Ba Bar is our go to lunch spot if we're at U-Village. It's a beautiful space with lots of windows and has some outdoor seating. The Bun Cha Ca La Vong - the vermicelli bowl with Washington coast rockfish and imperial rolls. The rockfish is tender and savory. And Ba Bars imperial rolls are some of the best in the city. At least one of us and often both of us get this every time we go. It's that good. Occasionally we'll also get the lemongrass chicken which is also very good. We enjoy these dishes so much we've never tried the Pho or soup noodles. The staff is always friendly. read more

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Decided to come here to celebrate a birthday yesterday! I really like the beef salad and the eggroll. My bf really enjoyed his lemongrass noodle bowl as well. I wanted to order Bun cha ca la vong but they ran out, so I got bun cha Ha Noi instead. I liked how the meat was grilled on charcoal cuz I could see the slightly dark crust on the outside, that's what made it authentic! I didn't really like the pork ball that inside the nuoc cham tho! It had some strange taste to it that I was not familiar with, and I wish the texture was a bit more firm! Overall, it was a good dinner and the service was fast! My drink was good too and the interiors was nice! I saw there is a "Quay Banh Cuon", I got hyped for a second thinking it was a real banh cuon bar but it was just for decoration lol! We will definitely come back! read more

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I love Ba Bar. It's my go-to restaurant for lunch when I'm shopping at University Village or doing errands or meeting up with a friend or colleague in the U-District. It's a big, roomy place so I have never had to wait more than a few minutes for a table. But I usually try to avoid the lunch rush and either go right when they open at 11am or later at 1:30pm. I like how airy it is inside, with lots of tables, and they have both indoor and outdoor dining. The food is delicious. My favorite is the vermicelli noodles dish with WA coast rockfish (Bun Cha Ca La Vong) that comes with a crispy imperial roll, fresh dill, mint, basil, lettuce, cucumbers, bean sprouts, and pickled vegetables. But you can't go wrong with most of their dishes. My hubs had the Chicken Breast Supreme last time and it was tasty. The wait staff are friendly and efficient. This place runs like a well-oiled machine. Just writing about it makes me want to go back! read more

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When I was a child living in London my mum would make Singaporean noodles since we couldn't eat pork and most places included pork in this dish. I saw this at Babar and after a long video shoot in the sun I just wanted something comforting and I immediately ordered this. Also you can never come here and not order the chicken wings OMG they are so so good. I love Babar, it's a great restaurant both décor and ambiance wise and the service is the friendliest you could get read more

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Great Vietnamese food especially the fish dishes. It's my 8th year of frequenting their multiple locations. Thank you! read more

Wings were a bit salty but flavorful. I love a good fish sauce wings and they did well. Banh mi dip looked appetizing but super salty overall. The broth was salty and the meat was also more on the saltier side. The idea was there... Saigon Singapore noodles were good. I think it was a balanced meal with shrimp, chicken, egg, crunchy bean sprouts, glass noodles. It does have tumeric so beware of stains. I do wish it had a bit more flavor. The components were there but it wasn't spicy or as savory as it looks. It's missing something but idk. The imperial rolls were refreshing. I like that it comes with lettuce for a little wrap. Good starter to share with others. We got seated outside on a nice day. Plenty of seating inside and out. Service was great, checking in on us. Would recommend if you're really craving viet food and are in the area. Other than that, it could be a little bit on the pricier side for food you can find elsewhere for cheaper. The dishes either lacked flavor or was too salty. read more

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I had a great experience here. I saw some mediocre reviews but I was in the area and decided to give this place a try. I thought the food was really great. very flavorful but do keep in mind it's not going to be a low sodium meal. I tried their lemon grass rockfish and my fiend had shrimp with egg over rice. Both dishes were very tasty but a little carb heavy (not that I would change it) read more

Ba Bar - Shrimp and eggs over rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Ba Bar has started doing brunch! I've previously been here for dinner in the past so this was my first time going for brunch. Went around 1 PM and there was a wait so definitely go on the earlier side. There is a bar area for those of us over 21 and an outdoor seating area as well. I had the delicious pandan French toast. Told myself I wouldn't eat all three pieces, but it was so good. I finished it all! My friend had a shrimp with turmeric rice. I'm only giving a four stars because I feel like there weren't too many veggie options on the menu. read more

Ba Bar - French toast - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The ambiance was very nice and the staff were helpful when navigating the menu. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. However as a Vietnamese person who understands Vietnamese flavors best, this restaurant is mediocre at best. I would even say that it is a bit westernized? The duck in the duck noodles were a bit overcooked and that is all I could say about the duck noodles. Nothing stood out. The side beef broth (I am assuming this is used for the Pho) was salty and so were the Sai Gon Chicken Wings. I don't mind the sai gon chicken wings being salty though since the base of the sauce seems to be fish sauce. Overall, I think this place was okay. I wouldn't come back nor would I recommend this place to anyone else. read more

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The pho was flavorful and comforting, and I loved how the broth feels rich and unique compared to a lot of Vietnamese spots. But the real standout for me was the fried chicken wings--crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor. Definitely something I'd come back for. Great spot when you want Vietnamese food with a little more personality read more

Ba Bar offers tasty eats at an affordable price during happy hour. We ordered the fish sauce wings, pork sausage sliders, beef & cabbage salad, and the grilled lam and beef lá lốt. Everything was flavorful. We were a little disappointed that we only got two pieces of the lá lốt, as I'm accustomed to enjoying a plate full when dining at other Vietnamese establishments. The happy hour menu is a good sampling of what Ba Bar has to offer. Happy Hour is only offered during the week - Monday-Friday from 2-5 pm. There is also a $6.00 minimum drink order per person. read more

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Pleasantly surprised with the food here! I sat at the bar and the service was good and fast. The bartender made me feel great about my allergies. The pho-ench dip was 11/10! So much meat and dipped and the pho broth... chefs kiss** Super flavorful and filling! The crispy pork belly was really good too. I loved all the flavor and only wish that there was more pork belly. It's a bit fatty but in the best way. Highly recommend! read more

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Came in on a Sunday for lunch. The decor inside is bright, open, and cute. When you enter there's a little foyer then a reception stand and a coffee spot. There were multiple tvs playing the football game. We asked to sit in the back where it was quieter and no tvs. I ordered the ox tail pho. I really enjoyed the pho and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of ox tail. The pho comes on top of a large plate which holds your garnishes and sauce. Due to that, a lot of the garnishes were wet. Service was pretty good even as the restaurant started to fill up. read more

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Ba Bar always impresses me every time I eat here. Somehow, I have never reviewed it. It doesn't really draw you in, but don't let its lack of curb appeal (it's not ugly, it's just doesn't wow you) keep you away. Service is always helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Food is always excellent (again, even if the menu descriptions don't necessarily wow you). This place is about great food executed well. You won't be disappointed. Go! read more

Ba Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Another time I wish there was an option to give 3.5 stars lol. Alright if you're looking to find a viet joint for the purposes of actually eating viet food, you'd be better off going some place else. Ba bar is gunna be your typical, overpriced, viet-American style restaurant.. which makes sense. I mean it's a chain restaurant + in u vil lol. With that said, I mean the food isn't terrible, they got a fun vibe + people come here to socialize over some drinks. I'm just saying in terms of the food itself + $$, you could most def find better, cheaper options nearby. read more

Ba Bar - Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We stopped in for Sunday brunch and the line was to the door. We were able to get seated when we reached the hostess area. I do think that the staff is pretty overwhelmed with volume and it shows a bit. Our waitress was nice and prompt and our drinks came out really quickly and the food followed. Everything tasted great and we enjoyed it. I never had rice with Turmeric and I loved it paired with the scrambled egg. My partner had the vermicelli noodles which looked yum & we split the wings. He prefers a dry rub wing so he was a bit turned off by how saucy it was. But I love a good sauce on anything. The vibe was high with the Sunday crowd and we were in and out without an issue. read more

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I got the combination plate and everything tasted good. I've been here twice now with friends and it's never a let down. In the summer though there are a lot of wasps nearby so I would caution if you're scared of those to sit inside instead. Their honey wings are really good, and it's a good place to go to catch up with friends. Wasn't mind blowing but standard good food. Service was fine, we didn't have to wait around a lot. read more

Ba Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The food here is really good. The Saigon Chicken Wings are crispy and savory with the fish sauce taste. The combo vermicelli has so many options on it: chicken, pork, sausage patty, shrimp, imperial roll, and pickled veggies. It's so good and perfect if you're indecisive because you get to taste a little bit of everything. I also think it is one of their more filling dishes. The garlic noodles are really good too - great garlic flavor with bits of crab. The Bun Bo Hue broth is very hearty with a tiny spice to it. The meat is tender and cooked to perfection. The service is usually pretty quick. From being seated to being served is never a long wait. read more

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We planned a small farewell for my sweet Jade before her new adventures outside of Washington were to begin. Ba Bar was the spot. The decor was so cute. It was nice and spacious with an outdoor seating area for those sunny and warm days. Our male server was far from attentive. He was kind but always seemed to rush us and if he wasn't rushing us to order, he had us waiting extra long to order additional drinks or food. Definitely could've been a more positive customer service experience. We had some imperial rolls, spinach and mushroom rice paper, Saigon wings and I ordered Bun Bo hue. Imperial rolls were amazing. The rice paper was pretty dry. Saigon wings were good but it's a flavor that's very normal and the bun Bo hue had a very porky smell to it. I even added chili paste and that smell and taste was very strong. It was a nice spread of food and friends. I love the area. Parking was tight but plenty. I'd love to check out one of their other locations. Now I want to explore this area. read more

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Came here on a rainy day. I ordered their pho tai ñam, which comes with brisket & steak. I thought the meat quality was very good and enjoyed the beef broth. I also think their portions here are large so I was full after my meal. My husband ordered the bun bo hue, which is a spicy traditional noodle soup. The noodles are different but I also liked the flavor of the broth. It came with a good amount of brisket and pork belly. It also included the a cube of pig's blood, which is typical for this soup. Overall, I liked my experience and thought this location at UVillage was nice. I would go here again. read more

Ba Bar - Pho Tai Nam - brisket & steak - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I'll be blunt: I'm not a fan of University Village. The parking is usually atrocious, and the shops, restaurants and clientele are 'upscale bland'. Is Ba Bar an exception, and reason to come here? Read on, Gentle Readers... THE ROSES: Ba Bar boasts a really lovely dining room, and a reasonably creative 'Vietnamese Fusion' menu. THE THORNS: Parking is, as almost always, a nuthouse (if you love watching rich and semi-rich people proving they're no better than the rest of us Great Unwashed, come to the parking lots and garages of University Village). The restaurant was (at least at this visit) extremely poorly managed. Despite having numerous empty tables, we had a very long wait. One poor harried girl was trying to single handedly run the hostess and cashier positions, and sometimes help the waitstaff. Service was at times reasonably attentive, but at other times maddeningly sloppy (why did we have to ask *three* times for a refill of hot water?). THE VERDICT: The food is good, but honestly not that much better than what you'd find a a better neighborhood pho joint (like Pho Aroma on Delridge, and others). Still the prices aren't as bad as what you might expect for hoity-toity University Village. Nevertheless, it's hard to overlook management's inability (or refusal?) to properly staff the place, and waitstaff that could use a bit of coaching. Add this to the constant hassle of getting there, and I honestly don't think (based on this visit) Ba Bar is worth the trouble, when you can get as good or better Vietnamese food at easier to access locations. Neither recommend or discourage. Your results may vary. read more

Had planned on visiting several times when in Seattle, but hadn't made it until today! Superb food in a great cafe like setting. The service was superb and friendly. Very tasty meals all round and just right in amount. A menu from a meat eaters region of the world so don't expect too many vegetarian options Loved our visit and we're certainly going to be back. read more

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The service was decent, but the servers didn't really check in at any point. It would have been nice because the food wasn't very good at all. At best the lemongrass fish was passable, but the side salad they served was so light on any dressing it might as well just been straight raw cabbage. It all needed more flavor- lime, chili, something. My dish, the rockfish vermicelli bowl, was so oily? I couldn't finish it. In a city full of good, and cheaper, Vietnamese food- go anywhere else. read more

Ba Bar - Lemongrass Rockfish and Bun Cha Ca La Vong Vermicelli Noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's been a while and we were happy to go back. The better half felt like a Vietnamese meal so off we went. I can't recall ever having a chicken pho before so decided to try one for the fun of it. Good stuff on both accounts. Bun cha Ha Noi - nice pork belly and essentially a hamburger with vermicelli and the usual accoutrements was good as was my chicken pho. Key thing to remember - we're bringing our little pup next time as the outdoor area is apparently dog friendly. Saw a couple cute poochies during our meal. Servers all friendly and polished. Very nice overall. We'll be back. read more

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The menu is quite good. I had the Singapore noodles and it's the best I've had in the area. The staff is attentive and friendly.

Ba Bar is easily my absolute favorite place for a night out. The ambiance is trendy- yet cozy, and everyone from the hostess to the servers, bartenders, and even the manager are all super friendly. We make it a point to come here at least twice a month. Im now 100% addicted to the old Phoshian, and an absolute must are the imperial rolls. I've only ever gotten the roasted chicken, or the chicken salad, and both are insanely good, while my fiancé is consistent with the Pho. Most of the time, we're lucky enough to be served by Kai. He's honestly just made the experience even better, and we always look forward to joking around with him. Thanks Ba Bar, and Kai, for always making our evening so great! read more

I've been eating at Ba Bar for years and was happy that the owner opened the U Village location. Having eaten at the Cap Hill spot I'm used to the cozy house like feel when you enter and see the cooks plate the duck confit soup and the rotisserie chicken with broken rice is on the line. The smell of the fried rolls is never overly strong as some fried food can really linger and this is a happy smell when the app passes by in the servers hands going to another table. All of the smells are harmonious and there was a manager that ran that location like a tight ship. This location feels cosmopolitan and it reminds me of a cozy bar at night in Paris. The U Village location is interesting. I think because the Cap Hill doesn't have outside seating and this location does, whenever I've dined outside I've noticed that the consistency of my food changes in the cold and under the heat lamps. It's very minor and it reminds me of the difference between a Tutta Bella pizza delivered to a table inside and pizza delivered outside with wind. For example, my fried rolls and soup automatically change consistency and my grilled shrimp on my vermicelli bowl taste a little rubbery in the elements. Service outside has been hit or miss with servers often forgetting about my party and being very delayed with silverware and water. Sometimes, an order is delayed which makes family style harder. Inside, by the kitchen I noticed that the harmony of smells isn't there. The last time I ate there it was a 7 top and all I smelled was really strong ngoc nam. The food is delicious as always and I love the pho, various noodle dishes, and the amount of salads and veggies that come with the various entrees. The vermicelli combo is my go to and although prices have gone up, the quality is consistent and remained the same. Space wise, the cozy ness isn't quite there for me and service still needs some work. read more

This establishment has 'polish' on everything they offer. Which is a good thing on everything but the food. Does that mean the food is bad? No the food is actually pretty good. It just means the food isn't exactly "street" enough to be called "street" food. Even tho these are street food based dishes. They advertise as a street food bar, but are they really??? Before I continue i must emphasize the fact that the food is still very delicious. Now why isn't this street food. We'll, its just too darn clean and safe to be "street food". What i will say is, I'm not mad about it. I think it actually works out seeing how it matches the overall decor of the restaraunt. I came for the quality and ingredients on this visit, but still wanted to enjoy myself. Lucky for me, I feel like i got exactly what I was looking for. They do not decorate this place like some street bar. The music isn't super loud. Instead this place is elegant and somewhat peaceful while still feeling laidback. The food tastes appropriate to go with the vibe. I personally don't want to eat sloppy juicy food while on a clean cut date. Also if you did want to let loose a have a bit more fun, their bar area is organized in a way that allows people to be social without spilling into the regular dinning areas or experiences. The one thing that felt like I was ordering street food was how fast the food came out. I always love when I get my food quick,,, unless I was supposed to have apps first. Their great service is probably why. There was never a moment when I felt like we were forgotten about, nor did I feel harassed with too much service. Last I should talk about the prices and parking. The parking was hectic so i parked a a few minytes walk away in ome of the mamy u village parking garages. The prices here are spot on in my opinion. The ingredients aren't exactly expensive, but the refinement and polish makes me feel like I got my monies worth. read more

Ba Bar - Lemon grass rockfish on pandan rice and cabbage. - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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4.5 stars...just because this location doesn't have the weekend Bánh cuốn freshly made at the Capitol Hill location has! But always consistent, good tasting Vietnamese food. I love their oxtail pho...they give so much meat and their broth always hits the spot. I just wish it was a little bigger bowl!! My husband loves Bún Bò Huế and not a lot of places have it. However, if you're looking for the authentic "blood cubes", they don't have it...but it's still very good! I also wish they had a kids menu! Not only do they have yummy Vietnamese food, but it has a very fun and bright atmosphere. And very friendly service, too! read more

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We crashed after a Husky basketball game and U Village was rolling. We managed to grab a tiny table in the bar. It was a rainy pho type of night. So it was a seafood and an oxtail. Honestly, we should ordered more food because I was still hungry. But we gave up the table and went on our way. read more

My friend recommended Ba Bar while I was in town. The best way to describe Ba Bar is Vietnamese fusion with modern decor. I stopped by at 7 pm on a Friday and waited about 15 minutes for a table. There were many patrons dining in and ordering takeout. I took that as a good sign. My friend and I ordered the pho tai lan and bun bo hue. I figured you can't go wrong with classic pho dishes. The pho dishes came out piping out, perfect for the rainy Seattle weather. I slurped the soup and it delicious. The noodles were chewy and tasted fresh. I thought the beef was ok. It tasted heavily like five spice powder? My friend said the bun bo hue was delicious, but very spicy. I could see that considering the chilis in the pho tai lan was too spicy to me. I scooped it out of the soup, so that helped. Maybe if I ordered a different pho, I might have a different verdict. I still drank all the broth because it tasted so good. I think if you're in the area, you should give Ba Bar a try. It's a casual restaurant that's good for meeting up with friends. read more

Ba Bar - Pho Hanoi Style and Bun Bo Hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Save your time if you're Vietnamese. Read the room and you know it's your queue to head else where. read more

The food was delicious, especially the phô. The ambiance was very cozy and nice. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants.

The vegetarian vermicelli noodles were delicious! The sauce was a salty soy mixture, the tofu spinach wrap was very flavorful, the mushrooms had a great flavor and the fresh veggies made this plate amazing. I also got the Vietnamese iced coffee which was a great ratio of coffee to milk, very strong and not too sweet. The service was great and the food came out fairly fast with a half full restaurant. I would definitely come here again! read more

Ba Bar - Vegetarian Vermicelli Noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Had a little office HH after work a couple weeks ago. I haven't been to this location but the space was huge, very bright and nice inside. Loved the old school Vietnamese decor that I saw. Service was kind of spotty but she was really nice. There was a few times we had to look for her but she might have been busy with other tables. We ordered a few things off the HH menu: beef carpaccio, smoked Asian eggplant, ba bar sliders, crispy imperial rolls, and saigon wings. I thought everything was perfectly seasoned and not overly sweet. The drinks we ordered were so good as well. I was pretty full off of the HH hour food and doctor told us to ordered entrees haha. He ordered the Mi vit tiem, both the assisntant got BBH and I ordered pho ga as I just had pho bo at home the other day haha. I really enjoyed food here. We'll be back I'm sure since it's right down the way from our office. read more

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Quick service amidst a busy night. Friendly servers and clean but warm environment. Enjoyed the unique menu. read more

Ba Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Came here with a couple of friends on a Sunday, and they were packed even at 2pm which I was super surprised by! The wait would've been at least 30 mins, but we sat outside so didn't have to wait. Two of us got the Pho Tai Nam and one got the Bun Bo Hue. Both dishes were decent! They were definitely smaller bowls than you get at typical pho restaurants, but they had a good amount of meat. I would've preferred a little more noodle for the price. The broth wasn't bad! It was definitely more oily than I would've preferred though. This def hit the spot for a cold day when we wanted hot soup, but I would def go to Pho Bac or Miss Pho over here if you're wanting a good bowl of pho. read more

Awesome staff, great ambiance and absolutely delicious food!! I had the rockfish and a couple appetizers with friends and everything was delicious! Absolutely have to come back. read more

Ba Bar - Old Pho-shioned! - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ba Bar is one of my go-to's, but I've found that location definitely matters. The U-Village location is always hit or miss, imo, both with food and service. It's predictably inconsistent. This evening was def a mixed bag. Sat at the bar at 7:30pm on a Monday evening, and while there were people dining and waiting for tables, it didn't seem crowded. Started with the chicken wings for an app (not HH), and order seemed smaller than normal, but honestly, so did the price - 5 wings for $9.50. They were as good as I remember, despite the smaller size. Next was the beef vermicelli bowl and chicken w/turmeric rice which comes with a bowl of chicken pho broth. Vermicelli bowl had good flavor, no issue there, but when the man next to me ordered the same dish, his portion was noticeably larger than mine. More of an observation than a complaint as it's another example of the inconsistency I experience at this location. The chicken with turmeric rice and chicken broth was a big disappointment. I really enjoy this dish and am so glad it is still on the menu, but tonight the rice was dry and clumpy and the broth so dark and salty, I would swear it was a soy sauce stock rather than chicken pho broth. When I asked the server to check that it was in fact the chicken pho broth, her response was 'if that's the dish you ordered than that's the broth that was served.' Okie dokie! Service tonight was definitely on the 'not good' end of the scale. Love Ba Bar, don't love this location. If you want consistently good service, food, and drinks, head to the 12th Ave location. read more

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I was pleasantly surprised by Ba Bar. My wife likes Vietnamese food and I'm not the biggest fan. However, this place completely changed my mind for Vietnamese food in general. We ordered the rotisserie chicken, rotisserie duck, chicken vermicelli for our mains and the shrimp for an appetizer. Everything absolutely delicious and the flavor was next level. Literally every last bite. We stopped in on a Saturday during lunch and got seated for 4 relatively quickly. The ambiance is pretty modern with plenty of seating and they even have an outdoor patio. Service was mediocre with waiter forgetting to put in some of our order hence the 4 stars but the food definitely makes up for it and is now on my list of go to places! read more

Ba Bar - Chicken Rotisserie with Broken Rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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