Tuuthreee NYC Viet Food Eateries Ranking

DISCLAIMER: If you just know 3 things about Vietnam: the war, pho and banh mi, click HERE for the ranking of the pho entries ONLY. But if you happen to know more, then this list below is for you:

1. mam (70 Forsyth) - detailed write-up on mam is here

2. banh (942 Amsterdam) - detailed write-up on banh is here

3. di an di (68 Greenpoint, Bklyn) - detailed write-up on diandi is here

4. madame vo (212 E10th) - great core line-up and has stayed consistent throughout, from the flow and through the years; except for the pho.

5. em bistro (not kitchen) (57 Front St, Bklyn) - strong line-up; each menu item can easily be from any Vietnamese coast-side family-style eatery. With more commitment and faithfulness in the execution, this could have easily made the top 4.

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6. la dong (11 E 17th St) - a newer, younger contender to madame vo. I will write in detail about this.

7. high lua (182 S 2nd St, Bklyn) - a personal favorite. This is very close to my family’s cooking (I’m getting heat from placing it this high. However, you’re in my house -> my rules)

8. hanoi house (119 St. Marks) - POST COVID MENU. what a shame. Please bring back the 2018 menu, you will be forever my top 5.

9. nom nam (210 E34th St) - quality over quantity. Small menu that packs one hell of a punch. Pho is spot on. Very similar to high lua.

10. ten ten (119 Baxter St) - different selections of northern pho, like how a proper pho joint should be. Noodles are thin and wide, like how a proper bowl of pho should be. If they nail the broth, this can seriously topple Diandi out of the top spot on my pho list. Great selections of banh mi. Bang-on coffee - detailed write-up on ten ten is here

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11. van da (234 E4th) - only restaurant on this list that offers Hue dishes. The courage is commendable. However, the price is not. However inflation has caught up, so you’re fine (or you’re fucked) either way.

12. em kitchen (not bistro) (1702 86th St, Bklyn) - sister restaurant to em bistro. Quite a trip to get to it. Great broth on the pho, incredibly sweet. Great broth though. Like really great broth.

13. pho ga vang (30 Market St) - the restaurant’s name is “pho-chicken-yellow(gold)”. And they’re very good at what they’re doing. It’s not easy to get chicken pho broth yummy. And that’s what they do, for a living. I also recommend unlaid eggs as the side.

14. kitchen co ut (85 Chrystie St) - basic Vietnamese offerings done right while maintaining some staple offerings from the former shop. Basic, and done right, but basic.

15. pasteur (85 Baxter) - arguably the most competent 60+ items menu restaurant of this entire list. You’re gonna walk to Baxter St, you’re gonna skip Thaison, Nha Trang, and enter this one.

16. pho bang (whichever one) - remember what I said about Pasteur. Now I found a second one for this list. Will take more time to evaluate such a gigantic menu.

17. saigon social (172 Orchard St) - if Vietnamese food is served along with food from a sports bar, this is it.

18. saigon shack (114 MacDougal St) - hardiness over everything else, I mean, everything.

19. com tam ninh kieu (2641 Jerome Ave, Bronx) - same umbrella with banh (above). Their 2017 menu would skyrocket them to #4 easily.

20. district saigon (37-15 Broadway, Queens) - decent Viet food on the verge of being Americanized. Knowing that you can still walk out of that restaurant thinking: “that was yummy.” (not yummy!).

21. there's one btw the 2 bridges. I don’t remember. Please figure it out.

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22. hello saigon (180 Bleecker St) - similar to Pasteur, but less successful in my eye.

23. 5ive spice (Whichever one) - 100% not a complete waste of time. An eye-opener, not sure if it’s a necessary one.

24. falansai (112 Harrison Pl, Bklyn) - the same angle of approach as em bistro’s and Madame Vo; but less successful in my eye. (pending for re-evaluation due to current offerings. I’m not sure if this is even Viet anymore; so pursue it at your own risk. You can either listen to me, or to the NYT).

25. non la (128 E 4th St) - similar to kitchen co ut, but less successful in my eye. Can be a nice option on Seamless for the folks around.

<start of twilight zone>

26. thai son (Whichever one) - just go to Pasteur (above). It’s 2 buildings over. Only worth it if they cut the price in half.

26. nam son (245 Grand St) - very similar to that son. (I may be butchering it, but it’s my list)

26. nha trang one (87 Baxter St) - very similar to Thai son. (I may be butchering it, but it’s my list).

<end of twilight zone>

29. banhmigo (Whichever one) - small selections. very good banh mi.

30. lotus 1 (4119 31st Ave, Queens) - very solid takeout place. one of the few places that offer anchovies on banh mi (it’s just my thing. Idk how to explain).

31. the pho (788 Lexington Ave) - same approach as kitchen co ut but less successful. So even more bare-bone.

32. mama pho (Whichever one) - take-out food. Nice bread.

Tu Anh NguyenJune 15, 2021