Welcome to Uncle Zhang Chinese Cuisine 南来北往
Uncle Zhang Chinese Cuisine 南来北往 is a hidden gem in Chicago, offering authentic Northern Chinese cuisine. With a focus on traditional flavors and generous portions, this restaurant stands out for its flavorful dishes like the Boiled Pork & Celery Dumplings and Sauteed Lamb with Cumin Flavor. The ambiance is casual yet classy, perfect for gatherings with friends or family. The menu features a variety of options, including Cold Appetizers like the Fresh Chili with Cucumber & Cilantro Salad and hearty soups like the Home Made Flour Soup with Pork. Each dish is bursting with flavor, showcasing the chef's expertise in creating delicious Chinese fare. If you're craving authentic Chinese cuisine, Uncle Zhang's is a must-try spot in Bridgeport.
- 742 W 31st St Chicago, IL 60616 Hotline: (312) 842-9677
Welcome to Uncle Zhang Chinese Cuisine 南来北往, a hidden gem in the heart of Chicago serving up authentic Chinese dishes from Northern China. Located at 742 W 31st St, Uncle Zhang offers a range of delicious appetizers, soups, cold dishes, and main courses that will tantalize your taste buds.
As a food reviewer of Restaurant World, I must say that Uncle Zhang is a must-visit for anyone craving true Chinese flavors. From the Boiled Seafood Dumplings to the savory Tomato & Eggdrop Soup, each dish is packed with traditional ingredients and bold flavors that transport you straight to the streets of China.
Customer reviews rave about the Leek Pockets, Salt and Pepper Fish Fillets, and Sweet and Sour Pork, praising the generous portions and vibrant tastes. The Green Onion Pancake and Sauteed Lamb with Cumin Flavor are also standout dishes that will keep you coming back for more.
Uncle Zhang Chinese Cuisine is not just a place to eat; it's an experience that allows you to appreciate the rich culinary traditions of Northern China. So, if you're in the mood for authentic Chinese cuisine in a casual yet classy setting, make sure to visit Uncle Zhang and indulge in a culinary journey like no other.

This place has very authentic Asian food that I'm so glad we came across! Definitely come by to try it. The service is always on par and they are very nice. All the dishes are flavorful and actually reminds me to true Chinese food. Leek pockets are so yummy with a lot of filling. The salt and pepper fish fillets are fried perfectly and doesn't taste like it's fried in old oil. They give large portions for both the green beans and the potatoes. Would highly recommend!!

Really authentic Chinese food. Everything I ordered was delicious. The sweet and sour pork is a must-try. Service was great as well. Would highly recommend this restaurant!

Uncle Zhang's is definitely my under the radar Chinese food spot in the city that is highly under rated. Hands down it is the best Chinese food in the city! The eggplant and the sweet and sour pork out of this world! The fact that no place I have been to makes the sweet and sour pork like they do makes them innovators since it's hands down the best l dish! Most of the dishes are Cantonese style. And the serve that served us checked in often what is very pleasant! So, if you like home style cooking and high quality food Uncle Zhang's is the place to come try!

An amazing Chinese restaurant in Chicago!!! We ordered a soft-fried pork intestines, stir-fried sauerkraut with vermicelli & pork, and a beef tender with spicy sauce. All of them were sooo delicious! My friend and I were so impressed by the flavors!!! We both felt jealous of the people living here lol, if we were in Chicago, we would love to try each option of the menu!

Saw this place before but never had a chance to eat here. Food was great, fresh, and hot. Ordered general tso chicken, Mongolianbeef, shrimp fried rixe, and two egg eoles. Probably some of the best egg rkles. Very crispy with tasty dipping sauces. Definitely will eat here again.,

The vegetables are from Uncle Zhang, I'm addict to this restaurant recently. Miss the flavor from my hometown especially during the holidays. My friend can not eat meat, so this time I order some popular vegetable dishes from here to show her my new favorite. Definitely will try more dishes in the future.

I had 2 different people mention in passing that this is the place they go out of their way to visit when near Bridgeport so I had to check it out. Rather spacious. 5 large group tables w lazy susans that can seat 6-8 people ea (1 in a semi private room) plus 5 booths & 4 tables that seat 4 ea. Good for groups. More spacious than I anticipated from outside. Much nicer than I expected, for some reason. When I asked what the most popular item was, I was told the TRADITIONAL sweet & sour SLICED pork and the dumplings. The difference between the "traditional" and "new" style is the traditional is made with vinegar and the new style made with ketchup. This was really good, a refreshing change to a typical sweet and sour or orange/general tso flavor. So much more herbaceous and fresh tasting, not too sweet, not too much fried batter. Just really delicious. And it was even good the next day too. Had me saying Mmm with every bite! I had the pork and cabbage dumplings which were pretty good. Comparable to dumplings elsewhere but still good. I'd definitely go back. Glad it's on my way to places I go regularly!

This is LEGIT! Boiled Pork & Celery Dumpling: Perfect appetizer and warm, hearty, dumpling to kickstart your meal. I'd probably stick with the chives/other veggie option if you don't prefer a celery-ish aftertaste. But, super juicy! Green Onion Pancake: Yes, yes, yes. If you like this remotely, just get it. Great crispy exterior, fluffy interior. It's a win. Black Bean & Pork Noodle: Honestly, not a fan of this at all. I would take a star off because of this but because this was overwhelmingly good, I'll chalk this up to something I wouldn't recommend. Just nothing enticing to be honest. Sauteed Lamb W/ Cumin Flavor W/ Bone: Good heavens, this may be THE best lamb I've ever had. You likely already know that Northern Chinese Cuisine often includes Lamb (think Xi'an). This was just decadent with a complete flavor bomb of cumin, spiciness & savoriness that you just must try. If you get nothing else, get this. (Make sure to have a side of rice) Eggplant w/ Garlic Sauce (Spicy): Big fan of Eggplant -- garlic may have been a tad cooked long which left a slight bitterness to it. However, the eggplant is nice and charred. It's got a good light spice kick to it too.

Since I got takeout, I can't judge the service or ambiance (which from the photos, does seem a bit dated), so I'll go only off the food. All three dishes were flavored nicely, packed well, and generously portioned. The pork was just sweet enough, and nothing was too oily. Great takeout spot, though personally I wouldn't dine in here.

Chinese food is pretty common around Bridgeport. It of course is next to Chinatown. Northern City is a little different of an experience. Making it unique is having cuisine from Northern China, which is typically a lot more authentic. The prices are pretty good and you get a lot. Bridgeport typically has Chinese restaurants that focus on Cantonese and Szechuan, which are Americanized. It gets more authentic here. There's still of course all the favorites you already know. Anyone wanting to get some of the authentic stuff can find lots here. The only thing is there's not too much of a vegetarian friendly selection. It's about $9 for an entree. We came after going to a game. It wasn't busy. That could have been a worrying sign but luckily it wasn't. For the first time here we tried one authentic and one Americanized item. I got the Kung Pao Tofu. It was a pretty big portion. The tofu was covered in spicy and sticky sauce. Good heat. She had the Northern Style Tofu. It looked different because it was authentic. These are cut in thin sheets instead of cubes, and it tastes more vinegary. I would get it the next time here. The rest of the menu has many meaty choices like chicken hot pot. For sure it's not like a typical Chinese carryout. It's actually recommended to dine in because the food is better fresher. There's still those who like to get it as takeout.