Lua Viet

Have we become a nation of anorexics? Tiny portions of otherwise delicious food?
Why not just raise your prices and make your servings less miniscule?
Do you imagine that we would ever return to your restaurant, knowing that we left hungry?

Unreasonably delicious beef phở (using filet mignon and OMG, the MEATBALLS were almost orgasmic!) for a very reasonable price. A small bowl is plenty for dinner or lunch. Get the large and take half home for later. Clean, modern layout and design, friendly staff, pretty quiet even when fairly full. Initial service could be a smidge faster, but this is a new, small restaurant, not a well-​oiled Appleby’s. The phở came out very quickly after ordering, quicker than I’ve gotten it other places. Very relaxed. So yummy.

Had a lovely dinner, good food and service. We had Chicken noodle soup that was super yummy, and stir fried beef. Had the stir fry leftovers for lunch today and they were a reminder to review this newish restaurant. It was busy and they were one cook down but they made sure we got well taken care of.

Apparently my 2 experiences eating here aren’t the norm, as I’ve seen Many good reviews… However, both my visits were not very appetizing.
The first visit, I’ll attest the horrible service to the fact that it was their first month of operation. Our meals took 45 minutes to make it to the table… After sitting in the pick up window for roughly 10 minutes. Needless to say everything was cold, not to mention bland.
The second experience was a little better concerning their service, and the spring rolls we received were fairly good… But only fairly. Unfortunately, the Beef Phở we ordered was the worst excuse for Phở I’ve ever experienced! There was absolutely NO flavor, other than that of beef broth with green onions and a couple mushrooms thrown in… and there was an oil slick of beef fat floating on top! The beef was very thin and grayish in color… but the two peices that we did manage to find were tender. In the description, it said there are also meat balls in the Beef Phở, but they were more like chunks of Spam rolled into little balls. They were nasty and processed… Like no other ‘meatballs’ I’ve ever seen before.
Needless to say, I will NOT be going back to Lau-​Viet. I’ll just drive to The Sea Noodle Bar in Coddington… where the Phở is to DIE for, as well everything else I’ve had there!
Oh, and their 16oz. draft pours are really only 12oz. pours… so be prepared to be dissapointed when you ask them for a draft.

I have been there thee times since they opened and absolutely love the ambiance and the food. The Kobe tacos with pineapple is amazing, the kimchee lettuce wraps, the beef phò, fresh spring rolls, BBQ plates, everything was delicious. The staff is helpful and kind, happy to offer suggestions. I love this place. I’m so happy to have phò in our neighborhood.

Excellent phở! My fiancé and I regularly make the 1-​hour drive from Napa to get it. I’ve tried the beef (my favorite), chicken, and veggie. The broths are rich in flavor and made fresh daily. The meat in the beef phở is so yummy, and the meatballs are especially delicious – I’ve had beef balls that basically tasted like styrofoam in the past – no funky texture here and lots of flavor! Solid service, too. Highly recommend.

Wonderfully simple menu. The beef phò and the chicken phò were exquisite. Loved the Gyoza dumplings. Our server was attentive, without being overbearing.

Wow, finally a great dining experience in our poor Sebastopol. I have been so apprehensive to try new restaurants but am so happy lau Viet! Everything perfect!
(The chairs are a bit uncomfortable)
Keep up the good work!

Slow service. Okay food but really expensive for the portions and the atmosphere (has a bit of a cafeteria feel to it with the food bell ringing all the time). And I’m about 95% sure they served pork to my wife when she ordered chicken (doesn’t eat pork). When we asked the server about it he denied it and said he’d check but then didn’t even take the meat on the plate for the chef to see so that he could accurately answer. Our dishes all came out at different times, with up to 5 minutes between them being served. I won’t be back and don’t recommend them. There’s better Vietnamese food nearby. If I HAD to go back, I would only order the Phở as that was decent flavor/​size/​price, but expect it to take 25 minutes to get your food.

Went here for the first time this week with a friend and it was so good I had to go back. Excellent food! Fresh and flavorful. Loved the chicken noodle soup, egg rolls — had both the chicken and veggie — delish! Also had the chicken stir fry and it was great, too. Service was friendly and attentive. Sat outside in the little outdoor area the second evening and it was really nice. We will go back — and highly recommend.

This place offers a very nice lunch with fresh and tasty ingredients. We had the vegetarian spring rolls and gluten free shaking beef on rice noodles with plenty of food for 2 and leftovers, which we took home in a biodegradable container. For the appetizer and entrée and a Thai iced tea we spent only $ 36 with tax and tip, too, so it is very reasonably priced. Would definitely recommend!

They gave me food I was allergic to when I specifically requested without, but to err is human. The reason I’m giving a bad review is that they lied about it. When the food arrived I very politely pointed out that they mistakenly made the food with the ingredient I asked to omit. He didn’t look at my food, but instead told me that the dish didn’t contain any of it and that it was something else. Well, the food tasted terrible but I was hungry so I ate it. Big mistake — I was sick for days. I took a look at the menu online and sure enough, the dish contains the ingredient I’m allergic to. I called the restaurant anonymously and asked about the dish. Sure enough, the dish had what I thought it did but of course «We can serve it without if you want.» Right.

Very fresh ingredients! Loved the egg rolls & Kobe beef tacos. Sebastopol needed phở & a good Vietnamese spot!
Lovely, fast, attentive service, open friendly bar area, my daughter & I didn’t sit at the bar but others were having a great time.
Thoroughly enjoyed our meal & experience.

My husband and I went to Lua Viet last night and were fairly disappointed.
I am a chef of 35 years so am fairly critical.
I ordered the veggie spring roll and could tell it had been sitting in the fridge all day and was gummy, the dipping sauce gloppy.
The carrots in the phở tasted like Birdseye frozen and the vegetable used were very pedestrian.
The menu says $ 4 for a Sapporo beer, but they charged $ 7. I heard another table complaining of this too.
The staff was friendly and this place has potential but more attention needs to paid to details.

Excellent, authentic Vietnamese food! Friendly, attentive staff, too.
I’m coming back.

As long time Simply Vietnam patrons living in Sebastopol we are thrilled to discover a local high-​quality Vietnamese Restaurant!
Highly recommended!

Just discovered this restaurant with a couple of gal friends for lunch yesterday. What a delight! We had yummy Thai ice teas and Vietnamese coffee with spring rolls, kimchi pork lettuce tacos, and beef noodle soup. Prices are so reasonable for the portions and the waitstaff were very inviting. It’s very close to work so I do envision myself returning for some more scrumptious meals.

I had a great first experience here tonight. The seafood phở was delicious and is a good portion. The service was extremely attentive and the people were very friendly and warm.
I also liked the ambiance. It felt very clean and comfortable. They have a small bar area with a large TV and a nice outdoor area too making the place very well balanced. I can’t wait to go back and try something different including the coconut crème brûlée!

This review is solely for their service. We arrived for dinner around 7:40pm on a Sunday. They only had two waitstaff working — one managing the inside, the other handling the seats outside — and they clearly need additional staff. Many of the tables inside needed to be bussed, but we were finally seated and provided menus.
We left after being seated for 20 minutes — no water showed up, and no one came by to take our order. The waiter managing the inside was struggling with drink and meal orders for tables that had been seated long before us, closing out other tables, and serving food.
We might be back at a later date to try the food, in hopes they’ve sorted out their service issues.

They just opened so the menu is still small and they didn’t have egg noodle for phở.
But what we had were very good and tasty.
I know the waiter that night was young may be its his first job but I want my hot meal is hot. You don’t want to see your dish staying at the window between kitchen for a while.
The waiter was kinda busy? But the manger? Who was there also Needs to help him. The waiter wad running two tables and phone call.
Over all we like our meals. Next time
We will try something different so that it not has to be hot dish. And some dessert.
Décor is elegant and comfortable. They have bar so solo customer can enjoy also.
I will give them more time to try again when they get alcohols license.