We are a Chinese food restaurant with a focus on noodles and dumplings.

Pronunciation: [Lao - Pung - Yo]
Meaning: Old Friend

We are a casual Chinese food restaurant offering a diverse range of flavors and influences. Located in the beautiful West Town neighborhood of Chicago, our food is made with love and pride. We hope you like it.

ORDER NOW
Storefront with green exterior, large windows filled with potted plants, and a sign above that reads 'LAO PENG YOU'. The door has a sign with the same name, and illuminated bulbs hang above the windows.
Interior of a modern dining room with a wooden counter, a hanging light fixture, and a view into the kitchen where a person is working.
Two people holding glasses of red wine over a table with Lao Peng You dishes, including a bowl of dumplings and sliced beef with green garnish, on a red metal table outside.

FAQ

Below we list some frequently asked questions to help you have the best experience at Lao Peng You. Not enough? Feel free to shoot us an email.

CONTACT US

  • No, all of our seating is first come, first serve. We DO offer a texting waitlist system. If there is a wait, you can put your name on the list, then explore the neighborhood until we text to let you know your table is ready. If any tables look "empty," someone hasn't returned for their table yet. It's a small dining room, and we try to make it as comfortable as possible for everyone dining and waiting.

  • Sometimes, we have to turn off online ordering due to heavy traffic and to prioritize the orders in front of us. It is a small dining room and kitchen, like real small. So be kind and patient with us. We want you to eat too!

  • The short answer is: no. The focus of our menu is serving dumplings, noodles, and bread. Currently, the dishes are all made with wheat flour and soy sauce, making it very difficult to accommodate this particular allergy. Though we can adjust our salads, you will miss the full experience.

  • It’s authentic to us (whatever that means) and what we want to serve and eat. We’re not trying to be your grandma’s cooking, the last restaurant you ate at, or even deter you from Chinatown. We love Chinatown and everyone’s Nai Nai.

  • Yup. And that’s how we like it. There is chili oil in almost everything for a cohesive menu. We can accommodate lower spice tolerances. Just ask when ordering. Request extra spicy at your own risk.

New Lao Peng You Year of the Horse merch available now.

go to shop

Who we are and why we do what we do.

A Nai nai with two young grandchildren, one boy standing behind her and a toddler sitting on her lap, in a home setting.
Close-up of dumplings in a spicy broth garnished with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.

We are two half-Chinese brothers who opened Lao Peng You in 2019. Our inspiration for opening comes from our childhood experiences of sharing food with family and friends.

Lao Peng You is a celebration of the beautifully complex and ever-evolving Chinese cuisine. We approach everything we do with balance and good intentions, so whether it’s your first bite or your last, it’s always memorable. From our dumplings to noodles and everything in between, we want each bite and every moment to feel like home. No matter where you’re from or what you grew up eating, Lao Peng You is for you—it’s for everyone.

Our staff is an extension of our family. To contribute to and provide health insurance for our team, we include a 4% service charge on every order.