Thái Sơn — Restaurant in New York

Looking to grab some pho in NYC? Well then. All you have to do is take a nice little stroll down to Chinatown and stop by Thai Son. Thai Son sounds like a Thai restaurant, but don't let that fool you. The food here is definitely Vietnamese, and it's actually pretty decent considering you're in New York. I remember coming here when I was still in college, and fast forward 6 years, and I'm still coming back.

Once you enter Thai Son, you know right off the bat that this place is a pho joint. The tables are set up just like any other pho spot you've been to. One of the most pleasing things is that the prices are just right. A bowl of pho will run you under $8, which is just exactly what pho is supposed to be priced at. On top of that, the portions are what you'd expect from a normal bowl of noodles. Frankly, this place has everything that you love about a pho joint.

For appetizers, I always go with either the spring roll, or the summer roll. The summer roll is wrapped in rice paper and stuffed with various vegetables and shrimp. Combine that with some peanut dipping sauce and sriracha sauce, and this becomes one hell of an appetizer. If you don't like a cold appetizer, then go with the summer roll. It is pretty much a small egg roll. Inside you can find veggies and some pork. On the flip side, the dipping sauce is different from the spring roll. This sauce, is tangier, but compliments the roll nicely.

Now enough of those appetizers. You came here for one reason, and it is because of pho. Whether or not it's because you're hungover and need to recover, or you're like me and just have that weekly craving, it's all about the pho. Choose from your various meats and toppings, depending on your palate, and you're on your way. When the bowl comes your way, it's nice and piping hot. The amazing smell of the broth will instantly make you pleased. To enhance your bowl, throw in some basil leaves, bean sprouts, squeeze in a wedge of lime, and then if you want, toss in that hoisin and sriracha sauce.

One of the big plus sides to Thai Son is that they do accept credit cards. Stop reading this review, and make your way to Thai Son. You won't be disappointed....I...

This particular writer is still of the mindset that the NYC Vietnamese food game is massively inferior to its sister city, the City of Brotherly Love (weird huh, sister city and all...), Philadelphia. So why the 4 star score? At this point, I couldn't tell you... perhaps apathy... perhaps it's judgment being rendered, as to Thai Son, relative to the other Vietnamese spots in NYC that have been disappointments. At any rate, the place is solid: as indicated by the hard-to-get-seating during lunch hours in and around the Civic Center. If you role in solo to any other spot in the vicinity, you're bound to be seated in moments; here however, even if you lone wolf it, expect to wait a bit... I guess the word on the joint is out.

I first started riding the Thai Son hype train after a couple of very harsh banh mi critic friends of mine raved about the ones churned out at this place. While I may not hold the banh mi in as high a regard as these aforementioned friends, add some extra pate on the stuff (which is an available option) and you get some of the tastier Vietnamese bites as you can get in NYC. Salty, creamy, crunchy, spicy... nothing that you can really complain about.

The pho at the place is solid, but certainly not the best this writer has ever had. Broth is a tad over salty, but despite this fact it isn't particularly tasty (weird yeah??). However, option #1 is one of (if not) the biggest bowl of pho I've encountered in NYC. And it's pretty much a bargain with a price tag less than $8. They overdo it with the onions slices in the soup, bu I guess that's just the effort on Thai Son's part to add that much needed depth of flavor.

Do plan to spend your entire lunch hour here. Big serving sizes and potentially loaded wait-to-be-seated times are to be had. It's all worth it, but just know what you're...

Thái Sơn is the kind of place you come back to again and again—not because it’s flashy or trying to be trendy, but because it knows exactly what it’s doing and does it exceptionally well. Nestled in the heart of Chinatown, this unassuming gem has been quietly (and confidently) serving up some of the best Vietnamese food in New York City for decades. And it shows—both in the loyal crowd and in every fragrant bowl of pho.

The pho here is a masterclass in balance: rich, clear broth with that deep beefy backbone, silky noodles cooked just right, and fresh herbs that hit you with that vibrant, garden brightness. The rare beef pho (Phở Tái) is a go-to—generous, tender slices that finish perfectly in the hot broth. And if you don’t pair it with a strong iced Vietnamese coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Đá), you’re missing half the experience.

But the menu doesn’t stop there. The grilled pork chops over broken rice are a sleeper hit—savory, juicy, and cooked with the kind of care that makes you think someone’s grandma is back in the kitchen. And don’t sleep on the spring rolls. Crispy, golden, no nonsense, just perfection.

Service is fast and to the point—no fuss, no frills, just like it should be. You’re not here to be pampered, you’re here to eat—and eat well. Prices are beyond reasonable, especially for Manhattan. In a city that loves to reinvent the wheel, Thái Sơn reminds you why the originals still matter.

Old-school, authentic, and always satisfying—Thái Sơn is a Chinatown institution that does Vietnamese food the way it...