Vietnamese spring rolls were good, pho was ok. But they serve you cheap fountain soda instead of bringing you a can. You can't charge $3.75 for a glass of fountain soda. That's bush league and so fast foodish. read more

I've been a loyal customer here for many years, but after today, I'll NEVER be back. I came in around 4:00 PM on October 31 with my kids, just wanting a quick meal so they can go trick or treating, and left absolutely disgusted by the way we were treated. I ordered a grilled meat and rice dish, and with so many similar options on the menu, the wrong meat ended up being ordered When I pointed it out and asked if they could simply replace the meat to match my order, the waitress responded with a complete lack of care. She bluntly told me, "The manager isn't here, so you have to pay for both dishes whether you eat it or not." That was it--no solutions, no effort to fix the issue, nothing. I was left feeling like my business didn't matter to them at all. If this is how they treat long-time customers, I can't imagine how they handle other guests. Take my advice: AVOID THIS PLACE. There are plenty of better pho spots in town that actually value their customers. This was the last straw, and I won't be back. An absolute nightmare of a dining experience! read more

Restaurant manager felt this is worth charging me for even after i told them this is not what i ordered. This looks like someones leftovers. Do not go here. read more

Ben Thanh - Hainan Chicken - Vietnamese Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

Absolutely awful service. Friends of ours walked in and got a table immediately, we walked in separately and asked for a different table, to which he replied that it would be a 30 minute wait for one. As I looked around at all the empty tables, almost half of them empty and clean, with over 4 fams waiting for a seat. When we asked why we couldn't sit there, he refused to give us a valid reason and simply apologized acting like it was us being unreasonable. We got subway and ate it at their front door. F*ck you guys. Ps, any group 6 or over, they charge you an extra 15% per person, so they dislike families and anything fun. What a bunch of dlcks read more

Ben Thanh - My subway and their entrance - Vietnamese Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

Generally a very healthy place to eat. It could have been better priced though. The service however, I didn't find to be very good.

Been here many times but tonight was frustrating. The complimentary tea is now at a price? Really?! Compared to every other pho place I've gone to that always serves complimentary tea. The soups are great but lately it feels like a bowl of rice noodles and very little broth. Carb overload. Now we got a friggen robot serving patrons partially and the repetitive whistling music it pipes out while heading to the table is beyond annoying after the first time. Cool for the first time but you miss and lose the server experience and interaction. read more

There's something off about this place. It's must be the water. Literally. We first discovered this fact when we ordered tea and it tasted off: a twang of bitterness with a hint of soap. In light of this we ordered a round of water for everyone which also tasted funny. Clearly we were off to a bad start. But, having to eat, we decided to stay and get some food. I started off by requesting a cup of Vietnamese coffee, but our stupendous waiter insisted that it could not be ordered without ice. "We don't have Vietnamese coffee, only iced Vietnamese cappuccino. It comes with a glass of ice". Fine. Whatever. I'll take one of those instead. So I ask, can you bring me just the coffee without the ice? "No, it comes with ice". In addition to my mandated ice, I also order some spring rolls and a vermicelli bowl. Some time later, my "Vietnamese cappuccino" arrives... which, much to my amusement, is an empty glass of ice, and what would have been a regular hot Vietnamese coffee, except served in a tall glass. Hah! I'm drinking the coffee only. I fail to see why our waiter was so insistent on bringing glasses of ice, which went unused anyway. Whatever. Hopefully the food is good... ... it's nothing to write home about, but at least it's better than the water. My noodles come clumped together and require some elbow grease to get it to loosen, the meatballs are slightly sweet, slightly meaty, slightly bouncy. The meat is overcooked but otherwise acceptable. The spring roll is the only thing in my meal that was actually hot. Nothing worth remembering and hence this review is over. Will not return. read more

Ben Thanh - Vietnamese cappuccino, comes with ice. You may not refuse! - Vietnamese Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

See all

The staff were friendly and attentive however the food was not that wonderful. We ordered soup which generally the broth is hot and one of them was lukewarm. We sent it back and it tasted much better however the flavour wasn't that amazing. It was a very basic broth with little spices. Not sure if I would go back however the people around us seemed to be enjoying it so maybe I would give it another shot. read more

Ben Thanh - Cheers to you and happy holidays - Vietnamese Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

Friends of my wife came to visit from out of town, and they were staying at the nearby Radisson hotel. When they wanted to go our for Vietnamese food, we knew exactly where to take them: Ben Thanh. The Fairway Road Ben Thanh is the latest incarnation of the Ben Thanh restaurant in Kitchener. They used to be located in the downtown Kitchener area at Cedar and King Streets, but the land and restaurant was expropriated to make way for the new Kitchener Market, and Ben Thanh disappeared for a time from Kitchener. But Ben Thanh is back now and is here with a somewhat more upscale concept of Pho establishment, and with a very complete menu that covers not just Pho and Vietnamese dishes, but also borrows from the cuisines of Thailand, Singapore, and various regions of China as well. Our meal started with the Fresh Rice Paper Shrimp Rolls (504), which were delicious and came quickly. Three of us ordered a selection of the Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls (300, 303 and 304.... My preference is for the 303, which includes Grilled Pork Meat Balls, BBQ Pork and a Spring Roll) and one of us ordered the Cantonese Chow Mein. All the dishes were fantastic, and the portions were quite large, especially the Cantonese Chow Mein! Service was attentive and efficient, which is a big plus, but the entrees took a lot longer to arrive than we expected. If you're in the area and looking for a nice place to eat that won't break the bank, you owe it to yourself to give Ben Thanh a try! read more

The food here is always fantastic. I highly recommend any of their bubble teas or fruit drinks. Presentation is fantastic and they taste great. The staff here are very friendly, and willing to explain the menus and choices in detail. However, it is a little slow. But the atmosphere is great to relax, sip your drinks and take your time. The interior is very nice as well. It's a old fav to come here. Tom yum soup is the best !! read more

Ben Thanh - Yum. Seafood pad Thai and yellow lamb curry. - Vietnamese Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

Never seen a place be run with such unprofessional management. My boyfriend and I ordered 3 meals sometime last week for us to have dinner after a long day of work. Not only were 2 of the 3 meals given to us incorrect, but when we called them we were put on hold for half an hour before they offered to do something about the mistake they made. We weren't looking for our money back we are regular customers and just wanted a credit. Which is the agreement we had at the end of the phone call. A week later, we call to place an order and the same girl one the phone, Wine, tells us that only a credit for the 2 meals that were wrong can be given, which was not what we agreed on. She was very rude on the phone, continued to tell us that she can give us the $50 back but will not credit the food. Safe to say will never give this place our business again. Go to the other locations, much friendlier and easier to deal with, this place doesn't know anything about customer service! read more

This used to be my favorite Pho place a while ago but their food quality has deteriorated to the point that it's not worth going when you are in the KW area. We went to the restaurant yesterday and the meal was average at best. We ordered some Pho, Thai Green and Red Curry, the BBQ Lemongrass Chicken and Pork along with the Bowl Vermicelli Beef Dish. The best dish was the Green Curry Shrimp dish and all the rest was below average. Also, as mentioned by other reviewers, the wait staff was inattentive as it took a while to get our order and once food arrived, they pretty much ignored us. read more

Ben Thanh - Green Thai Shrimp Curry - Vietnamese Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

See all

This place has gone downhill. Been going here for almost 8 years. The broth is watery in ramen, the curry is inconsistent. Where is the passion for making great viet thai food over all else? With so many new Asian restaurants popping up in KW I would suggest they re-evaluate their dishes and menu size because with so many bad experiences in a row they have now lost me as a long time customer. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. There are insane places all around that are smaller and worth your time. read more

Sad to say, but this was a Thai food let down. The decor is bland. The table-top wobbled. The food was meh. We have traveled to Thailand over a dozen times and we love Thai food. However, something as basic as Pad Thai was just a plop of noodles, tofu, a couple of shrimp and a sauce that barely matches the rich flavours of the original. For a dish labeled as a house specialty, it bodes poorly for the rest of the menu. The green curry was our other dish and it also was a distant relative to the original. If you have never had the real thing then perhaps you will dine happily in your ignorance. The staff however were very polite and the service was good. I would avoid this restaurant if you know what good Thai food is like. read more

We've ordered a couple times during pandemic. Easy ordering online and the orders were ready when I arrived for pick up. Our goto items were wonton noodle soup, five spice beef stew, Cantonese chow mein and Thai spring rolls. All were good, big portions. Also, ordered chicken feet which was also good :) read more

I love Ben Than! The food is amazing. The prices are reasonable. The decor (in the Kitchener location) is gorgeous, and the vegetarian options are endless! BUT the service is terrible. Despite that, I do eat here quite frequently, because i love the food and the locations close to my house. There is often a long wait for food, and if the resturant is busy, there is no doubt you will wait. I've waited up to 30 minutes on a fast day. Sometimes, they can be fast. I have never seen my parties food all come at once. I often order a soup with noodles on the side, and i will always receive one way before another. I've had my appetizer come at the end of my meal and my partners meal come 10 minutes after mine. I've been to both the Cambridge and Waterloo locations and the service is impeccable. So if this location isn't convenient for you i would go to another location. Its sad, because bad service can always take away from the amazing taste of the Viet-Thai cuisine. Again, i must state the food is amazing. It's what keeps me coming back. The spring rolls are to die for, and its great if you have a vegetarian in the family or vice-versa. The food is always hot, and always tastes great. The price is about 25$ for a meal with appetizer for two people without tip. The Kitchener location's decor is very demure and high class. The alcohol is expensive, around 7$ for a mixed drink. I urge you to try this resturant, just not this location. Luckily its a chain! read more

The service is okay. I went here with my fiancé for our date night. I've read about people experiencing terrible service but for us it was just mediocre. The food was not my favourite, but was edible. My fiancé like his meal though. There are a lot of choices, but that might be part of their problem. A 3 star rating seems a little harsh, but I wouldn't give it a 4. If I could give half ratings in this app it would get a 3.5, which is more accurate as there was more good/average than there was bad. read more

I had lunch here with my parents and had a wonderful dining experience. Something I've come to expect from Ben Thanh's in Waterloo, not Mississauga. Being a newer location than the Waterloo restaurant the atmosphere in here was very nice. Its a bit dark, but it's quiet and there is lots of seating. Unlike the Waterloo location there was no lineup when we arrived and we were seated right away. Their menu items were the same as the Waterloo locations, which I was pleased to see. I ordered my usual Thai dish, a vermicelli bowl with a spring roll. I also enjoyed a mango shake with my meal. I've become accustomed to getting my mango shake after my meal arrives (because they make the meals so quickly) but this time I was presently surprised to receive my shake before my meal. I was very impressed with the entire experience here. All our meals came together and each were up to par with what I have come to expect from Ben Thanh's. With it's proximity to the movie theatre this restaurant would be a good choice if you were looking for a good meal before seeing a show. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in Kitchener or Waterloo. read more

My first experience here was very much a 1-star. If I could have given it negative stars, I would have. Sticky drink glasses, the stuff in our curry looked old, the meat had a bad texture, the soup tasted like soap, and the shrimp smelled rotten. We had to send a dish back. We wanted to send them ALL back, but we paid anyways. But then we went again. We got smoothies, stir fries, and some of the crunchy fried stuff, no meat and no soup. Oh SO much better!!! I wanted to order dozens and dozens of wontons. Mmmmm... This place is excellent, but there is too much menu choice (I can't help but think of kitchen nightmares lol, too much menu choice = disgusting food... this was the case here!!). I think they should cut their menu down and remove some unpopular dishes. Their menu feels like a novel, and half of the stuff doesn't even taste fresh. read more

Amazing place. Fantastic food. Great modern decor. Friendly service. We got a great sampling of the menu. We sorted with the calamari with a creamy wasabi dipping sauce, which was great. Next, we had beef fresh rolls, which were tasty and refreshing. For a main, we shared a mango salad, which was so very satisfying. On the drink side, they have a great variety of Asian beers, which we got, along with a mango shake. All were great. Prices were very reasonable. For everything, it worked out to $40ish. I really like this place. If I'm in the area, I'll definitely be coming back here! Check this place out! read more

We went there for lunch per my parents' request as I intentionally try to avoid this chain due to consistent bad customer experience (especially at the Waterloo location). The hostess gave us a pretty negative impression to begin with. It took a couple minutes until she appeared with a poker face: unless it was a tradition, someone must have pissed her off, or she clearly didn't want to be there. (The one in Waterloo kept having grumpy hostess too: snobby/with attitudes). After requesting for a booth, she took us to the one in the back. However the table was not properly cleaned and we had to ask the waiter to clean before we ordering. It took a while for the waiter to show up. The waiter was friendly (with a smile) and it didn't take long before the food arrived. We ordered Pho (102, 113), and it was consistently good and my parents liked them. The waiter showed his care as he also came back to check on us with a smile. It seems the restaurant may be understaffed as the waiter may have to make many tables, hence it took a while for him to return with our bill. The customers seemed to be nicer/less loud than the ones in Waterloo. Excluding the negatively first impression, the food and service from the waiter was decent. read more

Service: Very good service. It is rare to walk in and get an unpleasant waitress. Going at night, there is usually a line: which is good! Food doesn't take too long to come out the kitchen, and waitresses are always smiling. Food: Could say they're the best in KW for pho. Always good quality pho. Up to par with downtown Toronto. A large bowl of pho will you run ~$11 Decor: Modern decor, everything in the restaurant is clean. Not much else you can say. Edit: I wrote this a few months ago and things have changed since then. It appears that they are always over staffed. Often times you'll see random waitresses standing around doing nothing. The service you get is on and off.. sometimes you'll get a nice waiter who is polite, but if you're unlucky you'll get stuck with a waiter who doesnt care at all and is untrained. read more

The food was decent but the staff have no personality or people skills whatsoever. The hostess was downright rude. The service is lacking. I will not return. read more

I've been going to this Ben Thanh location for years (probably 5+). This franchise started off and has expanded rapidly in Canada. While not all locations are the same, for my friends, family and myself, this location is the home of the highest quality food out of all their locations I've experienced. However, the service can be quite slow because they are rightfully very busy around dinner time! read more

Food is always amazing. The service has gotten a little bad lately, but it's not horrible. Some friendly faces have left unfortunately but the food is always delicious. read more

The service here is terrible! Their food is mediocre at best and the water you get from them tastes like sewage. They do have some good dishes but it does not compare to the bad service. If you want to go to a Ben Thanh, go to the Cambridge or Waterloo branches. read more

The food is very good and ok as price. The location is great for any kind of tastes. Not usual for this kind of restaurants. Sometimes they screw-up big time, few days in a row did not have basil or sprout for the Pho soup?! Nobody writes the order down and many time they screw it. Or ask for something and you never get such as soy sauce, etc. Overall I am still going there. read more

The short version: The food is shit. The service isn't service. Don't go to this place. Seriously, you can do better EASILY...especially for the prices they're charging. Place looks decent...like a slightly less-scotch-guarded Mandarin. Service was terrible: they couldn't even describe dishes. They forgot all about us once our food was there. We actually asked 3 different servers to refill a couple of pitchers of water (we had a group of 6), and finally had to go do it ourselves! I asked for a spicy dish - they cautioned me that it's "very spicy"....turns out, they just dump about a CUP of sriracha on it. It was drenched in sauce, the noodles were mushy, and when I pointed this problem out the server's answer was "oh." Then she walked away. read more

I walked in to a nearly empty restaurant that I debated entering. Immediately, I stood at the empty host's stand making eye contact with three employees. As I waited, awkwardly making eye contact with customers and employees, finally the bartender came over to seat me. She sat me at a booth, in the back corner; not a big deal as I was alone on a business trip. I sat and waited for the waitress to at least introduce herself and take a drink order. More than five minutes later I was ready to order and she finally came. I ordered an ice water to drink, my typical beverage of choice. I said I will start with the pork dumplings, mainly because the photo in the menu reminded me of the dumplings I had in Shanghai. For my dinner, I asked for a recommendation between the scallop stir fry or the Thai General Tao chicken. I went with her recommendation of the chicken. Additionally I requested a straw for my water. Within a few minutes, my straw came out. And as typical fashion, about 15 minutes later my entree came out. I wondered over the next 10 minutes where my appetizer was, but didn't say anything as I was hungry and dug in to the chicken. The chicken wasn't what I expected, but it was good, better than I anticipated. With my glass empty, I sat and ate a dumpling when they finally came out. The look was very similar to the Shanghai style dumplings I had eaten before, so I knew to take a nibble of the edge and let the inside cool down. I also knew there was a chance there would be a broth-like juice inside that would burn your tongue like a hot iron. I was right, and poured the juice out onto the spoon that was provided. A few minutes later, the waitress came over to see if I wanted her to box up my half-eaten meal, as I sat there with hands folded. I said no, just some more ice water please. This happened twice more over the next 20 minutes. She seemed not too observant. Throughout the meal, a family sat at the table next to me, I heard the father order an appetizer, soup-that he specified to be served before the dinner, and a few entrees. The appetizer came out and was eaten. Shortly after, as I was waiting for my bill, their meal came out. He was clearly upset, but ate the entrees so they wouldn't get cold while sitting waiting for the soup. Frustrated, he explained the situation and canceled the soup. As I continued to listen, it was the second time this has happened to them. I could feel their pain since my appetizer came out halfway through my main course. Again, still waiting and listening, the waitress came and apologized and asked the family if there was anything else. The father asked for a coke. At this time I looked at my watch out of curiosity. I had been sitting at my table for an hour. And five minutes later, I heard the father say, "I guess the coke takes extra long." Again I could related and chuckled a bit. Finally after a total of ten minutes, the waitress comes and asks if I'd like some more water. I said yes please, and the bill. While sitting there, I thought about what else I could write about in the review of the establishment. So, I looked around. On the ledge behind me, was a layer of dusty filth. I noticed it was on all the ledges around me. Additionally, I acknowledged a fruit fly-like creature buzzing around. I saw the little guy earlier but wasn't too bothered by it. At this time I knew it was time to start the review process. Overall, the food was really good. The service, as I'm sure you could tell, was not so good. It wasn't that the staff was unfriendly, but maybe Canada has different service standards than I'm used to in the US. I would recommend the food, but be aware that the service you will receive will not be up to the expectations of such an establishment. read more

This place is definitely a hit or miss when it comes to food and service. The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere pleasant.

Well, we did not want to drive to Waterloo, so we decided to give them a second chance. In short - the Tom Yum Soup was a disgusting excuse for anything. It was light yellow in color, spicy, and had no flavor at all apart from hot and spicy. Dirty dish water would describe it well. There were a few uncooked mushrooms, 4 overcooked (precooked) shrimp, a scattering of cilantro and two pieces of unripe tomatoe. Yuck. The spring rolls were fine. The Spicy Thai Rice Noodles were weird, and swimming in a light brown sauce (WTF was that?). NOT at all what we have had previously when we ordered this dish, at least not at the Waterloo location. This location is just plain disappointing. The wait for food tonight was no joke either! read more

If you're looking for speedy, budget friendly, super tasty Vietnamese food this is your spot. We love their vermicelli bowls, pho, spring rolls and pad thai. Appetizers and entrees for under $40 at your table in minutes -- perfect weeknight date! The menu is huge so even with picky eaters everyone is sure to find something they like read more

We've been coming to ben thanh for years. We really just stick to take-out because there seems to be a bit of down-time when it comes to dining in. I mainly stick to pad thai chicken or pad thai vegetables and sometimes a spring roll. Even though the food smells like stinky feet on the car-ride home, it tastes great when I unbox it and dig in. Also, I sometimes add some additional Tumeric spice to the pad thai when I get home, which gives is a great flavor. The price is reasonable. One order of pad thai is under $9, and I get two meals out of it, especially if I have the spring roll as well. read more

I went there with a friend who enjoys Pho. The food is very good here. At times, the wait staff did not hear us say no onions in the Pho or no peanuts in the 501. The Vietnamese Deep Fried Spring Rolls (501) and Thai Green Curry Shrimp On Rice (215) are my regular meal. I do wish they would leave a jug of water on the table. Sometimes things are hot! read more

Classic Thai & Vietnamese cuisine. Very extensive menu with lots of choice. It was my goal at one time to try every single menu item, but i never reached it. Food was always good. Spring rolls were awesome, and the grilled meatballs excellent. The banana smoothie was also good. I go back to this place once in a while when im in kitchener. It never disappoints. read more

Literally the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant. A very rude expediter slammed down hoisin and hot sauce on the table, ran off and started laughing with her colleagues. I was instantly put off and was no longer hungry. I can tolerate poor service if the food is good, but this was just rude. I spoke to our sever and she handled it really well, but everyone else was rude the rest of my meal. No intervention from management. Very disappointed. read more

Came around 9pm, got served frozen dim sum. I guess I should've gone to a dim sum place? Stick to the pho. The server was nice though.

A friend who went to Vietnam recommended this place. Good food I had the lemongrass chicken with vermicelli. It had great flavour. When I first entered the restaurant it had a strong cleaning product odour, very unpleasant and borderline unappetizing. The smell eventually went away during the meal. The menu is so big it's almost confusing. That's not totally a bad thing lots of choices. The service staff was okay. I recommend the Vietnamese ice coffee it is excellent but extremely expensive for what it is. It's cheaper to make them at home. The slush with jelly is good too, very refreshing. I like this place and will continue to come back. read more

Pre-made,sealed coconut shakes. Used to be made in house. Don't order. Yuck. Pad Thai was bland, no peanuts or tofu. Spring rolls were yellow? Dipping sauce smelled like rotten fish. So dissapointing. Will never go back. read more

Seeing all the reviews about poor service, I was surprised when our waiter was pretty decent. I would have liked for him to come a couple more times to check on drinks, but I wasn't disappointed either since it was a Friday night and the place was pretty full. I ordered the 4 course meal for 19.99 and thought the food was very good. Won Ton soup, Thai spring rolls and chicken curry were all good. And the portion size for the curry was enormous! Well worth the value. I would definitely go back. read more