OH MAI VIETNAMESE KITCHEN DOWNTOWN — Restaurant in Salt Lake City

I’m happy to have discovered an authentic Vietnamese restaurant! I’m Vietnamese myself and felt assured that this place would be good after I saw that the cashier and chef were Vietnamese as well. After several days of visiting Utah I had a hankering for Vietnamese food. I’m one of those Asians that travels and has to find Asian food to eat after 3 days of non-Asian food. I tried the garlic ribeye banh mi, dac biet pho (had flank steak and meatballs), Thai tea, mango coconut che (Vietnamese pudding) and an orange soda. The pho was accompanied by fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil and jalapeño. The bowls were generous and my picky toddlers ate it up! The meat in the sandwich was tender and my picky 2 year old son (who always rejects meat) ate it! The bread was toasty without being hard or overly flaky. It wasn’t too thick or doughy either. The acidity from the pickled vegetables added a nice contrast to the sweeter garlicky meat. The sandwich was nicely cut in diagonal pieces making a great cross section! The Thai tea was sweet and tasty. The interior was open and casual where you order at the counter, get a number and then take a seat. The interior had ceiling fans that kept the space cool and fun baskets and plants on the ceiling. My husband said the mango coconut che was the best che he’s had. I didn’t get a chance to try their bun bo hue because I was too full but it was part of their specials menu. I think they have a private parking lot in the back but there’s also street parking in the front. It looks like Guy Fieri has visited here and liked their banh mi thit! They have several other locations...

TLDR: the food was okay, but wouldn't come back. I ordered a sandwich that I thought was vegan (Bulgogi Jackfruit), but toward the end I smelled fish sauce and that put me off. Atmosphere is fine, but nothing special.

✨FULL REVIEW ✨ I've been to a different Oh Mai a few years ago and I remember enjoying the Pho, but this time I got the Bulgogi Jackfruit Bahn Mi. The first few bites I enjoyed, but the more I ate it the less I liked it. Idk why, part of it was that I started smelling fish sauce (which I hate the smell of 🤢) and I wasn't sure if it was on my sandwich or the sandwiches of the people I was with. If it was on my sandwich then that would be very unexpected and gross since I was expecting a vegan sandwich with it being jackfruit. I didn't ask if it was vegan though so idk.

The employees were very kind, but if you're looking for table service, you may not get it here as they didn't come check on us or any of the other guests once. Which I don't mind at all.

The aesthetic of the place is overall pretty nice, loved the plants hanging from the ceiling. 🤩 It mostly has a consistent vibe, but there are a few random cheap signs (like the kind you find at Hobby Lobby with cheesy quotes) and that didn't fit in with the aesthetic for me. But it was a good laugh...

Firstly, I'd like to say that my go-to place was closed, but I really wanted some pho.. so take what I say with a grain of salt. I've had Oh Mai before, but at their other location. I have always liked them. This location however was a bit different. They only have one size for all pho. Usually I like to get a large because it's big enough to make two meals with. I always do takeout and cut the meal in half so I can have it twice in the same day. Having only one size I was surprised how small it was. Noodle and meat portions were so tiny. I also noticed the portion size for takeout looked smaller than the bowls I saw at the restaurant who sat down to eat. To top it off, it's more expensive than my usual spot. Less for more? What a bummer. I did however like the to-go bowls that they send you out with and I will say their brisket was absolutely delicious. Would I try again? If my regular spot is closed... Yes. Will I be completely...