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I wish I could go back here but I don't live in the area! If I'm ever back in Vancouver this will be my first stop. The garlic noodles with the poached egg were amazing, as were the tempura shrimp and steak luc lac. They also have a great cocktail selection. I tried two different gin cocktails with egg white foam and loved them both. The prices are fair and the service is great. I love the laid back vibe of this restaurant! Great for friends, or a date night.
In the middle of commercial, the food was tasty and we managed to snag a outdoor patio spot at 6pm. The fried noodles was really yummy. We got the crab fried rice and crispy prawns as well. Will order again! Not everywhere is wheelchair assessable but they have seats indoor that is. Parking can be a pain but there are a mix of paid and free parking around.
Hands down one of my favourite dining experiences here. Came to celebrate a birthday. The staff were wonderful and attentive. All dishes we had were flavourful and executed with precision. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated near the open door for the patio and the staff did not hesitate to offer a blanket for the chill.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our waitress was super sweet overall too; happy to have had her. Soft shell crab (4.7/5): perfectly crisp, delicious and fun to get hands on to eat as well. Bone marrow (3.8/5): immensely flavourful, maybe a tad overpowering, but also a messy but enjoyable eating experience. Crab fried rice (5/5!!!!): THE PERFECT RATIO of crispy bits, umami, soft rice volume, and refreshing green onion topping. Without the sauce, the rice was already perfectly savoury. The sauce was heavy on spice and soy so we added it sparingly in our own servings of rice, but definitely loved adding it in. We tried to keep the crab intact in its own little pile to maintain the texture as well. Perfect fried rice experience. I forgot how much I LOVE rice, but this dish revived my passion ~ Garlic noodles (4.3/5): HEAVY on the garlic, rich and creamy mouthfeel. Great texture on the noodles having been slightly charred during the fry. Great choice as well. Three Layer Dessert (4.8/5): I've never had anything quite like this. All components were delicious and executed well. A texture lover's wet dream. My personal take was that the streusel was a little too much, but the taste of everything together was top tier - loved taking little bites of each component. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Lunch Lady's bib gourmand is well justified across the board. All my love to the LL team, they're quite honestly the best ever.
We saw that it was voted as the top 10 World Best Restaurant & decided to give it a try. Wowza! The servers were very friendly & helpful, since it was our first time there, she suggested that we try the sample menu for 4. In the sample menu, there were several appetizers presented. Let me tell you each dish was a WOW! The taste of each dish was fantastic, tantalizing to your tastebuds! For the sample menu Aka An Choi, we had Taro & Dips, Beef Carpaccio, Octopus skewers, Tiger Prawns, Bone Marrow, Steak Luc Lac, Clams Coconut, Crab Fried Rice (OMG!) AND... you get to chose 2 kinds of desserts which we chose Vietnamese Coffee Tiramisu & 3 layer Dessert. We also ordered their Egg Coffee, Coffee Pandan, Pandan Coco Tea & Calamansi Soda Chanh. I am putting the food reviews in each of the photos or else this review might turn into a novel. It is my first time there & definitely not my last Reservation with credit card only for dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant had a lovely atmosphere too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]
This review is long overdue because I'm still recovering from the food coma. We came as a party of 6 and it was just enough food for everyone! Everything is a 10/10. We ordered: Beef Carpaccio w/ taro chips Garlic noodles Beef noodle soup Duck salad Che ba mau Calamansi soda Service was quick and great! The staff are all so friendly and they were speaking Vietnamese with my parents :') They also sell merch and I love the shirts! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The environment is pretty cozy and intimate. Perfect for any occasion.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'll definitely come back again in the future. Tip: call to reserve a spot ahead of time :)
Great service. We told the hostess that we had a show to catch and needed to be out in 50 mins. And she promptly seated us on the patio. And for a patio that was on the street, the waitress was very attentive. The food came quickly and tasty. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very casual dining vibes for unique Vietnamese food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Place is family friendly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]
TLDR: made birthday reservations, they forgot my birthday before I had to remind them which was quite embarrassing. Best Vietnamese food I had in my entire life. Lunch Lady did not disappoint. I heard about it after trying Anh Chi Em years ago. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is small yet beautiful and intimate inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was great and we seated at our reservation time. I made the reservation over email which I included a birthday via open table/etc. I got an email at 12:30 am asking to confirm again which I thought was unprofessional. Regardless the food was amazing, we did the family style which was a great experience to try a variety of tapas. The food did not disappoint. Everything had their own flavor yet all tied within your authentic Vietnamese taste. My favs was the steak, shrimp, bone marrow, clams, and Che bau mau. Overall I highly recommend and would come back. The 4 set meal for 4 people could honestly feed 5-6 people.
The service was top notch! Our water cups were never empty and the staff made great recommendations. Every dish was flavorful and very aromatic in the best way. Each plate told a story and was presented beautifully. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was dim with the cutest decorations.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'm still thinking about how delicious the pomelo salad was!
Heard a lot about this place and enjoyed the lunch but I wanna try the dinner menu. Lunch was fine, a bit pricey! This places comes highly recommended by many people. I tried the pandan iced coffee but I'm not a fan of coconut in my coffee. The steak was okay but I don't like five spice so wasnt thrilled. The pomello salad was enjoyable and interesting.
I got so lucky, I flew into Vancouver on a work trip- My first trip to Vancouver- and everyone said I should try this spot out. I arrived on a Tuesday and got dropped off in the area at peak lunch time, but was able to manage a spot at the bar for one. I say I'm lucky, because by the time I left there was a line out the door and around the corner! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is on the smaller side with bar seating and some two and four tops, but it's very welcoming.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The servers are so friendly and you can tell they all know how to run a service. I received water right away and they took my drink order. I opted for the Calamansi Soda Chanh ($6). It was bright, tart, and delicious. A great refreshing drink to pair with pho. For food I wanted to order one of everything but decided to go with the Beef Noodle Soup ($20). The broth was delicious, the noodles were fresh and a great texture, and the meat was so tender and flavorful. They give you a plate with beansprouts, basil, and some sriracha and hoisin, and while I added the extras, I barely used the sauces because the soup was great as is. The portion size was generous and I was so full at the end of the meal, I regrettably left some broth behind because I could not finish it. Though later in the evening I wished I had taken it to go to warm up and just sip the amazing broth again. Now I just have to hope for more reasons to visit Vancouver so I can explore the menu more.
Snagged an outdoor 8:30pm reservation for 4. Arrived around 8:05pm and were seated early. We did have a mini dinner around 6pm, so we didn't go crazy with our order. Crispy Prawns ($24) - pricey shrimps, but they were indeed crispy. These came out pretty quickly. Great seasoning, and the "floating" shell didn't even taste like shell! Keeping the shell incorporated is seriously ingenious. Bo Luc Lac ($42) - Came with cassava/yucca fries. Steak comes perfectly medium rare, cubed, and smothered with a delicious sauce, very yummy!! Clams in coconut sauce ($26) - Also a hit - generous portion of clams in a yummy coconut sauce. Comes with a deep fried dough stick (Chinese you tiao iykyk) to sop up the remaining sauce. Sauce would have been great with some rice. Pricey, but everything we ordered was a HIT and oh so delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Interior was modern and cozy interior, with an inviting bar area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Outdoor patio was VERY well-heated with heat lamps, sturdy folding tables and stools to mimic the casual dining experience in Vietnam.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall, would come again. The dishes are quite heavy, so sort of glad we had a pre-dinner. Recommend coming with a group to try a variety without getting weighed down, or partake in their set meals (for 2 or 4 pax).
We stopped by for an early bite before a nearby event. This isn't my first time at Lunch Lady, which is why this visit was especially disappointing. I had an iced coffee, shared the fried shrimp appetizer, garlic noodles, and tiramisu. Iced Coffee - $7 2.5/5 Tasted pre-made. At this price point, I expected it to be freshly brewed and then iced. Fried Shrimp - $24 | 2.5/5 Good concept, poorly executed. The shrimp were a decent size and the presentation looks impressive -- one shrimp split and fried to resemble two, connected by the tail. Unfortunately, they arrived warm rather than hot, and several pieces were dried out to a jerky-like texture. The dish came out within a minute of ordering -- before our drinks -- which made it feel pre-fried and held under a heat lamp. Garlic Noodles - $24 | 2.5/5 The noodle texture was good, but the sauce was sparse and the flavor far too mild. For garlic noodles, the garlic was barely present. Tiramisu - $12 | 0/5 I had to reread the menu to confirm what I was eating. It looked dusted with sesame rather than cocoa. The texture leaned mousse-like, but there was little/no mascarpone or coffee flavour, and it tasted like it had picked up fridge notes. I had reserved the first dinner seating at 4:45 pm, and given how firm they are with reservations, I expected a fresher, more intentional experience. Instead, everything felt over-prepped -- shrimp fried too early, coffees made in advance -- and it showed. I've enjoyed Lunch Lady in the past, which is why this was disappointing rather than forgettable. I'd like to believe this was an off night, and I hope someone from the team takes this feedback seriously.
We came here to celebrate my friend's birthday, and honestly, I don't think you can get a table without a reservation. I tried once before and got turned away [[HIGHLIGHT]]Inside, the design replicates a Vietnamese street food vendor vibe, with foldable tables and chairs that make it feel like you're dining right on the streets of Vietnam.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu has so much to offer. The three of us ordered the 2-person family-style set, plus an extra duck salad. I loved the chips & dip, and the steak luc lac was a standout. The portions are huge. We even have leftover to pack home. If you let them know you're celebrating a birthday, they even bring out a complimentary three-layer dessert with a candle, and you get a Polaroid photo as a sweet little keepsake.
Review Insights
My friends and I went here during our short trip to Canada. We RSVPed in advanced and were guided to the outside area to eat. I honestly preferred this as the weather was nice. The waiter guided us through the menu and was very personable, along with the other servers who brought food to our table. The food overall was amazing as we ordered a lot of food. The flavors were great and it does fill you up. read more
Lunch Lady is an award-winning Michelin guide Vietnamese eatery in Vancouver paying homage to a Vietnamese street food legend, Nguyen Thi Thanh. Reservations are highly recommended here so plan accordingly. Wifey and I pulled with our homies for a birthday brunch and were seated right away upon arrival. Our group shared some Egg Rolls and Prawn Fritters and those were absolutely delicious. I got the Steak Luc Lac and wifey got the Beef Pho. Everything that we had was amazing and all of the staff are very friendly and welcoming. Lunch Lady is Viet gang approved! read more
The absolute best Saturday brunch in Vancouver! Whenever I'm in Vancouver, The Lunch Lady is a non-negotiable stop. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is fantastic, the service is wonderful, and it's always packed--so definitely make a reservation ahead of time![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Their Saturday Special Seafood Noodle is the ultimate hangover cure. The broth is thick, deeply flavorful, and has a rich dried shrimp taste that is incredibly addictive. With shrimp, shrimp balls, crab balls, and pork, you get the best of both land and sea. A squeeze of lime and a few jalapeños make it completely flawless. We lucked out today and ordered the seasonal Pomelo Salad, and it was spectacular. The balance of refreshing citrus, savory fish sauce, and the crunch of fried vermicelli noodles was flawless. It actually managed to outshine the noodles today! Ended the meal with a sweet Pandan Coffee. The pandan coconut cream creates the perfect harmony with the strong Vietnamese coffee. Vancouver's food scene is seriously unmatched. Everything about this meal was just right! read more
I wish I could go back here but I don't live in the area! If I'm ever back in Vancouver this will be my first stop. The garlic noodles with the poached egg were amazing, as were the tempura shrimp and steak luc lac. They also have a great cocktail selection. I tried two different gin cocktails with egg white foam and loved them both. The prices are fair and the service is great. I love the laid back vibe of this restaurant! Great for friends, or a date night. read more
In the middle of commercial, the food was tasty and we managed to snag a outdoor patio spot at 6pm. The fried noodles was really yummy. We got the crab fried rice and crispy prawns as well. Will order again! Not everywhere is wheelchair assessable but they have seats indoor that is. Parking can be a pain but there are a mix of paid and free parking around. read more
Hands down one of my favourite dining experiences here. Came to celebrate a birthday. The staff were wonderful and attentive. All dishes we had were flavourful and executed with precision. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated near the open door for the patio and the staff did not hesitate to offer a blanket for the chill.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our waitress was super sweet overall too; happy to have had her. Soft shell crab (4.7/5): perfectly crisp, delicious and fun to get hands on to eat as well. Bone marrow (3.8/5): immensely flavourful, maybe a tad overpowering, but also a messy but enjoyable eating experience. Crab fried rice (5/5!!!!): THE PERFECT RATIO of crispy bits, umami, soft rice volume, and refreshing green onion topping. Without the sauce, the rice was already perfectly savoury. The sauce was heavy on spice and soy so we added it sparingly in our own servings of rice, but definitely loved adding it in. We tried to keep the crab intact in its own little pile to maintain the texture as well. Perfect fried rice experience. I forgot how much I LOVE rice, but this dish revived my passion ~ Garlic noodles (4.3/5): HEAVY on the garlic, rich and creamy mouthfeel. Great texture on the noodles having been slightly charred during the fry. Great choice as well. Three Layer Dessert (4.8/5): I've never had anything quite like this. All components were delicious and executed well. A texture lover's wet dream. My personal take was that the streusel was a little too much, but the taste of everything together was top tier - loved taking little bites of each component. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Lunch Lady's bib gourmand is well justified across the board. All my love to the LL team, they're quite honestly the best ever. read more
We saw that it was voted as the top 10 World Best Restaurant & decided to give it a try. Wowza! The servers were very friendly & helpful, since it was our first time there, she suggested that we try the sample menu for 4. In the sample menu, there were several appetizers presented. Let me tell you each dish was a WOW! The taste of each dish was fantastic, tantalizing to your tastebuds! For the sample menu Aka An Choi, we had Taro & Dips, Beef Carpaccio, Octopus skewers, Tiger Prawns, Bone Marrow, Steak Luc Lac, Clams Coconut, Crab Fried Rice (OMG!) AND... you get to chose 2 kinds of desserts which we chose Vietnamese Coffee Tiramisu & 3 layer Dessert. We also ordered their Egg Coffee, Coffee Pandan, Pandan Coco Tea & Calamansi Soda Chanh. I am putting the food reviews in each of the photos or else this review might turn into a novel. It is my first time there & definitely not my last Reservation with credit card only for dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant had a lovely atmosphere too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more
This review is long overdue because I'm still recovering from the food coma. We came as a party of 6 and it was just enough food for everyone! Everything is a 10/10. We ordered: Beef Carpaccio w/ taro chips Garlic noodles Beef noodle soup Duck salad Che ba mau Calamansi soda Service was quick and great! The staff are all so friendly and they were speaking Vietnamese with my parents :') They also sell merch and I love the shirts! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The environment is pretty cozy and intimate. Perfect for any occasion.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'll definitely come back again in the future. Tip: call to reserve a spot ahead of time :) read more
Great service. We told the hostess that we had a show to catch and needed to be out in 50 mins. And she promptly seated us on the patio. And for a patio that was on the street, the waitress was very attentive. The food came quickly and tasty. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very casual dining vibes for unique Vietnamese food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Place is family friendly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more
TLDR: made birthday reservations, they forgot my birthday before I had to remind them which was quite embarrassing. Best Vietnamese food I had in my entire life. Lunch Lady did not disappoint. I heard about it after trying Anh Chi Em years ago. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is small yet beautiful and intimate inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was great and we seated at our reservation time. I made the reservation over email which I included a birthday via open table/etc. I got an email at 12:30 am asking to confirm again which I thought was unprofessional. Regardless the food was amazing, we did the family style which was a great experience to try a variety of tapas. The food did not disappoint. Everything had their own flavor yet all tied within your authentic Vietnamese taste. My favs was the steak, shrimp, bone marrow, clams, and Che bau mau. Overall I highly recommend and would come back. The 4 set meal for 4 people could honestly feed 5-6 people. read more
2 months ago
The service was top notch! Our water cups were never empty and the staff made great recommendations. Every dish was flavorful and very aromatic in the best way. Each plate told a story and was presented beautifully. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was dim with the cutest decorations.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'm still thinking about how delicious the pomelo salad was! read more
Heard a lot about this place and enjoyed the lunch but I wanna try the dinner menu. Lunch was fine, a bit pricey! This places comes highly recommended by many people. I tried the pandan iced coffee but I'm not a fan of coconut in my coffee. The steak was okay but I don't like five spice so wasnt thrilled. The pomello salad was enjoyable and interesting. read more
I got so lucky, I flew into Vancouver on a work trip- My first trip to Vancouver- and everyone said I should try this spot out. I arrived on a Tuesday and got dropped off in the area at peak lunch time, but was able to manage a spot at the bar for one. I say I'm lucky, because by the time I left there was a line out the door and around the corner! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is on the smaller side with bar seating and some two and four tops, but it's very welcoming.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The servers are so friendly and you can tell they all know how to run a service. I received water right away and they took my drink order. I opted for the Calamansi Soda Chanh ($6). It was bright, tart, and delicious. A great refreshing drink to pair with pho. For food I wanted to order one of everything but decided to go with the Beef Noodle Soup ($20). The broth was delicious, the noodles were fresh and a great texture, and the meat was so tender and flavorful. They give you a plate with beansprouts, basil, and some sriracha and hoisin, and while I added the extras, I barely used the sauces because the soup was great as is. The portion size was generous and I was so full at the end of the meal, I regrettably left some broth behind because I could not finish it. Though later in the evening I wished I had taken it to go to warm up and just sip the amazing broth again. Now I just have to hope for more reasons to visit Vancouver so I can explore the menu more. read more
Snagged an outdoor 8:30pm reservation for 4. Arrived around 8:05pm and were seated early. We did have a mini dinner around 6pm, so we didn't go crazy with our order. Crispy Prawns ($24) - pricey shrimps, but they were indeed crispy. These came out pretty quickly. Great seasoning, and the "floating" shell didn't even taste like shell! Keeping the shell incorporated is seriously ingenious. Bo Luc Lac ($42) - Came with cassava/yucca fries. Steak comes perfectly medium rare, cubed, and smothered with a delicious sauce, very yummy!! Clams in coconut sauce ($26) - Also a hit - generous portion of clams in a yummy coconut sauce. Comes with a deep fried dough stick (Chinese you tiao iykyk) to sop up the remaining sauce. Sauce would have been great with some rice. Pricey, but everything we ordered was a HIT and oh so delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Interior was modern and cozy interior, with an inviting bar area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Outdoor patio was VERY well-heated with heat lamps, sturdy folding tables and stools to mimic the casual dining experience in Vietnam.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Overall, would come again. The dishes are quite heavy, so sort of glad we had a pre-dinner. Recommend coming with a group to try a variety without getting weighed down, or partake in their set meals (for 2 or 4 pax). read more
6 months ago
We stopped by for an early bite before a nearby event. This isn't my first time at Lunch Lady, which is why this visit was especially disappointing. I had an iced coffee, shared the fried shrimp appetizer, garlic noodles, and tiramisu. Iced Coffee - $7 2.5/5 Tasted pre-made. At this price point, I expected it to be freshly brewed and then iced. Fried Shrimp - $24 | 2.5/5 Good concept, poorly executed. The shrimp were a decent size and the presentation looks impressive -- one shrimp split and fried to resemble two, connected by the tail. Unfortunately, they arrived warm rather than hot, and several pieces were dried out to a jerky-like texture. The dish came out within a minute of ordering -- before our drinks -- which made it feel pre-fried and held under a heat lamp. Garlic Noodles - $24 | 2.5/5 The noodle texture was good, but the sauce was sparse and the flavor far too mild. For garlic noodles, the garlic was barely present. Tiramisu - $12 | 0/5 I had to reread the menu to confirm what I was eating. It looked dusted with sesame rather than cocoa. The texture leaned mousse-like, but there was little/no mascarpone or coffee flavour, and it tasted like it had picked up fridge notes. I had reserved the first dinner seating at 4:45 pm, and given how firm they are with reservations, I expected a fresher, more intentional experience. Instead, everything felt over-prepped -- shrimp fried too early, coffees made in advance -- and it showed. I've enjoyed Lunch Lady in the past, which is why this was disappointing rather than forgettable. I'd like to believe this was an off night, and I hope someone from the team takes this feedback seriously. read more
We came here to celebrate my friend's birthday, and honestly, I don't think you can get a table without a reservation. I tried once before and got turned away [[HIGHLIGHT]]Inside, the design replicates a Vietnamese street food vendor vibe, with foldable tables and chairs that make it feel like you're dining right on the streets of Vietnam.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu has so much to offer. The three of us ordered the 2-person family-style set, plus an extra duck salad. I loved the chips & dip, and the steak luc lac was a standout. The portions are huge. We even have leftover to pack home. If you let them know you're celebrating a birthday, they even bring out a complimentary three-layer dessert with a candle, and you get a Polaroid photo as a sweet little keepsake. read more
[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great vibes and great food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The pandan coconut tea was delicious. The steak and fries was great. It came a banh mi bread with cheese and pâté. Worked well with the eggs, steak, and waffle fries. To be honest the star of the dish was the sauce. It was delicious. The duck pho my friend ordered was equally excellent. Staff friendly and fun to have small talk with as well. I would come back for sure read more
7 months ago
My second time at the Lunch Lady and it was amazing! After showing up last Tuesday without a reservation and being denied a table for at least an hour, this time we decided to make a reservation and the process was very smooth. You can make reservations online but they do take your credit card so if you don't show they may charge you. When we arrived upon opening, there was a line wrapping around the corner. They were very quick at seating everyone but we were told that we would only have the reserved table for an hour. That being said, we knew what we wanted and were in and out in 30 minutes! We ordered the chicken pho (daily special only served on Tuesday's) and the vegetarian spring rolls. Both were delicious! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside was very upbeat with modern music, but one thing to note, the floors are slippery so be careful![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more
We got here early and there was already line, but was able to get it fine. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Not a fan of the metal tables giving a cheap vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Got the family dinner set that has 9 dishes. Some of the dishes include bo luc lac, carpaccio, crab fried rice, prawns, and bone marrow so I was extremely excited. With so many dishes I thought almost all of them were amazing with the crab rice, bo luc lac and prawns standing out the most. I could have done without the octopus skewers since they were kinda chewy, but I can overlook it with all the other stand out dishes. Not sure if its just the currency conversion, but I thought it was a great deal and would get the family dinner again. read more
4 months ago
I need this spot to be open in Seattle because I'm obsessed. I came here for brunch with my partner and it was excellent! We got the prawn fritters, chicken with rice, and steak luc lac. The prawn fritters were so crispy and crunchy and the sauce they had was so good! It actually had a bit of spice which was nice. My chicken was literally some of the juiciest chicken I've ever had, and there was so much of it! My partner's steak was also cooked perfectly and was super tender. We had leftovers of the chicken but were driving back to Seattle, so I asked them if they could possibly give me a bag of ice or something for the drive, and they did which was so nice of them! read more
We tried Lunch Lady for the first time to celebrate a birthday, and it did not disappoint. It was tricky to book a table online, so make sure you make your reservation well in advance. When we arrived, there was the usual line up for walk-ins, but we walked right past them with our reservation. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor inside was bustling, clean and modern.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The four of us shared a few appetizers. We had the Chả Giò - Crispy Pork Spring Rolls, and Bò Tái Chanh - Beef Carpaccio which was topped with peanuts, crispy shallots, Thai basil, mint, and a lime vinaigrette. The carpaccio's tender beef slices went well with the crunchy shallots. We also had the Gỏi Vịt - Duck Salad with dressed cabbage, banana blossoms, Vietnamese coriander, peanuts, crispy shallots, vermicelli, and a ginger chili vinaigrette. The duck was cooked perfectly. For entrees, we shared two dishes. First was the Cơm Chiên Cua - Crab Fried Rice, which came with a surprising amount of red crab meat and fish roe, served with crispy rice and XO sauce. Next was the Nghêu - Manila Clams in coconut curry sauce. The most special for me was the additional house-made Chinese donut on top. read more
8 months ago
Lunch Lady is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant to date so far thanks to the unique origin story and excellent food, service, and vibes. Origin: Known as Anthony Bourdain's favorite 'Lunch Lady,' Co Thanh owned a nameless food stall in Saigon and then brought her dishes to Canada run in partnership with Chef Benedict Lim and Michael Tran. They made the Michelin Gourmand list in 2022-2025 and even opened a second restaurant in Toronto. Unfortunately, upon opening, she passed suddenly. Reservations: Highly recommended Vibes: Straight out of a Netflix food documentary episode. 90s/hip hop in the background. Happy staff all around. Food: Order set menu $60 per person or a la carte which ended up around $60 per person anyway. Husband and I chose a la carte and loved each selection. The beef carpaccio with taro chips are a top menu item. The Wagyu bone marrow pho was amazing. Duck salad was delicious. Octopus skewers were tasty. The coconut pandan drink was not overly sweet and refreshing. To top everything off, they surprised us with their signature pandan sticky rice cake with a handwritten card and Polaroid photo to celebrate our anniversary. Lunch Lady was well worth the visit and leaves a lasting impression. read more
9 months ago
We heard about the Lunch Lady all the way in Texas and figured we better check it out. We arrived right as they opened and were warmly greeted by the friendly staff. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restraint itself is super charming and inviting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We got several items with the Steak, Beef Pho, Duck Breast Salad, and Pork Belly Vermicelli and every single item was the best I have had of that particular dish. Fresh and flavorful and prepared with full attention to detail. If you are in the area this place is a do not miss! read more
9 months ago
Great place for Vietnamese food! The concept of street food fusion with an elevated touch works perfectly here. I love the decoration, and the service was amazing. The food was absolutely delicious! The garlic past was good, wish it didn't come with fish sauce. Tip: Try to book a table in advance -- otherwise, you might end up waiting in line to get in. read more
1 month ago
Service is non-friendly and came with a bit of attitude - almost rude. It felt like the waitress felt privileged to our business. Not even a smile our entire meal. All we got was a half-ass 'thank you' while looking another direction when we paid our bill. Don't think she deserves ANY of the tip we gave her today. Nothing to complain about for the food though, it was delicious. Just hope you get a better server or have a tolerance for sub-par service. I highly recommend the prawn fritters and the egg iced coffee. read more
WOW. Heard the hype and got into an Uber with my Vietnamese brother and his family. We drove through the scary part of Vancouver to get here and was so excited but then was let down. For reals. So many things the waitress recommended were NOT GOOD or as great she had described. I can only recommend the tiger prawn dish. Even the foie gras was disappointing and I've never had bad foie gras but this one was stale. We didn't even finish it! I couldn't believe we allowed it to go to waste! Fried rice was a miss. Steak was tough. Not a fan of the bone marrow. The "secret sauce" was mainly oyster sauce. I didn't find it at all interesting. This was a total miss! We were so disappointed. I'd rather go visit the real lunch lady in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam which is the original spot. Sometimes, I wish people would stop trying to reinvent the wheel and just do it the way it's supposed to be done. Should have just ordered the pho. read more
lunch lady, boldly billed as "world famous vietnamese street food" and popularized by anthony bourdain, announces itself with a striking mural at the corner of commercial and napier. with its michelin bib gourmand recognition, expectations were naturally high heading in. we had reservations for 4:45 pm on a wednesday, right at opening and as our first stop of the evening. it didn't take long for the the room to fill up, the energy lively and anticipatory. service throughout the night was attentive and well paced, setting a welcoming tone. [[HIGHLIGHT]]our table did feel a bit sticky, a small detail, but one that stood out early on.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] we began with the crispy prawns ($24), butterflied tiger prawns lightly battered and served in their shells, alongside a chilli lime sauce. our server encouraged us to eat the shells (except for the tails), which added a playful, street food spirit to the dish. the prawns themselves were large, crisp, and meaty. while the chilli lime sauce brought brightness and heat, the overall combination didn't quite rise beyond being solid and enjoyable. the garlic noodles ($24) arrived as a generous portion of egg noodles tossed in xo garlic butter, finished with parmigiano and a slow poached egg. rich and indulgent, this was clearly designed as a comfort dish. the noodles were al dente, slick and satisfying at first, and breaking the egg added some welcome creaminess. over time, though, the flavours stayed fairly singular, and the dish felt heavier than expected. the yolk, too, leaned more set than jammy. the calamansi soda ($6) skewed sharper and more acidic than anticipated, lacking the sweetness that might have made it more refreshing. dessert was the vietnamese coffee tiramisu ($12), layered with vietnamese espresso, hojicha, and mascarpone sabayon. the flavour pairing was unexpected, and the tiramisu itself was quite firm. it felt more composed than airy, missing some of the lightness that often makes this dessert feel creamy and indulgent. overall, the meal felt careful and restrained. everything was competently prepared, though nothing truly stood out. perhaps lunch lady's strengths shine most when the table is fuller and more dishes are shared. while i appreciated the consistency and approachability of the food, given the restaurant's reputation and bib gourmand distinction, i found myself hoping for a bit more spark. read more
Lunch lady blew me away. Great service, great vibe, AMAZING food. I normally don't think much about highly recommended pho places because you can't go wrong with pho. It always slaps regardless of a high-end or homey aesthetic. I was so wrong about Lunch Lady though. The table got spring rolls, cocktails and a variety of soup noodles. My friends got the Sunday duck special and I got the Bone marrow pho. Everything was ABSOLUTELY delicious. Well balanced, full of flavour, just perfection. I can't believe I slept on this place. read more
everything was so unique and delicious except for the steak. the steak luc lac ($42) was supposed to be medium rare but it was a bit overcooked and dry. the cassava fries on the side though- omg it was divine. i am now a cassava stan and idk why potato fries are the dominating version. lowkey the cassava fries carried that dish. crab fried rice ($34) was delicious and had big pieces of crab meat. they were also very generous with the crab roe and i thought it was very smart to have the soy sauce on the side to personally adjust saltiness. octopus skewers ($16) were chewy and very umami. i really liked the spicy/tangy sauce on the side and i used it to dip the cassava fries too LOL. overall this place has been on my to go list for 3 years and it was so worth the wait! read more
The Lunch Lady recently established a branch in Toronto. Unfortunately the founder died upon arrival at Pearson airport while her vision of expanding in Toronto carried on. Decided to go to the original location while in Vancouver, managed to snag a reservation but only for the 1130 seating on Saturday (limited 90min dining time). Plan ahead as available time slots are snatched up quickly. Place is small and cramp with added bonus of counter and patio seating. Service staff are efficient and quick to upsell. Started off with the duck salad, duck was juicy, tender and cooked to perfection, salad had a peanut citrusy vinegar dressing Then came the beef carpaccio covered in herbs and chopped mint leaves. Beef sliced very thin with a delicate texture and the beefy flavor paired well with the herbs eventually finishing with a minty aftertaste. Accompanied with fried taro chips which matched will with the carpaccio. Saturday special Bahn Cahn Cua was a seafood udon like tapioca noodles crab broth soup. The broth had a crabby/shrimpy profile, noodles were udon like but not chewy, crab, tiger shrimp fresh not frozen, a seafood delight. This dish was "special" the craftsmanship involved to blend all the flavors together is much appreciated. Also ordered the beef pho, beef was sliced thick (not my preference) broth was ok but not outstanding, I would pass on this. Calamansi lime soda was all lime, didn't have much of a calamansi flavor. Pricy but you shouldn't put a price on a flavor experience. A very nice break from the Granville experience read more
Came on Saturday for lunch. Surprisingly we were able to get a table around 1230 as it wasn't that busy. We ordered the steak lac luc and their Saturday special: BÁNH CANH CUA. The Banh canh cua is the dungeness crab, tiger prawn, quail egg, tapioca noodles, in rich crab broth. This was probably one of the best crab broth I've had. The soup base was rich in flavor as you can taste the crab/seafood and good consistency ( not watery or too thick ). We finished the soup. The steak lac luc was good but I guess should have known from the name that it may be cooked differently. We were expecting something like other places where the beef is seared all around the pieces. This one was a medium rare steak cut into chunks so only some parts are seared and the middle is rare. It was still good. Service was great. read more
We put our names on the waitlist for 2 and we were told it would be another 2hrs until we get a spot but it only took 30m for us to get a call! We were sat at the bar and it was a little loud because of how busy it was. I was expecting the food to be really good from what my friends have said but I thought it was fine. There's nothing I had that I would highly recommend or want to come back for, especially for the price and wait time. Out of everything I had, the soft shelled crab was the best. I didn't like the texture of the crispy noodles. This is a small criticism but I think the dessert is a mistranslation because chè ba màu refers to soup dessert, not a cake. It could be inspired by the dish but to just put it as such might be misleading to only Viet-speaking people. read more
This place offers elevated Vietnamese street food and cuisine. We made reservations a few weeks in advance for Sunday dinner and when we arrived, it was full house. There was a strict 15 min grace period so we had to add back to the waitlist, and we also needed to last minute change reservation from 4 to 5 and they were able to accommodate us via outside seating, which I appreciated and it was still nice out. We got the highly anticipated An Choi - family style menu for 4 (55 CAD per person) which features a wide array of dishes including 2 desserts of choice, but we opted to get all 3 of the desserts. The 5th person was vegetarian so they didn't partake in the family style courses, and it was possible to do this set up. The family style menu is only available for dinner. Taro chips and green chili aioli - excellent starter. Crunchy chips and creamy sauce. Pairs well with beef carpaccio Beef carpaccio - very flavorful, not the best I've had but it was a nice dish Octopus skewers - a bit on the tougher side but flavorful Steak luc lac - very tender and juicy; love the sauce. One of my favorites here Bone marrow - generous portions of bone marrow, very rich. Not enough of the crostini but the server gave us refills Crispy prawns - recommended to eat with the shell but it was a bit too tough in some parts. Otherwise fresh and pairs well with the chili lime dipping sauce Crab fried rice - another of my favorites. The rice is cooked to crispy, and there is a generous amount of crab Coconut clams - our choice between this and tamarind. Coconut curry broth pairs well with the clams. Clams were mostly fresh but some were a bit not really. Served with Chinese donut that I recommend dipping into the broth to soak in the flavors Che ba mau - three layer dessert - love the mochi texture of the pandan sticky rice. My favorite of the 3 Calamansi cheesecake - good combo of sweet and sour Ube tiramisu - popular for most but I found it least favorite since it was a bit one dimensional. I like their use of Vietnamese coffee as the coffee for tiramisu Service was average - food came out at a good cadence and requests were fulfilled, though it did take a while due to the distance between the outdoor seating and the restaurant read more
Came to the Lunch Lady with a large party, including someone who has dined at the Toronto location in the same week and wanted it again! The flavors here were well conceptualized, with my thought that they measure up to some of the good Vietnamese spots in NYC. We tried pretty much every dish that the server recommended, which ended up being most of the menu. My personal favorites were the steak over rice and the prawn fritter appetizer. Actually, many of the appetizers were very interesting and not things you would find easily in other Vietnamese restaurants! read more
1 year ago
I tried the steak luc lac before and it was mind blowing, so I wanted to try the rest. First, I got the crab fried rice. It was interesting and there wasn't any seafood scent which is great. Some of the fried rice is crispy which added a nice texture to the dish. The beef carpaccio is pretty good and it was nutty and tasted fresh. The pho itself was a bit lacking in terms of the broth itself. It was too sweet and lacks the rich flavor it was supposed to have. The wagyu is tender though and it was interesting to eat from the bone marrow. So far, I would recommend getting crab fried rice and the steak luc lac, perhaps the beef carpaccio as well. Overall, I can see why lots of people recommend this place and why it is always fully booked. I got here at a bit past 5pm on Saturday, so I was able to get a seat right away. Otherwise, it would be a long wait. read more
Stopped by for Sunday lunch for 2 people and it was about a 50-minute wait. We killed time by walking around the nearby shops. We ordered 4 items total and wanted to try the garlic noodles, but those are available during dinner only. The restaurant vibe was great. There's low chairs, simple metal tables, and plenty of wall decor that reminded me of a local eatery you'd stumble upon in Vietnam. Iced coffee: vietnamese coffee is strong and this met expectations, very good! Beef carpacccio: the best beef carpaccio I've ever had. The garnishes made the dish so flavorful. We also added taro chips which were tasty, but you can skip these Chicken on rice: flavorful grilled chicken! Che ba mau: very filling pandan/coconut dessert. I personally didn't like it. The strawberry red bean sauce was interesting. I'd order everything except the che ba mau and taro chips again. Would love to come back to try their garlic noodles and other dinner items. read more
Lunch Lady is a great and often busy place with Vietnamese classics. We walked in for Saturday brunch and had a wait of about 40 minutes. This was no problem for us; we just walked around and shopped at the nearby thrift shops. Parking was a bit tricky but we found a spot a couple blocks away. The place is small but fits a lot of people. We ordered a few drinks. The Ca Phe Martini, which is an espresso martini using vietnamese ca phe, was delicious. My partner loved the old fashioned. For food, I ordered the Banh Canh Cua. It reminds me of every wedding I've been to that has served this. It was really good! It hit all the classic flavors of this soup. The other thing we ordered was the Ham and Eggs dish. It was perfectly savory for a brunch dish. It came with a lot of things and they all complimented each other perfectly. It was basically a breakfast banh mi. Lunch Lady was a hit for us! read more
6 months ago
We had to stop by Lunch Lady despite already having an early dinner elsewhere, so we ordered lighter items. Given the hype and Michelin Guide mention, I expected more overall -- but there were still several highlights that impressed us. Standouts: * Drinks were excellent. The calamansi soda was refreshing and nostalgic, bringing me straight back to the Philippines. The pandan coconut tea was creamy and delicious, especially with the pandan foam. * The Chinese donut paired with the Manila clam dish was amazing, especially dipped into the broth. * The garlic noodles with egg were creamy, garlicky, and flavorful. We removed the jalapeños for our son, so note there is heat if you're spice-sensitive. * My personal favorite was the three-layer cake. The sticky rice was beautifully baked, and the coconut condensed milk ice cream was a great complement. It included a strawberry-red bean purée, though the strawberry overpowered the red bean -- I'd suggest toning down the jam to let the red bean shine. Service was friendly and helpful, especially when guiding us through the menu. What fell short: * The beef carpaccio was good, but after reading so many glowing reviews, we expected something more memorable. I liked the herbs and peanuts, but it could have benefited from an additional light sauce. * The biggest disappointment was the black sesame basque cake. The cheesecake was slightly dry and overly sour, the sesame ice cream had a bitter aftertaste, and it clashed with the sour mango purée. We didn't finish this dessert. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The aesthetic was warm and urban, very reminiscent of Asia.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Would I return? Yes -- definitely coming back with an emptier stomach to try the pho and steaks, and I'll update this review then. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great for date night or groups of four, though it may be tricky for larger groups since I didn't notice any big tables.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more
I know I'm late to the party, but I recently came here for dinner (finally!). I had heard so much about this place, and it was my kid's birthday. I asked her where she'd like to go for her bday dinner and without hesitation, she said "The Lunch Lady". She had been here once before and raved about it. So we made reservations (thankfully! The place is small and it was full when we came and it was at 8:30 pm on a weeknight!). And boy, was it good! The hostess and our server were both SO SO nice. The cocktails were delicious, as was the Vietnamese coffee my kid ordered. And the food? All I can say, it lives up to the hype. We had the crispy prawns to start. Delicious. My kid had a pho with brisket. I had a new item on their menu: it was a broth with morel mushrooms stuffed with crab and wontons. OMG so so good. We ordered a black sesame Basque cheesecake for dessert, and it was good, but what was EXCEPTIONAL was the complimentary birthday dessert they brought out for my kid, complete with a candle and a birthday card, too! This dessert... I forget the name, but it had a sweet sticky rice exterior, maybe it was slightly fried, I don't know, and a sweet creamy interior that was a strange color.... (I just looked at their menu and this dessert is called thier Three Layer Dessert). If you dine here, you MUST order this! It's unbelievably good. Did I mention how awesome our server was? He even took a photo of my kid and me and her bday dessert with a little instamatic camera and gave us the photo as a momento of the night. Nice touch! This is a great place. I plan on bringing my out-of-town guests here. And my kid and I are already making plans to return. read more
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1046 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC V5L 3W9
Canada
Grandview-Woodlands, The Drive
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(604) 559-5938
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https://thelunchlady.com
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Lunch Lady - vietnamese - Updated August 2026
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