NamNam is kind of a hole-in-the-wall, but it's cute and breezy, nicely toeing the line between casual and divey. I see one other reviewer describing it as "fusion" but I'd say the dishes are pretty straight-ahead Vietnamese, perhaps a touch Americanized in that you're not likely to get much in the way of gristle and cartilage and to some degree, spice (and they do ease off the fish sauce a bit). In fact, if I were to create a Vietnamese menu it would look a lot like what they have. The pho didn't come with mint, their bun bo hue was somehow lemongrass-free, and my crepe wasn't loaded with bean sprouts but everything we tried was solid and decidedly Vietnamese. Better still, they had a whole bunch of craft beer choices to appease the middle aged white suburbanites. Hooray!
The only unpleasantness we experienced came from the pungent smell of grape bubble gum that came from the small child at the table next to us. Damn those chemists and their long-lasting flavor!
It's small. And it was freezing inside. But their strip mall, hole in the wall image should not be held against them. Meaning mostly that I expected the menus to be oily-stained paper and the staff to be in jeans and dirty shirts. But its a bit more high end  than that....uniform shirts and laminated menus. (it's still strip mall-y and hole in the wall-y...but it makes the prices easier to swallow...)
I got an order of the Imperial rolls. I liked them better than the Summer roll my friend shared with me (everything seemed to fall to one end of the roll, so you either got a mouthful of nothing but noodles or ALL THE PORK AND SHRIMP...though the pork in the roll....DElicious!).
My friend and I both got the Saigon Noodles with shrimp (I got it on her suggestion). Boy...there was a lot of food on that plate. And it was yummy, with just enough spice for my preferences. (as I ate though, it started to taste a lot like cinnamon...I don't think I was having a stroke....it was strange, not terrible, but unexpected...)
The service was prompt and pleasant.
I'd love to go back some time and try something else with that pork....and maybe have some bubble tea for the first time ever....
I was expecting something better.... I knew this place wasn't going to measure up to the authentic pho places that I've been to in the east coast or the west coast, but oh man.... The pho soup had barely any flavor. The meat had this yucky meat taste. I had to triple dip the meat in hoisin and chili sauce to be able to chew and swallow. The meat was tender, it was just old or something because it was disgusting. I got their $8 beef spring roll. So disgusting. The meat was probably the same as the ones in pho. Very tender, but had a strong disgusting meat flavor. The one in the spring roll was rare so it was even more disgusting. Not to mention it had a sour aftertaste. YUCK!!!! I dunno if it's because I ordered the wrong stuff, but this place left such a bad taste in my mouth. I will NEVER come back here. Go to Saigon cafe down the street. It's so much better.
Review Source:I love this place! Wanted something new, do my friend and I wondered into nam nam, it's very small, but I liked it. Was impressed by their experts choice award for 2012 and many paper clippings of them being recognized as the great Vietnamese restaurant they are. I already want to go back! I could eat the imperial rolls all day
Review Source:Nam Nam is num-num! Â
Classically exceptional Vietnamese fair. Â Almond milk bubble tea - great way to begin!
Buddha rolls - YES!
Pho with brisket - YES! Â the essential spices that go into the broth are all present and accounted for.
Vermacelli bowl with Lemongrass Chicken - YES!
(I feel like an Herbal Essences commercial)
Wash it all down with a Bell's holiday ale? Â You're killing me... YES! Â
Will be back again and again.
One of our favorite little places in Louisville. The hours remind us of sushi places back home. We had friends visit from Chicago and decided to share this with them. We started with the Beef summer roll, yum! A newer item to the menu and the two rolls split easily to share. It was light but satisfying. I love the Saigon noodles with shrimp or tofu, my husband it with jalapenos, and my friend got it too. Her boyfriend got extra spicy Green Curry. Our male guest loves spicy food and he was sweating up a storm. We enjoy eating the leftovers. The staff is always friendly. They bring the dishes out as they're ready instead all at once, but it allows everyone to get it when it's very hot (temperature).
Review Source:Having eyed Nam Nam tucked away next to a convenience mart in an offset shopping center, I finally got the chance to eat here a few weeks ago. This tiny restaurant serves some of the usual Vietnamese fare, but also branches out to less familiar territory. I ordered the Vietnamese crepe - a thin, crisp shell filled with shrimp, pork, and the freshest bean sprouts I've ever seen, all lightly coated with a delicious sauce (nuoc mam). The portion was huge and delicious.
My other dining companions got the banh mi and the vermicelli bowl, both of which looked and smelled delicious.
The food and service were great here, and the beer list surprisingly extensive. This is a place you go to enjoy the food, not the atmosphere though, so if you're looking for a romantic dinner, you may have to look elsewhere. The dining space is small and cramped, so private conversation is pretty much non-existent. Personally, I don't mind the hole-in-the-wall ambiance when the food is this good!
I should probably give them another chance as my only experience was a to go order. Summer roll was better than most, pork was a little chewy and sauce could have been better. When I want a good summer/spring roll I compare all to Simply Thai, which I know is not the same but it sets a standard of what it can taste like if executed correctly. Vermicelli bowl was ok, probably better if you eat there, but hard to do with the location. I would give it another shot and try something else, definitely go in to eat next time.
Review Source:My girlfriend and I stopped by to see what the local hype was about Namnam Cafe. This was our first time eating here but we're veteran Vietnamese food eaters from Southern California. We liked the restaurant setup, reminded us somewhat of Vietnamese places back home- only a few tables, very limited decor, grungy interior. That was a good start. We liked the limited menu, it signals to us that the place doesn't try to cover too much territory.
For an appetizer, we were craving egg rolls so we ordered the imperial rolls. They arrived fresh and piping hot. The roll texture was great, but the filling of the egg rolls were weak. They reminded us of egg roll filling from Panda Express or other American-Asian food restaurants chains. I would suggest making the filling with more texture such as sliced carrots and perhaps some clear noodles.
We ordered one of each banh mi, pork lemongrass and the Vietnamese special. I was very excited for these because these are some of my favorite items back home. They arrived looking great and well-made, but the problem began with the first bite. The bread buns were over-toasted, almost to the point where it was difficult to take bites of the sandwich. Furthermore, the inside of the buns tasted stale. This was hugely disappointing because the pork lemongrass itself was especially flavorful and delicious. We finished our meal thinking about how much better the sandwiches could have been.
I drove by Nam Nam the other day and saw that they were still open! Â Pleasant surprise after I had gone by several days a few weeks ago and the place was deserted as a tomb. Â
In any case, they're open with a few changes to the menu. Â I ate here last night with a friend and decided it was time for me to branch out from the Pho that I usually (read: always) order. Â Favorite foods are good, but it's even better to fine new ones. Â
Meal began with Buddha rolls. Â These might be a new favorite! Â Veggies and tofu all wrapped up in a delicate rice paper wrapper and served with brown peanut sauce. Â We split an order, but it would be easy for one person to gobble them both up. Â
For my entree I had the chopped chicken salad. Â It was good, VERY spicy, and not what I expected, but still tasty. Â I was thinking there would be a bed of greens with the shredded cabbage. Â Instead it's mostly shredded cabbage, vermicelli noodles, and shredded chicken all tossed together. Â Good choice if you like some heat :) Â
Overall, I love Nam Nam -- the food, the ambience, the location. Â Check it out if you've never been and you may find you love it too!
Earlier this evening, I had a hankering for a Vietnamese sandwich (Banh Mi) - I got the lemongrass-grilled chicken in a warm, crispy baguette with jalapenos, scallions, carrots, cucumber, radish, cilantro and aioli. Nom nom!! Truly delicious! Next time, I want to try the banh mi with hoisin-glazed pork and the salami/pork pate. Based on some of the reviews I've read, I'd like to try their pho too.
Review Source:five stars for food, but way less for ambience and service. I came here late last saturday night, and sat inside because there were no tables available outside. The inside is kind of dingy and small. It took almost an hour to get our food for four of us, which is a little ridiculous. Besides that the food was great! Can't wait to go back and try more! I had the buddha rolls which were a little bland and simple, but the vietnamese crepe was amazing. My friend had the cubed beef that was amazing! So tender! Really good quality vietnamese for Louisville!
Review Source:This is my Saturday lunch go-to. I haven't had better Pho anywhere else. Beer selection is amazing, and the prices are very reasonable. Service here is genuine, you can really tell everyone has a passion for what they're cooking. I love it. Even getting takeout Pho (which I've treated myself to numerous times) is packed perfectly. It's about the details, and Namnam has it down to a science.
Stick with the classics and you won't be disappointed, or settle on a sandwich or the shaking beef for something zingy.
I've been here with my wife a few times and we've always thoroughly enjoyed it. Â On our most recent visit we sat at one of the outside tables on a beautiful early spring day. Â Granted the view here is nothing special (parking lot and commercial strips), but it's still nice to be able to eat outside on a pleasant day. Â
Today I had the Tofu Eggplant in Claypot with Ground Pork. Â When it was first presented to me it seemed small, but as it turned out there was plenty of food in that bowl. Â It contained big, beautifully seared hunks of firm tofu and crumbles of ground pork in a delicate sauce, with a small bowl of sticky white rice. Â I guess if I had any complaint about it it would be that I wish there were more pieces of eggplant.
Definitely try the Namnam Cafe. Â The place is tiny and nothing fancy, but the food is well prepared and served promptly. Â It's especially fun if the weather is nice, and you can eat outside.
Yum, Yum! Â Things I like about Namnam Cafe: Â There are only 6 tables, you can see into the kitchen and the food is really good. Â The leftovers are tasty too! Â I kept my leftovers from here for about 4 days (A bit long in my book), but they tasted just as good as they did when I ate them fresh. Â This is a good thing when you are a twenty something living on a budget and do not frequent the grocery store.
This small restuaurant could be a lot bigger and still have people lined up to eat there, but the exclusivity of the tiny space gives it some of it's charm. Â It is not a place that you will just stumble upon becuase it is tucked behind a strip mall in St. Matthew's. Â Now that you have the inside scoop, though, make sure you hit up Namnam next time you are in SM.
Stopped by Namnam to grab a boba (bubble/tapioca) tea for my wife. Unfortunately they don't have the typical "milk tea," so I opted for the Thai Chai (shaken with ice instead of blended).
She said the actual tea was really good, but the boba was just "okay." The price was a little high -- $3.50 for a regular size tea. (She kindly didn't charge me the extra $0.50 for the boba.)
I'm not sure if this will become a staple for us in terms of Vietnamese food because in general the prices are a bit high. It's conveniently close to my wife's work and my school, so I may stop by again if overwhelming cravings overtake her for boba. But, overwhelming cravings aside, I'll probably pass on Namnam in the future.
This place is the shit. I love it. The thing that makes it sing for me is not just that the food is good but that so much of it is locally sourced--at least the beef and pork and (I'm hoping) the eggs. It's a little tiny but mod joint on near Shelbyville Road and has all the feeling of a nouveau mom and pop married to an edgier, hipper kind of vibe. Definitely get the crepe. They also have a small but good beer selection.
Review Source:Restaurants are a lot like friends. Sometimes, when I meet a new friend, it takes a while to realize that we might have something in common or some kind of connection through a person or place. Then there are the majority of people that I force to be my friend. Then there are some restaurants, though, that you just immediately hit it off with. Nam Nam has joined that group, for me.
I ventured into Nam Nam on a very dry, bitterly cold, blustery day in January with some friends. From looking at the menu, I could tell that there was a lot of attention poured into the menu, in terms of presentation. People definitely eat with their eyes, ears and noses before their mouths, so I can appreciate when a menu is executed really well.
I can't claim to be an expert on Vietnamese culture or food (even though I know you expected me to be, I get that a lot), but from a layman's perspective, it seemed like the food was basically "Vietnamese [Common Entree]". I'm not going to hold this against them, though, because everything that I have tried (and stolen from other plates) at Nam Nam, I have liked a lot.
My first visit, I had the Vietnamese Tacos (I love a good gourmet taco (that's a sentence that deserves a bumper sticker (I'm feeling parenthetical))), and even though it's a simple idea, it was pretty brilliantly executed, considering the setting and the price. I also had the Vietnamese Iced Coffee (awesome combination of bitterness and slightly sweet flavor, very full) and what the equivalent of an egg roll. All great.
The second time I went to Nam Nam, the restaurant solidified me as a fan when I sprung for the Claypot Catfish (which sounds like a John Lennon lyric). This dish comes in a clay pot and is cooked in a caramelized sauce with pineapple and garlic! I literally could not eat enough of this. There's a point in every meal where I say 'okay, I'm done.' [Grab another quick bite.] [Grab two more quick bites.] And then, finally, I have to pronounce the food dead, for its own sake, and pull a napkin over it.
The bubble tea, Vietnamese Crepe, Shaking Beef and Saigon Bowls are great as well.
The only gripe I had was that the dining area is microscopic, so, on a cold day, every time the door opened it felt like I was eating on the planet Hoth.
Other than that, I really like Nam Nam and I think I'll be seen there in the future.
Nam Nam is very aptly named, because that's the sound I make the whole time I'm eating this food. NamNamNamNam! It's just so good. Love this place. It's very small and, if you dine in, you'll have to sit really close to a total stranger and you may even have to talk to them (gasp!). But, it will be worth it for this really delicious food. The pho is fantastic, and I really like the shaking beef too. Enjoy.
Review Source:Small cozy in the heArt  of St Matthews, Namnam Cafe provides freshly prepared Vietnamese cuisine. Enjoy the Pho with four beef choices. I had the brisket,  loaded with flavor. Many wonderful entrees, salads, and rolls to choose from at Namnam. If you wish to enjoy wine, it's byob but servers are happy to uncork your wine for you. We 're going back and soon to work through the wonderful variety of Vietnamese dishes at Namnam!
Review Source:Delicious Vietnamese food! Â I had the combination pho beef noodle soup, and it was packed full of delicitable, melt in your mouth tender beef, and meatballs. Â My cohort and I also shared the spring rolls, which were enormous and very fresh. Â This place is a definte keeper, and better than the places I've been in California. Â By the way, Mamma was cooking today. Â
We also had excellent customer service.
I recently had dinner at namnam somewhat on accident. We had planned on Havana Rumba, only to find that the restaurant was closed due to a power outage. We then headed to Simply Thai, but were much too hungry to wait 30 minutes. Across the parking lot, we eye namnam and both agreed it was time for some Vietnamese cuisine. Namnam definitely hit the spot. I had the claypot, my wife had the shaking beef, and we shared the imperial spring rolls. All of the food was quite excellent. I really enjoyed the complexity of flavor in the shaking beef and the tenderness of the meat. Also, namnam's citron iced green tea is delicious. The place is very low key, there are probably only six tables in side and another six available for outside dining. Next time your are in the St. Matthew's area cehck out namnam. The service was incredibly fast; I have yet to dine at Simply Thai, but I find it hard to imagine it is worth an extra 30 minutes of waiting over this lovely joint.
Review Source:It was ok. Â Convenient for the St. Matthews area. Â But, I give it more like a 2 1/2 because of the prices and small portions. Â Everything we ordered (the standards) were tasty, but the upcharge was too much for our liking. Â Ex. the Pho was a good $2 more than any of the places near the airport that we've been. Â And the Bahn Mi was a whopping $6.50! Â (compared to $2.50 - $3.50).
Review Source:We will probably try it again as it has received a lot of great reviews. Â
But the first experience the food was not memorable at all. We had the buddha roll which was straight-forward and fine. Then we also had the saigon noodles and fried rice. The level of grease on both of these dishes left that gross film in the mouth that I literally brushed my teeth right after...and that didn't even work.
I am happy to try it again, as I love the fact that a Vietnamese restaurant is so close to my work for take-out dinner for home!
I have to admit this place holds a special place in my heart as the kind owners let me sneak in before opening one afternoon.  They brought me a tall glass of water while  we waited out a terrible storm the last time the area had tornadic activity.  It also probably doesn't hurt that I know one of the chefs well and he has cooked at lots of other fabulous eateries around town. Â
Tonight I had the special - Taiwanese wheat noodles cooked in butter and garlic with grilled spicy lemongrass shrimp and fresh green onions and cilantro. Â Yum! The noodles and shrimp were cooked perfectly! My entree came with a mini salad with house made ginger salad (and peanuts) that was fabulous... except it came after my entree. Â
My companion had the vermicelli bowl with pork and it looked amazing... so much so that I tried to snag a bite of the tempting veggies hanging over the edge of the bowl even though I don't eat pork. Â He spent the rest of the meal with his arm protectively curled around his bowl while I intermittently contemplated the consequences of stabbing that elbow with my fork. Â (In my childhood home that move was forbidden as an indication of bad manners, but in this case, I didn't think I would be able to snag a bite even if I made the blow!) His entree came before mine, which was unfortunately what began this train of thought for me. Â He also had an imperial roll which looked tasty but disappeared too quickly for me to get a good look at the innards. Â
Also, a definite bonus is they provide nice heavy chopsticks rather than balsa wood pull-aparts. Â Everything is absolutely fresh too.
The food is absolutely worthy of a 5 rating... the last time we went it was the first week they opened, we had a large party and everything was wonderful... but the service was really slow and bad. Â (Let me qualify... my noodle dish may have been the best I've ever had but I was so desperately thirsty I could hardly think.) Also, in such a small space, I'd rather our entrees be slightly out of sync than have something be over or undercooked so I'm willing to let the timing issue slide to a certain extent - but although this time the service was radically improved it is still not quite there yet.
Â
The space is tiny (former home of Simply Thai), clean and the atmosphere is friendly... I would definitely recommend this restaurant and will return, but advise a bit of patience.
Namnam is a very small building with seating inside as well as outside. The first time we went, we were searching for bubble teas since 'bubble cup' had closed down. Although we were successful, the teas had more of a slushy texture. Still delicious, we came back days later for more. I recommend the thai chai ... definitely the taste of fall :) and of course, taro, which is yummy (tastes like a sugar cookie to me).
We finally decided to try the food on a Saturday evening. There was a handful of people there, plenty of seats to choose from. I had the shaking beef, which was the best pieces of beef i might have ever had. It was tender and juicy (filet mignon, i might add). My mom had the special ... which was great, just haven't seen it since. and my finance got the Saigon Noodles with chicken, and holy moly ... that's what we both ended up getting the next weekend when we went :) I would also recommend the vietnamese tacos. Usually when something is sooo tasty, i get a little giggly and excited ... and these made me that way.
I really give Namnam 4.5 stars because i'm just glad i don't have to drive all the way to vietnam kitchen. This is closer and better!!
Solid choice if you feel like Vietnamese, but aren't close to the plethora of authentic options in the Southern Parkway area. Â I would consider Namnam more "fusion" than "authentic", but it is good nonetheless.
The interior is very stark with a few tables and a tiny takeout window where the register is (there is waiter service). Â For this reason, we chose to sit outside. Â Service was friendly.
I got the lemongrass pork banh mi and added an imperial roll. Â The bread was crunchy, the veggies crisp (but had to ask for more jalapenos), and the pork tasty. Â It was a perfect portion - I was just full after finishing. Â Sadly, they were out of boba (apparently a continuation from Joe Y's review when they were also out??), which was very disappointing and
meant I couldn't bet my boba fix. Â My friend got the Vietnamese tacos, which she liked, but commented they were difficult to eat. Â Another friend got the meatball pho, which was good, but the broth was a tad lacking.
The menu is creative and there's definitely a lot of vegetarian options; you can get tofu as the protein in almost every dish (not always the case at a more authentic Viet place). Â Prices are reasonable, so it's worth a stop!
Very good. Very fresh. Brought my kids who love to try new food. My nine year old had the Vietnamese Tacos. He loved them so much I didn't even get to try. My eleven year old daughter had the Saigon chicken which was delicious and spicy. It was all good especially the avocado smoothies.
Review Source:By far the best Vietnamese restaurant in Louisville. Everything was fresh and delicious, and the service was great to boot! My lunch was so good I came back a few days later for dinner.
There was plenty of veggie stuff for me. Buddha roll+Saigon noodles+avocado smoothie made a perfect dinner. I had also tried the tofu banh mi for lunch before and it was fantastic! The bread was fresh and flaky. Really nice, and I'm not usually a big bread person. I also had a taro bubble tea, which was very tasty. I love bubble tea and am glad there's a good spot for it in Louisville now.
I brought my friend along for dinner and he spoke very highly of the Namnam roll and beef pho.
I wish I still lived in Louisville so I could come here all the time. I'll definitely be popping in whenever I visit.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
