While shopping at the comic store next door, I literally stumbled onto Anh Em by accident. It is located on West Anderson Lane, tucked into a strip mall near Hop Doddy's. While I planned to have a late lunch with my brother, I decided to grab something quick at Anh Em (according to the store manager Anh Em means brother and sister in Vietnamese). The interior of the restaurants evokes calm and serenity with stark white walls. The restaurant has simple tables and chairs with minimal wall art. Phở, bánh mì, vermicelli bowls...the classics are featured on the menu. Anh Em appears to be the type of place, that you can sit for hours to do work or homework. It has the flare of a casual neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant, the kind of place that becomes part of a routine. I ordered the Vietnamese Spring rolls filled with shrimp and lettuce wrapped in clear rice paper. The first impression...fresh, flavorful and soft to eat. The shrimp rolls came with a peanut sauce. This was not your typically peanut sauce...it was thin liquid with a light peanut taste...so good! Stylish dim lighting, soft music playing in the background and an appealing menu ...the winning formula at Anh Em read more

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I'm on a personal mission to find my one-stop-shop Vietnamese spot in Austin. I hate cheating. I don't want to bounce around town for different dishes. I want to be committed to one Vietnamese spot. I'm talking a veggie + fried tofu pho loaded with vegetables and swimming in a rich, flavorful beef broth; fresh Vietnamese spring rolls served warm with *BOTH* THAI BASIL AND MINT INSIDE; and a proper Bánh xèo AND Bánh hỏi served with a generous dia rau sống/raw herbs and veggies plate that doesn't have me begging for refills/begging for more. I haven't found "the one" yet... but Anh Em Vietnamese Kitchen is a solid option for now. The veggie/fried tofu pho? Good. Comforting. I liked the addition of snappy snow peas. Portion size is a bit smaller than your average Vietnamese spot, but it still hits. I swapped in beef broth for the vegan pho (yes, I'm that person) because I love the collagen and flavor, but this beef broth STILL needed more flavor. Now I HATE OVERLY SALTY PHO, so I respect the restraint with the broth here...but this swung way too far to the other side. Bring it back to the middle and add a little salt cause we need the balance. The spring rolls were SO CLOSE to perfection. They were fresh, served warm with GRILLED meat, and filled with Thai basil, but I was quietly begging for mint to be added inside, too. That Thai basil + mint combo flavor matters to me when it comes to Vietnamese food. The peanut sauce, though? No notes. Perfect consistency, a nice tang, and exactly what it should be. Now... there is no Bánh xèo or Bánh hỏi on the menu. That hurts my feelings. Not a dealbreaker, just a gentle nudge: please consider adding both of them. I just know you could do it. Bottom line: this is not my one-stop shop, but Anh Em is absolutely worth being in rotation. I've got my eye on the bánh mì and that matcha soft serve next time. ***ALSO*** consider adding a strong Vietnamese iced matcha with condensed milk to the drink menu and I'll really stop playing around. 4 stars for now. I'm rooting for you. read more

Anh Em - Grilled Pork Spring Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Incredible new modern Vietnamese eatery in North Austin owned by local Austinites. It has your standard delicious Vietnamese dishes with unique offerings like the Nitro Thai Tea, Viet Arnold Palmer, and Matcha Soft Serve. The Nitro Thai Tea is dangerously delicious - creamy without the dairy! Viet Arnold Palmer is Jasmine tea and house made limeade, so refreshing. I'd swing by just for these drinks if I wasn't hungry! Impressed by the Pork Bao Buns and Pork Banh Mi. Perfect crisp to the meat and fresh veggies. Ask for the chili crisp! It adds a nice spice and crunch. Meatball Pho was delicious! Perfect balance of spices in the broth and large serving size. You have to try the Matcha Soft Serve. It is velvety smooth and has the best Matcha flavor. I knew it'd be good but it was actually unreal. What a great way to end the meal! Check them out! You will not be disappointed. The decor and music are also fantastic! read more

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Super cute hip cafe . I can't wait to try more of the menu . Fresh and flavorful. Everyone was nice and friendly . I thought the service was very fast a prompt . read more

Anh Em - Vietnamese Near Me - Austin, Texas

A good banh mi in Austin is hard to find (especially at a reasonable price point), but I finally found one off W Anderson! The bread is crispy, grilled meat had ton of flavor, a hint of pate and all the pickled veggies, although I don't recall the jalapeños. Regardless, the sandwich slaps. The Chicken Vermicelli was also fantastic. Fresh flavors, same grilled meat with some fish sauce to drizzle on top. Do yourself a favor and check out one of the best banh mi sandwiches in town. read more

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Our new favorite spot Best pho and banh mi We have been three times in the last two weeks lol it is THAT good The eggrolls are delicious - get two orders!! The crispy pork belly bao is also amazing - highly recommend this too! The pho is my favorite - great broth, love the steak they use and the noodle portion is perfect My husband gets the brisket banh mi - get this! Truly the best banh mi in town - amazing flavor! The viet arnold parmer is my go to beverage- simple but delicious! The matcha soft serve is a MUST!! Super cute and clean interior Plenty of parking in the shopping center Service is always great - super friendly and helpful staff read more

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Best banh mi I've had! I tried both their grilled pork and brisket banh mi and both are sooooo good. The way they marinate the meat stands out from other banh mi I've had around town. I enjoyed their nitro Thai tea as well (if you like your drinks on the less sweet side, this drink is for you). Their matcha soft serve was so creamy. Service was quick and friendly. I've gone twice during their soft opening. The first time the restaurant was full and the food took awhile but the second time it was about half full and everything came out fast. read more

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Anh Em is a very new Vietnamese restaurant that took over for a prior Vietnamese restaurant that was here. It is located in the retail shopping center just north of Anderson Ln. and next to some Austin staples like Dragon's Lair and Sun & Ski Sports. There is ample free parking in the shopping center that is shared amongst all the businesses here. Anh Em translates roughly to sibling in Vietnamese and that family-feeling is evident in both the food and the atmosphere inside. It is beautifully modern with some stunning green tile underneath the check-out counter but it also has some homely vibes that remind me of Asian restaurants I'd eat at growing up in San Antonio. The vibe inside is warm and loud just like what you'd expect from an establishment aiming for some powerfully nostalgic home cooking. I've pretty much eaten everything off the menu, and I'd say the food is a mix between clean / fresh, authentic, and a little more on the mild side. I think the fish sauce could use a little more pungency, but recognize they've been open for less than a month and are likely still figuring how to adapt the menu. The Banh Mi is probably the star of the menu as they use a decent coating of pate on each sandwich. Options to add a fried egg are highly recommended, and I love the freshness of the radish and carrots. I'd personally like them a little more pungent as well with sourness but perhaps they recognize the Austin audience too well and have started things a little milder. The Pho is pretty solid with the broth on the slightly cleaner side. As a family owned restaurant, the service is great. They work the restaurant regularly so get to know them - they're incredibly kind and hard working people. Will be back for Rangoons and Banh Mi. read more

Anh Em - Dumplings, Spring Rolls, Crab Rangoons, Egg Rolls, Vietnamese Iced Coffee - Vietnamese Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been here twice now during their soft opening. The first time I got a banh mi to go. It was truly one of the best I've ever had and I'd absolutely recommend driving out of your way for it. Recently we came and sat inside. It's modern and casual, and the service is quick and friendly. I really enjoyed the beef pho and think it was definitely among the better ones I've had. I tried some of the grilled chicken vermicelli bowl too, and thought it was very good. Overall I'd absolutely come back for a casual and delicious meal. The star for me was the banh mi! read more

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It's important to note I am Vietnamese and a vegetarian, so my perception maybe a little skewed. Located next to Hop Daddy, this new Vietnamese casual restaurant brings some fairly tasty classic Vietnamese dishes subdivided into 4 categories - bánh mì (sandwiches) , phở (noodle soup), cơm (rice), and bún (vermicelli noodle). As a vegetarian, I completely appreciate that there is a vegetarian version of each dish in each of the categories. They also have appetizers which a mix of Chinese and Vietnamese. My husband, who does eat meat, got the grilled pork with rice which comes with classic accompaniments of pickled carrots/daikon, cucumber, tomato and cilantro. He found the pork to be nicely flavored and charred, though found the portion to be a little on the small side. I had the vegan pho and was pleasantly surprised that the pho spices were pretty prominent and good since lot of time vegetarian pho can just be a bunch of vegetables, but you can't taste the star anise/cinnamon/cloves etc. This one you actually can though I feel that the spices may have steeped a little too long and bordered on being almost too bitter when I kept eating it. I got the grilled tofu steamed buns and was pretty good with hoisin/siracha sauce (and maybe a little five spice but my flavor buds maybe off). But the two stars for me were definitely the matcha soft serve and egg bánh mì. The matcha soft serve was the perfect texture and had great matcha taste without being overwhelmingly astringent or grassy. The bánh mì bread was the perfect amount of crunchy exterior with a nice soft bread interior and was stuffed to the brim with filling and loved the mayo and Maggi used for seasoning. I particularly didn't find the spicy mayo at all spicy, but it did add a nice fatty taste to the bánh mì. Now of course the question would I come here again? For the matcha soft serve yes and for the bánh mì . The other dishes were just ok for me, but remember I am vegetarian as well. If I am truly craving Vietnamese I will still prefer Sunflower due to the larger portions and choices of dishes that aren't as available in other Vietnamese restaurants. But for fast casual I still think Anh Em is a solid choice. Parking is easy as it's shared with strip mall. read more

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Really wanted to try this place because we heard about the big banh mi sandwiches. Our server was great but the food was average? The cha gio was very bland, the meat to bread ratio for the banh mi was on the slimmer side, and the grilled pork could have been seasoned better. The matcha soft serve was good though. May need to revisit again once they've been more established. read more

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Come for the pho, stay for the nitro Thai tea. Yes, you heard me. Nitro. Thai. Tea. No, I don't know how it's possible, but Anh Em has me by the throat with this completely dairy-free yet velvety brew. It's entirely too smooth, sweet enough to be entirely addictive, and my current favorite treat. I crave it even more than milkshakes, which is really saying something for me. Don't worry, the food program is solid too, not to be outdone by a drink. It's especially nice to have the option of either fried or soft tofu in the pho, as I honestly think that the soft version is better for soaking in the broth. If you're still hungry, the bread on the tofu banh mi is stellar; just specify no pate, no mayo, and no fish sauce to keep it vegan. This spot just opened up and is already swinging for the fences. Don't be surprised if there's a line on any random weekday. read more

Perfectly proportioned yummy spring rolls and banh mi. Yummy potstickers. Bright and clean food and restaurant. Attentive, kind, thorough service. Do not like the grilled pork at all but everything else has been super yummy. Looking forward to exploring the menu further! read more

New Viet food place in the block that replaced an old time place, love the space and love the food. They're still technically using a soft opening menu, so training staff and ironing out kinks still. You have to start with the nitro Thai iced tea. It is amazingly bubbly and smooth, not too sweet but definitely strongly caffeinated. The Arnold Palmer is also good (jasmine tea and limeade) that is refreshing on a hot Texas day. The pho is pretty clean and extra noodles are pretty cheap to add on. Steak is on the leaner side but the tendon is cut nice and thick, which I really loved. Broth is good without add ons. The vermicelli bun is a vibrant bowl but I've had better elsewhere - the char on the grilled pork is a bit intense for how thin it is and the fish sauce could use a bit more punch. But it's a filling healthy lunch. All in all, great spot for drinks and light food! read more

So glad this is in our neighborhood. Antoine was awesome, very welcoming and service was friendly and efficient. Get the NITRO THAI TEA!!! So good, the bao buns and eggrolls were good but I almost regretted my choice when everyone ordered the grilled pork banh mi's cause the look amazing but my vermicelli bowl did not disappoint. Their grilled pork was seasoned really well and I loved what I got. I did get a bite of the Banh mi and it was so good, the bread was perfectly crisp and flaky. The matcha tea soft serve was a nice sweet ending to the meal. Can't wait to come back to try the pho and other dishes. read more

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Must try their pork sandwich and nitro Thai tea! Service is always spectacular here, short wait times. Went back couple times to try their other dishes and it was all delicious ! read more

Best Bahn Mi, best pho, best service. Matcha soft serve to die for! Also the best chili oil i've ever had.

I ordered the grilled chicken bánh mì and a beef pho to-go and both were incredible. The bread was clearly freshly baked -- perfect crunch on the outside, soft inside. The sandwich had a generous, flavorful layer of pâté that made it super rich and savory, balanced perfectly by the crunchy fresh veggies and that bright pickled vinegar bite. Everything tasted fresh and seasoned to perfection. The pho tasted like a Vietnamese grandma made it -- deeply flavorful, comforting, and exactly what you want in a bowl of pho. Highly recommend grabbing a nitro Thai tea or the matcha soft serve for a refreshing treat. Definitely coming back. read more

Anh Em - Grilled chicken bahn mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Omg! So glad we randomly discovered this place. Food was amazing. We got the egg rolls, pork dumplings, beef pho, and vegan pho. Everything was so delicious and flavorful. I didn't catch our servers name but he was so nice and we stayed yapping away way longer than we should have and he still offered to refill our waters after we were done eating. I will 1000% be back and will be bringing my husband next time! read more

Anh Em - Beef pho and vegan pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Austin, Texas