Vietnam Restaurant — Restaurant in Corpus Christi

I finally had the opportunity to try out this delightful yet hidden gem of Downtown Corpus Christi. While hidden by an unassuming façade, Vietnam Restaurant's reputation precedes it as a beacon of fine dining and I've been looking for a chance to give it a try and a particularly generous paycheck provided just such a chance. I dined at the tail-end of lunch and was seated very promptly. My first impression was of the atmosphere in general; it's something that I'm always quite critical of and very, very rarely pleased with. Out of all of the dining establishments I've visited in Corpus Christi I would say that Vietnam's atmosphere is the absolute best. Elegant, relaxing and clean are the first words that come to mind. The décor was lovely and the lighting was wonderfully soft. The classic era jazz playing in the background set me at ease and wasn't played too loudly. The seating was well arranged so that I didn't feel crowded and I was quite comfortable.

My server (Keith) was very professional, attentive without being overbearing and knowledgable about the menu. I'm quite ignorant of Vietnamese cuisine and found myself overwhelmed by the choices but he very patiently helped me to narrow it down while educating me about some of the finer points of the menu. He was able to make recommendations according to my tastes, which I took and was not disappointed with. He was accommodating of special requests I made and my drink was never empty despite how quickly I drank. Service was expedient and Keith made sure that everything was to my liking. His descriptions of various menu items made me curious to return and try them, which I'll certainly do at a later date.

The food itself was quite good; I ordered the Imperial Crispy Rolls and the Spicy Beef Sate. The entrée came with a Chicken and Rice soup. All of the food was well-prepared, at the proper temperature and plated in an aesthetically attractive way. The Crispy rolls were not greasy and were quite flavorful. The Beef Sate had a reasonable amount of high-quality beef, and the sauce was very good. The chicken soup was rather bland but my server had great suggestions on how to make it more palatable, so it was fairly enjoyable. While I wasn't feeling particularly adventurous on this this trip, I look forward to trying several other menu items in the future ... particularly the Chef's Signature Napoleon Beef Tenderloin and the Creme Brûlée.

I have very little to say in the way of critique; the prices seemed fair on the lunch menu. Yes, it's a little more expensive than your typical lunch spot, even with a similar cuisine ... however part of the price that I'm happy to pay is for the exquisite atmosphere and exemplary service, both of which you likely won't experience at your local strip mall restaurant. To me, that's what truly sets Vietnam Restaurant apart. I really look forward to future dining experiences and will most...

Came for lunch. Ordered the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp, and the vermicelli with grilled pork bowl from the lunch menu. Service was awesome. The server was very engaging and checked on me frequently. The spring rolls were smaller than I'm used to, and the peanut sauce was okay (but not great). The vermicelli bowl had several pieces of pork, which was very tasty and moist. The bowl also came with a single crisp fried springroll. The addition of too much shredded lettuce hid the small portion size. The server brought a small dish of Sriracha at my request. I've had much better springrolls and vermicelli with pork, and larger portions, at Vietnamese restaurants in the DFW area for far cheaper. I expected better from a chef-helmed kitchen. Here, your clearing paying for Chef Lam's over-sold reputation and the trappings of "fine dining" decor. Nothing "next-level culinary" here. Here are 5 places in Ft. Worth/Haltom City where I could have enjoyed better Vietnamese cuisine for 2 diners, for what one lunch meal cost me here: Tu Hai, My Lan, Noodles @ Boba Tea House, Pho...

Ripped off and insulted.

Had a business meeting here today with a total of 5 people. Lunch menu features all items under $15. We all ordered an off the menu item that the waiter sold us on, Napoleon beef or something of the like, with never any mention of price. When the bill came, the total was a staggaring $275 for our lunch meal of FIVE people. Fortunately the waiter included a $45 automatic gratuity for serving our LARGE 5 person table, so that saved me some trouble. Nice of him.

I tried to negotiate with management but was only insulted and talked down to. Manager refused to let me meet with owner. Spoke with him later in the day and he just hung up on me.

My point is that there is no scenario I can fathom in which you walk into a restaurant with five people, not a menu item over $15, and leave with a $275 bill. Obviously there was either a severe breakdown in communication, or a SEVERE sin of ommission.

I would recommend staying away. Go to Panda Express instead and pay your electricity bill with...