This is one restaurant that my husband and I can always agree upon when we are out. Couples, you know the car conversations, right? Well you can't go wrong here. When you walk in you are always greeted with a smile. The seating is quite close but not so close you cannot walk through. Tables and booths. Very clean and well kept. Your order can be family style or individual. Family style allows you to share tea and big serving bowls of soups. Now for the good stuff. The menu is varied with authentic or Americanized "Asian" stirfry and egg rolls. The Pho is outstanding! My goodness, the flavors of the broth, with added ingredients from chicken and beef to vegetarian. What brings it home are the side dishes of flavor bombs they serve along side: jalapeños, bean sprouts, and Thai basil. Add it to the soup and the noodles seem to envelope it all with an explosion of flavor as you slurp even to the last drop. And grab those last leaves or noodles with your chopsticks. It's worth every bite. I highly recommend Mai Lee, as it is at the top of our all-time favorites list. read more

Mai Lee has become one of our reliable STL comfort spots. The menu is huge, but the staff is always kind and happy to help guide you if you're not sure what to order. My daughter especially loves the noodle dishes here, which makes it an easy family pick for us. Favorites: 17, 133, 34, 14, 54 read more

Mai Lee - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Not bad. Didn't have any of the pho, com, or mi dishes. Instead oddly had some more home cooked dishes recommended by our waiter who thankfully spoke Vietnamese! Bo lúc lát was good and my colleague had the thơm xấu. Tried the nem cuốn too and thought there would be more than 2 rolls and more nem for how big they were Great for large parties looking for a place that serves alcohol. Will have to come back and try the traditional dishes. I did appreciate the Vietnamese and English menus and how diverse their menu options were with Vietnamese and Chinese read more

Mai Lee - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Mai Lee rents space in places that don't even seem like they should be restaurants and then passes the savings on to YOU in the form of Chinese and Vietnamese food that's better than you can get anywhere else, but at a significant premium. I'd explain why that makes sense, but it's more work than I'm capable of, on a day when the weather is finally getting nice enough to go "knees out." My boss should feel lucky I even showed up today. He can't reasonably expect me to actually do anything. I've eaten here once or twice over the years and only ever ordered off of the Chinese menu, from which you really can't go wrong. I was there last night with members of my running group. I wasn't sweating showing up in gym clothes, like Sam Jackson and John Travolta after they had to clean out the back of that car in Pulp Fiction, because this place is next to a gym, and I bet they get a lot of larger women who wander over in ostensibly not transparent yoga pants. Granted, a lot of girls dress like that everywhere they go, especially in Richmond Heights. This was my first time visiting a Vietnamese restaurant since I went to Vietnam, and I was feeling adventurous. I'd seen the proverbial man in black pajamas up close, and I was ready to sample his wares. No Diddy. I toyed with the idea of just picking a number between 1 and 200, since this place has roughly 200 numbered menu items, but I decided against that. I needed to at least read the descriptions, uselessly vague though they might be, lest I received something with a "protein" I wasn't expecting. Ahem. No matter how much you study the menu, as if it's test-prep for a crucial GED exam, you never really know what you're going to get until they bring it out. But you probably can't go wrong. I went with number 165, which was the first thing listed under Specialties. I can't remember what it's called, and the name might be utter nonsense, like when people get Chinese characters tattooed on their lower back. It consisted of shrimp, scallops and crab sticks, along with vegetables of some sort, with charred rice in oyster sauce. It's served in a boiling cauldron that must be kept six miles below the earth's surface, where they're keeping Epstein until the coast is clear, until it's ready to be served. The top layer is just rice, like mashed potatoes on a shepherd's pie, but you can hear the inside sizzling like a fajita. You're warned to not try to actually eat it from the serving dish. The food itself is insanely hot. You have to let it sit on a plate a little bit just to cool off. It's a generous helping of seafood, except when you take the cost into consideration. One of those items is those imitation crab sticks they used to sell deep-fried at Chinese food restaurants in the hood, known colloquially as... uh, never mind. I'd complain, but I find them weirdly delicious. Everything about this dish was delicious. The sauce was slightly, almost imperceptibly, sweet, with a caramelized onion flavor. The scallops were somehow not overcooked despite how hot everything was. I'm at a loss for how they got the rice perfectly crisp and yet not overcooked into oblivion. I could have done without the tails on the shrimp, but what are you gonna do? I ordered a Japanese beer that the waiter forgot to put on my bill. I pointed it out, in order to appear to be classy in front of women, but he said don't worry about it. He may have been concerned that I was toying with the idea of not leaving a tip, for cultural reasons. Admittedly, I was. I'll have the users of this app--including any ladies who might be reading this--know that not only did I tip 20%, but I rounded up to the nearest dollar. You're welcome. read more

Mai Lee - No. 165 - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Mai lee... you needn't an introduction. An absolute STL institution. Good luck driving by around dinner and snagging a seat. The place stays jumping. Full of flavor, sometimes just simple dishes with solid execution are all a kid can ask for. This place does it. A novel of a menu can be intimidating at first glance. Stick with the basics, or maybe get a bit adventurous! Service is great. The vibes are consistent with a cantonese style eatery on a grander scale. The dish was great. I got their lemon grass chicken essentially. It was a bit heavier than many vietnamese dishes I have eaten, but flavor was great and it had a good portion of chicken. Sometimes these stir fried dishes get bogged down by too many veggies. This one has great balance of meat:vegetable. read more

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Duh M. was our server. He was busy but definitely kept an eye on us. Helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Excellent service. Upon walking in hostess was welcoming. 15 min wait but it went quickly. This is a busy place. Open And well lit. We ordered chicken wings. Shrimp lo mein with added cabbage, Shrimp St. Paul , won tons, plain rice. Cooked hot and fresh. I will definitely come back to try different items on the menu. read more

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I don't know if I could love a place more. Maybe of they had booths and a little more privacy in the dining area but will absolutely love this place forever. Huge fan, and the wait staff are awesome and always on it. The food is next level, and I wish they had cooking classes because I want to be able to make some of this when I'm not in the area. Top 10 on STL for sure, cheers to 40 more years Mai Lee! read more

Mai Lee - Chicken pho, spring rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I absolutely enjoyed myself at this place my first time coming the inside is very spacious our server was soooo nice gave some awesome recommendations like the Mai Lee sampler platter and Pho I got the shrimp pho and it was sooooooo good I drank all the broth lol The spring rolls as you see are huge which is very nice. Came here for lunch the inside of the restaurant was very spacious. They are in the Brentwood area a few mins from Galleria Mall. So it was perfect after I finished some shopping I came here for a nice lunch! Will definitely be back to try something different read more

Mai Lee - Shrimp Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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One of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in the area! I come here quite often, and they never disappoint. I especially love their mango sticky rice -- it's honestly one of the best I've had. The mango is always fresh and sweet, and the sticky rice is perfectly soft with just the right amount of coconut flavor. Overall, the food is consistently good, and this place has definitely become one of my go-to spots. Highly recommend! read more

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Mai Lee was good. The restaurant is a sort of cafeteria-hall vibe which is interesting, but the menu is large and very authentic. The menus are mobile and you use a QR code to read it. Here's what we got: -Potstickers: 8.5/10 - The dumpling dough was thick, which made them unique and delicious. The sauce that they came with was also to die for. -Vit Ca Ry (Duck Curry): 8/10 - The broth is incredibly aromatic, with a lovely coconut base flavor. The bowl is HUGE and we did wish that some of the ingredients (potatoes and carrots) were cut smaller for ease of eating. However, the duck leg was moist and the noodles were plentiful. -Bun Ga Nuong (Noodle bowl with Chicken): 7/10 - This was good, but simple. I do wish that the chicken was more flavorful, and that it had been presented more beautifully like the rest of the dishes. But it did the job. read more

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I heard of Mai Lee being good but I didn't know it was poppin-on-a-random-tuesday-night good! When we walked in we didn't expect it to be so lively! Our wait time was only 10 mins and we were seated promptly. For appetizers we got crab rangoon and bbq ribs. The crab rangoon was sooo hot and fresh. It was so good we ordered it a second time. For entrees we had special fried rice (subbed shrimp for more beef). It was absolutely delicious and plentiful. We totally could've shared it with like 4 people! Sesame chicken was flavorful as well and the broccoli paired with it was also fresh. We also ordered a ham St. Paul. It was my first time ever trying one so I'm not sure how I felt about it, my boyfriend said it was pretty good tho! Our server did seem a little mad/straight forward but that didn't take away from our food experience. If you're someone who gets overstimulated by loud noises, I recommend sitting on the side where there's no bar. We were okay with a tall table so we were seated next to a lady at the bar who was a little louder than everyone else and it was a bit annoying but once again, still enjoyed everything about this place. I would totally come back and bring my family next time! read more

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Very delicious. The service was a bit weird, but nothing that was off-putting. We came here after quite the drive, so we took turns using the bathroom after we decided on our orders. No one came to take our orders until everyone was seated at the table. It was quite busy inside and outside. We were sat inside where it was a little loud. I enjoyed the decoration. The food was splendid. I got a meal from the Vietnamese portion of the menu. However, someone in my party got a meal from the Chinese menu and was not impressed considering the price. read more

Mai Lee - bun ga rau cai - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

The guys at the bar always take care of me when I come in for lunch. They have a big carryout business and they pump it out along with the bar area seating. read more

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Mai Lee Food Review My friend took me out before a show and encouraged me to try something new instead of my usual #142. The server suggested the #152 GF Dau Hu Chien Gion - crispy tofu stir-fried with onions, served with their special pepper lemon sauce ($22.95). I ordered mine without onions and added veggies for an extra $6.00 - definitely worth it. The tofu was perfectly crisp with great flavor, and the vegetables were cooked in a garlicky mix that was delicious even on their own. I'm not a big lemon pepper fan, but I gave the sauce a try and was pleasantly surprised at how well the flavors came together. If you love lemon pepper, you'll really enjoy this dish. Personally, I'd order it again with a different sauce, but it was still very good. It reminded me that I need to step out of my comfort zone and try new menu items more often. There was a small hiccup with my order because the restaurant was busy, but the server was kind and quickly corrected it. That's what good customer service is about--fixing the issue with care. Overall, Mai Lee continues to deliver excellent food and service. They never miss a beat, and I'll definitely be back. If you haven't already, get out there and try something new on the menu--you might be surprised like I was! Yes this was all vegan. read more

Mai Lee - Rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Number 17 on the menu, try it with clear noodle, such good flavor and meat. Seating is tight during weekend rush hour but service is quick and friendly. Parking is very accessible around the building. Will always come back! read more

Mai Lee - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This is amazingly mo better than excellent. Getting settled in is a bit much but once you make it inside the restaurant. By walking from the parking garage across the street. This place is like heaven on earth. Someone in the kitchen apsoloutly loves to cook and it shows. The wings was so good I cried. The banh mi ga is flavorful and fixed to perfection. The pho is fixed with high quality ingredients. Im mo stop talking. See, the ML shows you honestly why The STL is called the show me. Because they put other restaurants to shame. This place is a ten star place hands down. With the power YELP has invested in me I now pronounce this fine establishment with a billion stars. I appreciate the food here. Its simply delicious. read more

Great flavors, busy lunch time but good service.prices are reasonable. Mostly folks on lunchtime.

Decided to try Mai Lee after hearing everyone I know rave about it! I always take it as a good sign when it's busy in the middle of the day. The location of the restaurant is a little off to me, it's in a very corporate space. The tables were relatively clean and the bathrooms were decent. I got the wonton soup and was a little disappointed with how overly porky it tasted. I'm aware that it's made with pork meat but the broth was hard to sip on because the ham taste was so strong. The wontons were nice and big though. The chicken lo mein was very redeeming, quite possibly the best I've had in a while. The only thing I'd change about it is the size of the chicken pieces. I get the chicken "ick" quickly and only wish for them to be smaller! read more

Mai Lee - Chicken lo mein - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Mai lee is a great restaurant the fried rice is sooo good and fresh tasting every time! and the shrimp and pork spring rolls are so delicious:) and service is always great and fast! read more

Mai Lee - pork fried rice , spring rolls, ribs - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Went here on Mothers day & it was the worst customer service i have ever experienced in Stl. The server & manager were so rude, never once checked on my table & i had to go to the kitchen myself & request to go boxes. Worst customer service EVER!! Really ruined my mothers day. Also if they tell you they will replace your food do not let them take it off the table, they took my food. Didnt replace it & still made me pay for it. I dont know any restaurant that operates this way. Also do not get brisket, its big chunks of fat. Went here on Mothers day & it was the worst customer service i have ever experienced in Stl. The server & manager were so rude, never once checked on my table & i had to go to the kitchen myself & request to go boxes. Worst customer service EVER!! Really ruined my mothers day. Also if they tell you they will replace your food do not let them take it off the table, they took my food. Didnt replace it & still made me pay for it. I dont know any restaurant that operates this way. Also do not get brisket, its big chunks of fat. read more

Definitely not my favorite Vietnamese food, but friendly service and a busy place for lunch. The rice plates were very decent and the pork wasn't too bad, the nem nuong cuon (grilled pork spring rolls) were plump but disproportionately light on pork. The location is super convenient, right next to the light rail station. Can't knock it, and didn't expect decent Vietnamese food out here! read more

Mai Lee - Outside. - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I'd been wanting to try this place for quite some time and I finally got my chance. It did not disappoint! This restaurant is family owned and offers a variety of Chinese and Vietnamese food staples. I started simple and ordered chicken fried rice and a side of chicken wings. The food was so good. Granted, my meal wasn't fancy - but the fact that something so simple was literally perfect in taste made me so happy. Although the meal was a little more pricey, I think that you are paying for the overall experience. A step up from many other Asian restaurants, the setup of this place is really nice; classy even. I would even go as far as to say that you can tell that the food was cooked with love. Sounds cheesy, I know! But the staff was amazing and the food to me really had that wow factor. I'm giving this place two thumbs up! read more

Finally got to try the famous Mai Lee. Came here for lunch on a Sunday and it was a little busy but was seated right away. Our waiter was nice and gave is plenty of time to look over the menu. The meun is long and can be a bit overwhelming. I ordered the chicken fried rice and crab rangoon. The person I came with ordered a shrimp st Paul. All of the food was great and flavorful. I only took off one star because in addition to having water I asked for a Dr. Pepper. It was flat/carbon like tasting. I think they need to change that out but other that it was overall a decent meal. As always until next time... read more

Mai Lee - Chicken fried rice - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I had been told when I moved here that this place has the "best pho in St. Louis" and I was definitely pleasantly surprised. On a Tuesday night, it was extremely busy, every table filled and people coming in constantly for to-go orders. The lychee martini hit the spot with a strong and delicious lychee flavor cutting thru. When ordering I was surprised and extremely dissapointed there was no pork pho option so I opted for beef. At other pho places I've been to there's usually multiple size options (small and large) but that was not the case at Mai Lee. Additionally for $16 I would've expected more. Overall, the taste of the pho was incredible and got me out of my comfort zone with the beef, and the cocktail was great, however was let down by the lack of options and the price to size ratio. read more

Mai Lee - Lychee martini - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Coming here tonight was a stroke of genius. After a full week of Italian food and steaks we needed something else and pho was the choice. We arrived and were quickly seated and provided water. After sitting at the table awhile I finally noticed a card with a QR code on it we should scan to see the menu. Luckily, our server, Duy M, showed up and provided some real menus. We ordered the number 46 egg rolls and the number 10 and 12 pho. I'd say the food came out fast and Duy was a super server. At least all the goodies you put in the bowls was plentiful and Duy even brought out some extra bean sprouts. The egg rolls were just eh. The pho was good but not great. Have had better in Tucson, but for tonight it hit the spot. Busy large and full dining room, well lit and moderate noise but very simple. It's clearly popular here. read more

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Delicious Vietnamese and Chinese dishes! The service is quick and knowledgeable. Ambiance is modern and pretty. My kids and I went out for a belated Mother's Day dinner. I ordered the beef with peppers, my daughter ordered the pho ga which is like chicken noodle soup and my son ordered General Tao's chicken. We ordered potstickers and crab Rangoon to share plus water, Vietnamese iced tea or iced coffees to drink. There is a good sized patio available for dining too. Leftovers were delicious the next day too. read more

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Wa, great sandwich! Love it and easy to park nearby as well. I ordered special St. Paul one read more

Mai Lee - St Paul sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Had to wait about 20 minutes but my first St Paul Sammy experience was nothing short of yummy deliciousness!!! Will def be back next time I'm in town read more

Mai Lee - Oh my word. So delish!! - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

listen linda. this is the place to get an authentic bite. huge menu. huge. so many choices. you'll have to come back again and again to try everything. the only thing is I wish the meal came in a large bowl instead. I needed to do a lot of chopping and mixing and in a bowl it would have been much easier read more

Mai Lee - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

WOW!!! Last weekend we were shopping at stores in Brentwood, between Brentwood Road and Hanley; we drove down the street where Mai Lee is located, realized we were hungry, parked and we were soon seated and asking the table next to us what they were enjoying... it looked and smelled wonderful... they happily informed us that they were enjoying one of the fire pot soups. Fire pot soups are similar to fondue insofar as both have a heated bowl of soup / broth into which you put meat and / or seafood (or other items), they cook in the broth, and then you eat. Fire pot soups are unique, in their flavors, and in that you can ask fill your bowl with Vietnamese noodles, bean sprouts and other ingredients. Since Mai Lee has been around for more than 40 years, there are very many people who already knew of fire pot soups (!!); we just learned about them on our visit; hopefully other people will discover Mai Lee like we just did. We enjoyed: 1. egg drop soup and 2. Lau Sate (which is item #198 on menu page 11) Combination of beef and seafood in a coconut sate soup (mild spice) Beyond the wonderful food, we had fantastic service, provided by Duy (pronounced Dewey / Duey), who is a great host.: - Once Duy confirmed this was our first visit, he guided us through the menu and helped us pick Lau Sate - he helped us understand how to soak the stiff, dry rice wraps, to become soft, to make them into spring rolls - helped make sure we would have a drive home with leftovers that would not leak in the car As mentioned, the food was wonderful and so was the service. We're very glad we discovers MI Lee!! read more

The food is always amazing and so is the service. Steve is awesome. It's a nice restaurant on the inside too. I normally always get the beef pho but today I tried the Bun Bo Hue and it was phenomenal. I will definitely be getting that again. It's gonna be hard to choose between pho and my new favorite soup. read more

Mai Lee - Bun Bo hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

In all the years I have been going to Mi Lee(even when they were on Delmar) and when in town l, I would take family. This is the FIRST time we had such a VERY disappointing experience where the much of the food didn't taste fresh. Even after appetizers, I had to waive down the server so we could even order. There was a group of 3-4 employees sitting at table near kitchen just yapping away. The appetizers were delicious. We all enjoyed them. My Lunch (egg Foo Yoong combination lunch) Sweet & Sour soup was good but lunch portions were small and dried out and just didn't look nor taste fresh. My son and wife ordered the Pho which appeared "OK" but my wife was still disappointed; not much meat in either Pho. My MIL ordered "Chicken Fried Rice" where rice was heavily soy seasoned & and almost like refried to look fresh. Plus as a meal dish , at $17.95 it barely had any chicken meat; almost all rice. My son's beef dish also was sparse on meat and sauce too sweet. We finished only 1/2 our meals (and except for appetizers, we ate them). Took home rest of food. My son didn't even want to eat rest of his meat dish as taste was too sweet. The pho only had mostly noodles and bean sprouts. For the 5 of us with mandatory 18% "tip" total was almost $200. I've spent more elsewhere but food was delicious. I hate spending $ (their lunch menu is even overpriced and same price like regular menu. I believe and hurts me to say this was our LAST time. Unfortunately, the prices were all over priced for lack of quality and minuscule meat portions. This is NOT the Mi Lee I remember. My 11 year old said he preferred another Vietnamese restaurant where we have never been disappointed. read more

Mai Lee - the prices were high, food mediocre, and service had to waive down server to order. There are better options in St Louis. - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This is a popular casual Vietnamese restaurant in Brentwood. They have plenty of seating available but it can get busy during dinner on weekends. Our go to dishes are the chicken pho and bun rieu. The broth for chicken pho is so rich and flavorful. I like the bun rieu because it's spicy tomato and crab-based broth with crab meat and shrimp and rice noodles. Both dishes are gluten-free as well. Vietnamese coffee brews in front of you and then you mix the condensed milk in for a rich but creamy flavor. Service is always fast and friendly. read more

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This place gets really busy but good thing we were seated right before it got too packed. Server was really nice and quick, he remembered our orders and would often check up on us. Food was not too bad (I'm from Toronto so we have a good amount of Vietnamese food). My friends enjoyed their food as well. We got pho, general Tso's, chicken chow mein, and duck. Overall, not a bad Vietnamese spot. read more

Mai Lee - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Just ordered the Hu Tieu Mi for takeout on a whim and it was just as good, if not better than the pho! I've never branched out much from Mai Lee's pho, but so glad I tried this other soup dish. It's similar but a totally different flavor profile, with a rich chicken broth and seafood and pork meats. Delicious! read more

Mai Lee - Pho Tai - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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A parked in tnt parking garage and there was plenty of free parking. Once we came in, the hostess could've been friendly but not a big deal. Usually when you walk into an establishment, the hostess would greet and ask how many. I just looked at her until she acknowledged us with her words. Once we were seated, water was delivered and our waiter followed behind. The service after was really good. We came during lunch so it wasn't too crowded. I really enjoyed my shrimp St Paul and hubby liked his food as well. He said the rice a a little bland but not too bad when you mix it with the sauce. I also ordered the Mai Lee tea with vodka. Delicious! This is a place we would very likely return to. read more

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Absolutely love this place! With a menu that doesn't seem to end; service that is prompt, attentive and helpful; food that is incredibly tasty, fresh, and hot; and casual atmosphere that is fun and easy going... This place is a winner! What we ordered: - spring rolls (4/5): These were decent. Very fresh and large. Would have liked more protein. - Ga Xao Lan #91 (4.5/5): Excellent flavors. Gave yellow curry vibes. Would get this again! - Ga Xao To #96 (4.5/5): again, excellent flavors with good portion of veggies. Would get this again! - Banh Xeo #54 (4/5): have never had a dish like this and I liked it! Good portions and the flavors were decent. read more

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They have pretty good pho, but just not my favorite. They serve the food really quick! We got both of our orders in about 5 minutes. Just need to make sure you go really early to avoid the line, which started to form shortly after 5pm. I ordered pho tai bo vien, which should include meatballs and sliced beef. I was honestly quite disappointed when there's just one sliced meatball in the bowl when it's $2 more than the regular pho tai. Besides that, their pho was pretty good with clear soup! Bun bo hue was pretty tasty too if you like a less spicy version. read more

Mai Lee - Pho tai bo vien + bun bo hue - Vietnamese Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Love Mai Lee! As a vegetarian, my go tos are the fried vegetarian egg rolls, fresh tofu spring rolls, and the #16 noodle soup with vegetable broth. Their Thai Tea and Vietnamese Coffee drinks are also so refreshing with a hot bowl of soup. read more

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My go-to place for pho and noodles. Fresh food, quick service, reasonable prices, have been coming here for many years read more

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