Solid Pho here, with my favorite sriracha brand (huy fong!). The pho here is five stars, everything else is alright, so overall a solid four stars. Stick to their speciality item- the PHO!!! read more

See all

Where has the... crispy fried egg pancake stuffed with sprouts, chicken, and prawn, served with fresh mint and basil and fish sauce... been all my life?! Thanks to the magic of wikipedia, I believe the proper Vietnamese name for it is bánh xèo. Although I recall it being listed under the starters, it might as well have been a meal for two. P.S. If anyone has found a way to consume this dish gracefully, without dripping things all over your arms and onto the tablecloths, do let me know. Plus, for the decision-challenged yelpers of the world, you're in luck when it comes to the angelhair-esque bún. You needn't have to choose between spring rolls, grilled pork, or shredded pork with your noodles... you can have all of the above in one bowl! Sheer brilliance (where 'brilliance' is read 'gluttony'). And bonus points for staying open late. Though their hours officially close at 2300 on a Monday night, we definitely witnessed a gent walk in and get seated around 2215. -That's- a promising situation, if I've ever seen one in this city. read more

Sông Quê - Bánh xèo - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

See all

Stopped for a late night but quick meal at Song Que Cafe after a show at Hoxton Hall They have a HUGE menu compared to most Vietnamese places in London, which makes it difficult to choose just a dish or two. I'd had soup for lunch and ramen the previous day, so I opted for the grilled & shredded pork with rice vermicelli. He wanted the fried crispy noodles with chicken and a side of egg fried rice. They served us prawn fried rice by mistake and were ready to change it. But since I wasn't having the rice, he said he'd have the one with prawns. For starters we had the crispy squid and since I didn't want coffee at 11pm, I eschewed my favourite Vietnamese drink and opted for the tender coconut in syrup which was fantastic! Amazing food. I need to go back to try the pho that they are so famous for. read more

See all

We are from the USA. By our standarts its the best pho vietnamese we've ever had. Best vietnamese coffee Best pho broth Freshest spring rolls. Not sure how this compares to other local Viet places but best in our experience! read more

Sông Quê - Spring rolls after I bit one... - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

Great place, with authentic vibes. The bun is amazing and service is lovely. Respectful of social distancing rules as well. read more

Sông Quê - Bun with pork, spring rolls, and shredded pork - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

Song Que was the first Vietnamese restaurant I was taken to years ago when I didn't know my way around Shoreditch and I was massively impressed. I have since tried most soup kitchens in the area but Song Que still beats them all. There's even something comforting in the garish decor and bright lights - this is how I remember China Town ... I like the fact that some of the dishes are pictured in the menu and one combining three different varieties of pork just did it for me - and didn't disappoint. Service is fast and friendly, food delicious, price affordable. I hope Song Que will be here for many years to come. read more

Sông Quê - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

See all

the greatest challenge to dining at song que cafe is getting a parking space near the cafe and then beating the crowd to a table within! this should however be your default dining option when considering vietnamese cuisine. cheap and good indeed. jostling pass the crowd, amassed at the entrance, we felt privileged to be immediately joining our friend who arrived earlier and secured a table for us. he even took the initiative to order 3 appetisers, and it was not long after we were seated that the tasty treats arrived. we had the grilled beef rolled in betel leaves, traditional vietnamese pancakes and the prawn cupcakes. his choices were spot on and really whet our appetite. the prawn cupcake reminded me of half cup japanese tako yaki. the sweet taste of the well marinated beef was tempered with the slightly fragrant and bitter betel leaves. the pancake was really crispy with a generous portion of delicious filling which was a mixture of cooked bean sprouts, chicken breast slices and prawns. now for the main event, i had the bun, which is rice vermicelli tossed with vietnamese dipping sauce(nuoc cham), finely sliced herbs, ground peanuts and your choice of meat topping. i had a combination of grilled pork, sliced pork and cha gio(crispy spring rolls) this dish is described as a cold noodle on the menu but it is normally served at room temperature or luke warm most of the time. i love this dish. and of course, you must try their pho. the soup based vietnamese beef noodles is comforting and flavourful. the soup is tasty and clear, a sign of good pho. you need to add the condiments that comes on the side. follow your fellow diners if unsure of what to add. dont forget the hoisin and viet chilli sauce for the extra kick to your soup. my only complain is that the condiments were not fresh enough! you really need fresh herbs and bean sprouts, not wilting ones!! nonetheless, the whole experience was good. for those looking for a tipple, the vietnamese beer saigon export was surprisingly good. strong and full of flavour. read more

See all

At less than 8 pounds for a bowl of pho, i'm down! While visiting the Geffyre Museum, i saw this street of pho restaurants... came home, and Yelped some pho places to see which is good and this came up so here I went with my friend on Thursday. I ordered the #140 which is like flank and rare meat or something pho and it was fine. They bring you these crisps at the beginning...I also got a coke and they give you a lime and a glass and then the can. My pho was good, it doens't beat boston, oh no..but it definitely better than places I've been. I guess i'm used to specific noodles and soup so I'm a bit biased..and a pho snob. But this is fine to grab a bite and I don't mind coming again. It's a bit out of the way because you need to take the OG..but whatever...it's SO close to the tube station! High ceilings, and lots of caucasians so i guess they know wassup in london lol. There were some asians so I was like "okay, this should be okay..as it's the most famous" *service is quick and they always clear away your plates! NICE!!! London needs more of these places read more

My favorite place to get a bowl of pho in London, mainly due to the lack of good options. Vietnamese food in general confuses me in London. Since when does pho dac biet mean add shrimp, pork and chicken???? When I want dac biet, I want tendon, tripe, brisket and flank. Song Que is the only place I've found so far that doesn't add random non-beef animals to their pho dac biet. Order a large bowl and add beef balls for an extra quid. While the soup doesn't match any of the offerings I've had in North America, at least they have Huy Fong sriracha! read more

Sông Quê - pho dac biet - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

Ok. I have been here many years ago. I bookmarked it specially to give it another go as a reminder of passing. I was passing. I was craving some type food. I was out voted by friends who voted in favour of Vietnamese rather than Japanese and Fried Chicken as we walked along this stretch. I was hoping for good things. I made sure I looked at reviews online and other sites as I can be OCD like that. I was sadly disappointed. I must say this review is for everything but the Pho. I really should have got the Pho because everyone was having it. The place was packed at 9.30pm but we managed to snare one last table for 3. A table too big for us so we separated out spaced. Service was good. All good English and accommodating without any hassle and helping us with questions. Tiger beer good too of course. Good buzz about place too with being overly mad or too intimate. Onto the meal though. Given that I haven't had much Pho in London. And I mean proper Pho. The best one I've ever had was in Paris. The broth there was so good I tipped it over my face and guzzled it down. You get that right and everything else follows. As I said, I didn't get the Pho. 1- because I didn't want anything too heavy/fatty after drinking most of day and 2- I don't want to stereotype but seeing so many westerners/English around me doesn't make me follow their lead. If they are locals or native tongues (you know when you see authentic Chinese in a Chinese that's a good Sign go sort of thing) then I usually do. The starter of pork summer rolls. The rice paper was much darker and not the usually light colour. Obviously partly due to a darker filling. In hindsight always go for prawn. Summer rolls are better refreshing, a teaser to the meal. These were just gritty and not clean tasting on pallet. I did not enjoy these and was a prelude that set the tone. We each had a main dish... meat (pork) with additional rice; a mango papaya salad and mine being a crispy noodle seafood dish. The pork my friend got only had two pieces. Lots of rice. Meh. Good tasting pork though. Just needed more value for portion I feel. The mango papaya wasn't the best I've ever tried but not bad. Jut needed more freshness and zing. Just more to do it. When you know, you know. My crispy noodle (they asked for soft or crispy). I wanted crispy and liked quite how crispy they made it. Not crunchy tasting more bite to it. It was a huge portion to be fair. That surprised me considering seeing the other two plates I had seen arrive first. The dish overall. Well, I have to admit I wanted, I craved soft shell crab and chicken satay initially. Regardless of the Pho-pas (get it? I'm here all week boom boom!) I wanted something meaty, protein no fattiness or heavy. Somehow I opted for noodle with seafood. So ok I got my seafood craving. It pictures well, plump whole prawns, scallops and squid, maybe octopus too. But the sauce that binded it all together was of best described gloop. Just nothing really. I actually hate stir frys. Although this wasn't as oily as most stir frys you make or order it just did nothing. Very disappointing. I pride myself on never really eating bad meals because I know where to go. I have a long hitlist, I know where I want to hit, but sometimes you do give places a chance. What I do realise is make sure you are at least trying what someone recommended. If esquire or yelpers are saying get the Pho, you damn well get the Pho (even if you don't want it). Of course food is subjective but I doubt I will go back here. If I ever do, and it will be on its last chance it will only be to try the Pho. But don't bother with anything else unless your tastebuds don't work. read more

Sông Quê - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

See all

I'd always wanted to try one of the Vietnamese restaurants on Kingsland Road but had never been sure which one to go for. However, after asking around a little and getting advice from friends and family Song Que Cafe came out as a clear favourite. We knew that this was a popular place but trying to book a table turned out to be very difficult and our 8.30 preferred time slot was almost laughed at. In the end we arrived at 7 and were quickly shown to our table. I say quickly because the staff in here are almost obsessive about table turning and will rush you at every opportunity. Once you get used to this though the atmosphere in the place is actually friendly and although tables are squashed together and you may be sitting next to people you've never met before there is a general feeling of fun and excitement. Noodle soup is Song Que's delicious speciality and comes two sizes- a regular bowl for those who want to order a few things from across the menu and what can only be described as a troth for those who just can't get enough of that soupy goodness. There was something weirdly impressive watching people tackle this mammoth portion as the soup itself is incredibly filling. Though I would recommend it, I think it would be a shame to only try the soup and not get a taste for the rest of the menu. The soft shell crab and prawn rolls are other great dishes not to be missed out on. Great food and fun times that everyone can enjoy! read more

Sông Quê - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

Food is fine, but on a Saturday night the service fall behind. I had to ask for my dish twice before finally get it after all the people at my table were served 10-15 minutes earlier. There are better Vietnamese restaurants at a few meters distance. read more

Sông Quê - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

The best pho offered in England hands down! We drive 2 hours just to get our pho fixed. You know when the broth is good when you don't have to add anything (but I still do anyways out of habit). Their pho, papaya salad, summer rolls, mussels in black bean sauce are my go to. read more

See all

The first time I came here there were people waiting to be seated, so I decided to come back before the dinner rush another day. The layout is more communal than I am used to; most of the tables are side by side, so you sit pretty close to strangers. I was also placed at a table with most of the seats already taken rather than an empty. I ordered spring rolls for appetizer, and duck with mushrooms and bamboo stouts for dinner. The spring rolls were crisper than most that I've had. I also think the oil or the batter used was atypical as they had a peculiar flavor that I could not decipher. The duck was perfect. It was in a light colored sauce with scallions which was complemented by the mushrooms and bamboo stouts. No problems with service. The food was prepared extremely quickly. My appetizer came out in about three minutes, and my entree came out three or four minutes after the appetizer. read more

I wish there were more restaurants like Song Que in London. It's close to a station (Hoxton Overground), and serves authentic food at an affordable price. This is a no frills, no fuss kind of eatery, and wouldn't look out of place if you plopped it in the middle of Southeast Asia. The walls are painted a horrific bright green and someone took things to the next level by gluing on giant ceramic lobsters, but that's what I love about Song Que. It's not trying to fit in and the food is pretty gosh darn good too. Song Que's pho is solid, but my favourite dish is their #60, which consists of grilled and shredded pork, and spring rolls on top of rice vermicelli. It's crispy, it's crunchy. It's salty and sweets. It's downright delicious. The best part? This big ol' bowl of food will set you back less than a tenner. If you come to Song Que expecting British-style service and fine dining, you're going to be disappointed. That's not what this restaurant is about. Come here for quick, cheap, and tasty Vietnamese food and you'll walk away satisfied. read more

Sông Quê - Grilled and shredded pork and spring rolls on rice vermicelli. - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

It's hard to find good Asian food in London, and there's a lot of mediocre and overpriced Vietnamese places here served by non-Asian waiters. So when I came here with a friend I was happy to see that it was a restaurant with Asian waiters, and full of customers of different ethnicities. It was super packed for a weekday evening, but we got seated pretty quickly and the food was also fast. I loved how the pho came in a huge bowl (the true way of serving pho) and brimming with soup and spring onions, and my friend who is a vegetarian was really happy with her fried rice and vegetables. Vietnamese anywhere else in the world is known to be inexpensive, so for the price we wish we got more but the food was good enough for us to be happy. read more

Sông Quê - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

Trying to get my pho fix in Europe... It's pretty decent but was hoping for something akin to Cali pho but got something closer to NYC pho. The pros: low MSG use (huge bonus points for that) in pho, quality meat cuts, good size, noodles were right on, a bit of oil/ fat in soup (yes you need some of that yummy fat), attentive service, and solid traditional Vietnamese menu The cons: pho is bland - I realized that there were no slice onions and it's lacking an herb but can't put my finger on which one, chao tom (shrimp paste on sugar cane) was tasty and cooked correctly but I wish they would have served it with fish sauce and not sweet chili sauce, and the iced coffee had a heavy caramel flavor - blah! Looking at the crowd there were very few Vietnamese people which should have been a sign. And for those that saw other Asian people in there (per other reviews)... They were all Japanese! Nothing against them but I think they were tourists as well. And listening to the kitchen, the chefs are all Chinese (from my village which is pretty funny). So there it is... It is Chinese pho and I need keep looking for that perfect bowl. But I have high standards so I am giving them a 4 but in the world of pho they would have gotten a 3. read more

Sông Quê - Pho tai - perfect glisten to the steaming hot soup! - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

See all

Mum always tell me that if a Vietnamese place is filled with locals then you know it's a good place for a good bowl of pho.. This is a family favourite considering this road has a Vietnamese restaurant at every other shopfront. I love their broth not too salty and the fresh herbs that they give you for the pho is great... I am not a great fan of raw beansprouts but if you dunk it in the soup as soon as it comes out.. Then it gives it a chance to cook in the steaming broth. Also orders the summer roll.. I've had better bit I do love the dip that comes with it.. Lots of others stuff to try.. So will be back for more of the menu.. read more

Sông Quê - Combo beef pho... Come to mamma - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

See all

Tasty Bun Thit Nuyong for £9. The grilled pork chunks were quite large in my portion. Plenty of indoor seating on a Saturday mid-afternoon. Service was ok. Note that to pay with card, there is a £10 minimum (I just paid the extra £1 difference). read more

Sông Quê - Bun Thit Nuyong - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

This is the perfect spot for groups of dining alone. The food is authentic and extraordinarily tasty. The atmosphere is electric and you'll have a guaranteed great night out, read more

I have to say that although I really do love Cafe East by Canada Water for their Bahn Cuon, I appreciate the better pho overall here at Song Que. Song Que does not have Bahn cuon, but it has a larger variety of food selection in general and has amazing fresh shrimp rolls and free tap water! The service here is pretty spotty and they did forget about our appetizer, but the food was so good that all is forgiven. The prices are no longer as cheap as they used to be (used to be around 7 quid for a bowl, now the rather large bowl is around 9). A bowl of pho, a bowl of bo bun, a spring roll, iced coffee and coke totalled to about 30 quid. I don't love the price point, but I do love the food. read more

Sông Quê - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

See all

The food is great here, delicious authentic Vietnamese food served in portions generous enough to make sure you leave feeling stuffed! Yes it is VERY busy so you may have to queue and then be prepared to be squeezed onto a table with other customers. All in all a fun if rather hectic dining experience! read more

Sông Quê - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

Had horrific food poisoning stomach bug from this place, it tastes great until the next day and you're over a toilet

Why yes, I do say that this was some divinely slurptastic pho. But the real reason that Song Que blew me away and will keep me coming back for more was the feisty and quick witted service. Let me jump back: For years I planned to be a teacher. And wouldn't you know it, my dream was to teach middle-schoolers. (To translate, those are the painfully snotty children ages 11-14.) There's something about their innocent assholishness that I adore. Sarcastic as all get out, if you are able to gain their fleeting respect, you can probably rule the world. So long story short, I really enjoy spunk, mouthiness, and yes, a bit of a challenge from those around me. It keeps me on my game! So when our server threw back some playful attitude when I kept changing my mind on my appetizer, I knew we'd chosen the right place. When he teased us for "living large" and ordering an £11 bottle of wine, I knew that I was already a devoted fan. And when he told us with a straight face that a to-go box would be an additional £10 each, I knew I'd be back again and again. read more

I don't often venture unto east London but Song Que's reputation drew me here out of curiosity as I had developed a real taste for pho on US trips. It must be good to stand out in an area with so many other Vietnamese restaurants. However, the tag of cafe is accurate and expect the bustly street food type atmosphere you would find in other 'oriental long table' experiences. However, service was efficient, necessary to turn the tables over with the speed that they do. OF course I had to try the famous pho and connoisseurs recommend the rare sliced steak with soup noodles. The portion was certainly generous. The steak was tender and the soup suitably meaty with depth of flavour, balanced out with basil and lime juice. The rice paper roll was suitably fresh with flavours bursting out in my mouth with the first bite. It was worth a foray into east London read more

Don't confuse Song Que with all the other Vietnamese eateries on this stretch of Kingsland... sure, you can sit down in a convivial setting, peruse a long menu of wonderful dishes and eat like King for just a few quid, but don't think you can just whip out your own bottle of wine and corkscrew and get chugging the booze back... Song Que is NOT a BYOB! Imagine our embarrassed faces when our poor little waiter ran over to wag his finger at us for getting started on our Chenin Blanc without first checking it was ok. Ooops... CRUSHING SHAME.... he big he big, we small. To be honest he was very nice about it and let us finish what we'd poured, which was the obvious lovely person thing to do. Lovely food, lovely people. It's no wonder Song Que is Vietnamese London's top dog. read more

This place fed me through my student years here in the UK, best Vietnamese joint in London, but then again it's the UK, so expectations have to be much lower. They would not be high on the list here in SoCal or the U.S. for that matter, but they are the spot for Vietnamese food in London. Solid food, decent service, tables are too close together but they're always pack so can you blame them? read more

Why? Why that combination of apple green walls, golden plastic tablecloth and red chairs? This is a mystery. Tasteless when it comes to the decor, but oh my, all the taste is in the plates! Song Que has seduced us, from the first bite of our starters to the last drop of the beef phô. First that grilled beef in wild betel leaves, probably the single most tasty starter I've had in a while. Add on top of this the shrimp paste on lemongrass stick..what a treat! My shredded pork + spring rolls on rice noodles was a delish, and my wife's basic beef phô was exactly what she needed. Don't come here for a first romantic date, but this makes a perfect choice for a genuine Tuesday night bite if you don't feel like cooking ;) read more

I've had my fair share of Pho, and I must commend Song Que on ranking top five pho experiences in my life. At the end of pho mile, Song Que is a large, unpretentious space filled with hot soup and loud chatter. The word has gotten out, so make a reservation to avoid the line. read more

Coming from a Vietnamese background and having been to Vietnam and growing up on Vietnamese food, I thought Song Que ranks as one of the better restaurants in London. I tried the following dishes and thought I'd give a review about them first. Vietnamese food should be simple and Song Que keeps it just that. I am a big fan of cold rolls (summer rolls) and am not really a big pho eater. I thought the cold rolls were very authentic (contained prawn, pork belly, vermicelli and lettuce). The dipping sauce was very nice and authentic too. I've tried cold rolls in most restaurants in London and I think this one comes closest to what my mum would make at home! The Vietnamese pancake was average. It was a medium portion but they forgot to bring out the lettuce that is used to wrap the pancake. I think they need to show people how to eat the pancake, otherwise no one would know what to do unless your someone who has had it before. It was tasty but they need to bring more lettuce on the side! Salt and pepper squid - very nicely deep fried, but not oily. It was very tasty and definitely looked authentic. Must try i say. Lemongrass beef vermicelli - I had this as my main and i think this dish was delicious! Good ratio of meat, salad and noodles. Some Vietnamese restaurants get this ratio incorrect, but Song Que got it right! So 5/5 for this dish! 3 coloured bean drink - yum! Aside from the decor not being very nice, the food is worth it and service is quick. But i think that's what you should expect from a Vietnamese restaurant. Well for me, it's all about the food! I read more

The pork, shredded pork, & spring roll noodle salad was perfection. The grilled pork flavorful, the dressing complimentary. The crust on the spring rolls was a little tough, but could be forgiven for their crunch and flavor. I could have eaten 2. Less stellar, the Hot and Spicy soup was not spicy, but the broth was a mouth-party of lemongrass, spices and herbs. The noodles were too bland for the mild soup, so I drank all the broth before dressing the noodles up in hot sauce. Most of the tables were taken by Vietnamese families with adorable 6 yr-olds finishing their own huge bowls of Pho. Order by pointing at that kid's food. read more

Much bigger inside than i expected; and a quite relaxed attitude reservation times(suits me...It's a longish walk from Cambridge Heath!). It is so close to Liverpool St. that we had a nice touristy walk around the area after dinner- theres a Hawksmoor nearby for a start..(no; it's not a Pub(yet)..). What restaurant? Oh yeah, Son Que. Well, I got all adventurous again with the menu, and loved Everything! (Was the rice meant to be sticky? Who cares, i'm not fussy about rice). Tried the mussels, because i don't like them and dammit, that was great too. Everthing had quite complex and subtle flavours, and i will have to try the Pho next time... the bowls are so huge i would not have been able to eat anything else. I went with a Chef from New York; and she was also much pleased with this venue. 'Nuff said- I am gonna be late for Badminton club now- Gotta go! read more

Oh god oh god oh god I came here last night and I've finally realised/remembered how mediocre all other pho is in London. This is the only place in London I've found where you can get tripe and other cuts of beef in the soup rather than just the usual steak. The service was fine, the waiters are quite jokey with the customers and very giggly! All I can comment about food wise is the pho, which was amazing, and huge! As far as pho goes, it's expensive... But it's worth it. I feel like I never want to try anywhere else ever again. read more

This is the spot in all the guide books. The one filled with white people and American tourists. Usually that means it isn't as good. Not true with Song Que. Their Pho is quite tasty. Get the Rare Steak Pho (It is fully cooked by time it sits in the hot broth). Now... my big issue with this place is that it isn't the BEST on the street. It is on par with the other places on the road, particularly Hung Viet next door. If Song Que is too busy (as it frequently is), just go to Hung Viet next door. Just as good, and a smige more affordable. read more

Great Vietnamese restaurant in London. In a street plenty of Vietnamese this is the most popular and definitely very authentic. They have more than 20 types of Pho. The beef pho is the national dish of Vietnam and this is s great place to try it. Plenty of options for vegetarians too. The aubergine with tofu is my favourite. If you brave enough you can have a three colour milk, a drink made with coconut milk and whole beans. I found the drink very filling!! The best of all, mains are less than 10 pounds each! read more

Sông Quê - The three colours drink once stirred - Vietnamese Near Me - London, XGL

Not much more than has already been said is really needed. Couldn't agree with the below reviews more; fun atmosphere, great reasonable food, speedy but efficient service. The chicken pancake is one of my favorites, along with summer rolls that were so fresh I felt like I had turned left on Kingsland Road into the Cotswolds. It puts most other Vietnamese restaurants in London to shame on the quality/price scale read more

Kingsland Road is known for the copious amounts of Vietnamese restaurants! They are all delicious; it is so hard to choose which one to go to! Some are Bring Your Own which is just perfect when in a big group no need to worry about who consumed what, you can just split the food bill! Talking about the bill, Vietnamese is extremely good quality for money. If you have a budget you can easily stick to it. Son Que is my favourite at the moment (it changes regularly) for starter's seaweed is a must and rice prawn rolls with chilli sauce! The main is always a little difficult, but the vermicelli prawn noodles and mango fish are the best. My other favourite is noodle soup - extremely tasty and filling due to the rice noodles. Great for couples, friends and parties! Just be aware food comes out randomly and they can rush you if you don't set a slow pace. Enjoy! read more

Often cited as one of the best Vietnamese restaurants of the many on Kingsland Road, but, as another reviewer mentioned, I think it really just looks the most inviting; the vibrant green sign with its gold lettering loudly announces Song Que's existence and looks professionally done - unlike some of the more homemade-looking banners hanging above some of the other surrounding establishments. Song Que's glass doors are inviting: they've been plastered with reviews from Timeout and other respectable publications, plus give you a glimpse at its clean and spacious-looking interior, which is likely buzzing with people dining under economical fluorescent lighting. The visual appeal on offer here is all relative to the surroundings - so certainly don't think you're in for a polished dining experience. It actually could be compared to a coarser version of Wagamama - the tables are long and communal, the service is snappity snap, and you've got to chase down your individual condiment cruets of soy and Sriracha sauce. I came here with my sister and we ordered spring rolls to share and I had both stir fried tofu and some garlicky vegetables. I wasn't in love with what I had - it seemed just a touch greasier than then authentic Vietnamese food I've had elsewhere (both on Kingsland Road and, in ahem, Viet Nam), which leaves me with the impression that this isn't the best place to get Vietnamese veggie fare in the area. However, my sister really enjoyed her pho, which is pronounced FUH (if you didn't already know) and is considered one of the highlights of Vietnamese cuisine - I can't personally savor this dish since they're all made with meat stock, but wish I could, since it's supposed to be divine and is just so FUHn to say... The best part of the meal, however, was the fact that our waiter was convinced that my sister (who is a rather statuesque blonde) was a movie star - which meant he treated us with the utmost consideration - and also insisted that I take his picture with her before we left. read more

This locality has pho places a dime a dozen and most of them have quite the following, but I should be the president of the Song que fan club, as I belive it has the best vietnamese food on Kingsland Road. Now Song que is quite the institution, as it has been around for a while and I belive shall stick around because it is not only serves scrumptious food, but in these times of austerity is good value for money !!! The place has minimal decour as is what i would imagine a big canteen in a communist part of south east asia would look like ! Ther service is good and quick and the waiters tend to remember you ! Now my dear friends when you go to a restaurant that specializes in a certian type of food/cuisine I would advise you to stick to it !!! really guys when you go to a chinese restaurant you won't ask for a burger now will you !! So when you will go to Song que (and I know) you will go I advise you to order the vietnamese food !! The menu is quite dauting with its variety, but for starters stick to the spicy squid or the soft shell crab, the summer rolls are lovely and fresh, but a real Viet classic is pancake !! Get it all and share the love For the main course order the pho, which is a gorgeous soup (with an arromatic broth ) and hand made noodles and beef cuts of your choice(offal is part of that shoice) be adventerous and ask the waiter for viet specials and stay clear of their chinese dishes, its not their food and they are not good at it ! Now I must explain myself, the reason why I am harping on asking for advice and sticking to the viet dishes is because I visited a few days ago and four people sat on the table close to us and explained to their waiter that they had never had viet food and did not know anything, the waiter they got recomended afew viet specialities, but was running around. Being the good freindly samaritan that I am I gave them some recomendations and got some strange not very freindly looks, My dinner partner told me to leave them be (but i love talking and helping people, i would like others to do do that to me guys ) alas that table order the chinese dishes which where oily and not nice and left miserable!!! So my dear friends what is the moral of the story ..... when in rome do as the romans and listen to kindly, freindly advise from smiling strangers !! read more

My husband and I are recent transplants from Arlington, VA, where we were lucky enough to live just a few blocks from Pho 75. The restaurant is a stark white affair with cafeteria tables and you doctor and slurp your soup shoulder to shoulder with strangers. As the name implies, it does one thing - pho - and does it well. The only thing you have to decide is what meat to put in the bowl. We had been missing our pho fix and Pho on St. John Street only scratched the itch, so we made the trek to Song Que and were greatly rewarded. We started with the summer rolls and they were a light, delicious mouthful of prawns and mint. The accompanying sauce already had a dollop of sriracha and we added a little more. I had a glass of iced coffee with condensed milk and it was a little off the mark. The coffee was pre-made and poured cold out of a plastic jug. It just didn't have the same jolt as the thick Vietnamese coffee straight from the filter that melts the ice as it goes into the glass. Plus, I think part of what makes Vietnamese coffee so good is that you have to wait for it to brew in the little metal contraption that sits on top of your glass. Needing that bit of patience makes it that much sweeter. Next up - the Pho. It was done the right way with rare meat left to cook in the piping hot broth. I had a bowl with eye of round and flank steak and my husband had the same with the addition of tripe. I don't think any food begs to be customized more than pho and after we worked out magic our soups were completely different. Mine made my nose run with copious amounts of sriracha, chili paste and raw chillies and was mellowed with some Thai basil, lime juice, bean sprouts and fish sauce. My husband's had a little sriracha and a lot of lime juice. He prefers to keep the bean sprouts and munch them cold after finishing his soup. The bowls were enormous and I only made it through half of the soup. We left and braved the rainy walk home with our bellies full of hot, spicy soup. I can't wait to return. read more