Em Vietnamese Bistro — Restaurant in New York

This was, without a doubt, the worst experience I’ve ever had with Vietnamese food. As a Vietnamese person, I know what authentic Vietnamese cuisine should taste like, and the dishes here fell far short. The Phở Bò and Phở Gà, which are supposed to be staples of any Vietnamese menu, were completely off in both flavor and preparation. The noodles they used weren’t the traditional rice noodles essential to any real phở; they seemed more like Chinese noodles, which made me question if they even understood the basics of Vietnamese cooking. This inauthentic approach was incredibly disappointing.

The soup itself was barely warm, which meant that the thinly sliced beef remained raw in my bowl. In a proper phở, the soup should be boiling hot, so when you add the beef, it cooks right in the bowl. But here, my beef stayed red and undercooked, making it inedible. Every other dish we ordered was also served lukewarm, with an unpleasant taste that seemed far from what Vietnamese food should be.

On top of the disappointing food, the service was equally terrible. They automatically added a 20% service charge to the bill, and when we questioned it, they explained that it was because we were a “large group” of six. Really? Six people is considered a large group? I can’t help but wonder if this is even legal. In any case, a mandatory tip should reflect quality service, which we definitely didn’t receive here.

The staff even asked if this was our first time visiting the U.S., as if to imply we didn’t know better. In reality, we’ve been to the U.S. at least 20 times, and in every other restaurant, we’ve received service that was a thousand times better. We were always given the choice of how much to tip based on the quality of our experience.

The atmosphere was cold and unwelcoming, and it’s clear that this place lacks both an understanding of Vietnamese cuisine and basic hospitality. I would strongly advise anyone looking for authentic Vietnamese food to look elsewhere. This experience left me feeling completely let down, frustrated, and wishing I had gone...

After years away, we finally made it back to New York—and naturally, our stomachs led the way. Wandering the streets of Brooklyn like four lost souls in search of a bánh mì-shaped sign from the universe, we were on a mission: find decent Vietnamese food that could maybe hold a candle to California’s Little Saigon. This cozy “Em Bistro” jumped out at us like, “Hey, you hungry?” and we were like, “You have no idea.” So we gave it a shot. And then… BOOM. BANG. BAM. Flavor fireworks. We were blown away. Never in a million pho bowls did we think we’d find Vietnamese food this legit outside of Cali. The “Nghêu xào bơ” (butter clams) hit us like a buttery, garlicky ambush—we didn’t even see it coming. Then came the knockout punch: crispy fried calamari rings. Not your average chew toy rings either—these were golden, crispy-crunchy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth squid on the inside, and paired with a house sauce that must’ve been crafted by wizards.

As if the food wasn’t enough, the service was next-level. Think five-star treatment without the five-star prices or pretentious water-pouring choreography. Friendly, fast, and full of smiles.

And the space—hello, roomy dining area in the middle of crowded Brooklyn! We almost danced between the tables just because we could. (We didn’t. But we could’ve.)

Just when we thought the night couldn’t get better, we stepped outside and discovered that the riverwalk was literally a block away. Two of NYC’s iconic bridges in one scenic view? That’s dessert right there.

In short: Em Bistro isn’t just a meal—it’s a surprise party for your taste buds. California, you’ve got competition. And Brooklyn? You’ve officially earned a spot on our...

We were surprised to find a Vietnamese restaurant in Dumbo while doing our Sunday walk, we promised that we will visit ‘Em Vietnamese Bistro for dinner. Last night was that night, we trek to Dumbo on a rainy Saturday night.

The place has a modern design and is spacious, we were seated at the back for the table for two. There are 2 pages of the menu, one for food and the other for drinks such as cocktails, wines, and local beers.

We ordered the following dishes to share: Crispy Vietnamese Spring Rolls made with pork, shrimp, carrots, glass noodles, onion, taro & wood-ear mushrooms, served with dipping sauce and lettuce. (We love wrapping our crispy rolls with lettuce before dunking it into the sauce). Ly’s chicken wings; Vietnamese Style fried chicken wings with garlic butter nuoc mam sauce topped with scallion and cilantro Saigon-style lemongrass pork chops served with nuoc mam, cha (Vietnamese pork cake with mushrooms and vermicelli) over broken rice garnished with cucumbers, tomato, scallion oil, pickled carrots & daikon Bo Kho (beef stew) Chef Ly’s hearty take on the classic Southern Vietnamese Style Beef Stew featuring premium “gold coin” beef shank, lemongrass, ginger, coconut juice, onion, carrots, basil, and a touch of dairy. It’s Beef Bourguignon made in Vietnamese Style. Served with Banh Mi on the side for dipping.

The dishes came in a timely fashion and were freshly made. The beef stew stood out, it was flavorful, the meat melted in our mouths, and probably our newest favorite Vietnamese dish. With the delicious food, friendly customer service, and price point, this visit is...