Overpriced, bland, not authentic, and tries too hard but not hard enough. Lemongrass is the PF Chang's of Thai/Vietnamese food. The place definitely caters to a suburban audience with no taste buds. You're better off going to literally any other Vietnamese/Thai for much better food at lower prices. read more

We have been coming here for years. The paring of fresh herbs in our salads and their Thai recipes are fantastic. Fresh fish is amazing.

This place is pretty good for more upscale Thai. The old crowd goes here so the spice factor is really low because they cater to blue hair ladies who lunch read more

Open for take out during Covid and it did not disappoint. Ordered the green curry with chicken and it was so delish. Subbed in brown rice to go with it. Also on Friday and Saturday, they have a lamb special. It is the best lamb I have ever eaten in my whole life. I look forward to being back in Sacramento over the weekend so I can order this again yummmmmmm. read more

Where do I start! Called to place a phone order, the lady taking my order was so rude and unprofessional! Still have it a chance ..We ordered their pho, beef and chicken. It was the worst tasting pho we've ever had! The noodles tasted like spaghetti noodles; They were hard and undercooked! Not to mention they gave us about 3 small pieces of protein for each bowl of pho. read more

if you're looking for authentic asian food i wouldn't recommend coming here. atmosphere was nice but the food was far below average. they served us a side of plain boiled vegetables with our fish that honestly looked pathetic. we also ordered the "asian greens" for an appetizer and i found a piece of sponge inside the dish. when we brought it up to one of the staff, she told us it must've come from when they were cleaning the plate. she didn't even apologize or offer a refund, rather brushing it off as if it were a common occurrence. never coming back here again. read more

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Absolutely one of my top three favorite restaurants in Sacramento. I come here once in a while, not all the time because it's special. They have vegan selections that taste amazing! My go-to's are: Monk's Curry -- it's so savory but not overpowering, and has kabocha squash; Vegetables over cool rice noodles -- just the right amount of flavor combination. I cant describe it correctly, but I can just tell you it's good; Both fried and fresh spring rolls are amazing as well. Yes, it's slightly expensive, most of the dishes range from $11 but I believe you get your money's worth. There's a sophisticated feel to the place, it's popular for lunch with a mature, professional crowd. I haven't been here for dinner yet. read more

Very nice atmosphere and pretty environment but it does not save this restaurant from a 2 star. They have Pho on the menu but I do not recommend it. You don't get that much, there's just one meat and some noodles, and you pay much more than a typical Pho restaurant. And the Pho was bland. I had some soup shared with the table and it was okay at best. They also were unwilling to split our bill, whereas other restaurants would even if you forgot to say you were splitting. read more

Been going here for 30 years, always over the top amazing. One of the best restaurants in Sacramento. Order anything and you won't be disappointed. read more

There was a time when Lemon Grass was one of the best restaurants in Sacramento... Those days are gone. I used to love the invention and fresh ingredients used in every dish. The experience last night was really quite terrible. The food was poor and not prepared well at all. I got the green chicken curry... A signature dish here for years. I ordered it spicy and it came out luke warm and mild...bland really. I asked the server about it and was told that they don't trust that people REALLY want spicy food so they don't make it that way. Very little chicken in the dish, but it was full of obnoxiously sinewy bamboo shoots. My companions had sub par dishes as well, and we paid high prices for them. I wonder if Mai still is involved in this situation? read more

This place never disappoints. Anything I order here is delicious. The service is great as well. One of our go to places in the area. The rolls, papaya salad, and Korean Beef are the best. I just wish they would add Korean Beef on the menu instead of offering as a special. Thank you, Lemongrass for consistently being delicious. read more

Not exactly sure what people see in this place... okay, I get that some people really dig "asian fusion", but there are far better and more creative examples of it. Sorry, but this place is overpriced, their food bland and actually came out kind of cold. And I felt like the servers (much like the decor of the reastaurant) were trying too hard to be high class. Now, this is in a very upper-midlde class neighborhood, with a nice full bar, so I know they're trying to suck up to all the tennis moms, but it just made me feel uncomfortable. I prefer my holes in the wall. Actually, Thai House, literally a hundred feet from this place, is far superior in every way--food, service, and tasteful decor that doesn't feel obnoxious (like, what's up with the footlighting on the ceiling?). You'd be much better off going there. read more

I love Vietnamese food. What I was served is what they call "Asian Fusion". That should have been my first clue. I had Ten Tigers (shrimp). It was tasteless, as was the rice and the vegetables. Looked for salt and pepper on the table to try to do something to the lack of flavor and found none! It is not provided, as apparently everything is spiced and cooked to perfection, and if you need something added then your palate is "too complex". I sent it back. Service was less than stellar, as the waiter forgot to bring the soup I had ordered. Will NOT return. read more

This is my favorite restaurant. Great cocktails, wonderful food and awesome service - consistently. The ambiance is quiet and relaxing. I have no issues finding awesome gluten free, dairy free and soy free choices. read more

I have been here three times, all of them poor experiences. I know Mai Pham has a number of cookbooks, but the execution at her restuarant leaves much to be desired. The first dish I had was: Shaking Beef Vietnamese-French classic. Niman Ranch beef marinated in pineapple juice, oyster sauce and garlic, then 'shaken' over a hot fire. Served on watercress and greens, with roasted salt and pepper and lime wedge. Served with steamed jasmine rice. I usually like to try the specialties of the house when I go to a new restaurnat so I tried this. When I received my dish my beef was well done; chewy and a little burnt. It was not edible. Strike one. About a month later, I decided to give it another try. I ordered: Monk's Curry tofu, broccoli, tomatoes, kabocha squash and seasonal vegetables simmered in a yellow curry-coconut milk sauce scented with lime leaves and fresh basil. Served with steamed jasmine rice. This was very OK. There was not a lot of curry flavor. Nothing special. Then my co-workers wanted to check it out for lunch. I ordered: garlic prawns on rice noodles with mushrooms, onions, carrots, fresh herbs and roasted peanuts. My shrimp was so overcooked, it could have bounced off the table off the floor and back onto the table. Strike three, I will not be going back there ever, even if you paid me to. I have been to L'Orchid 3 or 4 times and have much experiences there. 1 star = Poor. I would not eat here for free or if you paid me. 2 star = So-So. I would rather eat somewhere else. 3 star= Average. I would or would not eat here again. It would depend on my company. 4 star= Good. I would recommend eating here. 5 star= Excellent. Driving two hours to eat here, would be time well spent. read more

The first sign that I knew this was going to be a bad meal was the white tablecloths. Very few chefs can pull off upscale Asian, like Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Some of the best food in Asian can be had from the food carts in the street or other less than pleasing to the eye places. The curry was bland and the other dishes my friends had were nothing special as well. Where was the lemon grass, Kaffir limes leaves, or chilli paste? read more

My wife and I have enjoyed the fare at Lemon Grass over the years. Never really got the hype. The food is OK, but insanely expensive in comparison to other restaurants of the type. Ms Phan is apparently better at marketing than going to the market. But last Friday night they did the one thing that I personally find inexcusable. I phoned in to make a to go order, as we have done for years. I was politely (almost too politely) told there would be no to go orders because 'we're just too busy'. Hogwash. There is no logic to refusing business. No science there. I tried to complain via LG's corporate contact and other electronic means, but Phan has all commentary options disabled. We will never dine there again, or at any of the other franchises owned by such arrogant people. read more

This is one of my family's favorite restaurants for group dining. All of their dishes are made fresh and brought family style to your table. My extended family members have very different tastes in food from my mom's side to my dad's side and this place still was able to satisfy all of them which was pretty much amazing!!! And there was even leftovers to take home afterwards meaning you get enough food for what you pay here. Their thai green curry is so tasty along with their spring rolls and fish dishes and of course their signature lemon grass chicken. And a lot of their ingredients are hand selected from local markets and imported for specialty stores, which turns food here almost into an art form. read more

I say this place is very GREAT on service but the portions are very little and pricey! Presentation is nice. That is the reason I gave them a Star. The food was really NOT AT ALL authentic. What can I say but not so harsh about it..... how bout I will never come back to this place and don't recommend anyone to come here. That's that!! read more

It's like sex. When it's phenomenal, it's absolute bliss! When it's terrible, it's worse than not having sex at all. When it's okay, well, at least there was some satisfaction and a little fun. Lemon Grass was okay for me. There was a little teasing with the menu; some niceties were exchanged with the service staff; a little pleasure was taken in with the urban cool ambiance; the thai curry chicken delighted my senses. In the end however, it was quick and uneventful, but still okay. I got mine and left satisfied. Maybe next time, it would be better to go about the venture with gusto...go to a place I have keen interest in initially, instead of just going about the experience just to do it. FYI: don't forget to use the plastic read more

We randomly picked this restaurant.. Went there, the host asked if we made reservation. I said No because I really didn't know that I should. The host said, well, you are lucky . We have one table left. Then we were seated. The food are good, service is great. Overall we are happy with Lemon Grass! read more

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Have been here several times, and food is hit or miss. And when you hit it, it's like a home run, but when you miss it, it's like no saving from it. Last night (04.28.16), we went with our neighbors and had a good time, conversation wise. Our neighbors ordered the special, I ordered Monk's curry, and my husband ordered Pad Thai. We also ordered salad roll, spring veggie roll, and papaya salad. Everything was delicious except Pad Thai. It was horrible. Very bland, tasteless, and some parts, sauce-less. Also, our server (Eileen) was not very attentive or knowledgeable either. Our friend wanted to order a red blend and asked the server opinion, and her response was "I don't really know". Even if you are not a wine drinker, if you are a server, know your wine list, especially for glass orders. It's not like the list is really long... She also would go away for a long time, and will not check on us. My husband had to get up twice during the night to either go get something or go get her attention. My husband asked for additional sauce because his Pad Thai was so tasteless. I tried it, and it was one of the worse Pad Thai I ever tasted. No sauce flavoring, just like eating plain noodles with vegetables. Some peanut crumbs, that was about it. Maybe they forgot to add some sauce ingredients? Not sure, but I highly recommend you to NOT try their Pad Thai. When Eileen, the server was taking my husband's dish away, she asked if additional sauce made it better, and he said no. She said she would talk to the manager, but we never heard what happened to it. Manager never came to talk to us or nothing was taken off our ticket. So, avoid Pad Thai at all cost. Salad rolls are great. Crispy spring rolls are fantastic with when you roll them with lettuce, basil, and mint they come with. Papaya salad usually comes with shrimp, and they are fantastic as well. Love their yellow curry sauce. Green curry sauce is okay, but my husband likes it. I also like their Pork Medallions, but not the ketchup-y rice it comes with. Try substituting with extra vegetables or plain brown/jasmine rice. If you like ginger, their Ginger Ice Cream is a must-try. The specials are usually not the same on the weekend, so I highly recommend going during the weekdays. Reservations highly recommended on weekend too. read more

Don't get this confused with the Lemon Grass noodle bar, although its the same restaurant this is more of a dressy sit down dinner place and the noodle bar is a lunch or to go cafe. Lemon Grass is just awesome, obviously that is why they have cookbooks out etc. The green curry chicken is to die for, Thai ice tea is wonderful and they have the most awesome desert its a fried banana with ice cream. YUM! They come and cook it at the table which is always fun! This is a great spot for a quiet romantic dinner. read more

I love the owner's cookbook.... however, the food here is a disappointment. It is mainly fusion food for Thai and Vietnamese food. I was looking for some classic Vietnamese food here like Bhan Beo, shrimp on sugar cane, grilled catfish, etc. Most items on the menu are curries. This is not the place to come for authentic Vietnamese food. Furthermore, I have had much better garden rolls at cheaper restaurants.... the garden rolls were boring (just lettuce, noodles and mushrooms). Where were all of the basil, mint, cilantro, etc that makes Vietnamese food so wonderful? Ordered: Garden rolls - nothing special Papaya salad - really good Garlic shrimp on cold noodles - really good Overall, I would not come here for authentic Vietnamese food, but if I was in the mood for a healthy tasty lunch this is a good place. read more

Talk about a hidden gem, unless someone tells you about this restaurant you barely notice it! I first came here when my husbands boss invited us here for dinner. I initially was surprised walking in not expecting it to look as great as it did.I was a little hesitant to try some of the food because at that time Asian cuisine was still new to me. We got the vegetable egg rolls which were AMAZING! I then ordered the special which was a beef skewer Dish and couldn't believe how delicious it was. We got the sticky rice with mango for desert which I was not expecting to be good but was also delicious. Me and my husband came back a couple months later and the waiter we had remembered the exact soft drinks we ordered two months ago THE same exact ones! The service here is amazing if you get the right server. The food is great although some dishes are better than others depending on your palette. All in all this is a great fine dining restaurant hidden in Arden and is great for date night or just a special night out with out having to go too far. We are always satisfied when coming here thanks lemongrass! read more

Lemon Grass serves fusion Southeast-Asian food which tends to get a lot of positive reviews in the paper. This might be because the owner and chef, Mai Pham, is a published author who also writes for various newspapers. The decor is nice, and the service is excellent. The food is pretty good, but not great, and not real innovative- it's less "fusion" than "Asian food sanitized for affluent white people." You might do better at another Vietnamese place for your favorites. Maybe I'm just spoiled by Oakland Chinatown. read more

Do not order take out from here. They do not respect your time. They'll serve the entire restaurant twice before getting started on your order. They pushed our order back a full hour then made me and my toddler wait for a half hour after that. read more

This is one of my family's favorite places to go for group outings. The decor is attractive and it's never so crowded that conversation becomes impossible. I have noticed that individuals reviewing this restaurant say "it's not authentic enough and it serves white people pad thai" The main problem is, don't order the pad thai or any of the traditionally asian dishes. Be adventurous and order things that you wouldn't expect out of this sort of place. The spring rolls are good appetizers (of course) but the carpaccio is surprisingly quite delicious. For entrees, there is the standard lemon grass chicken (which is good, though uninspired). The specials that I love best are the seared ahi tuna and the lamb chops with peanut sauce, which are always cooked perfectly. Dessert: Saigon by night (ice cream with espresso deliciousness). It's so so so good. This will, in all likelihood, be mine and my father's shared birthday dinner location next month. read more

I've been to Lemon Grass a handful of times and I always leave feeling good...never wow-ed but never disappointed...just content I would say! Part of my job requires me to take potential candidates to nice, Sacramento based restaurants and honestly, Lemon Grass is an easy go to restaurant. The atmosphere is always eloquent and there is hardly a wait. I would say it is tucked in a secluded spot so it seems more like a hidden gem of Sacramento if you are looking for Thai food. My go to dish is always the pad thai which I greatly appreciate how it comes with prawns and chicken :) Also, one must try the Thai tea! Delish! Most recently, I tried to garden rolls and they were refreshing! Came with tofu and mushroom. All in all, if you are looking for a quiet environment and want to enjoy company/conversation, go to Lemon Grass. read more

Unsure how this place is a Vietnamese Restaurant, but one thing I am sure of is how amazing the food is here. I have heard friends say that it's over priced, or that they have had better. Well truth be told, I make up my own mind and do quite enjoy this place. You are paying for the atmosphere, ambiance, and the amazing food. This is not a spot to eat at every night, because it could get expensive but when you want a epicvurial delight then eat here. We had the spring rolls and the carpaccio, which were both very tasty and the spring rolls weren't oily at all, they were just perfection. I had the Thai cowboy steak which was served on a skewer with some amazing vegetables. The quality of that steak was perfection, and the serving was enough for two people. I really think that for the prices here, they serve you far more than you expect and the quality of their ingredients make this place worth every penny. When I stated you are paying for ambiance, atmosphere, and the food I meant it as most of what you are paying for is for AMAZING food. Desert: Get the mango, coconut, sweet rice and you will go home so very happy. read more

So my husband and I assumed this was a typical Thai restaurant... nope! They're decorated to look upscale and fancy, the menu is limited and not much Thai options and way too expensive for what you get. $70 for two plates, 1 appetizer and 2 plain teas, really? The food taste doesn't line up with price. Expensive for mediocre food. The appetizer was so much for 4 tiny spring rolls. Never coming back here wish we would have spent that money on quality food. Even grocery store food would have been better. read more

My wife loves the owner's cook book so we had to visit her restaurant. Nice ambiance Lunch: Garden roles were a bit bland, had better including at the lemongrass (not related) in seattle. 3/5 Papaya salad was excellent . They actually soak the papaya and squeeze out the fluid instead of just adding the syrup. 5/5 Garlic shrimp on cold noodles was a pretty good dish. 4+/5 Overall, excellent healthy gourmet lunch option. read more

Pricey and so not Vietnamese food by any means... We ordered spring veggie rolls, which is served with black bean sauce. Hello what happened to the traditional peanut sauce? When the rolls arrived they were about an inch and a quarter width and cut into one inch strips there were about six to eight pieces. Skinniest roll I have ever ordered and stuffed with bean spouts!!! The rice paper was chewy and seemed old.. We also order chicken (murrr) that was served with rice (red colored, odd) and veggies. The chicken was over cooked and rubbery and had beads of oil coming out from it. Wasn't sure if the chicken was brought in frozen or what. The curry sauce was yummy and is sold at a price i am sure. The prices is high! Our total only with a appitizer and one dish ran $27.00 without any drinks.. and that was for lunch! Can't image what dinner cost and the food is OK!!! Customer service was okay, not the best and not the greatest, but they took a while to getting around to the bill and charging the card. If in the mood for Vietnamese don't bother with this place............bland and overpriced!!! read more