Chicago's greatest Crab Rangoon!

I maintain a love of Crab Rangoon that threatens my marriage, but a good friend shares my affections and we're determined to find the best ones in the city to try to win over our dubious spouses. We've set a goal to tour around and assess many options. Where should we go for that luscious perfect balance of crab, cream cheese, scallion, and crispy?

constraints: city not suburbs; public transit access desirable

game for any price point and any kind of establishment (see also my ongoing wish for upscale chinese: viewtopic.php?p=586197)

(RIP New China Station, those were baller)

Disclaimer: it's been a while since I've been but I thought Duck Duck Goat had a fine version.

I've never had them (because I can't not get the Duck Wonton, née Duck Rangoon), but I'd bet EatThai's are pretty damn good.

Just a few blocks north of Logan Square Blue Line. And 1 block north of Diversey/Kedzie.

2901 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL
(773) 961-7612
https://www.eathaichicago.com/
https://eathaiil.smiledining.com/

There hasn't been a crab rangoon that I haven't liked so any version will always make me happy. But I really liked the ones I had at nine Bar and chefs special. And you'd get to have some good cocktails at both spots!

Umamicue does a pop-up at Spilt Milk Tuesday through Saturday and they have excellent crab rangoon!

did a little research at Lan's Nine Nine's Asian Bistro. this was quite good though with some interesting deviations from the norm: very crispy, very brown fry; great quantity of filling viz wrapper; filling was real crab (!!); real scallion; amount of cream cheese was - cannot believe i'm saying this - too low?

stay tuned for further dispatches and please keep suggestions coming for venues (and also criteria).

annak wrote:did a little research at Lan's Nine Nine's Asian Bistro...

Conveniently between (sorta) the Clyborn Metra stop and the Salt Shed

Probably not the answer you're looking for, but one that might keep spouses happier: Your own kitchen? As Asian deep fried treats go, they are among the easiest, and can be made in a very small fryer.

If this were my project, I would start with a deconstructed version to perfect a crab filling with wonton chips or those rectangular soup noodles, then move on to the whole thing. And my biggest want in a crab Rangoon: not overly sweet.

tjr wrote:Your own kitchen?

Agree, really pretty easy to make. Don't be shy with the crab and it will be delicious.
I got a crab rangoon tip years ago that has served me well, finely diced celery added to the mix. That, scallion, woooooooshishirrrrer, crab, cream cheese softened with a little milk or sour cream, hint of cayenne, mix, done.

Serve with either sweet chili sauce for chicken, sold at all Asian stores and most main-line groceries. Or make your own, I use a recipe that was published in Saveur a decade or two ago.



Simple ingredients, premade wonton wrappers, fry and eat.

definitely appreciate the cook it at home advice and i'm sure that's the best way to make rangoons on their own, balancing all the elements perfectly. dip is a very fun suggestion! but when we're in the mood for a whole wok-hei feast with rangoons as one component - especially on a weeknight, we're going to be hitting a restaurant or takeout. so the research continues!

Keep an eye out when 3 Little Pigs opens their bricks & mortar location(s) soon. I liked their offerings from the ghost kitchen, especially the BBQ pork, but the crab rangoon deserved attention too.

3 Little Pigs
https://www.3lpchi.com/
Coming soon: 1150 S. Wabash, sharing space with Molly's Cupcakes, and Lincoln Park and UIC/Little Italy spots also in the works

Pho 5Lua for dinner with a group that included a 2 and 4-year-old. Crab Rangoon on the table, of course.

Hot, creamy, crunchy, bland. Lots of cream cheese not a hint of crab, real or surimi, no scallion crunch, or anything that would amp up the flavor.

The little kids loved it with the sweet sticky accompanying sauce, the adults, including me, took an indulgent bite or three and went on with their lives.




Pho Nam Lua (aka 5 Lua)
6261 McCormick Blvd
Chicago, IL 60659
Pho 5Lua

Wow, those look like the ones we got in the 80's in a little Vietnamese/Chinese spot in the basement of a St. Paul apartment building. They were called "cream cheese wontons," no claim of crab, and supposedly the owners had originated them, at least in the Twin Cities. Exactly those flavors: Crispy, creamy, mild mild mild.

G Wiv wrote:Pho 5Lua for dinner with a group that included a 2 and 4-year-old. Crab Rangoon on the table, of course.

You still prefer 5Lua to the newer Pho Le 777 on the southern side of the structure? Even though the former didn't do anything wrong, the roast pork pho at the latter is a game changer for me. They also have banh xeo, which Lua hasn't as long as I've been a customer.

bweiny wrote:You still prefer 5Lua to the newer Pho Le 777 on the southern side of the structure?

That space has been a number of Asian restaurants in the last few years, I've tried them all in the past and always thought I should have gone to 5Lua. I will try Pho Le 777 one of these days, probably on a Tuesday when 5Lua is closed.

Far as banh xeo if I'm in the mood for that dish I will go to my other favorite Vietnamese restaurant Nha Hang, which serves a very good version. If I don't feel like driving to Argyle I'll go to Hong Long on Lincoln for banh xeo.

I'll probably go sooner rather than later to Pho Le 777 now that you (bweiny) have given a positive post.

Note: I see from my pictures/notes I went to Pho Le 777 on 3.1.22 with Jazzfood. I thought that closed and there was one other restaurant between then and now. I wonder if it's the same, or maybe I'm mistaken. Either way, I was not all that impressed though I did not have the suggested roast pork pho.

Best crab Rangoon. In Chicago?

My top 2:

Go 4 Food - fantastic version with chunks of real crab and lobster.

Chi Cafe - Blocks away. Another great version, balanced in a very way. . Was my number 1 version until I had the Go 4 Food one.

Both these spots are in Chinatown and well known so I won’t provide addresses.

jimswside wrote: Best crab Rangoon. In Chicago?
My top 2:
Go 4 Food - fantastic version with chunks of real crab and lobster.
Chi Cafe - Blocks away. Another great version, balanced in a very way. . Was my number 1 version until I had the Go 4 Food one.
Both these spots are in Chinatown and well known so I won’t provide addresses.

Go 4 Food; 212 W. 23rd St.
Chi Cafe; 2160 S. Archer Ave.

we have continued our research quest!
the main finding of note is what i reported last week in the Trivoli Tavern thread: theirs are damn near perfect.

ok, we've been working hard for a year and an half and can report that Ming Hin streeterville is perfect. dark golden crispy fry; correct shape; full savory with strong scallion and not a hint of sweet; fully present crab. that's the one to beat.

We're heading into Chinatown tonight for the main purpose of trying Go 4 Food's crab rangoon. For those who have dined there, are there any recommendations for other dishes? We love spicy & prefer noodles dishes, but will eat just about anything.

I haven't been for some time, but remember really liking the Millionaire Style Fried Rice.

wineaux wrote:We're heading into Chinatown tonight for the main purpose of trying Go 4 Food's crab rangoon. For those who have dined there, are there any recommendations for other dishes? We love spicy & prefer noodles dishes, but will eat just about anything.

I’ve eaten at G4F many times and can’t recall any dishes being particularly spicy—even those with chili in the name. My favorite dishes are those with seafood—seafood hot & sour soup, scallops & oysters on the shell with garlic & vermicelli or ginger & green onion, salted egg yolk shrimp, crispy silver fish, anything crab & lobster, pea tips with crabmeat and millionaire fried rice.

We go with our children now, and so we don't order too adventurously, but are happy all around with the food and prices at Go4Food.

Seafood is generally good across the board. In terms of noodles, it's kinda basic but my children love the Stir fried Veggie with Beef Pan Fried Noodles, it's more flavorful than a lot of versions around. I also like the Hundred Spiced Beef, which is unique and has a touch of heat (but my 3y.o. eats some, so not too bad). It's definitely one of the best value restaurants in Chinatown.