Man Bean took over the former Lemon Grass location after I moved to Ottawa, but since my wife and I moved back to Halifax, its proximity to my office has added to the variety of lunch options that I have. Their name can have some...unbecoming...associations if English is your first language and you have a filthy mind (guilty as charged), but judging from the note about mung beans at the top of their menu, and the bean in their logo, I assume its origins are more legume-based. They're not on any delivery apps except for Asian food specialty app Fantuan, but you can order ahead the old fashioned way via...a phone call. Difficult, I know! While I have done takeout pho in the past, it is a bit of a process and you're guaranteed to have broth splatters at your desk, so I went for the more easily managed grilled pork vermicelli bowl. Pick-up was a breeze and was ready and waiting when I arrived at the estimated time they gave me on the phone. I often find that the pork in these dishes is chunks that are grilled separately, like satay, but Man Bean sliced up a grilled pork chop (which is also an item on their menu). It had a good char on it, and while the chop was slightly on the dry side it wasn't too bad and you don't really notice when you're having it in bites with the other ingredients. To that point, I'm going to posit that bun is like pizza, in that it's hard to mess up and have a truly bad one. I mean, what's not to like? Rice noodles in a sweet and lightly spicy sauce, crunchy lettuce, carrot and cucumber, pork and a peanut crumble? That's a winning combination! A return visit found me coming by with my wife for dinner after work. The interior space is nice, with a contemporary, subdued style that's given a touch of Vietnam with framed photos and art adorning the walls. The plentiful windows onto Barrington and Morris let in tons of light and give you lots of people watching potential. This time around, my wife had the grilled pork vermicelli bowl (her "go-to" at Vietnamese places), while I opted for the bun bo hue. Not all Vietnamese places carry this spicy noodle soup, so I jumped at the chance to try Man Bean's. Since I was wearing a white shirt, I put my black jacket on to protect from the soup's area of effect splash damage, as nothing stains quite so well as red chili oil. I'm no bun bo hue connoisseur, but I really enjoyed Man Bean's version. The broth was top notch, with layers of savoury flavours, a smooth mouthfeel and prominent, but manageable, levels of spice. I knew their broth was legit when I fished out some rib tips or the like, and the chunks of cartilage were as wobbly as Jell-O, a sign of being simmered low and slow and releasing their gelatinous goodness into the broth. The round, moderately-thick noodles (think spaghetti, but rice-based) were tender and supple and safely slurped up with my protective jacket on, while the slices of slices of beef brisket were fantastically tender, and not grainy and overcooked. I also had an iced Vietnamese coffee to help balance out the heat of the bun bo hue, and its mix of sweetness and creaminess certainly did its job well, while the dark roast of the coffee still stood out from the spice and big flavours of my dinner. It's always been the same gentleman working the front of house when I've been there, and every time he's been friendly, easy-going and attentive. Man Bean is putting out some very solid food, with some stand-out dishes, and combined with its friendly service and nice atmosphere, it's a neighbourhood joint that's really worth getting to know. PS. It's not really advertised, but Man Bean has an impressively good Scotch collection! read more

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Restaurant is clean and service is good, but the food was just ok, and not that authentic tasting. It was also quite pricey (well, compared to vietnamese restaurants in Toronto, so take that tidbit with a grain of salt if you're not from Toronto). A bowl of pho here is $14 and they don't have tendon or tripe or beef balls. The menu doesn't have a big selection. Also, the bean sprouts and basil were all in the soup already at the time it was served, rather than fresh on a plate for you to add yourself. I got the sweet and sour soup ($7) which came in a bigger bowl than I expected. The prawns were good and plentiful, but I didn't like the taste of the soup. The pineapple chunks in it looked like they were the dole canned pineapple, and the soup kind of tasted like the syrup from the canned pineapple was mixed into there. The sweet flavour was very strong. I also tried the pork spring rolls which were alright. Walking around Halifax, it didn't seem to have that many Vietnamese restaurant choices, so props to this family for opening up this restaurant. read more

I am quite literally addicted to this food. Their curry chicken on rice is incomparable! And the spring rolls are THE BEST I have had ANYWHERE, including Toronto. Filled with meat and always crispy and hot - dip into fish sauce and it's heaven. Big servings. Pleasant service. The restaurant itself has changed over the years. More upscale now, a big facelift included liquor and beer. It's my go to place. Gotta have it at least once a month. read more

Excellent food, good portion sizes. Super friendly and attentive service. My husband and I eat here at least once a month! read more

Man Bean - Bun Bo Hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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There are a lot of places you can go for pho in Halifax, it's become somewhat trendy. And many of those places are good - some not so good. Man Bean is, without a doubt, the best place in all of Halifax (and many other cities as well) for pho. Fresh Thai Basil, sprouts that are crunchy and tasty, beef sliced so perfectly thin you could read through it, and above all - that heavenly broth. Meaty but sweet, rich and still subtle... my mouth is watering just remembering our lunch there today. And the rest of the menu is just as good! Combine all of that with a crisp, clean atmosphere, friendly and attentive staff, a great scotch list (if that's your thing) and you've got a fabulous place for lunch or dinner. My absolute favourite restaurant in Halifax. read more

Coming from Vancouver, I guess we're accustomed to more pho options as well as larger portions, both of which Man Bean did not offer, unfortunately. The salad rolls, spring rolls, and papaya salad were fresh, but the pho options were incredibly limited. Their "house special" which I'm used to having beef balls, tendon, and tripe (pho dac biet) was strictly just rare beef and brisket, accompanied by a tiny handful of vermicelli noodles. I ate it in about 5 minutes and it cost $15... They also use chicken broth for their pho which is a first for me, and they serve mint as a garnish instead of basil! A Vietnamese restaurant without basil is shocking to me, but the server was such a nice guy that I didn't want to be too hard on them. Also, charging for tea -- which is complimentary at any Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to in my life -- was also a surprise, but perhaps their rent is expensive, I really don't know. Overall, the service was very friendly and quick, but the ambience is much more fancy and pretentious than what I'm used to compared to back home, and the portions are too small for what you pay. I hope they succeed in all their future endeavours but I wouldn't go here if you're craving authentic pho. read more

I'm Vietnamese and this is my first year in Canada so i really miss the food. And the food here was crazily amazing. Everything is just the same with what I usually have in Vietnam. I got the Ph with rare beef and the vermicelli with grilled pork. They had the BEST seasoning. everything was great included the staff and the space. I highly recommend if you want to try Vietnamese food read more

Man Bean - a bowl of soup with meat and vegetables - Vietnamese Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Extraordinary food. Great service. Nice single malt selection too! Very enjoyable and tasty lunch!! read more

Premium service and excellent environment. The only downside is that the noodles in one serving are not enough for me.

I am a pho addict. This is just okay pho restaurant. The soup is clear with not much taste. Beef is boring and not tasty. They did not give basil with bean sprouts. Shrimp salad rolls are very good tho. The place is clean, but service is quite slow. Overall ok experience. read more

Clean modern restaurant. The menu is not large but different choices. The pho was very good. The staff is kind read more

Man Bean - a bowl of soup on a plate - Vietnamese Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Went here on one of my "in town days" after Dr appt. I had opted for the Pho but then changed my mind to the Bun Bo Hue. It was very good with my only issue being the beef could have been less done. The stock was super good and just slightly spicy. My husband had one of the lunch specials - curry chicken on noodles and he really liked it. The service was top notch; just about the best I've had in a long time. The decor is very nice and totally not what it used to be when it was The Lemongrass restaurant. I would definitely go back and glad to have another Vietnamese option in town. read more

The pho is good, although it's a little overpriced for what I am used to paying for pho. Might be the beautiful restaurant interior and downtown location that makes up for that. read more

Great food and service. Excellent atmosphere that matches the food. Exactly what you should get at a Vietnamese restaurant.

Small but with a spacious feel, gracious hosting, and delicious food at a reasonable price. Highly recommended.

Stumbled in here on a windy and cloudy day looking for some comforting soup and was greeted by a modern, clean and low key atmosphere and kind staff. The chicken pho is amazing, warm and makes you feel all fuzzy inside. read more

I ordered take out. When I picked up my food everyone was friendly and welcoming! The pho was delicious and ready on time, and the prices are good. The only issue I had was the rare beef wasn't packed on the side and was already in the broth. I basically live across the street so I will be back! read more

Fabulous! I have had the curry chicken and veggies many times. Always perfect. Excellent value and service