Went to try their grilled chicken pho and the broth so very rich and flavorful... best one I had in…read moreNew York !! Loved it !! Will come back for their pho again

Realizing it's true that you'll have to get out of Chinatown to get a good bowl of pho. Got the…read morehouse combination pho and the broth was actually so flavorful and I could taste the spices. There is also plenty of meat given. Only issue was that the amount of rice noodles was much too little. I didn't leave quite satisfied! Also got the crispy spring rolls with pork and the filling was delicious. The space is small with only a few tables and seating but they have an outdoor space as well. It is clean inside. Some of the staff seemed to be having a bad day as they were pretty heavy handed placing anything on the table. So not a great atmosphere but overall, pho was amazing.

I walked in with my young daughter after a long day exploring NYC. The staff could not have been…read moremore welcoming and friendly. We tried the ribs, dumplings, and salmon carpaccio. All fantastic. The carpaccio was legitimately one of the best small plates I've ever had in my life. Bursting with flavor and texture. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed, everyone around us was having a great time and we heard many comments from other diners how amazing their food was. Incredible meal - thank you to the owner and her team for having us!!

Prior to coming to Saigon Social, visiting Vietnam was an idea we had flirted with for our summer…read morevacation. Although that didn't work out, coming here was definitely worth our trip across the river. Shortly after sitting down, I soon realized that I was visiting my second Vietnamese restaurant within a week. However, this place was definitely not a typical Vietnamese restaurant that we New Yorkers are used to. After getting some input from our friendly server and some discussing, we decided on the two signature dishes of oxtail fried rice and garlic noodles, Helen's Bo Kho that was highly recommended by the server, and the lemongrass ribs. Both signature dishes lived up to their reputations. The fried rice was very flavorful from the oxtail and was prepared at such high heat that we could tasted the intensity from the wok. The garlic noodles had a great chewy texture that contrasted perfectly with the tobiko coated on top. Helen's Bo Kho had a more mixed reception by our family. I loved how earthy and fragrant the broth tasted and was ideally paired with the toasted bread. The beef shank was flavorful and tender that made you want to savor each bite. Across the table, my wife was underwhelmed as she found the broth a bit too salty for her palate. Our boys were too full to give an honest option at that point. To us, the lemongrass ribs were less remarkable. The ribs themselves were nicely marinated and tasted good with the green sauce. I was wishing that they were a bit charred or smoky to elevate their flavors. The service was friendly and attentive despite a rather busy weekday evening. As for the place itself, the spacing definitely had a LES-level of coziness and had a modern feel. If you are a Star Wars fan, definitely head downstairs for a little exploration.

The Viet game in NYC is coming up and Madame Vo is one of them. The thing is that it's so pricey…read morecompared to other spots, so the Vietnamese scene also becomes a more elevated version with nicer aesthetics too. I've been craving some noodle soup, so came here for their Bun Bo Hue ($22). I did look over at a neighbor's Pho with the Shortrib, which looked amazing. Luckily, we were able to add the Shortrib ($10) to the bun bo hue soup too. That shortrib fell off the bone and was so tender. It's a great way to add extra protein in your meal. I also loved the flavors of the bun bo hue broth making this soup so comforting. We also shared the Com Suon Nuong ($24), which is their pork chop rice. Now usually I find pork chop a bit dry, but they grilled and marinated theirs perfectly. The meat was so tender and tasty and left me wanting more. Both of these dishes were wonderful with the most tender meat and I'd be back for them again. We also had some appetizers which were just ok. They were nice to share and snack on before our meal, but could also live without it. We had the Banh Xeo ($17) and Banh Knot ($16). They both come with veggies to make into a wrap. I do wish they gave some extra lettuce or rice paper so it was easier to wrap into a roll. The main courses are the star here, especially any of their meat dishes.

Swung by one evening for dinner with my cousins, and I thought it was really good. I appreciated…read morehow well the menu was marked for dietary restrictions like vegan or gluten-free, and the food was tasty. I ordered a vermicelli dish w/ grilled pork and enjoyed it! Prices were on the high side, but that comes w/ the territory. Ambiance was really nice too - I'm starting to see more nicer Vietnamese places coming up, which is cool. This one has a nicer vibe than most I've been to in and around Philly, though. I guess that's to be expected of NYC. Service was really prompt as well, and the staff was very friendly. I would consider another meal there!

The five of us went to Hanoi Soup Shop for lunch on a Saturday. I should've done my research…read morebecause the shop was much smaller than I expected and barely fit all of us. There are two restaurants and Hanoi Soup Shop on the left is open for lunch, and the other one on the right is open for dinner. Even though the shop was small, it may have been a good thing because the AC and the fan worked really well and it was actually cool enough inside to consider eating pho on a summer day. The pho was great - I wish there were more greens, like bean sprouts and baby bok choy. My friend and I split a bahn mi, which was also really good. The sandwich contained three thick slices of pork. But beware of the sandwich because very spicy green pepper slices are hidden inside of it. I removed a slice after tasting a hint of it and I thought that was it. However, there was an extra slice further inside of the sandwich, and I took a huge hit and suffered for a good ten minutes - I can handle most of the spicy dishes in New York but I not this. Therefore, for those who can't tolerate spicy food, I recommend asking the staff to remove the peppers when ordering. I'm going to do that when I visit next time.

The Hanoi House team just opened a new quick service spot next door, and the food is all great just…read morelike at the original restaurant. We tried the loaded Pho Dac Biet ($22), an excellent big bowl of pho with 5 different kinds of meat and a great Papaya Salad with Beef Jerky. The Banh Mi was also great, making this an excellent new spot in the hood for a satisfying, quick meal.

Finally made it to Ha's Snack Bar! Maybe the recent opening of Bistrot Ha is making it slightly…read moreeasier to grab a reservation here? I paired my meal with a delicious glass of red wine (Beaujolais), which was served chilled. I don't know that I'd agree with the sentiment that this is more of a wine bar with snacks. There's good wine for sure, but the focus seems more on the food. Ordered: -Chicken liver pate with pickled rhubarb on toast: Good, but this could be a skip unless you're obsessed with pate or you have low iron. The vinegar/acid from the rhubarb kind of brightened up the dish. -Gulf shrimp with melon and shiso: Overall, I loved the flavors of this summery dish, from the ripe, sweet cantaloupe to the fresh bites of shiso chili-pepper spice that sneaks up on you but then adds an ever-present, warm buzz. But the shrimp were a bit rubbery. -Rice salad with green chili, peas, and herbs: This was maybe my favorite dish of the night, which was a surprise because we hadn't even considered it at first. Lots of umami flavor and the peas made it summery. The herbs on top were so fresh. -Snails with tamarind butter: Really interesting and different. The intense sweet-spice flavor of the decadent tamarind butter is memorable. The snails were tender. I wish we'd been given a little more bread to sop up the buttery goodness. -Plum and mint chip sundae: This dessert was soo good and refreshing! It was made of half plum ice cream (quite tart), half mint ice cream, with big, flaky chunks of semisweet chocolate, whipped cream, and mint pieces on top. And I think there were actual plums in there as well. The space is really tiny, one small room that was jam-packed with people on a recent August Saturday at 9:30 pm. The AC wasn't on, or it was broken, and the room was pretty warm and stuffy. It cooled down as people started to leave. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I was very excited to try this place because of all of the hype. I think it's important to note…read morethat this place doesn't have a full kitchen, it should really be for good wine and light bites. The portions are pretty small and we ordered a lot on the menu. The standouts were the zucchini and bacon toast, shrimp and melon salad (perf for the summer), skate wing, and snail in tamarind butter (their staple). FYI The snail is supper buttery

My return to check out the Vietnamese food scene in Chinatown. There's no other place like your…read morefirst spot to go for authentic Vietnamese food growing up. This restaurant offers more than your usual dishes outside of pho, banh mi and shaking beef rice platters. Took my food mentee here because we both wanted the authentic taste of Vietnamese cuisine and happy our cuisine is trending everywhere. Appetizers ordered was the banh khot - crispy, zesty filling of pork and shrimp, and the flavors of the cupcake shell hits your taste buds immediately. Even the fish sauce used was the right level of umami depth to balance the crispy creaminess of this dish. Can see this appetizer being a trend in Trader Joe's within these next few years. My main course that I journeyed for was the com suon bi cha (grilled pork chop over broken rice and steamed egg meat loaf). Just like how I remembered on the weekends after finishing a long week of school. The portion size is generous. Each portion of the dish is done right. The pickled veggies wasn't intensely sour or sweet. Shredded pork skin was crisp to complement the dish. That steamed egg meat loaf wasn't soggy and balanced in layers. For the faint-hearted who doesn't like bones, it may be difficult to maneuver the grilled pork shop. But I'm not one of them and preferred it this way because the bone gave it the sweetness while I devoured this. Nothing missed on my main go-to Vietnamese dish. Dinner was fantastic and first time coming here, saw the crowd this place drew on a weeknight. Knew the popularity has spread and loved seeing more appreciate Vietnamese cuisine and the rare dishes. My passion fruit refresher was also good and I'll have to come back early in the day to get the infamous Pandan soy milk. The staff was so kind and courteous. Loved the authentic artwork on the walls. Must come back soon to try the other dishes I've happily uncovered from my childhood that is now available in restaurant dining.

I came here on a Friday afternoon around lunchtime with my friends. It was just me and a friend,…read moreand we were surprised to see there was a very limited crowd. We were able to get seating right away, and there was quite a big menu, so we were confused between all the options to pick from. They also provided a specials menu, which was great. There is not a ton of seating for very large groups, but if you have a party of two to four, you'll be able to find a table around a similar time on a Friday for lunch. There is a TV screen playing really entertaining TV of Vietnamese cuisines being made. I selected a vermicelli chili noodle dish that was a special with shrimp and pork, and I thought it was great. Would highly recommend and encourage other people to get it as well. For under 20 dollars I thought it was a steal. The food took around 15 mins to come out and was very solid. We also were interested by one of the appetizers, and we chose a mochi-based spring roll. I wasn't the biggest fan of this. In fact, next time I'll probably settle for your typical Vietnamese spring rolls as an appetizer here. The staff was extremely nice and kind. It's a very dimly vibe that really matches the Chinatown vibe and would highly encourage you next to come. I'll definitely be back, and tons of things to try. One of the best Vietnamese restaurants I've had, and will definitely come back for its value, top-tier experience. Something to keep in mind is that there is a 5% surcharge for credit cards. Looking forward to trying more items on the menu here.

**CASH ONLY** Came…read morefor lunch on a Sunday. My boyfriend and I put our name in at 12:30 PM and got seated after about a 30 min wait. Tiny place, so plan accordingly! Original tea leaf salad and coconut chicken noodle soup were both incredible. The salad was a little pricey (I think like $21 for the small?) but worth it. Also note there is no restroom.

We came to Little Myanmar today (08/30), and unfortunately, the experience was extremely…read moredisappointing. There are already very limited options for Burmese food in the city, so we traveled over 45 minutes specifically to try this place. Only after arriving did we find out that they are cash only, something that was not clearly advertised online. We explained that we had traveled 45+ minutes to get there and asked if there was any alternative way to pay. We offered Zelle, Venmo, or even placing the order through DoorDash and simply eating the food there. Every option was declined. I also explained that I didn't have a debit card with me, but there was absolutely no willingness to work with us or offer any alternative. Being cash-only is one thing. Failing to clearly communicate that beforehand and then showing zero flexibility when customers have traveled a significant distance is another. Very disappointing customer experience. I genuinely don't understand how a business can operate this way and expect customers to return. We certainly won't be coming back.

Came here for dinner with one of my friends and we had a great time! This Sichuan spot in EV is…read morecozy and has super sweet and friendly service. We ordered their suan cai fish fillet and eggplant and both dishes were so yummy. Portions were good and prices were affordable for the portion sizes and quality! We were also given complimentary tea and it was so refreshing to have at the end of our meal. Had such a lovely time here, and I would love to come back!

My friend and I went to take advantage of their $24 lobster promotion on Thursday and had a great…read moreexperience. The interior was small, but it was cute and lively. It got very loud because the table next to us was participating in their AYCD menu, so it was very tough to hear my friend sitting across from me. You can really taste the salted egg flavor in the lobster dish. I found the rice cakes to be a bit overcooked and lacking the bouncy texture. I really can't complain given that it was only $24 (normally it is $34, which isn't bad either). The staff was very nice and checked on us regularly. One of them recommended the eggplants over the string beans, but I found the eggplants to be way too oily and lacking in actual flavor.