Le Viet Restaurant

In Ali Wong’s recent standup special on Netflix (Baby Cobra), she goes off on the lack of authenticity of the Vietnamese restaurant her then boyfriend took her out to on their first date, a place called Phở Sho. I’m paraphrasing, but she proceeds to rant that this place clearly is not authentic since the name of the restaurant does not include a number, one is not publicly berated by the servers, and the bathroom does not double up as a supply closet with gallons of bleach and a Vietnamese grandma with glaucoma sitting in the corner.
While one has the option of Pho75 within a 2 minute walk of here, one could make the argument that Le Viet would be the superior option for date night without making significant compromises in authenticity. Sure, there’s no number in the name and at least they resisted the urge to interject a phở-​gettable bún, I mean pun, but when one walks in, the modern décor, well-​stocked bar, and open window into the kitchen definitely makes one suspect he/​she is dining at [insert your favorite non-​Asian Top Chef]‘s take on Vietnamese fusion, since it looks WAY too nice and clean. However, upon opening their menu, one sees that this is most definitely an authentic Vietnamese eatery that include the usual classics (bún, phở, spring rolls, stir fries, rice plates) but also include native favorite appetizers such as Hn Xúc Bánh Đa (baby clams, beef, peanuts served atop sesame rice crackers), Bánh Xèo (savory crêpe), Chim Cúc Quay (deep fried quail), and Bò Tái Chanh (vietnamese take on carpaccio).
Not only is the plating beautiful often with intricate knifework on the garnishes but they care to go the extra mile in the details, whether it be broken rice and a bowl of broth in the rice plate, bone-​in chicken for the phở ga, and a set of signature cocktails to elevate the dining experience. Our experience was capped by more hits (the deep fried soft-​shell crabs with ginger and onions (62) and the house special pork chop rice plate served with egg quiche, shredeed pork, and an exquisite fried egg atop broken rice) than misses (avoid the papaya salad; phở purists seem to be underwhelmed based on other reviews). My advice would be to go a little off book with less traditional offerings that can be shared family style and save room for some drinks/​dessert. You can always head across the street to Pho75 and pay your respects to the grandmother lurking in the bathroom when you are recovering from a cold in need of a steaming bowl of phở.
P. S. Credit cards accepted, and in case you were wondering, service and bathroom are stellar (phở sho)

A group of friends went here the other night. This was my second visit. Both experiences were very good. I am definitely a fan. I have tried a few different things on their menu and everything was really good and flavorful.
The service is attentive and sweet.
I had their lime mojito it was a little sweet for my taste. Overall great value and food in a lovely space.

Great spot
Décor ambience all around great place for some authentic or what I believe to be authentic Vietnamese food!!! Friendly staff to add to this great spot
Will be back soon
Thanks for a great experience

I’ve been here a few times and here are my thoughts:
— this is definitely the best looking Vietnamese spot on Washington avenue. Very clean, good service, has a well stocked bar, televisions that play sports, and it actually takes reservations on open table.
— the pop wings are good. Fried and packed with flavor and comes with 6 pieces of wings, watercress, and onions.
— the phở is a disappointing. I wouldn’t order it here.
— ordered the vermicelli bowl that comes with pork, shrimp, and a spring roll. The dish was filling. Felt that the noodles were a little too raw/​hard. I wish there was a little more meat for the price.
Overall, you’re paying a premium compared to the other Vietnamese restaurants for the ambiance and service, while the actual meal is on par with my others.

Trendy spot with traditional Vietnamese dishes for unbeatable prices! This has become a new Go-​To for Sunday lunch with the boyfriend’s family. Their lunch menu is available everyday (weekends included!) from 11am to 3pm. We’re talking full-​sized meals for under $ 6. In the past few visits, we’ve tried their Phở Tai (beef noodle soup), their grilled beef over rice/​over vermicelli noodles. Really great tasting food that leaves us full and satisfied every time!
Parking in this part of town is an absolute pain, but we keep coming back for their awesome menu and exceptional service. The combination of ambiance, TV channels, and music playlist house a much younger vibe than its competitors across the street. Way less traditional than other restaurants in the area, yet it doesn’t compromise on the authenticity of the food. Keep it up, and please please please don’t take away the amazing lunch specials!!!

Was very excited to try this place. For the most part it was delicious. 1 down side was the dish I was looking most forward to… Short Ribs were rubbery and fatty. Couldn’t even really eat them but the sauce was so delicious that we jus sucked the sauce off the meat.

3.5 /​5
I’ve grown up eating Vietnamese food both at home and in restaurants, so I have a good idea what to expect at a Vietnamese Restaurant. Le Viet was a little different. Instead of traditional Vietnamese music and décor, the interior is very hip, and best of all, clean. It threw off my parents because they were expecting something a little more traditional, but I enjoyed it.
We ordered the Banh Xeo (the crêpe appetizer) and the Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio (Vermicelli noodles with marinated grilled pork and egg rolls). The banh xeo was a bit on the oily side, although I have had it more greasy in other restaurants, but it came with so many delicious and fresh veggies which made up for it. The bun thit nuong was my favorite– the grilled pork was very flavorful and egg rolls were perfect. The noodles were a tad dry according to my mom, but otherwise, the dish had both mine and my parents’ approval.

This place is a must try. The Pop’s Chicken Wings are DELICIOUS. Also their milk tea… Wow. Best I’ve had in Philly. Love he ambiance and the wait staff is very kind, polite and
punctual. I’ll definitely be coming back!

Le Viet stands out among the other Vietnamese restaurants in the area; instead of a mom-​and-​pop, been-​here-​for-​years feel, its décor is stylish and upbeat. I got the spicy chicken wings that definitely delivered in the spicy department. The beef stir-​fry was delicious. Although I should probably try the other, more traditional restaurants across the street, I’ll probably come here again.

NASTY, «white» beef that was supposed to be lean.
Before ordering the beef phở, I asked my waiter what the leanest beef was that they had (the least fattiest). He said flank steak, which makes sense because if you google «flank steak», you will see how lean it is. I asked for a double helping.
The meat that I got was about 80% white. As in pure fat and no protein. It was so disgusting that I had to pull it out of my phở and put it on a side plate for them to take away. The waiter was indifferent and could have seen that I was unhappy. I should have refused to pay for it but didn’t.
Note to Le Viet: Make sure your waiters know which beef you have is the leanest. I should have gone to Phở 75 across Washington. Much worse ambiance but much more integrity to the food ingredients.

Great spot for Phở. For the budget conscious looking to experience a delicious meal. Décor is progressive and fits the menu.

$ 5.95 for lunch specials… and they are all delicious. I know this is a Vietnamese restaurant and their Vietnamese food is awesome… but my personal favorite is the beef chow fun. It is nothing like the beef chow fun at a chinese restaurant. The unique flavor is hard to describe — a little sweet, subtle, but flavorful… maybe oniony? It is a must try! Also really love their rainbow ice dessert (che ba mau) but it is not always available :-(I highly recommend this restaurant… it is one of my favorites and I always make time to go when I am in the area. Have never been disappointed by the food and the service is great!

La Viet does not look like a typical Vietnamese restaurant. The décor and building are trendy and stylish. It has almost a lounge type feel to it. The service here was excellent, they were attentive, friendly and helpful.
We had several appetizers, the fried Spring rolls, Crispy crêpe filled with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, and green onion, La Viet sliders and the Pop’s Chicken wings. The standouts here were Chicken Wings and Spring Rolls. Those two appetizers had a lot of great flavors and were just delicious.
For the main course we had Chef signature sautéed cellophane noodles and seasonal vegetable, served with your choice of Seafood, Beef, Chicken or Tofu and the Braised Basa filets with onions caramelized in traditional sauce Clay Pot. Both dishes were good but not as outstanding as the two appetizers mentioned above. For dessert we had Vanilla ice cream with fried banana, topped with coconut cream, toasted coconut, and peanuts. This was very good and not too sweet or heavy.
We will be back to La Viet. The quality, atmosphere and food make this a restaurant worth visiting. They have a full bar, a decent beer list and lunch and happy hour specials.

Really loved it here! It has more of a modern feel and very comfortable. The service was very friendly and extremely courteous.
The quail was one of the best Ive ever had. And the sauce that came with the quail was amazing!!! The Shrimp mo and Crab rice bowl was very filling and delicious.
The presentation of each dish was perfect.
for dessert… the Flan was so mouthwatering scrumptious and to die for. Plus the dessert spring rolls with sweet cream cheese and fresh fruit were worth every bite!

We came in on a Sunday afternoon. Parking around this restaurant is a bitch by the way…
The restaurant is pretty inside, and we were immediately seated upon arrival. We were ready for Vietnamese food! I had checked out Unilocal before (obviously) and saw they serve bahn xeo. I hadn’t found this dish outside of Vietnam, so I was super excited to try it out. It was pretty good and tasty, though a little on the greasy side.
We continued our brunch going on dinner with a claypot filled with prawns, braised pork and quail eggs, and we also got the «make your own rolls» with ground beef in grape leaves. Both were delicious! The claypot very hearty and comforting, the spring rolls refreshing.
I would definitely come back to this restaurant. What I will say is that staff was very awkward. Not particularly friendly, welcoming or interested. Not rude either though.
All in all, we had a great time and left with a satisfied and full stomach.

Le Viet is not your every day run of the mill traditional Vietnamese restaurant. Its modern décor informs about the approach the kitchen takes to its menu. It too, is modern and uniquely different from most of the other ethnic houses in this community. If you want a break from Phở and Broken Rice (or even if you don’t), but desire creativity and great distinctive flavor, this is your destination of choice.
I had read the reviews, but was still very pleasantly surprised by the attention to comfort and privacy afforded here. Booths with high back benches separating us from our dining neighbors. Dark woody tones with high ceilings and subdued lighting. Glass vases, mirrors behind the bar, and extended front wall to let an image of the city enter, but keep us hidden within. A place for a date.
We ordered #s 9 and 70 — Pineapple Salad appetizer and Short Ribs roasted in a clay pot. Both were exceptional. The App came in a hollowed out half Pineapple, loaded with fresh Fruit, raw Calamari, spicy Shrimp, and assorted sidekick Veggies, all held together with a Lime and Pineapple Juice base with an assist from a good Fish Sauce. It was delicious. It wasn’t Cerviche, but suggested that style. When the solids were consumed, we asked for spoons so we could drink the sauce remaining in the bottom of the pineapple. I could have had that for a cocktail if mixed with a little light rum.
The Short Ribs had been torched to a dark burn, so that everything else in the clay pot had been caramelized into a thick glazy gravy that was hot with a hint of sweet. The meat was easily liberated from the bone and also captured that intense taste. We loved it.
If there was a weakness it came from the bar that prepared the Mai Tai we requested. I envisioned a Trader Vic’s drink, full of orange, pineapple and lime juice, two rums, coconut liquor, and Grenadine. Aside from a squirt of lime and a pour of Grenadine and Light Rum, the other ingredients were absent, making for a thin drink lacking its soul. Next time, we skip the drinks.
Otherwise, this was a top notch meal. It was a great alternative to the usual stops on Philly-​Saigon-​Hanoi dinner train.

Came here to check out their happy hour yesterday, and left as a new fan — I’ll definitely be back — not only for their happy hour but I’m definitely coming back for dinner.
Happy hour — great. $ 3 stella, heneiken and Yuengling. $ 5 cocktails. My opinion? Go for the cocktails. They’re well make, shaken and stirred (not just pouring vodka and cranberry and handing it over to you, if you know what I mean). I had a Long Island & my first Tigers eye — I loved both of them. I like my drinks on the stronger side — and it definitely wasn’t shy of that. It was just sweet enough, to help with the kick. I really liked their drinks — I would come back just for that.
Also — the server was really nice — he asked to make sure the drinks were okay because I hadn’t drank much. But the drinks were GREAT — I just couldn’t stop blabbing with my partner, good company ya know?
_​Happy hour food was great! I had the chicken phở, calamari, pop wings, fried tofu and summer rolls without pork, I liked every single dish. The chicken phở had such a nice, flavorful broth — dare I say almost challenges the one in Kensington?! It’s quite good though, so much I wanted to order a full size one.
The fried calamari and tofu were so well seasoned, nicely battered and generous portion given the price.
The pop wings are no joke — perfectly fried, crispy, not soggy, great sauce and nice juicy interior.
The interior is gorgeous — way better than any of the other places in the plaza on 6^th or 12^th and Washington, but the prices are still really reasonable. Mostly around $ 7.95 for some Phở/​Broken rice dishes and upwards of $ 14ish for some of the shared clay pots or soups they have. Like I said. I’ll definitely be back to try.

Finally got to visit here for the FIVE DOLLAR LUNCH SPECIAL. Yup, $ 5. Technically $ 4.95 I think, but whatever. Fantastic deal.
The food was good, and the décor was super nice. I had a vegetarian noodle bowl and a salty limeade, and the limeade came in a v. cute mason jar situation. I love salted lemonade/​limeade, so it was a nice treat.
Especially in warm weather, nothing like limeade + noodle bowl for a really nice lunch. Excited to come for dinner! Prices seemed very reasonable.

We came here because Phở Ha was closed for renovations and we have now decided Le Viet is our go-​to spot. It doesn’t look like your typical Viet place — ‘no sri racha and hoisin and gratuitous condiments on the table, no bright lightning, etc. The staff seems younger but very knowledgeable on the menu.
Plating is great, food is utterly delicious. I can’t wait to go back.

I came her for my first experience with phở, as all of the other phở places in the vicinity seemed to be closed by 8:30 on Saturday. I’m glad we stumbled upon Le Viet because it was phở-​nominal. I swear that will be my only pun.
The décor is beautiful, clean and open, just dark enough. They seated us right away even though we didn’t have reservations and the service was attentive and friendly the whole night. We choose a few things, but honestly everything on the menu looked amazing and I can’t wait to try more.
We started with the spring rolls and spare ribs for appetizers. The spring rolls could have had a little more shrimp but they were very fresh and had great flavor nonetheless and the peanut dipping sauce on the side was stellar. The spare ribs fell off the bone and were delicious as well, the portion size is also pretty large for the price.
The phở itself just hit the spot, my friend got the House Special and I got the seafood. Both were amazing, I liked mine a little bit better but maybe because I made it more spicy. Both were filled with meat and veggies, and the broth was deeply flavorful. This was a perfect meal for a cold night as it was hearty but not heavy, it really warmed me up.
All in all the prices are surprisingly reasonable, the atmosphere is very nice, the food is phở-​resh (sorry I had to) and extremely flavorful and the service is great.