Nón Lá — Restaurant in New York

New York has yet to show my wife and I a legit Vietnamese Restaurant since we moved here 3 years ago. We have some pretty amazing Viet food back in Texas. Every place we have ever gone to and try Pho or a Banh mi in NY always leads disappointed. Until now

First off it's a good sign when you can order in Vietnamese.

Then another good signal is when a worker comes from the back and starts speaking Viet to front workers who I am assuming are all family.

Pho was really at the core just an authentic tasting pho with all the correct fixing even a smidge of Culantro with the mix of bean sprouts. If you don't know what Culantro is check Google but it's kind of a staple that goes with Pho and most places around here don't have it. "Ngo Gai" is what we call it in Vietnamese.

Banh mi I felt was about as good as it's going to get here in NY. The bread for the most part is crisp on the outside the bottem layer that it's baked on has a harder crunch then what regular baguette I'm used to. The best way to describe this is like the bottom layer of a NY pizza. Which all of the Banh Mi shops have the same textured bottom but worse so it's not as pronounced here which I like. The filling has very classic ingredients and the mayo deff taste like how it should.

House special Vermicelli noodles (Bun Thit Nhung) oh the pork is very fragrant some char here and there I could of used more. Grilled shrimp is good and cooked to perfection not overdone. I loved how shredded the lettuce was which made it easy to eat it all together. Nuoc mam was a little sweet and no Thai chilli peppers in sight so can't kick it up a notch unless you want to use siracha or chilli sauce.

They aren't trying to reinvent the wheel or create some kind of hybrid creation of Viet food here it's really just classic Good traditional Viet food and for NY this is a rare place.

If this place had Viet Dessert it would be 6 Stars but 5 will...

If I Iived in NYC, I'd be here all the time so I could try more. I was originally going to visit Saigon Social when this popped up on Google Maps. It had more, and better, reviews - plus it was more reasonably priced and they had Bun Bo Hue, which I have missed and everyone in the reviews raved about.

It's a family run place. They have indoor and outdoor seating, but overall it's a small space - get here early. The people waiting on, and serving, you are very polite and attentive. The decor is minimalist and cute without being cheesy - I was impressed by the giant wall painting (not fully pictured).

The Bun Bo Hue was better than I expected! First, the serving bowl is genius - the plate with the aromatics and sprouts fits on top. The broth was clean and I didn't have to add any extra seasoning - although I might have preferred it to be a little spicier. I'm usually not a Vietnamese meatball fan because of texture, but these were good and I assume homemade - they were flat on the bottom and not perfectly (machine) shaped. The tendon, the love of my life, that chewy goodness. The pork knuckle was new for me and I loved it - chewy and meaty bits - a little hard to navigate with chopsticks and a spoon. Noodles were fresh and had a good chew. I finished the entire bowl.

Which brings me to two critiques. Chopsticks - it's probably just me, but I have a hard time with plastic chopsticks and noodles. I need something textured, like wood, to help grab those slippery things. Starter portions - dining by myself, I would have appreciated a half portion available of a starter like the papaya salad. I wanted to start off the meal that way, but after seeing how big it was, and know what I was ordering, I opted not to...

This NYC Spot Serves Pho That's Even Better Than in Vietnam It's not often you find a restaurant that surprises you in all the best ways, but this hidden gem in New York City did just that. As someone who is Vietnamese and deeply loves the flavors I grew up with, I didn't expect to be saying this—but the pho and other dishes here were so flavorful, so carefully crafted, that they even rivaled the food I've had back home in Vietnam. From the moment we walked in, the service was top-notch-warm, attentive, and welcoming without being overbearing. It immediately set the tone for what turned out to be one of the best Vietnamese meals l've had in the U.S.

The steaming bowls of bun bo hue came first, their rich lemongrass-and-chili-laced broth bold and comforting, while the pho was the picture of balance: clean, aromatic, and packed with depth. The vermicelli platter was a feast of textures-grilled meats, crispy egg rolls, fresh herbs, and tangy pickled vegetables that came alive with a drizzle of fish sauce. And the banh mi? Perfectly crusty bread with a soft interior, packed with flavor in every bite. What sets this place apart isn't just authenticity-it's the unapologetic flavor. Nothing is toned down or simplified. Every dish honors Vietnamese tradition, delivering that perfect harmony of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. Combined with the thoughtful service, it truly made the experience unforgettable. If you're looking for Vietnamese food in NYC that's every bit as good-or even better-than what you'd find in Vietnam, this is the place you...