Got the pork spring rolls and they're some of the best we've ever had! Ended up getting both the…read morefish sauce and peanut sauce because we couldn't choose and they were both amazing! Highly recommend. Add in really friendly and fast service and we've got a winner.

*Cracks knuckles*…read more It's about that time for another creative review of an establishment so worthy that mere mortal vocabulary buckles under the weight of its greatness. Superfluous words? Bet. Over-the-top metaphors? Buckle up. Unnecessarily long? You betcha! As a San Jose native -- birthplace of the largest Vietnamese-American population this side of the Pacific -- I can declare with the confidence of a man who has consumed banh mi in quantities that would concern a physician, that my standards sit perched upon a lofty throne. Am I an established, reputable Banh Mi Connoisseur, robed and crowned? Probably not. But by the heavens, do I love food to the fullest capacity my mortal heart can muster. I'd title this saga: "Two Families, One Kitchen." Vietnam and Cambodia. Southeast Asian neighbors, united across a single humble counter like two ancient kingdoms forging an alliance forged in butter and beef. Behold -- The Grilled Beef Banh Mi with a golden crust that crunches and crackles like distant thunder heralding a storm of flavor. Crispy on the outside, cloud-soft within, this loaf cradles every blessing you'd demand of an A-tier banh mi: silken homemade butter, pickled carrots and daikon, a verdant tangle of cilantro and green herbs, tender beef marinated in a homemade Cambodian recipe passed down like sacred scripture, and a few jalapeños tossed in like mischievous little gods of chaos. When the perfect harmony of flavors converges in a single bite, language itself surrenders. This golden torpedo of a flavor bomb ignites your brain's serotonin brighter than the firework finale EDC Las Vegas built its entire reputation upon. Add a refreshing drink to wash it down and your meal will vanish faster than a shooting star crossing the night sky. And the architects of this glory? Two legends walk among us. Annie, co-owner and reigning empress of hospitality, is more personable and warmer than a golden retriever greeting you at the door after a decade at war. And Bora -- oh, Bora -- the master chef and sorcerer-in-residence, an absolute wizard conjuring these homemade sauces and concoctions of delight from what I can only assume is an ancient cauldron of culinary magic. Every sauce, every marinade, every morsel bears the fingerprint of his wizardry. Their Vietnamese coffee holds enough caffeine to rouse the living dead from eternal slumber and strikes like a thunderbolt hurled from Zeus's own trembling fist -- a drink not for the faint of heart. Being a touch more caffeine-sensitive (a mortal weakness, I confess), I opted instead for the Instagram-worthy lavender mint lemonade: a purple elixir balancing floral and tart so masterfully it keeps your mouth salivating long enough to continue demolishing the banh mi, assuming it hasn't already vanished into legend. Alas, I'm but a humble traveler here for a fleeting weekend -- otherwise I'd conquer the entire menu with zero regrets and zero survivors. But I can vouch, hand upon heart, for the cold cut and grilled beef banh mi. They do not skimp on the meat, and the sauces spread their generosity like benevolent monarchs, ensuring no bite ever suffers the tragedy of dryness. It blows my mind how affordable these sandwiches are for such quality -- but I'll be damned before I complain about a blessing. The interior is tastefully decorated, laid out like a high-end café -- bright, welcoming, and dotted with plants (some real, some purely decorative, all thriving under Annie's watchful care). Parking's simple enough with spots right outside, plus a sneaky, hard-to-find retail garage to the right of the storefront. Staff, friendly and attentive to the last. No complaints. No half-filled stomachs. Only glory and happiness awaits your visit. #WasThisCompletelyExtra #YesButAlsoLetMeLive #BestBanhMi #WouldDemolishAgain

My partner and I are visiting Minneapolis from Chicago and ordered delivery from this place based…read moreon the 4.5 yelp review rating. I ordered the veggie egg rolls and pad Thai with tofu. The spring rolls were good, perfectly cooked, the dipping sauce was delicious. The pad Thai unfortunately was very bland, and tasted like peanuts and noodles. The noodles were a little drier than I prefer, there was no evidence of eggs, and no flavor. My partner got the veggie lo mein, which he finished completely and said was pretty good. I thought it had a funny smell to it. He also ordered spring rolls which were huge. He ate one of the 2, and said they were ok. So between the two of us, his food was good and mine I only ate a few bites of the pad thai and won't be finishing it. I did eat the 3 egg rolls, but now I've gotta find an alternative dinner for the evening. So for that reason, I'm eating this place a 3.

This is my favorite neighborhood Thai place. The food is always delicious and the service always…read morequick, whether eating in or getting takeout. The family who owns this place is so nice and they are always kind and friendly. They also just renovated the inside and it looks so good! I have lived within walking distance of here for years and I'm going to be so sad when I move away. The portion sizes are great for the price and they have lots of fun extras as well; I would recommend the Thai iced coffee.

My personal favorite pho on University, where there are dozens of choices available. Broth is clear…read moreand clean tasting with plenty of warm spices. Proteins all served at correct doneness in the Pho Dac Biet so you get the tougher cuts well done and rendered and the thin steak raw so it cooks in the broth. Great side accompaniments, Thai basil still on the stalk and living, fresh bean sprouts, Sri Racha and chiles in oil depending on your tastes, squirt bottle of hoisin. The only tiny nitpick I have is I wish they had bigger spoons available for those of us who like to mix sauces and soup in the spoon instead of muddying up the bowl. Also Vietnamese coffee is prepared old fashioned, not in a boba cup where you can't tell if it was made just now or weeks ago. Great service. This is a tiny little joint which is exactly what you expect from a world class Pho place.

I kept seeing people recommend this spot as having some of the best pho in the Twin Cities, so we…read morefinally decided to check it out for ourselves. We were able to find free street parking nearby, because of parking lot renovations. As soon as we sat down, our waitress made sure we had everything we needed, including chili oil and sriracha for us. She checked in on us throughout our meal without being overbearing and made us feel very welcome. Since it was our first visit, we appreciated that we never felt rushed to order and had plenty of time to look over the menu. The pho was really solid. I loved the clear, deep flavorful broth, and the Vietnamese coffee was perfectly balanced and not too sweet. Unfortunately, they were out of bánh mì during our visit, but honestly that just gives me another reason to come back. Between the good food and excellent service, I can definitely see why locals love this place. I'd recommend giving it a try if you're looking for a great food and a welcoming dining experience.

Classic mom and pop gem tucked away in Northeast. I drive by it all the time but have never stopped…read morein so ran here for a quick lunch and so glad I did! The host/server was super polite and kind, very warm and welcoming. I ordered the cream cheese wontons to start and then also got the meatball pho with my usual no veggies. For the cream cheese wontons they use the thinner wonton wrappers so they aren't as thick or chewy, just super light, crisp and perfect for popping in your mouth for a quick appetizer snack! I ended up eating the whole plate cause they just don't feel as heavy. The meatball pho broth was solid and comforting on a chilly day, meatballs were good but the noodles were a little overdone imo but it was simple, cozy, and just what I was looking for!

My baking buddy and I needed something delivered as we did not have time to go out for dinner. We…read morehad this place delivered and tried their sweet and sour chicken, egg rolls, and wontons. First I will say that there are some cheaper options which I love. Since I wanted to try to keep expenses down I chose the sweet and sour combo. It comes with fried rice and two egg rolls. I was hesitant because I over did this as a kid and this dish specifically is so different depending where you go. I have to say this was the BEST dish I've ever had of sweet and sour chicken. I couldn't believe you get two egg rolls either - all for $13. The egg rolls were tasty, but they were a little greasy and not completely crunchy - I chalk this up to the winter delivery though. I'll have to try them again. They were packed with filling. The wontons were great as well - they were light and crispy. Overall this was a good experience. I will have to try them out in person to really made a better call on quality.

Friendly staff & owner. Quick service and very tasty! I have the pho a couple times per week. I get…read morethe poultry with everything plus hoisin & chili combo.

This little hole in the wall Vietnamese shop is pretty legit. Right in the middle of downtown on…read moreNicollet Mall, you'll find your safe haven after all the other food stalls have closed for lunch in the skyways. I think on my visit I got the Vietnamese sandwich with lamb. It definitely hit the spot when my other go to Vietnamese sandwich shop was closed and let me down.

I stopped by BEP Eatery in the Skyway for a quick lunch and decided to try their spring rolls. The…read morerestaurant was clean and convenient, making it an easy option if you're already downtown. The spring rolls were decent and made for a light meal, but they didn't leave much of an impression. The service was quick, which is always a plus when you're on a lunch break. Overall, it was an okay experience.

All the ingredients are served in an "assembly line" style ala "Chipotle". Unfortunately, or…read moresomething like Pho there is no real cohesion, but the flavors are sold enough that you get most of the general idea of Pho in a quick serve atmosphere... The place is very clean, and the staff are friendly and courteous. Overall a pleasant experience and appropriate for the location.

Nong's is the best kept secret in Minneapolis cuisine. Easily the best Thai restaurant in…read moreMinnesota. If you like Thai food, Nong's will give ou five star food every time. And if you've never experienced Thai food, Nong's will simply blow your mind. Flavor upon flavor upon flavor, every time, all the time. Every dish is consistently delicious.

First time ordering take out and boy oh boy am i smitten!!!…read moreThai Cashew Shrimp Stir Fry was perfect for me!!! Enough for two many would say, and was my plan upon opening container. Needless to say - I could not stop:) Cute take out bag also.

Excellent banh-mi. When there's a line in near-0F temperatures you know it'll be good. The bread is…read moreperfectly baked, the ingredients are fresh while not exactly duplicative of other banh mi places in the Twin Cities. The curry tofu banh mi is a little spicy (good for me; maybe a word of warning for a Minnesotan) and peppery, and the BBQ pork banh mi is savory and delicious (and not spicy). The eggrolls are excellent too.

We stopped by on a Saturday afternoon. My son and his wife each ordered a sandwich. One ordered…read morelemongrass chicken, the other ordered pork. They seemed to like their food. My husband and I each ordered the lemongrass chicken noodle bowl. The meat was very fatty. The taste was no good. I have tried numerous Vietnamese noodle salads and usually love them. This salad was a huge clump of noodles (with not enough sauce to over them. I didn't ask for more sauce because I didn't like the taste. The salad included noodles with very fatty meat, cucumbers, lettuce and spices. I had a few bites and threw it away. My husband did the same. No thanks!