Vandals Street Kitchen — Restaurant in Mobile

Trendy Asian fusion restaurant and bar located in a somewhat obscure suburban retail plaza. At night the bright neon purple lights help dispel any thoughts of the same old thing. They do have a large outdoor seating area but it was too cold to be of any use. Inside was loud in more ways than one. High ceilings with wall to wall graffiti type murals sets the place apart. With a bar to the left the only thing missing is a DJ to complete the club atmosphere. It reminds me more of Atlanta than Mobile and could easily be at home in Atlantic Station. The menu is all Asian inspired dishes that lean toward Korean and Vietnamese with some Mexican, Japanese, Chinese and Thai influences as well. We stuck with several apps and got the soup dumplings, bao buns and patatas bravas. The soup dumplings, which were the reason I came tasted exactly like they were from a dim sum restaurant. The boa buns had that mix of sweet, savory, spicy, crunch, sticky everythingness that encapsulates Korean food. Plus put a runny egg on it and I'll stuff it in my face, meat and potatoes Brava was on point. We also had three cocktails, the blackberry margarita, lady in the streets and a sidecar. All were excellent, although the sidecar was on the sweeter side of things. While I enjoyed the food and experience, I didn't leave satisfied. For 3 apps and 3 specialty drinks, I paid $70 before tip. And while I wasn't terribly upset, I was still hungry. Maybe one more food item, one less drink, sure but everything was $10+. The soup dumplings were good, but really small. I'm used to using a straw, these were one bite. The bai buns would've been more enjoyable if spread over 3 buns instead of 2. The Brava was mostly potatoes. Good but not worth the price $15 price. Had this been Atlanta, I would be more understanding, but this wasn't even downtown Mobile. They have late night hours so if I was in the area and wanted something different, or had friends from out of town that I wanted to show off to, I might come again. But for the time and distance traveled and for what I would be paying for, I'd stick with...

This is our third time and we've given this a lot of hope multiple times. I've been a server for 10 years and vandals is fairly small so I don't understand the mistakes that were made but I can forgive that. We did come a bit late but I mean when working in the food industry you need to be forgiving because some other people get off later than usual and are simply hungry. We ordered everything right off the bat and we are very organized didn't complicate anything. I ordered two orders of soup dumplings. One came out and she forgot the other which came out after since they closed the kitchen already but we finished eating and it was raw as shown in the picture. The dumpling was like dough and the pork was pink. My mom makes these. we are asian we know how it supposed to be haha. She forgot the egg on our nacho which is fine I suppose but overall the food itself isn't anything special. When the dumplings are cooked lol it's really good. The short ribs and the bao buns (shrimp) are the only things good on that menu and we've have ate it alllllll on their menu. we are Asian we love good food and Vandals ain't it. Especially with that price!!! The nacho barely had meat on it. And the portions are SO SMALL. Now the reason we came back the first and second time were the drinks and the service was great the first time because the owner was there lmao and it was newly opened. The drinks are usually great. But yeah that's it. For just appetizers and drinks it was $107 for 3 people and again the portions are small. I don't mind spending my money on good food but...

If you're looking for a fun and unique dining experience in Mobile, Alabama, look no further than Vandals Street Kitchen! After a long morning of driving and doctor’s appointments, my wife and I stumbled upon this gem, and it was exactly what we needed. The atmosphere is wonderfully quirky and chic, creating an inviting vibe that instantly puts you at ease.

From the moment we arrived, our fantastic server Emma made us feel right at home. She struck the perfect balance of being attentive without being overbearing, anticipating our needs perfectly. Emma guided us through a menu featuring an adventurous blend of Hispanic and Asian fusion dishes, which felt like an enticing culinary journey!

When our food arrived, it did not disappoint. I indulged in the Tia Pastor tacos, which were delightfully spicy with sweet pineapple, creating a perfect balance of flavors. My wife opted for the veggie tacos; while she enjoyed them, she had never tried kimchi before. I explained that kimchi could be a bit strong and Emma suggested having it on the side, which turned out to be a wise move. This way, she could taste it without committing fully, and she appreciated the option to customize her meal.

Vandals Street Kitchen is truly a delightful spot for those seeking a fresh and vibrant dining experience. I highly recommend this unique place, and I can't wait to return for more...