Nic C.

The name Hanoi Hannah originates from a person called Trinh Thi Ngo who was a Vietnamese radio personality during the Vietnam War. She made English-language propaganda broadcasts for North Vietnam directed at US troops. Having travelled from north to south Vietnam just recently, we can pinpoint exactly where these broadcasts were taking place as it was a stop on the Dalat Easyriders motorbike trip from the mid-country mountain region, all the way along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and into Saigon. Occupying the building that previously housed Capital Records on High Street in Prahran, it is quite a surprise to find a place promising to serve authentic pho south of the river. The space is relatively small and even though it is pretty empty on our arrival, within a half an hour a line starts to form. True to its SE Asia influences, there is some seating available on the street, while the majority of diners perch at the bar or a small handful of tables, the decor includes a beat up old bike out front, wooden crates on the walls filled with kitsch relics from home and abroad, Vietnamese street photography, and a smattering of plants and garden furniture. We especially liked the distressed wood ceiling - wallpaper or paint we couldn't tell - but the deception and rustic aura it lent the place worked. They are still trying to get a handle on service but things like this can be ironed out quickly once the service team get a bit more confidence. There's a great choice of flavourful cocktails, on our first visit we decided to go down the non-alcoholic route and ordered the pineapple and lychee slushie mixed with coconut juice - a zesty and refreshing start to the meal. The roast duck rice paper roll was fresh tasting but stuffed with too much noodle and other fillings that overshadowed the small portion of duck. We found the Miss Chu rolls more meaty but the price is about 30% dearer - so whatever floats your boat. Speaking of which, drinks and food are surprisingly affordable and most dishes are under the $10 mark. Big up to ya! The authentic Hanoi spring rolls went down a treat and as they are served fresh from the hot oil that they are fried in, fresh lettuce leaves are provided for you to wrap around the piping hot batter before dunking them into the sauce. Tasty and will be ordered again. Hello. Did someone say pork belly slider? I never saw this during my travels and maybe this has been included to cater to the pork belly masses of Melbourne and the current slider phenomenon that is sweeping the city. But I cannot deny that the pork was cooked to perfection - crackling and all - and sandwiched between a small bun. A great couple of mouthfuls - but would possibly benefit from a small lashing of sauce to give it some moisture. Order this right as you arrive otherwise they run out quick. Our second visit we waited too long and were unable to get one to photograph. BBQ chicken wings had a nice charcoal finish with moist meat underneath. I would have wanted more than just once each but concede we were not in a US diner. As for the glass noodle salad with roast duck, the sweet, sour and hot balance mixed well in this cold dish. On to pho - I am a lover of Victoria Street's glorious bowls of noodles, stock and selection of protein. And Hanoi Hannah delivered on all fronts, plus it has loads of other great stuff on the menu, too. For our beef fix we had the betel leaf-wrapped beef that had been chargrilled on skewers. The couple next to us talked us into it as they said it was so tasty but much lighter than they were expecting. I am going to give the grilled quail another go next time - the meat was a little dry - probably due to being on the BBQ for a touch too long. The school prawns dusted in salt and pepper are a perfect addition for nibbles when you are drinking so we should have put these on our order a bit earlier. Speaking of which - this place is perfect for a few rounds of drinks and the dishes that you can eat with your fingers are the perfect accompaniments. They have bahn mi available during lunch service as well - usually a selection of 4-5 different kinds so if you are wandering past and keen for a quick bite to test the water then this is the way to go. If you have been won over by Miss Chu then it's worth cheating on her for Hanoi Hannah Hawker Kitchen and Bar - cheap food and drinks in the heart of Prahran. Hanoi Hannah Hawker Kitchen & Bar 180 High Street Windsor, VIC 3181 Ph. 03 9939 5181

Tresna L.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, bánh mì is the best hangover cure known to man. The ones at Hanoi Hannah even more so, because they come drowning in mayo and with your own personal bottle of Sriracha on the table, you can just load that bad boy up and then scarf it down. The beef one is pretty good. Rather than being sliced fillet, this one is minced and mixed with deliciousness (I presume lemongrass and crack), rolled in to sausage shapes before being grilled. Don't even attempt to eat this on a day when you're feeling virtuous, because the mayo and meat juices rolling down your hands while you hide behind your sunglasses will remind you how unhealthy this version is. But hey, after a night on the turps you'll do just about anything to feel human again - right?

Sam K.

So it seems to be the place all the cool kids like to hang out and be seen. It's also the kind of place where the staff are way too cool to be serving you and give you a bit of totally unnecessary attitude on the side. (No tip obviously) The music was very loud and so not conducive to convo. But the food was yummy. They nailed the flavours and had a very tempting menu. And they had my old favourite, Beer Lao...so that scored brownie points.

Jack D.

As a proud and patriotic north-sider it takes something big and bold to get me to travel to the other side of the river. It was a slight hangover on a Sunday morning and the promise of a Bloody Mary "to end all others" that got me in the car and down Punt Road. Hanoi Hannah is part of a trio to have infiltrated South Yarra in the last year, and a love of Vietnamese food is what pushed us to this particular venue. The attention to detail in the decor was exceptional. My co-diner lived in Vietnam for quite some time and was blown away by their efforts. The netting holding up small plastic chairs on the roof is a throwback to practically the only form of seating when dining out on the Streets of Viet. Obviously we started with a Bloody Mary, which was a meal unto itself. It includes three fresh spring rolls as a garnish - A GARNISH. For $17 it's pricey but well worth it. We then went with the Peking Duck rice paper rolls and Sticky Pork with Betel Leaf. HOT TIP: If you see betel leaf on a menu - ORDER IT. While we certainly didn't need it, we dined on a main meal of a Lemongrass Beef Vermicelli Salad, which was tasty but definitely not the highlight of the meal. Next time I would certainly stick with a variety of smaller dishes rather than getting an entree and main, I recommend you do too.

Abi M.

I adore this restaurant and me and my group of friends have definitely become regulars over the past few years! The food is absolutely phenomenal, the rice paper rolls are out of this world!! I recommend this restaurant to everyone who asks me where they should eat out and none of them have been disappointed! 10/10

Darryl S.

I'll start by saying Hanoi Hannah ("HH") -- as far as I could see -- has no one Vietnamese (or even remotely Asian) working there! (Not that it's a requisite; nevertheless, the moniker may connote such stereotype.) This is a decidedly hip and with-it joint for those with room on their credit card. (The single "$" sign is wholly inaccurate when it comes to HH's prices.) That said, these small "anomalies" are easily put on the back-burner when it comes to the fabulous tapas-style dishes! HH is one of those eateries where sharing multiple dishes is definitely the way to go to avoid hunger pangs, as single orders simply would not satiate most patrons' appetites -- unless you tend to eat like a bird...! Since this was our first time at HH, our wait-gal, young newbie Juliette, was uber-friendly and helpful in assisting us with our choices. We started with the Salmon Tartare (fresh, diced salmon, bonito custard, and native lime served with nori crackers; $15) and Charlie's Fried Chicken Ribs (six deep-fried chicken ribs -- tender and surprisingly meaty! -- with a spicy honey sauce; $14). Both dishes were simply phenomenal! The chicken ribs were done like American buffalo wings, only these ribs have a single bone and a lot more meat on 'em! Naturally, both meals were gobbled-up lickety-split! Next round came Snapper Dumplings (snapper, chili, lime and black bean; $12.50) and Prawn Dumplings (har gow-styled steamed prawns, bamboo shoots, and corn; $12.50). OMG scrumptious!!! Our final savory dish was the Duck Dumplings (Peking duck, aromatic broth, tofu and Asian mushrooms; $14), which, in our opinion, was the "least favorite" of our entire meal -- which is not to say that it was bad, because it really was oh-so good; it simply was more "ordinary" than the other entrees. The Peking duck flavor was quite pronounced and flavorful; the small, diced tofu wasn't particularly necessary. As a finish, my partner went with the Peanut Butter Mochi ($12.50), which he stated was amazing! And, too, a small platter of three distinctly different sauces ("Charlie's Sauces") are there on the table for your use: black vinegar and chili soy; a shallot and ginger concoction (my fave!); and Red Nam Jin (which tastes like a srirachi mixture. All three do-it-yourself sauces were deliciously savory and complemented the various entrees perfectly. Three glasses of Heathcote's Red Claw Shiraz ($13 per single glass; the barmaid left us the bottle), and a glass of "Lemonade" (Sprite; $4), helped wash all of this deliciousness down.... (Our entire meal came out to $123.50.) The entire staff of HH was absolutely top-notched and really cared about making sure everyone was enjoying their experience! In short, I cannot recommend Hanoi Hannah anymore highly! With so many far-less expensive Vietnamese restaurants in town, the packed house at Hanoi Hannah's pretty much made its point that you cannot put a price on superb flavors and a memorable dining experience...! WOW!!! :D

Jess S.

Great food and the drinks are delicious. The Pork Belly Sliders were amazing and the entire menu sounded fantastic. A small and noisy place though so get in early and don't wait to be given a table, just jump on to the first free one you see!

Dawn N.

Loved it. Will definitely be back. Staff was fun and interactive. Food was fresh and superb.