Dong Nai

This is the best Phở Vietnamese food in South Austin bar none. Always fresh and delicious.
Portions are all big and the prices are great for the amount of food you get. Quite surprising in a world of fancier but smaller appetizer portions with a fancy swoosh of mayonnaise and ketchup called special sauce.
Make sure and go with plenty of time as you want to try the spring rolls. The peanut sauce is nice and thick compared to some watered-​down versions I’ve seen as of late from other Vietnamese restaurants.
Also the only reason it doesn’t get five stars is because the kitchen sells the food as it is prepared. There’s no timing in the kitchen so when your food comes out it nice and fresh but that always leaves somebody’s mouth watering i.e. the appetizers.
This is my go to Phở so I am sure you will see me there soon!

Excellent beef phở with generous amounts of meat in an aromatic, smoky broth. Bun Bo Hue, special of the day, was ok but the stock was a bit thin. The third diner had some kind of chicken and rice dish that came with a sweetened fish sauce and she ate half and happily took the rest home. All at more than fair prices.
The reasons it doesn’t score higher are first, the very haphazard service and second, the very uncomfortable banquettes that are built for much smaller folk than average Texans. You can solve the first by insisting on a table. The second is probably a matter of short staffing. What was annoying is that our three dishes came out at three different times, and folks who arrived after we did were served before. I don’t think there is any agenda to that, just poor organization in the kitchen.
That said, the food is more than good and I plan to return.

Finally found a great Phở in south austin!!! Took me four years!
I ordered the steak phở, the broth was amazing. They use some of the authentic spices that most places choose to exclude, maybe out of ignorance or just too cheap. It was a very generous portion, plenty of noddles and really fresh herbs on the side.

My first time here and tried the phở ga, and, happy to say it was really good. Shrimp and pork spring roll, also very good. While the food was definitely 4 stars, the service was not. I decided to give the four stars anyway just because, while the service was very very slow and prone to mistakes, the servers were quite nice, and seemed to be trying to get it right, so, I am being nice as well!
Will I come back?
Yes, but only when I have plenty of time.

Authentic vietnamese style food with an exhaustive menu. Large portion sizes and friendly staff. BYOB, with a Twin Liquors in the same parking lot. Easy access and no wait time. I will be a regular.

Well… We tried, several times. What is the deal with this place? It is eerily quite. The staff is not only mostly absent but kinda rude. The owner was in today and when we asked what the foreign matter was in our pha she barked ‘no no we don’t have white meat any more’ my fiancé picked up a piece of what looked like a fatty tripe liver and she said ‘yeah that’s dark meat’. Then proceeded to belittle a customer that accidentally ordered the 56 instead of the 57 he said ‘oh no I don’t eat beef I thought it was the pork’ she said ‘well we cooked it so you pay for that’ he said well I don’t eat it may I just have the pork? She said ‘well that’s 3 more dollars’. He said ‘but it’s a dollar add on on the menu’ she picked up his plate and said ‘well you don’t have to eat but you pay for this cause we cooked it’ UNREAL.
The food here has never actually been ‘good’ it’s just close by and sometimes you want phở. Well I suggest taking the extra few minutes and drive somewhere where the lighting isn’t cold and weird, there isn’t a strange smell when you walk in, and the owner doesn’t belittle you instead of trouble shooting the problem.

I couldn’t wait to write this review… I’m still here and I needed to tell you guys how amazing the Shrimp Spring Rolls were. They are freshly made when you order them! YES, I said that right! They are not chewy or tough. Simply wonderful!
Food: They have a huge menu catering to both the Vietnamese and Chinese palette. As I said earlier the Shrimp Spring Rolls were amazing. I ordered from the Lunch menu (Mon-​Sun, until 3pm) a Lomein Shrimp plate. It came with your choice of soup, and an egg roll. When my plate came out it was pipin’ hot and smelled of all the flavors a Chinese dish should smell of. The ingredients were super fresh! I just ate the egg roll… It was just made guys! I can’t say how good the food is here. Food choices ranged from $ 7 – 13.
Place: When you see DONG-​NAJ from. The outside there is not much to the imagination. It’s part of a strip mall and looks mediocre. As you step into the restaurant you will see the basic restaurant setup. Table and chairs on a painted concert floor. The place could use a pick-​me up but the food, now that is not to be touched AT ALL!
The food is fresh, the ingredients are super fresh, the staff was great.

Have people lost their minds giving this place five stars?! Apparently you’ve never eaten anything outside of Texas for Asian food. This is literally the most tasteless, mediocre food I’ve ever had. Between two people we ordered a seafood, pork and vegetarian dish and somehow they managed to make all three taste the same — like cardboard /​flavorless.

lunch here for the first time today and it was very good. the food was really tasty. the only thing against this place was the looooooong wait for the food to be served. we had the shrimp rolls to start, and that was served fairly quickly. 8 pieces to a serving and its accompanied by 2 kinds of sauce. a sweet and sour one and a fish sauce I think. the fish sauce was my favorite. not salty in the least. you can wrap the rolls in the leaves that accompany the dish. either way, it’s delicious and fun to eat! like I said, it took forever for our entrees to come out from the kitchen. granted the place was busy, but we’ve eaten in busier restaurants and the service was still quick. it’s worth the wait though. just don’t come here when you’re starving.
hubby and I both had the vermicelli bowls. he had the combination beef, shrimp and chicken, and I had the chicken. it’s served in a huge bowl and that bowl is filled to the brim. for $ 7.95, that’s a great deal! it’s very tasty, very satisfying, and needless to say, very filling. it’s also very healthy because it’s filled with lots of veggies, and the chicken is a good quantity too.
you won’t regret dining here if this kind of food is your type. we will definitely be back.
other reviews said the restaurant wasn’t all that clean. that review made me hesitant to try it, but we went anyway. it wasn’t as icky as I expected it to be, but hubby said the restroom wasn’t clean. so do take out if you’re oc. :)

Everything in here is dirty and slow, i can’t get full after eating phở in here, if you don’t want to spend an hour at least in here and served by rude waiter, here is a good choice

I love this place ! It’s perfect for lunch or dinner !! It’s awesome! Especially the Tofu Phở (at least for me). Oh FYI they sell Thai tea!

I love this restaurant! They give good service and always has good food. I always get my Vietnamese food fix here.
The wait staff is very polite and remembers my order. Lunchtime can be busy on weekdays but it’s normally a quick turnover.

Favorite place for Vietnamese & Chinese cuisine in Austin. Whatever we get is hot fresh and delicious:
Fried pork dumplings
Steak, chicken, or vegetable phở
Orange chicken
Schezuapn beef
Egg drop soup
Vermicelli and charred brooks beef
Etc.
Whether dining in or ordering to-​go service is fast and very helpful.

The first time my boyfriend brought me here I was skeptical, like is this how it ends for me in a very awkwardly decorated Vietnamese Restaurant? But then I had their lemongrass tofu and my life was changed. I only want lemongrass tofu from Dong Nai and nothing else, for like weeks on end. Now he hates himself for ever bringing me here and for every introducing me because I constantly put this as my #1 option for «what I want for dinner». I have only ever tried their kids chicken friend rice and it was pretty good but then the past few times Ive tried to order it they shoot me down because «Im not a kid», ew I don’t like when places try to tell me how to live my life, but it’s okay because lemongrass tofu phở is all I need to please me.
Disregard the atmosphere or the tvs that cut out ever few minutes and go for the lemongrass tofu, try it in every dish they will make for you. Oh and get the bubble tea. Bubble tea quality here is reliably good. Has my seal of approval.

First of all, when you walk in there’s a very funny smell that never ended up going away. Not a very pleasant smell. My gf and I were excited about the boba smoothies but then were let down quite badly. The tapioca pearls were hard and tasted of cardboard.
The service was horrible. The young guy waiting on us was very friendly and felt bad and apologized for it taking so long but they still could step up their game. We had two servers and they still couldn’t get it right. Phở usually takes a short time to get out, but not this time!
#28 and #25 were what we decided to order. I give the PHO 4 STARS and the rest 2. They did take our boba off the check so that was nice. The phở broth is good but I don’t think I’ll be coming back. I could get good phở without the smell.

I’m giving 5-​stars here because Dong Nai hits all my expectations for a humble, comforting Vietnamese restaurant. Sure, the atmosphere can be improved as with a few service kinks here and there (although service has been exponentially better the past few times I’ve gone), but I’m thinking about what’s really important. It’s the food.
The food is exactly what I want when I come to a place like this. A steaming, flavorful, overflowing bowl of hot Phở. A fresh, tasty, veggie, noodle and meat filled bowl of bún. Hot tea. Bubble tea. Spoons, chopsticks, and condiments galore on the table right where they should be. This is definitely my quick and easy go-​to Phở place. It’s the one that reminds me most of San Francisco and brings back beautiful memories of my time in Vietnam. Now that’s as sweet as hoisin sauce.

Absolutely delicious phở!
I was impressed at the amount of steak in my bowl of soup too.
The spring rolls were average, but the lunch staff/​service was great.
All in all, we will definitely come back.

I have a mild addiction to Vietnamese food, being from Houston.
I can honestly saw I have YET to be disappointed with Dong Nai. Not only is their food FANTASTIC, the customer service is truly remarkable. Everyone is so kind and helpful.
I typically get vietnamese eggrolls, Grilled Pork Vermacelli, Steak Phở… and a few more… but all are SO SAVORY!!! I also am very picky with Phở… Their broth is not too oily, if you know what I mean… I always feel so refreshed and stuffed after leaving!
Also, they got new really cool menus that are waterproof… BC they’re from Vietnam! … how cool!
Love this place!

Service and the quality of the food here are superb. The facility is clean and I have no complaints. We both had Bun (vermicelli bowl): one chicken and one pork, steamed dumplings, Vietnamese Egg Rolls, and ice water. Nothing was left to be desired. The menu is part Chinese food part Vietnamese food. It’s fairly comprehensive but they don’t have Banh Mi sandwiches, unusual for a Vietnamese place. They also have boba tea.
I was in town visiting a friend who recommended it highly. They’re very proud of their Unilocal status and have numerous awards on the wall from a variety of sources. This place is the real deal and is on my short list of places to eat when I’m in Austin.

I stopped in here for lunch one day and I loved every bite!
I ordered the Vermicelli with pork charcoal and dong nai egg roll. The entire bowl was packed with flavor. When you are served they also bring some stuff to pour on, which I did. It is good and adds to the flavors of the vermicelli. The egg roll was perfectly fried and crispy. It was some of the best vermicelli I have ever had!
I would give this 5 stars if the service had been a bit better. They seemed to maybe be a bit short staffed and I seemed to have to wait a bit to get my check. There were only 2 guys working the front — host, waiting tables, take out orders and ringing up the checks. It wasn’t a huge deal or anything, but that would be my area of improvement for them to get their 5^th star from me.
For under $ 10 bucks you really can’t beat the price and quality of food you are getting here! I will absolutely be back!