SAIGON'S CORNER Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine — Restaurant in Iowa City

Ok, it's an asian restaurant in a mall- not that there is anything wrong with that but we are gonna use it as a qualifyer here. I went for lunch. There was a motorcycle parked just inside the street side entry door. It was a nice bike. Pretty cool look. There are polished cement floors and it wasn't leaking any fluids. Not a red flag in and of itself. I ordered the phô and spring rolls. I ate with a friend. To be clear, I have a mild phô habbit. It enhances my enjoyment of music and the arts. It was fine. My friend's and my identical orders arrived in four installments. The waitress was super nice and friendly and attentive and the conversation at the table was such that we couldn't have been distracted. That being said the spring rolls arrived well into the conversation, separately and after the two bowls of soup had arrived, also separately. They were training day spring rolls - they contained all the ingredients, the shrimp were dispayed down the inside attractively but the roll was loose and huge. It didn't fit in the dipping sauce ramican or my mouth. There was no silverware. .. It was somebody's first uncomfortable attempt. There could hardly be two ways about it.

It was a Monday. It was my third restaurant choice to meet my friend for lunch. Everything tasted fine. It was clean, but from the evidence presented I'm going to assume: 1). The lunch cook didn't come to work. 2). The young franchise owner came in on his motorcycle to cover and was completing service out of the manuals that came with the franchise contract. -prep was done there just wasn't anyone to assemble orders 3). The waitress got to watch the big boss struggle. So, even though she was put off her game by what could only be described as inadequacies in the kitchen, it was a good show in a the-emperor- has-no-clothes kind of way so she was happy despite things not going how they might have were there someone in the kitchen who had ever worked in one before.

I don't think my experience reflects the general operation of the joint and although it was my third choice, it did come recommended. I'd go again in a heartbeat. To boot, I think kitchen staff should be paid $20-$30/an hour and if they're not they should be allowed to take random Mondays off unannounced. It was going to be four stars...

I have missed authentic Vietnamese food ever since I moved here, but am incredibly happy to report that everything on the menu here feels like it's been pulled right out of Little Saigon in Orange County. As others have mentioned, the service could be a little more attentive, but everyone working there is gracious and welcoming, and we received our entrees very quickly - little things, like offering to-go containers or refilling water, are nothing that can't be improved over time. The egg rolls here are the best in the city by a mile. Period. My wife, very health-conscious, ordered the stir-fried noodles with chicken not knowing they were crispy, but they arrived light and airy; the vegetables are well seasoned and cooked perfectly; and the sauce is incredibly delicious without being too thick or heavy. The dish that really sealed my love for this place, though, is the dry vermicelli bowl. It is huge, just like they make it in Westminster. It comes with generous helpings of delicious pork, pork belly, shrimp, a ton of fresh and pickled vegetables, and tasted almost exactly like the food I grew up eating. I agree with other reviewers that there is a definite increased use of sweet chili sauce compared to fish sauce (the most heavily used sauce in Vietnamese cooking), but the entrees here are still delicious.

It's hard to put into words exactly what a restaurant like Saigon's Corner means to me. Yes, the food is great, but for me, it means way more than that. Eating here, for at least a couple hours, made me feel like I was back in California, like I had never left. Cooking is such a huge part of our culture, and out here in the Midwest, it's almost synonymous. It's the reason I hope this business gets all the traffic and support it deserves. Saigon's Corner feels like home. That's the highest...

I’ve tried this spot both through food delivery and dining in person, and let me just say—it’s been wonderful every time!

The food is rich, flavorful, and incredibly comforting. Everything comes out quickly, hot, and perfectly delicious.

Let’s talk about the Pho—it was absolutely incredible. The spices, the flavor profile, and the overall tone of the dish were all spot on and so authentic.

Now, onto the tricky one: Bún Bò Huế (Hue Beef Noodle Soup). This dish is notoriously hard to get right because of its complex use of spices like lemongrass, but Saigon nails it. While it has its own little twist, it’s still one of the closest versions I’ve tasted to the original. The balance of spiciness, rich flavor, the noodles, and the tender meat—all so good. It’s comforting, satisfying, and just what you need when you’re craving Vietnamese food.

One little wish, though—I’d love to see Bánh Mì on the menu. It’s such a quick, healthy, and tasty dish that I think college students nearby would eat up (literally!). I know I’d much rather swing by for a fresh Bánh Mì here than settle for Subway any day.

Overall: Great food, great location, and an absolute must-visit if you miss Vietnamese food or want to try it out for the first time. Highly...