Co Thu Quan Richmond — Restaurant in Melbourne

Cô Thu Quán is one of Richmond’s hidden gems — a Vietnamese restaurant that feels authentic, welcoming, and consistently delicious. It’s the kind of place you can rely on for comforting, flavour-packed food that tastes homemade, with a menu that’s generous in both variety and portion size.

The food is outstanding. The pho is a highlight — rich, aromatic broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and tender slices of beef or chicken. It has that depth of flavour you only get when it’s made with real care. The rice paper rolls are fresh and light, packed with herbs and crunchy vegetables, and the banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake) is crisp, golden, and full of flavour. Everything tastes vibrant, balanced, and true to its roots.

The menu goes beyond the classics too, with plenty of street food-style dishes that give you a real sense of Vietnamese dining culture. Portions are generous, prices are very reasonable, and everything comes out quickly, hot, and fresh.

The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, with a cosy fit-out that makes it just as good for a quick lunch as it is for a longer dinner with friends or family. It’s welcoming without being fussy, and there’s always a nice buzz in the room.

The staff are friendly and attentive, making you feel at ease from the moment you arrive. They’re quick with service and happy to recommend dishes if you’re unsure what to try.

What makes Cô Thu Quán special is its authenticity and consistency. It’s not trying to be flashy — it just serves up honest, delicious Vietnamese food at a high standard every time.

For anyone in Richmond craving authentic Vietnamese cuisine that’s affordable, hearty, and full of flavour, Cô Thu Quán is an...

I usually don’t leave bad reviews, especially for Vietnamese restaurants that I try to support, but unfortunately our dine-in lunch from 2:15pm to 2:40pm on 6/9/2025 was extremely disappointing.

We ordered two entrées and a main soup dish. After finishing the entrées, I felt full and politely asked if I could take the soup to go. The dish had already been prepared, so I was fine with being given a container to pack it myself. However, the male server in a beige shirt told me they couldn’t do takeaway anymore once the dish left the kitchen. I accepted that, but what followed was unacceptable.

The same server went into the kitchen and loudly announced, in a ridiculing tone, that we wanted to take food away. As someone who speaks Vietnamese, I understood exactly what was being said, and it felt extremely disrespectful. I calmly gave feedback to another staff member, but then the same server returned to our table and started arguing with me, insisting that I was wrong to say he had been yelling. Instead of apologising, he became defensive and continued to be rude throughout the meal.

Even worse, while we were still sitting and eating the rest of our food, he walked over to the cashier counter directly across from our table and deliberately slapped his hand down loudly on the counter, right after the argument, making the situation even more hostile and uncomfortable.

The restaurant did offer a small discount at the end, which was appreciated, but it didn’t make up for the poor treatment and lack of basic customer service from this staff member. As regular customers, we expected...

Not happy with the place today. I used to go here a few times before covid, staffs were polite then.

Now as of 4/2023, the staffs’ attitude here was trash, I have never been served like this in Australia before. I raised my hand 5 times and no one came or told me to wait. Had to call out loud, then a waiter came out looking unhappy. I asked about a dish, he answered briefly then headed off right away, when I was about to order.

To add up to the frustration, I ordered a $20 dish, but the cashier charged me $23. When I raised a question the dude I mentioned before looked unhappy, and then just gave me back 4 50c coins and a $1 coin without saying anything, even when I asked if they ran out of $2 coins. Don’t know why saying a sorry or asking for sympathy is so hard for these people, especially the short waiter with the mullet and a grumpy face. Feels like they did that on purpose to get some extra money off the innocence. Make sure you check your bills before heading off the place!

Most dishes had little to very little meat. Taste in general is alright. But price has skyrocketed after the end of covid with dishes now at least $3 higher. Sad for a place that used to be famous for Northern Vietnamese food, the only thing left now is the bad attitude of the staffs in my memory.

Not going back, and I hope you will fail with...