Le Colonial

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Thirty Years of Famed Vietnamese Cuisine in Chicago's Gold Coast

In 1993, restaurateur Rick Wahlstedt set out to capture the spirit and flavors of Saigon in the 1920s, opening the original Le Colonial in Manhattan — the first upscale fine dining Vietnamese restaurant in the country. Three years later, Joe King brought the concept to Chicago's Oak Street, and the Gold Coast location has been a fixture of the city's fine dining scene ever since. That longevity is earned: Le Colonial Chicago recently marked three decades of operation, a milestone that speaks for itself in a competitive market.

The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is a fitting complement to a restaurant that has always taken its beverage program seriously alongside its food. It reflects the same attention to detail that runs through every aspect of the experience here.

The Space

The room on Oak Street is genuinely beautiful. A palm-filled dining room sets a warm, unhurried tone, while the bar and lounge invite a more relaxed pace. The expansive terrace — open year-round — looks out over the bustle of Oak Street, offering one of the more pleasurable outdoor perches in the neighborhood. For something more intimate, a private chef's table provides a close-up, personal dining experience away from the main floor.

What's on the Plate

Executive Chef Amanda Barnes leads the kitchen, working with traditional Vietnamese recipes alongside contemporary interpretations of classic dishes. The menu is extensive and thoughtfully composed. Small plates include Chao Tom — grilled shrimp wrapped around sugar cane, served with rice noodles and peanut plum dipping sauce — and Ca Bam, a Hanoi-style preparation of wok-seared wild-caught monkfish with turmeric, lemongrass, and crispy sesame crackers. The Suon Nuong features chargrilled Berkshire pork ribs with a signature Vietnamese hoisin glaze and lemongrass.

Among the larger plates, Bo Luc Lac — the classic shaking beef made with caramelized filet mignon, farm greens, and a lime pepper vinaigrette — stands as a benchmark dish. The kitchen also turns out a miso-glazed Scottish salmon in coconut lobster broth, and a yellow coconut curry built around Amish farm chicken, mango, and toasted cashews. Sourcing is deliberate throughout: Amish farm chicken, Berkshire pork, and wild-caught fish appear across the menu.

A Dress Code and a Standard

Le Colonial politely requests refined dinner attire — a small signal that the restaurant takes its atmosphere as seriously as its food. The Vietnamese cuisine here is neither casual nor abbreviated; it is the full expression of a concept that has been refined over thirty years, across multiple cities, without losing the particular character that made the original so compelling.