Ms Saigon Kitchen — Restaurant in Issaquah

My boyfriend and I were feeling hungry for pho and this one was near our hotel so we stopped by. I like to research restaurants that we are visiting ahead of time and found some items that I really wanted to try out. I was curious about their specialty spicy lemongrass pho and Thailand spicy seafood pho as I love trying out different types of pho especially if they are spicy. I recently had a hot stone pot pho so I didn't care for that option but it is a cool option to have!

As we first arrived, we were impressed with the interior of the place. It was beautiful and bright using minimalistic decor and colors. There were tables with chairs, tables with booths and a huge long table in the middle with several chairs on both sides. Each table had condiments for pho from sriracha, hoisin sauce, and chili oil. They also had wooden chopsticks at tables as well. We received menus and water and browsed to see what we wanted. My boyfriend got his usual combination pho large while I got a spicy lemongrass pho. We asked for extra bean sprouts which is where we ran into our first issue that I had is that they charge for bean sprouts and it's a $1, other Vietnamese places don't charge for beansprouts. There was no mention of this until we received our bill, which I feel they should have mentioned it was an extra charge. As a former waitress, it was very important to let customers know when there is an additional charge. Plus, there were some discoloration on the basil and jalapeños which was concerning so not sure if the vegetables are all that fresh.

Food was pretty good. The broth from the regular pho and the spicy lemongrass pho was flavorfully rich. The spiciness could definitely be better as I didn't feel it was too spicy. The ribs in my pho was very tender and fell off the bones with ease. However, the pricing for the pho is much too high. The portions were decent for large and they provided an okay amount of meat. However, there are so many pho places that offer better for less. There was nothing really that made it different or special from other pho places. The spicy lemongrass pho was definitely different but not $20 different. Plus there were some weird bits in the spicy lemongrass broth that made it annoying to randomly spit out while sipping or eating.

The service was non-existent. I will give them credit for refilling our waters whenever it got low but they never checked in on us. And when my boyfriend paid, he tipped accordingly and the waitress showed clear issue with the amount. We had asked for a bag and to go container but she just forgot. We had to tell her again and she brought out a to go container, then we had to ask again for a bag. We personally tip according to how service is as again, I was a former waitress and that was how I learned and I teach others as you should only tip well when you receive good service. There was no service here. We weren't greeted at the door, there was no hospitality or professional service and no mention of the extra charge on bean sprouts. In addition, if you show how visibly upset you are at a tip and "forget" to get us stuff we requested then maybe consider a different job. Or just provide better service for...

This establishment is a recent addition to the area, having opened just a few weeks ago. We decided to visit it while en route to see Thomas Dambo's troll along the Rainer Trail. Conveniently situated in a shopping center, this restaurant makes for a perfect stop before or after shopping, boasting ample parking space. Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff, who promptly provided us with water. I must commend the excellent service. Given the gloomy, wet, and cold evening, I opted for the Spicy Lemongrass Rib Pho, while my friends ordered the Rib Pho and Penang Curry. The portion of the pho was quite generous, and the bowl was designed in a way that allowed for easy manipulation of noodles, meat, veggies, and broth. Both the Lemongrass Pho and Rib Pho were delicious, with a well-balanced herb-infused broth. It's worth noting that the Rib Pho comes with bones, making it a bit challenging to eat, so it might be a good idea to request a knife. The Lemongrass Pho, although not spicy, offers a delightful lemongrass twist to the classic pho. As for the curry, it differs somewhat from Thai curry, leaning more towards a Vietnamese style with a lighter sauce. It features a generous amount of curry, meat, onions, and pineapple. It's a delightful curry dish to enjoy with rice if you're not in the mood for noodle soup. In terms of ambiance, the restaurant exudes a sleek, modern feel with its high ceilings, contemporary LED lighting fixtures, and stylish furnishings. It's incredibly cozy and has an Instagram-worthy aesthetic. There's a large communal table in the center of the restaurant that can accommodate big parties, while most seating consists of booths suitable for groups of four. In addition to their food offerings, they serve Vietnamese coffee, bubble tea, beer, and wine. Their mimosa flight with four different flavors caught my attention, and I'll have to try it on my next visit.

I would rate this place at 4.75...

We came in last weekend on a Saturday. It was pretty busy and had a wait time to get seated. Soon after we got seated, I noticed the servers looked like they were in a bit of chaos. We had to ask 2 different people to take our order before finally someone acknowledged that and actually took our order.

Now the actual problem… it took 40minutes for our foods to come. We ordered at 1:25pm, and our appetizer didn’t come until 1:53pm and then another 10mins for our entree. We ordered their ribs pho and the Bo Ne for our entree. We had been to lots of pho place, and it certainly didn’t take 40mins to prepare noodle soup with ribs.

The food was actually good- the Bo Ne and the Garlic Butter Fried Tofu especially; the pho was okay. But there’s nothing that would justify 40mins wait for any dine-in meals. They need to get their management together. We were so turned off by the wait, won’t be back sadly. 2 stars there for the...