Overall, despite a few bumps, YOO YEE is definitely a place I'd come back to—especially for their chow mein dishes, which really hit the spot. It's a solid option if you're craving well-executed, satisfying Asian comfort food in a lively,...