Lotus Cafe & Bánh Mì Sandwiches

I’m convinced this place has one of the best Banh mi sandwiches in town if not the best. The bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The sunny side egg is an awesome addition to any Banh mi sandwich that u can add on. The vegetables are pickled just eight. A little on the pricey side but well worth it for a sandwich that is made fresh and delicious.

This is the best banh mi I’ve ever had and that includes my trip to Vietnam.
They have really solid vegetarian and vegan options. I got the mushroom one and it was Soooooooooo Good, the seasoning was amazing.
This place is very small but gets very busy with people getting takeout.
I would really recommend this place and will definitely be going back every time I go to Chicago

Absolutely delicious. The veggiecado is soooo fresh and delicious. Really nice to see a family business do so well. I moved away from Chicago and I make this the first meal I have every. single. time. I visit.

This is the BEST banh mi sandwich — I cant believe I haven’t reviewed them yet. I am literally here at least twice a month and everytime I have a doctor’s appointment, which is conveniently across the street. Always gives me something to look forward to! They also have a delicious noodle salad that I’ve been getting more often… their pork and ribeye is so flavorful and tender. Always delicious every.single.time! And cant forget the shakes — refreshing and not too sweet. And the viet coffee– strong and sweet. Definitely one of my favorites — so glad they are in my neighborhood!

The best sandwiches I’ve ever tasted. My fav is the honey grilled pork which burst with rich succulent flavors. It may be a bit pricey compared to a Subway sandwich but its definitely worth the price! Fast service, good for a student campus.

Blah blah blah. I’ve been to a gazillion Viet restaurants, and this one was easily forgettable. They don’t have Phở, which in my book makes this un-​Vietnamese. The day I was there, their hot beverage machine was broken down, meaning, no hot tea, no coffee, etc. The food was mediocre at best. For example, the fresh spring rolls were bland and totally uninspired.
The location is good, right in the center of Maxwell Street action. Unfortunately, this also means that parking can be troublesome. Also, keep in mind that this is a very small restaurant– it seemed like most of their business was take-​out.

I’m no expert on banh mi, but every sandwich I’ve ever had here is always delicious. My favorite is their beef banh mi, which comes with egg inside! The bread slightly crunchy but still soft, and all the ingredients taste fresh. Their honey pork was perhaps not as sweet as I would have liked, but it was still tasty.
Their avocado smoothie is actually pretty good too. It’s very creamy, and I actually think it’s better than the avocado smoothies at Joy Yee’s (which is nearby).
If you’re in the UIC area, this place is definitely great for a quick, tasty, and cheap lunch/​dinner!

I LOVE this place. I was obsessed (and who am I kidding, still am) with their rib eye pineapple «salad.» It’s mostly noodle, but the shredded romaine, sautéed onion, and sliced jalapeños give it salad cred. In fact, all the salads start with the same base, sweet and sour dressing, and spring roll but each protein stands on its own. Both the pork and chicken (dark meat) are winners as well.
Can I tempt you to start with shrimp summer rolls? Tasty peanut sauce accompany to Vietnamese classic here. The chicken wings are killer! Super moist, crispy, and covered in a sweet/​spicy sauce. Although your salad will come with a fried spring roll, I recommend getting a few more to satisfy you. I find their smoothies a little icy, but I might prefer that over one that is too sweet.
Honestly, this place does your standard Vietnamese fare extremely well, and I will never hesitate to patronize this place.

Is this the best Banh Mi I’ve ever had? Probably — although I’ll caution that I am not an expert in this area. Certainly this puts every other sub and sandwich shop to shame because their Honey Grilled Pork Banh Mi is one of the tastiest, juiciest, and freshest sandwiches I’ve had in a very long time. This is a straight forward straight up Banh Mi specialty shop (although they’ve tried to serve phở at one point) and I can’t wait to be back. Parking is quite painful although there is a nearby loading zone that can be used if you call in your order ahead of time.
Prices were fair (especially for Chicago — coming from Minnesota). Service was friendly and fast. There wasn’t anything I can think of to complain about — they do Banh Mi and they do it very well. The next time I drive through Chicago I’ll definitely be stopping by. But can I write a Unilocal review about the atrocious Chicago traffic and construction?

Solid Banh Mi Spot!
Great food, crusty bread, quick service. Gotta be a good spot for the college kids.

If you’re at UIC, don’t miss a chance to try a delicious banh mi from Lotus. I took a 5 week class at UIC and went to Lotus 4 times. I wish I would have tried it the first week and made it in 100% of the time.
I only tried the sunnyside beef, but when I find something I like, I stick with it. It had beef and eggs and all of the traditional banh mi toppings. The bread was nice and crunchy. The sandwich offered a perfect balance of flavors that I can just taste in my mouth as I write this review.
The prices are fair – about $ 7 for a sandwich. They also offer smoothies with tapioca, as well as appetizers, chips and pop. I believe they offer delivery too, but I’m not sure on delivery area or charges.
The same girl waited on me each time that I came and she was really nice. If you’re dining in, they also have jugs of water out so you don’t really need to purchase a drink. Bonus: this is right next to the parking garage on Maxwell, so you can pick up a sandwich before you head back to your car.

Love this place. Honey grilled pork is delish. Shrimp spring rolls are very fresh and the peanut sauce is made just right. I also frequently get their noodle salads. Take out orders are made quickly and special requests have always been fulfilled correctly.
The only reason I didn’t give this place 5 stars is because it’s not authentically Vietnamese. Food is definitely Americanized but that’s not to say it’s not tasty!

I had the veggiecado and it was the best banh mi sandwich I have ever had. Delicious fried tofu and yummy veggies like avocado and tomato plus little crispy pieces of sweet potato.
BUT this place loses a point for being soo cramped and crowded. Came in around 12:30 so it was prime time for lunch but there was nowhere to sit. We waited for our food for probably 10 minutes and the whole time it felt like we were in everyone’s way. So, just know that you’re coming for the food not the ambiance and if it’s a busy time of day, you might have to just get your food to go.

Ambiance: Very fresh and modern interior although we sat outside since it was beautiful. Staff were alright, nothing that stood out to me.
Food: My parents grew up in Vietnam so bahn mi was something we had all the time. That being said, this place hits all the core ingredients including a lighter baguette, pickled daikon + carrots, a meat, liver pâté and mayo. What makes this place stand out is the use of gourmet ingredients, the bread was hearty with a lighter crust and the meats were very moist and tender. The pickled veges, while mild, tasted homemade and had a nice crunchy texture.
In term of complaints, I did wish they had the traditional pork roll and cured pork cold cold cuts (cha & thit nguoi) in a sandwich but I understand Americans usually look at them like unappetizing mystery meats. I also wish they used a butter-​mayo mix like some of my favorite places as it makes the sandwich slightly more salty-​savory.
All-​in-​all I really enjoyed the pork belly and honey grilled pork sandwiches, everything was prepared with a high degree of skill but I liken it to getting a taco with expensive skirt steak, crazy smoked multi-​chili salsas, etc which may be delicious but doesn’t satisfy that cheap off-​the-​street authentic flavor you crave. I would gladly come here again but I also won’t be setting aside my old stand-​bys either.

Just a short walk from home I’ve had this restaurant bookmarked forever but never made my way over. I guess I’ll be kicking myself for a while because this place is fantastic.
Nice clean establishment. You walk in and order from a very small simple menu. The service is fast and friendly.
I ordered a sunny side beef Bahn mi. It was excellent. The bread was crispy on the outside soft on the inside. The beef was cooked medium to medium well and the sandwich was filled with fresh cucumbers, jalapeños, caramelized onions, and a fried egg. The sandwich was a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The portion was great.
The best part is the price. You can grab a Bahn mi and a drink for less the $ 9.
I would definitely recommend Lotus Café. It’s great for a quick lunch!

Lotus is a banh mi counter service restaurant close to the UIC campus. They’ve got a simple menu, with superb vegetarian options. The restaurant was relatively empty on the Monday night that my friend and I visited, but it seemed like they had a strong amount of delivery and pick up orders.
I ordered tofu spring rolls, and I also had half a mushroom lemongrass banh mi and half a veggiecado banh mi. The tofu spring rolls tasted fine, but had an avocado spread on them that could go. Avoid these and spend the money on the banh mi sandwiches. I’ll say it: These were the best vegetarian banh mi sandwiches I think I’ve ever had. Lotus is in a class of its own in the vegetarian banh mi department. The veggiecado banh mi had this excellent combination of tomato, cilantro, fried tofu, and sweet potato. The avocado spread here worked well here. And the mushroom banh mi was fantastic: the grilled mushrooms were seasoned very well. I really didn’t taste much lemongrass, but what I did taste was delicious. There was something awesome about the juxtaposition between the crisp freshness of all the other banh mi ingredients with the sautéed mushrooms. Overall, the sandwiches were amazing. It makes you wonder what years of oppression by the French have done to other cuisines.
I would definitely return if I were in the area, and would probably order more than one sandwich.

My 400^th Unilocal Review Milestone, and I dedicate this to my favorite restaurant near UIC (thus far)!
Can I get a HELL YEA for Lotus being right next to where I live? Thank Buddha for this amazing place to help keep my banh mi and boba cravings in check!
Lotus serves up an amazing, modern take on banh mi. Each sandwich costs around $ 7 and comes with a variety of ingredients that will make you reconsider the peanut butter and jelly sandwich you brought to work.
I’ve ordered the Honey Grilled Pork for my first sandwich, and that was classic! The bun was nicely toasted and portions were great. Ask for extra cilantro on your sandwich! The second time I got the fried tofu banh mi, and that one was just as amazing. Large pieces of tofu with thin sweet potato fries tucked inside. I loved both of them.
They also serve up some fantastic vermicelli bowls. You select your type of noodle, sauce, meat, and condiments to create your own bowl. I must say that the chicken here is on point.
Let’s not forget the quality of their boba too. Chicago seems to love fruit smoothie boba, and the ones at Lotus are all made from fresh fruit! For less than $ 4, I got myself a mango-​avocado smoothie with boba, and I couldn’t be happier! The drink was damn refreshing, and the flavors blended so well together. As for the boba pearls themselves, they weren’t stale or rubbery, making it easy to drink.
So while it’s not the most classic style banh mi with the pâté, meats, cilantro, and veggies, it still offers a fantastic new American take on one of my favorite kinds of sandwiches out there. Lotus is definitely my go-​to spot on Maxwell now, and I can’t wait to try their other sandwiches very soon.

Skip the Garden Spring Rolls, not too much flavor there. The soy glazed chicken wings are interesting, but only average on taste. Banh mi really stood out (it’s in the name after all). Ginger chicken is perhaps my favorite of all, just excellent flavor Honey grilled pork a close second, the sweetness isn’t that strong but goes well with the lemongrass and garlic. Sunny-​side beef is a solid choice, depends on how you feel about runny egg. The Belly Classic has pork belly, which I do not care for since it’s a fattier cut of meat, so maybe you might like it. Veggiecado needed a bit more flavor, although it’s quite healthy and vegetarian.
Lotus will also cater, and by cater I mean delivery large boxes of banh mi. If you order enough (like 50), they will even expand their delivery range further south to Hyde Park.

Food is a two but the service is great, hence the 3 stars.
We came in and got the Sunny-​Side Beef and the Ginger Chicken. Everyone on Unilocal goes bonkers for the Sunny-​Side Beef and I don’t get why. The egg we got was cooked too long so the yolk was basically hard boiled. Having a nice runny yolk really could of helped out that sandwich. After coming home and looking at the menu for this review, I asked my wife if our sandwich had sweet potato fries in it, and we weren’t sure. If it was in the banh mi, we couldn’t even taste it. It still wouldn’t have helped out the thin slices of beef. The pickled vegetables and cilantro were great though, as well as the french bread. Pretty quality. That goes for both sandwiches.
Our second was the Ginger Chicken. This one was much better than the first, a lot more flavor and the chicken was cooked well. Other than that though, its not like its worthy of 4.5 stars like the reviews suggests. Its an average Banh Mi.
That goes for the restaurant as a whole. Average. You can get better Mi’s at cheaper prices in this city. So go somewhere else and mi up!

The Banh Mi sandwiches here were pretty good! I would definitely give them both four stars.
I ordered the honey grilled pork, and was thoroughly satisfied, and my girlfriend ordered the veggiecado and seemed pretty happy with her choice. We also got one of the rib-​eye pineapple vermicelli, and I thought it was just okay. I thought that the meat was marinated well and cooked well — I would give it 4 stars if it was just this. But the noodles just weren’t right for me. I wish they had used thinner, more traditional vermicelli — then it could have been really really good.
The place is really cute and has FREE PARKING. Wow what a great thing to have.
I read their bio on their website, and apparently, this place was started by former students who noticed a lack of Vietnamese food options — which is true! I liked hearing about their story, and it definitely made me want to support them even more!

With Ba Le in chinatown closing a few months ago, Lotus (located near UIC) is one of the very few banh mi sandwich shops in the south/​central area. While I should have looked at the reviews for this place beforehand to get what everyone was raving about with the sunnyside beef, I got the pineapple ribeye vermicelli salad dish. It wasn’t bad at all. I loved the fact with this place being as small as it was that they cooked it as I ordered. They also made my Viet coffee perfectly with the less condensed milk I have requested.
P. S. They don’t have Phở if that is what you are craving for and their spring rolls come in orders of 3 halves. All items are served in to-​go containers.
It is located at the very end of that one way Maxwell street to your right. Inside is clean with a few seating tables. You order your food at the counter and they will bring your food to you (kind of like a Del Seoul or I guess a typical café spot).

BANH MI ME
Parking is always a pain in the butt around this neighborhood because of the UIC campus. We had a taste for some Vietnamese sandwiches and planned on doing carry out. When I went to drop my wife off in front, I noticed a sign that said «Free Parking». I was so excited about this offer that I told my wife we were dinning in today. The free parking is a nice feature and it will hopefully help all of the businesses around this area by bringing in customers.
The sandwich shop is small on the inside but very clean. I noticed some of those college students hanging around using the wifi. This isn’t a Starbucks. As a business owner, it would drive me crazy with one person taking up two table spots. I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with such problems. We almost fell victim to not getting a seat because there were many solo eaters surfing the internet at two top tables. While we were waiting for our food, a table in the back opened up and we jumped on it. We almost had to go back to our original plan of going with carry out sandwiches because of the lack of seats.
Prior to arriving here we made a plan. We were going to order two sandwiches and then split them. We went with the Honey Grilled Pork Banh Mi with Pork shoulder, lemongrass, honey, garlic, scallions, pickled daikon, carrots, cucumber, cilantro & jalapenos. Our second sandwich was the
Sunny-​Side Beef Banh Mi with Sautéed beef, caramelized onion, sunny-​side up egg, and crispy sweet potato fries.
Both sandwiches were really good and full of flavor. If I had the choice I would definitely order the Honey Grilled Pork Banh Mi again. The sandwich had the perfect mix of savory, sweet & spicy. I loved every single bite. I was also glad that I chose to eat this sandwich second because it was amazing. My other half sandwich was the Sunny-​Side Beef Banh Mi and it was good. I wish that the beef quality was a little better. There is nothing worse then pulling out inedible fat chunks from your mouth full of food. It just makes eating a sandwich an unpleasant experience. Every sandwich bite becomes a challenge because I’m not sure what I will find in there. It’s like eating a fish with bones in it. The fish is good but you eat with caution.
Would we come back here? Probably because of the close location and the free parking. If I was a college student I would definitely be in here a lot using the wifi and eating sandwiches. My only suggestion to the solo flying college students is to sit in the window counter. This way you’re not taking up two seats. It’s better for the business and if they close down then were are you going to get your free wifi from.