Bun Bo Hue Kitchen — Restaurant in Duluth

The restaurant is in a plaza, so there are plenty of parking spots. The restaurant doesn’t have a big sign yet, but you can see their logo and name on the front door.

I took my parents here for lunch, and it was packed, probably because today is a holiday. They’re still in their soft opening period, so the operation is a bit of a mess, but the staff are very nice, friendly, and working really hard to make up for it. They’re definitely understaffed. There’s no host, no waiting list, and no proper line. It’s first come, first served in the sense that if you see an empty table, you can seat yourself. If you're waiting outside and someone else walks in and sees an open table, they can take it, even if you've been waiting longer. So if you're visiting as a group and the restaurant is full, it’s best to have at least one person wait inside to grab a table as soon as one opens up.

There were only two servers covering the entire restaurant: taking orders, bringing water, utensils, and food. It would save everyone time if napkins, utensils, and condiments were already set at the table. But maybe they’re still figuring things out. Right now, the tables are completely cleared between customers, so every time new guests sit down, the servers have to run back and forth for all the basics.

Since it’s a soft opening, the menu is very simple, just five items and soft drinks.

Our table had three people. After placing our orders, the chicken wings were brought out and left on the table, but we had to wait quite a while for two sets of utensils. They were so busy that even though we asked multiple times for the third set, it never came, so I ended up grabbing it myself from the utensil cart. We tried 3 out of the 5 dishes on their menu:

Bún bò Huế: Tasty, but a bit too spicy. It's supposed to be spicy, but maybe next time I’ll ask if they offer a milder broth option. Bánh canh: The broth was good. The noodles were a bit too thick and large for my taste. The shrimp and quail eggs were fresh, which I appreciate. Many places use canned quail eggs, but this restaurant uses fresh ones. Umami wings: Not greasy, which is great. I liked that the flavor wasn’t overly salty or seasoned.

You check out at the cashier, but when they asked for my table number, I realized there were no numbers on any of the tables. A server had to come with me so I could point out our table, and he could identify the number. Even then, they got the order wrong. I listed everything we had, and he read back something completely different. I had to repeat our order several times. Luckily, I had included a special note with our order, and they were eventually able to find it, but it was logged under the wrong table number.

All in all, the food, especially the noodles, was good. I’ll likely return once things are more organized or when it’s less crowded. For now, takeout might be the...

This place is a complete disaster masquerading as a Vietnamese restaurant. The kitchen is staffed entirely by Vietnamese cooks, which makes it even more baffling how they managed to butcher bún bò and bánh canh so badly. The flavors were so off, it’s like the dishes were made by someone who had only heard of Vietnamese food but never actually tasted it.

The worst offense? They put cabbage—yes, cabbage—in bánh canh. That’s not a creative twist. That’s culinary vandalism. Bánh canh traditionally comes with green onions, cilantro, and fried shallots—basic toppings found in literally any market, even in the most remote area. There is no excuse for this kind of laziness or ignorance.

If they had branded themselves as something like “XYZ Fusion”, fine—I wouldn’t have expected authenticity. But instead, they chose a name that screams tradition, then served up bastardized versions of classic dishes. That’s not just misleading; it’s false advertising and a slap in the face to the Vietnamese community.

And for what? The prices are outrageous for what little you get. My bowl was basically a tub of bland noodles floating in a oily broth with scraps of meat barely worth mentioning. Honestly, I’ve had supermarket instant soup packs that tasted better.

The experience didn’t stop there. The floor was dirty and dangerously slippery—like, lawsuit-level slippery—and despite having eight staff crammed into a tiny space serving a six-item menu, no one bothered to clean it. It was as if the chaos in the kitchen spilled out into the entire restaurant.

And don’t even get me started on the music. They had what felt like six or more speakers blasting at full volume—it was deafening. My eardrums were ringing, and I literally had to put my face against my wife sitting right next to me to hear what she was saying. It wasn’t a dining experience—it was like trying to eat Vietnamese food on the stage of a rave concert. Absolutely obnoxious and completely out of place.

The only remotely decent thing about the place was the service. The owners made the rounds and checked on customers, which I respect. But that alone can’t save this train wreck of a restaurant. If you care about real Vietnamese food, skip this...

Bun Bo Hue Kitchen

Walked into Bun Bo Hue Kitchen on a Saturday evening after a nice Marshall’s run across the street. I’m not sure if we walked into their soft opening but that’s what the menu mentioned. Upon arrival it was busy! A very good type of busy where they’re still able to look for somewhere for you to sit down which I loved. We were able to comfortably sit and take in that community vibe that the restaurant brings. It’s so amazing to see a kitchen work so flawlessly while maintaining laughter and passion all in one. I’ve been in the restaurant industry for some time so I know how stressful it is to run a kitchen. The server let us know that the Bun Bo Hue had a wait of 15 minutes, you certainly can’t rush perfection so I waited happily. In the meantime I was able to snack on some Xiu Mai (meatballs) with a side of bread. This is a perfect little appetizer for the upcoming season. Definitely so delicious and the cilantro note was amazing!! I was able to taste a fresh pot of Bun Bo Hue shortly after and man was it worth it. I’ve had Bun Bo Hue during my earlier travels along Buford Hwy…BUT This is certainly the best. Perfect spice and great umami, good amount of beef too just WOW. I see why this restaurant has the name. I highly recommend you all to try this. Staff is awesome and the area is not too spacious but it’s comforting enough to enjoy a well prepared dish. My sister was able to accompany me today and she tried the Banh Canh. The udon noodles were the perfect amount of thick (; Broth was savory and the mixture of ingredients was so delicious. I recommend the Banh Canh for something more on the lighter side since it’s not spicy but well balanced. I’m wishing this business a lifetime of success and hope it maintains its delicious food and lively...