Ong Tao Vegan — Restaurant in Frankfurt

We went yesterday spontaneously; a very rainy Sunday night - and hadn't made reservations. When we arrived the only place we could sit was outside under a roof, which -while dry- was chilly and there was a water stream we tried to avoid stepping in. Our server promised to keep out an eye for inside seating and luckily after our appetizers, we could move into the cozy warm restaurant, which we were very thankful for, also our toddler found inside way more interesting. Among the things we ordered were several dumplings (very good), a sushi platter, mango smoothies (absolutely delicious, though frustrating to drink with a thin paper straw, a glass straw would work a million times better), a burger in a dumpling bun and vegan duck in mango curry. I didn't love the vegan duck (it had a slight smokey flavor that I didn't like) and it was a very generous portion of 'meat' which I didn't need, but it was kind of cool to try something new, and I loved the mango curry sauce with the veggies and rice. Our little one love the fried rice and was busy eating it the whole time we were there 🙃 After seeing what other people were served, we're excited to come back and try some other things, that seem very popular. I hope to update the review to a full 5 stars, once we go back in a couple of months. All in all, I recommend checking this place out. It's so nice to have so many vegan options to choose from - I love it for that reason alone 😄 It has a nice courtyard in the back for sunny days and be sure to make reservations, even on a...

We recently had the pleasure of dining at Ong Tao, a vegan Vietnamese restaurant in Frankfurt, and we must say that the experience was a mixed bag. It was pleasant to find this important cuisine presented in its vegan glory, and we were impressed by the well-cooked and beautifully presented dishes.

However, the restaurant was so full that the noise eliminated any chance of conversation. We found the place bustling with customers, which created a vibrant atmosphere, but unfortunately, it also made it extremely difficult for us to hold a conversation. The noise level was quite high, making it hard to hear each other and forcing us to raise our voices just to be heard across the table. This aspect significantly hindered our enjoyment of the meal and the overall ambiance of the restaurant.

Furthermore, the wait staff, while polite, seemed rushed due to the high number of patrons. It was evident that they were overwhelmed and struggling to keep up with the demands of the crowded establishment. As a result, there were occasional delays in service and some minor lapses in attention to detail. While we appreciated their politeness, we believe that a more relaxed and attentive dining experience would have enhanced our visit.

Lastly, we were taken aback by the size of the restaurant. With the capacity to squeeze approximately 350 people within its walls, the space felt overly crowded, particularly during peak hours. We believe that it would have been more enjoyable if the restaurant had allowed for more breathing room between tables, creating a more intimate and comfortable setting.

In conclusion, Ong Tao offered a delightful array of well-cooked and beautifully presented dishes that showcased the flavors of Vietnam in their vegan glory. However, the overwhelming noise and the rushed service due to the crowded nature of the restaurant hindered our overall experience. We would consider returning only if the restaurant addressed these concerns and found a way to create a more serene and relaxed dining environment.

Wir hatten vor kurzem das Vergnügen, im Ong Tao, einem veganen vietnamesischen Restaurant in Frankfurt, zu speisen, und wir müssen sagen, dass das Erlebnis ein gemischtes Erlebnis war. Es war angenehm, diese wichtige Küche in ihrer veganen Pracht präsentiert zu sehen, und wir waren beeindruckt von den gut zubereiteten und wunderschön präsentierten Gerichten.

Allerdings war das Restaurant so voll, dass der Lärm jede Unterhaltung unmöglich machte. Wir fanden den Ort voller Kunden, was für eine lebendige Atmosphäre sorgte, es uns aber leider auch extrem schwer machte, ein Gespräch zu führen. Der Lärmpegel war ziemlich hoch, so dass wir uns gegenseitig nur schwer verstehen konnten und wir unsere Stimmen lauter erheben mussten, nur um am anderen Ende des Tisches gehört zu werden. Dieser Aspekt beeinträchtigte unseren Genuss des Essens und des gesamten Ambientes des Restaurants erheblich.

Darüber hinaus wirkte das Personal zwar höflich, wirkte aber aufgrund der großen Anzahl an Gästen gehetzt. Es war offensichtlich, dass sie überfordert waren und Schwierigkeiten hatten, mit den Anforderungen des überfüllten Establishments Schritt zu halten. Infolgedessen kam es gelegentlich zu Verzögerungen beim Service und zu einigen kleineren Mängeln bei der Liebe zum Detail. Obwohl wir ihre Höflichkeit zu schätzen wussten, glauben wir, dass ein entspannteres und aufmerksameres Speiseerlebnis unseren Besuch bereichert hätte.

Schließlich waren wir von der Größe des Restaurants überrascht. Da in seinen Mauern etwa 350 Personen Platz finden, wirkte der Raum besonders zu Stoßzeiten übermäßig überfüllt. Wir glauben, dass es angenehmer gewesen wäre, wenn das Restaurant mehr Platz zum Atmen zwischen den Tischen gelassen hätte und so eine intimere und komfortablere Atmosphäre geschaffen hätte.

Abschließend bot Ong Tao eine köstliche Auswahl an gut zubereiteten und wunderschön präsentierten Gerichten, die die Aromen Vietnams in ihrer veganen Pracht präsentierten. Allerdings beeinträchtigten der überwältigende Lärm...

We had a reservation for over 10 people. They accommodated us well (the restaurant is family friendly too). The staff were pleasant, kind and were as attentive as possible considering it was a busy Saturday night and the place was full. I have traveled past ong Tao a lot but never noticed it before. The Asian lanterns above the front door are more noticeable at night.

There is quite a large selection of food at reasonable prices and the menu is in German and English making it easy to select. If you don't know Vietnamese, pho bo (beef in noodle soup) is a great place to start and theirs is large with fresh flavours and soft beef slices.

They also have a vegetarian section so we chose noodles with vegetables. I couldn't decide if there was fish sauce on it or not though. I'm sure you could check with the staff about it if there are any ingredients you can't eat.

I also had a Vietnamese style burger in a river flour bun. It was a nice unique take on fast food but I think sticking with their traditional options is where the restaurant excels.

All in all, well worth a visit. If I had to suggest anything, they could put some quiet music on, for atmosphere but it's also...