Chao Vietnamese Street Food

Holy smokes! Why am I just now trying this place?
I literally just got home from eating dinner here and couldn’t wait to write my review. Full disclosure: this was my first time eating Vietnamese food. I had no idea what I was about to experience.
We started off with the vegetarian egg rolls which were pretty good. I want to try the Avocado spring rolls next time for comparison. I ordered the Chicken Bahn Mi and hubby ordered the Pork Bun. Three words — So. Much. Flavor. The Bahn Mi was delicious. The chicken was juicy, jalapeños were spicy and the bread was super fresh. The hubby really enjoyed his bun and said the pork was delicious.
Service was friendly and attentive. The restaurant is quite contemporary looking with grey walls and a very open, light feel. The prices were reasonable; under $ 30 for one appetizer and two dinners.
Is this place authentic? I have no idea! Is it delicious? OMG, yes! Will I be back? Heck yeah! I can’t wait to try everything on the menu.

This is a great place for a lunch. The menu and food selection is kept simple and minimal. Our waitress was very kind and attentive. I had rice dish with pork which was very tasty, I liked the smoky flavor of meat as if it was cooked over charcoal or grill. 3 stars despite of good service and good meal because the lettuce that was served with my meal was not washed very well and I bit into dirt.

Lunch special: small steak Phở and your choice of Bahn Mi. With a water I was out of there under $ 9. Phở was great. Well cooked and seasoned. Chicken Bahn Mi was excellent. Full size. Chicken was moist and delicious the toppings were fresh as could be and the bread was soft on the inside with just the right amount of crisp on the outside.
It’s a cozy little restaurant. Food is traditional for what I can tell while atmosphere is modern.
I will be back for more.

Great food and comfortable dining experience. Doesn’t matter if you are looking for comfort food or a new food experience the food here is heart warming.

On an unseasonably cold May evening, we decided to try out this fast Phở place. Started with two coffees, which we both found to be very sweet. Never had Vietnamese coffee but it reminded us of a more creamy Cuban coffee. They offer hot or cold versions.
Having seen mention on Unilocal of the fantastic avocado spring rolls, I knew I had to try those. Perfect, crunchy, fresh. You can see all of the avocados lined up near the ordering counter. Generous side of peanut sauce. Will definitely order the spring rolls again.
Their vegetarian phở included carrots, potato, and mushroom. Not sure how I forgot to add tofu, but the portion was so large that it was unnecessary. Broth was flavorful even without meat.
Their pork bahn mi was also a huge portion, good balance of pork, sauce, and veggies. The best part was the bread they used, served warm from the kitchen.
Chao is definitely fast, filling, and reasonably priced. It’s in a Fishers shopping plaza, so it would make an easy place to grab food right off the Interstate. Modern décor and friendly servers make this a place to revisit on the northeast side!

The shrimp banh mi sandwich is amazing. In addition to the tasty ingredients, the most impressive part of this sandwich is the bread. It had excellent crunch, soft chewy inside and served at room temperature. It’s a good piece of bread… ok, damn good bread. I liked mine with extra jalapenos cuz I live my lunches hot.
On a previous visit, I had the vegetarian noodle soup. It had excellent taste. They’ve got pretty good phở. The size was excellent and the accompaniment of basil, jalapenos, sprouts, etc. were excellent. I can’t wait for another rainy day to have the phở.
On an even more previous visit, I had both the shrimp spring rolls and the vegetable egg rolls. The spring rolls and the sauce were an excellent combination. The egg rolls were fried well and not over done. My mum who makes these would have been proud. Or feel a bit threatened. I don’t know. They were good.
Overall the atmosphere of the restaurant is great. The TV isn’t bothersome because the volume is on mute. This is good as i’m not a fan of TVs in restaurants.
Therefore, get your hungry stomach there and try everything on the menu.

Chao is the newest Vietnamese restaurant in the northeast area of Indy. The restaurant itself has a very clean and basic set-​up inside that is open and inviting. When you walk in, you place your order at the counter and then you are given a number and seat yourself if you are dining in, or just hang out while your order is prepared if you are taking it to go. The menu is simple and yet provides options for most people. Today I tried the banh mi which is a Vietnamese sandwich. The sandwich came on a toasted roll stuffed to the gills with steak, carrots, onions, cucumber, fresh jalapenos and a mayo-​based sauce. The flavors were good and the sandwich well-​made. I was VERY happy because the rolls were crunchy/​crusty and yet soft inside. They did not tear the roof off my mouth which is what can sometimes happen. I’ve had my share of Vietnamese food and this was on par. I think the flavors could have been a bit more bold, but considering that this restaurant is located in suburban Indianapolis, I think they were wise to scale back on some of the more bold Vietnamese flavors.
If steak isn’t your thing, the banh mi can be made with pork, chicken or just veggies. If you’re not feeling a sandwich, then you can also get a salad, a noodle dish, a rice dish or a traditional soup dish (phở). Their selection of boba drinks (bubble tea) were impressive. Today I had the iced Vietnamese coffee with boba which was totes legit! Trust that I’ll be back for more of THAT :)
All-​in-​all this is a great new restaurant in the area. Friendly and attentive staff, good food and quick service. If the idea of Vietnamese food scares you, take a deep breath, open your mind and give this a try. Don’t overthink it… you’ll be glad you tried!

Since moving to Indianapolis, I have tried a few Vietnamese restaurants, since I love Vietnamese food, but I have not found one that really impressed me to the point that I would go back again. So, I was a little skeptical to try one in a strip mall in Fishers; however, I was really glad I did!
The place is cozy, clean, and has a modern vibe. The server was very friendly and informative, especially when explaining the menu options to first time guests. The menu is small, but it includes all of the classic dishes such as phở and bun at a reasonable price.
I tried the banh mi, which I have been craving for a while, and it was very tasty. It was full of plenty of fresh veggies, pickles, and pork mixed with a nice sauce, so it made for a very satisfying meal. I am looking forward to trying the rest of their menu!

The design and atmosphere is sleek and modern. When it comes to the food I started off with the shrimp spring rolls. Now if you have never had Vietnamese spring rolls they will catch you a little off guard. The out side is translucent and gummy. I cant get past the texture so I don’t know if they are good. The phở was ok but not great. I love phở and if it is not great I wont go back. Try it for yourself and make your own opinion.

The location is high traffic and convenient. I went during lunch and there wasn’t much of a wait (as mentioned in previous reviews, this is an order at the counter and wait system). The dining room was clean and food seemed to be coming out pretty quickly and at a cadence which allowed for diners not to have to wait long on each others orders to arrive. I had the chicken phở, which was loaded with a lot of fresh herbs. The broth was under seasoned for me; tasting very much like chicken broth with herbs added to it. It lacked the typical ginger, star anise, et al. depth of flavor that is key to a good phở. I’d like to return and try other items as the food on other tables looked appealing and the other diners seemed to be enjoyed their food.

I’m really excited to see new spins and approaches to different cuisines in Indianapolis. An additional example of this can be found at Chapati, a modern Indian eatery in the Lafayette Square area.
Chao is an affordable and fairly fast lunch option found on the same strip in Fishers as Sun King Brewery (beer and noodles? Don’t mind if I do!)
My 45 minute lunch visited included the chicken rice noodle bowl topped with pickled carrots, sprouts and greens. For those of us who are allergic to fish, they can easily make this dish a safe option. $ 9.
Orders are placed at the counter and the menu is fairly easy to navigate. I look forward to my next visit!

This place is awesome ! I love Vietnamese food, there’s no question about… I think for people who haven’t tried Vietnamese food, or tried the ever so infamous Phở, Chao is a great starter place. It has a small menu (which is ok, because they offer the best of the best, and also do limited time specialties– so keep an eye on their Facebook page!)
PROS-​Chao is sooo clean, the few times I’ve been in there, it’s immaculate. Love that! — The service is always great — and they have a really diverse staff that makes you feel welcomed (I’m a sucker for any server who treats me like their friend, and not a business deal). Now the food … Yum! YUM! YUM! The steak phở w/​meatballs (nice clean broth) & bahn mi-​Saigon (packed full of favors) are my favorites ! –beyond delish
CONS-​the few times I have been in there, they are always OUT of dessert … That «four seasons» looks to die for though…
THIS PLACE IS A MUST TRY! :)

Wow — this place is a true gem on 96^th Street! I’ve only gone twice and both times I chose the bun with chicken. Um, amazing. The portion is honestly too large for me to eat in one sitting so I ended up bringing home leftovers. (No biggie — they’re good leftovers.) Their food options not only taste fresh — but look it. And the inside of the restaurant is always very clean, the customer service is great and I know for a fact I’ll be back. It’s nice to have a few different options that are close to work. And the serve time is pretty quick, so you can get in and out for a lunch hour without a problem. It’s located near the Sun King and Sahm’s Bar on 96^th. Check it out!

We were super excited when we saw that a new Vietnamese restaurant had opened up in Hamilton County. We’re huge fans of Super Bowl Phở in Westfield and were excited to try another Vietnamese spot, especially since it’s labeled «street food.»
The menu is small, or at least much smaller than Super Bowl’s. A few kinds of phở and bành mi, and a couple meat-​and-​rice dishes, and the typical assortment of Vietnamese drinks make a well-​rounded menu, but it’s minimal. The service was great! You could tell they have just opened a few months ago, but they were super nice.
I had the crispy chicken. I figured it would be chunks, but it’s a whole chicken leg… even better. It was juicy and tender, and the skin was crispy. I liked it a lot, but it could have used some salt on the crust. The rice underneath it was heavenly because it soaked up all the chicken juices. Just wish there had been more of it!
My parents’ food was good as well. My dad had a pork chop with an egg over rice, which was better than my chicken. My mom’s bành mi was also good (not quite as good as Super Bowl’s though).
We will be back, but not for a while since we have so many other places in the area. I’ll probably get the pork chop.

I will definitely be a regular at Chao now. Stopped in for lunch by a friend’s recommendation and loved it. We started with the spring roll appetizer with shrimp which was ok. What was great was their chicken Bahn Mi and their phở. The chicken had excellent flavor. This is by far the best Bahn Mi I’ve had in Indy. The bread was also perfect. A bit toasted/​crunchy which made it perfect. Tip: have them add avocado to your Bahn Mi. The phở’ broth had great flavor and the beef was good quality. The portions weren’t huge but definitely enough and the price is pretty reasonable. Service was friendly as well. Solid restaurant!

We stop in after doing some shopping… there were a few people in restaurant. There is a simple menu of sandwiches, rice dishes, and Phở. You can also add a smoothie to your meal.
The set-​up is simple and clean. You place your order, grab your plasticware, and take a seat. Your food is delivered to your table. If you order water, you self-​serve.
We ordered spring rolls and egg rolls. The spring rolls were fresh and served with a peanut sauce. The eggrolls are served with bib lettuce, pickled carrots, cucumbers slices, and fish sauce. My husband described the eggrolls as light and crisp. The spring rolls were fresh and taste.
The Phở was served hot with bean spouts, basil, a lime piece, and japlanos slices. I added a little of everything to my soup and Housin sauce. It was delicious. There was plenty of slices of meat, noodles, lemongrass in the beef broth.
My husband had steak and rice. It is served with a simple soup, steak on a bed of rice, a salad of cucumbers, pickled carrots, and sweet fish sauce.
It is definitely a place I will eat at least one a month.

Liked it a lot! My wife and I recently stopped by here from lunch and I am thrilled to have a good Vietnamese restaurant on the northeast side of the city. I had the steak phở which had a surprisingly cinnamon-​y taste to it – not completely what I was expecting (although, I believe cinnamon was highlighted on the menu we were given) but very nice. My wife’s chicken bun was a wonderful noodle dish and the sauce was perfect. We both wished we had brought someone else with us so we could have tried the banh mi (one was delivered to a table next to ours while we were there and it looked fantastic). Not that I needed one, but that’s a perfect reason to go back!
For what it’s worth, the service was excellent too and we both thought the place looked great.

Late lunch and my options bore me, until suddenly, I see a new spot in the strip mall next to my office. I must admit, I’ve been a little scared of Vietnamese food in the past, not quite knowing what to expect or order and the spice level. My apprehension subsided as I saw ‘Street Food’.
The restaurant and staff was pleasant and welcoming with an Eastern modern flair. I like that they had pictures of items that were most popular to assist in my selection. I ordering Phở (pronounced Fa), but switched to Chicken Bun (pronounced Boon, for those like myself who didn’t know), a good choice I was told.
Everything is made fresh, so you can expect a short wait. I enjoyed taking in the atmosphere and the ethnic mix of diners, always a good sign, as I overheard them saying a friend told them they had to come try it.
I ordered my lunch ‘To Go’ and was surprised at the abundant amount of food I was given; a rainbow of deliciousness, complete with a few tiny spring rolls, a sweet sauce and chop sticks.
Selfishly, I pause and think that I should keep this secret to myself, but instead I’ll have to take friends and share the love that is Vietnamese Street Food!

The menu here is very basic phở, banh mi, bubble tea. Had the phở and a tarro dessert.
Everything was delicious! But don’t expect a gigantic bowl. They are smaller than other viet restaurants in town. But I was glad that I had room for dessert. It’ll be good to come in here on a cold day, have some phở than go next door to sun king tap room.

Chao Vietnamese Street Food just opened a week ago and I was excited to see a new Vietnamese spot in Indy near my hotel (in fact it’s behind my hotel).
Since it’s still new, I wasn’t expecting anything phenomenal. But I was pleasantly surprised!
The space clean and inviting. You have to place your order at the counter and pay for it there. The menu is small. For appetizers, they offer egg or spring rolls. For Phở, they offer rare steak, chicken or meatballs. For Bun, they offer chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. For Banh Mi, they offer beef, pork or chicken. And for rice platters, they offer chicken, pork or beef. They also offer Boba Smoothies with Strawberry, avocado, watermelon, coconut, mango and honey dew.
I had a serving of Bun with grilled chicken and the strawberry smoothie with boba (large tapioca pearls). The Bun was just what I would expect out of the many Vietnamese places in Seattle, definitely meeting my expectations! And the strawberry smoothie with boba was delightfully fresh!
I hope to visit Chao the next time I’m in town!