We were in town and let Yelp guide us and we were not disappointed. This is a small mostly to-go restaurant in a strip mall. There are 3 tables inside, so we chose to eat in. I chose the Vietnamese sandwich. It was so tasty. Bread was toasted and crispy and the mix of chicken, pickled cucumbers and fresh herbs were great. My daughter ordered the bulgogi beef rice plate (with kimchi on side) and a strawberry lemonade with strawberry popping boba. She loved both. Food comes out fast. Overall excellent! read more

See all

First time trying Nguyen's Kitchen. Got it to go and took it home to eat with my wife. It does have a very small eating area if you want to eat there, but don't take a large party as there's only 3 tables. Spoke with Linh about their background and where they're from. Very very nice lady (owner) and very helpful with the menu. - I had the chicken Pho ($16.50). I added the 2 included Hoisin sauce packets. It also came with a Sriracha sauce packet and a small container of chili oil along with the normal variety of noodles, sprouts, fresh herbs, green onions, white onions, jalapeño slices, and a lime wedge. The chicken was tender sliced white meat with no fat, gristle, or bones attached. The broth had a lot of flavor and was delicious. - I also had the shrimp and chive dumplings ($7.00). Not a strong shrimp flavor, but they had a nice crisp on the outside and were tasty. The sauce that comes with the dumplings is absolutely delicious. - My wife had the Bulgogi beef ($14.50). She said it was tender and very delicious. It came with rice, kimchi, and cucumber salad. I just happened to speak to Linh about the cucumber salad and she said this is how she's always made it for her kids and they love it. Well, I'm with her kids and love it too. She makes the vinaigrette herself and it has an unexpected sweetness to it instead of the usual strong vinegar flavor. We both loved it. - We had the pork gyoza ($7.00). This was cooked my favorite way, deep fried (not pan fried). This took me back to the gyoza in Japan and the Yaki Mandu I used to get in Korea. Great crispy wrapper with a tender flavorful filling. And again, the sauce that came with it is some of the best I've had. - The kimchi is not overly spicy and has a slight sweetness to it. - The Egg Tarts ($5.50) are good, not overly sweet. Could use a bit more filling for a better filling to pie crust ratio. - I also got a Chai tea bubble milk ($6.25) that was super delicious. Overall, we really enjoyed Nguyen's Kitchen and will go back with friends. It's unfortunate that it sits behind a Taco Bell and is not highly noticeable from the road, otherwise I might have tried it sooner. read more

Nguyen’s Kitchen - Chicken Pho, kimchi, shrimp and chive dumplings - Asian Fusion Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Expensive for pretty mid range Vietnamese food that doesn't leave really any impression. Does the job if you want a bowl of pho but not anything to write home about. My understanding is the owners are Vietnamese, so I had high hopes for the pho specifically. I did order a few items off the dim sum menu as Cantonese cuisine is sorely lacking in Charlottesville. Even though their dim sum offerings are very limited, they do have some of the basics that you would find in a regular dim sum restaurant. I tried the crystal shrimp dumplings (a dim sum staple) pork bao buns (also very common) with the pho and the egg tarts for dessert (one of my favorites). The crystal shrimp dumplings were prepared well and looked like they were homemade. I had higher hopes for these but unfortunately they had a very strong fishy flavor that had me throwing them out. Not off to a good start. 1/5 The bbq bao buns looked machine made and tasted dry. The bun was fine but the inside was quite flavorless and lacking in meat. I've had a lot of bao buns and these were towards the bottom of the list... 2/5 The pho was fine. I thought the portion size was normal and the amount of meat you get is good. The meat was very tender and smelled and tasted very fresh. The noodles come pre cooked and clumped together, so my advice is to heat the broth well before tossing in the noodles so they don't get mushy if you are reheating. The box of accompaniments was mostly normal with a bit more than I've seen at other places: the usual jalapeño slices, bean sprouts, mint leaves, lime slice and sawtooth herbs were all there, which is a good sign. They also included sa tê (Vietnamese chili crunch sauce, it's basically bird eye chilies mixed with garlic shallots lemongrass and a few other things), and hoisin and sriracha. I haven't seen anywhere else in cville include sauce choices so I liked this. As the accompaniments, meat and portion all looked good, I was very excited to take a bite. Unfortunately, the pho, despite all it has going for it, is quite bland. This is a bummer. Pho is typically known for its incredibly rich bone broth and the broth is really what carries the dish. This tasted like just a weak beef broth with very little pho flavor. Overall, I can see if you are not accustomed to pho this is a good intro to the dish as it has all of the right elements just not as strong of a flavor profile. I have certainly had worse, but this isn't even close to the best I've tasted. 3/5 The egg tarts were good. It's hard to go wrong with an egg tart. 4/5. Overall - I thought $20 for a very mid bowl of pho was too overpriced. Coupled with the lackluster dim sum offerings there just isn't much here I would go back for. If you are unaccustomed to viet food and want something to ease you into it, this may be a good place to start though. read more

Bulgolgi- hubby loved it. Comes with pickled cucumbers too. Rice vermicelli with pork and added an egg roll - loved it, did not skimp on meat or sauced Shrimp chive dumpling - absolutely delicious! Would order a whole case of this! octopus balls - he liked it Bahn mi - it was ok. maybe I didn't like the soy sauce seasoning. read more

Upon looking back this place is more of a 2 star than a 3. Refer back to original review. A new Vietnamese restaurant " Mai Tea Vietnamese Cuisine" just opened up and the pho was way better than here. read more

We love this place! I think we've tried most of the menu and never been disappointed. We especially love the pho and the vermicelli bowl. And I crave their guava boba tea and curry bun. Highly recommend! read more

I came here with my wife and I got their sliced beef and brisket pho and my wife ordered a beef vermicelli bowl. Both were delicious! My pho had plenty of meat, and the flavor of the broth was spot on. The size was generous and the toppings were great as well, all for a reasonable price. My wife's vermicelli bowl also was a generous portion and was tasty. Indoor seating at the restaurant is somewhat limited - there are only 3 tables with each table being able to seat 4-6 people, so many people ordered take out. The service was very friendly, and we got our food very soon after we ordered it. read more

Nguyen’s Kitchen - Pho with beef slice and brisket - Asian Fusion Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

We go here at least Once a month and sometimes 3x the sandwhiches are amazing little work of art that are So flavorful and the boba teas are banging! My little go to restaurant! read more

Food was good but the dine-in experience is very poor with 3 tiny tables, mismatched chairs, and flimsy utensils. I understand they were probably going for the hole-in-wall vibe, but the menu prices were certainly rich enough to pay for at least a decent eat-in experience. read more

No frills walk up order kinda of place with delicious food. Wonderful soup! The rich, flavorful broth is the hit here I got the wonton which was big meaty wrapped noodles. I loved the soup so much I drank the extra broth even after all the wontons were gone. I also got a vietnamese banh mi sandwich which was very good. Highly recommend a stop to pick up food here. read more

Cheap food, quick service, good for carry out. The store is small but still place to sit down and eat

This place is always packed for a reason. Everything I've tried is top-notch and this is why I continue to return each time I'm passing through town. Check them out. read more

Food was really good. Enjoyed the curry buns the most but everything was delicious. Would definitely return to try the other things on the menu. read more

The owner was extremely nice and accommodated changes my friend and I made to our meals. What I really enjoyed was that a lot of customers knew her by name, it showed me she always shows them kindness when they eat from her establishment. I wish the seating space was bigger but it didn't really matter because other diners were willing to share tables. Overall, I recommend this as a place to get great Pho in Charlottesville. There are plenty of other food and drink options available too! read more

See all

Food was pretty good but the boba was exceptional! Would definitely go here again BUT I was very disappointed with the lack of seating. There were only three tables and they were all taken. I had wanted to dine in but ended up getting to go because there was no where to sit. So I'd you want to dine in and sit down, maybe consider going somewhere else. read more

Amazing food every time we order from here. Order in advance if you can, it's a cozy space.

10/10, Great food and Great ownership. We've moved to the area and had been searching for authentic and delicious Vietnamese food and let me tell you this place is as good as it gets. Especially in this area. I don't think there is another place in comparison within 50 miles at a minimum. The bulgogi and Pho is typically what me and my family order. The pho is not just thrown together and ALL sides needed for real pho are included. They even sell Boba Tea! Typically around 10-15$ a meal, Very reasonable in this day and age. read more

Loved this place!! We are visiting from Virginia Beach with my 3 kids, and found this gem! It's a small place with only 3 tables, seems to be more for takeout, but have the option to stay and eat. My husband is Vietnamese and from Richmond, so we have had our fair share of various Vietnamese cuisines. We had the bun bo hue(spicy), the pork vermicelli, and the wonton noodle soup! So delicious, my picky kids even ate well! They tasted fresh and homemade, their fish sauce was very well made also (makes a difference!). Not only was their food delicious, the owner was beyond sweet. She talked to us and took care of us like we were visitors in her own home. I wasn't expecting any table service, but she did ask on different occasions if we needed anything, more water, napkins, more fish sauce! Overall great experience, and we will definitely come back next time we are in the area! read more

Nguyen’s Kitchen - Wonton Noodle Soup (with rice noodles) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

The best!!! Absolutely obsessed! I get the pho with brisket which literally heals my soul. The fresh shrimp wrappers with the peanut sauce are amazing as well as the gyozas. The lady that owns it is the sweetest. read more

Everything always goes well at Nguyen's Kitchen! Food is fresh, plentiful, and delicious. We have never been let down in any aspect. The service is friendly, top tier, and they take the time to make our meals the way we request. Ambience is enjoyable, comfortable. We love eating at Nguyen's Kitchen whenever we come to C'ville! read more

Nguyen’s Kitchen - Vietnamese Sandwich Dragon Style - Asian Fusion Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

Mediocre food. Had a noodle bowl with grilled meat. No zing to it, flavors blunted. Lunch with the one bowl and a coke was $30. They were doing a busy take out business, I guess that there just isn't much competition read more

Love this place! Food is amazing--especially the Pho. Only 3 tables but we have always found a space. read more

Nguyen’s Kitchen - Pho with meatballs - Asian Fusion Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Very relaxing environment and the server was very pleasant. It was the best lo mien I've had. Would highly recommend.

The bad reviews must be neighboring restaurants lolll this place has hugeee portions and is family run. They accomodate and the food and bubble tea is so good. The steamed buns were amazing and they made a special bubble tea for me. Ive already tried everything from all the soups, platters, to the crispy juicy chicken wings to the sandwich. read more

Mom and pop place. Delicious food. It reminds me of going to a friend's house and having their parents' cooking. Incredibly kind people. read more

I was passing through Charlottesville on the way back to Richmond and am so happy to have stumbled upon Nguyen's Kitchen. Wonderful people and great food. Plenty of excellent vegan options for my girlfriend and I! I love the family running the restaraunt, seems like a lot of people who came in knew them and were friendly. I love that type of place. Tha ambiance was casual and there wasn'y any music playing, but I loved that because the vibes were just that good, we had to soak them in. This is the type of place I would bring someone to impress them with the food, because it's in an unassuming location and would be a suprise. Reminescent of Loving Hut in Falls Church (ran by my Vietnamese chosen family), except Nguyen's Kitchen doesn't revolve around a supreme leader... yet. read more

The five stars is for the FOOD. It's really good. Authentic, not americanized. However, we rarely go there because it is a teeny weenie place and most likely will be full. Great Pho, steamed buns, chicken wings, all of it, we have never been at all disappointed. You can see much of the kitchen, and it is clean. I love when you can see the kitchen in a restaurant, in a place you choose to eat! If they ever expand I hope they will maintain the customer's view of the kitchen. read more

The chicken Vietnamese sandwich is delicious! Everyone was so friendly we can't wait to return.

The food was absolutely delicious!! We ordered a chicken sandwich, a ham sandwich, and a beef bulgogi plate and ate every bite! Would definitely recommend! read more

The most amazing chicken sandwich. Great people & fresh ingredients! It's the hole in the wall kind of place with limited seating that does a great carry out business as well. read more

Gotta give this place five stars because it is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Charlottesville! Their noodle soups were all great (pho, bun bo hue, and wonton mien- Chinese, but also well done). We particularly liked the shrimp and chive dumplings - crispy and incredibly fresh and flavorful! My kids also enjoyed the pork Vietnamese sandwich. It's a very small place that does a lot of take out but there are 3 tables inside if you wanted to dine in. It's pricier than I'm personally used to for noodle soups (coming from CA and NYC) but the authentic flavors are on point! read more

Went in this week and the food was good! Would also recommend to get the boba as its really chewy. Owner was also really nice, would definitely come back. read more

See all

the best bahn mi sandwiche I have ever had and always consistent. friendly staff and clean interior i would recommend getting take out or a quick bite to eat. 10/10 reccomend trying read more

Being that it's a new business, there's still a lot for me to try. Because I wasn't starving, I stuck with the vegetable rolls. The result? Pretty damn good vegetable rolls! The sauce is what really hit it home. I look forward to returning to try more food. I wish this new business the very best. The owner recommended that I try the pho or one of the shakes. If you decide to support this locally-owned Asian business, you might as well take those recommendations into consideration! read more

See all

First things first. Don't get 'restaurant' in your mind. Think instead of a takeaway with one table for two, and two tables for four. We arrived at about 4 PM on a Sunday afternoon and we had to wait for a table (BUT... a very kind couple got up from a four person table and exited early to make things better for us). Second, the traditional beef pho was superb, about as good as I've had outside SE Asia. Remarkable for Blue Ridge foothills of Virginia. Well worth a visit. Bahn mi sandwich was 3-4 stars relative to 5 star pho. Not a French baguette consistent with France's colonization of Vietnam and the emergence of the French-Vietnam fusion cuisine, but tasty. Give it a try, especially if you can sit there and enjoy the pho. (Based on this experience, I think I would have asked for an approach that our local restaurants allow. Namely, ask for the soup as broth that can be boiled at home, with the ingredients (beef or chicken or shrimp) uncooked on the side and same with uncooked mung beans, cilantro, etc., plus a side cup of hoisin sauce. That is, as takeaway with some cooking required at home. Boil the broth and cook the protein to the 165 F. degree level recommended by USDA, and serve with the sides and sauce to taste by each mate. That's a better approach than letting all the stuff get soaky as the hot broth cools down on the way home. This can be done at a hotel with a microwave and it will taste better than letting it cool down, unless you are very close by the restaurant.) Call and ask whether they will allow this approach before you try it. I have no idea whether they will allow this approach. Ăn ngon nhé! read more

A nice family owned Vietnamese place that also has Boba tea. Please note, it's more of a take-out place with just two tables in the same area that you order - not really a separate dining room. I've eaten there a few times and the food is definitely solid; I just wish some of the entrees for the money had a tiny bit more protein. Also, it's not a great place if you're in a terrible rush; they are really are a family operation so you need a bit of patience sometimes to wait to order or wait for the food. read more

Lovely owners. The vermicelli bowl with pork is fantastic. The chicken pho is very good too. Limited seating so best to go sometime other than noon if you'd like a table read more

Came back again for the chicken banh mi sandwich and to try the pho. I've been blessed with some of the best phos around NOVA and I would say the pho here is just okay. If you're looking for a pho fix around Charlottesville this would help satisfy that craving but wouldn't make it to my top in comparison to other pho places. The sandwich is still spot on though! read more

See all

Their Bahn Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich) is on point. Can't say I care for the teenage customer service and they get pretty backed up with long wait times during lunch/dinner rush. Recommendation is to call 30 minutes ahead if it's for dinner or be prepared to wait a long time. Still think it's worth it. One of my go-to spots. read more

I really wanted to love this place, especially with it rated over 4 stars. I saw pictures of the Bun Bo Hue Spicy Noodle Soup online and instantly wanted to try it. I'm no expert on Pho by any means but this soup had almost no flavor at all. It was basically just a water base and completely lacked the meat broth flavor I was expecting. Fortunately the basil, bean sprouts, onion, cabbage, cilantro, lime and jalapeño were all fresh so that definitely helped save the meal for me. read more