I was skeptical to try Phnom Penh because of some of the reviews and opinions of friends. My uncle came to town from Louisville about a year ago and I took him to Cuisine Du Cambodge on Lorain for some Cambodian. He was back in town a few weeks back and wanted to return since he enjoyed it so much. Unfortunately, Cuisine Du Cambodge is closed for business on Mondays. I thought Phnom Penh was a good restaurant. We started with the salad which is similar to a papaya salad but served with cabbage instead. The nating was an interesting little pork dish that you dip little crispy rice cakes into. The Chha Kreoung Ma Rass Prowt was pretty good although I prefer the place on Lorain. I really enjoyed the Bayon. I asked for it very spicy. So glad I did not go with what the server called "Dragon Hot". He advised that the level I had was 2 scoops of the chilli spice. I think "Dragon" level is 8-10 scoops. I thought the level down from "Dragon" was perfect and did not detract from the flavor of the dish. If you feel like you are ready to Enter the Dragon, tell me how that goes. read more

I love this place. The decor is funny, cafeteria like tables and chairs, with some asian flair. I love the little guy outside by the sign. The food was exactly what I wanted! Spicy and perfect. The spring rolls were tasty, very fresh and the sauce they came with was great. I went on a rainy day, had a glass of wine(byob) with some spicy food and a funny boy before we headed to the airport for what ended up being quite a journey. My narcissistic self was a bit distracted by the whole mirror wall, but well, I guess that is my issue.. read more

Came here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon with a friend. As we drove by, I noticed that the neon "Open" sign outside was not lit. Had to call to verify if the restaurant was in fact open for business. As we entered, we saw that the restaurant was dark and completely empty of patrons. We were directed to a table and handed menus. We ordered relatively quickly because the menu features pretty standard fare. Overall: Staff was polite although service was minimal (as expected). Prices were reasonable, and the food (Mee Khmer; Fried Tofu; Pad Thai) was decent. Would recommend to anyone looking for a cheap alternative to the pricey beer places in the area. read more

I love the food here. The food here is really tasty and super inexpensive for the quality and quanity. If you'll not be shy then the staff can share their favorite dishes or the most traditional or what other diners rave about. I have had the pad thai and some other noodle dishes that were good but the item I get most often is a very traditionals Cambodian bowl of noodles and it has a spring roll chopped up on top. Give them that description and they'll be able to point it out to you. The menu is huge so take your time and then point to something on the menu and press 'go'! The environment is very, very basic so don't go there to have a great ambiance or comfy seats to sit and gab with friends or family. Oh, and most important is to check out their hours because more than one we've arrived to a closed door. The other need to know factoid is that this is a cash only operation so to be sure you don't spend the evening washing dishes to earn your meal. read more

I haven't really eaten much Asian food since I moved to Cleveland, but I was sick and wanted soup. My husband drove me, but only ordered a Thai iced tea since he is on a low salt diet. The server was unbelievably, horribly rude. The soup was meh and gave me a headache from the excessive MSG. read more

I was disappointed by my last visit. I have a feeling this place is having a hard time competing with the other restaurants for customers. But I would think if that were the case your food would still be spot on! My table was only 1 of 3 and the service was not good at all. We had to track down our server to order our food as well as later on to get our bill then again for him to take our credit card to pay. The food was also lacking in spice. I used to be able to come here and a 2 or 3 was just the right amount of spice for me and this time I couldn't taste any spiciness. My food also lacked flavor which depresses me because I used to love coming here for dinner. read more

Phnom Penh, maybe it was the glowing reviews from other Yelpers or my partner's extremely enthusiastic recommendation, but I expected more from you. First of all, we came here on a Saturday afternoon and the place was EMPTY. There were tumbleweeds. It was apparently empty enough that the management only felt that the (already dim) lights had to be on for only 1/3 of the dining room. We squinted to read the menu and squinted some more to see each other and our food. The server was quiet and disinterested, which I understand; seeing as how there were only maybe 3 other occupied tables. Before we even had a bite of food, it was shaping up to be a not-so-good experience. I love that they allow you to pick how spicy you want your meal! My partner comes here on her lunch break occasionally and gets pad thai with medium spiciness, so I felt safe ordering that. It came out bright red, and she said that she'd never seen it that colour before. I don't know if they were having an off day or the waiter took our order wrong, but it was definitely NOT medium spiciness. We only got through maybe a quarter of the pad thai before boxing it up. Which I enthusiastically gobbled up the next morning for breakfast, while my taste buds were still a little singed and sleepy. Despite the spiciness, the pad thai was excellent and very authentic. Anyways, the food really was almost really good, but I left feeling very underwhelmed. If I ever do return, it'll be for takeout. read more

Disclaimer: We came here - completely sober - on St Patrick's Day. Weird? Yes. But, it was quiet, we were hungry, and it's not fun to be the only sober person in a crowd of drunks. I haven't been to Phnom Penh in a couple years. One thing that hasn't changed: horrible service. They are so slow and unorganized! The wait staff rarely checks in on you. I've always thought this place was a little tacky in terms of decor... but the stark environment compared to the chaos outside probably made it even more obvious. Definitely not the place to go on a first date in terms of ambiance, but I am not usually scared off my hole-in-the wall types of settings. Food: Nothing spectacular. I really wish I wouldn't have ordered anything with seafood because some of it was definitely imitation. The shrimp were the most miniature ever - and the scallops? Ew. To be fair - it didn't taste HORRIBLE, it was just "ok". The fact that I hadn't eaten all day probably made it taste better than it should have though. Definitely not somewhere I will rush back to. read more

I'm a fan of both locations! You really should try the Cambodian dishes if it's your first time here. My favorites are the Cha Kreung Mass Prout, the Fantasy Stew, and the Prea Vihear! We are lucky to have a Cambodian restaurant in Cleveland, especially such an excellent one. read more

My favorite place in Ohio city possibly Cleveland. I lived in NYC and had Vietnamese/Cambodian food everywhere. I'll put this place against any restaurant. Try the extra spicy pad Thai and Thai tea. The tea is fantastic read more

Wow, first time here will be back for sure food was fresh flavorful and Sevice was impeccable, and the greatest thing was on a Saturday night no wait.. plus you can bring in your own bottles of wine!! read more

I ordered the Phnom Penh noodles and it was delicious!!! I live an hour away so I also ordered the salaw majew kroeung to go (for dinner). I am definitely going to come back! If I could I would come back every day. Unfortunately, it might just be once a week. Thank you for having a Cambodian restaurant in Ohio! read more

This first picture on my blog (http://whatsincleveland.blogspot.com/2011/07/phnom-penh-cambodian-khmer-food-in-ohio.html) is of the Na Ting, which is an appetizer you have to get. My friend and I split it and it was absolutely delicious. You get little squares of fried, crisped rice and this savory soup mixture to go on top. The menu is a small novel, so there's an awful lot of choices in what to get. The flavors in the dishes were very complex, each of them like a unique symphony of tastes all going together! The iced coffee was also very strong and very good. I would definitely go back! Note well: They don't accept credit cards (Although I hear a rumor that they secretly do; the minimum is $15 so be sure to bring enough cash!) They are located right next to the West Side Market so you can just park in the market parking lot, go out to eat, and then shop at the market afterwards! read more

I got the 95, an authentic Cambodian dish made with whipped coconut milk and vegetables unique to the country. The staff were great an I felt very welcome, prices were awesome. read more

I got take out chicken curry and a rice noodle dish very similar to pad thai. The curry was more like what would be considered malay curry at Mint Cafe, which is definitely fine with me. I think the food is better than average. I've had apps and entrees there. The heat level is inconsistent - I've had blisteringly hot and I've had pretty tame heat on the same dish on different occasions. The service is good, the decor is cool. I'm glad to see the Irish bar and Middle Eastern food stranglehold on W. 25th be broken. read more

Wow - been months since I've tried Phnom Penh. Why didn't I review it when it was fresh in my mind? I remember it being quite tasty. Service good for a quick lunch. Will have to go back. read more

Pretty good food for good prices. Decor and service were eh. I had the Medium spiced basil fried rice with chicken which was good and bright, jarringly, red. Very good though and couldn't complain about $7 dinner price. Their spring roll was as expected, but the chicken skewer appetizer, while flavorful, was tiny. Overall, not a bad little neighborhood spot for cambodian/Vietnamese food in a place otherwise devoid of nothing but those options. Although, when you say Vietnamese on the outside, I just assume there would be pho on the inside, and in this case I was mistaken read more

I hear this place has gone through some management changes, but we were just there and it was great. One of the few places to get an early lunch on a Saturday in the area, there was no wait. There's an extensive menu of both Cambodian and Vietnamese options at an inexpensive price point. You can order your food in any hotness option you choose and they stay within that fairly well. I think I could have safely gone to spicy but went with medium, which cleared my sinuses just right! I found this Phnom Penh a great spot with quality food and friendly service. read more

We had takeout on Saturday evening before going to the ballet. I should already know that when every other restaurant on W 25th is busy and you walk into a restaurant and there's no one inside it should be a red flag. We had never been here before and will never go back so if looking for this type of food, go elsewhere.....anywhere. We ordered Pad Thai and a veggie roll and egg roll. The rolls were essentially inedible, the size of a cigarette, and mine had what appeared to be freezer burn. Both rolls were dry and tasteless and were thrown away. The Pad Thai was not much better. Noodles were dry and coated with some tasteless sauce. Also pitched it in the trash. Now before you think I'm always negative, I generally don't post negative reviews since I understand restaurants can have a bad day, But.....I also called the restaurant and left a voicemail and asked to be called back to discuss my experience. No callback. I'm sorry but I would avoid this restaurant. The minimal amount of food was $29 which is not inexpensive and a price I would have been happy to pay were it not for the fact that the food and now the complete lack of follow up was awful! Stay away. read more

I did not have a good first time here. I ordered a specialty dish that was minced pork/beef in a red sauce. It came with crispy rice cakes that looked a lot like rice crispies but not sweet and gooey. These I liked. But I could not stomach the minced pork/beef. The sauce was sweet and greasy and my stomach could not take much of it. I like the fact that there is a Cambodian place in Cleveland. And I like eating various types of food. But this was one of those times where I was too unfamiliar with the palate to tell if the item had turned or was supposed to be that way. I boxed the rest of it for later, and kept it in my car. Kinda grew nauseous on the way home. I like the interior though. Very red, and there was a dragon I kept looking at. read more

Great hole in the wall Thai spot. Service is great -friendly and helpful. The food is spicy...when they say "Thai" spice, they mean it. It's also BYOB which is nice with so many great breweries around. With a shot if you're not looking for anything too fancy or high end. read more

This food gets into your head...into your blood...into your soul!!!! We've been eating at Phnom Penh for years. My husband and I have cravings and we have to go there immediately. There is nothing else in the world like it! Sometimes I dream about the Beef Hue Soup and I have to go there the next day. We love the pork pad thai, extra HOT. Actually, we order just about everything extra hot that is supposed to be hot. Sometimes we'll order pork Mi Koutang (excuse the spelling) but it's a flat noodle and vegetable dish with a sweet sauce. It's the perfect thing to balance out screaming hot pad thai, hot hue soup and hot Cha Kra Mas Prat (again excuse the spelling). All that I can say is YUMMO and guess where we're going for dinner tonight? Ha! read more

I cannot recall service that was this bad. The young man that waited on my family was on his cell phone the entire time we were there. He was upset that we wanted to sit away from a large noisy table and never changed his attitude while we were there. TERRIBLE SERVICE! The food was average at best. The Pad Thai was flavorless and limp and other three dishes unremarkable/unmemorable. There are better (much better) options for Asian food near Ohio City. Such a fall from grace...when the namesake restaurant was on Madison, it was the best Asian food in Cleveland. It moved to w130 and was still great, then a change of owners and now location and Phnom Penh has hit the bottom. Do not waste you time, money or expectations...avoid read more

Absolutely the BEST Pho!!! Always great service too. The vermicelli with fish cakes are perfection every time. It's a small cozy place with sweet family employees. read more

By far the WORST restaurant experience of our lives! My mother is in town from FL and loves Cambodian food. I live in OH City so I figured we would try this restaurant. We show up for lunch and are the ONLY customers in the entire place. Immediately I wonder why this place isn't busy being in the heart of W25 during a weekday lunch hour? I ordered spring rolls and chicken sticks as an appetizer, the spring rolls were frozen then deep friend...they tasted like deep fried goldfish food (tasted like the scent). The chicken sticks were boiled fatty chicken dipped in a terrible sauce that tasted like bad lemon juice. We the received our entrée's. We ordered pad thai (chicken), on the entire dish maybe 5-6 small dry pieces of chicken, extremely bland flavor, no vegetables and room temperature. AWFUL! Then I ordered a beef curry lunch...the sauce tasted like a bathroom cleaner and the beef texture was rubbery/fatty (terrible quality meet). I took one bite and pushed the plate aside...It was so bad I couldn't even give the dish the benefit of the doubt for a second tasting. Our waitress comes over and I very politely explain to her that the dish doesn't taste right and that I would like to try something else. She then tells me "you can order a new meal but you have to pay for this one, it's right here on the front of the menu that all sales are final and you CANNOT send food back" ARE YOU KIDDING? That was an immediate red flag on how bad the food is at this place! If your food is so bad that your menu needs disclosures you have no business serving the public food? She then continues to argue with my mother and I. Getting annoyed I give in and say "fine charge me for the fowl dish you served me...I will try the basil chicken" Almost 20 minutes later she brings out the meal and basically tosses it at me. At this point I am hesitant to even try it because God knows what happened to my food in that noisy kitchen. I ask for the check...she charged us for all dinners and for every item! We asked for lunches and that clearly didn't happen. I asked her why we were charged for dinners and she told me we asked for them ( we didn't). At that point I just wanted to escape! We paid the check and ran for the door! ENJOY! read more

I just checked out Phnom Penh with my hubby and a few friends last night - I absolutely loved it! I believe the name of the dish I ordered was Banh Sougnh.. It had rice noodles, chicken, cut up pieces of egg rolls, and a peanutty-coconut milk sauce. I asked for mild, and it had very little spiciness - I might ask for medium next time. I also ordered the jackfruit and coconut blended drink and it was delicious - kind of melon-like, with the sweetness of a banana. Wow! I would definitely go back and take some friends or family. The restaurant is fairly big with some fun southeast asian decorations, and although it's not fancy by any means (and it's totally affordable), it would be a good place to take out-of-towners or to go for an affordable and fun date night. read more

Not a fan. I've been to almost all the Vietnamese restaurants in Cleveland and some Cambodian ones too. Not to mention that I've eaten Khmer food in Cambodia. This place, which bills itself as a Cambodian and Vietnamese restaurant does not deliver on either point. So, I got there hungry which usually bodes well for a restaurant. Well, not in this case. The pho bowl I ordered was so tiny that I sucked it down in one second and had to order another one. Unfortunately, with the second bowl, I wasn't quite as hungry and therefore took the time to actually look at my food. I was not impressed by what I found; meat was limp, gray, and tasted old. I had a napkin covering mouth moment....you know what i mean? My husband also was not impressed with his bun. I also ordered a Cambodian salad and it was mediocore. I didn't order other Khmer dishes on the menu, and perhaps they do better at those (Judging by the music, and the conversation, I suspect the people who run the restaurant are ethnic Khmer). In any case, I don't think we will be going back. read more

I hit up the West Side Market and was craving pho and Phnom Penh was in the area. I was skeptical to try their pho so I decided to give it a shot. I was disappointed and happy at the same time when my bowl of pho came out. The pho tasted great for the Cleveland area and especially for a place that is primarily Cambodian cuisine but the bowl was so small. My friends also had some traditional Cambodian cuisine (I believe it was either the Beef Bayon or the Amok Siemreap) and they enjoyed it very much, as well as the Guanabana drink they had ordered. I'll give this place another try and I will definitely try their Cambodian dishes. read more

Stopped in for lunch and was quite pleased. The menu was a little daunting as I wasn't quite sure what I wanted and wasn't familiar with the cuisine. The mini spring rolls were very tasty although a little overcooked for my taste so I really didn't get the full benefit of the fillings. My chicken Mi Chha was flavorful with crunchy veggies. An adequate portion for lunch. I do wish that there had been a designated lunch menu which might have made the menu less overwhelming. Great clean space and friendly staff. read more

The Loraine Road location is convenient from CLE . Everything we tried there was full of flavor. The restaurant translated my request for Mild to Medium spice level as Mild+. It was perfect. We look forward to try this location. In the near future. read more

We waited 45 minutes for drinks and 1.5 hrs for food that was not good. The chicken pad thai was colored bright red and stained my lips and tongue. Much, much better dining options just steps away. read more

My husband and I went here recently for a friends birthday. Their menu is huge and greatly confusing. So many dishes were nearly identical except for one or two ingredients. In the end, I honestly had no idea what I actually ordered. The top half was actually quite tasty, but unfortunately everything underneath was not--very bland and the thick translucent noodles turned me off greatly. My husband got the pad Thai and that was actually pretty good. Perhaps if we ever do go there again, I just might get that instead. read more

WOW!!!! A must read. In simple terms, I have traveled in over 10 countries and I have dined from local dive bars to 5 stars from all over the world. I have never felt so unwelcomed in any establishment like the one I'm describing. It was truly a shell shocking experience as well as atrue story. This is the story... I walk in and ordered some soup and a beef dish #95 to go. The gentlemen who took my order was disgruntled and appeared to have an attitude with me as I was inquiring about some of his dishes. I politely placed my order and sat at this table next to the cashier for maybe 5 or 6 minutes (I had no problem with the wait). The man who took my order comes from the back with a small white plastic bag in his hand. I get up to greet him to grab my food when I noticed the bag only contained soup. I politely asked "I'm sorry sir, but I thought I placed an order for your #95 which you recommended" his response, "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you." Again, no problem. I politely placed the order again (#95) and then asked, "how long for the wait?" His response, "5-10 minutes". Again, no problem. I then go next door to grab a beer as I wait for my food. I finish my beer at the restaurant next door and head over to pick up my remaining food order. This is where my nightmare begins.... As I walk back into the establishment to pick up my soup and #95 dish, I see the man who placed both of my orders. I said "hello sir. I'm back for my meal" Can you believe that he said, "oh, I left it by the door!" Keep in mind, the register is roughly 20 feet from the main entrance. I turn around slowly, and low and behold, I see a little small white plastic bag sitting all by itself by the main entrance of the establishment. One word...wow. Another one word...shocking. Talk about the true definition of disbelief. The food was unattended and left by the door as if I was some animal. I then walk to grab this lonely/desolate white plastic bag and head for the exit. As I'm walking to my car, I see a garbage can. I then throw the entire bag/food in the trash. I ordered a pizza later that evening. Moments away from 2017 and people still have hatred and animosity towards others. I still wish the establishment well and I hope that guy who took my order finds peace and happiness within. I wish his business all the success in the world, however, I will not patronize him. Happy New Year everyone. read more

Very disappointing bland food. One dish was sent back because it had no flavor and the waitress argued that we had to pay for it. The lights were off in the right side of the restaurant so it was very dark and awkward. The service was very rushed. My husband loves Cambodian food but he will never go back there read more

Had the spicy pad Thai, one of the best I've had in my whole life. If you want a quick and cheap lunch that's also super good I definitely recommend stopping in, their menu is gigantic! read more

I agree with Ryan's review -"Put it in your mouth!"...pretty much sums Phnom Penh up. Best Cambodian- good & CHEAP! I think its still cash only... which stinks sometimes... But its BYOB. Clean, and right next to the West Side Market. read more

Great Cambodian/Vietnamese food. No Pho but so much more to offer. Pages and pages of exotic dishes to try! And everything was very affordable. I settled on a coconut curry noodle tofu thing. Don't ask me what it was, but it was so delicious. The coconut milk was whipped and in a layer underneath some of the veggies and sauce on top, adding a warm creaminess to the dish. The waitress was attentive but not that helpful. With all these options I could have used some direction - however it was an adventure just choosing something and seeing how it came out. I would love to come back and try some more of these great dishes. read more

About a year ago I spend a few days in Cambodia and fell in love with the simple, filling, and delicious food. In Cleveland there are about three Cambodian restaurants and all of them are really delicious. Phnom Penh in Ohio City is a quiet and simple place with attentive service, comfortable seating, and wonderful flavors. I've been here three times now and it never disappoints. The only difficulty is the menu is large and the names are tongue twisters for most of us. Read the descriptions and you should be fine. PS the soups are declicious and tasty and very large. read more

This is my first Yelp, so I hope all goes well! Recently, I visited the West Side Market. Not wanting to look through the market in a hungry state of mind, I decided to look for somewhere to eat. I asked a few vendors for suggestions and many of them suggested Phnom Penh. Upon walking into the restaurant, I could definitely smell the delicious flavors coming from the kitchen. I was greeted at the front of the restaurant and taken to a table. The furniture and decor is the restaurant is nothing fancy, but I was there to try some great Cambodian food. I explained to the server that this was my first time to the restaurant and asked her for some appetizer suggestions. She suggested that I try the Mini Spring Rolls and the Nating. The Mini Spring Rolls were very good. Perhaps a little overcooked, but still good. The sauce that was served wit the rolls exceeded my expectations. It was delicious! I could've enjoyed it alone! There were 7 rolls served. I easily ate them all myself, but would be a great appetizer to share. I also tried the Nating. Wow .... the flavors exploded in my mouth. Nating is coconut ground pork with crispy rice cakes. It is served in a bowl and resembles chili at first. The flavor was amazing. I wasn't really sure how to eat it so I asked my server. She said that many people dip their rice cakes into the bowl or use a spoon and put the nating on the rice cake. The Nating is a little spicy, but unbelievable. If you go to Phnom Penh, you must try this! For my main course, I asked the server to recommend something Cambodian. She recommended the Kuy Teav Chha Kreoung Tek Trey Phem. It sis Vermicelli served with home made Kreoung-south Asia exotic mixed ingredients and sauce, chopped spring roll, slided onion, lettuce, Asian basil, chopped peanut and coconut whit. You can choose the other contents ... seafood, beef, chicken, vegetables, or combination of all. I chose the beef. It is served in a bowl and you can choose the level of spicy. I was conservative and went with mild. My server warned me that hot meant HOT! The dish was delicious. I especially enjoyed the freshness of the vegetables a the peanut/cocunut sauce on top. Next time, I may ask for more peanuts and it was delicious. The menu is extensive and perhaps intimadating. I suggest asking the server for help and suggestions. I went with all of her suggestions and was not disappointed. read more

Great authentic food. The biggest issue is poor service. Went for dinner last night two of the waiters sat in the corner eating and on there laptops.This has always been an issue, which could explain the vacant dining room most of the time. if the staff is not on their Ipads or laptops they are attending to their children who have a playroom set up in the restaurant. Going forward it will only be take out in this dark gloomy restaurant. read more