This is our 'go-to' sushi place. It helps that we live just around the corner, but we also love to sit at the bar and banter with the bartenders, GM, owner, and sushi chefs. It's a friendly place with good food to boot! I have had just about every single sushi roll and a handful of their entrees and am rarely disappointed. While the "half-price sushi" seems like a great deal, the prices on the menu are a bit inflated and it makes prices right on par with pretty much all other spots in HP/Mt Lookout. A definite must try!
Review Source:3.5 stars. Â A nice experience. Â I was in town from Los Angeles, and was suspect when my family wanted to take me to a "sushi" place on a Sunday in Ohio (as I have several world class sushi spots within five miles from my house). Â Place is warmly decorated-- somewhere between a dive and a bistro. Â Clean and rather large-- waitress was sweet and the service was decent. Â Sushi prices are high, but I guess they're half price all the time, so the prices were actually very reasonable. Â Tried a bunch of the specialty rolls, and they were small and just okay (remember where I live); however, had the lemongrass pho, and I have to say it was very good. Â Full bar, friendly service, decent food-- a nice find for the area. Â I'd definitely go back the next time I'm in town and have another big bowl of pho!
Review Source:This is one of the few restaurants that are open till late night. Out from the movie theater at 10:00 night, when you are looking for a place for nice comforting dinner, Saigon cafe comes to my mind. They have a very cheerful team. The food is excellent. We  tried the Cab rangoon, Assorted Vegetables with Shrimp stirfry and Vegetable fried rice. I highly recommend this with all my sensitive stomach.
Review Source:One of my Favorite restaurants in Cincinnati! Staci the GM and Alex the owner are amazing. Â My favorite server is Sarah. Â Coming from
Chicago & the incredible food & ambiance this place felt like home! I visit almost weekly! The pho is out of this world & sushi is SO fresh & creative!
Great for a group dinner, romantic date or a girls night out!!
Love the live music, half price sushi and wine on weds & thurs
The idea of this place is promising-- healthy, fresh food. Â However, I was not impressed with the food at all. Â The sushi I got was barely edible, and spring rolls were meh. I think I could have made them better at home. Â I did not actually try the pho, but my friend's pho did not look appetizing at all, and I will not be back to try it.
Review Source:We love this place. Â Ricky, the sushi chef, is one of the best in town. (For all of you Beluga fans, Ricky was one of the chefs there.) They have a great selection of unique sushi but, if that isn't your thing, there are many other choices including a sea bass that is heavenly! Â Their retail wine night specials make this a cheap place for a quick week night bite. Â Service isn't always fast but that's okay; the food is worth the wait.
Review Source:My girlfriend  and I set out for Cumin, but they were closed, and we came upon Saigon Cafe on  the next block by accident.  I'm so glad we did!
This tastefully decorated and cozy restaurant served up some incredible Vietnamese dishes. Â Famished after a day of painting and errands, we started with two appetizers - vegetarian crepe and Vietnamese sandwich. Â The crepe was cooked perfectly - thin, light, with crispy edges. Â The tofu was awesome, lightly fried, with some nice veggies and sauce complementing the dish. Â The crepe covered a whole plate, but was light enough not to fill you up. Â The sandwich, served on a small grilled baguette, was incredible. Â The chicken was well seasoned, the cilantro and bean spouts added fresh tastes and texture. Â I spiced my half up with the freshly sliced jalapeno peppers.
My entree was "shaken beef," whose fresh ingredients--noodles, thin slice tenderloin, shaved carrots, sauce, etc.--were served side by side in a large bowl for mixing. Â It was a real fresh tasting, light dish. Â My partner ordered the (meal-sized) seafood soup, which was accompanied by four dishes containing three different sauces to flavor the soup, and another dish of sliced limes. Â The soup was intensely flavorful, and probably the better of the two entrees. Â Next visit, I will definitely order one of the soups (there are over a half dozen varieties).
Our waiter was excellent. He patiently answered our questions, and spoke to us as if we were his only customers. Â He knew the menu very well.
There's a good drink menu, and my light, crisp Tsingtao (Chinese beer) and her sparking white wine went so well with the dishes.
I can't wait to go back!
So the last time I was at Saigon Cafe it was Nov 2011....So I felt the need to revise my first review also the space has been remodeled and I believe has new owners.
Saturday afternoon I lunched with 7 other ladies and lots of wine! Our waitress Gina was very attentive and handled our large, rowdy party quite well. We started with some edamame, Vietnamese Crepe (banh xeo) and popcorn chicken. I was pleasantly surprised by the of lightly tempura chicken appetizer, totally unexpected. The crepe was perfectly cooked and delicious. Next we moved onto the sushi: the special rolls were heavenly roll & I forget the name, probably b/c it was unique (had small lemon slices on top, but not my fave. As for the heavenly roll, it speaks for itself...amazing! We also shared a spicy tuna and the Hyde Park roll. My friend Steph ordered the ginger walleye, she shared a few bites of the tasty fish. This is something I probably would not order from the menu, but definitely planning on ordering my own plate next time! The fish was accompanied with steamed mushrooms, snow peas, and celery and a serving of steamed white rice.
I highly recommend Saigon Cafe....I've been craving it since the weekend. Looks like I will be returning very soon for some half price sushi and wine!
Saigon Cafe is a slight hodge-podge of Asian food. While it boasts Vietnamese and sushi, the long menu includes Thai and some stir-fry dishes that I associate more with Chinese food. Not that it's a problem.
Things I'm loving: half price sushi pretty much any time when you eat in, which is particularly nice because the specialty rolls are pretty pricey. Half price bottles of wine Sunday-Thursday. Good happy hour drink prices. The food is fresh and tasty. Good service, bordering on too attentive. Lots of good seating space, including an outdoor patio area.
Things I'm less enthused about: While the entrees are good, they are probably overpriced by a few dollars, so there's more of an incentive to get half-price sushi. Sushi rice was so-so, though that is sort of balanced by the fact that there is a good amount of fish compared to the rice.
Overall, pretty good spot. Probably will throw this in my rotation of sushi or takeout nights.
P.S. 10% of your bill if you pay in cash, and there is more parking across Erie in the other lot, so don't be discouraged by the tiny lot adjacent to the restaurant.
I was unfamiliar with this place until this year's Asian Food Festival, and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Â
I ordered chicken fried rice and it was very dry. Â I don't know if that means it was overcooked or if it was sitting out and dried out, but it was not good eats. Â Now, the flavor of the rice was pretty good, but it was overshadowed by the fact that the rice was dry. Â I had to add more soy sauce than I would like to moisten it to make it a little more palatable.
Even though I'm giving Saigon Cafe 2 stars, I would go back. Â It could have just been an off day. Â Everyone else was satisfied with their food. Â If I do go back, I'll be ordering something different.
My husband and I were very excited to see a new Vietnamese restaurant open up within two miles of our house and had meant to try it for several months. One late night after an evening of drinking at Haps we decided we needed some food and noticed that Saigon Cafe was still open and offering half price sushi. We sat on the patio and ordered several of the regular rolls as well as the chicken bahn mi appetizer. We were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the sushi and the low price. We didn't even try any of their specialty rolls the first time.
So when we were craving sushi a few days ago we quickly realized Saigon Cafe was the place to go. We were starving and wanted a quick meal before working on some home repairs. We walked in and were quickly seated. I wish I remember our waitresses name because I want to praise her for her quick and efficient service. All I remember is that she had teal-blue streaks in her hair. A testament to how amazing the service was: we spent a total of 35 minutes at the restaurant. We could have stayed longer - it's not that we felt rushed - we just wanted to get home to work on the house. And our waitress made it so. This time we tried a couple specialty rolls as well as a couple new regular rolls. Again the sushi was absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. From what I can tell the sushi is always half-priced as long as you eat in. And unlike other sushi restaurants, Saigon Cafe doesn't jack up their prices so that the half-price is more like regular price.
It's dangerous that this place is so close to our house... I know that my sushi craving can be satisfied at any time. I can guarantee you that we will be returning many times to sample the remainder of the menu!
Ok, my experience of this joint is as a night cap to an evening of drinking.  Mind you, not 2 AM raging drinking, but, hey, that was a good night, let's finish with some grub.  their half price sushi specials are pretty comprehensive,  wifey and I had 4 basic rolls and a a decent banh-mi for about 20 bucks.  There was a guy playing acoustic music outside which adds a nice layer of kick backness to the joint, definitely an upgrade over Sake bomb, the previous business.  Haven't tried their other dishes, but  for sure have a late night snack spot on my list.
Review Source:I have experienced a lot of authentic Vietnamese food. Â I throughly enjoy authentic Pho. Â I recently relocated to Cincinnati and have been searching for great tasting Pho. Â I saw this place on yelp and decided to give it a try.
When I entered the establishment, I was greeted by a nice lady and I decided to sit at the bar. Â I ordered their Spring Rolls (which seemed to be the same as Basil Rolls). Â The roll was good, but not great. Â It was a little small and skimpy on the ingredients. Â I then ordered the large bowl of combo pho. Â This was the rare beef, brisket, and tripe. Â The pho came very quickly and was piping hot. Â The restaurant does not furnish a typical salad (basil, sprouts, jalapenos, and lime). Â If you ask, the server will bring. Â My server stated most people don't eat it and they quit furnishing it. Â They only put a little in the pho. Â (Well if you don't eat it, you don't like traditional pho). Â They had all the typical sauces.
The pho broth was very good. Â The only issue with the bowl was very little rice noodles and meat. Â It was very expensive compared to what you received ($12.00 for large). Â I am accustomed to paying $8.00 for a large at Pho Da Loi in Atlanta. Â (By the way it gets 5 stars). Â
I ordered a Iced Vietnamese coffee. Â It was average. Â They did not put enough coffee grounds to make it very strong like traditional Vietnamese coffee.
I am not sure I will return. Â It was not horrible, but not great either. Â I left a little disappointed.
The BF and I were shopping and, as usual, he had a craving for Pho. We were driving around Hyde Park trying to decide where to go when I spotted an ad on a bus stop bench for "Healthy Vietnamese" at Saigon Cafe. I said, let's try it. We were both so happy we did. Since out first visit, we've been back several times. We can't tell you how the other food is, but the BF will tell you they have really good Pho. I will tell you that they have wonderful bun. If you don't know what bun is, you need to try it. It's a cold noodle Vietnamese dish served with fresh vegetables and a dressing (tofu or meat, too). I got the tofu bun, which the server asked whether it could be made with fish sauce or vegan. I opted for the vegan, which only changes the dressing/sauce you get served. The bun was very good and left me wanting it again (in fact, I've since learned to make it myself.) If you like sushi, they have half price sushi all the time (of course, if it's half price all the time, then it's not really half price...is it?) However, their prices seem to be reasonable anyway--at least on what we ordered--and the portions are good sized. We also had great service, with our server remembering us the second time we came back. It's hard to find good Vietnamese food in Cincinnati, but Saigon Cafe is definitely one place that delivers. We definitely want to go back (again) when the weather is nice, since you can bring your dog to dine with you on the patio.
UPDATE: The restaurant has been remodeled a bit and the lower dining room entrance is now to the right of the door instead of after the bar; it also looks like they made the bar bigger. Tammy is a fantastic server and remembered us, even though it had been a while since we'd been there. The previous time we visited, the food was not as good as before, so I don't know if they were just having an off day in the kitchen or what. This most recent visit redeemed them. I wasn't really looking forward to eating there, but the BF had is Pho craving again. Even though I think it's a little pricey for lunch (weekday lunch menu is less expensive) the food was good. We got the usual, chicken Pho for the BF and vegetable bun for me. My only complaint with the menu is that they actually have very few vegetarian dishes listed. In fact, besides the bun, I only noticed a couple of vegetarian appetizers. Not really what I expect in any kind of Asian restaurant.
I had never been to this place before, but I was out with a friend searching for a late night meal and I was craving Thai. This spot was open until 11 and so off we went.
We actually got there at about 10:50 and we worried they'd throw us out. Nope! The kitchen was still open and they were happy to make us something (we were there to take it and run but we could have stayed if we wanted, which was nice.)
This is a mood-lit, slick, chic restaurant. Sushi bar followed by real bar as you walk in and a couple of great dining rooms following that. The food can take a little long to prepare sometimes depending on when you come in but the staff has always been friendly to me and I've never had a real issue.
I like Saigon Cafe because of their long menu ... or menus, plural. They have a complete lunch menu, a complete dinner menu and a complete sushi menu. If you're in the mood for something specific, more than likely they'll have it here.
The prices can be expensive, about $15 to $20 for an entree, but the food is tasty. I got the normal pad thai and it was delicious. My friend got the Lemongrass Chicken with noodles, which they said was spicy and then she asked for it at a 5, the spiciest it got. Even then it has a burn but not a giant kick to it. If you want it really, really spicy like she did, make sure to ask for it.
All in all, a good spot for some Thai food ... especially if it is late and you've got to have it.
Sunday through Thursday is half priced wine and sushi, which is AWESOME. I came in with a party of seven and we ordered multiple appetizers and sushi rolls, all of which were great. The spring rolls and Vietnamese sandwich were delish, the seaweed salad  and the ginger salad are wonderful. I don't normally like sushi and am not a huge fan of this type of food, but i loved it. our server was also very good. I definitely recommend this place- especially when you get a half priced bottle on the weekdays!
Review Source:Uh, yeah.
The one star for the waitress. She tended to our every need and was very friendly.
I went expecting good pho, but didn't get it.
My boyfriend and I walked in and, I'm guessing the guy who was supposed to be the maitre 'd was sitting in the waiting area. I didn't even know he worked there until he said. "Guess I should get you a server..." Bad vibe from there on.
I had the goi con and the combination beef pho.The pho was interesting. The noodles were all clumped together and the broth didn't taste like anything. I had the small pho for 9.00. It was not worth the 9.00 at all. I could have gotten two bowls at Pho Lang Thang or Cilantro!! There were hardly any beef pieces, and whatever I had was very bland. The goi con was old, because the wrapper was tough and chewy. The portion was not worth the 5.00... :/
No fresh basil, or bean sprouts, or the usual platter of soup additions. The waitress was kind enough to ask about jalapenos, but that's about it.
Very disappointing and dead on a Sunday night. There was an extensive alcohol list... I expect a few people to be having some drinks there? Had a very mixed atmosphere.
Called "Saigon Cafe", but their Vietnamese food wasn't very good. I expected better. :/ I really tried, but it was WAY TOO expensive for something that isn't very good at all!
About a year back the wife and I got really excited when we heard that a Vietnamese restaurant was going to open in the old Sake Bomb spot on Erie. Â We thought Sake Bomb was sad-sack, and we love Vietnamese food, so we were thinking "huge upgrade."
But my heart sank when Saigon Cafe started pre-advertising on local bus benches. Â "Sushi and cocktails," the signs read. Â I thought, "Oh boy, here we go again: Â yet another slick East Side yupscale pan-Asian place." Â Except with Vietnamese food instead of Thai for the anchor cuisine. Â
And, at least at the beginning, that's pretty much what Saigon Cafe was. Â
It's got a very sleek modern look, and it opened with an attractive young waitstaff (although only one Asian server from what I could tell), a long wine and beer list, an overpriced sushi list that looked like every other one in Hyde Park, and super-crappy pop music (on the night we were there, a mix of Auto-Tuned dance poop and annoying oldies) played too loudly. Â
In other words, a slick scene that already existed in almost identical form at about a half-dozen different pan-Asian restaurants in Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout. Â Ugh. Â For us, a major disappointment. Â I held off reviewing the place in the hopes that things might change for the better.
The silver lining was that, for a restaurant that had just opened, the couple of Vietnamese standards we tried were very good. Â In fact, a bowl of pho was probably the best I've had in the Cincy area: Â the broth was not terribly rich, but enough so, and more delicate and complex than I've had around here. Â The wife had nice things to say about the bun (vermicelli bowl), too, pronouncing it better than any she's had locally other than Pho Lang Thang's. Â
But holy crap, this was the most expensive pho and bun we'd ever had: Â Something like twelve bucks for an ordinary-sized bowl. Â Went back a couple of weeks later and ordered com suon nuong, but the kitchen overcooked the pork chop into the texture of shoe leather. Â And we noted that the prices for pho and bun had gotten a couple of dollars more expensive, at maybe $14 for a large. Â Which was insane.
The wife basically said the hell with this place, so for months I didn't get back.
My pho obsession got the best of me, though, and I saw on-line that Saigon Cafe and re-juggled the menus again. Â The prices have come down a couple of bucks, a lunch menu is offered on weekdays, and the menu has expanded to include more Vietnamese options and jettison some other Asian stuff (although not the ubiquitous East-Side sushi). Â So I went in for lunch one Saturday.
I can report that the pho is still quite good, if still too expensive ($9-$12) at night and on weekends. Â And the meat portion in the soup was slightly skimpy, with the beef overcooked. Â A warning: Â the kitchen adds in the basil and sprouts for you, instead serving it on the side as at most Vietnamese places.
These developments are encouraging enough that I hope to talk the wife into going back....
UPDATE: Â I talked the wife into going back. Â She thought the bun was now subpar.
I was really impressed with my lunch at Saigon Cafe this past Saturday. In fact, I couldn't wait to go back.
The space was bright and cheerful, and the hostess saw us walking up and opened the door. On our first visit, our server was knowledgeable and accommodating -- he said everything could be made vegetarian and even offered an alternative sauce, without fish, for my vegetable bun. When we'd ask for the same on other visits, the server would generally be stumped but would ask and let us know it was okay.
I've been several times and enjoyed many things off the menu. Sometimes, though, I didn't know what to expect until it came. I think one time we got 6 spring rolls between my dining partner and me! We ordered two as a starter, which turned out to be two orders of two, and then there was one each on our bun! They just kept coming, but that's not a complaint!
We may or may not be there at least once a week.
We may or may not order ~5 entrees because they're all so good.
We may or may not have started to choose saigon cafe over chipotle as our sunday night go-to (eek. i never thought i'd say no to chipotle).
but in all seriousness, i'm a huge fan of saigon cafe because of a few simple reasons:
- extremely reasonable prices. Â like all asian restaurants in cincinnati, the sushi is half off if you dine-in. Â also like many asian restaurants in cincinnati, it covers the gammat of asian cuisine, from chinese to thai to vietnamese and to japanese. Â it actually does each fairly well (we dabble across all of them in our 5-entree-dinners).
- good food, fast. Â The ambiance is great for lounging around (sushi bar, sports bar, "waterfall" room, live music, etc, all under one roof), or if you're in for a quick meal, they'll get you out of there quickly as well. Â the food is always spot-on. Â I love the vietnamese omelet, their entire vermicelli offering, and all rolls that i've tried (though that's been limited to the Kapa Skin and Steamed Lobster rolls). Â Their Banh-mi is good, but i have to say that it's not the most authentic that I've had. Â Still, a delicious sandwich.
- friendly, down to earth service. Â We've asked to be reseated and then reseated again, asked to have our orders come out in odd arrangements, asked countless questions about nearly every item on the menu, and asked the host to take a drink with us. Â despite all of our pesky questions, the service has been friendly, down-to-earth, and amicable.
Also, pay cash & get 10% discount. Â Don't forget that takeout sushi is not 50%! Â Additional parking on the side street.
yes, i come here too often.
Saigon Cafe is a terrific neighborhood sushi joint. They advertise 1/2 price rolls and wine bottle all the time (begging the question, why not just publish the discounted price as the actual price). Sushi is rolled by the entrance at the sushi bar. Don't forget to look at the hot menu. The whole bass with ginger sauce is simply outstanding. The price is rice and the food quality is terrific. I'm a fan!
Review Source:Loved everything about our visit. Â Met at the door by a very welcoming host, seated in a relaxing room with a wall of water streaming down beside our table, joined by friends, and thoroughly enjoyed amazing & delicious food.
Tried the Seaweed Salad first...mmmmmm...great flavors to begin with. Â Then tried the highly recommended "Big Mouth" roll. Â So glad I did, wow, exquisite! Â Then we ordered the Lemongrass Chicken. Â It was savory and so pleasurable. Â
They made sure our glasses were always kept half full (I like this). Loved the real flowers on the tables and the overall atmosphere. Â Perfect!
Typically, Vietnamese restaurants do not have good sushi. Or sushi spots do not have good Vietnamese food. For once in this city - this restaurant does a blend of both really well.
For only spending $30 - I got two appetizers (seaweed salad and spring rolls - both EXCELLENT) and then (3) sushi rolls. I highly, highly recommend the "Big Mouth" roll. It's mouth-watering amazing.
And if you don't like sushi, then get something off their Vietnamese menu like the Pad Thai or Bun. Both great as well.
And if you don't like either - don't come here, duh!
LOVE the sushi! Â Everytime I come here they always have some kind of special. Â Half priced sushi or bottle of wine. Â
I got the lettuce wraps with my sushi, and they are really delicious! Â I would like to try more on the menu. Â But for now, I am satisfied with this restaurant. Â
The staff is really nice and it is very clean inside.
I can't believe it -- authentic pho in Cincinnati! Caveats: There's only one option for beef pho on the menu (rare steak); a small bowl is $9; the bean sprouts, meat, and green onions are already added into the broth by the kitchen; and there was about half the beef and noodles in the bowl compared to what I'm used to. Nevertheless, I feel that the most important part of a bowl of pho is the taste and FINALLY this place hit the nail on the head. Next time I really want pho I will head over here...a craving is a craving!
Oh yeah, and according to my dining companions, everything else here is supposedly good too :)
One of my favorite new places in Cincinnati. Delicious, authentic, and very good Vietnamese food, with great drink specials. We love the bahn mi sandwich, spring rolls, pho, ban salads, and the shaking lemongrass beef. Â Yum! Â I've missed Vietnamese food (I'm originally from Seattle), and am really happy to finally have a place nearby. Â
I'm sad to see the poor reviews below - we have had nothing but great service the two times we have gone, but that was on a Tuesday and a Wednesday, so maybe it is different when they are busy. Â But I would whole-heartedly recommend this place to anyone I know. Â Check it out yourself!
This was my first visit, but my friend that ate with me eats here all the time. Â I was not impressed. Â I did try the sushi, but I have come to the conclusion that I just do not like sushi. Â I have tried it at several places and it is just not for me...so this has nothing to do with the restaurant. Â My friend ate hers and loved it!
So since the sushi didn't work out, I order the chicken pad thai. Â I did not really care for it. Â It is much better at the Teak in Mt. Adams or Wild Ginger in Oakley.
The servers were great and the management and sushi chefs greeted us when we got there and thanked us for visiting before we left. Â Overall...great service...food meh.
$5 for one of the best Dirty Martinis I have had in Cincinnati, and half-price sushi puts Saigon Cafe on my top 10 list. Â We found the service to be excellent (our waiter Tim was both attentive and engaging) and the food quite tasty.
Although I think the Pho is better at the Vietnamese Place at Findlay market, Â it still offered me the comfortable, warm broth that I love.
Make sure you try the seaweed salad and the crepe app!
- Lovely restaurant
- Good location
- Live music + great ambiance + cute interior decor
- Delicious Vietnamese food & sushi -- we ordered the Dragon Roll & Banh Xeo for apps and Bun for main course.
- Drinks were great as well -- highly recommend the Mango or Coconut Mojito!
- Attentive and respectful wait staff. Server was helpful and knew the menu well. Â
Very pleased with our experience and certainly will come back!
Finally checked this place out on a Saturday night with a group of friends. Â We opted to sit outside, where most of the action was on this pleasant evening. Â They have a large interior and when winter comes, I'm sure it will be full. Â
I got sushi, like always, but had bites of the stir fries. Â Most of the food was pretty good and fresh, although the uni was a little old and fishy for my taste. Â We were hoping to try a appetizer, but our waiter messed up our order. Â Which brings me to the problem with this place. Â The feel of the space is upscale but the waitstaff is very informal if not bordering on unprofessional. Â Our waiter told us not to order the pad thai because it's not very good there. Â I appreciated the honesty, but then he forgot our appetizer and each of our meals came out about 10-15 minutes apart and our cold sake was room temperature. Â And then the waiter at the table behind us went ahead and sat down to have a drink with the party. Â The manager was in-house, but didn't seem concerned about these things, spending most of his night by the bar grumbling about the poor showing at his restaurant. Â The food was definitely passable and I'll eat here again, but if it hopes to make it with the Hyde Park crowd, the game is going to have to be stepped up.
We sat outside, it was very loud. Â The service was great, much better than the food. Â I had the fried rice combo and my husband had the stir fry with cashews. Â BLAND is all I can say. Â We did start with a 1/2 price sushi roll that was tasty. Â If your looking for good sushi I say go; but you may want to skip the entree.
Review Source:My buddy and I went here looking for a big bowl of pho. Â To me, pho is comfort food. Â It's good when you're hung over. Â It's also good on a cold day. Â Unfortunately, Saigon Cafe failed to deliver. Â I had the combo pho, which includes well done steak, tripe, and meatballs. Â $13 for a bowl of this is waaay over-priced. Â All the Vietnamese places that I've been to recently have all had a larger bowl of pho, with more meat and more noodles for about $9. Â They also only gave us a very small amount of bean sprouts to share for both of our phos. Â Their broth also wasn't very flavorful, which is pretty much the kiss of death for a bowl of pho.
The only redeeming feature was that they have half-priced sushi right now since they just opened. Â We had the White Scorpion roll and some kinda Crunch roll, which were both pretty tasty. Â They were large rolls, and for about $6.50 were a pretty good deal. Â The service when we went was also pretty good. Â
I would probably come back more for the half-priced sushi (while it lasts) than for the pho at this point.
Had a fun evening at Saigon Cafe, but the joint has some work to do if it's going to last.
We started with happy hour at the bar. Â Nice deals on martinis and well drinks, but no deals for the beer and wine drinkers. Â Bartenders were friendly and attentive, although at times overzealous. Â When I sit at the bar and tell the bartender that I'm waiting for friends and plan to move to a table for dinner, I don't expect to be asked four times in 30 minutes if I'm ready to order.
Three of the four in our party had versions of the bun salad. Â They were light and delicious, although we had to ask our server to bring sauces to the table. Â She hadn't offered any. Â It would be a shame if someone new to Vietnamese cuisine did not realize they could really spice up their salad. Â
The restaurant appeared to be more than adequately staffed, and we never waited long for anything (except cocktails, which the bartenders took a long time to make....could be a problem on a busier night). Â But servers just didn't seem to be very well-trained. Â They were not familiar with menu items and did not have much polish in terms of communicating with customers. Â
To sum up, if you're on the East Side, where there really aren't any other choices for Vietnamese, and you do not have high expectations for service, Saigon is decent for a casual meal.
Goodnight Saigon.
I hate to have such dismal hopes for a new restaurant that actually has pretty tasty food, but the service alone will sink this pho-licious ship.
Perhaps we should have waiting longer to go with a large group.
Perhaps I should have known our server may not be on his A-game when I witnessed him complaining about having to take our table before the rest of our party arrived.
Perhaps, once we waited 45 minutes for our check, were asked for our order a second time because there was "something wrong with the computer", and were handed two different completely wrong checks, we should have gotten up and left. All the while, our server was completely melting down. He got downright rude with someone who just honestly wanted to know where his check was, and hijacked peoples' credit cards for upwards of 30+ minutes before bringing them back with the wrong checks. Slowly but surely, the buttons of his black shirt were coming undone, and the last time we saw him, black shirt-tails flapping in the breeze, he was accusing one of our table-mates of dining and dashing on their check. They didn't. They paid the bill they were given after waiting 45 minutes. If that's not what they ordered, how much longer were they supposed to wait, and whose fault is that?
I never want to go back here again, and that bums me out, since the food was quite tasty. My husband and I split the house special spring roll with chilled roast pork. Delicious! Fresh and tasty, with a nice chili vinegar sauce for dipping. I got the pho with roast pork, while husband enjoyed Mi Xao noodles with roast pork. Both were delightful. I would eat all of these things again. Other people were also very happy with their food, appetizers, and sushi. If not for the absolutely horrible service, I could see myself eating here regularly.
The only reason we ever got out of there was that we, as the last two couples of the group, got up and took matters into our own hands. We found someone else who could ring our order into the computer, print us checks, and let us leave. Why nobody was helping our server was beyond me. It was 100% clear from the beginning that he wasn't up to the task. What happened to the person who came and took our orders a second time so that they could be re-rung into the computer? Never saw her again. And the person who I presume was the owner/manager never stopped by our table, never said a word, and seemed oblivious to the difficulties we had experienced as he bid us goodnight on our way out the door.
If you have nowhere else to be, and you can handle completely jacked up customer service, you'll be rewarded with good food. If you don't want to tell people to send a search party to find you if you're not seen in 3 hours, you may want to skip it. Good luck, Saigon cafe.
UPDATE: We've since gotten our credit card bill from that time period and we were billed twice--once for the correct amount, and once for the wrong bill that they tried to give us 2 different times.I'm not even sure how they managed to bill us the 2nd time since we never gave them our card with the wrong bill. At this point, I'm very, very sure we're never going back.
Off to a good start. We had the calamari which was just okay. Â My husband and I split the Mi Xao Don which was very tasty. Â The shrimp were cooked perfectly. Â It has been a very long time since I have had shrimp cooked that well. Â We also split the Big Mouth which was also very good but took at least three bites to finish (hence the name) which is just a touch too big for my liking. Â Would still order again. Â The space is still coming together and the lighting is a little off but these are all small things that should fall into place as the restaurant finds it's personality. Â Certainly worth a try.
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