Chicken pho with all the chicken guts you can imagine. Ok. No feet. No beak. The pho has everything else in the chicken. What more can you ask for from life? read more

Definitely different experience from other Pho places. The tendon in the Pho melts in your mouth. The soup base is one of the best I had through my travels. Having a warm cup of water under the hot coffee is a nice touch and it's the strongest cup of coffee I've in Australia. read more

This was a busy restaurant among the many restaurants in the same area. My husband had the vermicelli bowl with chicken and fried egg rolls and I had the special pho with tendon, tripe, brisket and beef balls. They provide piping hot tea. read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

The sister and I wanted to try some pho while we were here. This place popped up as the pho spot in melbourne; so we had to give it a try and also there was sign that said bill clinton visited here and other popular people around the world. PRAWN + CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS This is what we call egg rolls in the states. The filling was lackluster and flavorless and the dipping sauce didn't provide much flavor either. I was hoping for some sweetness and spice from the sauce, but it was just light and bland. The spring rolls were also bland and disappointing with little to no filling. BEEF SPECIAL PHO- beef, brisket, beef balls, tendon, tripe, sausage, and bone marrow The broth was very clean and meaty, totally different from what you get in the states, but the meats were nothing spectacular. The meats were chewy and you don't get many of each kind of meat and the size of the bowl is not something I'm used to. We ordered a medium bowl in the hopes of sharing among 2 of us, but it's more of like a small in the states. We do tend to eat more I guess. Overall, the broth is different and very clean and tasty, but other than that, it's a very basic bowl of pho. It was a good try, but if I didn't eat it on the next trip, I wouldn't be missing out on anything. Service is quick, our bowl came out within 2 minutes of us ordering and our server took our orders and brought our food out, nothing else. read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - beef special pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Since this is a Swanston Street restaurant you really do need to time yourself because this place can get pretty packed pretty quickly. Then again they do serve up some pretty awesome dishes and really reasonable prices, so I'm not surprised that this place is pretty popular. Mind you, being a Vietnamese restaurant you can probably guess what they tend to serve here, which honestly can be hit or miss at times, however, if you are looking for a cheap meal at a decent price, then this place certainly hits the spot. read more

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My husband ordered the beef pho special and I ordered the grilled pork vermicelli. The waiter did not bring his order as requested with beef on the side. The pho broth was on the sweeter side and had thicker noodles. It was overall average and nothing memorable. The vermicelli with grilled pork needed some mint and had giant pieces of pork with bones. I have never had bones in such a dish unless I ordered pork chops. The seasoning could use a lot of work and the meat was dry and difficult to eat. It was also on the saltier side. The bowl did not taste fresh and had one random basil leaf in it. It felt like sardines in this restaurant! I also had to ask twice for water and was never checked on again. The bowls and utensils were not thoroughly cleaned and I can see specks of dried old food. Decor is very old with bright fluorescent lighting. It was also extremely stuffy inside and was overall a very uncomfortable and subpar experience. Never again! read more

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Seriously... amazing pho! Top notch grade Australian beef! Different texture thin pho noodles! Different from classic pho... but mannnnnn it's gooooood! This chewy thin bounce of a noodle! Cute little hole in the wall. Walking distance to Chinatown. Entire street is filled with food and bbtea places. Including gigantic fried chicken next door... but do yourself a favor and save some space for this bowl of pho! No regrets! Pho for life! This may be my favorite pho place! Now I really gotta go visit Vietnam. read more

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Mekong Vietnam has this old school Vietnamese restaurant feel. The experience was quite authentic! Eating here did feel like eating in one of the street food stalls in Hanoi where service is minimum and you rub elbows with your fellow diners. Sadly the food was just OK. Chicken Pho and Beef Pho were both unmemorable. I will suggest a pass if there is a wait. Yes this place is super busy and you have to squeeze through to even get to your table! read more

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Picked up my son from the airport check, worked out with the trainer check, ask where could get the best Vietnamese food in the area Pho Bo Ga Mekong double check. For lunch I had the grilled pork Pho and my son had the grilled chicken Pho. Wow they were both really good. We also got vegetable, chicken and prawn spring rolls that were equally good. Highly recommend if you are on Swanson Street in Melbourne. read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Grilled pork Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

So this place is famous for pho in the CBD area of Melbourne. We got there around 8pm and the place was full. Luckily we managed to get a table at the back of the restaurant. Service was quick, the waitress came back within 5-6 min of showing our table. We ordered the Vietnam spring rolls which came in 5 seconds after we ordered. Sure if you are hungry it is great, but was it done freshly. Going by the customers, it Would be. We ordered the beef pho and the chicken pho. It came with large amount of fresh mint and bean sprouts. It was good especially when the soup is hot. Overall I believe there are others better ones in MEL but this will do for now. read more

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YUM YUM YUM! Can't believe I hadn't stopped here for a meal before. On the hot tip from my partner, we came here one Saturday after a day out in the CBD. Meals came out quick and were super tasty and delicious. Apparently this place has quite the rep! When you visit here you will see the staff pictured with many famous faces in the restaurant. Authentic Vietnamese at great prices. Definitely come here on your next trip to the CBD. read more

So we decided to try the famous pho noodle restaurant. Apparently President Bill Clinton had 2 bowls when he visited. I had the chargrilled chicken pho and hubby had beef brisket pho. All very good. We also had fried spring rolls and they were good too. However the wait to get in maybe a bit long so be prepared. I would recommend it if you're in the area. #maneklady #manekeats #manektravels read more

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Cheap and cheerful. Cash only Ordered chicken and prawn rice paper rolls. Below average tasting. Didn't contain many veggies or meat and too many noodles. No mint or soy either. The Chargrilled chicken with rice was delicious. Chicken was tender and flavoursome. The beef pho with meatballs was average. The balls came out slightly undercooked. The pho was subtly flavoured. Good portion sizes but dishes are not for sharing. read more

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My husband is half Vietnamese, and pho is one of his favourite dishes. His face lights up any time I suggest we go get pho, because he knows I'm only talking about Mekong pho. We've tried many over time, but Mekong is the best we've found for pho in the CBD. We've had pho here many many times, and have always been happy with the freshness, quality and quantity. Our personal favourites are the char-grilled chicken and char-grilled pork. Whatever they do to that meat in the grilling process is wonderful. We've also tried many of the other options - including chicken hearts for him, which I couldn't cope with. The simple beef is nice, and safe for the less adventurous. If you're not okay with anything beyond standard cuts of meat, don't order the specials! There are other things on the menu, but don't bother. Just get a large pho, and you'll be totally satisfied by the end. Also look out for the pickled onions on the tables - those things are delicious! Hubby goes for the fresh chili and a good squeeze of hoisin sauce instead. Each to their own - pho is a personal thing, and it's wonderful when you get it right. And we always get it right here. read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Get on that pickled onion, yum! Or for the spice lovers, some fresh chili. - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Okay, I'm going to be the party pooper here - I've seen that exact same sign re: Bill Clinton eating two bowls in another restaurant in Vietnam, so I'm not sure how authentic the claim is... Anyway, the pho is still good and very more-ish - but a single size will make any human stomach explode so let's assume if the Bill sign is true, they mean he ate the two bowls over two nights. For me, pho is the ultimate hangover cure - the salty soup rehydrates you while the chili (add lots) sorts out your stomach and clears your head. But the great thing about Mekong is you can go there on the way home from bars in the city to prevent the hangover! It's a genius location. But still, Mekong is only a 3-star joint for me - I like the busy atmosphere and the pho is good, but I've had much better around town... read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

The reason why I gave 2 stars cuz the waitress was nice. I don't know how this place is so busy. The food here is terrible. I ordered a beef pho with bone marrow cuz I love bone marrow but when I saw it I didn't even know what that white thing is. Anyways the broth doesn't taste like pho. I am Vietnamese so I know how it supposed to taste like. So far I've tried pho, bun bo, and broken rice dishes and nothing tastes good. I thought maybe something else tastes good there so I kept coming back to try different dishes each time and nope! Failed! read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Ok, it may look like a slightly decrepit 1980s gaming arcade replete with neon signs and seen-better-days paintwork; admittedly, you probably wouldn't want to go on a first date here unless your companion was REALLY into their cheap as chips Vietnamese food; but Mekong Vietnam in the heart of the CBD is one of Melbourne's best kept Vietnamese secrets and the home of some damn good Pho. Specialising in Pho, a light, fragrant Vietnamese soup served with pork, chicken or a multitude of other accompaniments, Mekong Vietnam is nothing less than a Pho institution. I used to have a theory that soup wasn't a real meal, but having visited Mekong Vietnam I can admit that I was wrong and am quite happy to return to Mekong Vietnam to be proven wrong again and again. And again if need be. I shared a bowl of the pork Pho and some fresh chargrilled chicken spring rolls and both were exceptional. The Pho came with reams of noodles and was served with add-it-yourself beansprouts, lemon quarters for squeezing, holy basil and red chilli and topped with two beautifully cooked and very heartily sized pieces of pork. While Mekong's spring rolls were gorgeous: all fresh crunchy lettuce, fragrant mint and copious amounts of hoisin dipping sauce. And the bill? A very, very fair $19. Total. Cheap, cheerful and very very tasty, Mekong deserves every bit of its cult status. read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Located in the heart of the city on Swanston Street, this is the best Pho shop I've found in Melbourne. With tons of tables packed into quite a small area, it makes for quite an intimate dining experience. It also gets so packed at lunchtimes that if you are eating alone, you'll probable have a (perfect) stranger sat across from you. The reason it is so popular and so packed is the simplicity and flavor of the food. Their spring rolls and race paper rolls are as good as anywhere and their Pho Soup - my favourite being the beef and beef ball special - is to die for. Make sure you put plenty of the brown sauce and chilli sauce in your soup for taste. In terms of service, I'd say it is above average for an Asian place. You order pretty much straight away and can expect your Pho inside 5 minutes usually (even if the place is rammed). It is also dirt-cheap which makes it a great place to go for lunch. Apparently Bill Clinton ate hear once and he liked it so much he had two bowls of Pho! Could be bollocks but I imagine he'd enjoy it either way! read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Every time I walk out of Mekong feeling fully sated and satisfied, I have an irksome tic that passes across my face "President Clinton had two bowls how many can you have?". The sign on the front window clearly states my inferiority. I can only manage one bowl on a good day and will happily share on another - the Pho is just that large. It is good too and I can totally understand why the esteemed Bill Clinton had two bowls of this delicious Vietnamese soup - after all he probably works a lot harder than me and needs far more nourishment. And don't be put off by the fact it looks like the last person to clean this place was the builder who laid the last brick when it was being built. Don't forget it was in fact clean enough for the most powerful man in the world to have his two bowls worth. Also, don't be put off by this extremely effective marketing line (at least it works on me), Mekong is certainly not expensive. In fact it is ridiculously cheap. So much so that it is a fiscally irresponsible decision not to dine here if you are in the vicinity, as I am pretty sure even my famous pot noodle, garnished with some frozen vegetables and sliced beef costs as much to make. read more

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This time I opted for the beef and beef ball noodles, beef was sliced beef and I actually like this a lot. Two types of beef texture, beef balls and sliced beef taste good to me. But today's soup is a bit salty than usual but the lemon have helped to tone it down a little read more

Pho Bo Ga Mekong - Beef and beef balls pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

This old stock VIetnamese restaurant in Melbourne's CBD checks all the boxes - flavour, atmosphere, service. It's been around forever and knows how to make an awesome Bun, Pho, whatever you're needing. Don't expect the restaurant to be all upscale hippy hipster... it's a bare bones, sit in your chair at a Formica table with plastIc chopsticks kind of place. But the food... fresh, flavourful, and plenty of it. AND not a massive hit to the pocketbook. read more

I was having one of those terribly grumpy mornings until we arrived at Mekong: this place totally fixed up my day! Slurpy thin rice noodles in glorious broth, this is what I'm talking about Two steaming bowls came quicksticks with customary side of bean sprouts, lemon and aromatic basil. We happily plonked the lot into our fishball pho and vegetarian pho (will set you back 9.9 and 10.9 for a very generous "small" and "medium" across the menu) and as usual I squeezed the equivalent to an entire lemon into my soup and shuddered deliciously all the way through my tangy soup experience. Food-wise we couldn't fault a thing, these guys are clearly veterans when it comes to both pho and toppings: fishballs were delicious, fried tofu squares, broccoli & carrot was crisp crunchy and sweet. Place is packed to the rafters on a Friday lunch, no room to sneeze, expect a few knocks to the head if you're sitting in the middle aisle... but if you just give it a taste, trust that there'll be no leftovers to waste ;) read more

Hangover, upset tummy, headcold, heartache - is there anything Pho can't fix!? If you're feeling under the weather, either physically or mentally, I don't think there's much better you can do for yourself than eat a big bowl of Pho. Mekong Vietnam serves up pretty great Pho and with two sizes (small and regular under $10) you can be sure that you will walk out feeling a little better than when you walked in, while not having emptied your wallet that much. My pick is usually the a chicken breast Pho. I go for a small because I know I can defeat it, and if I'm feeling particularly hungry or in need of roughage I get a side order of the Vietnamese coleslaw - a huge mountain of shredded vegetables with a light dressing to pour over the top. It's healthy and will fill you up a little more. Service can be a little slow when they're really jammed, but if you visit when it's not absolutely heaving, you'll be in and our within 20 minutes. Order at your table, but pay at the counter down the back. read more

Need a big food fix with that tenner you found in your pocket? Pull up a chair at Mekong Vietnam and see if you can finish a bowl of delicious Pho. They come in small and regular - both under $10 and both too large for me to finish! Which only makes it more impressive when you hear the infamous tale of the time Bill Clinton dined there and polished off two. This place is a very traditional Pho restaurant. Sitting elbow to elbow at bare tables in a dining hall style environment, it's the food that everyone is here for. You can get adventurous with a bowl full of chicken, giblets, heart and blood jelly or play it safe with something like beef or chicken breast. Whatever you order, it's guaranteed to feel medicinal. Great comfort food. They do offer table service, but remember to bring cash to pay at the back when you're done. read more

A quick, cheap but beautiful meal is what you'll get here. A close Vietnamese friend introduced us to it and is a huge fan. The spring rolls a pen chargrilled pork salad were, simple and traditional and very much a favourite. As a visitor to Melbourne I'll be telling all of my friends about it, and will definitely be back! read more

If you're a tourist, don't waste your time+appetite eating here. Definitely not worth the hype. Tried the beef special and chicken special. It's alright.. Similar to pho Y#1 :p Not sure why lots of people think it's special. read more

This is one of the more famous pho restaurants in the Melbourne CBD. I remember eating here a couple of years ago and it was good enough to stick in my mind. However this time, I felt that my pho was not as memorable and the soup seemed a tad diluted. Not as rich and flavourful as I remembered. Or maybe I have just tasted better pho in Melbourne prior to this visit. But portions are big, and there is free flow tea and condiments. Service is curt given how busy they are. But because we were seated near to the register/ordering station, could witness first hand the unhappiness on some of the waitresses' faces which was a bit of a turn off for me. Well, I think I'd only step into this place again only if i was really craving pho and could only travel within the CBD. There are better, tastier Vietnamese in other Melbourne suburbs. read more

Pho' sure. If you're not their for the atmosphere, it's cheap, has very generous portions and tastes good. What's there not to like? Return factor - yes. read more

When I was feeling a little down and lonely, missing the hussel and bustle of Saigon i ventured out to Mekong Vietnam, for some pho. In all honesty it was phonomenal. Squished in between a variety of people I ordered the basic beef slice pho. A small order arrived. When I say small I mean a small bucket. The best $9.90 I've spent on lunch in a long time. The noodles were perfect. The beef thinly sliced and plenty of it. Lots of fresh onion, basil, bean sprouts and big wedge of lemon. Seriously trust my inphomation on this. Get down here and try some pho-licous goodness. read more

Service and food are quick. The bowls of soup are large (even the small ones). I usually just order the beef and noodle soup. It's family seating, you may be sat very close to people you aren't with (even opposite if you're by yourself). You pay at the back counter. read more

A friend introduced me to Mekong while I was visiting, and while I've definitely had better pho, I haven't had many of better value. You can pick all sorts of ingredient combinations for under $10, and as previous reviews have said, even the small, at $8.90, is pretty filling. I tried the slice beef with bone marrow, and though the soup could have been richer, the beef was sliced nice and thin and was of good quality. I'm not quite sure if the bone marrow really qualifies as bone marrow, I definitely was imagining something different, but it's an interesting addition to the bowl. They also offer other things, such as chicken based soups, vegetable spring rolls, etc. It's a good fallback when you're spoilt for choice in the area... because there are A LOT of choices in the area. :) read more

Mekong Vietnam blew away my expectations for a Vietnamese restaurant! Vietnamese food is one of my favourite cuisines and this restaurant did not disappoint. I came here on two occasions to try both the well-known pho noodle soup and also the broken rice dish with grilled meat. Both dishes were excellent and if I ever make my way back to Melbourne I will definitely come back. Service is just about non-existent though with the usual atmosphere of sitting down and eating your meal quickly. I'm surprised how fast they turn around the tables here though - as I got up to pay for my meal I was walking back to the front and already someone was sitting down where I just sat! Obviously this restaurant is very popular with locals and tourists. read more

I love this place. Generous servings of authentic Vietnamese food. You cant go past this place. The decore is a bit drab, but when you are being served food this good what do the walls matter. Its cheap, yummy and always busy - which to me is the best sign of a authentic place. Give it a try. You wont be sorry read more

I saw the reviews, I was sucked in, and I didn't order pho - obviously a mistake! The boy said the pho was good but I had gone with the chargrilled chicken rice paper roll. My main issue with this was the chicken to vermicelli ratio.....clearly the wrong way around. If you want rice paper rolls I would suggest popping next door to Rice Paper or hitting up one of the many Roll'd outlets in the city. I would go back to try one of their other dishes but won't be rushing to do so. read more

I had eaten here many years ago and wasn't that impressed with the food. However, as I was meeting a group of friends for a pre-public-holiday meal and I knew most loved Vietnamese food I thought I'd check out reviews on yelp. Mekong Vietnam had very good reviews a lot from friends I trusted. I know see why. After making a reservation for 6.30 I arrived about 10 min early. Unfortunately they had forgot my reservation. The staff were very apologetic and assured me a table would be ready soon. Spot on 6.30 there was a table ready. Our group ordered a variety of spring rolls and rice paper rolls for entree. Each dish was amazing. The freshness of flavor was what I'd expect of a top Asian restaurant. The very friendly and helpful manager suggested the chargrilled pho. Most of us ordered this. I can understand why this is a favorite! I can not fault this dish at all. The serving size was massive (Bill Clinton must have skipped both breakfast and lunch to fit in two bowls)! Both food and service made for a great night out. read more

Hmmm, so it's taken me about nine years to finally taken the plunge and eat here as each time i go by, I'm thinking, "yeah maybe, doesn't look too crash hot." Even when I first started eating pho, this was always the "next time place." I'll have to see see how I go with the large serving next time, and perhaps a different combination, but in my book the standard is set to the Sub $10 Pho! come on, it's like the best $10 meal ever! Given this fact Mekong pushes slightly above this margin, and this infringement does not reflect it's qaulity. It's okay, like very fresh and still in my choices for good pho, but its looking a big sad and daggy inside. I'm just wondering what happened to the Bill clinton posters they used to emblazen the store front with. read more

One of my favourite Pho places in Melbourne. It's in the central of CBD so it's quite convenient. However, it's very crowded because tables and chairs are put very close to each other. You should expect being bothered while enjoying your Pho. Thus, don't expect a good service here. Put aside their service and space. Their Pho is actually good and authentic. Huge portion too. You will walk out with a stomach full of beef and pho. My favourite dish is, of course, pho. I always order chicken and beef special one because they have beef tendon, blood jelly, beef sausage. read more

I used to come here pretty often when I went to uni nearby, and overall have had mixed experiences on each visit. Sometimes the pho was pretty decent and satisfied my craving. Other times, and the ones I do remember, were not so good. On several occasions when it was very busy or late at night, I noticed the soup was watered down. It was lukewarm in temperature, and tasted alot more bland than usual. When I first started coming here years ago they had a choice of sizes: regular or large. Over time though they reverted to just having one size, regular. When I was really hungry, after gym or whatever, a regular just wasn't enough (a large at any other pho place would hit the spot). The staff however are very attentive, and even if it is extremely busy, you don't get ignored or forgotten. Take-away is also quite fast. Note that during busy times seating is communal. All in all, if you're in the city shopping or whatnot and want to grab quick lunch, this isn't a bad place to go. However, a little walk further up to Pho Dzung in Russell St is better, but even better if you can go out to Richmond or Footscray. read more

Having been a City Worker hitting the same food joints week after week, I came across Mekong which was a dodgy delightful suprise on Swanston St. I ordered the chicken and beef, and the small size for $8 was quite enough for me. The stock used in the soup broth was quite tasty. I love the buzz in this place when its packed! Love it! Lots of condiments were supplied, which I think is essential for a good eastern meal. read more

The pho was ok and if you're hungry and in the neighborhood then go, but don't make this your destination. The issue is that the broth was not flavorful enough and though I ordered the medium they put a small amount noodles into it. The bowl was less than half full. The crunchy rolls we ordered were flavorful but the they gave us a flimsy lettuce leaf and nothing else to wrap it in. I would go someplace else. read more