Saigon Cafe

My gf and I are frequent diner at this beloved restaurant. We adore this place so much because we are of Saigon origin. We know what authentic food taste like. The food here is absolutely amazing. It reminds me of my late mother secret home cooking recipes. The décor is welcoming and successfully adds to the aroma of the dishes. Highly recommended dishes are Bun bo Hue and Goi Du Du Gan Chay.

Good food and offers different items then most Vietnamese restaurants. We always have family dinners here because it’s one of the places that everyone agrees on. I love their banh beo and banh canh cua.

my mom wanted to come here because they have a buffet during the week days but i suggest no one come here because it’s terrible.
the food was so salty, the egg rolls tasted like they’ve been frying in one month old of oil. i got mi xao chay, but i got the crispy noodles and the only thing i ate off of it was the tofu. then as a side sauce they gave you soy sauce… like what? lol
the service was typical Vietnamese service, no one asked if we needed anything or how was it. so yeah 1 star & i don’t even give reviews if the restaurant wasn’t good but i just need to let y’all know to not come here. go across the street for some authentic bomb Vietnamese food.

This place sucked! I made a mistake and thought it was a place I’ve been to before and liked but, I was sadly mistaken.
When I first came in, it seemed pretty busy so I thought awesome busy=good. There was a buffet special and that was what they asked if I wanted, I quickly looked it over and didn’t really see a lot of choices that were appealing so, I decided to go with the menu items.
They had all of the normal Vietnamese options that I have had before so, I ordered the crispy rolls and the beef rib noodle soup not the phở.
The crispy rolls were a disgrace. They were like Chinese eggrolls. They didn’t have the typical rice paper crispness that I love and I’m used to seeing in most Vietnamese restaurants. The soup tasted like beef water with lemongrass, I had to take a second tase because, it was shocking that this was what I was actually was tasting.
I must point out, I love Vietnamese food so I was very very disappointed in what I got.
I also have to add it was dirty. The table they seat me at had little grease spots on the corners but I let that slide because they were so busy.
I’m kind of pissed because I went in their wanting a really nice yummy Vietnamese meal but I got crap. The only reason why am giving them one star is because the guy that sat me was very very nice. This place is on the top of my banned list!

Walked in, seated by the owner who doesn’t even say hi or asked how many people to our party. She just put menus down on a table and walked off. Not a word or smile. We waited for a little over 12 mins for a waiter to come by and acknowledge us while the owner just sat on her computer. The food is decent but as owner, you should greet your customers at the very least.

One lazy Sunday afternoon my family decided to give this place another try. If you didn’t read my first review let me summarize it for you: Service was so bad I didn’t get a fraction of the food I ordered even though I was there for three hours.
This time we got their specialty appetizer dish and I got the baby clams dish. There is a reason why the specialty dish is their specialty, it is really good. My favorite was the rice crêpe with grilled meat, it was seasoned and cooked perfectly!
Fair warning: If you’re not a fan of authentic Hue (a region in Vietnam) cuisine then I don’t suggest you get the baby clam dish. The dish is very plain, no seasoning on veggies, and very little seasoning on the baby clams. The baby clams may be strong of the sea smell for those who are not use to the Hue style cooking. The rice cracker that comes with the dish gives a little more flavor to the clams and adds a crunch.
Overall, I like this place, but it won’t be my go-​to.

Saigon café just started their lunch buffet for 8.95, although we didn’t get that today (some regrets), I got to try their Bun Bo Hue, or Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. This place was pretty empty for lunch rush, and we actually made our way over here because we couldn’t find any parking at Eden Center, that said, I was not disappointed and had a great meal here.
The Bun Bo Hue’s beef was tender and juicy, the soup was lacking in flavor compared to Huong Viet’s, but not as spicy, meaning I could actually drink the whole bowl of soup! Sweet!!! The noodles were delicious, the meats really made up for the lack of flavor in the soup. One awesome thing that this bun bo hue does is that they only serve the tender beef shoulder meat, no funky cartilage, tendon type meats in here!
The lunch buffet definitely had some delicious food items, I could have essentially made my own bun thit nuong cha gio (vermicelli with grilled pork and spring rolls). They also had fresh spring rolls and other meats to choose from. Furthermore, they had a pandan jelly like drink dessert, fried rice and veggies. Definitely worth checking this place out for their lunch buffet!
The store is located in the plaza with guitar center and hong kong pearl seafood, plenty of parking outside the store front.

I went to the Saigon Café based on the recommendation of a fellow Unilocaler. He said that the Bun Bo Hue (I will be referring to it as BBH throughout the review) at Saigon Café is a «Can’t Miss», a dish that one must go out of the way for when in the area of Seven Corners, aka the Little Saigon of Washington D.C. and Northern VA. Well buddy, you were wrong about the BBH at Saigon Café. You hear me? WRONG. The hype is not real, dammit. I shall continue.
Drove down to Seven Corners, adequately named due to the seven intersections that make this a clusterfack of driving, unless you’ve lived here for a while and you know the biz. Saigon café is located near a Gold’s Gym (Yes they still do exists, they are not EoS fitness’ everywhere). It is located across the street from the Eden Center. Like I said, driving can be confusing here if you’ve never lived here, so be careful. Follow all the signs. And don’t litter. Keep Virginia beautiful. Littering is for the cats. Unless you’ve trained it to use a Litter Quitter (RIP Ginger, unless you are still alive, then never mind).
Even though I came in during lunch time, the place was pretty empty. I’m sure the Eden Center gets most of the traffic in N. VA, and that this spot is pretty much an afterthought. But as I have found out through my investigations, looks can be deceiving. So I sat down, dude took my order. Had to get that much raved about BBH that was a ‘can’t miss’ selection. I noticed that the prices were pretty good here. Waited. Didn’t have to wait too long.
BBH — Honestly, if I had to put this on my list of Top 10 places for BBH, Saigon Café would be right in the middle. Number 5. I’ve had better, and I’ve had worse. the BBH at Saigon Café is average to me. I thought that the noods and fish cake were good, and the portion was just about right. What kinda killed it for me was the broth. It was really watery and bland. I took a sip and all I tasted was lemongrass, and that’s about it. No complexity, just «Blah». I also thought that it had a slight ‘soapy’ taste. I couldn’t tell you why. Overall, just average.
The BBH at Huong Viet Restaurant in Eden Center, was probably the best one i’ve ever had in my life. It had everything, and I mean everything. I don’t know what that guy was smoking who recommended the BBH at Saigon Café. Probably the wacky tobacky. Yeah, I know you’re reading this. It’s time to get some help for yourself, because you are turr-​ripppen! That’s «trippen» for those who didn’t get that. I’m being a little bit too harsh. The food at Saigon Café was OK.

They have pretty good vegetarian options which is why I’ve been here a bunch recently with my diet-​restricted cousins.
The food is good overall. I had com hen here which was just okay. Try the com am phu (hell rice)

We have been eating at this wonderful restaurant for several years. since 2008 my wife and I have made Saigon café I will go to restaurant. Today we went by at about 1 o’clock for quick lunch. My wife ordered the round eye steak soup. & I ordered the rice paper with grilled pork. It was amazing I’m adding a few pictures to show you how good it looks the entire meal cost us $ 21. I can’t recommend this place enough for super tasty and highly courteous service

Pros: Quiet meeting place. Traditional drinks, such as the plum drink, is worth trying. Friendly waitstaff.
Cons: N/​A

Came here for lunch and was excited to see that their menu had quite a few dishes that were different then they typical Vietnamese restaurants in the area.
I ordered the rice cake sampler which was awesome and came with a variety of sauces and an appetizer portion chicken phở. I left with a happy belly.
I will definitely come back to try the grapefruit salad and clam rice dish.

A very solid Vietnamese restaurant that specializes in central Vietnamese cuisine (from Hue). Their Bun Bo Hue is delicious; the noodles are thick and cooked perfectly, they have the cuts of meats that you’re supposed to have (one that is more «tendinous”/fatty and one that is just muscle) and their meatballs are really delicious. They serve it with all the right herbs, fresh and clean.
Their Hue specials #54 and #55 are delicious. Each dish includes 4 different types of «cakes», with two of each type. It’s a perfect way to sample the regional specialties of Hue. #55 has
— banh it (a chewy glutinous rice ball)
— banh bot loc (a sausage shaped «transparent dumpling» with shrimp and pork filling — one of my favorites!)
— banh nam (a flat glutinous rice «pancake» with ground pork and wood ear mushrooms)
— banh beo (steamed circular rice cake with mung beans, dried shrimp, and shallot topping).
#54 also has banh beo, plus
— banh uot (thin rice pancakes rolled with Vietnamese pork sausage)
— cha trung (a steamed omelette with vermicelli)
— banh khot (a crispy rice pancake that is fried)
I love that they pay attention to the details with the various sauces for these two dishes; they have the diluted sweetened fish sauce for the banh beo, the more concentrated sweet and spicy fish sauce for the banh it, and the sesame peanut sauce for the banh uot (though you can also eat this with fish sauce).
Their «hell rice» (Com Am Phu, $ 9) is also good, served with a mix of different types of sliced grilled meats and Vietnamese sausages.
I was really surprised by their nuoc xi muoi (salty preserved plum drink). It is probably the best version I’ve ever tasted. They must mix in some lemon or lime because it had a nice kick of freshness. The balance of salty, sweet, and tart was perfect. I will definitely order this again! They also have a nice selection of Asian beers, including the classic Vietnamese 33 and Tiger.
Service was friendly, and they do accept credit cards for payment.

Had Banh Beo, and Bun Bo Hue (BBH) yesterday afternoon. We usually love these dishes and that’s why we came in with high expectation to enjoy our dishes. However, both of them were not good at all. Either they used the old Banh Beo or changed the way they make, the flour was not as soft & thin as supposed to be. Regular chilis were not used & replaced with jalapeños??? So disappointed! BBH was just okay, nothing special at all.
We won’t come back! Sadly that no other places to have good Banh Beo but we don’t want to eat this & complain later.

This is our new favorite Vietnamese restaurant! They have outstanding garden and crispy rolls and the best phở I have had in ages.
The restaurant is clean and lovely, definitely nicer than anything I’ve seen at Eden center.

We love the Saigon Café!
The food rocks. And the owners make it feel so nurturing. The sweetest people ever. My husband and I always feel taken care of there.
I always get the round eye phở. They make their own broth and it is always delicious. Just the right spices, and the vegetables always look and taste super fresh.
Servings are abundant and they always feel so generous.
My husband started getting the rice paper dish — and Whaaazaa! It’s amazing. Big fresh leaves of lettuce, super spiced pork and chicken, wonderful sauces, and fun dipping pancakes where you get to roll the whole thing up yourself.
Whenever we need to unwind we come here and are never disappointed.

Highly recommend banh beo, bun bo hue, banh canh cua. Banh beo is very delicious!!!

Saigon Café is a decent phở place with good broth and a good amount of noodles. The service here is very friendly and if you’re in the area and are craving for hot Vietnamese soup, this can be an option. I usually get it with the round-​eye beef slices with no cilantro; the bean sprouts are very fresh and with a little bit hoison and sriracha sauce, you can have a hearty meal. The broth is flavorful and it has a nice mixture of the spices and it’s not too watered down. I tried their shrimp spring rolls, but I wasn’t a fan as it was a lot of vegetables with a couple of pieces of shrimp; it did taste quite healthy, though!
+good phở broth
+fresh bean sprouts
+friendly staff
+located in the Guitar Center plaza

If I were to suggest a superb Vietnamese restaurant to a non-​Vietnamese, I would name either Minh’s Restaurant or Saigon Café. These two restaurants leave nothing to be desired. Interestingly, both restaurants are known for providing great examples of regional Vietnamese cuisine, with Minh giving patrons a chance to sample northern Vietnamese specialties. I have a separate review for Minh’s, so I won’t talk too much about it here.
Saigon Café is a rather misleading name because their dishes hail from central Vietnam. Besides offering a range of harder-​to-​find appetizers and entrees, Saigon Café is so memorable for its consistently delicious food, cleanliness, and more tranquil ambiance.
If you want the hubbub of a street market, go across the street to Eden Center. Hai Duong or some of the smaller, more hole-​in-​the-​wall restaurants will afford you such an experience.
For something more serene, Saigon Café is the place to be. The walls are a calming pale, sherbety orange. Various Vietnamese crafts hang from the ceiling and walls. Booth seating is available.
I’m not recommending this restaurant to non-​Vietnamese only because of the elegant and calming atmosphere, I am more so giving this a huge thumbs up because the food is, as mentioned before, sooooooooooo good. The nice setting is just a plus.
If it’s your first time here, definitely, definitely order from their recommendations/​specials. You will not be disappointed, but rather content and possibly thrilled. My aunt said the banh khoai (central Vietnamese version of banh xeo, or crescent-​shaped crêpe filled with pork and shrimp) was very good, and she’ll be back for more. You also must try their small rice cakes topped with crush shrimp (banh beo). The rice cake skins are thin, slippery, and pure white. Love it! If you want to try a little of everything, get the banh Hue du loai (combo platter). It’s one of the few restaurants in this area, maybe the only one, that offers «hell rice» or com am phu, a popular though ominous-​sounding dish from the former capital of Vietnam. If you need help determining what’s a central Vietnamese dish, I’m sure one of the staff would be happy to steer you in the right direction.
And let me not forget to mention-​they have an amazing range of options for vegetarians. Hooray! Their vegetarian bun bo hue (Hue noodle soup) is so satisfying, comforting, and flavorful. I didn’t miss the animal component at all. It’s slightly sweeter than the meat version due to the addition of pineapple, but it’s not cloyingly sweet. I also appreciate that they didn’t use any mock meats in the soup. Contrary to my review for Loving Hut, I think it’s actually a tie between the two restaurants, in terms of their veggie rendition of this popular Vietnamese soup. Loving Hut’s is slightly richer and includes the seitan products. If you want something a little more naughty, Loving Hut’s is the better choice.
Phở is probably okay here, but why would you want phở from a place that doesn’t specialize in it? (Okay, well Huong Viet and Hai Duong supposedly make pretty good phở, but I wouldn’t get phở when you could order so many other more unusual dishes.) That’s just me, maybe…
Besides the food and setting, Saigon Café deserves five stars for having polite and hard-​working servers. They’re not chatty, but they are quick to clear the table, quick to get your order, and generally pleasant.
I really can’t say enough good things about Saigon Café. I will say no more and let you find out for yourself.

One of the best spot for bun bo hue in the DMV. If you want the gold standard for bun bo hue. eat here first. then go around and make your comparisons. The menu is quite extensive. They offer a plethora of Hue style entrees as well as other vietnamese regional dishes. Personally, I think they could really up their game by reducing their menu offerings and concentrate on the Hue fares. There’s no trendy or fancy presentations here, just authentic Hue regional fares.
It’s also too bad, they don’t carry the snacks any more. I miss those.