Viet Flavor — Restaurant in Waite Park

My husband and I are big fans of Vietnamese cuisine, so we decided to give this restaurant a try despite the high prices. We ordered our usual dishes to test the authenticity of flavors in comparison to other Vietnamese restaurants we’ve gone to: pho combo (dac biet), pork eggrolls, and banh mi combo (dac biet). Unfortunately, our experience was a major letdown.

The pork eggrolls looked undercooked and pink inside, coupled with a sweet and sour sauce straight from the bottle. The banh mi sandwich was tiny and lacked flavor, with a poor meat-to-bun ratio. The pho portion was small for $18, and the broth was watered down and flavorless. The meat had a strange odor, and the tendons and tripe smelled unpleasantly fresh. Adding hoisin and sriracha didn't improve the broth, and fish sauce didn't make a difference.

The service was also subpar. Our server seemed overwhelmed, despite having a light workload. We waited for water until our food arrived, and it wasn't refilled. When we asked for chili oil and fish sauce, she forgot the fish sauce and brought a tiny amount of chili oil. The water refill attempt was unappetizing as it came from a pitcher with large grease spots around the rim. We opted for a bottled soda instead.

Overall, our experience was a 0/10, and we wouldn't recommend it. If we're feeling lazy, we'd rather grab ingredients from the nearby Asian market and make the dishes ourselves. Or, we'd drive to the cities for a better experience. Either option would be an upgrade.

I've read recent reviews praising other dishes at this restaurant, and it's possible those are their specialties. While I don't take pleasure in writing a negative review, especially for a new establishment, I hope my feedback will be constructive. I wish the restaurant well and hope it will continue to thrive in Waite Park. My review is based solely on our personal experience with the...

Since Covid, I have been waiting for this to open back up! I really loved the pho` here! Now it is a 'new' place in the same building....

Today was my first time here since it has opened as Viet Flavor. Same simple little restaurant. Nothing fancy, simple tables. I walked up to the register table and the woman grabbed a menu and advised I could find a seat myself. I sat down and she handed me the menu and asked if i wanted anything to drink .... I only saw a pop case with bottled sodas, so i just had one of those. I didnt ask for a glass of ice nor offered one, as well as not offered a glass of water (I should have asked). I ordered the pork and shrimp spring roll and combination pho. Fast service. I enjoyed my spring rolls....crispy veggies inside and the peanut sauce was a bit runny but complimented the roll well. Next the pho... Big portion. An abundance of the tripe, tendon, beef and meatballs. My only slight disappointment was the broth was not as flavorful as I remember from the previous restaurant. The depth of complex pho` flavor was not there. The fact there was a lot of meat made up for it. Maybe because of that, I had wished I had more thai basil and fresh jalapenos. I still devoured it! I was full! Then I saw the server deliver some sort of smoothie with boba to another table, so then I ordered a mango smoothie! It was delicious! The boba was a liquid filled boba and not the tapioca pearl boba. It had great flavor and was refreshing!

Would I eat here again? Yes. Love to support a small business owner over a chain store anytime!! I would love to try other menu items as well as a bahn mi sandwich! My "lunch" with everything I had and an 18% tip was $42... So keep that in mind.

Be advised, due to construction on the road, it isnt simple and...

We’ve eaten here several times since their reopen and were avid customers when they were first in Sartell. One thing I want to be sure I note is that the people here are true gems. Very kind and down to earth, and the customer service is top notch. And, of course, the taste of the food is fantastic.

Where our concern comes into play is the portion sizes. The takeout portions are severely lacking. I always pay for extra vegetables with my bánh mì and pho, and there are hardly ever enough. (I had 4 jalapeños with my pho and maybe 3 cucumbers on my bánh mì - super disappointing). We purchased curry this evening and the container was maybe half full with a half cup of rice.

Honestly, it’s just a letdown, time and time again. For the price we’re paying, going to our favorite places in the cities almost makes more sense since the portions they give are always worth the price. Even local Chinese restaurants that charge less for curry pack their curry and rice containers...